A new real estate agency in Melbourne opens its doors selling one-acre blocks on the moon for $59 and 10-acre "lifestyle" blocks for $298. Paul Jackson, 33, announced he had bought the rights to sell the land from Nevada-based Dennis Hope. Hope has been cashing in since 1980 on what he said was an apparent loophole in the 1967 UN Outer Space Treaty that barred nations from laying claim to the moon but said nothing about individuals.

WHEN the police themselves become the thieves, the situation is serious but when a policeman steals the belongings of another policeman the situation becomes laughable. Is not it? It seems to have happened. The police are investigating charges that a constable of Delhi Police, posted with the Tilak Marg police station, pinched Additional Station House Officer V.P.Sharma’s mobile and gifted it to a relative.

"Sharma had been charging his mobile in his room and had to go out for a while. On his return, he found the mobile missing," said a source. The officer’s cellphone company then tracked the machine down using its EMI number—an electronic code unique to each instrument. Its user was hauled to the police station. "This person revealed he had got the handset from a relative. This relative turned out to be that constable," the source said.

ASK a teen-ager about the benefit of SMS, he will shout back dubaara mat puchhna as in the Ad. of Chloromint. And the political parties are the opportunists to cash in in the benefits of SMS. The forthcoming elections will be a testing ground of their efficacy. So don’t get surprised if you get SMS on your mobile to vote for a particular political party, in the coming assembly polls. Techno-savvy parties are trying out all-possible ways to reach you. Posters are passé—though unavoidable—SMS, e-mails and cable TV are the new modes of communication they are venturing into.

BJP vice-president Vijay Jolly said: "We have decided to mobilise our youth wing to draft short and crisp SMS messages like BJP lao Congress hatao, Delhi bachao. The messages will attract the younger generation". Delhiites will also be informed about election rallies in their area via SMS. The party will soon approach mobile service providers in Delhi for utilising the Short Messaging Service facility.

A swarm of young millipedes stopped a train in the mountains near Osaka, Japan, as they covered a length of railway tracks. The one-coach train skidded to a halt after crushing an "enormous amount" of the white insects, each measuring three to six cm, along 400 m of track.

Elections ensure spurting of activities on many fronts. Why should astrology be lagged behind? So it’s boom time for astrologers. Nervous Delhi politicians are flocking to them for celestial pointer. Lucky colour, trinkets and gems…almost anything goes for that elusive "ticket". As political parties start the election process for Delhi seats, everyone, right from wannabe MLAs to seasoned politicians, is taking advice from the neighbourhood astrologers and blessings of his/her "spiritual guru" to make it to the Vidhan Sabha.

Says Ajay Bhambi, an astrologer who advises Delhi Transport Minister Ajay Maken, "Whenever there are elections, politicians start pouring in, especially the first-timers seeking tickets… Since politicians cannot wear anything except white or light pastel colours, they

WHO knew the dream of Ken Corley to date with the "most beautiful face in the world" will be dashed even after coughing up $1,400 and will give embarrassment of being cheated by an Indian lady. Ken, an American citizen, has approached the Delhi Police to help him locate a Delhi-based woman who stole both his heart and money.

According to Dependra Pathak, DCP (Crime), the complaint met the woman on the Internet; he became fond of her and asked her to send her pictures. The woman sent him the photographs of Aishwarya Rai."

Corley liked the pictures so much that he immediately requested her to visit him in the US. The woman, however, said she did not have enough money to get there. "He immediately sent her $1,400. The woman told him that her name was Anita Chaudhary and that s0 lived in New Delhi."