Rescuers save rat stuck in German manhole cover
And other stories from the stranger side of life

A rat that got stuck while trying to squeeze out of a manhole cover has been saved by rescuers in Germany. Firefighters and animal rescuers attended the scene after the chubby rodent was spotted in distress in Hochdorf-Assenheim. A volunteer told Sky News that, once liberated, the rat looked back as if to say “thanks, and yes, I need to go on a diet”.
Patient takes cigarette break with axe in his back
A hospital patient has been filmed casually strolling out of hospital for a cigarette with an axe in his back. The man left the Russian hospital dressed in just his underpants to brave temperatures of -10C. He backed down and agreed to return to his bed when he was told “you are about to die”.
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.
Welsh detective could lose job for breaking wind
A detective in Wales is facing the sack after breaking wind outside her sergeant’s office, repeatedly swearing and asking a colleague for thrush cream. DC Claire Fitzpatrick, 44, insists her behaviour is merely part of a “culture of banter” at her village police station in Bedwas, south Wales. She adds that when she farted, she would “use a silly voice to say: ‘Rather out than in’.”
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Zohran Mamdani: the young progressive likely to be New York City's next mayor
In The Spotlight The policies and experience that led to his meteoric rise
-
The best film reboots of all time
The Week Recommends Creativity and imagination are often required to breathe fresh life into old material
-
'More must be done'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
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