Santa Claus gets parking ticket for his sleigh
And other stories from the stranger side of life

Santa Claus was handed a parking ticket by a traffic warden for leaving his sleigh in a pedestrian zone. Mick Worrall, 75, was handing out sweets and teddies to children and collecting donations for a children’s charity when he was hit with a fixed penalty notice. A Worcester City Council spokesperson told The Telegraph the fine was issued for “driving in a pedestrian zone”. However, Worrall refused to take the ticket and told the warden to “post it to the North Pole”.
‘Neighbour from hell’ banned from village until 2037
A “neighbour from hell” who hacked down residents’ memorial trees has been banned from his village until 2037, reported The Independent. Due to an epic row over a boundary line, Adrian Paul Stairs, 59, used a chainsaw to cut down several mature shrubs and trees planted by the residents’ loved-ones who have since died and also threatened his neighbours with a brick. However, Stairs insisted he was the victim and said he felt like he was on a “murder charge”.
Woman finally graduates at 90
A woman who dropped out of college a few semesters short of graduation in the 1950s was finally presented with her bachelor’s degree at the age of 90 at a US university, noted UPI. The Northern Illinois University announced that its graduating class included Joyce DeFauw, 90, of Geneseo, the oldest person to ever graduate from the university. “You can’t put a value on it, in my opinion,” she said. “Just don’t give up. A lot of us get sidetracked or whatever, but go back.”
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.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
AI workslop is muddying the American workplace
The explainer Using AI may create more work for others
-
Japan poised to get first woman prime minister
Speed Read The ruling Liberal Democratic Party elected former Economic Security Minister Sanae Takaichi
-
The 5 best mob movies of all time
The Week Recommends If you don’t like a good gangster flick, just fuhgeddaboudit
-
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