ABRACADABRA

‘Rent-a-Boyfriend’ service 

Beijing : An online Chinese sales firm has started a bizarre ‘Rent a Boyfriend’ service for single women wanting to stave off embarrassing queries about marriage and male companion from their families.

The firm, Taobao.com, China’s largest online marketplace, is hoping to cash in on plight of millions of single women during the next month’s Chinese New Year, which is traditionally a family reunion period. The online service is offering single women a ‘Rent a Boyfriend service to accompany them during their visit friends and families, go shopping, having meals and even getting a kiss out of courtesy.

All this for a charge, calculated on hourly basis. According to media reports China has about 180 million singles in the country.

Almost all Chinese travel to their native places during the New Year to celebrate with their parents, near and dear. But many single working women regard as the most dreadful time as they have to face the same old question at the family dinner table: Have you got a boyfriend? And for those who haven’t found their Mr Right, renting a boyfriend emerges as a solution.

“I offer such a service only because I’m bored and know fewer female friends at work,” Ding Hui, 27, a salesman in the plastic industry in Shanghai, told official China Daily. He leased himself twice last year during Spring Festival and National Day. His customers were two 28-year-old women. He charged 3,000 yuan each (USD 500) and the customer had to cover his round-trip tickets, accommodations and bought him clothes to make him look smart.

More than 260 rent-a-boyfriend services can be found on taobao.com, with the number climbing, the Daily said. Beijing Normal University associate professor of psychology Lin Xiuyun said it’s not a good idea to rent a boyfriend or girlfriend to meet one’s parents, who will be concerned about more questions, such as when they will get married.

“It’s better to communicate with parents, who will be hurt more if the white lie ends with a break-up between the fake couple,” Lin said.

Pakistani accused of 100 murders walks free

Islamabad: A Pakistani man accused of more than 100 counts of manslaughter in the port city of Karachi has been released after he was acquitted in many cases and got bail in the rest. Shahnawaz alias Ajmal Pahari was released from the Karachi Central Jail. He was released after he was acquitted or secured bail in all the cases registered against him. He had been detained since September 2012.

You thought only human’s can steal!ask this NZ tourist

In an unusual theft, a mischievous kea parrot robbed an unsuspecting tourist of hundreds  of dollars in New Zealand, dashing away after stealing the money from his campervan. Peter Leach, a visitor from Scotland, stopped at Arthur's Pass to take in the views along the Highway. He left the windows down as he snapped photos of the scenery, including one of an unusual bird. 

"A Canadian couple walked by and said: 'We've just seen that bird take something out of your campervan'," Leach laughed.

Man stole $145M but pays only fine

Abuja: A man who formerly helped oversee Nigeria's police pension program pleaded guilty to stealing $145 million, but walked out of court a free man after agreeing to a plea bargain that saw him pay only a fraction of it back.

The plea deal given to John Yakubu Yusufu and read out in court sparked immediate anger across Nigeria, a nation where many feel government officials pilfer pension funds and oil revenue without any fear of prosecution. 

Pilot locked out of cockpit after co-pilot falls asleep

London : A pilot of a low-cost Dutch airline was locked out of the cockpit mid-flight after his co-pilot fell asleep, an aviation report has said, prompting authorities to launch a probe into the bizarre incident.

Dutch authorities said the incident occurred on a Boeing 737 flight to Crete in September, but it was only made public after the release of the Dutch aviation safety board’s (OVV) quarterly report.

  An investigation has been launched by the low-cost Dutch airline Transavia, after one of its pilots was locked out of the cockpit mid-flight after his co-pilot fell asleep, The Telegraph reported. A survey suggested that four in 10 pilots have fallen asleep at the controls of an aircraft.

After working 86 years, 100yr old is still UK’s oldest office boy

London: A 100-year-old man has been revealed to be the oldest "office boy" in Britain after working for an astounding 86 years.

Jim Clements who retired at 66 was so bored that he took a new job with a security firm and is still there 34 years later, the Daily Mail reported.

He is entering his 86th year of employment in 2013, and says he has no intention of giving up yet. The centenarian works two days a week filing, shredding documents, answering the phone and photocopying. He is also responsible  for making tea, and is renowned for being a flirt, his colleagues say. Clements, who celebrated his 100th birthday, said he loves work and will not retire again.