Reward for honest woman

Here's proof positive that honesty pays. A stranger in Italy was rewarded with $25,300 in cash after she returned an envelope containing $253,000 to a pensioner. The envelope was in a grocery bag that had earlier blown off the pensioner's balcony onto the ground below. The 53-year-old good Samaritan said she was taking an evening walk through the center of Cassino, in central Italy, when she came across the grocery bag. The unnamed woman told Italy's La Repubblica that she "didn't hesitate to call the police". An Italian "honesty law" entitles the finder of lost cash to a 10 percent reward.

Pumpkin records squashes

There were doubtless many "Oh, my Gourd" exclamations upon revelation on the Internet of a new world record for pumpkin paddling set by an artist who works with outsized vegetables. Just in time for Halloween, Brit Dmitri Galitzine, used a 270-kilogram pumpkin sourced from the Mere Brow Giant Pumpkin Show to set a new world record of 2 minutes for the fastest 100m paddle in a pumpkin. Speaking after his feat in Portsmouth, UK, a modest Galitzine was quoted saying: "Yes that was great. That was a really good run. Really pleased with that." Reports state Guinness World Records has been notified of the attempt.

Wedding rush for 11/12/13

A US wedding dress company is expecting a huge rush to the altar for many couples this Tuesday. David's Bridal in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, revealed its annual survey indicates there will be a large spike in weddings on Nov 12, written out as 11/12/13. Brian Beitler, chief marketing officer for David's Bridal, said the company's online survey of 500 women who are engaged to be married indicates there is a rising trend of couples seeking "iconic" wedding dates.

Ring lost in trick-or-treater's bag

A man in the US who fears his loose-fitting diamond ring may have fallen into a trick-or-treater's bag while donating candy during Halloween has appealed to his neighbors to search through their children's candy. John Wildeman, 66, of Punta Gorda, Florida said he realized his ring was missing from his finger after handing out candy to about 300 trick-or-treaters on Oct 31. Wildeman said he bought the gold band with a small diamond for about $500 from a pawn shop and couldn't afford to replace it. He said the ring was not as secure on his finger as it used to be because he recently lost a lot of weight.

Bieber turns graffiti artist

A Brazilian news website claims local police want to question Justin Bieber following publication of photos showing the Canadian pop star spray painting graffiti on a wall in Rio de Janiero last week. The O Globo newspaper reports paparazzi snapped Bieber as he painted the words "Respect privacy" and "I am off" as well as several drawings on the wall of the former Hotel Nacional last Tuesday morning. Defacing buildings is a crime in Brazil punishable by up to one year in jail and a fine. O Globo says police went to Bieber's rented mansion in Rio to question him but he was not there.

Man shot in Big Foot hunt

US authorities say three people were arrested in Catoosa, Oklahoma, last week after a man was shot in the back while on a hunting expedition. Rogers County Sheriff Scott Walton said Omar Pineda, 21, shot his friend in the back accidentally while the two were out hunting for the legendary Big Foot believers say inhabits the North American forests. Perry Don James, 53, Pineda's father-in-law, was arrested and charged with felony in possession of a firearm and destruction of evidence after he threw Pineda's gun into a pond. Lacey Jane Pineda, 22, Omar's wife, was arrested on an obstruction charge for allegedly telling deputies someone else had been shooting at her husband and his friend. The shot man, who was unnamed, was expected to recover.

Llama taken on joy ride

An unsuspecting circus animal was taken for a joy ride around the French town of Bordeaux in a late-night drunken escapade last week. "Serge" the llama was freed from his circus pen by five teens and taken aboard a tram for a ride through the world's wine capital. The adventure was short-lived when the tram conductor caught on and asked the passengers to get off the tram. The group reportedly left the llama in the care of a tram worker until it was returned to the circus owner who had reported the llama missing. No charges were laid. Video footage of the incident went viral last week.

China Daily - Agencies

(China Daily 11/10/2013 page4)