World Briefs

An Indian woman successfully divorced her husband after he refused to allow her to watch television soap operas, a report said yesterday.

The Daily News and Analysis newspaper said the situation led to daily arguments between the couple from Pune, southeast of Mumbai, and she filed for divorce.

Television soap operas, with their high melodrama, dramatic close-ups and music, have a huge following in India, particularly among housewives or women who work as domestic helps.

Granting her application, a family court judge said the husband had been picking arguments with his wife for more than four years "on the ground that she was seeing Hindi serials on TV channels".

The man's lawyers argued in court that the woman's claims of cruel treatment against her were false and were part of the normal "wear and tear" of married life, the newspaper said. (AFP)

Boy charged over chocolate frog

A 12-year-old Aboriginal boy appeared in a Western Australian court on Monday charged with receiving a stolen chocolate frog worth about 70 cents (€0.44), reports said.

The boy, who cannot be identified, briefly faced Northam Children's Court on charges of receiving the chocolate Freddo, allegedly shoplifted by a friend, and a small, inexpensive novelty sign reading 'Do not enter, genius at work'.

The boy's Aboriginal Legal Service lawyer Peter Collins said it was scandalous that a young child could face such charges.

"The fact of the matter is he's 12, and these are the most trivial charges imaginable, and it can hardly be a justification for this kid to be brushed up against the courts to teach him a bit of a lesson," he told local media.

"It's hard not to imagine that if this had happened to a non-Aboriginal kid from an affluent Perth suburb with professional parents that we wouldn't be in this situation.

Outside the court, police said charges had only been laid as a last resort and with the child's best interests in mind. "It's not about the value, it's about stopping children from offending," Acting Superintendent Peter Halliday told reporters. (AFP)

Pigeon tossing

Two British men have been fined by a court in Poland for pigeon tossing. The pair, both aged 24, threw the birds up in to the air in historic Krakow's Renaissance market.

According to local reports, the stunned birds were not able to open their wings and fell to the ground, breaking their wings. Prosecutor Boguslawa Marcinkowska identified them as Lee James W. of Ulverston and Arron David P. of Barrow-in-Furness, but did not give their last names, in line with Polish privacy law.

She said they were fined 600 zlotys (€147) each. (PA)

Turkey webcam

A food firm has launched an internet turkey webcam so diners can watch the bird destined to be their Christmas dinner.

Park, Farm & Wild, which sells produce from farms in north Norfolk, shows footage of Norfolk Black and Norfolk Bronze turkeys on its website. Bosses say the camera allows customers to see conditions in which birds are raised. (PA)

Swine flu 'won't cancel Christmas'

Santa promised children yesterday that he would travel around the world to bring them Christmas presents despite the global swine flu pandemic.

"I swear that Christmas will not be cancelled this year," Father Christmas told Finnish national broadcaster YLE, explaining that many children were worried he would catch swine flu.

Santa told the world's children he would definitely see them at Christmas. "Take care of yourself. But if you have caught swine flu, take it easy and follow the advice given by your father, mother and doctors," Santa said. (AFP)

Brothel exhibit

The sordid world of Amsterdam's red light district is being laid bare in the National Gallery, one of Britain's most revered arts institutions.

Scantily-clad models of women feature in the life-sized recreation of claustrophobic streets, as visitors stroll past garishly-lit, almost dungeon-like windows.

The display was put together by American artists Ed Kienholz, who died in 1994, and his wife Nancy Reddin Kienholz. Titled Hoerengracht (Whore's Canal) is the first of its kind to be shown there and runs until February 21. Admission is free. (PA)

Bubbly trouble

Serbia's President Boris Tadic faces a fine for allegedly drinking champagne at a stadium with his Sports Minister and the head of the football federation.

The three are set to appear in court next month after charges were filed against all three officials when photos were published of them holding glasses filled with champagne following Serbia's 5-0 victory over Romania in a World Cup qualifier.

Drinking alcohol at and around sports venues is illegal and fines range from €100 to €1,000. Mr Tadic has said he only made a toast and did not drink from his glass. (PA)

Bulb ban

Energy-starved Tajikistan has banned the production of incandescent light bulbs in the country's latest effort to conserve power.

The ban will complement similar restrictions on the import of incandescent light bulbs introduced earlier this year.

The expense of buying costly long-life fluorescent or halogen lamps is likely to prove a burden for much of the impoverished population, and the mountainous nation's vast hydropower potential has suffered from lack of investment since the collapse of the Soviet Union. (PA)