For some, an emergency goes beyond the usual call for help. A broken fingernail at a nightclub, a mouse that swallows medicine, and a woman who needs help getting her drunken boyfriend up to bed are all but a few of the thousands of calls made to the 999 emergency hotline in the U. K. A spokesperson for the North East Ambulance Service says demand rose by 15 percent in the past year due to the bizarre calls that are made almost on a daily basis.

In a bid to raise their voice for world peace, a California couple has formed The Global Orgasm for Peace organization, which urges everyone in the world to have an orgasm Dec. 22 while focusing on world peace. Conceived by two San Francisco-area peace activists Donna Sheehan, 76, and Paul Reffell, 55, the organization is hoping that annually on the first day of winter, peace-lovers will stay home and make love.

Yu Zhenhuan, an aspiring Chinese rock-star with 96-percent of his body covered in hair, filed a lawsuit earlier this year against Beijing's World Carnival Company for posting his photograph without permission on its website. Yu said the unauthorized posting had caused him to suffer from undue psychological damage.

About 12 Japanese tourists a year have to undergo therapy after visiting Paris, a newspaper reported Sunday. This year, Japan's embassy in Paris has had to repatriate at least four visitors due to what the newspaper calls "Paris Syndrome. "Journal du Dimanche explains the psychiatric problems are caused by a discrepancy between the tourists' expectations and the experiences they have while visiting the city.

An American tycoon who owns a Picasso painting, with an estimated value of $138. 26 million, was forced to pull out of a deal to sell the painting after he punched a hole through it with his elbow. According to BBC, Steve Wynn was showing his guests "Le Reve" (The Dream) in his office in Las Vegas when he accidentally hit the painting with his elbow.