The Catholic Church has issued guidelines on what Filipinos should wear to mass in Manila after some parishioners complained about distracting skimpy attire.

A 22-year-old American man has been arrested after an early-morning naked bath in the historic Barcaccia fountain at the foot of Rome's Spanish Steps, an Italian news agency reports.

A Church of England-backed book suggests youth workers should try to make religion relevant to children by showing them episodes of cartoon show The Simpsons.

A judge in the US capital has lost his $US54 million lawsuit against a dry cleaner over a pair of misplaced trousers.

Indian authorities are releasing dozens of crocodiles bred in captivity to scare away poachers and protect their endangered counterparts.

A Melbourne council is hoping DNA testing will help it identify the animals involved in dog attacks.

An Alice Springs man's love of fried chicken saw him roll his car at a takeaway drive-through last night.

When it comes to luxury sports cars, Ferrari begs to differ with the Pope.

A Dutch woman has lost her compensation claim for mental distress she suffered from missing out when her neighbours won a lottery windfall.

An Italian Mayor hopes to shame men into not using prostitutes by photographing cars that pick them up and publishing the details in local newspapers.

Reality TV show Big Brother has apologised to the Mexican Government for allowing contestants on Friday Night Games to throw goo-filled balloons at the Mexican flag.

Outgoing British Prime Minister Tony Blair has revealed he has worn the same pair of shoes to his weekly question-and-answer session in Parliament since becoming the country's leader in 1997.

The Mexican Government has complained to Australia's media regulator after contestants on Big Brother TV show Friday Night Games threw goo-filled balloons at the Mexican flag.

Authorities in India say rats are gnawing at beer cans and making holes in caps of whisky bottles stored in police storehouses in the east of the country and apparently getting drunk.

Cartoon character Homer Simpson has been kidnapped in Malaysia and Hollywood is offering a reward of 1,000 ringgit ($A346) for his safe return.

A witness says two Americans have failed to make their getaway in a car they had just stolen because they could not figure out how to use its manual transmission.

A Romanian weightlifter has been banned for two years after trying to fake a drug test by using urine supplied by his father and carried in a condom.

A lake in southern Chile has mysteriously disappeared, prompting speculation the ground has simply opened up and swallowed it whole.

An Indian doctor is facing the sack and possible criminal charges after letting his 15-year-old son perform caesarian surgery in a bid to win a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

Conservative politicians in India are trying to ban a condom because it vibrates.