Yesterday was a ...

Good Day for liquorice lovers, as the "Drop of the Month Club" in the Netherlands, which sends packages of dropjes - liquorice sweets - to expatriate Dutchmen around the world, announced a huge response to a couple of their Christmas advertisements. "I think we'll have over 3,000 members this year," said a spokesman. "Maybe we'll get to 10,000 or 20,000." Members receive a kilo of liquorice each month, with a roll of peppermints as a Christmas bonus.

Bad Day for smokers, as the governor of Gharbiya province in Egypt banned smoking in buses and government offices. First-time offenders will be fined one day's pay; a second offence will cost three days' pay and recidivists will be transferred out of the province.

Weighty Day for American justice, as a defendant on a charge of promoting prostitution was found to be too fat to get through the doors of the Manhattan Supreme Court. The hearing adjourned to the courtyard to arraign Robert York, who weighs 400lb. Eight prison officers had been needed to lift him into an ambulance.