Bookie refuses to pay out $11 million on snow bet (Reuters)

Reuters - Bookmaker Ladbrokes is refusing to pay out more than 7 million pounds ($11 million) to a man who gambled on a white Christmas across the UK, as the bet was accepted by mistake.

Hockey men fined over a beer and a hug (Reuters)

Reuters - Pakistan's parliament fined a national hockey player and two team officials for un-Islamic behavior after pictures circulated of them hugging a woman and apparently drinking alcohol in Argentina last month.

Fur flies over picture of Michelle Obama in ad (Reuters)

Reuters - Animal rights group PETA has used the image of Michelle Obama without her consent on a new poster that praises the U.S. first lady for not wearing fur, the White House said on Wednesday.

Snowed-In Brits boost adultery website (Reuters)

Reuters - Britons snowed in by the wintry weather have been flocking to an extra-marital dating site in the last 24 hours.

Napoli fans to bid for Maradona's earring (Reuters)

Reuters - Napoli fans are planning to raise cash to make a bid to buy Diego Maradona's earring, which was confiscated by Italian authorities in September as part payment for his tax arrears.

United Airlines pilot admits being over drink limit (Reuters)

Reuters - A United Airlines pilot admitted in court on Tuesday that he had turned up at London's Heathrow Airport to fly a plane to Chicago while three times over the alcohol limit.

Yes, we have bananas and heroin today (Reuters)

Reuters - Spanish police have uncovered at least 25 kilos of heroin hidden in boxes of plantains destined for the shelves of Madrid supermarkets, local media reported on Sunday.

Man threatened to kill horse after betting error (Reuters)

Reuters - A gambler who threatened to kill a racehorse in a bid to stop it taking part in a race after he forgot to place his syndicate's bet was given a suspended jail term on Monday.

No New Year's toasts in sauna, Russians urged (Reuters)

Reuters - Russia has urged revelers celebrating the New Year in saunas on Thursday night to refrain from popping open the champagne until they have left the steam houses, warning it could prove fatal.

New Year drunks should pay for hospital care? (Reuters)

Reuters - Excessive drinking over New Year's Eve could cost Britain's National Health Service as much as 23 million pounds, according to a report on Thursday which recommends drunks be charged a hospital admission fee of 532 pounds ($845.9).

Errant Chinese smoker stops world's fastest train (Reuters)

Reuters - The world's fastest train hit its first speed bump in the form of a disobedient smoker less than a week after it began running in southern China.

Afghanistan's first skatepark mixes rich and poor (Reuters)

Reuters - Afghanistan's first skateboarding park and school opened in Kabul on Tuesday with a boarding showdown between dozens of youngsters -- ranging from ministers' children to streetkids -- that it aims to bring together.