Reuters: Oddly Enough

Polish church uses TV motto to lure young

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:42:17 GMT

WARSAW (Reuters) - A Roman Catholic order in Poland has started to advertise its religious retreats by using the motto of a popular TV programme "I've Got Talent."

"Paranormal Activity" too scary for Italians

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:53:26 GMT

ROME (Reuters) - Italy's government is mulling whether to slap restrictions on horror thriller "Paranormal Activity" after some movie-goers suffered panic attacks, sparking protests by children's and consumer groups.

German thief robs arcade with cup of coffee

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:08:16 GMT

BERLIN (Reuters) - A thief in the German town of Hamelin robbed an amusement arcade by threatening the attendant with a cup of coffee, authorities said Tuesday.

Google warns Chinese knock-off to stop using logo

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:35:21 GMT

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Google Inc has sent a cease and desist letter to the operators of a Chinese search website whose logo bears a close resemblance to its own.

Saudi sex braggart gets no relief in court appeal

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:19:17 GMT

RIYADH (Reuters) - A Saudi appeals court has upheld a sentence of five years in jail and 1,000 lashes for a Saudi man who bragged about his sexual exploits on television, newspapers reported Tuesday.

Japan pedometer gives incentive to skip the taxi

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:53:32 GMT

TOKYO (Reuters) - Looking for extra motivation to walk away the pounds? A Japanese company is selling a pedometer that calculates how much money you save on taxi fares by walking as well as the calories you burn.

Wild lynx puts frighteners on Whistler sliders

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:35:27 GMT

WHISTLER (Reuters) - A rare visitor got a first-hand inspection of the Whistler Sliding Centre on Monday when a lynx was spotted prowling in trees near the start area.

Hasta La Pista, Baby...Arnie lights up the Games

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:55:04 GMT

VANCOUVER (Reuters) - The Olympic torch relay just got bigger, much bigger.

Study shows why it is so scary to lose money

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:21:46 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - People are afraid to lose money and an unusual study released on Monday explains why -- the brain's fear centre controls the response to a gamble.

Study toasts beer as being good for your bones

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:18:21 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Beer drinkers now have a good excuse to order another round -- the brew may help keep bones strong, a study has found.

Chinese pair banking on flour power

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:15:37 GMT

VANCOUVER (Reuters) - China's Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo are getting ready to launch a dumpling-powered assault for a pairs gold medal at the Vancouver Olympics.

There's only love at new Beijing supermarket

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:08:34 GMT

BEIJING, China (Reuters) - For Chinese singles in the market for love this Valentine's day, a Beijing supermarket may offer just what they're looking for.

Looking for lasting love? It's not all looks and laughs

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:05:35 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Singles looking for love put too much emphasis on looks and passion in trying to find their perfect match, according to research released ahead of Valentine's Day.

German seniors on trial for kidnapping their banker

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:12:10 GMT

BERLIN (Reuters) - Four elderly Germans went on trial on Monday charged with kidnapping their financial adviser and holding him prisoner in a basement in an attempt to recover 2.5 million euros (2.19 million pounds) in lost savings, a court spokesman said.

ITV fined over killing a rat on TV show

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 18:09:46 GMT

SYDNEY/LONDON (Reuters) - Broadcaster ITV pleaded guilty to animal cruelty and was fined by an Australian court on Monday after a rat was killed and eaten on the reality TV show "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here."

Sword artist sets world record that's hard to swallow

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 08:16:29 GMT

SYDNEY (Reuters) - An Australian performance artist set a new Guinness World Record on Monday by simultaneously swallowing 18 swords, each nearly as long as two and a half rulers.

Fifth of adults choose pet over partner on Valentine's Day -poll

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:42:43 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rather than spending Valentine's Day with their partner, one fifth of adults would prefer to be with their pet, although the French still came top for romance, according to a joint global poll by Reuters/Ipsos.

Japanese monk gets down with the beat for Buddhism

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:37:11 GMT

TOKYO (Reuters) - He raps. He chants. And this month, Japan's famed hip-hop loving monk, better known as MC Happiness, will tap dance on stage, in the name of Buddhism.

Aussie boxing kangaroo flag wins bout against IOC

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:34:17 GMT

VANCOUVER (Reuters) - A large Australian team flag depicting a boxing kangaroo will remain hanging from the athletes' village after an agreement between Australian team officials and the International Olympic Committee.

Barclays bans "PIIGS" from notes

Sat, 06 Feb 2010 10:48:42 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Barclays Capital told its research analysts in a memo this week not to use the relatively new but increasingly common "PIIGS" acronym to describe five European nations with strained fiscal conditions, a source at the bank told Reuters on Friday.

Barclays bans "PIIGS" from research notes

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:53:15 GMT

Military ghost town goes under hammer in Latvia

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:49:54 GMT

RIGA (Reuters) - A town left empty after the withdrawal of Soviet and Russian forces from the Baltic state of Latvia was sold at auction Friday for $3 million (1.92 million pounds).

Got extra prison space in Europe? Rent it out

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 19:19:12 GMT

TILBURG, The Netherlands (Reuters) - Supplementing one's income by renting out a spare room is hardly a novel concept, but the Netherlands took it a big step further Friday when, in an European first, it officially leased a prison to Belgium.

Ancient dialect extinct after last speaker dies

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:08:34 GMT

PORT BLAIR, India (Reuters) - One of the world's oldest dialects, which traces its origins to tens of thousands of years ago, has become extinct after the last person to speak it died on a remote Indian island.

Wing Bowl celebrates Philadelphia's raucous sports

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:39:41 GMT

PHILADELPHIA, Feb 5 (Reuters) - About 18,000 people turned out before dawn on Friday for the 18th Wing Bowl, an eating competition dubbed the world's biggest, and an annual celebration of Philadelphia's raucous sports-crazed culture.