Tag Archives: offbeat

Paris, France | AFP | Parisian nudists will finally have a spot to take it all off — for the next few weeks at least — at a secluded zone in the Bois de Vincennes park east of the city. “The creation of an area in the Bois de Vincennes where …

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | A South African university student’s spending spree on clothes, a party and a new smartphone slammed to a halt after it emerged the roughly $1 million fuelling her splurge had been given to her in error. A company that hands out student funding accidentally transferred …

Paris, France | AFP | Ignore the snobs, because most experts agree: a few drops of water enhance the taste of whiskies, from well-rounded blends to peat bombs redolent of smoke, tobacco and leather. The only real question is, why is this true? The answer, a pair of biochemists in Sweden …

Sydney, Australia | AFP | Australia’s “accidental Kiwi” deputy prime minister renounced his New Zealand citizenship Tuesday amid sheep jokes, Hollywood taunts and conspiracy theories about a left-wing plot to topple Canberra’s conservative government. Deputy PM Barnaby Joyce revealed his New Zealand connection on Monday, sparking calls for him to stand …

Shanghai, China | AFP | A Chinese man was detained after a bus station security scanner revealed that he had his brother’s severed arms in his luggage, state media reported, but police said he was unlikely to face criminal charges. The 50-year-old was stopped in the city of Duyun in the …

Nairobi, Kenya | AFP |  Some Kenyans braced long queues, others rain and chilly weather, but one woman gave birth Tuesday while in line to vote in general elections and still made sure to vote. A heavily pregnant Paulina Chemanang was feeling fine as she left to vote early at …

Los Angeles, United States | AFP | Manchester United-bound striker Romelu Lukaku is likely to have to spend a fraction of his extravagant salary on settling a fine in Beverly Hills after being arrested during a noisy party at his rented mansion. A Beverly Hills Police Department statement on Saturday said …

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia | AFP |  As the African Union struggles to get members to pay dues, Zimbabwe’s President Robert Mugabe took the bull by the horns and sold his own cattle for a sizeable donation to the body. Mugabe handed over $1 million (880,000 euros) at the start of …

Indian minister mocked for urinating in public New Delhi, India | AFP |  A government minister was mocked on social media for urinating in public despite the prime minister’s flagship public hygiene drive as pictures of the embarrassing incident were splashed over front pages Friday. The Times of India said …

Seoul, South Korea | AFP |  The World Taekwondo Federation has changed its name to World Taekwondo after becoming uncomfortable with the “negative connotations” of its acronym, WTF. The body has been named World Taekwondo Federation since 1973, but it has been considering a change since the slang abbreviation ‘WTF’ …