The Austrian Supreme Court denied a petition by a British woman to have her chimpanzee elevated to human status. Paula Stibbe, who assumed guardianship over Hiasl, a chimp who was left money by an unidentified benefactor to ensure his future after the animal house he used to call home went bankrupt, argued the ape should enjoy the same rights as any human child as Hiasl loves watching TV, playing games, on top of his being very affectionate.

A man fell 22 feet to the ground as he accidentally threw himself out of his window three stories high along with a Christmas tree he was trying to take down. According to Moenchengladbach police, the man claimed he lost his balance while throwing the tree on the streets.

Authorities said Monday that a 10-year-old Mexican boy glued his hand to his bed because he was still not ready to go back to school after the Christmas vacation. "I thought if I was glued to the bed, they couldn't make me go to school. I didn't want to go, the holidays were so much fun," the boy Diego told AFP.

A Washington man is going all out to show his disdain for Christmas commercialism. In lieu of the traditional snowman or the nativity scene, Art Conrad has put up a Santa Claus nailed to a 4. 5-meter crucifix in front of his house.

A middle school coach was arrested and charged for leading a group of players into manipulating Christmas displays to depict images of a pornographic nature. John Hayes, 46, while driving around in his pickup truck with middle school varsity football team at the back, allegedly placed a homeowner's reindeer displays in sexual positions. The group also destroyed several Christmas decorations they came across.