An Indonesian maid posed in her underwear for pictures that she hoped her female employer would put in the Indonesian version of Playboy. However, after complaining that she received no payment the woman was informed that it had been a hoax. "It was a joke by the employer, but the maid took it seriously," said M. Ganesha, head of a complaints bureau run by the Malaysian Indian Youth Council, to which the maid turned for help in getting payment.

A 25-year-old man convicted of stealing hundreds of pairs of underwear is sentenced to one year in jail. Scholfield is accused of stealing three pair of thong underwear from a woman last summer. He allegedly broke into the woman's home while she was out of town and stole what the woman described as "very distinctive-looking" underwear. Scholfield was arrested a short time later after police found the underwear at his residence.

A school in Sweden won't allow book borrowing to pupils who enter the library with their underwear showing. Students at Tullbro School in Falkenberg don't have to don a uniform yet librarians are putting their foot down when it comes to some teenage fashions.

Peruvian candidates for Congress are taking extreme measures to gain votes, including stripping naked and staging hunger strikes. Reuters reports that a record 2,500 people are competing for 120 seats in the April 9 election.

Girdles have long been a staple for women who want to flatten their stomachs and hips. Now, it seems men in Japan have discovered this handy device and they can't get enough of them. Reuters reports a new line of male girdles was released on a trial basis in Japan last month. Stores quickly sold out of them.