News of the weird

Safe sex: Nilo Silvi, 83, has been signed up to play a part in a pornographic film after he was spotted by a talent scout at a disco in Rome. He agreed once he had discovered that he would not have to pay for the privilege. When asked by an Italian newspaper whether he was worried about Aids, he said: "I'm old but I'm not stupid. They've told me they are all young, healthy girls. Anyway Aids takes 10 years to develop. I'll die first."

Lookalike: Lyuben Kovachev, a Bulgarian businessman, has been invited by the Iraqi embassy in Sofia on an all-expenses-paid trip to Baghdad this month. Mr Kovachev, who is said to bear a striking resemblance to Saddam Hussein, runs a sugar and soft-drink trading company called Saddam- 90. Earlier this month he volunteered to join the Iraqi army to fight against American strikes.

Bum deal: The Brazilian financial daily Gazeta Mercantil has confirmed that Carla Perez, a popular samba dancer, has ceased paying premiums on a $2m policy on her buttocks.