THE WIDOW of Mozambique's late president Samora Machel has said she will not marry South Africa's President, Nelson Mandela (78), despite the warmth of her feelings for him.
In an interview this week in Maputo, Graca Machel (50) said she speaks to Mandela by telephone twice a day. Mandela let it be known that he and Graca plan to spend two weeks a month together from now on.
In strait laced South Africa, the affair has raised some eyebrows. Dr Desmond Tutu, former Anglican archbishop, is reported to have told Mandela he risked setting a bad example to youth.
Mother Teresa (86) is likely to leave hospital by this weekend, her doctors said yesterday.
"We stopped antibiotics yesterday and she does not have any fever. By this weekend, she will be at her home," S.K. Sen, director at Calcutta's Woodlands Nursing Home, said.
"I am fit and the doctor says I am OK," Sen quoted Mother Teresa as saying.
Actor Liam Neeson (44) is recovering from surgery for an intestinal obstruction, his agent said yesterday.
Neeson, best known for playing the lead role in Schindler's List, became ill on Sunday at the Venice Film Festival, collapsing at the festival premiere of the controversial film Michael Collins, in which he plays the lead role.
TV viewers watching the State of the Nation speech this week by Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo wondered why he paused for several minutes with an icy glare. What they could not see was an MP in a dark suit and big pink pig's head below the podium holding up a large placard reading "Oink, oink, oink, oink."
The 10 TV channels beaming the speech live from Congress kept left wing deputy Marcos Rascon out of the picture.