World Briefs

A worried Iranian airline pilot asked passengers to start praying after his plane was hit by a technical glitch yesterday, highlighting once again the notorious record of Tehran's aircraft.

The Aseman Airlines Boeing plane had taken off from Tehran airport after a six-hour delay, but had to return following a technical fault.

"The plane took off at 0015 in the morning and had to land back in Tehran after 45 minutes," a passenger said, adding, "The pilot told the passengers 'the plane is facing a technical problem and has to return. So please pray.'"

Iran has been under years of international sanctions hampering its ability to buy modern planes from major manufacturers, such as Boeing and Airbus, or spare parts, and has suffered a number of air disasters over the past decade. Its civil and military fleet is made up of ancient aircraft in very poor condition due to their age, and lack of maintenance. (AFP)

Vacancy: temple woman needed

A 12th century tradition at one of India's most famous temples is dying out because the only woman left to perform the rituals is bedridden.

The Devdasi tradition is exclus-ively for women and girls and the sole category at the 800-year-old Jagannath temple in the Indian town of Puri in Orissa where women are allowed to serve the deity in rituals.

Devadasis play the role of the deity's mother during the celebra-tion of his birth,. There were dozens of Devadasis eight decades ago, but only one remains now and she is bedridden.

Sashimani Mahari, 85, has been involved in rituals since she began performing dance at the temple at the age of eight, but is now unable to move her legs. The temple administration tried to enrol more girls for the role to keep the tradition alive, but there were no volunteers.

"No one has offered to become a Devadasi," Ms Mahari, who believes she is married to the deity, said. "No girl should be forced to become a Devadsi as it is against the wishes of the Lord." Ms Mahari receives a pension of under £4 (€4.45) per month from the Sri Jagannath Temple Admin istration. (PA)

Bathroom patrols ahead of Euro 2012

Patrols are boldly entering toilets across Poland to check whether the country is loo-ready for the 2012 EURO soccer championships.

Lots of loos pass the test but others - particularly those that date back to pre-1989 Communist days - are less enticing.

The Toaleta2012.pl project, organised by a company manufacturing toilet equipment, aims to encourage ordinary Poles to join the patrols. The project is looking ahead to 2012 when thousands of fans will come to Poland and Ukraine for the European Soccer Championships.

So far the patrols have visited 200 toilets in Poland's six major cities and have conducted surveys, which showed hotels and airports provide good quality toilets, while railway and bus stations lag behind.

The Dziennik Gazeta Prawna newspaper commented drily that the country's toilets were better prepared for the championship than its soccer players - who failed to qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. (Reuters)

'Legislators should wed single mothers'

Malaysian legislators in the poor conservative Muslim state of Kelantan should marry single mothers to help care for their children, a state representative suggested. The state's family and health committee chairman Wan Ubaidah Omar said that legislators should be awarded prizes for increasing their "quota" of wives.

"What I mean by quota is adding to the number of wives," Wan Ubaidah, a female legislator said, according to yesterday's Star newspaper. (Reuters)

Centenarian weds 17-year-old

A man claiming to be 112 married a 17-year-old at a ceremony in Somalia, his sixth wedding in total.

"My wife is ten times younger than me but we love each other so much and I believe that I can give her the kind of love that not any young man can offer," Ahmed Mohamed Dhore said.

"Married life is about love and passion rather than age and beauty," said the centenarian.

Mr Dhore said, "I'm 112 and can live the life of a youngster... The idea to get married again came from my children and grand-children," he said, explaining that his only other surviving wife was 90 and ailing. (AFP)

'Russian road roulette'

Bulgarian prosecutors are investigating a new gambling game in which drivers defy death by speeding through red lights for bets of up to €5,000. Known as 'Russian road roulette', the driver must jump red lights at busy intersections at high speed and not crash into any other cars or pedestrians. Onlookers also gamble on the result.

Prosecutors launched their investigation after media reported the new game had been held at night at busy crossroads in Sofia since the summer. In June, two people died after a motorcyclist crashed into an onlooker at a similar rally on Sofia's ring road.

Local media report that participants in the 'Russian road roulette' are informed via text messages of the venue for that particular night - depending on the presence of police. (Reuters)