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Japan Agency Sorry for Comparing Radiation to Wife

A government-backed nuclear research agency has apologized for comparing radioactive material on its website to an "angry wife" in a quarrel with her husband, news reports said Tuesday.

The Japan Atomic Energy Agency has already dropped the link from its homepage after the comparison triggered an outpouring of criticism, Kyodo News and other media reported.

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'Vampire' Skeletons Unearthed in Bulgaria

Archaeologists in Bulgaria have unearthed two skeletons from the Middle Ages pierced through the chest with iron rods to keep them from turning into vampires, the head of the history museum said.

"These two skeletons stabbed with rods illustrate a practice which was common in some Bulgarian villages up until the first decade of the 20th century," said national history museum chief Bozhidar Dimitrov after the recent find in the Black Sea town of Sozopol.

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Spider Invasion Spooks Indian Village

Panicked villagers in a remote Indian state complained Monday of an invasion of giant venomous spiders that resemble tarantulas but are unknown to local specialists.

Indian media said that a dozen people had been bitten and treated in hospital, with two unconfirmed deaths reported.

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Laptop Snaps Thief's Photo, Leading to his Arrest

Open an app. See a flash. Get arrested!

Police in U.S. Michigan say a stolen laptop took a picture of the thief and sent it to a security website, leading to his arrest.

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Canadian Police Kill Bear after Hot Tub Attack

A wild black bear attacked a man relaxing in a hot tub at the Whistler ski resort in western Canada, with a swift whack to the head, police said Monday.

The 55-year-old man from Coquitlam, British Columbia, "felt a heavy blow to the back of his head which propelled him forward in the hot tub" on Saturday, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Staff Sergeant Steve LeClair said in a statement.

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Judge Caught Playing Solitaire in Court

One of the five judges in the trial against Anders Behring Breivik, who killed 77 people in twin attacks in Norway last year, was caught on camera playing solitaire online during proceedings on Monday.

In a screen capture published on the website of newspaper Verdens Gang, one of the three lay judges hearing the case, Ernst Henning Eielsen, can be seen playing the card game on his computer as a Swedish professor testifies to the court.

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Latvian Airline Launches World-First Flight Buddies

Getting trapped in a boring conversation with a fellow passenger aboard a plane could soon be a thing of the past thanks to a world-first flight buddy system developed by Latvia's national airline.

Baltic flag-carrier airBaltic's new "SeatBuddy" scheme aims to sit like-minded fliers next to each other.

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'Diet Glasses' to Fool Wearers into Eating Less

Goggles that trick the wearer into thinking the plain snack in their hand is a chocolate cookie, or make biscuits appear larger have been unveiled in Japan, offering hope to weak-willed dieters everywhere.

Researchers at the University of Tokyo have developed devices that use computer wizardry and augmented reality to fool the senses and make users feel more satisfied with smaller -- or less appealing -- treats.

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Schoolboy Gets Ultimate Excuse Note from U.S. President

When 11-year-old Tyler Sullivan goes back to school on Monday, he will have the ultimate excuse note for missing class one day last week -- written and signed by U.S. President Barack Obama.

Sullivan played hooky Friday to see Obama in action during a visit to a Honeywell factory in Golden Valley, Minnesota. When the president finished his speech, the schoolboy took advantage of a chance to meet him.

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Saudi Princess Tries to Avoid Paying Luxury Hotel Bill

A Saudi princess was caught trying to leave the Shangri-La hotel in Paris without settling a six million euro ($7.4 million) bill for her rooms, police said Saturday, confirming a report in the daily Le Parisien.

Maha al-Sudani, the former wife of Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Nayef ben Abdel Aziz, tried to walk out on 3:30 am Thursday without paying for her suite and those of her 60-strong entourage, prompting staff to call in police, Le Parisien reported.

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