Astronaut calls wrong number

Hopefully the call charges weren’t sky high. Photo: Getty

British astronaut Tim Peake was forced to send out an apologetic Tweet after mistakenly dialling the wrong number whilst aboard the International Space Station. Mr Peake was trying to call his family, but accidentally greeted a random woman with “Hello, is this planet Earth?”. Read more

Putin’s book of quotes handed out to Russian officials

The book will also receive an English translation. Photo: Getty

Hundreds of politicians and officials have been sent a special gift of a soon-to-be-published compilation of the Russian president’s quotes. Words That Change the World: Key Quotes by Vladimir Putin was sent out by a Kremlin aide and is 400 pages long. It will be released to the public in January. Read more

Swedish man burns down giant straw goat

The Yule Goat predates Santa as a festive gift-bringer. Photo: Getty

The city of Gavle loves its traditions, from the traditional giant straw Yule Goat in its main square, to the slightly less conventional tradition of burning the goat down. Vandals often set the display on fire, and this year it lasted a month before a reportedly drunk man set it alight. Read more

Taco Bell staff don’t want customers to discuss new Star Wars film

Employees hope other people respect their right to enjoy Star Wars spoiler-free. Photo: Reddit

A Reddit user has posted a photo of an anti-spoilers disclaimer put up by a Taco Bell store by their staff. Pictured above, the sign discourages customers from discussing the new Star Wars film, arguing they shouldn’t ‘ruin dreams’ and asking them to ‘follow rules’. Read more

Pigeon stuck in tree rescued by firefighters

It’s unusual for the birds to get stuck in one of their favourite hanging spots. Photo: Getty

A pigeon has been rescued by firefighters after it was found hanging upside down in a tree in Mount Roskill, New Zealand. A spokesman for the Mount Roskill fire department said the bird had been stuck in the branch for a while and had become “exhausted”. Read more