Thieves caused chaos outside a Somaliland mosque late on Thursday when they took advantage of a power cut to throw a stray cat into the crowd, triggering a stampede so they could rob worshippers.
Large screens had been set up outside Hargeisa's packed Ali Matan Mosque so thousands of people could watch a sermon by Sheikh Moustafa Hagi Ismael Hassan, one of the Horn of Africa country's most senior Muslim clerics.
But when a short circuit cast the downtown area into darkness, the sheikh said gangsters hurled a feral cat into the centre of the crowd, causing a commotion. During the stampede, the robbers grabbed mobile phones and money.
Relative fights to buy Gandhi legacy
A great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, India's iconic freedom hero, is appealing to Indians for money to buy some of the leader's personal belongings in a New York auction and keep them in a museum.
Tushar Gandhi says his great-grandfather's trademark wire-rimmed glasses, a pair of sandals, a pocket watch, a bowl and a plate that are up for sale are part of Indian heritage that could not be allowed to be sold to wealthy collectors.
The proposed sale has dismayed many Indians who say it goes against the philosophy of a man who shunned material possessions and led an ascetic life.
"These objects are very close identities of someone we call the 'Father of the Nation'," said Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, better known as Mahatma Gandhi. "We have to bring them back."
Bogus policeman steals car, baby
A mother suffered a "horrendous" 30-minute ordeal after a man posing as a police officer stole her car and drove off with her four-month-old baby inside before returning and dumping him on the street, police said yesterday.
Emma Williams, 24, was sitting with her two young sons in her car in Bolton on Thursday evening when a man wearing a police jacket approached and told her he needed her vehicle. Believing him to be a genuine officer, she started to get out of the car when the man grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the way.
The woman managed to get two-year-old son Lewis out of the back of the car, but the offender drove off before she could get to her 19-week-old baby boy Jack.
Shortly afterwards the stolen car was involved in a hit-and-run crash, police said. Then, about 30 minutes after the theft, a Nissan Micra pulled up at the spot where the carjacking had taken place.
A man put the child seat with Jack inside on the pavement near to where Ms Williams was standing. He drove off again.
"I was so relieved. He (Jack) had the biggest smile on his face. He obviously didn't realise what had been going on for the last 20 minutes," Ms Williams said.
Police hunt for 'radioactive' man
Detectives are hunting a "radioactive" man who failed to show up for court to face child pornography charges, police said yesterday.
Thomas Leopold, who has been given large doses of radiation for a thyroid condition, has not been since he broke his bail conditions two weeks ago.
A judge at London's Southwark Crown Court has issued a warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear for trial and said his condition could make him dangerous.
"Please warn officers that when he is arrested he might be radioactive. This is not a joke," judge John Price said.
Mr Leopold, from west London, has not been since he boarded a ferry earlier this month heading for Rosslare in County Wexford, in Ireland.
Although stopped and questioned by police then, they released him after he showed them his radiation card and said his bail conditions had been changed so he could visit his mother in Ireland.
Parliament of clowns
Clowns from across the world met in Germany yesterday to pitch laughter as a way to survive the economic crisis.
Organisers of the "Parliament of Clowns", performing in a theatre in the eastern city of Dresden, hope to prop up people's spirits, saying the health benefits of laughter are proven.
"Fear can be laughed away, even in economically tough times," said clown Antoschka, who spent two decades with the Moscow State Circus and launched the event under the slogan "Clowns of the World Unite".
One performer scheduled to join the red nose and face paint troupe is US physician and professional clown Patch Adams, whose belief in the healing power of laughter reached a global audience when actor Robin Williams portrayed him in a movie.
The clowns say their two-hour show will remind people there are alternative ways to respond to bad news after a US study showed anger posed health risks.
"When a balloon bursts, you can either cry or laugh. We clowns are laughing," Antoschka said.
No sex please: We're German
Germans would rather talk about death, sickness or money problems than sex.
A new poll of nearly 2,000 Germans showed sex to be the subject they least liked to talk about, with 64 per cent saying it was something they would rather avoid. Just below sex on the list of least-liked topics were cash and relationships, according to the Allensbach polling institute. One in three of the Germans preferred not to talk about death, and one in five said sickness was a no-go area.
The favourite conversation topic was gossip about friends, followed by the latest prices of consumer goods. Coming a close third was "everyday stuff" and how they felt about themselves.