UPI NewsTrack Quirks in the News

BEIJING, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- The newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party apparently fell for a satirical report on humor website The Onion naming Kim Jong Un as the "Sexiest Man Alive"

The People's Daily Online published a report on The Onion dubbing the North Korean leader as the "Sexist Man Alive" without any mention of the U.S. website being satirical.

"With his devastatingly handsome, round face, his boyish charm, and his strong, sturdy frame, this Pyongyang-bred heartthrob is every woman's dream come true. Blessed with an air of power that masks an unmistakable cute, cuddly side, Kim made this newspaper's editorial board swoon with his impeccable fashion sense, chic short hairstyle, and, of course, that famous smile," The People's Daily quoted The Onion report as saying.

The Onion published an "update" to its article recognizing the People's Daily coverage.

"For more coverage on The Onion's Sexiest Man Alive 2012, Kim Jong Un, please visit our friends at the People's Daily in China, a proud Communist subsidiary of The Onion Inc. Exemplary reportage, comrades," the website said.

Phototherapy lights installed at bus stops

UMEA, Sweden, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- A Swedish energy company has installed phototherapy lights at Umea bus stops to help energize residents and combat seasonal depression.

Umea Energi said it installed the lights at 30 bus stops to combat seasonal affective disorder -- a form of depression thought to be partially caused by a lack of sunlight -- as the area receives only about five hours of sunlight a day, Swedish news agency TT reported Tuesday.

"At this dark time of the year, people need to be re-energized and we want to give Umea residents a real energy source," said Goran Ernstson, chief executive officer of Umea Energi.

"We want to show that we care about Umea residents -- who both own us and are our customers. We believe that we all need more light and energy during the darkest time of the year," Ernstson said.

However, some residents have already complained the lights are too bright. Locals say the lights are so dazzling, it's almost a struggle moving past them.

"The light is quite bright indeed and directed to the street outside the bus stops, and I don't really like them," resident Tomas Helleborg told The Local.se. "They're simply too bright when you're biking or driving past in the dark!"

Scouts get 60 Christmas trees after theft

KINGSTON, N.Y., Nov. 27 (UPI) -- A New York Christmas-tree seller arranged to replace 60 trees stolen from a Boy Scouts council that was selling the trees as a fundraiser, the council said.

Adams Fairacre Farms, an upscale Hudson Valley food and farm market, donated 40 of its trees to the Boy Scouts of America's Rip Van Winkle Council and arranged for one of its wholesale florists to donate 20 more, council Executive Director Ray Braun said.

The Boy Scouts' trees were stolen from a suburban Kingston, N.Y., parking lot not far from one of Adams' stores.

"It's unbelievable," Braun told the Kingston Daily Freeman of Adams' unsolicited donation, adding that other Kingston-area community members have also reached out to help the council after the theft.

He said the spontaneous support made him feel like James Stewart in the Frank Capra classic film "It's a Wonderful Life," when a flood of townspeople suddenly arrive with more than enough donations to save George Bailey and the Bailey Building and Loan Association.

Adams nursery Manager Jason Becker told the newspaper, "I just felt like it was the right thing to do."

Becker said he did not believe the donation would hurt Adams' ability to sell trees. The Poughkeepsie-based chain often donates to local organizations, he said.

Alders Wholesale Florist in nearby Newburgh donated the 20 other trees.

Sixty Christmas trees were stolen and a 40-foot display stand was vandalized at the scouts' site early Thanksgiving morning. The council's out-of-pocket loss was $3,000 to $4,000, Braun said at the time.

Accused necrophiliac wants bones back

STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Nov. 27 (UPI) -- A Swedish woman accused of using human bones as sex toys is requesting the remains be returned to her.

The 37-year-old woman, who is facing a charge of violating the peace of the dead after her September arrest on allegations of using the bones as sex toys, asked the court at the start of her trial Tuesday to return the bones to her, Swedish news agency TT reported.

"She had the impression that they were very old bones and she had them as historical objects," Annika Stanislaus, a lawyer for the woman, told the court.

Prosecutors said the woman was in possession of CDs labeled "my necrophilia" and "my first experience," which each contained dozens of documents and images.

They said the woman also posted online about her desire to start a necrophilia-based website in 2004.

"I have access to a large collection of pictures of dead people and am considering starting a pornographic website with sensual images of beautiful corpses [men and women] in sexual contexts," the woman allegedly posted online.