Travellers on the metro in the US capital risk coming facing to face with Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, smiling and wearing an 'I Love Guantanamo' T-shirt.
The irreverent billboard image of America's number-one enemy, just a short distance from the White House, is part of an activist campaign aimed at highlighting that Al-Qaeda uses the US detention centre as a recruiting tool.
The metro billboard is "to remind policymakers that torture is illegal, unethical and a top recruiting tool for the terrorist leader Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda network," creators from the Avaaz activist group said. (AFP)
No granny sale
A 10-year-old girl's attempt to "sell" her grandmother was thwarted by regulations on human trafficking.
Zoe Pemberton advertised her grandmother Marion Goodall, 61, of Clacton, Essex, on internet auction site eBay.
The youngster described Mrs Goodall as "annoying" but "cuddly" in her joke listing. But eBay bosses removed the advertisement because the site does not allow humans to be bought and sold. (PA)
Hillary Clinton likes being president
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton liked being president yesterday - at the UN Security Council.
"I kind of like being president, so this may go on a little longer than anticipated," she said, prompting laughter from members who were meeting to discuss women, peace and security.
Mrs Clinton was defeated by Barack Obama for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination before the 2008 election.
This month the United States holds the revolving Security Council presidency and Mr Obama chaired a council meeting last week. (Reuters)
Miss Singapore World resigns after fraud
Beauty queen Miss Singapore World has given up her crown after it emerged that she had stolen credit cards to go on a shopping spree for lingerie.
Ris Low had come under public pressure to be stripped of her 2009 title, after local media reported that she stole seven credit cards last year while working at a medical clinic, buying goods worth about $5,662, including gold anklets and phones.
Pageant organisers ERM World Marketing said she resigned on Tuesday of her own accord. She will not represent Singapore at the Miss World finals to be held in South Africa in December, but her replacement has not yet been decided. (Reuters)
Swearing at school
Parents have stopped swearing in a school playground after being warned that they could be banned for using bad language, a headteacher has said.
Martin Henderson issued the ultimatum following complaints about the way some adults spoke to each other and their children on the school premises.
In a letter to parents of the 430 pupils at Westmorland Primary School in Stockport, Manchester, he said legal action would be taken to keep them out of the school gates if they carried on swearing. (PA)
Couples on concorde
Couples are being given the chance to walk down an aisle with a difference - on Concorde.
The retired jet has been licensed for weddings and civil partnership ceremonies, 40 years after its first supersonic flight on October 1 1969.
It may not be taking to the skies again, but Brooklands Museum in Weybridge, Surrey, is hoping love will be in the air on their Concorde G-BBDG. (PA)
US to teach French to Canadians
Americans are to teach Canadian soldiers to speak French - one of Canada's two official languages - after the military's own lessons received a failing grade, local media said yesterday.
The department of national defence awarded a $285,000-contract to Globelink Foreign Language Centre in Colorado Springs to tutor Canadians at the North American Aerospace Defence Command headquarters, said the Ottawa Citizen.
However, they are unlikely to have many opportunities to practice their new language skills outside of the base, as a mere 0.3 per cent of Colorado residents speak French, according to the last US census.
French and English have been spoken in Canada since its colonization by the French and British starting in 1608. But for many years English occupied a de facto privileged position. (AFP)