Aside from his extraordinary leadership skills which led to his being named "Person of the Year" by Time Magazine, Russian President Vladimir Putin will soon be recognized internationally for his athletic prowess. In particular his judo moves as he and an Olympic Japanese judo medalist will come out with an instructional video soon. Mr. Putin and Yasuhiro Yamashita shot the instructional video disc as a supplement to a judo manual. The disc is slated to be released on January or February, President Putin said Friday at the opening of a Toyota Motor Corporation's assembly plant near St. Petersburg.

A female security guard found herself in the emergency room of the hospital she was guarding, this time as a patient, after she was punched in the face by a woman in Pasay City, south of the capital Manila on Saturday. Fortunately, for the guard, her alert colleagues immediately collared her attacker and 22-year-old Cheryl Languing was turned over to the police who filed appropriate charges against the suspect.

If you need a hug, steer clear of Percy Julian Middle School. Principal Victoria Sharts is cracking down on the "extreme hugging" that has gotten out of control at her suburban Chicago school, evidenced by a rash of recent "hug lines," causing hallway congestion and sharp increases in student tardiness. "Hugging is really more appropriate for airports or for family reunions than passing and seeing each other every few minutes in the halls," Sharts said.

A 35-year-old Thai woman is reported missing and on the run with her husband's penis after cutting it off when she discovered husband's infidelity. Police Lt. Col. Kornwat Hunpradit said Pornbun Sinthusin, 35, came home in the capital of Bangkok Monday and found her husband, Ploeng Plaekratoke, in bed with another woman.