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

Brewing election

Presidential candidates frequently promise to create jobs. One French brewer at least is hoping they will help him set up his artisanal micro-brewery.

Stanislas Petit, 29, has designed labels for a local beer featuring six of the candidates in France's upcoming presidential election to fund his dream. The idea started as a joke, as candidates' names and faces often appear on random products during election campaigns, from socks and flip-flops to shampoos and even condoms. So why not beer? The design of the labels, in the style of the video game "Grand Theft Auto" (GTA) also "reflects the shiftiness of a presidential campaign," Petit told news site 20minutes.

A long-time amateur brewer, he quit his previous career to retrain in the hope of setting up his very own "innovative and artisanal" brewery. "But there can be no micro-brewery without good beer, and it's hard to make good beer without good equipment!" he said in a call for funds. 

If Petit reaches his funding goal, his supporters will each get a six pack with bottles featuring "Manu" (President Emmanuel Macron), "Eric Le Z" (far-right firebrand Eric Zemmour) or "Meluche" (left-wing candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon) in various GTA-worthy poses. If not, they'll be reimbursed. 

Besides funding his dream, the "presidential beers" are "the ideal companion to sit through lengthy televised debates and political conversations at Sunday lunch," Petit joked.

Strawberry jam burger

That red sauce dripping down Burger King's latest offering in Taiwan might look like ketchup, but look again.

In honor of April Fool's Day on April 1, the fast food chain has released a "loaded strawberry beef burger" that went on sale on March 29 and will be available until April 5. Unlike an April Fool's joke however, this burger is no gag.

The limited-time menu item contains two grilled beef patties, cheese and lettuce, all topped with a generous serving of additive-free strawberry jam, "to enhance the beef flavor with fruity sweetness," Burger King Taiwan said in a Facebook post.

Reactions have ranged from enthusiastic to put off, with many also expressing disbelief.

Plant-based support

Pets are so 2019! For Lexington, Kentucky, the way to get to visitors is through their plants.

The U.S. city is now preparing to open what it calls "the world's first plant-friendly hotel," for guests who prefer to bring their leafy companions with them on holiday.

Starting next week, the Elwood Hotel & Suites will offer a "collection of special rooms and amenities for plant moms and dads."

And lest your "potted pal" feels lonely, the hotel boasts plenty of greenery and offers a complimentary succulent to its guests.

"Thanks to a years-long pandemic and the rising costs of parenthood, pets are the new babies. And plants have been promoted to the new pets," Lexington's tourism bureau VisitLEX said in a news release.

The hotel is only part of a wider plan to draw out plant-loving tourists, with the city also putting out a Plant-Friendly Guide To Lexington, advertising its many parks, nature trails and outdoor dining options.

No need to leave your poor ficus at home now when you get on the road: just strap it into the passenger seat!

Fly me to church

Forget a fancy limo or horse-drawn carriage, there's a much more flashy way now to travel to your wedding: a presidential plane.

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has been trying to get rid of the country's luxury presidential jet to no avail, so his government has now opted for the next best thing: making it available for weddings and birthdays, according to AFP. 

A known austerity advocate who prefers to travel by commercial plane, Lopez Obrador vowed to sell the Boeing 787 Dreamliner purchased and used by his predecessors when he got elected in 2018. The plane, which features an executive bedroom and private bath and can carry 80 people, failed to find a buyer however.

Something to keep in mind for your next birthday?

Jaws UK

A house in Headington, UK, famous for the fake shark that seems to have crashed through its roof, has gained special heritage status and its owner is not happy about it.

The 7.5-meter shark, which appears to have smashed head-first into the two-story row house with its tail sticking up into the sky, has been a feature since 1986 and was installed by owner Bill Heine. But his son Magnus Hanson-Heine, who now owns the property, said the Oxford City Council's decision to give the house protected status "would be exactly the opposite of the point" his late father wished to make, the Daily Telegraph reported.

When Heine put up his fishy installation it was to protest the city's planning policies, and the Council even fought for years to have it removed.

Now the unusual trophy is being officially recognized as making a "special contribution to the character of Oxford and its neighborhoods through their locally significant historic, architectural, archaeological or artistic interest."

Read more:

ICYMI: The week's quirky news from around the world - December 2, 2021

ICYMI: The week's quirky news from around the world - November 25, 2021