Rowan Atkinson fireworks made locals think Cotswolds was under attack
And other stories from the stranger side of life

A fireworks display put on by Rowan Atkinson for his girlfriend’s 40th birthday “backfired” when local residents thought the local military base was under attack. The Times said the pyrotechnics in a “quiet Cotswolds valley” caused “terrified pets” to “flee into the night” and caused human residents to fear that “a heavy bomber group” might be “dropping their payload”. One resident said: “It completely startled me and was horrible. I just didn’t know what to do.”
Octogenarian priest becomes adult movie star
A former priest who has become a porn star at 83 has described sex with strangers on camera as “delightful”. The Daily Star said Norm Self made an unorthodox career move “from priesthood to pornhub” after he came out as gay following a 28-year marriage. Self said that filming porn in his eighties is like “having a party” and when asked whether he would participate in more saucy videos in future, he replied “absolutely”.
Man repeatedly calls 911 for Biden’s arrest
A man in Florida who repeatedly called 911 to say that President Joe Biden needed to be placed in jail was then arrested himself, according to deputies. The Pinellas County man was arrested for calling 911 dispatchers several times to say “President Biden needed to be placed into prison”, according to WFLA. Dispatchers told the caller that his comments were non-emergency related and he was asked not to ring 911 unless it was an emergency, but he kept ringing about the “exact same issue”, the report added.
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
-
Road trip: New England’s maple syrup season
Feature New England is serving up maple syrup in delicious and unexpected ways
By The Week US Published
-
Music Reviews: Mdou Moctar, Panda Bear, and Tate McRae
Feature “Tears of Injustice,” “Sinister Grift,” and “So Close to What”
By The Week US Published
-
What's at stake in the Mahmoud Khalil deportation fight?
Talking Points Vague accusations and First Amendment concerns
By Joel Mathis, 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
-
Cutting cables: the war being waged under the sea
In the Spotlight Two undersea cables were cut in the Baltic sea, sparking concern for the global network
By The Week UK Published
-
The nuclear threat: is Vladimir Putin bluffing?
Talking Point Kremlin's newest ballistic missile has some worried for Nato nations
By The Week UK Published