Variety

It has been a big year for Arabic fiction in English translation. Two Arabic books were longlisted for the 2019 Man Booker International, with the prize going to Omani writer Jokha al-Harthi’s brilliant Celestial Bodies in Marilyn Booth’s inspired translation. Several other Arabic novels have been recognized by prizes and …

The number of babies born in Japan fell an estimated 5.9% this year to fewer than 900,000 for the first time since the government started compiling data in 1899, the welfare ministry said on Tuesday. The dwindling number of births will put more strain welfare finances to support snowballing costs …

For the first time in more than 200 years, worshippers will not be able to attend Christmas mass at Notre-Dame cathedral, still being restored after a devastating fire. “There won’t be a midnight mass at Notre-Dame. The last time this happened was during the French Revolution. Since 1803, there have …

An eight-year-old boy who reviews toys on YouTube has been named by Forbes as the platform’s highest earner in 2019. Ryan Kaji, whose channel Ryan’s World has 22.9 million subscribers, earned $26 million in 2019 — up to $4 million from his earnings in 2018 when he also gained the …

Brazil’s President blamed an unusual candidate this week as a cause of the Amazon forest fires: actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio. President Jair Bolsonaro made the claim Thursday on a webcast, arguing that nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) contributed to the forest fires that ravaged the Amazon rainforest earlier this year. “The …

You might be surprised to know that Americans consume far less energy on Thanksgiving than on a regular Thursday, despite the fact that the nation will use 350GW to roast 46 million turkeys. So, while we spend time being thankful this Thursday as we gather around the dinner table with …

Burglars have stolen three diamond jewelry sets from one of Europe’s largest treasure collections – the Dresden Green Vault in eastern Germany. The sets consist of 37 parts each, and the thieves may try to break them up. Dresden police and museum officials say they are still trying to establish …

A rare discovery of mummified big cats, cobras, and crocodiles has been unveiled by Egyptian authorities. Egyptologists are thrilled at the cache, which includes dozens of mummified cats, 75 wooden and bronze cat statues, mummified birds, and an enormous mummified beetle three to four times the normal size. Egyptian officials …

Two Cessna Citation planes collided last Friday at San Antonio International Airport. According to FlightOne, one of the planes had been suspended at the airport since November 5 after arriving from New Orleans, when the second aircraft of the same model accidentally crashed into it.Both planes were on the ground …

China has been developing Kenya’s rail service as part of the Belt and Road Initiative to connect Asia, Europe, and Africa. The railway is Kenya’s largest infrastructure project since its independence. The so-called Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) project was launched in 2017. Trains operating on a daily schedule between the …

Egypt on Saturday unveiled the details of 30 ancient wooden coffins with mummies inside discovered in the southern city of Luxor in the biggest find of its kind in more than a century. A team of Egyptian archaeologists discovered a “distinctive group of 30 colored wooden coffins for men, women …

Suicides and homicides are on the rise among children, teens and young adults in the United States, according to a new study by the government that underscores what US experts say is a disturbing trend among the young. The report, published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention …

US-based economists Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, and Michael Kremer have won the 2019 Nobel Economics Prize for their work in fighting poverty that has helped millions of children around the world. French-American Duflo becomes only the second female economics winner in the prize’s 50-year history, as well as the youngest …

The gilded coffin of a high-ranking ancient Egyptian priest, which had been buried, looted and illegally sold before going on public display at a New York museum, was returned on Wednesday to Egyptian authorities. The coffin of Nedjemankh, which dates back to the first century B.C., came to New York …

“In the United States, KitKat bars are made by Hershey under license from Nestlé.” Swiss chocolate giant Nestlé has announced a luxury, handcrafted version of the popular chocolate bar for the United Kingdom, in time for the Christmas season. The opulent eight-finger bar allows customers to choose from 1,500 flavor …

Greek police have caught a group of migrants from Syria attempting to fool migration control by posing as a volleyball team from Ukraine. Ten Syrian refugees were arrested at Athens International Airport over the weekend, police said. In an attempt to fool migration control, they all dressed in identical uniforms, …

An Armenian woman whose eyes weep crystal-like discharges instead of watery tears has left doctors baffled by the bizarre and painful condition, according to local reports. Satenik Karazian, 22, from the Shirak region, started experiencing symptoms two months ago. Initially, she’d thought she got some dust in her eyes at …

A black panther escaped from its home and prowled the rooftops of a French town. The animal, which wildlife experts believe was about six-months old, was being kept as a pet and got out through an open window while its owner was on holiday, French media reported. Police officers, firefighters …

China is poised to open a new mega-airport to the south of Beijing, already home to the world’s second-busiest aviation hub, ahead of the 70th anniversary of the People’s Republic. Beijing Daxing International Airport will see its first commercial flight take off around September 20, according to Chinese state media, …

The second-largest country in the world by total area, Canada, is one of the most highly urbanized globally. However, none of its citizens have the right to own physical land in the country. Land in Canada is solely owned by Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II, who is also the head of …