Interactive exhibition features work of Icelandic singer Bjork

LONDON (Reuters) - London's Somerset House is hosting the European premiere of "Bjork Digital," an immersive exhibition of digital and video works produced by the famous Icelandic singer and a team...

French 'Spiderman' climbs a skyscraper harness-free

Dubbed the "French Spiderman", Alain Robert performed a treacherous climb wearing no harness up the Tour T1 building in the Paris region's La Defense business district on Wednesday (August 31).

Shanghai bans electric scooters and Segways

Shanghai traffic police have promised to crack down on the use of escooters and segways due to safety concerns, after a ban two years ago was largely ignored.

Tomatoes come to town: Bunol prepares for LaTomatina

LLOSA, Aug 30 (Reuters) - The ripe, round, red fruit tumbles out of crates and is piled high on trucks, while people cover balconies in plastic sheets and board up houses and shopfronts. Preparations...

In India, a beauty pageant for the visually impaired

: A beauty pageant was organised for visually-impaired girls in India's eastern Orissa state on Tuesday (August 30).

Turkey's post-coup purges shake higher education

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - With the summer holiday almost over, computer science student Hande Tekiner should be gearing up for a year of cram sessions and late-night homework. Instead, she may have...

Taiwan artist draws pleasure from miniature pencil carvings

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan artist Lee Chien-chu stands in front of Xilou Bridge proudly holding up a miniature carving of the landmark, the latest offering in his pencil sculpture series.

U.N. rights office urges French towns to repeal burkini bans

GENEVA (Reuters) - The United Nations human rights office has called on French beach resorts to lift their bans on the burkini, calling them a "stupid reaction" that did not improve security but...

Thailand's first halal hotel hopes to help boost Muslim arrivals

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Predominately Buddhist Thailand has opened its first halal hotel as hopes to attract more Muslim visitors and boost one of the few bright spots in its economy.

Old machiya houses in Japan's Kyoto given new lease of life by niche loans

KYOTO (Reuters) - For generations, artisans and merchants in Japan's ancient capital of Kyoto lived in thousands of traditional "machiya" townhouses that are steadily disappearing or falling into...

Fall from a tree may have caused death of 'Lucy' the famed fossil

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - Lucy, one of the best known ancestors of humans to ever roam the earth, may have died after a fall from a tree, University of Texas researchers said on Monday after studying...

Freak lightning storm kills 323 reindeer in Norway

OSLO (Reuters) - A freak lightning storm has killed 323 reindeer in a remote mountainous area of Norway, officials said on Monday.

Pasta all'Amatriciana served with 'lots of love' for Italy's quake victims

Residents of the Umbrian town of Perugia gathered on Sunday (August 28) evening in the main square to eat pasta all'Amatriciana in support of the earthquake victims from neighboring communities.