Istanbul, Turkey- Cash belonging to Turkey's Central Bank littered the ground of Istanbul's Ataturk Airport after bags of money split open while in transit for Zurich, local media said.

Dozens of stray 10 Turkish Lira bills ($4, 3.4 euros) blew around the apron late Thursday after two sacks from a total 170 note-stuffed bags fell from the cargo hold of a Turkish Airlines plane in transit for Zurich, private Dogan news agency reported.

Passengers of the flight had already disembarked, and the cargo of cash was being transferred from the hold to the interior of the plane when the slip-up occurred.

An official from Turkey's Central Bank told AFP on condition of anonymity that the money was en route to a correspondent bank in Zurich, and that the fumbled transfer was the responsibility of a private company.

The official did not reveal the estimated total value of the stray bank notes, which ground service workers scrambled to collect as handfuls of the loose notes were blown around by the wind.

The recovered money was wrapped together and sent to the airport police station, where workers in charge of the transfer were questioned.

An investigation has been launched into the incident, Dogan said. 

dg/bc/mjs

© 1994-2015 Agence France-Presse

Sochi, Russia-After months of raging tensions over Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov sought to break the ice by giving his US counterpart John Kerry two baskets full of potatoes and tomatoes.

Kerry was in the Black Sea resort of Sochi for high-stakes talks with Lavrov and Russian President Vladimir Putin, on his first visit to Russia in two years.

Lavrov surprised his guest by presenting Kerry with a basket of ripe red tomatoes and another one full of potatoes, the Russian foreign ministry said.

"It's sunny in Sochi today," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Facebook, an apparent reference not only to the blue skies over the city but also the upbeat mood at the talks.

Potatoes as presents have become a running joke between Kerry and Lavrov, with Kerry presenting his Russian counterpart with two large Idaho potatoes when the two met for talks on Syria in Paris in January, 2014.

The food baskets carry added resonance given that Moscow has slapped an embargo on US and European produce in response to Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis.  

In Sochi, the Russian delegation also presented Washington's top diplomat with a T-shirt commemorating Victory Day, which Russia celebrated on Saturday.

Kerry for his part gave his hosts a list of Russian newspaper clips which "in his view do not reflect the real potential of wide-ranging Russian-US relations which, in his view, need to be improved," the Russian foreign ministry said.

Kerry also gave Lavrov a "dark brown leather writing portfolio similar to what the US Secretary of State carries on all his trips and uses in many of his meetings," a State of Department spokeswoman told AFP.

Earlier in the day Kerry and Lavrov laid wreaths at a World War II memorial to mark 70 years since Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.

Many see the high-profile meeting as a sign that the two Cold-War foes are ready for an improvement in ties after relations collapsed over Russia's annexation of Crimea last year.

"A new season is beginning in relations between the United States and Russia," Russia's broadsheet Kommersant said.

Washington, United States-Medical marijuana shows some effectiveness in helping treat chronic pain but there is less evidence of its success in warding off nausea or helping ill patients gain weight, researchers said.

The issue of whether or not medical marijuana works remains a matter of debate, even as 23 US states and the US capital, Washington, have laws that allow medical use of cannabis, as do a number of countries around the world.

The findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association were based on a meta-analysis of 79 randomized controlled studies that included a total of nearly 6,500 patients.

"There was moderate-quality evidence to suggest that cannabinoids may be beneficial for the treatment of chronic neuropathic or cancer pain and spasticity due to multiple sclerosis," said the study, led by researcher Penny Whiting of the University of Bristol.

Less convincing was the evidence "suggesting that cannabinoids were associated with improvements in nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy, weight gain in HIV, sleep disorders, and Tourette syndrome," said the study.

Even less certain was marijuana's impact on reducing anxiety, psychosis or depression.

Meanwhile, medical marijuana carried a long list of side effects, including dizziness, dry mouth, nausea, fatigue, euphoria, vomiting, disorientation, drowsiness, confusion, loss of balance and hallucination.

"Further large, robust randomized clinical trials are needed," said the study.

An accompanying editorial in JAMA by Deepak Cyril D’Souza and Mohini Ranganathan of the Yale University School of Medicine called for more rigorous study of marijuana when used for medical purposes.

"If the states' initiative to legalize medical marijuana is merely a veiled step toward allowing access to recreational marijuana, then the medical community should be left out of the process, and instead marijuana should be decriminalized," they wrote.

"Conversely, if the goal is to make marijuana available for medical purposes, then it is unclear why the approval process should be different from that used for other medications."

Tokyo, Japan-Japan launched its annual "Cool Biz" campaign  an energy conservation drive that calls on business people to ditch their jackets and ties so offices can keep air conditioning to a minimum.

Many workers in Tokyo could be seen dressed down while some government officials took the message to heart by showing up to work in Okinawan-style collared t-shirts.

Temperatures in the capital were hovering in the mid-20 degrees Celsius range, but the mercury can climb into the high thirties during summer with energy-sapping humidity.

Now in its 11th year, the summer-long campaign asks offices to set their air con at no cooler than 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Fahrenheit).

The tradition was embraced by non-Japanese offices too -- the British embassy sent out a message on social media to let visitors know they can dress down. 

"Please feel free to dress in Cool Biz style when you visit the British Embassy Tokyo," it said on Twitter.

The campaign took on a new significance after the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident when Japan scrambled to plug the energy gap left by switching off atomic reactors that once supplied more than a quarter of Japan's power.

Clothing companies have cashed in on the dress-down summer fashion trend, as conservatively dressed corporate soldiers, usually clad in dark suits, turn to spiffy, button-down shirts.

But not everyone is happy -- tie-makers complain about falling demand for their wares.

Paris, France-Greece may want for gold right now, but Elie Saab's collection of gilded lace gowns with intricately woven motifs harked back to a time when Byzantine princesses had all the sparkle their hearts desired.

The Lebanese designer's autumn/winter couture collection of evening gowns -- and a few jumpsuits -- bore all of the translucence and intricate embroidery for which he has become known.

But this time, the opulent dresses which have become a firm favourite on the red-carpet, were all about the gold in a throwback to Saab's early work in the nineties -- before Halle Berry won an Oscar wearing one of his dresses in 2002 and he hit the big time.

Saab said his original gowns were "reinterpreted to evoke the glistening, golden palaces of Byzantium."

In another nod to the nineties, models with golden laurels woven into their hair walked the catwalk to the throbbing strains of Nirvana which had the front row glitterati bopping their heads and singing along to Kurt Cobain's lyrics.

Painstakingly embroidered vines and foliage covered a variety of dresses in lace, silk tulle and chiffon, several of which had flowing floor-length capes.

Mink fur crept in on cropped sleeves, collars and purses.

Aside from the ubiquitous gold, earthy green, burgundy and black also made their way into the collection.

A nostalgic Saab closed off the show with a wedding gown described as "the very soul" of the house.

The gold, sleeveless gown with a voluminous skirt, long train and lace embroidered veil was a reminder of the gold Saab dress worn by wife Claudine at his own wedding, 25 years ago this month.

The second-to-last day of the Paris couture shows will also see Karl Lagerfeld unveil a collection celebrating his 50 years with Italy's Fendi, which has hailed the "longest relationship between a designer and a fashion house".

The show will be entirely "haute fourrure" or couture fur -- a material the luxury fashion brand has never shied away from.

Haute couture exists exclusively in Paris and is sustained by a small number of the world's richest women.

The haute couture designation is protected by French law and attributed exclusively by the ministry of industry to 14 houses whose clothes are entirely made by hand and tailored to each client.

New York, United States—Nearly half a century after his debut, folk rocker James Taylor finally has a number one album on the US chart.

The 67-year-old singer-songwriter's new album, "Before This World," opened at number one on the Billboard chart, selling 98,000 copies or the equivalent in downloads and streaming, according to the Nielsen Music tracking service.

Taylor's first, self-titled album came out in 1968, and he has since had 11 albums enter the top 10, but never hit the top spot.

"Before This World," Taylor's first album of new material since 2002, marks a return to his brand of nostalgic, guitar-driven folk rock.

Song topics range from baseball on "Angels of Fenway" -- an ode to the Boston native's beloved Red Sox -- to the scars of war in "Far Afghanistan."

The title track of the album features pop veteran Sting.

Taylor has enjoyed a comeback especially since his critically acclaimed 1997 album "Hourglass," in which he explored his troubled family life.

His popularity has also been aided by his collaboration several years ago with pop superstar Taylor Swift, who reputedly was named after him.

Taylor has long enjoyed a following in liberal circles and has been politically outspoken, especially on the environment.

Despite Taylor's long wait for the number one spot, Billboard said that he did not set a record.

Taylor first entered the top 10 with album "Sweet Baby James" in 1970, meaning it took 45 years to reach number one.

The record is held by crooner Tony Bennett, who waited 54 years to reach number one with 2011's "Duets II," which showcased him singing with female singers including Lady Gaga.

The pop diva has since put out a full album with the 88-year-old Bennett, and the pair are now on tour.

New York, United States—Pop superstar Taylor Swift said she would stream her latest album only on Apple, capping an 180-degree about-turn after she threatened a boycott.

The big loser in Swift's reconciliation with Apple stands to be Spotify, the leader in the booming sector of streaming, which offers unlimited, on-demand music.

Swift on Sunday issued an open protest to Apple over compensation to artists on its upcoming streaming service, leading the tech giant to reverse course and step up payments.

In response, the 25-year-old singer, who had initially threatened a boycott, said Thursday that she would stream her blockbuster album "1989" on Apple Music.

"This is simply the first time it's felt right in my gut to stream my album. Thank you, Apple, for your change of heart," Swift wrote on Twitter.

Swift last year pulled her entire catalog from Spotify, angry at the Swedish company's free tier supported by advertising.

The starlet streams most of her work on rival platforms such as Google Play and rap mogul Jay-Z's Tidal, but until now "1989" -- by far the best-selling US album of the past year -- was available only on physical copies or digital downloads.

In another sign that Apple is investing heavily in streaming, Pharrell Williams said that his new single would be released exclusively on the service when it goes live on Tuesday.

Williams, best known for the viral hit "Happy," released a video on social media to preview the song, entitled "Freedom."

Swift insisted that she had not entered any special deal with Apple.

"In case you're wondering if this is some exclusive deal like you've seen Apple do with other artists, it's not," she tweeted.

Swift had initially lashed out at Apple for not planning to pay royalties to artists for streams during customers' three-month trial periods.

She said that other artists were afraid to speak out for fear of incurring the wrath of Apple, which enjoys major influence in the music world through iTunes.

A senior Apple executive within hours called Swift, who was in Amsterdam on a tour, and said the company would compensate for songs at all stages of streaming.

Xinle, China—A Chinese university has earned comparisons with Harry Potter's Hogwarts due to its bizarre castle campus, but local traditions supplied the magic at a Confucian-style ceremony for its degree graduates.

The gigantic grey towers, stone walls and turrets of the Hebei Academy of Fine Arts' castle complex dominate surrounding wheat fields near Xinle city in northern China.

The university, which has more than 8,000 students, made headlines last year when overseas media compared its new campus building to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from the Harry Potter series of children's novels.

"This castle has boosted the reputation of our academy across the world," straggle-bearded college head Zhen Zhongyi told AFP as he stood in the brick and concrete building's shadow.

"I aim to allow students to appreciate Western architecture without leaving the country," he said, adding that he had invested 1.7 billion yuan ($274 million) in the academy so far.

The school's first crop of Bachelor degree students graduated Tuesday, after enrolling at the institution four years ago, when the campus castle was little more than a fantasy.

"We saw all these buildings gradually rising up over the last few years," said new graduate Wang Xiaotian. "Obviously I'm very proud of that".

At a ceremony inspired by ancient traditions, Wang and more than 1000 others donned flowing white gowns outside a red-beamed temple on the campus dedicated to ancient sage Confucius.

Ceremonies inspired by Confucian tradition and Chinese "Hanfu" gowns with gaping sleeves have become increasingly popular in the country in recent years.

A college official patted each student with a white brush before they bowed in front of headmaster Zhen, who wore a black gown and his greying hair in a bun.

After a golf-cart ride back to the castle, new graduates -- some changing into wedding gowns -- posed for pictures and selfies in the fairytale surroundings.

Some seemed nervous about the future.

"I don't want to leave college. My friends are all here. The school is great," said Deng Cui, from the academy's urban design school, who wore a white Hanfu gown with green trimming.

Most Chinese universities are state-run, but Zhen's academy is one of a growing number of private institutions.

The painter-turned-scholar said he raised his initial investment from trading art in the 1990s, and plans to expand the campus with a Baroque cathedral and a Middle Eastern-style mosque.

Zhen became aware of the Harry Potter series last year, he said, adding he noticed the building's style is "pretty much the same" as Hogwarts'.

Asked about comparisons with the wizarding school's charismatic headmaster Albus Dumbledore, he replied enigmatically: "I think our style of thinking is somewhat similar."