Whereas students used to learn the writings of Dante within the four walls of their classrooms, Italian teenagers now are flocking to nightclubs to hear the 14th century poetry of the literary great. Passages from Dante's works including The Divine Comedy have been set to music by leading Italian disc jockey, Alessio Bertallot which aptly accompanies Italian actress Lucilla Giagnoni's reading.

estern Europe's highest peak Mont Blanc (French for white mountain) is taller than ever as snow piled atop its summit, experts described it as a weather change related occurrence. The height was found to be 15, 783. 79 ft (4,810. 90 m) on Sept. 15 and 16 respectively - a 7. 05 ft (2. 15 m) increase in two years.

An American hit the Guinness Book of Records as the world's top stone skimmer after throwing a stone that skipped on water 51 times. It was last July 19 when Russell Byars, 43, from Pennsylvania, shattered the previous world record of 40 skims.

Regional authorities in Peru said a mysterious illness struck southern country after a meteorite crashed near the area Monday. According to reports, the villagers were startled when a blaze occurred in the high Andes district of Puno in Desaguadero region. Many first suspected that an airplane crashed near Bolivia border.

A would-be bank robber didn't get far after trying to rob a Little Rock bank on Wednesday. He was immediately grabbed by an off-duty officer present on the scene. Police say Langston Robins went into the Metropolitan Bank branch in the afternoon, asking to use the bathroom. He first walked right past the uniformed officer Chad Herndon three times but failed to notice him.