WEIRD NEWS
Breaking a piggy bank
BANGKOK (AP):
It was almost like breaking open a piggy bank.
Doctors performing emergency surgery on a man who was rushed to hospital writhing in pain were stunned when more than 2 kilograms (4.2 pounds) of loose change spilled out of his stomach.
Killer dog bites German
owner to death
BERLIN(Reuters):
A German woman has died from fatal bite injuries inflicted by her dog which attacked as she lay collapsed from a seizure, police in the northern city of Bremen said on Friday.
The 36-year-old woman was at home with two friends on Wednesday when she had a seizure and fell shaking to the ground.
"The pit bull jumped on the woman and inflicted lethal bites to her head and neck," said police spokesman Dirk Siemering.
The two men tore the eight-year-old dog, named "Lucie", away from her owner and forced the animal into the garden.
Police arrived later and shot the dog.
Romero still climbing
the leaderboard at 50
Switzerland (Reuters):
Veteran Eduardo Romero continued to defy Old Father Time by powering into contention for his third European Masters title in 10 years on Friday.
The 50-year-old Argentine has no intention of playing the seniors tours full-time while he can still compete with players half his age.
A four-under-par 67 to move to seven-under-par and into a share of third place, four shots behind the early leader, 24-year-old Sergio Garcia, proved the man nicknamed 'El Gato' is still a threat.
"There is life in the old cat still," joked Romero as he made his bid for a third title in Crans-sur-Sierre, 10 years after his first.
"I am still driving the ball a long way and I don't feel 50 years old.
"I drove 335 yards uphill on the 18th and I had other drives of 320 and 310 yards, so my length is still good.
"My irons were solid, too, but my putting could be a lot better.
"I missed two putts of only about three or four feet and also an eagle putt of only six feet, or I could even be leading."
Romero turned 50 in July but intends competing on the European Tour, on which he has eight titles, apart from taking up one invitation to play on the American Champions Tour this year.
He has played just one joint-tour event, the British Senior Open, in which he tied for second place.
The Cordoba veteran, runner-up in this year's British Masters, lies 38th on the European money-list.
Another riding mishap for
the queen's granddaughter
LONDON (AP):
Zara Phillips, Queen Elizabeth II's granddaughter, was bitten on the face by a horse, her second riding mishap this summer.
The 23-year-old royal needed butterfly stitches on her cheek.
Her injury, covered with two white bandages forming a cross, was visible Thursday as she attended the Burghley Horse Trials in Lincolnshire, wearing formal riding clothes, including a black top hat.
It was not clear exactly when or how the bite happened. Buckingham Palace declined to comment.
In July, Phillips was hospitalised when she was knocked unconscious after falling from her horse while competing in riding trials at Lulworth, Dorset.
Phillips narrowly missed out on competing at the Olympics this year, failing to secure a place on the British equestrian team.
The keen horsewoman, who is 11th in line to the throne, now hopes to take part in the Beijing Games in 2008.
Man caught having sex
with a blow-up doll
BERLIN (Reuters):
A man caught having sex with a blow-up doll in a busy public shopping arcade had to be physically parted from his rubber lover and escorted away, said police in Stuttgart Wednesday.
The 38-year-old man was caught with his trousers down early Monday evening after alarmed witnesses alerted the police. "It was real, he was caught in mid-action with the doll," said a press spokeswoman. Police said that they had considerable difficulty separating the drunken man from his partner.
