New strikes to hit railways

A pay offer to head off further disruption on the region's railways has been rejected by the RMT union.

After negotiations, Arriva Trains Northern increased its offer to an extra four per cent. But following its rejections, station and retail staff will strike for 48 hours from 9pm on May 29, while conductors will stage two 24-hour strikes, on June 1 and 7.

FIGHTER delay: The RAF's long-awaited Eurofighter has been delayed again, the Ministry of Defence said yesterday. The "in service date" - which had been set for next month - has been put back until the end of the year.

FRIEND HURT: Friends star David Schwimmer was hit on the head by a flying glass after being caught in the middle of a drunken brawl at a record release party for the Pet Shop Boys in New York.

Top Roasts: Traditional Sunday dinners have given more exotic meals a roasting in a survey by food firm McCain. It was voted top, followed by fish and chips and sausage and mash. A curry was voted sixth.

TRAIN HITS VAN: Rush-hour train services were disrupted yesterday after a coal freight train hit a stolen van which had been left on the line about eight miles north of Banbury, Oxfordshire.

Chunnel MOVIE: Tom Cruise is to make a film about the Channel Tunnel, which will focus on how it is used by illegal immigrants, reports the Variety newspaper in the US.

Hit and fined: A nine-year-old girl, in hospital after being hit by car as she crossed a road in New Jersey, US, has been given a ticket for jaywalking.

PONIES homeless: A nationwide appeal was launched yesterday for new homes for a herd of 42 miniature ponies, which have been handed over to the RSPCA in south Devon.

Murder attack: A murder investigation was under way yesterday after a man in his seventies died following a violent attack in his home in Poole, Dorset.

Talking of which: Pet-talk is not the same as babytalk, Australian scientists say, after comparing the way mothers spoke to infants and their dogs and cats.

Sexy ANNA: Tennis beauty Anna Kournikova has aced a bevvy of pop princesses to be named the world's sexiest woman in a poll by men's magazine FHM.

Tube hitch: Forty-five escalators have been taken out of service on the Jubilee Line Extension because of safety fears, London Underground said yesterday.

Unruffled feathers? Classes to teach parrots and other pet birds good manners are planned by the University of Edinburgh's veterinary hospital