Saturday, December 31, 2011

Mid Day International News

Mid Day International News

99-year-old divorces wife after discovering 1940s affair

Posted:

An Italian couple are to become the world's oldest divorcees, after the 99-year-old husband found that his 96-year-old wife had an affair in the 1940s. The Italian man, identified by lawyers in the case only as Antonio C, was rifling through an old chest of drawers when he made the discovery a few days before Christmas.


Pic for representation

Notwithstanding the time that had elapsed since the betrayal, he was so upset that he immediately confronted his wife of 77 years, named as Rosa C, and demanded a divorce. Guilt-stricken, she reportedly confessed everything but was unable to persuade her husband to reconsider his decision.

She wrote the letters to her lover during a secret affair in the 1940s, according to court papers released in Rome this week. The couple are now preparing to split, despite the ties they forged over nearly eight decades -- they have five children, a dozen grandchildren and one great-grand child.

The discovery of the letters was the final straw for a marriage which had already run into difficulty - 10 years ago the husband briefly left their house in Rome and moved in with one of his sons, only to return a few weeks later.

The Italian press attributed the acrimonious split to the couple's southern blood - he is originally from Olbia in Sardinia, while his wife was born in Naples. The couple met during the 1930s when Antonio was posted as a young Carabinieri officer to Naples.

Previous record
The case appears to set a new record, at least for the age of the oldest protagonist -- the previous oldest couple to divorce were Bertie and Jessie Wood, both aged 98, from the UK. The pair ended their 36-year marriage in 2009 when they were both two years away from their 100th birthdays. They got married in Elstree, Hertfordshire, in 1972, having both ended previous marriages, before moving to Falmouth, Cornwall four years later.

98
Age of both Bertie and Jessie Wood, from UK, when they got divorced in 2009, the previous record for the oldest couple to get a divorce

'Where is democracy, democracy, democracy ji?'

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Pakistan sways to its own Kolaveri Di

Pakistan now has its own version of Kolaveri Di, the Indian song that is racing towards the 30 million YouTube mark. And it's hilarious. "Where is democracy, democracy, democracy ji," asks the Pakistani version as five men (see pic) swing to the tune that has made Indian superstar Rajinikanth's son-in-law Dhanush an internet sensation.


Grab taken from YouTube

The song has become a big hit in a country that has seen a string of military strongmen, the last of whom was Pervez Musharraf. Speculation swirled earlier this month of a coup when President Asif Ali Zardari abruptly left for Dubai over a heart ailment.

The song says: "Corruption perfect". The dancers then move around a lamp as the lyrics go "Distance la sakun sakun", a reference to the frequent power outages. Then it adds "Bill amount tight-u".

That's not all. Political money colour colour-u...ey colour black-u."

There's more. Your palace light-u, light-u, my home black-u".

The video shows politicians and says "rise, rise-u, cheat, cheat-u, our future dark-u".

In the original video, Dhanush says "Super mama ready". The Pakistani take on that says: "Super drama ready."

Dhanush also uses a Tamil word "Kaila glass" and then quickly shifts to English "Hand-u glass". The Pakistani song says "Satyanas" and then corrects saying "Only English".

It also refers to "jungle law, qarza bojh...eyes full of tears".

Close to the end, the song says "God-u I am dying now-u" as the five men lie on the road and ask "Are you happy now-u".

"This song-u for poor-u public-u" says the group and signs off.


TV star 'offensive to Indians' in X'mas special

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Presenter Jeremy Clarkson has been accused of offensive behaviour once again after mocking Indian culture, food and history in a Top Gear special

Jeremy Clarkson has been accused of offensive behaviour once again after mocking Indian culture in a Top Gear Christmas special. Viewers have complained to the BBC after the outspoken presenter made a series of controversial remarks about the country's clothing, trains, food and history.


Potty humour: (inset)Jeremy Clarkson drove round slums in this
Jaguar fitted with a toilet, which he said was 'perfect for India'

At one point, Clarkson appeared to make light of the lack of sanitation for poor residents by driving around slums in a Jaguar fitted with a toilet. A spokesman for the BBC said they had received 23 complaints about the programme, which was broadcast this week.

She added, "If viewers or religious groups want to complain, they can complain to the BBC. We won't be responding through the media." Many viewers took to social networks and Internet message boards to voice their objections about the show, in which the Top Gear team set out to boost British trade links with the subcontinent.

Owen Hathway tweeted, "Whats wrong with the BBC that they think casual racist stereotyping is acceptable on Top Gear?" In one scene, Jeremy Clarkson is seen taking off his trousers in front of two Indian dignitaries to show them how to use a trouser press.

And it is not just on Top Gear that Clarkson has caused offence with his remarks. Ofcom, the broadcasting watchdog, launched an investigation after he said striking public sector workers "should be shot" while their families watched.

The comments -- made during The One Show on November 30 -- led to more than 21,000 complaints to the BBC and almost 800 to Ofcom itself. Speaking about the strikers, he said, "I'd have them all shot. I would take them outside and execute them in front of their families."

Not the 1st time
>> It is not the first time that Top Gear has become embroiled in a row over its presenters. Earlier this year co-presenter Richard Hammond made an insulting parody of Mexicans. He suggested that a "lazy" and "feckless" vehicle reflected the national characteristics of its country of origin.
Posted by Harshad at 7:22 AM

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