World Vignettes

A judge has asked lawyers to shed their wigs next time they appear before her at the International Criminal Court.

International court judge says no to wigs

THE HAGUE: A judge has asked lawyers to shed their wigs next time they appear before her at the International Criminal Court. A handful of attorneys appeared Monday in white horsehair wigs for a preliminary hearing in a case dealing with violence after Kenyas 2007 presidential election. Justice Ekaterina Trendafilova paused at the end of the hearing to pass a hair-raising judgment. This is not the dress code of this institution, she said. In this quite warm weather maybe it will be more convenient to be without wigs, she added.

Carla Bruni to play real role in global politics

LONDON: French First Lady Carla Bruni has expressed her willingness to play a very real role in international politics,insisting that she can take a stand on current affairs. The 43-year-old former Italian supermodel stakes her claim to be taken seriously in a new French First Lady section on her official website,The Daily Telegraph said. With President Sarkozy facing a presidential election next year,sources said that her ambitious claims were aimed at winning over Frances traditionally conservative voters.

Malaysia school report card to include weight

KUALA LUMPUR: Moving to check child obesity,schools across Malaysia have started grading children on their weight along with academic performance. Effective immediately,school report cards will now include the students body mass index BMI as a way for teachers to monitor the students health,Malaysian Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said. Lai said the measure had been adopted to keep parents abreast of their childrens health and to let them know whether their kids were overweight or obese.

No topless dancing: Thai authorities

BANGKOK: Thai authorities said it is inappropriate that three young women danced topless in Bangkok during rowdy New Years celebrations. Culture Minister Nipit Intarasombat said Monday the incident during the annual Songkran water festival was very inappropriate and unacceptable. It happened last week not far from the world-famous Patpong red-light district and was captured on videos posted online. He said,I demand society come out and criticise them.