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.
-
5 chilling cartoons about increasing ICE aggressionCartoons Artists take on respect for the law, the Fourth Amendment, and more
-
Political cartoons for January 24Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include 3D chess, political distractions, and more
-
Ryanair/SpaceX: could Musk really buy the airline?Talking Point Irish budget carrier has become embroiled in unlikely feud with the world’s wealthiest man
-
Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
-
Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
-
Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
-
US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
-
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
