lGreek men are demanding a bilateral agreement with neighbouring Bulgaria because they are short of women.

Greek private TV station Mega interviewed men from across the country to discuss official statistics that show there are only 66 unmarried Greek women per 100 single men.

Almost all the men interviewed said they were in favour of "importing" brides from Greece's northern neighbour.

They thought a bilateral agreement should be reached between the two states, Bulgaria's Novinite.com reported.

lAn convicted drug dealer in Brazil has become the unlikely object of affection for women after he placed a lonely hearts ad in a newspaper by mobile phone.

The prisoner in Novo Hamburgo jail, who still has three years to serve, said he was seeking a serious relationship.

Police in Porto Alegre say several women tried to contact the man, even turning up at the prison gates, but none were allowed in, reported Folha de Sao Paulo online in May.

Guards took away the prisoner's mobile phone and he now faces further charges for using it inside his cell.

lA lovesick Italian man stole an ambulance so he could serenade his girlfriend with its siren.

The 38-year-old man jumped into the empty ambulance after he spotted the keys in the ignition.

He drove to his girlfriend's flat in Jesi, near Ancona, switched on the siren and began singing romantic love songs.

A police spokesman said: "He wanted a memorable way to romance the girl. Unfortunately his idea didn't go down well with the neighbours or the hospital, who wanted their ambulance back immediately."

The man was subsequently arrested.

lA 94-year-old man is seeking a new beau via a dating agency - but has already ruled out marriage.

The man, surnamed Zhang from Nanguo city in China, says he doesn't want to be tied down yet.

He is looking for a good-looking woman who is financially independent and less than 60 years old.

Few responses had been received to the advert, reported the South China Morning Post in March.

lCouples worried about whether their relationship is true love need not worry - a Romanian has invented a bracelet to tell you precisely that.

Pravda reported last year that the device had proved hot among dating agencies and businessmen.

The bracelet measures the pulse rate of a person, which can then be interpreted to show if feelings are sincere.

The inventor says the data reveals the feelings of men more accurately than women, who are more sensitive.

lA British businesswoman offered her hand in marriage through the Internet - but only if her would-be husband paid 250,000 pounds.

Kay Hammond, from Birmingham, received two offers from cyber-lovers and there were 38,000 hits on website QXL, which hosted the auction.

But the bids were later discovered to be hoaxes, leaving Ms Hammond unlucky in love once more.

"I was very disappointed when I found out that the bids were not genuine - I would have been happy to marry anyone who came up with the cash," the 24-year-old said in February last year.

"I am still looking for that special someone. But I am very busy at work at the moment. Now I am not sure I would have had time for a husband anyway ."