A federal appeals court upholds the city's ban on pet racing pigeons, rejecting claims by some enthusiasts the ordinance is unconstitutional. According to the American Racing Pigeon Union, the ban makes Chicago the only large U. S. city outlawing pet pigeons.

Santas other than the stereotypical Jolly St. Nick, have been on a rampage in New Zealand. Drunken criminal Santas have been wreaking havoc and giving the rosy cheeked icon a bad name. Reports of "Bad Santas" breaking the law have been circulating around the world.

A Wal-Mart manager was fired after calling the law on a black businessman suspected of trying to pass a bad check, store representative said Tuesday. Manager Mark Cornett called sheriff's deputies after Reginald Pitts, 34, tried to pay for holiday gift cards for his company's employees with a $13,000 check.