Recession-hit Shanghai couples running away from divorces

October 7th, 2009 'Couples Retreat' is far from paradiseLOS ANGELES — "Couples Retreat" suggests what life might have been like if the guys from "Swingers" had grown up, moved to the suburbs and turned into lame, sitcommy cliches. Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn team up again, on screen and on the script (along with Dana Fox), for this broad comedy about four couples who go on a tropical vacation together.

September 12th, 2009 WASHINGTON - As people are increasingly losing jobs, and being thrown towards forced retirement due to recession, their married lives are hitting a rough patch as well. A large number of couples are reporting growing tension after one retires, or is forced to retire due to layoffs.

September 5th, 2009 LONDON - Feeling romantic? Well, then gear up for some kinky action - but wait till 10.16pm tonight, for that's the time when half of UK's population gets turned on with their lovers. After asking 5,000 adults, cynical researchers have claimed that the romantic schedule means men can catch up with their football highlights on Match Of The Day at 10.30pm.

August 30th, 2009 LONDON - Naomi Campbell has slammed advertising companies for dropping black models from promoting their products on the pretext of recession. "This year, we have gone back all the way that we had advanced.

August 26th, 2009 LONDON - Romantic presents like flowers and jewellery are fast becoming history, courtesy cash-strapped couples who prefer gifting useful and practical presents to each other. That's the conclusion of a new research.

August 7th, 2009 MELBOURNE - A new study has revealed that men on the verge of marriage should avoid sex counselling if they want to have a "problem-free" love life. The study looked into the sexual prowess of couples, and found that women who undergo pre-wedding counselling were more satisfied in the marital bedroom, whereas men who do not attend counselling were more satisfied in bed.

July 31st, 2009 MELBOURNE - While the wedding night is considered to be the most romantic for newlyweds, most couples actually do not have sex on the night they share vows, according to an Australian study. The study conducted by Bride To Be magazine, revealed that one in four couples do not consummate on the night of their marriage.

July 25th, 2009 LONDON - Love has no major role to play in keeping couples together. In fact, the chances of a couple staying together are affected by age, previous relationships - and smoking.

July 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Couples who live together before they are engaged are more likely to get divorced than those who wait until they are married to live together, or at least wait until they are engaged, according to a new study. In the study, researchers at the University of Denver (DU) also found that couples, who lived together before engagement and then married, reported a lower satisfaction in their marriages.

July 6th, 2009 LONDON - Recession-hit UK couples are increasingly heading towards lingerie shops, and have boosted the sales of racy underwear by almost 50 per cent ever since the economy has slumped. New figures have revealed that fishnet stockings, suspenders, basques, and cleavage-boosting bras are all selling at a "record rate".

June 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - The 12th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) saw Tibetan director Pema Tseden's movie 'The Search' bagging the Jury Grand Prix. The film follows a director's search for a leading actor for his drama set in picturesque Tibet.

June 22nd, 2009 Danish-Swedish drama best film at ShanghaiSHANGHAI — The Danish-Swedish drama "Original" won best picture at the 12th Shanghai International Film Festival, with its male lead Sverrir Gudnason named best actor for playing the soul-searching son of a mentally ill mother. Reading from the citation, jury president "Slumdog Millionaire" director Danny Boyle called the debut feature film of Antonio Tublen and Alexander Brondsted "a light, touching and subversive study of mental illness that is both compassionate and never sentimental." Accepting his trophy, Gudnason, who plays a character who tries to stop pleasing others, yelled in delight and said, "This is the best thing that anyone has ever given to me and it's going to keep me going on." The jury said "this young actor's brilliant, sensitive, and humorous performance is absolutely mesmerizing." Simone Tang was named best actress for another Danish film, "Aching Hearts," about the relationship of two high school sweethearts.

June 8th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Kiefer Sutherland says that he's just concentrating on his hit US TV show '24' and doesn't have time for romance. The actor, who has been through two divorces and was engaged to Julia Roberts, insists that his first priority is his work, reports the China Daily.

May 23rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - They have given comic hits like "Jodi No.1", "Haseena Maan Jaayegi" and "Biwi No.1". Now Karisma Kapoor and filmmaker David Dhawan are teaming up after nine years, but this time to judge a new comedy reality show "Hans Baliye".

May 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar and his equally talented actor wife Shabana Azmi have been voted the best couple in Bollywood in an online poll conducted by matrimony portal BharatMatrimony. The elegant couple, who managed to woo 29 percent votes, pipped star couples like Amitabh Bachchan-Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan-Gauri, Abhishek Bachchan-Aishwarya Rai, Ajay Devgan-Kajol, et al to win the title, stated a press release.