QUIRKY WORLD ... Room with a view... of your hotel neighbour

ENGLAND: Guests at a luxury glass and steel hotel which has opened in one of Europe’s tallest buildings are being warned to close the blinds as some of them may get to see more than they bargained for.

A quirk in the design of the Shangri-La Hotel at The Shard, which sits on the upper floors of the 306m-tall skyscraper in central London, means that glass panels protruding from the building’s corners act as mirrors onceinternal lights are switched on at night. It can provide an unexpected glimpse of a neighbour.

The hotel boasts ceiling-to-floor windows, London’s highest champagne and cocktail bar, and spectacular views from 125m above the city.

USA: Five cows that went on the lam are back home in New York thanks to a quick-thinking emergency dispatcher and a Facebook post.

State police say the cows were spotted wandering along State Route 2 in Grafton, about 30km north-east of Albany. Troopers corralled the “feisty” creatures into a yard until a Rensselaer County dispatcher figured out where they belonged.

The dispatcher saw a Facebook post from the family of a farmer asking if anyone had seen their missing cattle. Authorities contacted the farmer and the cows were returned safely.

USA: A woman has sued the Pittsburgh Parking Authority, saying that its new electronic parking meters are too tall for her to reach from her wheelchair.

Debra Stemmler, 53, filed the class action lawsuit in US District Court, claiming that the parking authority is violating the Americans With Disabilities Act. Her lawsuit says the new meters have working parts more than 48 inches above the ground, including coin slots.

Stemmler says she got a ticket because she couldn’t reach the controls. The authority dismissed her ticket, but she wants it to bring meters into compliance with federal disability access regulations.

ENGLAND: Harry Potter star Rupert Grint said appearing in the new Postman Pat film took him a step closer to his childhood dream of being a postie.

The actor joined other stars of the animated movie at its premiere in London’s Leicester Square.

The film sees Pat find fame after entering an X-Factor-style talent show.

Grint, who plays one of Pat’s singing rivals, said it was “an honour” to be part of the film.

Grint, a childhood fan of the show, said: “The five-year-old inside me is very excited. He was probably the first TV character that I loved. He was just a normal postman, and I wanted to be a postman when I was a kid.”

The cast of the animated film also includes former Boyzone star Ronan Keating as Pat’s singing voice, and comic Stephen Mangan as the character’s speaking voice.

ENGLAND: Nintendo has apologised and pledged to be more inclusive after being criticised for not recognising same-sex relationships in English editions of a life-simulator video game.

The publisher said that while it was too late to change the current game, it was committed to building virtual equality into future versions if they are produced.

Nintendo has come under fire from fans and gay rights organisations after refusing to add same-sex relationship options to the game Tomodachi Life.

The company said in a statement: “We apologise for disappointing many people by failing to include same-sex relationships in Tomodachi Life.

“Unfortunately, it is not possible for us to change this game’s design, and such a significant development change can’t be accomplished with a post-ship patch.”