Reuters: Oddly Enough

Tempura-battered tarantula on menu at California bug fest

Fri, 24 May 2013 22:27:41 GMT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hungry? How about tempura-battered fried Tarantula for an appetizer? They're frozen then defrosted before bug chef David George Gordon cuts off the abdomen, singes off hairs with a lighter and dunks the remaining spider body into batter.

Obama in heated exchanges with Code Pink anti-war protester

Fri, 24 May 2013 00:43:33 GMT

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.

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

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:34:37 GMT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - For New York City mayoral hopeful Anthony Weiner, the road to City Hall leads through Pittsburgh.

Hamburgers for life reward to man who helped Ohio kidnap victims

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:43:33 GMT

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.

Norway crime novelist talks his way to live interview record

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:41:56 GMT

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.

Prosecutor in Berlusconi sex trial receives mail with bullets

Thu, 23 May 2013 13:27:54 GMT

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.

Relegation woes worry toothless Argentinos Juniors

Wed, 22 May 2013 00:13:43 GMT

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.

College student snares record long Burmese python near Miami

Tue, 21 May 2013 21:04:07 GMT

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - An 18-foot, 8-inch Burmese python set a record for the longest snake ever captured in South Florida, where the exotic species has taken up residence.

Czech police seize 1 million liters of illegal booze

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:17:55 GMT

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Czech police found a million liters of illegal alcohol hidden in underground tanks in one of the biggest seizures of untaxed booze ever.

Chinese businessman pays record price for Belgian racing pigeon

Tue, 21 May 2013 11:35:45 GMT

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - A Chinese businessman has paid a world record 310,000 euros ($398,500) for a Belgian pigeon, highlighting Asia's huge and growing interest in racing birds.

What's in a name? U.S. starts using Myanmar as well as Burma

Mon, 20 May 2013 23:35:10 GMT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Southeast Asian nation formerly known as Burma received further backing from the White House on Monday in its campaign to be called Myanmar.

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

Mon, 20 May 2013 21:27:41 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Some spectators at London's Chelsea Flower Show wouldn't be caught dead with one in the trunk of their Bentley, but garden gnomes have turned up at the show's 100th edition this year, for charity.

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

Mon, 20 May 2013 18:46:42 GMT

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.

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

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:50:30 GMT

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.

Gandhi blood sample up for auction in London

Mon, 20 May 2013 15:10:43 GMT

LONDON (Reuters) - Two microscope slides bearing the blood of former Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi are to go on sale in London on Tuesday and are expected to fetch from 10,000 pounds to 15,000 pounds ($15,200-$22,800).

Prague metro plans to launch love train for singles

Mon, 20 May 2013 14:45:27 GMT

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.

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

Mon, 20 May 2013 06:39:58 GMT

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Humor 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.

Winning ticket for $590.5 million Powerball lottery sold in Florida

Sun, 19 May 2013 17:06:33 GMT

(Reuters) - A single winning ticket for a record Powerball lottery jackpot worth $590.5 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.

Germans blame euro zone crisis for Eurovision debacle

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:57:00 GMT

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germans lamented their unexpectedly poor showing at the Eurovision Song Contest, blaming Chancellor Angela Merkel's tough stance in the euro zone crisis for their failure to win any points from 34 of the 39 countries voting.

Powerball jackpot could go higher than $600 million

Sat, 18 May 2013 22:37:05 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - The Powerball jackpot Saturday night could exceed the $600 million figure being advertised, possibly rivaling the largest lottery payoff in U.S. history, a Texas Lottery official said on Saturday.

EU finds time to tell restaurants how to serve olive oil

Sat, 18 May 2013 15:20:34 GMT

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.

Canadian astronaut wrestles with gravity after spaceflight

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:33:46 GMT

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.

Dancer says showgirls dressed as Obama, nuns at Berlusconi party

Fri, 17 May 2013 15:55:24 GMT

MILAN (Reuters) - The nightclub dancer at the center of former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's "bunga bunga" sex trial told a court on Friday that guests at the media tycoon's parties dressed as nuns, nurses and U.S. President Barack Obama.

Idaho man sentenced to seven years for killing zoo monkey

Fri, 17 May 2013 01:25:31 GMT

(Reuters) - An Idaho man who admitted to breaking into a Boise zoo last year and killing a monkey was sentenced to seven years in prison on Thursday, court records show.

Los Angeles ranked worst U.S. city for dog attacks on mail carriers

Fri, 17 May 2013 00:23:29 GMT

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Los Angeles has earned the dubious distinction for the second year in a row as the U.S. city with the most dog attacks on mail carriers, the U.S. Postal Service said.