Medics find dumbbell in unexpected area
And other stories from the stranger side of life

Doctors in Brazil discovered an eight-inch dumbbell lodged in a patient’s rectum after he arrived at A&E complaining of cramps and severe constipation. When medics found the patient “uncooperative”, the Daily Mail said they decided to X-ray his abdomen and found the 2kg dumbbell lodged firmly inside him. Unable to tease it out with tweezers, a surgeon inserted their hand “up to the forearm” to manually extract it, the paper added. Other items retrieved from mens’ rectums include vegetables, torches and a 15-inch eel.
Sheeran leads pub singalong
Ed Sheeran has led locals in a singalong at a pub in Birmingham. The singer-songwriter went to The Roost in Small Heath with rapper Jaykae, who is from the city, on Sunday night. Footage of Sheeran singing with punters, playing pool and pulling pints was widely shared on social media. The Daily Mail said that Sheeran, who has a reported net worth of £153m, treated himself to drinks at the pub where you can get four pints for £8 or six shots of Sambuca for £10.
World’s tallest family crowned
A family in Minnesota has been confirmed as the tallest in the world. The Trapp family has been certified by Guinness World Records as the tallest in the world with an average height of 203.29 cm (six ft, 8.03in). The family’s combined height is equal to the length of half a tennis court. “Our friends and family are so proud of us and like to use us for bragging rights, saying they know a world record holder,” said one member of the clan.
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.
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
-
How the woke right gained power in the US
Under the radar The term has grown in prominence since Donald Trump returned to the White House
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK
-
Codeword: April 24, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
By The Week Staff
-
Crossword: April 24, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
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
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
'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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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