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Saudi Women Call New Day of Defiance against Driving Ban

Saudi women activists have called for a new day of defiance next month of the longstanding ban on women driving in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

An online petition entitled "Oct 26th, driving for women" had on Sunday gathered more than 5,800 signatories, as activists try again to push authorities to end the unique ban.

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Hundreds Join Myanmar March to End Ethnic Conflicts

Activists praised Myanmar authorities Saturday for allowing a peace march through Yangon calling for an end to the nation's civil conflicts, after several people were charged for rallying without permission last year.

Around 300 people joined the colorful International Day of Peace rally through the city -- the majority wearing blue t-shirts printed with anti-war slogans -- with just a handful of police watching the event.

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Americans Increasingly Hungry for Hipster Foods

So maybe the chance to taste the flaky spawn of a doughnut and croissant won't get you lining up at the crack of dawn. Maybe you're holding out for a burger nestled between fried ramen noodles. Or perhaps it's the elusive McRib that moves you.

Whatever flies your foodie flag, it's hard to deny that Americans love feeling part of something deliciously exclusive, that they clamor to taste trendy, hard-to-get morsels.

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Meet MySOUK: An Online Shop For All Lebanese Shops

Based in the Middle East, MySOUK.com is a design-driven marketplace where local & independent designers set up shop & promote their brands to the world. Their concept is to help designers, artists & brands establish a presence online by offering them a personalized, easy-to-manage space, through which they can promote their trademarks and expose their products.

Their vision, derived from their eagerness to expand creativity beyond borders, is to become the region’s ultimate gathering point for talent, creativity, & design.

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French Imams to Meet Pope Francis

A group of 10 French imams will meet Pope Francis on Wednesday in the latest sign of rapprochement between the Vatican and the Muslim world.

The meeting has been organised by Marek Halter, a French Jewish author known for promoting religious tolerance who has organised similar initiatives in the past.

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Thailand's Temple of Dawn to Get $4 mn Makeover

Thailand's iconic "Temple of Dawn" on the banks of Bangkok's Chao Phraya river is to undergo a three-year renovation costing around $4 million, authorities said Friday.

Wat Arun, one of the kingdom's most famous landmarks, known for the morning light reflecting off its porcelain-encrusted surfaces, will remain open to visitors during the overhaul, according to officials.

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Norman Rockwell Masterpieces Coming to NYC Auction

Three popular Norman Rockwell masterpieces that depict slices of American life are heading for the auction block.

"Saying Grace," ''The Gossips" and "Walking to Church" are among seven works by the Saturday Evening Post illustrator going on sale at Sotheby's Dec. 4.

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Japan's Murakami Favorite for Nobel Prize, Again

Japanese literary superstar Haruki Murakami is favorite for this year's Nobel Prize in Literature, betting odds showed Friday, after repeatedly being mentioned as a contender for the prestigious global gong.

Online bookmaker Ladbrokes.com was Friday offering odds of 3-1 on the novelist scooping up the prize, which will be announced in Sweden next month.

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Renoir Works, Personal Items Fetch $1.3 mn at NY Auction

A collection of over 100 letters, photos, plasters, drawings and personal items that once belonged to Pierre-Auguste Renoir were sold at auction Thursday in New York, despite protests from the Impressionist master's great-grandson.

Sale organizer Heritage Auctions, which billed it as the largest collection of Renoir memorabilia, said the items earned nearly $1.3 million in total -- far short of the hoped-for $3 million.

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Man Beheaded, Woman Beaten to Death in India 'Honor Killing'

A man was beheaded and his girlfriend beaten to death in an "honor killing" in northern India after they eloped, police said Thursday.

The woman's mother, father and uncle were arrested after the gruesome murders carried out in a village in the state of Haryana on Wednesday, police said.

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