Han Solo gun expected to sell for $500,000
And other stories from the stranger side of life

Han Solo’s original blaster, used by Harrison Ford in Star Wars: A New Hope, is expected to fetch up to $500,000 (£410,000) at auction. The gun is the sole surviving blaster prop remaining of the three used for filming the original Star Wars trilogy, according to the Rock Island Auction Company. The Guardian recalled that in 2018 Han Solo’s blaster from Return of the Jedi sold to Ripley’s Believe it or Not! for $550,000.
Time traveller says pigs will turn into zombies
A self-declared time traveller from the year 2906 said that more than half of the world’s pigs will become zombies within months, the Daily Star reported. The TikTok user, who posts under the username @timevoyaging, also claimed that humans will get superpowers from the sun and a parallel world under the Earth will be discovered. In a somewhat less wild forecast, they also predicted that, on 10 December, US President Joe Biden will be removed from office due to health issues.
Teen suspect hid inside teddy bear
A teenager wanted in connection with a stolen car was caught hiding from police inside a giant stuffed teddy bear, the Daily Mail reported. Joshua Dobson, 18, was arrested near Manchester on charges of motor vehicle theft, driving while disqualified, and leaving a petrol station without paying. Police searching for him at home said “our officers noticed a large bear breathing in the address before finding Dobson inside”. They added: “Hopefully he has a bearable time inside.”
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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Mustardy beans and hazelnuts recipe
The Week Recommends Nod to French classic offers zingy, fresh taste
-
Under siege: Argentina’s president drops his chainsaw
Talking Point The self-proclaimed ‘first anarcho-capitalist president in world history’ faces mounting troubles
-
Sarkozy behind bars: the conviction dividing France
In the Spotlight Sarkozy speaks to the press with wife Carla Bruni at his side outside a Paris courtroom after the guilty verdict
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of Taiwan
In the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdown
IN THE SPOTLIGHT A series of stings disrupts major cybercrime operations as law enforcement estimates millions in losses from schemes designed to prey on lonely users
-
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