Odd News Briefs: From Seniors Breakdancing to AI on UK Ballot

This odd news roundup features a diverse range of stories, from a 74-year-old Japanese breakdancer inspired by the Olympics, to giant cat sculptures at Dior's show, and even AI candidates in UK elections. Other quirky tales include soccer-themed prophecies and antiquities returning to Mexico.

Following is a summary of current odd news briefs.

Inspired by Olympics debut, Japan's seniors blaze breakdancing trail

A 74-year-old surfer and master of classical Japanese dance may seem an unlikely member of a seniors' breakdancing group, but Saruwaka Kiyoshie said getting her feet wet in the sport was a no-brainer after it was confirmed for the 2024 Paris Games. As a restless teenager, Saruwaka fell in love with surfing and had wondered why it wasn't an Olympic sport, until it finally got its place at Tokyo 2020.

Giant cats stalk the catwalk at the Dior men's show

Dior men's artistic director Kim Jones showed his summer 2025 collection for the LVMH-owned label on a Paris runway decorated with giant cat sculptures on Friday. "These are the cats that spoke to me the most - they meowed to me," said Jones, describing the quirky ceramic animals created by South African artist Hylton Nel.

Soccer-French are spared sight of Zidane door dent ahead of Dutch showdown

France take on the Netherlands on Friday at Leipzig Stadium, a place where Zinedine Zidane famously left his mark in 2006 - although the French team have been spared a glimpse of the dented dressing-room door in question. Most football fans will remember the 2006 World Cup for French captain Zidane headbutting Italy's Marco Materazzi in the chest and being sent off in the final, which Italy went on to win on penalties.

Soccer-Trains, petri dishes and a struggling sea lion join football's dubious oracles

Spare a thought for Hilla the 'oracle' sea lion from Leipzig Zoo, whose reputation for football prophesy is hanging by a thread after she predicted Scotland would hold Germany to an unlikely draw at Euro 2024. Had she not watched the two sides? Did she know nothing of football history and Scotland's repeated failures at major tournaments? Seemingly not and the 5-1 thrashing dealt out to Steve Clarke's side by the hosts has called Hilla's soothsaying credentials into question.

No hallucination: AI candidate on the ballot for UK election

When voters go to the polls in one English town next month they will get the chance to elect what is being billed as the world's first AI lawmaker. Businessman Steve Endacott is among hundreds of candidates standing to become a member of parliament at Britain's July 4 national election - except unlike the others, the face on his campaign leaflet is not the 59-year-old, but an AI generated avatar.

North Korea's Kim gives pair of dogs to Putin

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un gave Russian President Vladimir Putin a pair of Pungsan dogs, a local breed, state media KCNA reported on Thursday. Kim and Putin were seen looking at the dogs, who were tied to a rose-covered fence, during a segment aired on the state-controlled Korean Central Television on Thursday.

Soccer-Lost phone returned with smiling surprise as Scotland-Germany love-in blossoms

When you lose your phone abroad you hardly expect to get it back, let alone with a smiling selfie on it from the good-natured rival supporters who handed it in to the police. But that's exactly what happened to a Scotland fan in Germany who was reunited with his lost phone and discovered a pleasant surprise in the camera roll, the latest entreaty in a blossoming love-in between the two countries.

Antiquities returning to Mexico include Mayan vase sold for $4 in US store

The Mexican government will welcome back 20 cultural artifacts that date to the country's storied ancient past, all found in the United States including a Mayan vase over 1,000 years old and purchased for about $4 at a Washington area thrift shop. Mexico's antiquities institute INAH announced the repatriation, which also include centuries-old plates, bowls as well as sculpted figures belonging to the Aztec, Totonac and Teotihuacan cultures, in a statement on Thursday.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)