By Mark Porter
Every week, Reuters journalists produce scores of multimedia features and human-interest stories from around the world.
Below are some stories from this week selected by our editors, as well as explanatory context and background to help you understand world headlines. For a full schedule of news and events, please go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect.
Underground hideout from nearly 2,000 years ago unearthed in Israel
HUQOQ, Israel – Archaeologists in northern Israel have uncovered an immense underground hideout comprising narrow tunnels and bigger rooms that were dug by Jewish villagers nearly 2,000 years ago at a time of revolt against the Roman empire. (ISRAEL-ARCHAEOLOGY/CAVE (TV, PIX), 330 words)
In Japan Grand Prix town, artist hopes F1 can revive ancient craft
SUZUKA, Japan – Across town from Japan’s Suzuka Circuit, host to this week’s Grand Prix, Kenji Tanaka has been perfecting his latest Formula One paper model that he hopes will draw international interest to a centuries-old craft. (MOTOR-F1-JAPAN/ART (PIX, TV), 283 words)
Brussels seeks UNESCO heritage mark for puppetry, flower carpet
BRUSSELS – Brussels is looking to protect two of its historical traditions: rod puppetry and a 1,680-square-metre flower carpet rolled out every second year in front of the Belgian capital’s city hall. (BELGIUM-UNESCO/ (TV, PIX), 312 words)
Indonesian Muslims sign up for tattoo removal ‘to repent’ during Ramadan
JAKARTA – Bima Abdul Sholeh, 32, sat calmly as a doctor armed with a laser pointer zapped tattoos from his face at an event in Jakarta being held by a charity organization during the holy month of Ramadan to give practicing Muslims an opportunity to “repent.” (RELIGION-RAMADAN/INDONESIA-TATTOO (TV, PIX), 286 words)
Gene involved in cell shape offers clues on left-handedness
WASHINGTON – What do Lady Gaga, Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Paul McCartney and Justin Bieber have in common with Jimi Hendrix, Judy Garland and David Bowie? They are all left-handed, a trait shared by roughly 10% of people. But why are some people left-handed while most are righties? (SCIENCE-LEFTHANDED/ (PIX), 702 words)
Wide swath of US will get buggy as two cicada broods intrude
Cicadas, the noisy but rather tame insects that spend most of their lives underground, are poised to put on quite a show starting this month in a wide swath of the United States. (USA-CICADAS/ (PIX), 689 words)
One of the oldest books in existence expected to fetch over $2.6 million at auction
NEW YORK – A book from Egypt that was written at the dawn of Christianity and is considered one of the oldest books in existence will go up for auction in June in London. The Crosby-Schoyen Codex – written in Coptic on papyrus around 250-350 AD, and produced in one of the first Christian monasteries – has an estimated sale value of $2.6 million to $3.8 million, according to Christie’s. (AUCTION-RARE BOOK/ (TV), 312 words)
Paris museums getting into Olympic groove
PARIS – Between events, the 14 million visitors expected in Paris during the Olympics this summer will have the opportunity to nourish their minds in thematic exhibitions listed on the official application called “La Carte des Jeux” (“The Games Map”). (OLYMPICS-2024/EXHIBITION (PIX), 248 words)
Turkey gains new wave of female mayors after opposition’s poll success
ISTANBUL – Gulistan Sonuk, 31, sailed to election victory in Turkey’s conservative heartland at the weekend, part of a wave of new women mayors who dealt President Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AK Party and its allies a watershed defeat. (TURKEY-ELECTION/WOMEN (PIX), 544 words)
Europe’s restless farmers are forcing policymakers to act
BRUSSELS – European policymakers have scaled back rules to protect nature, drawn up limits on the import of tariff-free Ukrainian grains and scrapped new legislation limiting pesticide use as farmers’ protests resonate with voters ahead of elections. (EUROPE-ELECTION/FARMERS (ANALYSIS, PIX), 897 words)
Reindeer herders battle power line needed for Norway’s climate goal
JERGUL, Norway – It is minus 6 degrees Celsius in Arctic Norway and some 30 Indigenous Sami herders have gathered 1,500 reindeer in a corral, sorting who owns which animal after the herds mixed while grazing up on the Finnmark plateau. It is also an opportunity to discuss their big worry: a planned 54 km (34 mile) power line to supply Western Europe’s largest liquefied natural gas plant. (ARCTIC-REINDEER/NORWAY-POWER (PIX, TV, GRAPHIC, WIDER IMAGE), 979 words)
Polar bear Laerke gets her annual physical
TACOMA, Washington – Lying on her back, enormous paws in the air, Laerke the polar bear is being given her annual medical exam. It involves much the same as tests given to humans – blood, urine, heart. The difference? It takes a good half-dozen veterinary staff to turn her over. (CLIMATE-CHANGE/USA-POLAR BEARS (TV, PIX), 322 words)
EXPLANATORY CONTENT
EXPLAINER-Total solar eclipse 2024: When is it and what to expect?
FACTBOX-Bird flu spreads to mammals, raising concerns of human transmission
FACTBOX-Where US voters will decide on abortion rights in 2024
EXPLAINER-What are the security deals Ukraine is signing with allies?
FACTBOX-Iran’s Revolutionary Guards: powerful group with wide regional reach
(Compiled by Mark Porter and Patrick Enright)
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