PRESIDENT Clinton's services to the saxophone have been recognised by a Christmas present from Dinant, in Belgium, birthplace of Adolphe Sax (1814-1894), the instmment's inventor.
An 18-carat gold brooch, made in the shape of a saxophone, was presented to US embassy officials at a ceremony in Dinant town hall.
Sylvana Foa, the chief UN spokeswoman, said yesterday she is to leave her post at the end of the year when the Secretary-General, Dr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, finishes his term.
"Despite all the fun, it is really time for me to go off and do something new, try something new in my life, like be in love, write a book, enjoy things a little bit," she told a news briefing in New York.
Jo Brand and Men Behaving Badly star Martin Clunes have been singled out for special awards from the pro-tobacco group Forest.
Brand, who is often seen cigarette in hand, was hailed "the most smoker-friendly television star" by Forest "for sticking steadfastly to her right to smoke" while Clunes won Forest's approval by asking if he could smoke during a recording of the BBC2 news quiz Have I Got News For You.
Brand said she was very flattered by the award, adding: "If God hadn't meant us to smoke, he wouldn't have given us a Tory government for 17 years.
Sir Ranulph Fiennes (52) has finally given up his Antarctic expedition. The explorer had been hoping to continue his attempt to become the first man to walk solo across the Antarctic after being forced to seek hospital treatment in Chile for kidney stones, but the expedition's insurers will not allow him to resume the expedition.
British actor Patrick Stewart, also known as Captain Jean-Luc Picard of television's Star Trek, the Next Generation has become the 2,079th celebrity to have a star with his name on it on Hollywood Boulevard.