A dead man was elected mayor of a small Tennessee town eager to oust a woman who had been appointed to the job after the previous mayor died.
Carl Robin Geary Sr, a local alderman known for "straight-talk" and always wearing overalls, was a candidate for mayor when he died of a heart attack on March 10. He defeated incumbent Barbara Brock 268 votes to 85 in the town of Tracy City's election on Tuesday.
"If he were to run again next week I'd vote for him again," Chris Rogers, owner of the town's Lunch Box restaurant, said, adding, "I knew he was deceased. I know that sounds stupid, but we wanted someone other than her."
Elections officials said the seat would be declared vacant and the city's four aldermen would select a new mayor. When asked how she felt about losing to a dead man, Ms Brock said "I'll live." (AFP)
'Love' knows no boundaries
A rare inter-species love affair is blossoming at a bird sanctuary, after a male goose fell for a female duck.
Staff at Slimbridge Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, in Gloucestershire, are stunned by the bizarre courtship between the bar-headed goose and the dainty mallard duck.
With the breeding season getting into full swing the couple are raising eyebrows on a lake next to the visitors centre. (PA)
Mysterious ashes
A box of ashes found in a batch of furniture donated to a charity may have been given away by mistake.
Staff at Emmaus, a homelessness charity, were stunned to discover the wooden box full of remains at a branch in Gloucester.
The box bears a plaque inscribed with the words "In Loving Memory, Imogen" but there are no other clues as to where it came from. (PA)
Python comes in handy
An argument between two motel guests in Southern Carolina ended when one of the men was hit on the head with a snake.
The victim told police he argued with another resident over loud music coming from his room.
The dispute appeared to be over, but the man walked up to him several hours later with a four-foot python and hit him in the face with the snake's head. (PA)
Executioner feels remorse
Zimbabwe is trying to hire a new official hangman after the last one left, said to be struggling with his conscience.
A backlog of about 50 inmates has built up on death row at Chikurubi maximum security prison outside Harare.
A former top prison officer said the previous executioner was always extremely remorseful about his job. (PA)
Belgian prince wants beard
Belgium's Crown Prince Philippe, who celebrated his 50th birthday yesterday, has insisted that a commemorative stamp represents him with his recently acquired beard, the post office magazine reported.
The son of King Albert II has sported the facial hair since last year and will be represented "with beard at his express request," according to the monthly Philanews.
Philippe Leopold Louis Marie, Duke of Brabant, was born on April 15, 1960, married in 1999 and now has four children. Prince Philippe has regularly faced criticism for some gaffes and a perceived authoritarian tendency. His supporters say his performance can be put down to his natural shyness. (AFP)
Police exercise
Malaysian couples are being invited to hold their weddings at a district police headquarters in an attempt to improve relations with the public.
Officers will provide security for outdoor ceremonies at the police station in Chamek district in southern Johor state, and their wives might even help prepare food for a wedding feast.
Officials will also help organise community tea parties and other gatherings at the police station. (PA)
Chocolate for liver patients?
Cocoa-rich dark chocolate could be prescribed for people with liver cirrhosis in future, following the latest research to show potential health benefits of chocolate.
Researchers said yesterday that eating dark chocolate capped the usual after-meal rise in abdominal blood pressure, which can reach dangerous levels in cirrhotic patients and, in severe cases, lead to blood vessel rupture. Antioxidants found in cocoa are believed to be the reason why chocolate is good for blood pressure because the chemicals help the smooth muscle cells of the blood vessels to relax and widen.
A study of patients with end-stage liver disease found those given a meal containing 85 per cent-cocoa dark chocolate had a markedly smaller rise in blood pressure in the liver than those given white chocolate. (Reuters)