Our pick of the strange but true stories from around the world.
New foot patrol leaves police stunned
Lawyers sues over missing soup
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A lawyer in Texas has issued a local restaurant with a letter of demand seeking $2.25 (£1.54) for a portion of a meal that wasn't served, together with $250 (£171) in legal fees. Dwain Downing claims he didn't receive the soup he ordered as the restaurant had run out, nor was he offered a discount or a replacement item as part of his meal. "I don't want to make a big deal of this," he said. Restaurant owner Benji Arslanovski has refused to pay and has organised a charity food drive in response to the legal claim.
Man rescued after failed 'bubble run' to Bermuda
A man has been rescued by the US Coast Guard after attempting to run from South Florida to the Bermuda Triangle in an inflatable bubble. It was a second failed attempt for Reza Baluchi, whose "hydropod" bubble has been deemed "manifestly unsafe" by the authorities. Baluchi now faces a fine of up to $40,000 (£27,400) and seven years in prison for ignoring Coast Guard warnings.
-
Metaverse: Zuckerberg quits his virtual obsessionFeature The tech mogul’s vision for virtual worlds inhabited by millions of users was clearly a flop
-
Frank Gehry: the architect who made buildings flow like waterFeature The revered building master died at the age of 96
-
Is MAGA melting down?Today's Big Question Candace Owens, Tucker Carlson, Laura Loomer and more are feuding
-
How Bulgaria’s government fell amid mass protestsThe Explainer The country’s prime minister resigned as part of the fallout
-
Femicide: Italy’s newest crimeThe Explainer Landmark law to criminalise murder of a woman as an ‘act of hatred’ or ‘subjugation’ but critics say Italy is still deeply patriarchal
-
Brazil’s Bolsonaro behind bars after appeals run outSpeed Read He will serve 27 years in prison
-
Americans traveling abroad face renewed criticism in the Trump eraThe Explainer Some of Trump’s behavior has Americans being questioned
-
Nigeria confused by Trump invasion threatSpeed Read Trump has claimed the country is persecuting Christians
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
