The Other Side of Life 24/7: Reuters Oddly Enough Report

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Reuters Oddly Enough Report

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02/4/2015

Reuters Election 2012 Daily round-up of the day's top news from the campaign trail, the White House and all the politics in between

Berlin expects serious policies, not formal attire, from Greeks

BERLIN (Reuters) - Greece's casually-attired finance minister can dress as he pleases when he visits Berlin this week, German officials said on Wednesday, provided he offers a sharp account of his government's plans.

Florida considers bear hunting after spate of suburban attacks

ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - After a 20-year ban, Florida may bring back bear hunts to control a growing population of black bears that is increasingly seen as a menace in suburban neighborhoods.

Breakaway Episcopal churches in South Carolina can keep property: judge

CHARLESTON, S.C. (Reuters) - A breakaway group of Episcopal churches in South Carolina can retain its diocese name after leaving the U.S. Episcopal Church and keep historic church real estate worth $500 million, a judge has ruled.

Pilot taking 'selfies' before fatal Colorado crash: report

(Reuters) - The pilot of a small plane was taking selfie pictures with a cellphone on a series of short flights around a Colorado airport in 2014 before he crashed on one of the jaunts, killing himself and a passenger, federal investigators found.

Greek forced to surrender 500,000 euros at Cyprus customs

NICOSIA (Reuters) - Authorities in Cyprus have confiscated 500,000 euros ($571,450) from a Greek businessman who tried to fly home with the cash after banks on the island refused to let him deposit it.

Florida calls on civilian 'patrols' to battle invasive pythons

MIAMI (Reuters) - Florida wildlife officials, opening a new front in the war on invasive snakes, are recruiting the general public for "python patrols" that teach them how to identify and even capture some of the hissing, snapping reptiles.

Albanian highwaymen outwitted by Chinese karate skills

TIRANA (Reuters) - Three Albanian gunmen met their match when they held up three Chinese contractors only to be outwitted and overpowered by the karate skills of their would-be victims.

U.S. groundhog Punxsutawney Phil predicts six more weeks of winter

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (Reuters) - Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog famous for his weather predictions, saw his shadow after emerging from his burrow atop Gobbler's Knob in western Pennsylvania on Monday, forecasting six more weeks of winter.

Winging it: Chicago man smashes Philadelphia eating record

PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - A professional competitive eater from Chicago downed 444 chicken wings in 30 minutes at the 23rd annual Wing Bowl in Philadelphia, narrowly edging out his nearest rival and shattering the record of 363 wings set a year earlier.

Secretary of State Kerry fined for not shoveling by Boston home

BOSTON (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was slapped with a $50 fine for failing to have a side street adjoining his Boston home shoveled following the blizzard that dropped more than 2 feet (60 cm) of snow on Massachusetts this week, a spokesman said on Friday.