World Briefs

Former London mayor Ken Livingstone - a keen newt-fancier - is to get married at the city's zoo. Mr Livingstone, 64, told London's Evening Standard he would tie the knot with Emma Beal, 41, next month. Well-known for his love of newts, Mr Livingstone and his long-term partner will exchange vows in the Mappin Pavilion which houses wallabies and emus next to the reptile house.

"We are getting married and it will be in London Zoo," said Mr Livingstone, "It's not a media event - if you try and get in I will set the gorillas on you." Mr Livingstone has five children, including two with Ms Beal, whom he met in 1996.

"A wedding can be quite boring for young kids. But they can go and look at the animals. I know the place - I just like it," he said.

Mr Livingstone was the first mayor of London, but after eight years in office he was ousted in 2008 by Conservative challenger Boris Johnson. In his first job application he unsuccessfully sought to become a zookeeper, The Evening Standard said. (AFP)

Obama goes for colourful language

US President Barack Obama was accusing Washington's chattering political class of getting bed-wettingly nervous when he said the capital gets "all wee-weed up," his spokesman said last Friday.

Mr Obama used the unusual expression at a forum to defend his embattled push to remake US health care, mocking the "hand-wringing, and angst, and teeth-gnashing" by analysts who say the initiative is doomed.

"There's something about August going into September where everybody in Washington gets all wee-weed up," the President said, adding: "I don't know what it is. But that's what happens." Asked for a definition of the term, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs hesitated, but explained that "'wee-weed up" is when people just get all nervous for no particular reason.

"Bedwetting would be probably the more consumer-friendly term," he added. (AFP)

Pets feel financial pinch

Growing numbers of French families hit by the economic crisis are abandoning their pets to pounds, where many face being put down, an animal rights group has said.

Many French households leave animals with pounds during the summer holiday period, but France's Society for the Protection of Animals said that five per cent fewer owners are returning to pick up their pets.

"There has been an increase in the number of people who use the crisis as an excuse not to pick up their animals," said Virginie Pocq Saint-Jean, who heads the association.

Animal refuge centres have struggled this year to house abandoned pets passed on to them by pounds, where animals which are not adopted are put down.

"We've gone beyond our normal capacity and have had to begin 'marrying' animals, putting two in a cage normally meant for one," said Chris-tophe Guillo, director of a refuge at Orgeval, west of Paris. (Reuters)

World air guitar champion crowned

Frenchman Sylvain Quimene won the 2009 Air Guitar World Championships after wowing judges with his acrobatic dance routines and outrageous outfits.

Parisian Quimene, who performs under the stage name of Gunther Love, took first place in the competition in Oulu, northern Finland late last Friday evening. The 28-year-old, clad in a skin-tight golden leotard, impressed judges with his imaginary guitar solos and backflip moves.

Although the US may have given the world rock and roll, the country's air guitar heroes were no match for the French flair of Mr Quimene. He beat off tough competition from last year's winner, American Craig "Hot Lixx Hulahan" Billmeier as Mr Billmeier and his compatriot Andrew "William Ocean" Litz finished in joint second place behind Mr Quimene.

Air guitarists in the competition had to perform a 60-second song of their own choice - by pretending to play rock or heavy metal without an actual instrument. A jury then awarded marks to each performer based on the choice of music, stage presence, technical merit and artistic impression. (AFP)

Prince Andrew out of pocket

A luxury ski holiday company has called in liquidators after failing to attract enough customers, leaving Britain's Prince Andrew out of pocket by nearly £27,000.

Descent International, which offered chalets in Alps locations such as Klosters, Switzerland, did not give a reason for its demise, but a senior manager at liquidators David Rubin & Partners said the global recession had taken its toll.

"Descent is a classic company to be a victim of a recession - it provided chalet holidays for extremely wealthy individuals. There was no expense spared," he said.

He said a list of creditors provided by the company included 'Andrew Inverness, care of Buckingham Palace', who is owed £26,600.

"We understand that to be Prince Andrew," the David Rubin manager said, adding that he was unlikely to get the money back.

Prince Andrew, Earl of Inverness, is the son of Queen Elizabeth and brother to Prince Charles, the heir to the throne. (Reuters)