Moreover / sex, snakes and Santa Claustrophobia
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Your support makes all the difference.Some recent news stories that you may have missed
No ho-ho-ho
At the first World Santa Claus Championship in Greenland, the early leader, Bob Massey of Australia, lost his chance when his beard caught on the tinsel of a Christmas tree. Joergen Roslund (Denmark) took the title, climbing a 6ft chimney, delivering presents, eating milk and biscuits and running 25 yards in less than three minutes. One British entrant got stuck halfway down a chimney.
Eight legs good, six legs bad
A suspected Colorado Beetle was set free by Cheltenham police after a Ministry expert from Worcester identified it as a harmless spider. "We got a bit suspicious about it being a Colorado Beetle when we discovered it had eight hairy legs," said a police officer. "We just wanted to make sure."
Birds get drunk at discos
Drunken pigeons were seen staggering around Maidstone on Monday morning. According to an RSPCA spokesman, someone had been soaking bird seed in alcohol and leaving it outside nightclubs.
Load of old cobras
Two Chinese women, Qian Linping and Ni Junfang, both 23, set a new world record by spending 12 days in a glass pit with 888 snakes, including 666 cobras. The number 888 is considered lucky in China.
Sexual equality
Members of the Swaziland parliament are calling for amendments to the Rape Act (1920) to protect men and boys from being raped by women.
Fangs very much
A passenger on a flight from Uzbekistan to Krasnodar, Russia, had his luggage confiscated on arrival when it was discovered to include 14 bags full of poisonous snakes.
Commercial breakdown
According to a survey, the television adverts that most irritate viewers are those for Chicken Tonight sauce, Daz automatic washing powder and the National Lottery.
Snip and Thai
The 68th birthday of King Bhumibol of Thailand will be celebrated with a one-day offer of free vasectomies and cut-price Aids tests. They also plan the world's longest buffet along the 4,979ft beach at Patong.
No sex, we're Iranian
Critics of a scheme to introduce family-planning classes for schoolgirls in Iran have been assured by a deputy education minister that sex will not be among the topics discussed.
What's in a name?
An Albanian who tried to change his name to Karolos Papoulias has had his application refused. Karolos Papoulias is the Greek foreign minister. According to an Albanian paper, several Albanians have taken Greek names or changed from "Rexhep" to "Reginald", but "this guy's nerve beats them all".
Fit for a lord
Quote of the week: "The lavatories and urinals of the House of Lords, despite tasteful modernisation from the original conveniences, retain spaciousness, graciousness and a splendour of brass and glass" - Lord Morris of Castle Morris.
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