11 bodies pulled from burning funeral home

Firefighters have removed 11 bodies from a fire that destroyed a funeral home in Michigan. The owner of the funeral home later confirmed that no one alive was in the building when the fire broke out. It took firefighters from ten crews more than six hours to bring the blaze under control.

Kidnappers threaten victim with live alligator

A Connecticut woman is celebrating the safe return of her nephew after he was kidnapped for an $800 ransom. During negotiations with the hostage-takers, police suggested that the woman request a photo of her nephew. She received a photo of him lying in a bathtub with a one-metre alligator sitting on his back.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Join more than 350,000 subscribers and keep yourself informed with a selection of The Week’s most interesting, enlightening and entertaining stories - plus daily puzzles.

Sign up

Couple finds $52,000 treasure in backyard

A Staten Island couple have found an old safe buried in their backyard containing $52,000 in cash, diamonds and jewellery. A note inside the safe bore the address of one of their neighbours, who was able to produce a police report from 2011, when their house had been robbed. The goods were returned to the neighbour.