Allen Stanford's women stand by their man
HOUSTON (Reuters) –
Most men would not want to be in a room with their estranged wife, current girlfriend and two former mistresses, but Allen Stanford is not most men. The women, who have enjoyed million-dollar homes and luxury lifestyles, appear united in their loyalty to the Texas financier who faces criminal charges for an alleged $7 billion (4.2 billion pound) Ponzi scheme.
How do you sneeze in a spacesuit? Aim low!
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Veteran spacewalker David Wolf had some advice on Tuesday for those wondering how to sneeze in a spacesuit. "Aim low, off the windscreen, because it's going to mess up your view and there's no way to clear it," said Wolf, who admitted being in just that predicament during Monday's spacewalk outside the International Space Station.
Almost extinct Galapagos tortoise mates at 90
QUITO (Reuters) - Lonesome George, the last remaining giant tortoise of his kind, may soon be a father to the delight of conservationists. Unhatched eggs have been found in his "bachelor" pen in the Galapagos Islands, his keepers said on Tuesday.
Indian farmers fight bad monsoon with frog marriage
KOLKATA, India (Reuters) - Indian farmers are falling back on a trusted local method to bring badly needed monsoon rains -- marrying off two frogs. Villagers in West Bengal state pooled their money together this week to marry Ram and Sita, two frogs named after India's most revered mythological couple from the epic Ramayana.
Toilet back in service on crowded space station
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - After a tiring day of spacewalking, astronauts can enjoy at least one creature comfort: a working toilet. While spacewalkers David Wolf and Thomas Marshburn worked outside the International Space Station on Monday stashing spare parts, crewmates repaired the outpost's broken toilet.
World's first camel-milk chocolates going global
DUBAI (Reuters) - Dubai's Al Nassma, the world's first brand of chocolate made with camels' milk, plans to expand into new Arab markets, Europe, Japan and the United States, its general manager said Tuesday. Martin Van Almsick said the United Arab Emirates company planned to enter Saudi Arabia first, followed by Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the United States within the next few months.
Antiguan straggler almost misses medal ceremony
OSTIA, Italy (Reuters) - Antigua's open water swimmer Kareem Valentine finished over half an hour behind the world champion in Tuesday's 5km ocean race -- but at least he made it just in time for the medal ceremony. Valentine was so far behind the rest of the field that world championship organisers were already preparing to give Thomas Lurz his gold medal when the straggler clambered ashore to wild applause.
Hawks deliver go-away message to Canada Post
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) - Two nesting hawks have managed to do what Canada's blizzards usually can't -- halt delivery of the mail to a few dozen homes in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Canada Post said it stopped delivering to 54 Moose Jaw homes after hawks swooped down on a letter carrier and after a supervisor who came in to inspect the area had to dive for cover. Later, another carrier was attacked two blocks away.
"Vegan streaker" held over attack plans
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - A Dutch animal rights activist, known in the Netherlands as the 'vegan streaker', has been arrested on suspicion of planning an attack against Queen Beatrix because she wears fur. The prosecution office said Tuesday it was investigating whether the man was planning an attack against Queen Beatrix following a witness statement alerting authorities.
Police catch underwear thief
BERLIN (Reuters) - German police uncovered over 1,000 pairs of underpants and more than 100 pairs of swimming trunks after catching a thief nabbing another three pairs for his collection. The 46-year-old man was caught Sunday pinching three pairs of pants from a sports hall in the western town of Gelnhausen. Police then came across the enormous collection of underwear while searching his flat.
