It's taken him 12 years, but an amateur art historian from Texas reckons he's solved the mystery of the Mona Lisa's enigmatic smile, five centuries after it was immortalized by Leonardo da Vinci.

In a just-published book, "The Lady Speaks: Uncovering the Secrets of the Mona Lisa," William Varvel argues that La Gioconda was a 16th-century feminist who favored a greater role for women in the Catholic church.

A 75-year-old New York woman found her fortune in a cookie.

Emma Duvoll won $2 million in a recent Powerball drawing after playing the numbers found in her fortune cookie.

For lovers of luxury and bling-bling, German tuning specialist Carlsson is offering an eyeful at the Geneva Motor Show this week, displaying the world's first gold-covered car.

Several thousand sheets of gold leaf were needed to cover the Versailles-inspired special edition Mercedes S-class presented at the show.

The White House will deliver two cases of beer to the Canadian Embassy on Monday after US President Barack Obama lost an Olympic ice hockey bet to Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Canada's men beat their fierce local rivals 1-0 in the semi-finals in Sochi, Russia last month while the women's team stormed back to see off the US 3-2 and snatch gold.

More than two decades after a cookbook was checked out of a Kansas library, it's just now been returned.

6NewsLawrence reports (http://bit.ly/1fc430q ) a copy of "The Versatile Grain and the Elegant Bean: A Celebration of the World's Most Healthful Foods" was placed in a Lawrence Public Library return box one night this week. The book had been checked out on Sept. 24, 1992.

British Prime Minister David Cameron on Friday laughed off the widespread mockery of a photo he posted on Twitter of him looking serious while on the phone to U.S. President Barack Obama.

In a tweet to actor Patrick Stewart, one of those who had parodied Cameron's photo, the premier posted a snap of a meeting with former U.S. president Bill Clinton -- "this time face to face, not on the phone".

Rio de Janeiro mayor Eduardo Paes said he would fine himself after being caught on video appearing to be dropping trash in the street.

Paes, who put in place a tough "zero litter" policy last year, said he did not remember the incident but apologized anyway and said he would pay a 157 reai fine ($67).

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has become a father again at the age of 56 after his wife gave birth to their third child in India, according to an embassy statement sent to Agence France Presse Friday.

A baby girl was delivered at a private hospital in the New Delhi satellite town of Gurgaon earlier this week, the statement said.

The man once lauded as "Japan's Beethoven" bowed repeatedly and apologized Friday at his first media appearance since it was revealed last month that his famed musical compositions were ghostwritten and he wasn't completely deaf.

Mamoru Samuragochi appeared clean-shaven and minus his trademark sunglasses and long hair, in what could be seen as a sign of remorse. He apologized for the troubles he had caused his fans, producers behind his works and others.

Stranded by floods and lost, a German backpacker survived for about two weeks in Australia's inhospitable Outback on a diet of insects, police said Friday.

Daniel Dudzisz, 26, went missing in February south-west of Longreach in remote Queensland as he reportedly tried to walk solo more than halfway across Australia.