MUSICIAN Bob Geldof, who raised $130 million for Ethiopian famine victims in 1984, returned to the Horn of Africa yesterday. Geldof boarded a traditional dhow boat to watch children float bottles into the sea with messages of their hopes. UNICEF organised a conference on the media's role in emergencies to celebrate the Day of the African Child, started by the Organisation of African Unity in 1991.
Australian Prime Minister John Winston Howard comes to London tomorrow to see the Queen. But "dirty laundry" from home could dampen his proudest moment. Aboriginal, welfare and religious groups plan to use the PM's week long UK visit to target Australia over its treatment of Aborigines. Mr Howard, whose conservative coalition government swept the Labour Party out of office 15 months ago, will talk to Prime Minister Tony Blair about unemployment.
Former Conservative minister Nicholas Soames sank like a stone yesterday when he tried to take on John Prescott over the Deputy Prime Minister's recent diving expedition in the North Sea. The challenge came after photographs of keen scuba diver Mr Prescott recently graced the front pages of some newspapers. Mr Soames tabled a Commons question demanding to know the "cost to public funds of the diving suit and accoutrements" Mr Prescott wore on his expedition. But Mr Prescott said in a written reply yesterday that the suit had been loaned to him at no cost to the taxpayer.