Our pick of the strange but true stories from around the world.
Wedding day blues
A couple's wedding day was rudely interrupted when the groom was bitten by a rattlesnake during a photoshoot. Johnny Benson and his bride, Laura, were having wedding photos taken at a local reserve in Colorado when the snake struck. The groom was taken to hospital, but the snake had delivered a "dry bite", where no venom is delivered. Benson was given a tetanus shot and went back to his big day.
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Bank workers spanked for poor performance
Video footage has emerged of staff at a Chinese bank being publicly spanked for performing poorly during a training session, sparking social media outrage in China. Trainer Jiang Yang also reportedly punished workers by shaving the men's heads and cutting the hair of the women. He has apologised for his actions and the bank's chairman and deputy governor have been suspended. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_original","fid":"96426","attributes":{"class":"media-image"}}]]
'Pimped-out ride' leads to arrest
A man has been arrested after he installed more than 50 speakers in his van and held a series of music parties in a junk yard in Queens, New York. According to a local police report, residents have been complaining about loud music in the area since at least 2013. Nelson Hidalgo has been charged with criminal nuisance, unreasonable noise, unlawful assembly and other offences.
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Mermaiding: the underwater subculture on the riseUnder the Radar Cosplay meets fitness in an escapist fin-omenon that's making waves around the world
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Delhi's dogs earn Supreme Court reprieveIN THE SPOTLIGHT After an outcry from the public and animal rights activists, India's Supreme Court walks back a controversial plan to round the city's stray dog population into shelters
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8 hotels with ace tennis courtsThe Week Recommends Bring your A game
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Home Office worker accused of spiking mistress’s drink with abortion drugSpeed Read Darren Burke had failed to convince his girlfriend to terminate pregnancy
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In hock to Moscow: exploring Germany’s woeful energy policySpeed Read Don’t expect Berlin to wean itself off Russian gas any time soon
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Were Covid restrictions dropped too soon?Speed Read ‘Living with Covid’ is already proving problematic – just look at the travel chaos this week
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Inclusive Britain: a new strategy for tackling racism in the UKSpeed Read Government has revealed action plan setting out 74 steps that ministers will take
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Sandy Hook families vs. Remington: a small victory over the gunmakersSpeed Read Last week the families settled a lawsuit for $73m against the manufacturer
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Farmers vs. walkers: the battle over ‘Britain’s green and pleasant land’Speed Read Updated Countryside Code tells farmers: ‘be nice, say hello, share the space’
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Motherhood: why are we putting it off?Speed Read Stats show around 50% of women in England and Wales now don’t have children by 30
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Anti-Semitism in America: a case of double standards?Speed Read Officials were strikingly reluctant to link Texas synagogue attack to anti-Semitism
