World Briefs

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The politics and personalities that dominated King Henry VIII’s court are recreated in a new exhibition at Buckingham Palace.

Paintings, sketches and suits of armour are included in the show, The Northern Renaissance: Durer to Holbein, which includes works by the German artist Hans Holbein the Younger who rose to the position of King’s Painter. Among the exhibits is a portrait of Sir Thomas More who rose to the position of Lord Chancellor before his opposition to the king’s split with the Catholic Church led to his execution.

The exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace, central London, opens on Friday, November 2 and will run till April 14 of next year.

Scary Halloween hanging

A man was left in a critical condition after accidentally hanging himself on a noose that had been set up as a Halloween prop at a nightclub.

The 25-year-old was taken to Milton Keynes Hospital after the incident at the Buckinghamshire town’s Pink Punters club.

The owner of the club, which attracts gay, lesbian, bi-sexual and transgender people, said it was a “freak accident” involving a low-hung prop that had been safely used for several years.

Boxes for Christmas

Instead of buying expensive gifts this Christmas, parents should just hand over a cardboard box, new research suggests.

Almost half (46 per cent) of parents say that their child enjoys playing with boxes instead of toys and games, according to a Ribena Plus Play report.

And almost twice as many parents say their youngster prefers playing with boxes than gadgets, it claims.

Store offers shotgun politics

A hunting store in Georgia is offering customers a chance to win a free gun for voting in the US presidential election.

People have to show their voting papers for a chance to win a Glock handgun or Browning rifle.

The shop owner said the raffle was open to all customers and gets people involved in the political process.

No sign of reforming

A New Mexico inmate on his way out of jail was quickly thrown back in after stealing another inmate’s cash and then treating himself to a hearty lunch. Frank Rodriguez-Tapia, 20, swiped $80 (€62) in cash while a guard’s back was turned as he was walking out of jail.

The money belonged to another inmate who was just being booked into the Santa Fe jail.