Spice Girl horse plan causes village war
And other stories from the stranger side of life
A war has broken out in a Northamptonshire village over a Spice Girl’s plan to build a horse barn. Geri Horner and her husband Christian overcame stiff opposition to the plans after some neighbours said the “hideous” barn would spoil views and weaken the mobile phone signal in the area. The couple had been accused of altering public footpaths near their home in Marston St Lawrence. West Northamptonshire council was accused of “caving in to the desires of the rich and famous”, said The Times.
Octogenarian viola player breaks world record
An 86-year-old viola player has been awarded a Guinness World Record after playing with the same orchestra for over seven decades. Ann Miller has played viola for the Redhill Sinfonia in Surrey for 71 years and 194 days. Miller, who first played with the Redhill Sinfonia at age 14, claimed the record from bass player Jane Little, who spent 71 years playing for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Squirrel takes out power in Tennessee
Nearly one-third of customers in a Tennessee town lost power when a squirrel came into contact with power station equipment, reported UPI. Dickson Electric System said that many customers lost power for a brief time when “a cute little squirrel created a whole lot of chaos”. Writing on Twitter, it added that “we don’t always lose power to nearly a third of our customers all at the same time, but when we do, it’s usually related to an uninvited guest”.
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
-
The 8 best dark comedies of the 21st centuryFrom Santa Claus to suicide terrorism, these movies skewered big, taboo subjects
-
France’s ‘red hands’ trial highlights alleged Russian disruption operationsUNDER THE RADAR Attacks on religious and cultural institutions around France have authorities worried about Moscow’s effort to sow chaos in one of Europe’s political centers
-
Crossword: October 30, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Sanae Takaichi: Japan’s Iron Lady set to be the country’s first woman prime ministerIn the Spotlight Takaichi is a member of Japan’s conservative, nationalist Liberal Democratic Party
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Interpol arrests hundreds in Africa-wide sextortion crackdownIN 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 citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe 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 designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago