IN CASE YOU MISSED IT–Schedule of Reuters features from this week

Dec 28 (Reuters) - Every week, Reuters journalists produce scores of multimedia features and human-interest stories from around the world.

Below are some stories from this week selected by our editors, as well as explanatory context and background to help you understand world headlines. For a full schedule of news and events, please go to our editorial calendar on Reuters Connect.

Shakira's home city unveils giant statue of 'Hips Don't Lie' singer

Grammy-winning Colombian singer Shakira, one of the world's top-selling musicians, has been immortalized in her famous belly-dancing pose in a giant bronze statue in her home city of Barranquilla. (COLOMBIA-SHAKIRA/STATUE (TV, PIX), 226 words)

Mexico's weed 'nuns' want to take the plant back from the narcos

Beneath each full moon on the outskirts of a village in central Mexico, a group of women in nun habits circle around a roaring fire, cleanse themselves with burned sage, and give thanks for the moon, animals, and plants. Then they inhale deeply from a joint and blow clouds of marijuana into the flames. (MEXICO-DRUGS/NUNS (TV, PIX), 805 words)

Don't shake or stir: Distillers push bottled cocktails for the holidays

LONDON/NEW YORK - Major distillers want American drinkers to sip their Old Fashioneds, Negronis and Espresso Martinis this holiday season. But no bartender is required: these cocktails come bottled. (HOLIDAYSHOPPING-COCKTAILS/ (PIX), 1,064 words)

Christmas in China brings glittering decor and foreign influence concerns

BEIJING - Giant Christmas trees adorned with lights, tinsel and gift boxes greet shoppers at glittering malls in big Chinese cities like Shanghai and Chongqing, but in many parts of China, extending season's greetings is out of the question. (CHRISTMAS-SEASON/CHINA (UPDATE 1, PIX), 479 words)

Whisky and the coal mining 'shack': Taiwan election is not only about China

TAIPEI - As Taiwan's election approaches next month, it is not only fraught ties with China competing for electors' attention. (TAIWAN-ELECTION/ISSUES (PIX), 635 words)

Humanoid robots in space: the next frontier

HOUSTON/AUSTIN, Texas - Standing at 6 feet 2 inches (188 centimeters) tall and weighing 300 pounds (136 kilograms), NASA's humanoid robot Valkyrie is an imposing figure. (TECH-ROBOT/HUMANOID (TV, PIX), 432 words)

Lucasfilm sues Star Wash, Chilean 'Star Wars'-themed car wash

SANTIAGO - Walt Disney production company Lucasfilm is suing a themed carwash on the outskirts of the Chilean capital Santiago for plagiarizing its multibillion-dollar galactic film and television saga "Star Wars," lawyers for the carwash said. (CHILE-STARWARS/ (TV, PIX), 306 words)

Taser maker Axon has a moving backstory. It's mostly a myth

LAS VEGAS - For years, Rick Smith, a charismatic and fit 53-year old, has told variations of the same inspirational story – that he co-founded his now highly successful company Axon Enterprises, which makes and markets Tasers as a less-lethal alternative to firearms, because of the gun violence that killed his friends, whom he sometimes describes as football teammates. Much of the story, however, appears to be false. (AXON-TASER/CORPORATE-GOVERNANCE (SPECIAL REPORT, PIX), 5,045 words) {nL1N3DL15R]

EXPLANATORY CONTENT

FACTBOX-Trump's second-term agenda: revenge, trade wars, mass deportations

EXPLAINER-Iowa Caucus 2024: How does it work and why is it important?

EXPLAINER-What's next after US Apple Watch import ban?

FACTBOX-The Russian Arctic LNG 2 project targeted by U.S. sanctions

FACTBOX-What is Egypt's proposal for Gaza?

FACTBOX-Shipping firms react to Houthi attacks in the Red Sea

(Compiled by Mark Porter and Patrick Enright)