Fans bought over 1,200 tickets to the premiere of Paul McCartney's new classical work, Standing Stone, within two hours of them going on sale yesterday. The performance of the work, by the Royal Symphony Orchestra, will take place on October 14th at the Royal Albert Hall. Some 800 of the tickets were reduced from £20 to £10 after a request from the former Beatle so that more people could afford to attend the concert.
Jacques Chirac visited Monaco yesterday to honour the principality's 700th birthday.
Chirac, making only the third official visit by a French president to Monaco since 1958, was to have talks with Prince Rainier during a visit lasting several hours.
Rainier's Grimaldi dynasty is celebrating its 700th year in power in the state, which has a population of just 30,000 and covers less than two sq km.
Bernard Tapie (54) was freed on parole yesterday after serving almost six months in prison for rigging a soccer match.
Tapie's plans are unknown but an acquaintance said he might stay with a friend near Marseille. Under parole restrictions, he will have to remain in France.
The son of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, Nigeria's celebrated Afro-beat musician, has denied rumours in the local press that his father is dead.
Femi Kuti admitted that his father - whose best known record is called Zombie - had been seriously ill, but said: "He's doing fine and I think he'll get over this. He is robust and he's responding to treatment."
Fela was arrested last April and charged with possession of drugs, but the prosecution lawyer withdrew the case earlier this month because he said the authorities were no longer interested in it.