News of the weird

Brazil: Next month's Rio carnival will have a new ingredient: 10 million condoms. The Brazilian Ministry of Health has decided to distribute the condoms free during the celebrations because, as a spokeswoman at the Aids co-ordination department said: "It's considered a period of increased sexual activity."

Mini rage: As the Auto Expo '98 show ends in New Delhi today, the Confederation of Indian Industry's trade fairs committee has announced that next year's will be different. Complaining about scantily dressed models, the committee chairman said: "We cannot let things go on like this. You do not need sex to sell cars in India ... You are allowed to make the hostesses stand next to the car but making them jig is taking it too far."

Three-letter words: Police in Hungary have decided to let motorists select five letters for personalised number plates. Until now, only three letters were allowed, the most popular being SEX and KGB.