PEOPLE

The newspapers said he was overweight and over the hill. But that didn't stop the ladies chasing after rugby's Incredible Hunk, Jonah Lomu, when he was in Hong Kong for the Sevens tournament. Wearing what looked like a Punk line in dreadlocks, the New Zealand star caused a near-riot when he turned up for an autograph-signing session at a sports store. "I love him to death," gushed one female fan as she pushed her way to the front of the scrum that had formed outside the shop. The All Blacks won the tournament, but Lomu, 20, seemed a bit short of vim. Any connection with the fact that he got married last month?

The Queen in Parliament?

India's notorious Bandit Queen, Phoolan Devi, 39, is to have another go at politics. The woman once wanted for alleged murder, kidnapping and looting is standing in the coming general election. Her last bid for a seat in parliament, in 1991, failed, but this time she is cashing in on publicity over a film based on her life. Bandit Queen played to packed houses across the country before being banned for obscenity.

Barely Credible

You could call it a display of naked power. In his autobiography, former Australian governor-general Bill Hayden reveals that he once came across the then prime minister, Bob Hawke, dressed only in his birthday suit. The 1988 encounter took place in Hawke's hotel room, where the PM suddenly appeared from the bathroom. Hayden goes into detail. We won't.

Duck! It's That Man Teoh

As April Fool's Day jokes go, it was certainly a hot one. Malaysian radio phone-in host Patrick Teoh played along with an ad agency's prank appeal for ducks to feature in a commercial for a new snack. The idea, said the agency's creative people, was for the ducks to dance on a hot plate. Teoh, 49, feigned outrage at the idea and soon had indignant animal-lovers from all over Malaysia phoning his Rhythm of the Nation show to agree with him. Not everybody got the joke, though. Some critics accused the popular DJ of frivolous use of the airwaves. It wasn't the first time Teoh had made news. He was questioned by police in January for relating a Penang listener's story about a policeman asking for a bribe. And last month, he was warned by station bosses for not pressing the bleep button when an irate woman caller colorfully questioned his parentage.