World Briefs

At least 15,000 buffalo and "countless" goats and birds were sacrificed in a temple in southern Nepal, organisers said yesterday, a ritual billed as the single biggest animal slaughter on earth.

Hindus in Nepal routinely offer animals for sacrifice to appease deities. But the festival held every five years at the Gadhimai temple was condemned by animal rights activists who called for an end to the centuries-old ritual of slaughtering animals.

"We had more than 15,000 buffalo sacrificed on Tuesday.

But the number of goats and birds, including roosters and pigeons, sacrificed on Wednesday (yesterday) is countless," Shiva Chandra Prasad Kushawaha, chief of the festival's organising committee said.

Butchers carrying big curved knives killed the animals in an open field as thousands of devotees stood by. More than 80 per cent of Nepal's 27 million people are Hindus. (Reuters)

Thief's prayer

A thief ransacked a church in the state of Georgia, US, then left a note scrawled on the wall saying: "Sorry but I'm poor. Forgive me Lord."

Microphones and a laptop were stolen from the Berean Baptist Church, the fourth time it has been burgled in two years.

Its minister joked he was considering putting up a note of his own telling potential robbers to call him instead and the church would take up a collection for them. (PA)

Raising the flag

The former Soviet republic of Tajikistan is making a bid to enter the Guinness Books of World Records with what it says is the world's longest flag.

Created to mark the country's National Flag Day, the 4,950ft-long standard was unfurled during festivities in the capital, Dushanbe.

Russia currently holds the record with a 4,158ft-long flag. Another ex-Soviet Central Asian nation, Turkmenistan holds the record for the world's tallest flagpole. (PA)

'L' plate tank crashes in garden

A soldier apologised after crashing a eight-tonne tank into a garden fence during a driving lesson.

The Spartan Armoured Personnel Carrier - which had 'L' plates fixed to it - left the road as it made his way through Letheringsett, Norfolk, on Monday.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the driver, who had recently returned from Afghanistan, apologised to house owners Phil and Jayne Jones.

Mr Jones, 64, said he and his 44-year-old wife, were both at home when the accident happened.

"We heard what sounded like a collision on the main road involving a heavy goods vehicle," said Mr Jones.

"We ran around to investigate and found a military vehicle sitting astride our fence. (PA)

Novice spy is nicked

An apprentice spy for Israel's once vaunted Mossad overseas intelligence service was arrested by rank and file police during an abortive training exercise in Tel Aviv.

"Let's hope the Mossad is more effective abroad," commented Israel's commercial Channel 10 TV as reports of the incident swept an aghast Israeli media.

The want-to-be James Bond was spotted on Monday planting a dummy bomb under a vehicle in the bustling commercial capital by a woman passer-by who swiftly alerted a passing policeman.

It was only after questioning at the local police station that the rumbled trainee assassin managed to convince his captors that he was indeed a member of the famous spy agency.

The Mossad never warns Israel's uniformed security services in advance of its exercises in a bid to give the training an element of reality. (AFP)

Actors auction sweaty vests

Bond star Daniel Craig and movie hunk Hugh Jackman have raised thousands of pounds for charity - by auctioning off their sweaty stage vests on Broadway.

After the pair were given a standing ovation for their performance in their production A Steady Rain last night, they offered to sell the vests off their backs for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids.

After receiving £1,799 and £2,399 offers, Mr Craig and Wolverine star Mr Jackman decided to sign each of their vests and sell them to the two women bidders for £2,099 each.

The pair also offered to meet audience members backstage and pose for pictures if they stumped up £1,200.

After the show, signed programmes were also on sale to punters for £36, as well as signed posters for £178. (PA)