News of the Weird: Week of July 16, 2026

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In the Heights

A pair of Russian climbers have been charged with burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal tampering, criminal trespass and disorderly conduct after climbing to the very top of the Empire State Building spire, some 1,454 feet (443 meters) above the ground. Reuters reported that around 12:30 p.m. on July 1, daredevils Angela Nikolau, 33, and Vanya Beerkus (also known as Ivan Kuznetsov), 32, raised a black banner with white lettering that read, "When the power of love beats the love of power the world knows peace." Their daring feat concluded with Beerkus appearing to propose to Nikolau and the couple embracing. NYPD closed the streets below the building, and the couple was taken into custody. The building has an observation deck on the 102nd floor, and official policy is that visitors are not allowed to go higher than that. How the pair gained access beyond that remains a mystery. An Empire State Building spokesperson called it an "unauthorized incident." Meanwhile, Nikolau's father, an acrobat himself, had a more relaxed take on the climb. "I think it is normal to climb up a roof in any country, including the United States, according to any constitution," he said. "Why should I be worried? I climb up roofs myself." [Reuters, 7/1/26] 

Spooky

A company in China is ready to take the next step in robotics: humanoid robots powered by A.I. On July 2, Oddity Central reported that UBTECH plans to mass-produce the robots, complete with synthetic skin and humanlike facial expressions. The machines are about 5 feet, 6 inches to 6 feet tall, but weigh half as much as the average human adult. The company says it has received 10,000 orders and that each robot retails for up to $145,000, depending on its features. The humanoids will be delivered in September and are "designed to support a wide range of consumer and commercial applications, including daily companionship, emotional support, lifestyle enhancement, and social assistance, as well as reception and hospitality services, elder care, psychological support, tourism and exhibitions, research and education, and premium domestic service applications," a UBTECH press release said. [Oddity Central, 7/2/26] 

News You Can Use

Two teens in San Mateo were detained by police after their Waymo vehicle reported their unruly behavior, KLTV reported on July 8. The robotaxis are equipped with interior cameras that allow Waymo personnel to observe passengers. A Waymo representative contacted police when they saw a live feed of the 15-year-olds drinking and firing a gun that shot Orbeez gel pellets. "We got a call from a Waymo rep saying there were two people in their vehicle, and they saw them shooting out of the vehicle," Jeanine Luna of the San Mateo Police Department said. "And then they also described the passengers maybe being intoxicated as well." A Waymo rep told the passengers that the car was having trouble and disabled the vehicle until police arrived. The teens cooperated with law enforcement, and no one was hurt. They await charges from the district attorney. [KLTV, 7/8/26] 

Silly Criminals 

-- On July 2, Jalen Godard, 29, of Odenton, Maryland, robbed a Verizon store ... and then promptly called police to report his vehicle stolen. The two robberies were called in separately but within minutes of each other. When officers arrived, they observed blood on Godard's glasses, hands and shirt, as well as blood on the store's window, and put two and two together. "That's some karma right there, dude," one officer said in the body cam footage. Godard denied being at the store, but the stores cameras show him robbing it. No word yet on a suspect in the vehicle theft. [Fox 5, 7/2/26] 

-- A South Korean bank manager stole an unspecified but large amount of money from his bank's vault by replacing the stolen cash with play money printed with cartoon animals, Oddity Central reported on July 2. As manager, the man ensured he was the only one depositing bills in the vault, pocketing the real money for himself and replacing it with the cartoon copies. A bank employee eventually reported his odd behavior to the credit union, and the matter was handled internally. The man returned all the money and was fired from the bank, and the theft was never reported to the authorities. [Oddity Central, 7/2/26] 

Nature Gone Wild

-- You've probably heard of iguanas falling out of trees when it gets cold in Florida, but how about bats stuck on the ground when it's too hot in Kansas? According to a July 2 report from KCWH, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment says that hot spells stress bats, and they fall, unable to take flight in the intense heat. Experts say not to try picking up the bats without protective gear. "They will try to bite you if you pick them up," Blake Nash, an animal control technician, said. "They're just going to be scared and try to defend themselves." He also says to be wary of bats that appear dead. "Even if they're alive, they can sit there and almost seem like they're dead, so they may not make any sounds or move until you touch them," he said. If the bat must be moved, he advises wearing thick, protective gloves and using a bucket or blanket to cover the nocturnal creatures. [KWCH, 7/2/26] 

-- A different kind of Tasmanian devil is wreaking havoc on the island. Neil, a 2,200-pound elephant seal, has visited Tasmania every year for the last five years, causing destruction to personal property and even stopping traffic in southern towns, UPI reported on July 2. "At the moment, we don't have a complete understanding of the damage Neil has caused to public infrastructure, but he has obviously knocked over a number of poles and bollards," one mayor, Brendan Blomeley, said. "He's broken fences, he's harassing people's cars -- that's just a function of his size," seal expert Jane Younger added. Neil has become a bit of a local celebrity, but officials urge the public to give the seal his space. "I understand that until he completes his molting process, he'll continue to scratch up against things to help shed his old fur," Blomeley said. "Until then, I encourage everyone to please give Neil the space he needs and not to attempt to visit him. While he is of great interest, he is also potentially dangerous and does pose a risk to the community." [UPI, 7/2/26] 

-- Customers and employees at a shopping mall at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, were surprised when a black bear triggered the automatic doors and wandered in, stole a peach and defecated on the floor before leaving, KTUU reported on July 7. "My coworker, who is cutting hair in front of me, she yelled, 'Bear!' And I looked up from my phone, and the bear was walking into the barber shop right in front of me," barber Kory Godbout said. "And we all ran into the break room and shut the door behind us." Conservation Law Enforcement officers were able to herd the bear into the woods, away from the mall. [KTUU, 7/7/26] 

-- Shanghai Daily posted hallway security camera footage of a July 4 incident in Tibet in which a brown bear broke into a locked hotel room that had two guests inside. The guests reported that the bear engaged in a staring contest with them before walking away, and the hotel owner was able to chase it out of the building using a flashlight and other tools. [UPI, 7/6/26] 

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