Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe Obama, Japan, cheers namesake's victory OBAMA, Japan, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The town of Obama, Japan, celebrated the presidential victory of the U.S. politician who shares the town's name with singing, dancing and chanting. Advertisement Parties at the town's seafront museum featured revelers celebrating the victory of Democratic President-elect Barack Obama, the first black president of the United States, with celebratory singing, hula dancing and chants of "We love Obama," The Daily Telegraph (Britain) reported Wednesday. "This all started as a bit of a joke. But as more and more people got involved, it became more serious," said Yasunori Maeno, secretary of the Obama for Obama campaign group. "Now there are many businesses involved in the Obama campaign and it will continue now that he is president. This will change the future for us." The Obama for Obama group said more than 1,300 residents of the town of 33,000 participated in their campaign during the past four months. Advertisement Truck spills vodka onto New Orleans road NEW ORLEANS, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Transportation officials said a truck spilled Taaka vodka across an Interstate 10 off-ramp in New Orleans when the vehicle tipped over. Officials said the off-ramp, which led to Carrollton Avenue, was shut down for several hours after the incident at about 9 a.m. Wednesday, WSDU-TV, New Orleans, reported Wednesday. Taaka vodka is produced by the New Orleans-based Sazerac Co. Filmmakers with fake guns arrested MELBOURNE, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Police in Melbourne said four filmmakers could face firearms charges after they were arrested with imitation guns. Victoria Police spokesman Senior Constable Wayne Wilson said a member of the public reported seeing someone menacing another person with a gun in a neighborhood of apartments, The Australian reported Wednesday. "A person came into Carlton police station pretty distressed, saying they had seen a guy with a gun. All they said was that they saw the gun being held to someone's head,'' Wilson said. He said police and a critical response team arrested four people at the scene and confiscated fake guns and film equipment. "It looks like they were making a film and they were the only ones that knew about it,'' Wilson said. Advertisement He said the four suspects were being questioned and could face charges of possessing a firearm and public nuisance. He said the firearms charge can also be applied to fake weapons. Boy charged after chip bag ripped STOCKHOLM, Sweden, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Swedish prosecutors have brought charges against a 15-year-old boy accused of ripping another boy's bag of chips. The teenager allegedly tore open the bag, spilling its contents onto the ground, while trying to snatch the chips out of the other boy's hands, The Local reported Wednesday. Authorities said the owner of the chips then made a comment that led a 14-year-old friend of a suspect to punch and kick the alleged victim. However, the accused attacker is too young to be charged under Swedish law. The 15-year-old was charged with unlawful dispossession due to the spilled chips and could face up to six months in prison if he is convicted. Prosecutors said the boy's trial will also deal with charges of vandalism and theft of a pack of cigarettes in two separate incidents.
