Offbeat
Latest stories
Trouble afoot? Macron's sneakers cause stir online

French President Emmanuel Macron's choice of footwear during his trip to London ahead of the queen's funeral caused an outpouring of commentary -- and disinformation -- online.

W140 Full Story
Saudi Arabia arrests man over pilgrimage for Queen Elizabeth

Saudi police arrested a Yemeni man this week after he advertised on social media his pilgrimage to Mecca, where he paid tribute to the memory of Queen Elizabeth II.

The pilgrim, who was not identified by name, had posted footage earlier this week that showed him holding a banner honoring the late queen from inside the courtyard of Mecca's Grand Mosque.

W140 Full Story
An exotic bird lures trappers to Gaza's tense frontier

They fan out along the tense frontier with Israel in the pre-dawn darkness, setting traps and training their eyes on the other side of the separation fence — where the parakeets are.

Dozens of Palestinian men and boys have taken up bird trapping in recent years. It's a rare if meager source of income in Gaza, which has been under a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade since the militant Hamas group seized power 15 years ago.

W140 Full Story
Freed bull races through Israeli streets into building

A bull escaped from its pen early Monday, setting off a panicked scene in the streets of a central Israeli city before entering an office building and evading capture for half an hour as it scampered through the hallways.

Bank Leumi said the bull entered its offices in an industrial zone in the city of Lod, near Tel Aviv.

W140 Full Story
Police charge UK man over crossbow threat to Queen

Police on Tuesday charged a 20-year-old man with an offence under Britain's 1842 Treason Act after arresting him armed with a crossbow at Windsor Castle as Queen Elizabeth II spent Christmas Day there.

W140 Full Story
Spanish PM calls on nation to go tie-less

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday called on office workers to throw sartorial caution to the wind and ditch their ties amid scorching summer temperatures.

W140 Full Story
Zarazir says she's afraid but hasn't 'bought a gun'

MP Cynthia Zarazir announced Thursday in remarks to al-Jadeed TV that she is “afraid” but “has not bought a gun,” clarifying earlier statements published by Annahar newspaper.

In her remarks to al-Jadeed, Zarazir denied that she has asked Army chief General Joseph Aoun for a permission to carry a gun into parliament’s building.

W140 Full Story
'Condoms' and 'Playboy magazines': Zarazir decries being given 'filthy' parliament office

MP Cynthia Zarazir of the ‘change’ bloc on Tuesday decried the “disrespect” and “bullying” she has faced ever since entering parliament’s building for the first time.

“Ever since I entered parliament, I have not been shown any respect that suggests that those whom I will be present with for four years are firstly humans and secondly respectable people,” Zarazir said on her official Twitter and Facebook accounts, shortly after she faced several bullying and name-calling instances in parliament.

W140 Full Story
Mikati hopes Lebanon won't reach 'lunatic asylum' stage

Prime Minister-designate Najib Mikati on Wednesday used the title of the famous ‘Aal Asfouriyeh’ song by late Lebanese singer Sabah to hope that Lebanon will not reach the “lunatic asylum” stage.

Mikati voiced his remarks at the launch of the touristic Lebanon Summer Campaign at the Rafik Hariri International Airport.

W140 Full Story
Putin: Western leaders would look 'disgusting' topless

Russian President Vladimir Putin shot back at Western leaders who mocked his athletic exploits, saying they would look "disgusting" if they tried to emulate his bare-torso appearances.

Putin made the comment during a visit to Turkmenistan early Thursday when asked about Western leaders joking about him at the G7 summit.

W140 Full Story