News of the weird

Dangerous crime: Police in Sydney, Australia, have advised two teenage thieves to return the backpack they grabbed from another passenger in a train yesterday. The victim was a licensed snake dealer and the backpack contains a death adder and a red-bellied black snake, both of which are highly venomous. "We recommend that the two young people return the bag to their nearest police station, or let us know where they are," a police spokesman said.

Worms in garlic: Johannesburg Zoo last week held its annual insect exhibition, at which visitors may view the crawling specimens and eat them at a barbecue. Chocolate termites went down very well, but there were fewer takers for the mopani worms - thick brown worms from South Africa's Northern Province. One visitor complained that they were served with too much garlic.

Meet your Maker: An estimated 140 followers of God's Salvation Church have bought about 30 houses in a suburb of Dallas, Texas, after their leader, Heng-ming Chen, reported that golden balls of light had told him God will appear at 3513 Ridgedale Drive, Garland, on 31 March.