People

Fever killed mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, the 18th century Austrian composer, died of rheumatic fever and not from the poisonous envy of his Italian rival, Antonio Salieri, a modern medical sleuth suggested. Theories ranging from typhoid fever to kidney failure and murder have long surrounded Mozart8217;s death on December 5, 1791, extinguishing the career of one of Europe8217;s most brilliant composers at the age of 35. Dr Faith Fitzgerald, professor of medicine at the University of California, Davis, on Saturday said the high fever, headaches, rash, and painful swelling that afflicted Mozart8217;s final days were all symptoms of severe rheumatic fever.

All for a piece of peace
The Nobel Peace Prize committee has received 144 nominations for the 2000 award, Oslo8217;s Nobel Institute Director Geir Lundestad said on Friday. Among the candidates, who included 32 organisations, was the Salvation Army, said Lundestad, whose institute is responsible for handing out the Nobel Peace prize each year.

Foremost on the list were prominent politicians. US President Bill Clinton and former senator George Mitchell, who brokered Northern Ireland8217;s peace accord, were among the candidates, according to Storting parliament representatives Vidar Kleppe and Steinar Bastesen. Others included the Italian Roman Catholic organisation Sant8217;Egidio, which works for contacts among the different religions, former US President Jimmy Carter, and South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung.

One of the candidatures is the town of Kukes in Albania, where 450,000 refugees from Kosovo were given shelter last year by the 15,000 inhabitants.

The harrison accused
A man accused of stabbing former Beatle George Harrison and injuring his wife, Olivia, was ordered to remain in a security psychiatric unit for another eight weeks. Michael Abram, 33, from Liverpool, was admitted to the unit and charged with the attempted murder of Harrison, 56, and his wife Olivia, 51, at their home in West of London, on December 31.