A Norwegian appeal court ruling has declared that striptease is an art and should therefore be exempt from value-added tax (VAT). Three judges ruled unanimously that "striptease, in the way it is practiced in this case, is a form of dance combined with acting. " It was compared to other stage acts that enjoy VAT exemption in Norway.

A 40-year-old woman from Bangkok, Thailand has authored a comic book on the life of deposed Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra. The deposed leader is depicted as a hero with an unfinished mission to help the poor. Posatorn Butr-anan said the bloodless coup in September which ousted Thaksin, prompted her to write the book.

In what always amounted to the odd highlight of every Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, the gala dinner showcased performances from foreign ministers as they entertained their hosts. Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso acted a Humphrey Bogart impersonation while New Zealand's Winston Peters sang like Johnny Cash. China's Li Zhaoxing led a choir and South Korea's Ban Ki-moon took the stage bedecked in green sequins.

Actor Hugh Jackman's old jeans fetch $22,476 at a fundraising auction in Sydney, Australia. They were among 17 pairs auctioned at a "Jeans for Genes" fundraising event for the Children's Medical Research Institute. Jackman is known for playing the comic book character Wolverine in the "X-Men" movies. He signed the jeans, which fetched more than double the amount paid for Nicole Kidman's denims. Her pants sold for $8,200, while model Megan Gale's jeans went for $7,500.

Thousands of "superheroes" have gathered for the four-day Comic-Con International being held at the San Diego Convention Center. Comic-Con is the nation's largest celebration of comic books and pop culture. The convention, which started Thursday, attracted Storm Troopers, Flash Gordon, Batmen, Spider-Men and even characters from toy makers. One photographer was seen wearing a Wonder Woman costume.