Between a global pandemic, racial unrest, natural disasters and looming economic crises, there are plenty of bleak stories making headlines every day. So here is a pick of the week's funny, quirky and surprising news from around the world to help alleviate the doom.

UFO in Congo

Locals in the Democratic Republic of Congo had a rare UFO sighting this week as an unidentified silver object, boasting solar panels and wires and attached to a large deflated balloon, landed in the jungle.

"I'm not able to say exactly what kind of device I observed," the governor of Bas-Uele province, Valentin Senga, told Reuters after visiting the site of the mysterious flying object. He added that "neither the intelligence services nor the local aviation authorities claim to have any information on the overflight of Congolese air space by this aircraft."

Believers in extraterrestrial life will be disappointed however as it was soon discovered that the supposed UFO did not come from outer space but was very much man-made: it was simply a floating cell tower operated by a subsidiary of Google parent company Alphabet to deliver internet services to remote regions.

Kitty's yellow makeover

Beware of homemade remedies: a Thai woman who tried to treat her cat for a fungal infection unintentionally turned it bright yellow, delighting online users.

Thammapa Supamas used a turmeric solution on her cat knowing the spice has antifungal properties. What she did not anticipate was the scrub would also turn her snow white kitty canary yellow. Aside from being used in dishes like curry or for medicinal purposes – to treat inflammation, allergies, digestive disorders and even depression – turmeric has long been used as a natural dye for saris or Buddhist monks' robes.

Pictures of the bemused-looking cat have gathered tens of thousands of likes and many more comments and shares, with some viewers comparing it with the beloved Japanese anime character Pikachu. And good news: the scrub appears to have worked against the infection, according to the cat's owner. Kitty's color however does not look like it will fade anytime soon.

Rent an island

Ever dreamed of living on your own desert island? Now you can rent one for as little as 3,700 yuan (538 U.S. dollars) per year.

China's northeastern Liaoning Province has close to 600 uninhabited islands and wants to make better use of them, the Global Times reported on Sunday. But the offer comes with a few catches: the application process is lengthy and applicants won't be able to just sit on a rock and enjoy the view but must provide detailed plans on how they plan to develop the place.

There are nine categories of development – including tourism, transportation, fishing, agriculture or renewable energy – and this, along with how much development is planned, affects the price of the land, with some islands reportedly reaching 19.76 million yuan per hectare. Add to this the price of development projects and the final tab might be a little more than expected.

Be lazy!

How about getting paid for doing nothing? For many, that's the dream. And now a German university is offering just that.

The University of Fine Arts in Hamburg (HFBK) announced last week it is giving out "scholarships for doing nothing" as part of an art project entitled "School of no consequence. Exercises for a different life." Candidates will receive 1,600 euros (1,900 U.S. dollars) and can choose how they plan to do nothing and for how long.

This can mean sitting on the couch and doing literally nothing for weeks, but it can also be more focused, according to Friedrich von Borries, the man behind the project. "It can be a manager who decides not to say a single word during an entire meeting, or someone who will no longer drive to work for a whole month," he told NDR radio. The aim of the project is to reassess our actions and see what we can give up without it overly impacting our lives.

Applicants need to explain what they plan not to do and why they are the right person not to do it. A jury will select three lucky candidates and announce them in November. Anyone can apply, and the deadline for proposals is September 15.

Bud Light to the rescue

Beer drinkers often joke that Bud Light tastes more like water than beer. But for one California resident, it was all he needed when massive wildfires threatened his home last week.

Chad Little had set up hoses around his property in Vacaville in northern California to protect it from the LNU Lightning Complex Fires raging in the area. But when the water supply was cut and with the flames fast approaching the house he was still rebuilding after it already burned down five years ago, he grabbed the next best thing at his disposal: a 30-can pack of beer.

As his workshop started to burn, Little said he cracked the cans open and used the beer to put out the flames before firefighters arrived and managed to contain the fire. His cars and garage were torched but his home was saved. "My buddies all tease me about drinking water beer," Little told local KCRA-TV. "And I say, 'Hey, saved my shop'," he said, laughing.

Read more:

ICYMI: The week's quirky news from around the world - August 7, 2020

ICYMI: The week's quirky news from around the world - July 31, 2020