UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

Climate summit produces greenhouse gas

COPENHAGEN, Denmark, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- British researchers said the 12-day U.N. climate change summit in Denmark will generate as much greenhouse gas as an African nation.

U.N. officials conceded the Copenhagen summit, which began Monday, will generate at least 41,000 tons of carbon dioxide, more than the average created by Malawi, Afghanistan or Sierra Leone during the same time period, the Daily Mail reported Monday.

Britain's Taxpayers' Alliance also criticized the conference for its estimated $214 million price tag.

"The politicians and bureaucrats going to Copenhagen seem to think it's unlikely that they'll reach a deal and they know that even if they can get something signed, an increasingly skeptical public aren't going to accept ever more expensive climate change policies," said Matthew Sinclair, research director at the Taxpayer's Alliance. "This means that a huge amount of money is going to be spent on the summit, and thousands of tons of carbon dioxide emitted to get there, just to give the delegates a good photo opportunity."

The summit is aimed at curbing climate change through reducing global greenhouse gas emissions from farming, manufacturing and transportation.

Worker apologizes for chicken licking

PRESTON, England, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- A former employee at a British grocery store apologized for videotaped shenanigans including licking raw chickens.

Adeel Ayub, 60, apologized for his actions in the videos, which were taken before he left the company in 2006, after supermarket chain Asda said it was investigating his actions at the Preston, England, store, the Lancaster Evening Post reported Monday.

The videos include footage of Ayub licking raw chickens that were returned to shelves, urinating into a trash bin, destroying awards earned by the store, slashing coworkers' clothing and setting off fire extinguishers.

"I know there is no excuse for my atrocious behavior and I am truly sorry for what I did back then. I express my profound apologies to Asda and to its staff and customers," Ayub said.

Police said they are reviewing CCTV footage from the Asda store.

Police: Burglar broke into occupied shop

GRAND HAVEN, Mich., Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Police in Michigan said they arrested a burglar who allegedly broke into an auto shop while tow truck drivers were still inside.

The Ottawa County Sheriff's Department said several drivers were inside Marz Collision Services towing and repair shop Friday evening and they began hearing noises from another room about 8 p.m., the Grand Rapids (Mich.) Press reported Monday.

Bob Marz, owner of the Tallmadge Township shop, said the drivers discovered a man had broken a window and was attempting to enter the building. The man fled on foot and Todd Hodges, a driver with the company, pursued in his wrecker and called police, Marz said.

Police arrested the man not far from the scene.

The sheriff's department said the 45-year-old suspect, whose name was not released, faces charges of burglary, possession of burglary tools and violating parole

"I can't figure out what he was trying to steal from an auto-body shop," Marz said. "I can only speculate that he thought we had a lot of cash on hand after a snowy day."

Police seek bank robber with 'bad breath'

FERNDALE, Mich., Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Authorities in Michigan said they are searching for a man with "very crooked yellow teeth and bad breath" suspected of robbing the same bank twice.

Ferndale police said the suspect, described as thin and African-American, displayed a note Wednesday at the Charter One Bank demanding money and implying he had a gun, WDIV-TV, Detroit, reported Monday.

Police said the robber, whom they say they believe to be behind a nearly identical crime at the same bank Oct. 2, fled with about $1,000 last Wednesday. No gun was spotted during either incident, police said.

Investigators said the man "has very crooked yellow teeth and bad breath. The whites of his eyes are yellow. He looks and smells dirty. He was wearing a black hooded Carhardt type of jacket."