Oddly Enough News Headlines - Yahoo! News UK

Psy Imposter Crashes Cannes VIP Parties

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:45:36 +0100

A man pretending to be South Korean pop star Psy has blagged his way into some of the biggest parties at the Cannes Film Festival, it has emerged.

Bad Hairball Day! Tiger Needs Stomach Surgery

Fri, 24 May 2013 06:37:19 +0100

A 28-stone tiger has gone under the knife in Florida to remove a 4lb hairball.

UK-Odd Summary

Fri, 24 May 2013 01:42:02 +0100

Obama in heated exchanges with Code Pink anti-war protester WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The woman who interrupted President Barack Obama's speech on counterterrorism policy on Thursday is well-known around Washington as a perennial protester on national security issues. Medea Benjamin, a founder of anti-war women's group Code Pink, began demonstrating years ago on Capitol Hill, becoming an almost routine presence at hearings where high-ranking officials of the Bush administration appeared to talk about the Iraq war. ...

Obama in heated exchanges with Code Pink anti-war protester

Fri, 24 May 2013 01:41:54 +0100

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The woman who interrupted President Barack Obama's speech on counterterrorism policy on Thursday is well-known around Washington as a perennial protester on national security issues. Medea Benjamin, a founder of anti-war women's group Code Pink, began demonstrating years ago on Capitol Hill, becoming an almost routine presence at hearings where high-ranking officials of the Bush administration appeared to talk about the Iraq war. ...

Star Wars Lego Model Is 'World's Largest'

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:32:38 +0100

The unveiling of a massive Lego model in Times Square has brought new meaning to the saying that everything is bigger in New York City.

Pittsburgh on the Hudson? Wrong city in NY City campaign logo

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:31:57 +0100

NEW YORK (Reuters) - For New York City mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner, the road to City Hall leads through Pittsburgh. Weiner, the candidate who infamously resigned from the U.S. Congress two years ago in a sexting scandal, unveiled a video announcing his mayoral candidacy and a campaign logo on his website on Wednesday. The logo is written in blue and orange - the colours of Weiner's beloved New York Mets baseball team. But the image of the skyline that forms its backdrop, while similar to iconic images of New York's Brooklyn Bridge, is actually that of Pittsburgh's Roberto Clemente Bridge. ...

Sushi's Abenomics wave: posh tuna in, plain mackerel out

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:09:35 +0100

By Taiga Uranaka TOKYO (Reuters) - Investors in Japan might keep a close eye on sales of the homely horse mackerel as an early warning of any trouble ahead. The good news is that in the more confident Japan of 2013, tuna remains king. So says Mizuho Securities economist Kenta Ishizu, who believes he has found a leading indicator of Japanese consumer demand that relies on two of the most common items on a sushi menu: Japanese horse mackerel and tuna. ...

Hamburgers for life reward to man who helped Ohio kidnap victims

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:42:50 +0100

By Kim Palmer CLEVELAND (Reuters) - The man made famous for putting down his Big Mac to help free three women held captive for about a decade in a Cleveland house will never have to buy a hamburger in his hometown again. More than two weeks after Charles Ramsey became an instant folk hero after telling his story to television reporters, Cleveland food blogger Michelle Venorsky said on Thursday that 15 restaurants are offering him a free hamburger, whenever he wants it. Venorsky floated the idea to her followers after seeing Ramsey's first interview on TV. "He was so entertaining... ...

Giant Lego Star Wars X-Wing lands on NY's Times Square

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:16:58 +0100

A massive Star Wars X-Wing spaceship has landed on New York's Times Square.

Norway crime novelist talks his way to live interview record

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:46:21 +0100

OSLO (Reuters) - Defying the stereotype of the tight-lipped Scandinavian, popular Norwegian crime writer Hans Olav Lahlum set the world record for the longest interview on Thursday after spending more than 30 non-stop hours chatting in an online broadcast. Lahlum, who rarely paused for more than a few seconds, discussed topics ranging from U.S. presidents to his fictional characters during the online show hosted by VG Nett, the online arm of Norwegian tabloid VG. The new record awaits approval from Guinness World Records. ...

WWII shell found in roof of Budapest city hall

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:43:03 +0100

Hungarian authorities evacuated around 1,000 people on Thursday after an unexploded World War II shell was discovered embedded in the roof of Budapest's city hall.

Prosecutor in Berlusconi sex trial receives mail with bullets

Thu, 23 May 2013 14:31:34 +0100

MILAN (Reuters) - The prosecutor in former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's sex trial has received a series of anonymous letters of threats, including one with two bullets, Milan's chief prosecutor said on Thursday. The letters against Ilda Boccassini have become more frequent since she requested a six-year jail sentence and a lifetime ban on holding public office for Berlusconi, Edmondo Bruti Liberati said. ...

Everest: Japanese Man Oldest To Reach Summit

Thu, 23 May 2013 12:05:11 +0100

An 80-year-old Japanese mountaineer has become the oldest man to reach the top of Mount Everest - but his record may be short-lived.

MI6 Had Secret D-Day Hit List, Records Reveal

Thu, 23 May 2013 09:01:53 +0100

MI6 drew up a secret hit list of key German figures to be assassinated in preparation for the D-Day landings, according to official papers made public for the first time.

Sunbathing crocodile shocks Indonesian beachgoers

Wed, 22 May 2013 18:18:43 +0100

Hundreds of sunbathers fled a popular Indonesian beach in panic when a four-metre (13-foot) crocodile laid down next to them to soak up some rays, an official said Wednesday.

Star Wars hero's pants auctioned for $36,100

Wed, 22 May 2013 03:08:01 +0100

The pants worn by actor Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker in the first Oscar-winning "Star Wars" film went under the hammer for $36,100, according to the auction house's website.

Relegation woes worry toothless Argentinos Juniors

Wed, 22 May 2013 01:15:15 +0100

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentinos Juniors, staring into the jaws of relegation, have had a set of false teeth thrown at their coach by an angry fan while the club's president has quit his seat at the Argentine FA. An irate fan threw a set of dentures at coach Ricardo Caruso Lombardi during Monday's 3-1 home defeat by Belgrano that left Argentinos bottom of the "Final" championship standings. The result pushed the club where Diego Maradona started his professional career closer to the bottom three places in the relegation table based on teams' average points over three seasons. ...

Hong Kong hails the return of the duck

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:53:59 +0100

Hong Kong joyfully welcomed the return of a giant inflatable rubber duck, which drew tens of thousands of visitors before it was abruptly deflated for maintenance for almost a week.

College student snares record long Burmese python near Miami

Tue, 21 May 2013 22:06:02 +0100

By Barbara Liston ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - An 18-foot, 8-inch (5.6 metres) Burmese python set a record for the longest snake ever captured in South Florida, where the exotic species has taken up residence. College student Jason Leon snared the female python in a rural area southeast of Miami earlier this month, when he saw part of it sticking out from brush along the roadside, said Carli Segelson, a spokeswoman for the state's Fish and Wildlife Commission. The python broke the previous record set in 2012 by a 17-foot, 7-inch (5. ...

Bolt, the pigeon, worth a fortune to Chinese buyer

Tue, 21 May 2013 18:18:50 +0100

Like his human counterpart, "Bolt" the racing pigeon is a record setter in every sense, fetching 310,000 euros from a Chinese buyer impressed by his winning pedigree, Belgian reports said Tuesday.

Russian officer 'posed at Putin's desk to impress girls'

Tue, 21 May 2013 17:44:58 +0100

Russia's federal guard service launched an investigation after photos appeared in the media of a disgraced former employee posing behind Vladimir Putin's desk in the Kremlin, an official said Tuesday.

Chinese businessman pays record price for Belgian racing pigeon

Tue, 21 May 2013 12:38:08 +0100

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A Chinese businessman has paid a world record 310,000 euros (263,053 pounds) for a Belgian pigeon, highlighting Asia's huge and growing interest in racing birds. The one-year-old award-winning pigeon named Bolt was bred by Belgian pigeon fancier Leo Heremans, a well-known name to pigeon enthusiasts, who sold his entire collection of 530 birds for 4.3 million euros at an auction over the weekend. "You can compare it to artwork. A painting made by Picasso is worth more than one made by an unknown artist. ...

Biggest Burmese Python Ever Caught In Florida

Tue, 21 May 2013 09:24:06 +0100

A Burmese python measuring nearly 19ft has been captured in South Florida.

James Bond Watch Found At Car Boot Sale

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:52:45 +0100

James Bond's geiger counter wristwatch from Thunderball has turned up at a car boot sale following years of mystery about its whereabouts.

New England Kit 'Looks Like Old German Strip'

Tue, 21 May 2013 06:46:17 +0100

The new England football kit has been revealed - and was instantly compared by some fans with West Germany's outfit from the 1960s and 70s.

A gnome grows in Chelsea - at the flower show, that is

Mon, 20 May 2013 22:37:50 +0100

By Paul Casciato LONDON (Reuters) - Some spectators at London's Chelsea Flower Show wouldn't be caught dead with one in the boot of their Bentley, but garden gnomes have turned up at the show's 100th edition this year, for charity. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), which runs Chelsea in the grounds of the Christopher Wren-built Royal Hospital Chelsea, has lifted a ban on the ceramic figures with floppy hats and beards in order to raise funds for an RHS charity that supports the use of gardens in schools. ...

Marijuana waste helps turn pot-eating pigs into tasty pork roast

Mon, 20 May 2013 19:42:15 +0100

By Jonathan Kaminsky OLYMPIA, Washington (Reuters) - With Washington state about to embark on a first-of-its-kind legal market for recreational marijuana, the budding ranks of new cannabis growers face a quandary over what to do with the excess stems, roots and leaves from their plants. Susannah Gross, who owns a five-acre farm north of Seattle, is part of a group experimenting with a solution that seems to make the most of marijuana's appetite-enhancing properties - turning weed waste into pig food. ...

Man climbs onto dome of St Peter's to protest Italian politics

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:53:00 +0100

ROME (Reuters) - A man climbed onto a ledge on the dome of St Peter's Basilica on Monday and unfurled a banner protesting against a "political horror show", an apparent reference to Italy's embattled coalition struggling with recession and high unemployment. Identified by police as Marcello Di Finizio, the man unfurled a white banner reading "Stop this massacre! The political horror show is continuing," in English, scrawled in black and red ink, with "Help us Pope Francis" in Italian. ...

Star Wars hero Skywalker's pants under the hammer

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:43:30 +0100

The pants worn by actor Mark Hamill in the first Oscar-winning "Star Wars" film are being sold at auction and could go for up to $100,000, auctioneers announced Monday.

Prague metro plans to launch love train for singles

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:43:18 +0100

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Rail passengers searching for love in the Czech capital need look no further than the daily commute as the city makes plans to designate carriages on its underground trains for singles. Prague transport company Ropid wants to set aside carriages on some or all of its trains for singles seeking a soul mate, a service that could launch by the end of this year. The city-owned company will start polling passengers to determine whether they would be interested. ...

Don't wear socks, hot Pakistanis told amid power crisis

Mon, 20 May 2013 11:55:55 +0100

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan has told civil servants not to wear socks as the country turns off air-conditioners amid a chronic power crisis and soaring temperatures. The government has turned off all air-conditioning in its offices as the country endures blackouts of up to 20 hours a day in some places. "There shall be no more use of air-conditioners in public offices till such time that substantial improvement in the energy situation takes place," a cabinet directive said. As part of a new dress code, moccasins or sandals must be worn without socks. ...

Jon Stewart's humour a hit with millions of envious Chinese

Mon, 20 May 2013 07:39:22 +0100

By Jane Lee SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Humour may not always translate well, but Jon Stewart is picking up millions of fans in China, where his gloves-off political satire is refreshing for many in a country where such criticism is a rarity - especially when directed at their own leaders. A recent segment on North Korea scored over 4 million views on microblogger Sina Weibo, and even stodgy state broadcaster CCTV has used Stewart's "The Daily Show" in a report, though they wouldn't let a Chinese version of him near their cameras. ...

Winning ticket for $590.5 million Powerball lottery sold in Florida

Sun, 19 May 2013 17:28:12 +0100

By Brendan O'Brien (Reuters) - A single winning ticket for a record U.S. Powerball lottery jackpot worth $590.5 million (£389.3 million) was sold in Florida, organizers said late on Saturday, but there was no immediate word about who won one of the largest jackpots in U.S. history. The winning numbers from Saturday night's drawing were: 10, 13, 14, 22 and 52, with a Powerball number of 11. The odds of winning were put at 1 in 175 million. The winning ticket was sold at a Publix supermarket in Zephyrhills, a suburb of Tampa, according to the Florida Lottery. ...

Venezuela Hit By Toilet Paper Shortage Crisis

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:22:27 +0100

Venezuelans have been hit by a chronic toilet paper shortage, leading to empty supermarket shelves and long queues to snap up the remaining rolls.

Bieber Monkey: Deadline For Claiming Pet Expires

Sun, 19 May 2013 07:12:32 +0100

A deadline for Justin Bieber to reclaim his pet monkey has passed - meaning he may lose the pet to German officials.

Honeybees May Help Search For Landmines

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:21:13 +0100

Dogs are well-known for being able to sniff out deadly explosives but they could have a rival in the future - honeybees.

EU finds time to tell restaurants how to serve olive oil

Sat, 18 May 2013 16:16:45 +0100

By Charlie Dunmore BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Critics ridiculed European Union bureaucrats on Saturday for taking time off fighting the euro zone's debt crisis to impose strict new rules on how restaurants serve olive oil. From January 1, 2014, eateries will be banned from serving oil to diners in small glass jugs or dipping bowls, and forced instead to use pre-sealed, non-refillable bottles that must be disposed of when empty. The European Commission said the move is designed to improve hygiene and reassure consumers the olive oil in restaurants has not been diluted with an inferior product. ...

Black Bear Shot Down From Back Garden Tree

Fri, 17 May 2013 21:43:03 +0100

A bear weighing nearly 300lb has been tranquillized and removed from a homeowner's backyard after it was discovered resting up a tree.

$4.85 mln lotto ticket found in US cookie jar

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:41:51 +0100

A US man who dug a handful of old lottery tickets out of his cookie jar was shocked to find out one of them was worth $4.85 million, officials said.

Canadian astronaut wrestles with gravity after spaceflight

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:01:10 +0100

By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Back on Earth, Canadian astronaut and cyberspace tweeter Chris Hadfield is getting a rough re-introduction to gravity after a five-month stint aboard the International Space Station, the former commander told reporters during a video webcast from Houston. Hadfield became a social media rock star with his zero-gravity version of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and a continuous stream of commentary on Twitter about his life in orbit. But living without gravity for five months has left him feeling dizzy, weak and prematurely aged. ...