In July, several strange and unusual events drew media attention worldwide – from a woman in Malaysia catching a 3-meter crocodile while fishing, to a teacher and parent in South Korea attempting to steal exam questions and a man in the United States dying after entering an MRI room while wearing a metal necklace.
Alongside numerous political developments, countries across the globe also witnessed bizarre incidents that surprised or amused the public. Here are some of the most striking and unusual events that occurred around the world last month.
In Long Island, New York, a 61-year-old man died after entering an MRI room to assist his spouse undergoing a scan.
According to police reports, the metal chain around his neck was pulled into the MRI machine by its powerful magnetic force, causing a fatal medical emergency.
A restaurant in Shanxi Province, China, drew attention for offering an unusual afternoon tea experience.
According to online reports, customers could pay 1,078 yuan (approximately $150) to enjoy tea while interacting with lions. In addition to the lions, guests were also allowed to pet deer and alpacas.
A restaurant employee claimed they had obtained the necessary permits and compared their operations to a zoo. However, local forestry authorities stated that close contact between wild animals and humans is prohibited, and an investigation is now underway.
In Andong, South Korea, a teacher and the parent of a high school student were arrested after attempting to steal exam papers during the night.
The school’s alarm system was triggered, alerting authorities who detained both individuals. The teacher was charged with accepting bribes and unauthorized entry, while the parent was also charged with trespassing.
Officials noted that the teacher had been privately tutoring the student, which is prohibited for public school teachers in South Korea.
In the Kudat region of Malaysia, a woman was shocked to find a crocodile approximately 3 meters long and weighing around 300 kilograms (661 pounds) caught in her fishing net.
She immediately called emergency services, who arrived on the scene, captured the crocodile and transferred it to wildlife authorities.
In another unusual case, Indian police arrested Harshvardhan Jain for allegedly operating a fake embassy.
Authorities found four vehicles with counterfeit diplomatic license plates, approximately 4.5 million Indian rupees, foreign currency and a residence decorated with various national flags.
Investigators also discovered fake photographs of Jain with world leaders, forged seals from the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and other countries and evidence that he defrauded people by promising overseas jobs in exchange for money.
Jain was detained and faces charges including forgery, money laundering and the use of shell companies to issue fake documents.
The Bungaku Shinko Society, which promotes Japanese literature, announced that no suitable works were selected for the 173rd Akutagawa and Naoki Literary Awards.
This marks the first time since 1998 that these prestigious national literary prizes have gone unawarded.
Committee member Kawakami Hiromi stated that while some nominated works had merit, none met the standard required for selection. Typically, each winner receives 1 million yen (approximately $6,700).
