The real Iron Man!

Zhang, identified only by his first name, claims that the iron shoe has not only strengthened his muscles and leg bones, but has also improved his blood circulation

A 42-year-old man from Yulin City, in China has been training in the art of "iron shoes" for the last five months. Inspired by several news reports that state the benefits of people walking with heavy weights attached to their feet, Zhang, identified only by his first name, decided to try it for himself. He began by attaching one steel plate, weighing around 18.75 kg to each of his feet and trying to take a few steps with it. Today, he can walk around with four of these heavy plates attached to each foot, and they together weigh 150 kg.

Before starting his iron shoe training, Zhang fastens the iron blocks to his feet using thick belts. When he walks he also does tai chi, for a more complete workout. Despite quadrupling the weight on each foot, he is still able to lift his feet 2 cm off the ground, and advance up to 20 cm with each step. He claims that the iron shoe has not only strengthened his muscles and leg bones, but has also improved his blood circulation, keeping his joints healthy. However, experts claim that this sort of exercise has its risks. Deputy Chief Physician of Yulin Integrated Orthopedic Hospital, Liang Zhou cautions that since everyone's bone make-up is different, walking with heavy iron shoes could cause serious injuries.

150 kg
Weight of steel blocks attached to his feet

Flying free

From swans, to owls, to dolphins, there doesn't seem to be anything that German artist Gesine Marwedel can't morph her models into, using body paint.

She is a talented body-painting artist who has the power to transform the naked bodies of her models into mind-bending optical illusions. Pics/@gesine_marwedel, Instagram

Anti-Nazi jam, anyone?

Bonne Maman, a popular French preserves company available in most grocery stories and online, is going viral for an unverified, but heartwarming story of Nazi resistance. The "anti-Nazi jam" story, which has gone viral on Twitter, was shared by Michael Perino, a St. John's University law professor. Perino said he was grocery shopping in northern New Jersey recently, when he encountered a woman in her 80s or 90s, struggling to reach a jar of jam. Perino helped her grab the product, and she then asked him, "Do you know why I buy this brand?" She went on to describe how she was a Holocaust survivor and "the family that owns the company hid my family in Paris."

Man steals baby camel to gift girlfriend

The Emirati police arrested a man who stole a highly valuable newborn camel, which he wanted to gift his girlfriend for her birthday. The owners of the baby camel reported the theft from their farm earlier this month. Several days later, their neighbour confessed to the crime.

Bodies floating in water alarms driver

The California Highway Patrol said a trucker who caught a glimpse of body parts floating in the water at the Arch Road on-ramp near Highway 99 in Stockton called 911 to report a dismembered body floating in the water. Troopers later discovered multiple mannequin torsos, arms and legs.

Kim, the world's most expensive sheepdog
A border collie named Kim sold for $38,893 at an auction by Farmers Marts in Dolgellau, Wales, breaking the Guinness World Record for the world's most expensive sheepdog. The auction occurred a day before the canine's first birthday.

Killing it!
A Ukrainian faked murder, so that authorities would take note of snow-filled roads

An unnamed man from the village of Grybova Rudnya, in Ukraine, phoned the national emergency number and claimed that he murdered his stepfather by stabbing him in the chest, after having a heated argument. The attacker added that he was willing to turn himself in, if the police could reach his home. He advised them to bring a snowplow if they wanted to arrest him. On reaching the reported crime scene, they realised that the caller's stepfather was still alive, with no knife wounds.

On questioning, the alleged killer confessed to reporting a fake crime. The man was simply unsatisfied with the state of the roads of the village and poor efforts to clear the snow. He now faces a fine of up to 119 hryvnias (Rs 311), for reporting a false complaint and wasting public servants' time.

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