A German DJ broke the world record for the longest continuous radio show yesterday when he finished his "morning" programme over a week after beginning it.

By presenting his show for a consecutive 169 hours, 26-year-old Dominik Schollmayer from Hit Radio Antenne in Hanover, Germany, beat the previous record - held by an Indina DJ - by one hour.

The rules stated he was allowed to play two consecutive records of up to six minutes but had to broadcast something after that. He was allowed a five-minute break ever hour but saved these up to give himself a 15-minute break every three hours. Mr Schollmayer was monitored by doctors around the clock throughout his record-breaking broadcast.

Sleep deprivation caused bizarre effects, according to a blog on the station's website.

One entry reported that the DJ was dancing wildly around the studio as the final hours approached. (AFP)

Dog overboard found... four months later

A pet dog that fell overboard in rough seas off Australia has been reunited with its owners after surviving alone on an island for four months.

Sophie Tucker fell overboard as Jan Griffith and her family sailed through choppy waters off the northeast Queensland coast in November. The dog was believed to have drowned and Mr Griffith said the family was devastated.

But out of sight of the family, Sophie Tucker was swimming doggedly and finally made it to St Bees Island, five nautical miles away, and began the sort of life popularised by the TV reality show "Survivor."

She was returned to her family last week when Mr Griffith contacted rangers who had captured a dog that had been living off feral goats on the largely uninhabited island, in the faint hope it might be their long-lost pet. (AFP)

Israel's Passover stripper strikes again

A man stripped down to nothing but a strategically placed sock at a Tel Aviv supermarket in protest at its decision to sell bread over Passover in violation of Jewish religious laws, Ynet News reported yesterday.

Police led away Arieh Yerushalmi, 28, after he shed his clothing in the store last Sunday - one year after he staged a similar protest at another supermarket.

Mr Yerushalmi wanted to protest against the store's decision to continue selling bread and other leavened products during the Passover week that begins tomorrow. Jewish law forbids the use of such products during the holiday.

Leaders of the ultra-orthodox community, meanwhile, have written to dozens of stores and restaurants in Jerusalem urging them to reverse a decision to sell leavened food during Passover, according to media reports.

"At the last minute, refrain from doing this and declare that you will not burn your souls for a one-moment pleasure as well as financial profit," the ultra-Orthodox rabbinical Court of Justice said. (AFP)

Nuclear shelter sales up in Japan

A retailer of nuclear fallout shelters in Japan said yesterday that sales soared in the lead-up to North Korea's rocket launch as jittery residents took their safety into their own hands.

Osaka-based Shelter Co said it received 12 orders in just two months ahead of last Sunday's launch - more than double the number it usually sells in an entire year. Washington, Tokyo and Seoul believe the North Korean launch was a cover for a test of an intercontinental ballistic missile.

Most orders for the Swiss-made 2.8 million yen (€21,000) "household nuclear shelters" came from northwestern Akita and Iwate prefectures, located under the rocket's path.

"This is a record in the 30 years I've been in this business," he said.

Japan, despite being the only country to have suffered atomic attacks, has very few nuclear shelters. (AFP)

Skeleton found after 29 years

The skeleton of a German pensioner who tied himself to the top of a tree and shot himself to death nearly 30 years ago has been found by a hiker.

German police in Landshut said yesterday the 69-year-old man disappeared in 1980 and had been classified as missing.

An 18-year-old hiker discovered a bone in the forest last week and brought it to police. They searched the area and spotted the skeleton hanging about 11 metres up, near the top of the spruce tree.

"After searching the area we found the skeleton up in the tree with the pistol hanging on a rope next to it," police spokesman Leonard Mayer said. Police were able to identify the man through DNA testing and an artificial hip. (Reuters)

Supermarket rebrands fish

A British supermarket has rebranded a fish after shoppers said they were embarrassed to ask for it by name. The humble pollack will be sold by Sainsbury's as "colin" - pronounced "co-lan," - with a limited edition packaging inspired by abstract expressionist artist Jackson Pollock.

To an English ear, "pollack" unfortunately sounds like a slang word for testicles, as well being close to two other words used as insults, one of them racist. (AFP)