Police warn residents: 'Don't swim in rubbish bins'

Our pick of the strange stories from around the world.

Pool party is a real dive

Philadelphia has told residents not to swim in rubbish bins after a rented skip was transformed into a pool for an unauthorised party. Event organisers say they "powerwashed" the interior of the container before lining it with tarpaulins and filling it up from a fire hydrant. "We are not screwing around, Philly," said Karen Guss, a spokeswoman for the Department of Licences and Inspections. "The city strongly recommends that residents opt for recreational options that are safer, more sanitary and less likely to deplete the resources firefighters need in an emergency."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

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.

Sign up

Church to use drones to drop bibles on Iraq

A Swedish church has announced plans to use drones to drop thousands of bibles on areas of Iraq controlled by Islamic State. Livets Ord (Word of Life) church says it plans to deliver small, electronic bibles "to pass on the hope and love of the Christian gospel" for people living in an area where religious freedom is being repressed.

Hackers use laptops to steal cars

Houston police have arrested two men they say used laptops to reprogramme the ignition systems of more than 100 cars. The suspects are said to have targeted new Jeep and Dodge vehicles, which authorities say fetch a high price on the black market in Mexico. The men are accused of illegally accessing a database used by mechanics and locksmiths to create new key fobs and bypass the security measures.