Last week was ...

a Good Week for cats, particularly in the northern Vietnamese province of Thai Binh where cats, traditionally a delicacy, have been banned from restaurant menus because of the increasing problems farmers are having with rats. Official reports say that cats are to preserved for rat-hunting duties.

a Bad Week for a giant panda, as keepers in the Washington National Zoo announced that Hsing-Hsing, one of only three giant pandas in the United States, is to face an operation for cancer of the testicle.

a Foul Week for Stefano Giopp, an Italian amateur footballer who took his case to court after he had two teeth broken in a goalmouth clash and was then sent off for protesting about the foul. The judge, however, took only three minutes to support the referee and rule that no crime had been committed.

a Heartless Week for taxmen, particularly in Peru where the tax office ruled that any hostages in the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima will have only one month after they are freed to pay their 1996 taxes.