Amid a global pandemic, humanitarian crises, natural disasters and other bleak news, lighthearted stories are as necessary as ever. Here is a pick of the week's best funny, silly and quirky news from around the world.

Living like Pooh

Ever wanted to live at Pooh Corner? Now you can.

Disney and Airbnb have teamed up to offer a new "Bearbnb" experience: a cottage that looks just like that of A.A. Milne's beloved children's book character Winnie-the-Pooh.

The dwelling – which has been made to look like a large tree – is located in Ashdown Forest in East Sussex in the UK, which was the inspiration for the Hundred Acre Wood. True to the books, a sign above the door reads "Mr. Sanders" and the shelves inside are filled with "hunny" pots.

Guests who book a stay are promised a guided tour of the forest and a game of Poohsticks – a favorite game of Pooh and his friends – as well as "locally sourced hunny-inspired meals." 

But they shouldn't overexert themselves: the point is to relax and to "be more Pooh." After all, the bear is famous for living a simple life with few worries.

Accordingly, the house rules are simple and indulgent: "a snack of 'a little something' (is) encouraged at 11 o'clock in the morning" and "multiple naps are permitted." However, there are to be "strictly no heffalumps inside the house"!

Clandestine fried chicken

Smuggling live animals or even dead ones across borders is not unheard of. Smuggling breaded and fried ones on the other hand is a little less common.

A strict Level 4 COVID-19 lockdown in Auckland, New Zealand, has meant all schools, restaurants and cinemas are closed and no travel is allowed except for necessities. But on Sunday, police arrested two "gang associates" trying to get into the city "with over NZ$100,000 ($70,000) in cash and a car boot-full of KFC."

"Officers noticed a suspicious looking vehicle travelling on a gravel road and upon seeing the police car, the vehicle did a U-turn and sped off trying to evade police," a statement from the police said. The men were reportedly traveling from Hamilton, some 115 kilometers south of Auckland. 

Upon searching the vehicle, officers found cash, as well as "a large amount of takeaways." Pictures released by the police showed what looked like at least three buckets of KFC chicken, 10 containers of coleslaw and four large paper bags of food.

The two men, aged 23 and 30, have been summonsed to appear in court.

Reverse psychology

An ad has been making the rounds in Charlotte, North Carolina, telling people not to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Or is it?

Images of a lorry featuring the words "Don't get vaccinated" started circulating on social media over the weekend, even as many in the U.S. continue to refuse to get the shot. Upon closer inspection, it seemed like a joke in bad taste, with the supposed ad also featuring the name of a funeral home.

But there's a twist. An internet search for Wilmore Funeral Home leads to a somber black-and-white page with the words "Get vaccinated" followed by "If not, see you soon."

Clicking on the link then brings up the website of a local healthcare center with information on how to get the vaccine and FAQs on how effective and safe they are.

The fake ad campaign was cooked up by a local advertising company to spread a pro-vaccine message, according to its owner. But he wanted to do it in a provocative and unusual way.

Asked whether he feared the message would be misunderstood, he told the local WBTV station: "I was a little bit worried before we started, but when I really think about it, if this advertisement gets one person vaccinated, it was worth it."

Call 9-1-1

There was a time phone booths were everywhere: not just useful for making calls, but also as time traveling machines or changing rooms for superheroes. 

Now that everyone has a mobile phone, there are few left, but they are no less beloved.

One small town in the U.S. state of Colorado is asking for its phone booth to be returned after it was stolen. Not just a mere communication device, residents say it was a "landmark" in the town, which has a population of just 56. After it was decommissioned, the phone booth was even moved to the public park as decoration.

"It was just kind of a novelty. It's just sad that somebody would, you know, take our little phone booth," one resident told the local television station after the theft was reported. "We thought that was a significant piece of our town history."

Read more: 

ICYMI: The week's quirky news from around the world - September 16, 2021

ICYMI: The week's quirky news from around the world - September 9, 2021