‘Rail fan’ couple wed on train
And other stories from the stranger side of life

A pair of rail enthusiasts have tied the knot in their “dream” location - on-board a train. Laura Dale and Jane Magnet won a competition that landed them the opportunity to get marry on an Avanti West Coast service. After gathering for a champagne reception at London Euston, the couple and 18 guests boarded a Pendolino carriage decorated with flowers for the very moving ceremony. “As a huge train fan, today has been a dream come true,” said Dale.
Nibbled gold medal to be replaced
A member of Japan’s gold medal-winning softball team will have her medal replaced with a fresh one after the mayor of her hometown nibbled the original. The mayor received a wave of criticism on social media after he pulled down his mask and put the gold medal between his teeth. “Miu Goto’s medal is now set to be exchanged for a new one,” Tokyo 2020 organisers said.
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.
Black holes burp like babies
Black holes “belch like babies” after “swallowing up stars,” reports The Times. Researchers found that black holes grow very rapidly in their youth and swallow up, or accrete, vast amounts of material. This causes them to emit an enormous amount of radiation.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
What to know before turning to AI for financial advice
the explainer It can help you crunch the numbers — but it might also pocket your data
-
Book reviews: 'The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Affliction—and a Search for Relief' and 'Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run'
Feature The search for a headache cure and revisiting Springsteen's 'Born to Run' album on its 50th anniversary
-
Keith McNally' 6 favorite books that have ambitious characters
Feature The London-born restaurateur recommends works by Leo Tolstoy, John le Carré, and more
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctions
The Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
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