Winemakers turn excess stock into hand sanitiser
And other stories from the stranger side of life

Winemakers in France are transforming unsold wine into hand sanitiser. After wine sales and exports, particularly to the US, collapsed during the coronavirus crisis, around 3m hectolitres need to be distilled as a result of lower sales during the coronavirus crisis. Didier Josso, head of the wine branch in the farming agency FranceAgriMer, said: “From tomorrow, 33 licensed distillers will be able to collect the wine and distil it.”
Doctors remove phone charger from man's bladder
Doctors in India have removed a two-foot long phone charger from inside a man’s bladder. The 30-year-old man, said to have a “history of accidental ingestion of headphones”, was given a two-day course of laxatives in a bid to ease the pain before doctors performed a small incision into his gastrointestinal tract. “This man took things a little too far,” said a doctor.
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.
New Mexico treasure found after 10 years
A treasure hunter in New Mexico revealed that his chest of gold, jewels and other valuables worth over $1 million has been found after a 10-year search. In 2010, Forrest Fenn announced that he had hidden the chest somewhere in the Rocky Mountains. Tens of thousands of people searched for it and now a man, who wishes to remain anonymous, has discovered the chest.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
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
-
Film reviews: The Phoenician Scheme, Bring Her Back, and Jane Austen Wrecked My Life
Feature A despised mogul seeks a fresh triumph, orphaned siblings land with a nightmare foster mother, and a Jane fan finds herself in a love triangle
-
Music reviews: Tune-Yards and PinkPantheress
Feature "Better Dreaming" and "Fancy That"
-
Withdrawing 529 plan funds for college? Here's what to know.
the explainer Maximize the amount you have stashed away for your education
-
Zoos offer cockroach naming and hippo poo candles
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
-
NHS tells Scots to walk like penguins
Tall Tales Walk like penguins in the snow, says NHS
-
Experts discover why dogs wag their tails
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
-
Peruvian 'aliens' aren't really aliens
Tall Tales And other stories from stranger side of life
-
Woman accidentally puts nan in washing machine
Tall Tales And other stories from the stranger side of life
-
Couple sues after ‘farting dog’ ruins flight
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
-
Experts suggest the real-life Dracula was vegan
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life
-
Pedants forgive Waterstones over apostrophe
feature And other stories from the stranger side of life