Our pick of the strange stories from around the world.
Rubbish collectors get more than they bargained for
A man who fell asleep in a bin has survived being put through a rubbish truck's compactor cycle. Mendes Perez, of Oregon, was accidentally picked up by rubbish collectors along with a load of cardboard. The driver was alerted to Perez's presence when he started throwing bits of cardboard out of the truck and began yelling. He was removed from the compactor and treated at a local hospital for a broken leg.
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'Armed robbery' turns out to be a film
Police have called for film-makers to be more proactive about telling authorities their shooting schedule after a staged bank robbery sparked a massive armed response in Cottonwood Heights, Utah. Tellers in the Brighton Bank called police when they heard the sounds of gunfire and people shouting: "Get on the ground. This is a robbery." Police, including armed officers with "long guns", set up a cordon around the bank only to find the commotion was coming from a building next door to the bank, where a robbery scene was being filmed.
Burglars caught 'asleep at the wheel'
A pair of burglars have been captured by police after falling asleep in their getaway vehicle outside the premises they had just allegedly robbed. Californian police were alerted to the men's presence by a "strong smell of marijuana" coming from the vehicle. The pair were arrested on suspicion of participating in a criminal street gang, possessing stolen property and having a loaded firearm in the vehicle.
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Africa's largest dam is making diplomatic wavesUnder the Radar Ethiopians view using the Nile as a 'sovereign right' but the vast hydroelectric project has 'fuelled nationalist fervour' in Egypt and Sudan
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Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is moreFeature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
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China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
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How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
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One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
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What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
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Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
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Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
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'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weaponsThe Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
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The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarrayIn the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
