Weird news

Alien ambassador

A Malaysian astrophysicist is to be appointed ambassador to extraterrestrials.

The United Nations (UN) is reportedly planning to make Mazlan Othman - the current head of the organisation's Office for Outer Space Affairs (Unoosa) - the official first point of contact for aliens visiting from other planets.

Mazlan is scheduled to describe her potential new role next week at a scientific conference at the Royal Society's Kavli conference centre in Buckinghamshire.

Recently, Mazlan gave a talk to other scientists, saying: "The continued search for extraterrestrial communication sustains the hope that, some day, humankind will receive signals from extraterrestrials.

"When we do, we should have in place a coordinated response that takes into account all the sensitivities related to the subject. The UN is a ready-made mechanism for such coordination."

Scorpion addict

A Chinese man claims he is addicted to eating live scorpions.

Li Liuqun - who eats 20 to 30 of the creatures a day - says he has consumed more than 10,000 in the last 30 years after tasting his first when he was stung while walking in mountains close to his home in Hunan province.

He explained: "I was so angry, I picked it up and bit its head off. It tasted sweet and nutty and I never looked back. To me, they're delicious - like fried beans."

Li, 58, seems to have become immune to the scorpion's venom, which can paralyse and kill humans in large doses.

He added: "I still get stung but they have no effect on me."

Clean fines

Families in Blakenall, West Midlands, could be penalised up to £1,000 for 'contaminating' their garden waste bins, which should only be used for the disposal of grass cuttings, tree and shrub prunings, old plants and flowers, hedge clippings, weeds and leaves from residents' own gardens.

Council leader Mike Bird called for a common-sense approach to applying the guidelines after an elderly woman complained about the "crazy" policy.

He said: "We are trying to encourage more pride in the community and this is the perfect example of a lady doing that and she should be praised."

Another councillor, Pete Smith, added: "It's still good to know some residents still take the trouble to keep the public footpath outside their own home clean. They should be encouraged, not discouraged."

Speedy stilettos

Four Australian women have broken the world record for the fastest relay race - in high heels.

The quartet - known as the Pinkettes - completed a 263-foot course in Sydney in around one minute and four seconds and were presented with an official certificate for their efforts.

The team, Brittney McGlone, Laura Juliff, Casey Hodges and Jessica Penny, plan to use their $10,000 prize money for a trip to Thailand.

A cheque for $20,000 was presented to charity breast-cancer care on the day of the event, which saw around 100 women and one man don three-inch heels to tackle the course.