Pope urges mothers to stop ironing their boys’ shirts
And other stories from the stranger side of life

Pope Francis has urged mothers to stop ironing their son’s shirts and to encourage them to get married, reported Somerset Live. Speaking during a service to mark the end of the 10th World Meeting of Families, the head of the Roman Catholic Church also told adult men not to “take the easy road” and return to their mothers in “moments of difficulty”. Instead, he added, they should “move ahead with this courageous gamble”.
Eton boys under fire for chant
Pupils at Eton have made headlines for chanting “we’ve got more prime ministers than you” during a cricket match with Harrow, a rival public school. Harrow won on the pitch as the two leading schools met at Lord’s Cricket Ground for potentially the last time after the Marylebone Cricket Club announced the end of two centuries of annual cricketing tradition. Eton has produced 20 prime ministers compared with Harrow’s seven, noted The Telegraph.
Airline to rent bunk bed space
Air New Zealand is to allow economy passengers to lie down in “skynests”: communal, bunk bed-style sleeping pods in the economy section of its planes. In a move that the airline says will be a world first, economy passengers will still buy seats on flights but they will also be able to book four-hour sessions in the pods at an additional cost, explained The Guardian. The pods will feature a mattress and sheets which will be changed by cabin crew members after each booking. The “skynests” will be stacked on top of each other.
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
-
Is Prince Harry owed protection?
Talking Point The Duke of Sussex claims he has been singled out for 'unjustified and inferior treatment' over decision to withdraw round-the-clock security
By The Week UK
-
Sudoku hard: April 20, 2025
The Week's daily hard sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff
-
Codeword: April 20, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
By The Week Staff
-
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
-
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