Odd News

NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Masked bank robbers attempting to flee a New York bank they robbed ran out and tried to hijack a car -- which was driven by an off-duty police officer.

LONDON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A British group for seniors has named Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson as the most powerful old-age "pensioner" in the world.

BERNE, Switzerland, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- An airline captain in Switzerland has found his own way of free flying --wearing a small pair of wings and four tiny jet engines.

NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- While traditional pop-up books are oriented towards children, a new breed aimed at a more adult audience is starting to flood U.S. bookstores.

NEW YORK, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A chef at a New York City soup kitchen is giving his clients a special treat: a gourmet, eight-course New Year's feast.

BEIJING, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- "Olympic wedding" has become a popular term in China, defined as a wedding planned around the opening of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla., Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A 14-foot Burmese python named Chloe improvised during a performance at Florida's Tarpon Springs Aquarium and attacked its handler.

NEW DELHI, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A confused Umkdait, India, man showed up at his own funeral after family members mistakenly identified a body as his.

LONDON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- England's Royal Society of Chemistry recommends toast and honey to cure a New Year's Day hangover.

SACRAMENTO, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A man is in police custody in Sacramento, Calif., after his attempt to rob a bank was foiled by his own runny nose.

UPI almanac for Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006.

CINCINNATI, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- A civilian jail employee in Cincinnati faces serious charges for stealing toilet paper, paper towels and hygiene kits.

WOKINGHAM, England, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A 39-year-old British man dumped by his girlfriend is auctioning a Valentine's Day vacation in Jamaica -- with himself as part of the package -- through eBay.

NEW YORK, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Six former high-school classmates broke a world record, riding the entire New York City subway system and stopping at every stop in less than 25 hours.

NEW YORK, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A Brooklyn, N.Y., man has been charged with attempted grand larceny for allegedly using a ruse to fraudulently claim ownership of a Lower Manhattan hotel.