Swedish town baffled by wooden penises
And other stories from the stranger side of life

Residents of Hagfors in western Sweden are searching for the owner of a large wooden penis, described by a local official as "over a metre long, and very well made", left in a park in the centre of town. It is the latest in a series of carved penises left in public places in the region. "The people or person who makes them has been putting a lot of effort into it. Sometimes they're lacquered, sometimes painted," the official said.
'Smart vest' turns stray dogs into guardians
A Thai advertising agency has developed a "smart vest" for dogs, with the aim of turning the country's stray animal population into guardians for its citizens. The vest is activated by the animal's barking, turning on a video camera, which sends a live feed of any activity that has caught the dogs' attention.
Subscribe to 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.
Baby poisoned by homeopathic healing bracelet
A nine-month-old child in Connecticut is recovering after doctors discovered dangerously high levels of lead in her blood. The source of the lead poisoning was determined to be a "homeopathic magnetic hematite healing bracelet" sold to the parents to help ease the baby's teething pains.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
A tall ship adventure in the Mediterranean
The Week Recommends Sailing aboard this schooner and exploring Portugal, Spain and Monaco is a 'magical' experience
-
How drone warfare works
The Explainer From Ukraine to Iran, it has become clear that unmanned aircraft are rapidly revolutionising modern warfare
-
The tourist flood in the Mediterranean: can it be stemmed?
Talking Point Finger-pointing at Airbnb or hotel owners obscures the root cause of overtourism in holiday hotspots: unmanageable demand
-
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
-
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
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos