Pay a price to seal with a kiss

Marseille: An art lover who kissed a $2 million painting, leaving red lipstick smears on the canvas, was fined by a French court and ordered to carry out 100 hours of community work.

Cambodian-born Rindy Sam told the court on Friday in the southern French city of Avignon that she was overcome with passion when she saw the painting by US artist CY Twombly hanging in a gallery and spontaneously kissed the picture.

The picture's owner, Yvon Lambert, demanded two million dollars in damages and a further 33,400 euros, 48,860 dollars to pay for the restoration.

Sam, in her 30s, said earlier this year she thought her lipstick had improved the painting -a pure, white canvas.