Offbeat News

The Guinness world record holder for being the oldest person to start primary school, 85-year-old Kimani Maruge, jetted off to the United States on Thursday in his first plane ride.

SYDNEY, Australia Sydney Opera House has sprouted an unusual new set-a lovingly manicured lawn in one of its performance halls.

Subdivision rules are keeping some Ocala residents from temporarily housing Hurricane Katrina evacuees, and angry homeowners said it might make them move.

'Water' actress Lisa Ray poses on the red carpet as she arrives for the opening gala for the Toronto International Film Festival in Toronto on Thursday September 8, 2005.

LOS ANGELES One urban alligator down, one to go. A 3-foot-long gator dubbed Little Reggie was caught Thursday night in a Harbor City flood control channel, but its wily, much bigger namesake remained on the ...1.8

Vatican City - With an estimated five billion copies sold in more than 2 000 languages worldwide, the Bible is considered the ultimate best-seller. But is it also the best read? Apparently not, according to a ...2.7

Today is Friday, Sept. 9, the 252nd day of 2005. There are 113 days left in the year.3.7

A squirrel too curious for its own good caused an outage that left the Statehouse and other downtown Topeka buildings briefly without power Thursday, according to Westar Energy Inc.Company spokeswoman Gina ...3.1

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia A monkey, apparently a pet, escaped, then chased a 12-year-old boy into his house and bit him on the buttocks in the western Malaysian state of Pahang, a news report said Friday.4.2

A couple who faked weather damage to their crops by having workers throw ice cubes onto a tomato field and then beat the plants were ordered Thursday to repay more than $9 million they received fraudulently.3.2

Two scuba divers spent Thursday underwater off Italy, starting what they hope will be a record 10 days submerged - aided by a special dry chamber where they can change masks and eat.4.2

Richard Hatch, who won $1 million on the first season of the reality show "Survivor," was indicted Thursday for failing to pay taxes on his winnings from the CBS show.2.7

ORLANDO, Fla. The landlords of an Orlando entertainment complex are suing two restaurateurs for refusing to move into a renovating building because they claim it is haunted.4

Black netting over the beds keeps them from floating away at night. Their exercise bikes are grounded in the sand, just like the plastic furniture in their roofless living room, which sports a unique view of a ...5.4

It's billed as the biggest moment in England's sports history since 1966 when the national soccer team won the World Cup.2.7

Gil Grissom would be appalled. The lead character of the hit CBS show "CSI" spends his days catching criminals by following the evidence they leave behind.3.1

At the delivery man's house. On Aug. 16, the Elkhart man called the delivery service searching for the missing tickets - worth $10,000 - and was informed that they'd been dropped off at the wrong address.2.7

Bill Rancic is going to fire himself. Rancic, winner of the first season of NBC's "The Apprentice," says he'll stop working for Donald Trump when his contract ends in March.3.1

Viktor Yushchenko blames lack of team spirit for dismissing government. Kiev, Ukraine -- Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko has fired the country's government.3.1

By The Associated Press - Forget telemarketing. A police group is going to try to raise money for charity by opening a restaurant with slot machines.5.8

On those annual lists of the nation's college campuses, Brigham Young University is probably best known for its regular ranking near the bottom when it comes to party schools.2.7

The Crescent City and environs got a little of their sass back Wednesday and felt better ... Kandis Glasier of Saucier, Miss.1.3

Jamie Foxx, who is working with the NAACP on Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, says celebrities should get giving when the going gets tough.2.7

Allegheny County police don't deny that Charles Arrotti knows a lot about the law.4.1

A man with a knife walked up to a nanny pushing a 10-month-old girl in a stroller in Washington Heights Wednesday night and plunged a knife into the baby's stomach, critically injuring her, the police said.

A study finds that long hours and overnight shifts may leave young doctors so sleep-deprived that they function as poorly as if they've had a few cocktails.2.7

A man had to be subdued and duct-taped by fellow passengers over an incident with a flight attendant.3.1

Police and wildlife officials were on the hunt for a wounded black bear after a woman was mauled to death and her husband injured as he was forced to use a Swiss Army knife to keep the animal from dragging her ...

Police charge these Hamburglars are no cartoon characters. Authorities in Casper, Wyoming, accuse Michael Croley and Christopher Walker of trying to break into a McDonald's to steal food.2.7

A restaurant in northeastern China that advertised illegal tiger meat dishes was found instead to be selling donkey flesh - marinated in tiger urine, a newspaper reported Thursday.5.2

"Die Hard" star Bruce Willis will help pick Italy's most beautiful woman when he heads the jury of the "Miss Italia" pageant later this month.2.9

Sydney Opera House has sprouted an unusual new set - a lovingly manicured lawn in one of its performance halls.4.8

The oldest student at Humboldt State University is back in school. Marion Koffords, 93, has enrolled in two weekend seminars as part of the university's Over 60 program.3.3

Associated Press Sept. 8, 2005 08:58 AM NEW YORK - Rolling Stone, the magazine that was home for ... He shot himself four days later at his home in Aspen, Colo.2.9

Marsh & McLennan Cos., the world's largest insurance broker, has agreed to sell the Crump Group Inc.1.3