Gaming guru: Most people play video games for fun, but a Japanese gamer plays them for money. A lover of video games, Moru-chan would, no doubt, play them for no compensation, but he could not resist an offer from a game manufacturer to play its game and provide online reports of his adventures. The company is paying Moru-chan ¥1 million ($10,000 US) for a three-month stint, but the catch is that he has to work 12 hours a day role-playing a character in a fantasy world and blogging about it. He must live in a one-room apartment and play the game all night. Luckily, he has a supportive wife.

Dancing attendants: The waiting area of the Shanghai Pudong International Airport in China became a dance floor when sixty-six flight attendants put on an eye-catching performance. Both male and female attendants, all dressed in their uniforms, synchronized their movements in a dance that combined hop-hop dance steps with martial arts moves, all to a popular pop tune. It was quite a spectacular sight for the hundreds of travelers who paused to take in the show. The flight attendants had been coached by Xiong Siyang, a dance organizer.

Thieving cats: Folks who live in Braintree, Essex in England have to keep their eyes open for two thieves. The strange thing is that the thieves are not human, they’re feline. The two black-and-white cats, named Eric and Ernie, belong to Margaret and Eddie Boddy, who adopted them a few years ago. The trouble began soon after the adoption when the cats brought home a badminton birdie. Since then, stolen items such as shoes, shirts and slippers have appeared at the Boddy’s door. The neighborhood has been alerted and people can stop by anytime to claim their missing items.

Old master: Father Jamie McLeod got the surprise of his life when he brought a painting to the British television program, “Antiques Roadshow” to be appraised. Father McLeod’s painting was found to be an original by the 17th century Flemish artist, Sir Anthony van Dyck, who was one of the great masters of his day. The painting was originally purchased in an antique store for £400 ($660 US), but was found to be worth £400,000 ($560,000 US). Father McLeod intends to sell the painting to raise money for his church.