Einstein's note came with an extra tip: Good things come to those who wait

Legendary physicist Dr Albert Einstein. Photo / AP file

Israel: Strapped for cash in a Tokyo hotel, Albert Einstein wrote his take on life on a note and handed it to the bellboy instead of a tip. The physicist's formula for happy living has fetched US$1.3 million at an auction in Jerusalem. In 1922, Einstein was en route to Japan when the announcement came that he would be awarded the 1921 Nobel prize in physics, Winner's Auctions and Exhibitions said. Upon his arrival in Tokyo, he holed up in his hotel room trying to put his thoughts to paper. When an attendant came to his room to make a delivery, Einstein found himself without any money for a tip. Instead, he handed him a signed note with one sentence, written in German: "A calm and humble life will bring more happiness than the pursuit of success and the constant restlessness that comes with it". According to the auction house, Einstein advised the bellboy to keep the note, saying that some day its value will surpass the amount of a standard tip. He was proved right.

United States: New rules on all US-bound flights are set to come into effect, including stricter passenger screening to comply with government security measures. The move is designed to avoid expanding an in-cabin ban on laptops. Airlines say the new measures, which could include short security interviews with passengers, would be in place by Friday.

United States: The father of a missing toddler whose body was found in a culvert under a road in suburban Dallas, Texas, has changed his story to say the girl didn't wander off two weeks ago, but that she choked to death while drinking milk in the family's garage. Richardson police said that the Dallas County medical examiner's office used dental records to identify 3-year-old Sherin Mathew. The girl was reported missing by her father, Wesley Mathews, on October 7. Police said the cause of death is unknown.

Britain: A pair of floral-patterned satin shoes worn by Prince has stepped into the collection of Britain's Victoria & Albert Museum. The art and design museum says the "exquisitely crafted" shoes illustrate the imagery and industry of Prince, who died in 2016 aged 57. The zippers feature "love symbol #2," the logo to which Prince changed his name in 1993. The shoes also have metal braces inserted between heel and sole to help support his vigorous leaps. The shoes went on display today at the museum, which also holds costumes from Elton John, Mick Jagger and The Beatles.

Australia: Two koalas spotted in a National Park on the NSW Central Coast are the first confirmed sightings in the area for decades. The pair was caught on remote night-vision cameras in the Dharug National Park in August and September, the first time a koala has ever starred on the devices. Park ranger Sarah Brooks has worked in the park for more than 20 years and has never spotted a koala.

Morocco: King Mohammed VI has fired four government officials following alleged delays in development programmes to benefit an impoverished northern region that has seen protests for the past year. The royal palace said that the ministers of education, health and housing, and a junior minister of professional training were ousted after the king received a report on the mountainous Rif region by the kingdom's accounting office.

Lebanon: The UN children's agency, Unicef, says Australia has granted it A$30 million to boost access to education for vulnerable children in Lebanon over the next three years.

Kenya: The estranged husband of Australian teacher Gabrielle Maina could face the death penalty in Kenya if he is charged and convicted of her murder. The 40-year-old mother of two sons was killed by a single gunshot to the neck in the upmarket Nairobi suburb of Karen last week. Her husband Cyrus Bernard Maina Njuguna and another man, John Njuguna Waithira, were arrested yesterday over the shooting. However, the investigation is still in the early stages and charges have not been laid. Maina's lawyer, George King'ori, told AAP the couple was in the midst of divorce proceedings in the Kenyan courts.

Thai people wearing raincoats and holding umbrellas queue up to take part in the Royal Cremation ceremony, in Bangkok. Photo / AP

Thailand: Thousands of Thai citizens are camped outside the Grand Palace in Bangkok to attend the upcoming funeral of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died last year at the age of 88. The mourners came dressed in black and were equipped with umbrellas and mats for the monarch's funeral, scheduled to start today. The king is to be cremated in a Buddhist ceremony tomorrow at the Sanam Luang square.

Mexico: Authorities in north-central Mexico say they are investigating four men found carrying a drone equipped with a powerful bomb and a remote-controlled detonator. The chief prosecutor in Guanajuato state says federal police caught the four men in a car near the city of Salamanca late last week. Prosecutor Carlos Zamarripa says the drone had "a big explosive charge." An assault rifle was also found in the vehicle. It was unclear where the men planned to detonate the drone.

United States: Australian tourist Prue Elizabeth Harvey faces a serious assault charge in Florida after allegedly pushing over a female cyclist during the popular Zombie Bike Ride. Harvey allegedly yelled "fall bitch" before shoving Linda Malcolm, 68, to the ground in Key West, the Miami-Herald reports. Harvey, 32, in Key West to attend a wedding, was in custody in Monroe County jail after her arrest. Harvey is accused of running through the cyclists, who wear zombie costumes and paint their faces and bodies for the popular annual 6km bike ride.

- agencies