Suspect arrested for greasy imprints in Neb. town (AP)
AP - Police have arrested a man suspected of leaving greasy, graphic imprints on the windows of stores, churches and schools in a small Nebraska town. A 35-year-old man was caught in the act by police early Wednesday morning, Cherry County Attorney Eric Scott said Friday. The man hasn't been charged yet, but authorities believe he is the vandal some townsfolk have dubbed the "Butt Bandit."

Bus driver accused of braking hard to topple pupil (AP)
AP - A school bus driver will be charged with endangering a 10-year-old boy for intentionally braking suddenly so the boy would fall down, police said. The driver was upset because the boy would not remain in his seat, Harmony Township police Sgt. Jim Essek said. The driver told the boy to stop moving around before allegedly threatening him by saying, "If you do it again, I'll knock you down," Essek said.

Cops: Man steals woman's rings after grabbing dog (AP)
AP - Police are looking for a man they say stole two rings worth nearly $25,000 from a woman after grabbing her dog. Brunswick police Detective William Collins said a woman was walking her Shih Tzu on Monday when a man picked up the dog and demanded the rings if she wanted the dog back.

Venerable Texas cowboy boot maker hit by $3M theft (AP)
AP - A truck-driving thief made off with more than $3 million worth of merchandise from a venerable maker of cowboy boots and other footwear, authorities said.

Robber apologizes during Vt. general store holdup (AP)
AP - A thief who robbed a general store apologized to the owner and left the singles behind so workers on the next shift would have something in the till. The knife-wielding man made off with an undetermined amount of money from Joe's Pond Country Store on Wednesday after threatening owner Jeff Downs.

3,300 prisoners to be freed early (Reuters)
Reuters - Bulgaria plans to free thousands of minor offenders in an attempt to relieve its overcrowded jails and ease the work of the legal system, the government said Thursday.

Speeding drivers face ban for two offenses (Reuters)
Reuters - Drivers caught going more than 20 mph over the speed limit could lose their license after just two offenses under government proposals published Thursday.

Chile probes Pinochet "disappeared" back from dead (Reuters)
Reuters - His name is on a monument to victims of Gen. Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship, his family buried his mistakenly identified remains -- now a Chilean court is probing how German Cofre has come back from the dead.

Search widened for cardboard box fugitive (Reuters)
Reuters - German police searching nationwide for a convicted drug dealer who escaped from jail by hiding in a cardboard box to be taken away for recycling plan to issue an international arrest warrant for him.

Lawmaker apologizes for blocking Wikipedia (Reuters)
Reuters - A member of parliament who got a court order blocking online encyclopedia Wikipedia in Germany for two days because of entries linking him to communist-era security police apologized on Tuesday for overreacting.

Strewth! Australia drops cricket from citizenship test (Reuters)
Reuters - Australia is to modify a test for prospective new citizens to exclude questions on history and culture, and specifically cricket legend Sir Donald Bradman, a government minister said on Saturday.

Obese have right to 2 airline seats (Reuters)
Reuters - Obese people have the right to two seats for the price of one on flights within Canada, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled on Thursday.

Sumo-Happy hunter Asashoryu plots New Year ring return (Reuters)
Reuters - Volatile grand champion Asashoryu will not return to the ring until the New Year despite being fit enough to hunt and cook wild animals in the Mongolian mountains.

Gaffe-prone Japan PM apologises over doctor remark (Reuters)
Reuters - Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso apologised Wednesday for appearing to insult doctors, an important political interest group, by saying many of them lack common sense.

General and daughter enjoy Thai-style family feud (Reuters)
Reuters - Thailand's three-year political crisis has divided friends and families, but few can have felt the strain as much as the Sawadipol clan.

Man says cell phone saved him from stray bullet (AP)
AP - R.J. Richard says he doesn't normally put his cell phone in his chest pocket. But he says it saved his life the one time he did.

World's oldest polar bear dies at Canadian zoo (Reuters)
Reuters - Canadian zoo officials on Tuesday were mourning the death of what is believed to be the world's oldest polar bear.

Woman wins $2.4 million on her first trip to Las Vegas (AP)
AP - A 24-year-old woman, on her first trip to Las Vegas, is worrying less about the nation's economy. That's because Jessica Agbunag won $2.4 million on Wednesday at a Wheel of Fortune slot machine at the California Hotel and Casino.

Kangaroo genes close to humans (Reuters)

Reuters - Australia's kangaroos are genetically similar to humans and may have first evolved in China, Australian researchers said Tuesday.

Octogenarian charged with dealing pain pills (AP)
AP - Law enforcement authorities arrested an 81-year-old man who illegally sold powerful prescription pain relievers. The arrest followed a raid on a home Monday by the Alaska Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Enforcement.