Tesco demands ID from man buying sausage
And other stories from the stranger side of life

A shopper said he was “very surprised” when asked if he was old enough to buy a sausage at the self-checkout in Tesco. A tech error meant the supermarket accidentally listed a saucisson sec, a dry-cured pork product, as secateurs, which, as a bladed item, meant potential buyers must prove their age. Fufu Fang, 30, said: “I did a double-take and thought, ‘I hope I've bought the right kind of sausage’.”
Mind-reading robot unveiled in China
A mind-reading robot unveiled in China is “96% accurate” at reading human brain waves, scientists have claimed. The device, which scans a user’s brainwaves and muscle activity, has been designed by the Intelligent Manufacturing Innovation Technology Centre at China Three Gorges University. A boffin said the device followed commands of people most of the time but did need volunteers to “concentrate very hard” for their brain messages to be read.
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.
Soldier’s letter delivered 76 years late
A letter sent from a US soldier stationed in Germany to his mother in the US has been delivered 76 years after it was sent. Army Sgt John Gonsalves sent the letter to Woburn, Massachusetts, in December 1945, but it sat unopened for more than 75 years before being found in a US Postal Service distribution facility in Pittsburgh. His widow, who received the message, said: “It’s like he came back to me, you know?”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Kaja Kallas: the EU's new chief diplomat shaping the future of European defense
In the Spotlight Former Estonian Prime Minister's status as an uncompromising Russia hawk has gone from liability to strength
By David Faris Published
-
7 ways to drink spectacularly across the United States this spring
The Week Recommends A bar for every springtime occasion
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Test flight of orbital rocket from Europe explodes
Speed Read Isar Aerospace conducted the first test flight of the Spectrum orbital rocket, which crashed after takeoff
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'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
By Abby Wilson Published
-
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
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
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
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
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
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Who is the Hat Man? 'Shadow people' and sleep paralysis
In Depth 'Sleep demons' have plagued our dreams throughout the centuries, but the explanation could be medical
By The Week Staff Published
-
Why Assad fell so fast
The Explainer The newly liberated Syria is in an incredibly precarious position, but it's too soon to succumb to defeatist gloom
By The Week UK Published
-
Romania's election rerun
The Explainer Shock result of presidential election has been annulled following allegations of Russian interference
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Russia's shadow war in Europe
Talking Point Steering clear of open conflict, Moscow is slowly ratcheting up the pressure on Nato rivals to see what it can get away with.
By The Week UK Published