World news

Vandals covered Rio de Janeiro's towering Christ the Redeemer statue with spray-painted graffiti, marring the world-famous monument in an act Rio's mayor called a "crime against the nation."

The vandals covered the head, arms and chest of the 40-metre statue, which looks out over Rio's dramatic vista of beaches and mountains, using scaffolding that had been erected to carry out maintenance work.

Phrases scrawled onto the statue included "When the cat's away, the rats will play," as well as apparent references to Rio residents who were killed or who disappeared in recent crimes.

The soapstone statue, completed in 1931, sits atop the 700-metre Corcovado mountain and is visible from much of the city. (Reuters)

To fit or not to fit

A recovering anorexic who was deemed unfit for a job she applied for was then told she was not eligible for benefits as she was too healthy.

Nicola Hobbs, 19, from Hurst-pierpoint, West Sussex, failed a routine health check needed to work at a council-run children's centre.

Without any source of income, she applied for employment support allowance only to be told she would not be able to get it as she had been assessed as being fit enough to work. (PA)

Cherry tree census

The first ever census of cherry trees in the UK is being undertaken to map where they grow and when they flower, the Natural History Museum said.

Scientists at the museum are calling for the public's help with the project to count the trees, which they described as a "classic sign of spring", in streets, parks and gardens around the country.

It is hoped the information will help researchers gain better insight into the UK's cherry tree population and how changes in the climate will affect flowering and fruiting times. (PA)

Demolition man

A homeowner tried to demolish his house with his car after being told the bank was about to foreclose on his mortgage.

Despite facing criminal charges, Steve Doak from Ohio said he wanted to finish the job.

"As far as I am concerned I am not done yet. Not until it's completely laying on the ground," he said. (PA)

Islamists ban school bells

Hardline militants in Somalia have banned school bells in one southern town because they say they are un-Islamic.

The al-Shabab group told school heads the noise was too much like church bells.

Teachers now have to beat tables and doors to signal the start or end of class. (PA)

John Cleese takes taxi to Brussels

Monty Python comedy legend John Cleese took a €3,800-taxi ride from Oslo to Brussels after becoming stranded in Europe's volcanic ash travel crisis, the Norwegian TV2 broadcaster reported yesterday.

"We checked every option, but there were no boats and no train tickets available. That's when my fabulous assistant determined the easiest thing would be to take a taxi," Mr Cleese told the broadcaster in a telephone interview posted on its website.

The bill? A whopping 30,000 kroner (€3,800 /$5,100), said Mr Cleese, who was visiting the Norwegian capital to take part in the popular Scandinavian talk show Skavlan.

The taxi carried two extra drivers for the 1,500 kilometre drive.

Mr Cleese added that from Brussels he planned to take the Eurostar train to London, where he hoped to arrive by 3.00 p.m. (1400 GMT) today. (AFP)

Hard cheese

School meals staff at Atlantic City High School in New Jersey served only cheese sandwiches for two days as punishment for a pupils' food fight.

A spokesman said the school supplies only the basic food requirement when there has been a food-throwing incident.

One parent complained after her daughter explained the menu, saying it was "prison food". (PA)

Melting ice can unlock magma

A thaw of Iceland's ice caps in coming decades caused by climate change may trigger more volcanic eruptions by removing a vast weight and freeing magma from deep below ground, scientists said yesterday.

They said there was no sign that the current eruption from below the Eyjafjallajokull glacier that has paralysed flights over northern Europe was linked to global warming. The glacier is too small and light to affect local geology. But Carolina Pagli, a geophysicist at the University of Leeds in England, said there were risks that climate change could also trigger volcanic eruptions or earthquakes in places such as Mount Erebus in Antarctica, the Aleutian islands of Alaska or Patagonia in South America.