An appearance by US singer Katy Perry on children’s TV show Sesame Street has been pulled after bosses decided she was showing too much cleavage.
The show said it won’t air a taped segment featuring the California Gurls singer and Elmo.
The pop star – who is engaged to British actor Russell Brand and is known for her risque outfits – wore a gold bustier top as she sang a version of her hit Hot & Cold. But some felt it was too revealing for the children’s show.
In a statement Sesame Street said that in light of the “feedback we’ve received” after the excerpt was aired on YouTube, they won’t include it on the show. (AP)
Arrested over stolen Van Gogh drawing
A man wanted in connection with a stolen drawing believed to be by Vincent van Gogh was arrested.
US authorities said the Texas man, who was arrested in the northern state of Vermont, is wanted for selling the $1 million sketch of Van Gogh’s painting The Night Cafe, which shows a nearly empty café with a few customers seated at tables along the walls.
The sketch turned up at a New Mexico antiques shop after being stolen from a home in 2009. Police said they believe the man sold it to the shop for $250.
A warrant was issued for the man’s arrest after he did not go to court. (AP)
Surgeon sentenced over punch-up
A surgeon in Germany has been given a suspended jail sentence and told to pay money to charity after assaulting two colleagues during an operation, a press report said yesterday.
Hakan B., 44, an ear, nose and throat specialist, punched anaesthetist Thomas S. to the ground and then kicked him, when he was meant to be operating on a patient’s nasal cartilage, the Bild daily reported.
A 60-year-old nurse tried to intervene and received verbal abuse and an elbow in the chest for his trouble. The incident happened on April 10 this year.
Mr B. was ordered to pay €9,000 in damages and to donate €3,000 to a homeless shelter. (AFP)
Accused bigamist snared on Facebook
A newlywed woman discovered her husband was already married when she saw his wedding pictures on Facebook, an Australian report said yesterday.
Fairfax newspapers said the woman, who is known by the pseudonym Ms Hiu, made the shock find less than a month after marrying her husband, known as Mr Ling, in February.
The woman, who sought an annulment, said Mr Ling travelled to Hong Kong to marry his former girlfriend in December – just weeks before his second wedding.
Mr Ling is reportedly facing possible prosecution for bigamy, which has a maximum penalty of five years in jail. (AFP)
59 cab drivers arrested over scam
Thousands of tourists and residents who took New York City’s yellow taxis were quietly ripped off by drivers who frequently manipulated their meters to double the fare rate, and 59 drivers were arrested.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office said six drivers reeled in more than $10,000 apiece by repeatedly bumping their meters up to a higher suburban rate when they actually were in the city.
One driver overcharged more than 5,100 times between November 2008 and June 2010, according to prosecutors.
Officials said unsuspecting passengers overpaid an average of about $5. (AP)
European ‘day of languages’ in English
Babel-like EU, with its 23 official languages and over 40 regional tongues, yesterday marked an upcoming European Day of Languages with a speech delivered essentially in English.
The European Commission spokesman announcing Sunday’s ode to multilingualism – highlighting the benefits of languages for small businesses – kicked off his speech in English, but on hearing sighs at a media briefing peopled by many nationalities tried his hand at other tongues.
His go at German, French, Spanish, Italian and Polish won applause for a good try but grins for below-par pronunciation.
Likewise the statement announcing the multilingual celebration was posted in all European Union languages but the calendar only in English. (AFP)
Five employees die in drinking contest
Five supposed brewery employees died from alcohol poisoning in a drinking contest gone wrong in a town in northern Mozambique, state media said yesterday.
The deaths occurred “in the different stages” of a competition to see who could finish off five bottles of brandy fastest, reported Noticias newspaper.
Police only announced the incident one month after it occurred.
Authorities suspect the five were promoting a new brandy product in the town Alto Molocue, in northern Zambezia province. Some competitors died after only drinking a few doses, the newspaper reported. (AFP)