WEIRD STUFF

Ham-azing pig has 1.1 million Instagram followers

A California pig has officially hogged the spotlight after trotting his way into the record books.

Merlin the Pig, a four-year-old porcine influencer, has earned a Guinness World Records title for having the most Instagram followers for a pig: 1.1 million.

Guinness confirmed Merlin's milestone after counting his fan base as of February 23, crowning him the undisputed king of swine-fluencer culture. The curly-tailed celebrity lives in California with owner Mina Alali, who adopted him in March 2022 and began training him when he was just three months old.

Merlin isn't just cute -- he's clever.

Guinness said: "Now, at four years old, Merlin has over 30 buttons in the house that he uses regularly, sparking conversation online about just how intelligent, emotional and human-like pigs can be when given the time, patience and positive reinforcement."

Fans tune in daily to watch Merlin 'chat', demand snacks, request cuddles, and generally live his best pig life. His button-pressing antics have sparked debates about animal intelligence.

Merlin's rise from rescue piglet to global superstar has been nothing short of ham-azing, and with more than a million followers hanging on his every oink, it's clear he's not slowing down. In fact, he may be the only influencer who can say he's bringing home the bacon without ever leaving the house.

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Syrup spill shuts down highway

A stretch of California highway turned into a giant breakfast-topping disaster after a truck overturned and unleashed a sticky tsunami of syrup across the 10 Freeway -- leaving crews in a real jam for nearly nine hours.

The California Highway Patrol said the truck flipped in the westbound lanes in Fontana on Monday, spilling hundreds of gallons of syrup straight onto the tarmac.

Drivers expecting the usual rush-hour grind instead found themselves stuck in a scene that looked more like a runaway pancake commercial.

Clean-up teams quickly realised this wasn't going to be a quick wipe-down. Caltrans first tried using absorbent material, but the syrup proved far too clingy, turning the road into something resembling a giant toffee apple. With the situation getting stickier by the minute, a water truck was called in to hose the freeway back to its non-glazed state.

The westbound lanes stayed shut for almost nine hours while crews battled the sugary spill, finally reopening around 8 p.m. -- long after the syrup had lost its shine.

No injuries were reported.

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Brits stuck in boring daily routines

Brits are officially stuck in a rut, with new research revealing just how predictable the nation has become.

A study commissioned by Dr Pepper for the launch of its new Cream Swirl flavour shows millions are living life on autopilot -- from drinking tea out of the same mug every day to looping the same playlist without fail.

A third of people refuse to switch mugs, 29 per cent listen to the same songs, and four in ten head to the same supermarket every week.

Many buy the same brands, cook the same meals, and even eat the same lunch on repeat. And it doesn't stop there. More than a quarter stick to familiar restaurants, 22 per cent take the same route to work, and 21 per cent even have a favourite gas ring on the cooker.

Home life isn't much more adventurous. Nearly half of Brits have a dedicated spot on the sofa, 34 per cent rewatch the same shows, and 25 per cent order the same takeaway. For almost one in five, every weekend looks exactly the same.