PARIS (AP) ― It may be the Renaissance equivalent of a royal flush.A hairpin belonging to 16th century French Queen Catherine de Medici has been discovered at a royal residence outside Paris. What has conservators scratching their heads is exactly where it was found: down a communal toilet.Officials said it’s the first time in modern history that a possession of the Renaissance royal has been found at Fontainebleau Palace.Though the queen was renowned across Europe for her lavish jewelry, much o

Three 2012 Young Architect Awards were handed out to architects on Wednesday.The winners of the annual prize given by the Culture Ministry are Kwon Hyung-pyo and Kim Soon-ju from Bau Architects, Lee Dong-joon of Stocker Lee Architetti and Lee So-jin of Atelier Lion Seoul. The award, started in 2008, recognizes the achievements of up-and-coming architects for excellence in design, capacity to balance architecture and nature and to sustain local ecosystems and cultures. Kwon and Kim of Seoul-based

ATLANTA ― Though a chef’s at-home kitchen might conjure up visions of a high-tech food lab with commercial-grade appliances and stainless steel surfaces, the reality looks slightly different.The most consistently desired feature in many Atlanta-area chefs’ kitchens ― an open floor plan ― has less to do with replicating a commercial kitchen, and is more about making cooking a communal, accessible experience.Atlanta-area chefs share their tips for making a home kitchen work efficiently.Asha Gomez

Following is the seventh in a series of articles in which leading architects discuss their representative work. ― Ed.There is no neighborhood architecture for those of us who are familiar with the exit numbers of subway stations and brand names of apartment complexes. No matter how small or insignificant, neighborhood architecture should have public value as entities. We should meet ordinary but well-designed architecture and spaces, which are created to have their unique and distinct features

A young Texas father who beat to death with his fists a man molesting his 5-year-old daughter will not be charged, authorities said Tuesday as they released a dramatic emergency call tape of the dad frantically pleading for help before the hired ranch helper died.A Lavaca County grand jury Tuesday declined to indict the 23-year-old father in the death of Jesus Mora Flores, 47. Prosecutors said the grand jury reached same conclusion as police after reviewing the evidence: The father was authorize

Former Times editor  ‘reasonably confident’ journalism will  survive, but says it has tough times aheadLONDON ― Print media is increasingly recognized as a thing of the past, being elbowed out by online alternatives, and the U.K. industry is no exception to this trend. In late 2007 British newspaper the Guardian’s daily Web audience surpassed its daily circulation, while Google’s advertising revenue in the U.K. market overtook that of major television network ITV in 2008. George Brock, a former

The Korea Tourism Organization has set a goal of attracting more than 20 million foreign tourists by 2020 as part of its proclamation marking the state tourism organization’s 50th anniversary this week.The KTO is aiming for Korea to be the most competitive country in tourism in the Asia-Pacific region, and for the number of days locals use for domestic travel to rise from eight to 30, also by 2020. The number of foreign tourists has surged from 15,000 when the tourism organization was founded in

The Boryeong Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach, South Chungcheong Province, takes place from July 14-24.The area is famous for its slate-colored mud with supposed properties to aid the skin.Organizers say about 2 million people come each year to paint the town red ― and themselves gray. It is also one of the most popular festivals among foreigners, with several groups organizing weekend trips being set up to converge on the beach town to enjoy the ooze.This year’s offerings include a huge mud tub,