An Egyptian court sentenced three Germans and six Egyptians to five years jail on Tuesday for stealing fragments of a pharaonic artifact from Cairo's Great Pyramid, a judicial source said.

A court in Giza, south of the capital, sentenced in absentia three Germans -- who had claimed they were researchers -- for stealing pieces of an ancient scroll bearing the name of the Pharaoh Khufu as well as rock samples, the source said.

Unsure whether they could find halal food in Japan, a group of Muslim school teachers from Malaysia went so far as to prepare their own breakfast before departing.

By the end of the first day, they were more at ease. School principal Rahanim Adb Rahim and her group from Kuala Lumpur enjoyed a traditional Japanese lunch of seafood tempura with rice before joining the crowds at Senso-ji, a popular temple in Tokyo.

Sean Michaels has won one of Canada's most prestigious literary awards for his novel about a musical instrument.

Michaels won the Scotiabank Giller Prize for his book "Us Conductors" on Monday. The debut novelist's book is about the Russian-born inventor of the theremin, which is an ethereal musical instrument that is played without physical contact.

A brooch commissioned by a French empress, or perhaps an iconic watch considered the most complicated ever made entirely by hand?

The list of spectacular pieces on sale at Christie's and Sotheby's traditional autumn jewel and watch auctions in Geneva this week is long, with nearly $200 million expected to change hands.

A pair of paintings by iconic abstract expressionist artist Mark Rothko sold Monday for a whopping $76.5 million, the auction house Sotheby's said.

Rothko's "Untitled," a blue and purple oil painting from 1970 sold for $39.9 million. It was estimated to earn up to $20 million.

It was the last round of a recurring argument: M. Indira Gandhi's husband wanted her to convert to Islam. A committed Hindu, she refused.

He threatened divorce. Both started shouting. Neighbors came looking. Suddenly, he snatched their 11-month-old daughter from the arms of an older child, tucked her under one arm and sped off on his motorbike.

Egypt will soon open to tourists the courtyard in front of the Sphinx, the colossal monument which has been under restoration for nearly four years, officials said on Sunday.

Carved from a single ridge of stone, the Sphinx is one of the most visited monuments in the world, and has been regularly restored following from air pollution and underground water damage.

Records tumbled at a special auction in Geneva Sunday to mark 175 years of Patek Philippe watches, with a rare pink gold item going for $2.67 million, auctioneers Christie's said.

The auction of 100 wrist and pocket watches brought in a total of $19,731,099, double the original estimate, and set nine world records in the process. Christie's said in a statement after the three-hour bidding battle.

The dust and cobwebs lie thick after nearly a century, but the memory of the French soldier who grew up in this bedroom -- and who died in Belgium in World War I -- is today as vivid as the sunlight streaming through the window.

Dragoons officer Hubert Rochereau's presence permeates the place. It emanates from photos and from the second lieutenant's various possessions -- uniforms, riding trophies, books -- frozen in time on the top floor of a large home in Belabre, a small village in central France.

U.S. President Barack Obama told the world Friday to remember lessons from the emotional fall of the Berlin Wall 25 years ago, particularly in light of "Russia's actions against Ukraine."

Berlin kicked off celebrations Friday of the 25th anniversary of the fall of the wall, which culminate Sunday with a party to mark the historic event which led to German reunification.