Tall condom angers vicar

POTSDAM, Germany (AFP): A plan to promote safe sex by hoisting a 13-meter (42-feet) bright pink condom over an obelisk in Potsdam has enraged the vicar at the nearby church of Saint Nicholas.

"I think it's shameful," complained Dietmar Beuchel, who is attempting to stop the unrolling of the jumbo-size contraceptive over the historical monument on Sunday at the start of a week- long AIDS awareness campaign in this eastern German city.

Beuchel, who is charged with discussing AIDS-related matters with the young people in his parish, denied his protest stemmed from excessive prudishness.

He said he was objecting to accompanying publicity by the initiative's sponsors, the Italian clothing firm Benetton, which has previously used shock advertising campaigns on social issues to promote its goods.