Our pick of the strange stories from around the world.
Woman claims she found rat sewn into dress
A New York woman has filed a lawsuit against clothing manufacturer Zara, after reportedly finding a dead rodent sewn into a new dress. Cailey Fiesel, 24, says she wore the dress to work, and was puzzled by a "pungent smell", before noticing that her leg had been scratched by something embedded in the fabric – which turned out to be the leg of the dead animal. Fiesel is suing the company for emotional distress, and claims she also contracted a "rodent-borne skin condition". In a statement, Zara said it was aware of the suit, and was investigating the matter further. "Zara USA has stringent health and safety standards, and we are committed to ensuring that all of our products meet these rigorous requirements," it added.
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Vandals give Soviet star a SpongeBob makeover
Pranksters in the south-eastern Russian town of Voronezh have painted a Soviet monument to make it look like SpongeBob Squarepants sidekick Patrick the starfish. Local authorities say they will leave the redecorated star, which sits on top of a building, in place for the winter and are searching for the culprit to pay for repairs in the spring.
Man uses drone to catch cheating wife
An American man has caught his wife of 18 years cheating on him, after using a drone to follow her and film her movements. The man, whose YouTube name is YAOG, said he had been tipped off that his wife was being unfaithful and deployed the drone to watch her when she said she was going to get her hair done. Instead, the woman is filmed getting into a car, prompting an expletive-laden response.
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NHS tells Scots to walk like penguinsTall Tales Walk like penguins in the snow, says NHS
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Pedants forgive Waterstones over apostrophefeature And other stories from the stranger side of life
