Italian-born Sonia Gandhi plunged into active politics yesterday, launching the election campaign for her late husband Rajiv Gandhi's beleaguered Congress party in the southern Indian town where he was murdered.
Thousands of party loyalists and villagers cheered as the 51-year-old widow made a confident speech in which she said she aimed for no office but wanted to help the party which ruled India for decades but suffered its worst electoral debacle in 1996.
"Long live Mother Sonia," a crowd estimated at around 6,000 shouted.
Sonia, accompanied by her daughter Priyanka, offered jasmine flowers at a white granite memorial to her husband at the spot where he was murdered.
Satirist John Wells, best known for his caricatures of Denis Thatcher, died yesterday from cancer aged 61.
Wells, who co-wrote Private Eye's "Dear Bill" letters and also portrayed the former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's husband on stage and television, was first diagnosed with lymphoma more than a decade ago but appeared to have overcome the disease. His brother-in-law, the journalist Alexander Chancellor, announced that Wells died at home in Kensington.
An all-round humorist, Wells was one of the original writers for Private Eye when it was launched by Richard Ingrams.
Louise Frechette of Canada will be named deputy secretary-general of the United Nations today. The post is new in the 52-year history of the world body.
Frechette (51), Canada's deputy defence minister and a former UN ambassador, was chosen by UN the Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
Circus trainer Graham Chipperfield (28), who shot dead a tiger that attacked his brother last week, has retired. Barnum & Bailey Circus said Graham had "chosen" to quit.His brother Richard Chipperfield(24) remains in a "critical but stable" condition in hospital after losing part of his brain when he was attacked by the Bengal tiger. Doctors say he will probably be paralysed on his right side if he recovers consciousness.