Odd News Roundup: Wanted: Czech hunter reports rifle-stealing deer to police; German restaurant bears out pandemic with furry customers and more

Johnson gave the reassurance to an 8 year-old child named Monti, who had written to him asking if Father Christmas would be able to deliver gifts this year. Thailand says giant drug bust wasn't Thailand's claim to have seized almost $1 billion in contraband ketamine this month was wrong and tests have so far not shown up any drugs, the justice minister said on Tuesday.

Following is a summary of current odd news briefs.

Australian girl proves a valuable fish friend in shark rescue

While the words shark and Australia typically conjure up images of attacks on swimmers and surfers, 11-year-old Billie Rea didn't think twice in rescuing a shark trapped by the low tide in a rock pool and carrying it to deeper water. "I've got a shark. Come on darling," the girl was heard answering her mother in a video shared on social media on Tuesday, as she plucked a draughtboard shark from a tidal pool on the edge of Kingston Beach, Tasmania, about 10 km (6 miles) south of the Australian island state's capital of Hobart.

Wanted: Czech hunter reports rifle-stealing deer to police

Czech police are seeking help in an unusual case after a deer turned the tables on hunters and snagged a pursuer's rifle on his antlers before running away. The deer, frightened by a dog, ran toward one of the hunting party, tore his sleeve and caught a strap of a 0.22 Hornet rifle on his antlers, police said on Tuesday.

German restaurant bears out pandemic with furry customers

The owner of a Frankfurt restaurant is staging a protest against the coronavirus lockdown in Germany by filling his tables with a hundred stuffed toy pandas, in a play on the word "pandemic". German officials are expected on Wednesday to agree to extend until Dec. 20 a "lockdown light" they imposed on Nov. 2 that means bars, restaurants and entertainment venues must stay closed, while shops and schools can remain open.

Space oddity? Monolith in Utah desert mystifies helicopter crew

They were on a mission to count sheep when they found something they had not counted on. As a Utah helicopter crew buzzed over the southeastern part of the state looking for bighorn sheep last week, sitting beneath them in the middle of the desert was a bright shiny monolith, the stuff of sci-fi sagas.

Pakistan's lonely elephant serenaded one last time at farewell party

Officials and well-wishers gathered at Islamabad Zoo on Monday for a farewell party for Pakistan's lonely elephant Kaavan before he sets off for a new life in Cambodia this week. After years of campaigning by animal rights advocates and pop star Cher to rescue him from grim conditions with no companion, Kaavan was finally set to be airlifted to an elephant sanctuary on Sunday.

UK PM Johnson:

Don't worry kids, COVID won't stop Father Christmas The COVID-19 pandemic won't stop Father Christmas delivering presents, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in a letter published on Wednesday, citing medical experts who said there was no health risk to children if rules were followed. Johnson gave the reassurance to an 8 year-old child named Monti, who had written to him asking if Father Christmas would be able to deliver gifts this year.

Thailand says:

The giant drug bust wasn't Thailand's claim to have seized almost $1 billion in contraband ketamine this month was wrong and tests have so far not shown up any drugs, the justice minister said on Tuesday. Somsak Thepsuthin said tests which turned purple in the presence of ketamine hydrochloride reacted the same to trisodium phosphate - a chemical which can be used as a food additive and cleaning agent which is all that had been found so far.

(With inputs from agencies.)