Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has charmed Gordon Brown into giving her a job, according to an April Fool's day report.
She is set to join British Prime Minister Brown's "government of all talents" and move to London for three months to take advantage of the "Carlamania" that is gripping the country.
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| ©Getty Images |
| Carla Bruni-Sarkozy has charmed Gordon Brown into giving her a job, according to an April Fool's day report |
You've probably as much chance of that happening as pigs flying, except because it's April Fool's day it's penguins not pigs (the BBC has footage compiled by former Monty Python Terry Jones).
The world's media have gleefully jumped on the April Fool's day bandwagon.
The Sun, a UK tabloid, trumpeted a stretching operation for Mrs Sarkozy's husband, French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
"Doctors reckon they will be able to add an amazing five inches [12.7cm] to his height in just over a year," The Sun said.
"When surgery is completed he will be an inch taller than his stunning ex-model wife Carla Bruni [Sarkozy]."
In the animal kingdom, National Geographic's latest cover features Paris Hilton as part of a "wild animal" theme. Inside, a photo of a lion is made up of dozens of images of women's bare chests, AP reported.
The Harvard Lampoon, with some help from National Geographic, are behind the prank which will be distributed with the real April edition.
Elsewhere, dogs are in for a shock after BMW declares "war on Rover," London's Metro newspaper reports.
"A pet who relieves itself over the new model's wheels will get quite a buzz out of it -- as an unpleasant 200 volts shoots through its body."
Dr Hans Zoff tells the newspaper that BMW owners find "dog fouling a constant irritant."
Meanwhile, Australians find celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay's foul language so annoying that his latest venture downunder has been declined an operating license on grounds of decency.
The UK's Independent newspaper says it has prompted Ramsay to ban foul language in his restaurants. Staff who violate the decree will face one-on-one "exercise" sessions with the chef, and diners will be fined $10 for turning the air blue.
Australia's media reported further tectonic shifts in society's fabric. Radio station 2UE said that the Pope would conduct a special mass for homosexuals during his first visit in July and that the Catholic church was set to enter a float in next year's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.
Melbourne's Herald-Sun tabloid reported a plan to ferry cars down the city's Yarra river to ease congestion and the Sydney Morning Herald revealed a controversial new Japanese restaurant planned to offer a 10-course whale tasting menu.
And for those wanting to flee the April Fool's day hilarity there is always a flight on Richard Branson's Virgin Blue, his southern hemisphere carrier, which advertised "no chair fares" in Australian newspapers for passengers willing to stand for the duration of a domestic flight, AFP reported.
Branson also combined with Google to announce the birth of "Virgle" -- a joint venture to establish human colonies on Mars.
"In the years to come, we'll be sending up a series of spaceships carrying (along with the supplies and tools needed to build the new colony) what eventually will be hundreds of Mars colonists, or Virgle Pioneers -- myself among them," Branson said on Google's website.
April Fool's day is marked by hoaxes and practical jokes in a number of countries. The aim is to trick the gullible. In some countries the jokes only last till midday and if you play a trick after then you are the fool.
The day's origin is unclear. Some believe it is a relic of the festivities once held to celebrate the arrival of spring. They traditionally began on March 25 and finished on April 2.
However, it was not until the beginning of the 18th century that the custom became common.
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