South Korea has scrapped its traditional method of counting ages and will align with the international standard, a change that will make its citizens either one or two years younger on official documents. Koreans are regarded a year old when born and a year is added every 1 January, but when calculating the legal age to drink alcohol and smoke, a person’s age is calculated from zero at birth and a year is added on 1 January. Next June, new laws take effect meaning “only the international method of counting will be used”, said The Guardian.
Man sells burps in a jar online
A man said he is raking in £22,000 a month by selling burps in a jar and sending people his used socks. Curtis Gibbs, 25, previously made £1,300 a month working in supermarkets and had “maxed out his credit cards”, said Metro. However, he has now begun satisfying people’s fetishes online. “The list is endless when it comes to strange requests,” he said. “One guy wanted me to gulp down a bottle of Coca Cola, burp into a jar, seal the jar and post it to him.”
Passengers flee after emergency landing
Police in Spain are hunting for 14 people who ran from a commercial plane after an emergency landing that happened because a woman wrongly claimed she was about to give birth. The Pegasus Airlines flight, from Morocco to Turkey, landed at Barcelona’s El Prat airport after the woman claimed she was going into labour. Authorities said that a group of 28 people exited and “tried to flee” and police only managed to stop half. The pregnant woman was arrested “on suspicion of public disorder offences”, reported Sky News.
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.
For more odd news stories, sign up to the weekly Tall Tales newsletter.
-
October 5 editorial cartoonsCartoons Sunday's political cartoons include half-truth hucksters, Capitol lockdown, and more
-
Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber bailoutTalking Point Should the government do more to protect business from the ‘cyber shockwave’?
-
Russia: already at war with Europe?Talking Point As Kremlin begins ‘cranking up attacks’ on Ukraine’s European allies, questions about future action remain unanswered
-
Russia is ‘helping China’ prepare for an invasion of TaiwanIn the Spotlight Russia is reportedly allowing China access to military training
-
Israel and the Gaza flotillaThe Explainer Activists fear loss of life after blaming Israel for drone attacks on ships
-
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
-
Rise of the far-right: what’s behind the popularity of Vox in Spain?The Explainer Disillusioned younger voters are being drawn to Santiago Abascal’s party
-
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
-
South Korea elects liberal Lee as presidentspeed read Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party, was elected president following months of political instability in the wake of Yoon Suk Yeol's impeachment
