In Dominican Republic, judge OKs singer's divorce

In Dominican Republic,judge OKs singer's divorce
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic -- A judge approved a divorce Tuesday for Puerto Rican singer Marc Anthony and former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres.
"It's fitting to accept this divorce by mutual consent," Judge Maritza Capellan said. Anthony has been reportedly been dating singer Jennifer Lopez.
Anthony was present during the hearing last week on the divorce motion filed by both him and Torres. The Dominican Republic offers quick divorces to foreigners as long as one of the spouses is present.
The authorization for divorce will go through other officials, including the secretary of state for external relations and then the U.S. Embassy, at which point it will become final.
Anthony and Torres married in Las Vegas in 2000. They split up in July 2002, but never legally separated. They renewed their wedding vows at a lavish ceremony at a cathedral in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in December 2002. They have two young children, Cristian and Ryan.
The judge's divorce ruling says Anthony is to pay Torres $3,500 a month in alimony, plus child support of $6,500 a month for each child.
Bono chides EU gatheringfor not helping out poor
DUBLIN, Ireland -- In what has become an all-too familiar sight, would-be Nobel Prize winner Bono addressed a roomful of politicians and chided them like an angry father. On Tuesday, the rock-star-turned-world-savior was at an informal European Union gathering in Dublin, excoriating EU ministers for not helping the world's poor, especially those in Africa.
The U2 front man said the union's member states had reneged on a promise to commit 0.7 percent of their gross domestic product to overseas aid. In an eloquent censure, he said the nations were "renegotiating [their] deal with God downwards."
"That's not the Europe I want to be in," he added. In its report, the Associated Press noted that Bono is one of Ireland's wealthiest individuals.
Chinese officials checkon Britney's stage wear
BEIJING -- China knows Britney Spears is not that innocent -- but officials want to keep her shows as pure as possible.
The "Toxic" singer's first China tour has received Culture Ministry approval, but officials want to know what she's wearing before she hits the stage, reports The Associated Press.
Spears, who's on a world tour to promote her latest album, "In The Zone," will perform five concerts in Shanghai and Beijing sometime next year, the official China News Service said.
Wang Enqiang, an agent for Spears' Chinese promoter, Beijing Poly Culture and Art Co. Ltd., said the pop star planned to come to the mainland in 2004, but he had no information about ministry concerns.
Today's Birthdays
Actor Milo O'Shea is 79. Actor Stacy Keach is 63. Rock musician Charlie Watts is 63. Singer William Guest (Gladys Knight & amp; The Pips) is 63. Actor Charles Haid is 61. Composer Marvin Hamlisch is 60. Movie director Lasse Hallstrom is 58. Actor Jerry Mathers is 56. Actress Joanna Gleason is 54. Actor Dennis Haysbert ("24") is 50. Comedian Dana Carvey is 49. Actor Gary Grimes is 49. Singer Merril Bainbridge is 36. Rapper B-Real (Cypress Hill) is 34. Actress Paula Cale is 34. Actor-comedian Wayne Brady is 32. Actress Nikki Cox is 26. Actor Justin Long is 26. Actor Deon Richmond is 26. Rhythm and blues singer Irish Grinstead (702) is 24. Rock musician Fabrizio Moretti (The Strokes) is 24. Country singer Dan Cahoon (Marshall Dyllon) is 21.
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