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WTF News! It's Weird, True and Funny
Rediff.com brings for you a fresh collection of offbeat, quirky stories from around the world.
We start off this weird bit of news coming in from China.
A quarter of the population in China suffers from some sort of sleep disorder -- but all that could be about to change thanks to one furniture store.
Chinese shoppers have been catching some zzz's in IKEA, as store managers have been encouraging customers to try out the furniture and have a little snooze whilst there.
The Chinese stores are designed with extra-room displays, given the tendency for customers to make a visit an all-day affair.
Sofas and beds even marked with signs inviting customers to try them out.
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Belgium soccer fan bags lucrative L'Oreal deal
This stunning teen, who caught the world's attention at the World Cup while cheering for Belgium, has ended up securing a L'Oreal modeling deal.
17-year-old Axelle Despiegelaere was just planning on cheering for the Belgian team at the World Cup, a once-in-a-lifetime experience in itself.
At the Belgium vs Russia game on June 22, photographers captured her smiling face and within hours, her photo was circulating around the world.
Four days after her photos went viral, she set up her own Facebook page, which now has 17,000 (and counting) fans. On Tuesday, Despiegelaere announced she has signed a contract with L'Oreal.
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Coffee house serves thirsty customers drinks in blood bags
A vampire-themed restaurant is offering their customers drinks in blood bags.
Twilight fans will no doubt rejoice at the news that they can get their serving with an Edward Cullen twist at the coffee house in Benxi city in northeast China’s Liaoning province.
On offer are some popular red drinks such as wine, cherry cola and blackcurrent juice which will all come served in the blood bags to give the illusion that you're getting your latest fix.
But have no fear, if it's coffee, fruit juice or mineral water you're after then all these liquids can be stained red before being served up.
Food is also on offer, often with a generous portion of ketchup to satisfy the theme.
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Paper bag speed-dating
Another week, another bizarre dating trend.
The latest activity for singles in London is possible the quirkiest yet.
It involves participants placing a paper bag over their head, and has been dubbed, 'The thinking person's Tinder,' because decisions are fast but based on personality (and body) alone.
The event has just debuted at the British Science Museum and, according to organisers, it's bags of fun.
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This woman is nuts about Harry Potter memorabilia
A young Harry Potter aficionado believes she's the wizard's biggest fan thanks to her vast collection of memorabilia worth a staggering £40,000.
Katie Aiani, from Simi Valley, in California, USA, has dedicated the last 16 years of her life to the wizardly world of Harry Potter.
The 26-year-old, who works as a graphic designer, first became obsessed with the J K Rowling books after her sister recommended them to her when she was just 11.
And she has been hooked ever since -- spending thousands of pounds on trips to film premieres and theme parks, and has rooms piled high with magical memorabilia.
The self-proclaimed 'world's biggest fan' boasts an impressive collection, which includes wands, broomsticks, her very own set of Gryffindor robes and character figurines.
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Pilot orders pizza for delayed passengers
Storms earlier this week in Denver, US saw dozens of services disrupted, including Frontier Airlines Flight 719 from Washington DC’s Reagan National Airport.
The aircraft was approaching Denver, Colorado, but severe weather prevented it from landing, and then low fuel saw it diverted to Cheyenne, Wyoming, where it was forced to wait for several hours.
Captain Gerhard Bradner took pity on his passengers, however, and reportedly ordered dozens of pizzas on his personal account, which were delivered to the 160 passengers waiting on board the Airbus A320.
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US woman eats only pet food for 30 days
Dorothy Hunter has her heart set on completing the 30-day challenge of animal chow.
The crazy idea began on June 19 when Hunter, from Washington, spent her first day getting stuck into the “tasty” treats, all sold by her own store.
She said: “I decided to eat this food for a month just to prove how good it tastes, as well as showcase its nutrition. I know people think this is crazy, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to read labels and see what’s in the food you eat -- whether it's pet food or human food.”
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Campaign to make potato salad raises more than $50000
It started with a modest goal for a Columbus, Ohio, man -- to raise $10 in a month to make a batch of potato salad.
In less than a week, Zack (Danger) Brown has raised $53,519 -- and counting -- on the crowdfunding site Kickstarter, meaning he could fill his home with the starchy, high-carb side dish, if he so desired.
Perhaps the reason for his massive success is because his idea is fun and inoffensive.
“It’s a way for people to unite online,” Brown told the local Columbus Dispatch. “It’s not controversial. It’s not snarky. It’s not mean. I think that everybody is having a really good time with it.”
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Swedish man's 63-word name may be world's longest
A 25-year-old man in Sweden whose first name contains 63 words may have the world's longest name.
The young man's name is Kim-Jong Sexy Glorious Beast Divine Dick Father Lovely Iron Man Even Unique Poh Un Winn Charlie Ghora Khaos Mehan Hansa Kimmy Humbero Uno Master Over Dance Shake Bouti Bepop Rocksteady Shredder Kung Ulf Road House Gilgamesh Flap Guy Theo A*** H*** Im Yoda Funky Boy Slam Duck Chuck Jorma Jukka Pekka Ryan Super Air Ooy Rusell Salvador Alfons Molgan Akta Papa Long Nameh Ek.
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Justin Bieber's bangs could save teens' skin
He's bloodied eardrums, annoyed his neighbours and drag-raced through Beverly Hills, but now Justin Bieber is saving lives.
The bad boy "Boyfriend" crooner's deep bangs may actually prevent skin cancer, doctors at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Division of Pediatric Dermatology revealed in a just-published research paper.
Teens who sported the hairstyle known as "The Biebs" had paler skin and fewer freckles on their foreheads than teens who did not, Drs Bernard Cohen and Crystal Agi found in the hair-raising study, which examined dozens of their patients.
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This boy is the coolest in town
This little lad is the coolest boy in town in more ways than one after his dad made him a pair of watermelon underpants.
Ruifeng Fan, 33, from Taipei in Taiwan fashioned the pants to help five-year-old son Hao beat the summer heat.
The tot was always complaining about being too hot but the family had no swimming pool for him to cool down in.
Ruifeng said: "I gave him a watermelon to eat, which is usually the best way to cool down, and after cutting out the inside I suddenly thought that actually the watermelon itself could probably be used to make a really cool pair of underpants.
"So I cut out two holes for his legs and fitted it with a makeshift pair of braces, and he instantly had the coolest underpants in town.”
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Sherlock Holmes sent to 'encourage change' in North Korea
The British government has sent a special envoy to North Korea: Sherlock Holmes.
An episode of the wildly-popular BBC series, starring Benedict Cumberbatch as the detective and Martin Freeman as his sidekick, Watson, has been screened in Pyongyang in a bid to "encourage change" in North Korea.
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This cat is 'purr'manently sad!
With downcast eyes and an upside-down smile, there's a new feline in town to rival Grumpy Cat.
The mournful kitten, whose photographs appeared on Imgur this weekend, is owned by Ashley Herring and currently has no name.
Due to its woeful expression, the female kitten has earned the temporary nickname Purrmanently Sad Cat or PSC for short.
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