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Estonian Construction Workers Dig up Medieval Ships

The capital of Estonia is perhaps not the place where one would expect to find the remains of medieval ships, but that is exactly what happened to a group of construction workers in Tallinn this week.

While working on the foundations for high-end apartments in a seaside area of the Baltic state's capital, the men noticed something strange in the ground: the remains of at least two ships thought to be from the 14th-17th centuries. 

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Report Says 2 South Koreans Lied about MERS to Skip Work

Two South Korean women are in trouble with authorities after being caught lying about MERS to get time off work.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency reported Friday that police charged a 20-year-old saleswoman at a department store for spreading a rumor online that it was hiding an outbreak of MERS among staff.

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Study: Dogs Snub People who are Mean to their Owners

Dogs do not like people who are mean to their owners, Japanese researchers said Friday, and will refuse food offered by people who have snubbed their master.

The findings reveal that canines have the capacity to co-operate socially -- a characteristic found in a relatively small number of species, including humans and some other primates.

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Giant Tortoise Walks Tokyo's Streets - Slowly

A huge reptile is on the prowl through Tokyo's streets -- but unlike Godzilla, who stomped across Japan's capital in a blaze of destructive energy, Bon-chan the giant tortoise isn't doing anything very quickly.

The metr- (3-feet-) long African spurred tortoise, which tips the scales at 70 kilograms (150 pounds), is a regular sight on the streets of Tokyo's Tsukishima district, as he and owner Hisao Mitani take their snail-paced daily walk. 

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Man Dismissed from Jury Duty for Wearing Prisoner Costume

A Vermont man has escaped jury duty — by getting dismissed for wearing a prisoner costume.

James Lowe says he was released from jury duty on Tuesday when he showed up at court wearing a black-and-white-striped jumpsuit with a matching beanie.

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'Headless Body in Topless Bar' Headline Writer Dies

It was a grisly crime in a sleazy place -- the stuff New York tabloid headline writers feast on, too good an opportunity to miss: "Headless body in topless bar."

The author of that dark zinger, former New York Post editor and film critic Vincent Musetto, died Tuesday at the age of 74, the paper said.

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Missing 50-Pound Pet Tortoise is Found Alive and Well

Frank, a 50-pound pet tortoise, has been found in western Michigan after a two-day search.

Owner Bradley Clark tells The Grand Rapids Press that he got a call from someone who said the tortoise was munching on flowers Tuesday, 7 miles from home in Kent County's Ada Township.

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Expensive Espresso: Thailand's Elephant Dung Coffee

In the lush, green hills of northern Thailand, a woman painstakingly picks coffee beans out of a pile of elephant dung, an essential part of making one the world's most expensive beverages.

This remote corner of Thailand bordering Myanmar and Laos is better known for drug smuggling than coffee, but Blake Dinkin decided it was perfect for a legitimate enterprise that blends conservation with business.

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Belgium Snubs France with Euro Coin Marking Napoleon Defeat

Belgium on Monday began minting 2.5-euro coins marking the 200th anniversary of Napoleon's defeat of at the Battle of Waterloo, after France forced it to scrap a two-euro coin of the same purpose.

Paris objected to the new Belgian coin, commemorating the French emperor's defeat by British and Prussian forces, earlier this year, saying it would create tensions at a time when Europe's unity is under threat.

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Indian City to Pay Residents to Use Public Toilets

A city council in western India is planning to pay residents to use public toilets in a desperate attempt to stop legions of people urinating and defecating in public.

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has decided to give residents one rupee a visit in a bid to draw them into its 300 public toilets and away from open areas and public walls, which often reek of urine.

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