A German man who failed to settle a gambling debt called police after his dentures were seized as collateral, police said on Thursday.
"He called us saying he was afraid he might have to live off liquid food for the next few days," said a police spokesman in the western city of Dortmund. Police persuaded a 51-year-old
local man to hand over the dentures after the owner promised to settle a 150 euro (US$187) debt. "He gave us
a great big smile at getting them back," police said.
■ United States
Ornate gate worth the wait
An ornate wrought-iron
gate that guarded the New England cemetery plot of 19th-century American poet Emily Dickinson has been found at an antique shop after being missing for two decades, a descendant said on Wednesday. Robert Magovern, president of
the Dickinson Family Association, said he wanted to bring the gate, which disappeared in the mid-1980s, back to Amherst, Massachusetts, as soon as possible. He said he would even pay the US$300 an antiques dealer was asking for the piece when it was recognized on the front porch of the dealer's store
in Newfane, Vermont.
■ Brazil
Condom samba man fired
A Rio de Janeiro samba school on Wednesday sacked its Carnival artistic director whose pro-condom parade had upset the Catholic church and whose Kama Sutra float had been censored as too steamy. Academicos do Grande Rio school fired Joaosinho Trinta just before the winner of this year's world-famous Carnival was named. The judges,
who evaluate the schools' sambas, costumes, creativity and all-round enthusiasm, gave Grande Rio a lowly 10th place. Trinta, 70, brought
the theme Let's Put On a Condom, My Love to the Sambadrome parade avenue.
■ Child Porn
Internet ring busted
Police smashed Internet pedophile networks in 10 countries around the world on Thursday, arresting 40 people in one of the biggest operations conducted
by Europol against child pornography networks. "Today's operation has exposed a complex and organized hierarchical structure that Internet networks of pedophiles
and child molesters are
using to protect themselves by hiding their identities and their atrocious activities," Europol deputy director Mariano Simancas said. Police in Australia, Belgium, Britain, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Peru, Spain and Sweden were involved in the combined swoop.
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