Gunter Grass became embroiled in a furious row with the German government yesterday when he criticised his country's Turkish policy. Grass, author of The Tin Drum, said he was "ashamed" of his country as he awarded a German booksellers' prize to Turkish Kurd author Yasar Ke-mal. He said Germany was interested only in economics, allowed the delivery of weapons to Turkey for use against its Kurdish minority and refused to give asylum to persecuted Kurds.
The secretary-general of Chancellor Helmut Kohl's ruling Christian Democratic party accused the world-famous novelist of "scraping the barrel intellectually".
A Florida businesswoman, who bought 13 of Princess Diana's gowns for $670,000 (about £463,000) at a Christie's auction in June, says she hopes to show them to the world to raise money for the late princess's favourite charities.
Maureen Rorech's collection and up to 10 more owned by others will go on display from November 17th to December 7th at the Tampa Museum of Art in Florida. After a worldwide tour, which could take two years, Rorech said, she wants to give most of the dresses to Diana's sons, William and Harry.
Spanish film director and former head of state television, Pilar Miro, died of a heart attack in her Madrid home yesterday, aged 57.
A writ has been issued against Prince Michael of Kent, first cousin of Queen Elizabeth, by a former business adviser, Giles Remnant. The writ, issued by the High Court in London on Thursday, is related to "payments owed", Remnant said, refusing to discuss the amount of money he was seeking. A statement issued on Saturday by Prince Michael's office promised a "vigorous" defence, while insisting that the writ had not yet been served correctly.
Remnant (42) operated as a middle man for the prince, working from an office in Kensington Palace and arranging "rent-a-royal" consultancy contracts with major companies.