Police chiefs in China have set up a matchmaking service for single SWAT-team officers who are too busy to meet partners.
Posters showing photos of the 54 male and female special forces officers sprung up outside a police station in the capital Beijing along with catalogues listing their likes and dislikes.
"About 5,000 people visited the police station when we launched it so it has already been a big success," said a police spokesman.
"Special officers train all the time and have very dangerous, tough duties which leave them no time to socialise.
"And unlike ordinary police they don't meet nice, regular people in the line of duty, just very dangerous criminals," they added.
A cheeky owl almost stole the show on a couple's wedding day.
The injured bird popped up into the front of an official wedding photo, and was picked out by the camera's autofocus, leaving happy couple Libby Higgins and Jim Pearn blurred.
But luckily the newlyweds didn't get in a flap when 'Sam Adams' made his appearance - and the snap has become a favourite in their wedding album..
They were all smiles to see the resident of the John J Audubon Centre bird sanctuary in Pennsylvania.
Libby, 26, said: "He was hit by a car right near the Audubon Society and the bones under his eye were severed so badly that his tear ducts no longer work.
"They need to give him artificial tears. Poor little guy. We loved the little fellow and were only too happy to have our picture taken with him - even if he turned out to be the star."
Sam Adams was being shown around accompanied by a handler after the wedding ceremony when the photo was taken.
Libby added: "You better believe that the owl tried to steal the show!"
A dog that wowed the world with his distinctly human-like smile a year ago has done it again on his second birthday.
Pictures of Riley the smiling dog at his first birthday party appeared on websites and in newspapers all over the world last year.
Owner Maureen Ravelo, 23, of San Jose, couldn't resist throwing another party for her pet this year - and again recording that famous smile.
Last year, Riley's smile appeared to be oozing satisfaction while this year he seems to be throwing his head back and laughing.
Ms Ravelo said: "Riley always makes faces like this, and that's the best part about him. He gives you a new facial expression every time that you forget he's a dog.
"Ever since he came into my family's life, we've always thought he had oddly human-like features, which have been captured on camera on more than one occasion."
In the picture Riley is about to tuck into a cupcake sprinkled with treats, surrounded by balloons and party decorations.
But one noticeable difference was the absence of the jaunty party hat he wore last year.
Ms Ravelo added: "Yep, no hat. He said big boys don't wear birthday hats. That or he bit me when I tried to put it on him.
"He's a mix of a bichon frise and poodle. His playfulness comes from the bichon part and the attitude from the poodle."
Police officers are being sent to a John Lewis department store - to learn how to be polite to the public.
The move, in Manchester, comes after a survey revealed some officers answered mobiles while talking to people or had inappropriate ring tones.
Superintendent Nadeem Butt from Greater Manchester Police came up with the idea to ask the store for help because its staff are so polite.
He said: "We all know they are fantastic at customer service - anyone who has shopped there will tell you that. I rang them up and said: 'Can we come down and have a look at what you do?'
"The main thing is that John Lewis treats customer service as a skill. You could be the best salesperson in the country but you still have to have regular training."
Officers from Supt Butt's force will receive their politeness training from the John Lewis store in Cheadle, Greater Manchester.
They will be trained to be more professional and considerate when dealing with victims of crime and witnesses.
They are being taught to spend more time listening to people, to keep victims updated on the progress of inquiries and to tell people exactly what happens after a crime is reported.
Attractive women police officers are handing out roses to drivers guilty of minor motoring offences to remind them to abide by the laws of the road.
Police in Dazhou city, on south-west China's Sichuan province, came up with the idea of asking "beautiful officers" to ask motorists to drive safely.
Female officers aged between 25 and 45 have been selected to take part in the campaign.
"The idea is to let drivers feel more eased and relaxed so they take our message on board," said a spokesman.
"We think drivers might respond better to roses from a pretty girl than to a speeding ticket."
The campaign, organised by the local public security office and the women's association, aims to hand out 100,000 roses and 100,000 pendants before the end of December.
It's the ultimate frustrating moment: you wait and wait and wait for something to happen and then, when it does, you miss it.
The news anchors on a morning show at Chicago's WGN certainly let out their (tongue-in-cheek) sadness and near-rage when a bridge that they had been training a camera on for minutes imploded the second they cut away from it. In fact, they nearly had a comic meltdown, banging their fists on the table, yelling, throwing and even eating the papers on their desks.
The screw-up, one of the anchors joked, was "a metaphor for this show: another crash and burn."
A County Durham couple have spoken of their shock after being told that their baby girl is actually a baby boy.
Five weeks after giving birth to a girl, mum Claire Robson was astonished when doctors told her 'she' was a 'he' after all.
Ms Robson, 21, and partner, Andrew O'Shaughnessy, 27, from Brandon, near Durham, were thrilled when their first baby was born at Sunderland Royal Hospital.
Born 11 weeks prematurely by caesarian section, the baby was immediately transferred to an incubator, reports the Northern Echo.
Ms Robson was told she had had a little girl who the couple named Olivia and started stocking up on pink baby cloths.
It was during a visit to the Wearside hospital that the couple were called in by a consultant and told that Olivia was, in fact, a boy.
Ms Robson said: "I just burst into tears. It's taken a bit of getting used to. From that point onwards everyone kept calling the baby a he.
"Because he was born so early he wasn't fully developed - that's why no one could tell. As he got a few weeks older it became apparent."
The couple have quickly adjusted to having a son rather than a daughter and now Olivia has a new name, Dylan.
"I love Dylan just as much. He's the same baby," said Ms Robson, who is now wondering what to do with a room filled with 'baby girl' cards sent by wellwishers.
Pub workers across the country have officially changed their names to Wayne Rooney to show their support for England's World Cup bid.
Staff working in pubs across England, which belong to the Clover Taverns chain, changed their names by deed poll.
One of the pubs taking part is The Wheatsheaf in Peterborough where 10 members of staff now answer to the name Wayne.
Landlord Steve Watson maintained his status as boss - by changing his name to that of England's manager Fabio Capello.
As well as having changed their names, the entire staff will also be wearing cut-out masks of their football hero as they serve customers.
Fabio, aka Steve, commented: "Rooney is the talisman and the one all the fans are looking to bring the trophy home, so he was the obvious choice among the staff."
Clover Taverns Managing Director Andy Wilkinson, said: "Our staff wanted to do something special for the World Cup to get our punters, and the community, excited and embroiled in the team's campaign.
"I think this is a good-spirited way to do it and will certainly get the banter flowing. And if the team come back with the World Cup hopefully both manager and player will pay homage to their efforts by popping in for a drink served by their namesake!"
But one Wayne Rooney, aka barmaid Kerry Higgins, said: "My boyfriend isn't too happy with the name change. He says he's sleeping on the couch until I get it changed back as he's a devoted Liverpool fan!"
