World Briefs

Fuelled by leftover chocolate and with components made from carrots, potato starch and flax, the world's first sustainable Formula 3 racing car has a top speed of 135 miles per hour and can go from zero to 60 in 2.5 seconds.

Sound nuts? Not yet - brake pads made from cashews are still under development.

Meet Lola, the University of Warwick's blend of muscle and eco-friendliness and the world's first racing car retrofitted with renewable and sustainable materials. Researchers from the university showed off their prize possession at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) energy conference in Boston. Many of the car's components would more usually be found at a farmer's market - or in a rubbish bin, since most of the materials are actually industrial waste. The 2.0-litre BMW engine has been converted to diesel from gasoline and configured to run on fuel derived from waste from chocolate factories or other plant-based oils.

Among Lola's other unique features is a radiator that converts ozone back to oxygen.

The WorldFirst Formula 3 racing car took the university more than nine months to develop and cost around $200,000 (€147,200). (Reuters)

Dirty protest

A man was arrested after hurling cow dung in protest at the home of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The incident came ahead of planned protests by supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Police said the protester was sentenced to 10 days in prison. (PA)

Head shot

The head of a school in Montana was showing students his antique black powder muzzle-loader gun when he accidentally fired it into a classroom wall.

Dwain Haggard, who used take part in Civil War re-enactments, took the gun as part of a history lesson.

He said no one was hurt and described the incident as "bitter irony" because he had recently begun a school safety campaign. (PA)

Dream wedding

A couple are looking forward to their dream wedding after saving £1,600 for their big day by quitting their 70-a-day smoking habit.

Maggie Loftus, 49, and Malcolm Page, 55, are getting married next month after kicking the habit which saw them get through 25,000 cigarettes - or £5,000 - a year.

As the rest of the country prepares for national No Smoking Day, the newly-quit couple, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, put their success down to their love for each other. (PA)

Sex website to go on auction block

Sex.com, often touted as one of the most valuable internet domain names, is due to head to the auction block next week.

DOM Partners LLC, a New Jersey lender that backed a 2006 purchase of the domain name for a reported $14 million (€10.3 million), is foreclosing on the internet property, and is due to auction it on March 18 at New York law firm Windels Marx Lane & Mittendorf LLP, according to legal notices.

Bidding for the internet property, the tumultuous past of which includes several lawsuits and two books, is due to start at $1 million.

The auctions of simple domain names are seen as rare opportunities for internet entrepreneurs. An auction for the www.pizza.com domain name in 2008 attracted bids above $2.5 million. (Reuters)

Contraceptive pill

A pharmaceuticals company has launched an investigation after a woman was refused the contraceptive pill because it was against the pharmacist's religion to give it to her.

Janine Deeley was turned away by the female chemist at Lloyds pharmacy in Duke Street, Sheffield, when she went to pick up her routine prescription of the medication.

The mother-of-two was taken into a private room by the employee and told she would not be given the tablets on religious grounds but she could come back the next day when a different pharmacist was working and pick them up.

Ms Deeley, 38, of Wybourn, said she was furious. (PA)