APFri, 13 Jul 2007 03:39 UTC
BEIJING - The world's tallest man married a woman who's two-thirds his height and half his age, holding a traditional Mongolian ceremony Thursday with great fanfare at the tomb of Kublai Khan.
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| ©AP
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| The world's tallest man, Bao Xishun, who stands 2.36 metres (7 feet 9 inches), waves at guests and members of the Chinese media as he stands with his bride at his public wedding ceremony at the tomb of Kublai
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TOKYO - Envelopes containing 10,000 yen ($82) bills and well-wishing notes have been discovered in municipal toilets across Japan, media reports said, baffling civil servants and triggering a nationwide hunt.
LONDON - Annie Leibovitz received an icy stare and a stern response when she asked Queen Elizabeth II to remove her crown for an official portrait.
A Chinese city is offering to buy dead flies from residents to promote public hygiene.
Officials in the Xigong district of Luoyang city are offering the equivalent of 3p for each dead fly, reports Henan Business News.
"We think giving people money will be more effective than fining them to keep the city clean," says Hu Guisheng, administrative director of Xigong district.
Hu says that in only one day, his office has collected more than 2,000 dead flies in six communities, and paid out more than £65.
If you're going to rob a bank, it's not a bad idea to wear a disguise.
A balaclava will probably do the trick. So too, a pair of stockings slipped over the head. You might even get away with painting your face like a clown.
James Coldwell, 49, decided to go against the grain when he strolled into the Elm Street branch of the Citizens Bank in Manchester, New Hampshire, in the United States on Saturday morning, police say.
"Right after the bank opened a subject walked into the bank with tree branches and leaves duct-taped all over his body," Detective Sergeant William Davies told the Herald.
James Hetfield, frontman of US metal rockers Metallica, was detained at a British Airport before his appearance at London's Live Earth gig on Saturday.
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| James Hetfield performs at the Live Earth concert at Wembley Stadium in London.
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According to British newspaper The Times, the rocker jetted into Luton airport ahead of Saturday's Live Earth concert at Wembley Stadium - where his legendary rock band was due to perform - but was halted by officials before he could leave the terminal.
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| ©AP Photo/Victoria Advocate, T.C. Baker
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| Lillie the dog lies next to Tahoe the cat.
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VICTORIA, Texas - By all accounts, Tahoe is a typical kitten: cute, sleepy and hungry. But his eating habits are far from typical, as the stray's been nursing from a 3-year-old dog named Lillie.
A VICTORIAN Catholic school denies closing the gates to a five-year-old boy because his surname is Hell.
Dad Alex Hell says a priest refused to enrol his son, Max, at St Peter Apostle School in Hoppers Crossing.
But the school denies taking offence and says an enrolment offer from the end of last term remains on the table.
Hell is a traditional Austrian surname meaning bright.
Adam Sage
The TimesMon, 09 Jul 2007 10:10 UTC
The tourist lost near the Place de l'Opéra in Paris asked a newspaper vendor for help. "Where's Starbucks?" she said in halting English.
"No idea," he replied in French with a bad-tempered shrug - even though he knew perfectly well that the nearest Starbucks coffee shop was only 50 metres away.
Today, however, his attitude will be different - or so tourist officials hope.
They are launching the first Paris Tourist Day, when they will encourage residents of the French capital to be polite, welcoming and helpful, at least for 24 hours.
Hundreds of thousands of brochures will be distributed to waiters, taxi drivers and other professionals calling on them to shed their long-standing reputation for arrogance and brusqueness. The Paris Tourist Office has also produced a charter in French and English with what it describes as commitments for Parisians and holidaymakers.
Italian Piero Paci, who turns 90 this October, has successfully climbed a 3,000-meter (9,000-foot) mountain, setting a Guinness record, witnesses said.
The elderly mountaineer reached the top of Gran Sasso, at an altitude of 2,914 meters (8,742 feet), without assistance. His son and daughter accompanied him during the climb.
Another long-lived Italian, Giovanni Viglione, 100, recently took a test for a new driver's license. He also studies at a local university where he enjoys taking watercolor classes.
A third, still-employed 100-year-old, asked about the secret of his longevity, said: "I get up at 6:00 a.m. every morning, drink a glass of red wine and go to work. When I feel hungry, I eat a big portion of pasta that my daughter-in-law cooks for me. "
