NOVEMBER 13, 2000 VOL. 156 NO. 19

Milestones
BY SHEELA SARVANANDA

DIED. LIDA BAAROVA, 86, controversial film star; in Salzburg, Austria. Born Ludmila Babkova, she found fame after a name-change and the 1935 release of her first German-language film, Bacarole. Her stunning features made her a favorite among the German élite—but an affair with a key Nazi officer later left her rejected by her countrymen, her reputation scarred for life. After she contracted Parkinson's disease, Baarova faded from the spotlight, never fulfilling her wish to return to her hometown of Prague.

DIED. STEVE ALLEN, 78, veteran comic, composer and writer; in Encino, California. With his droll sense of humor and finely honed timing, the bespectacled American entertainer with the slicked-back hair was a TV pioneer, creating and hosting programs like the Tonight Show. Allen is also the most prolific composer of modern times, with 4,000 pop songs to his name. He was working on his 54th book when he died.

DIED. MANOLO MUNOZ, 59, pioneering Mexican singer; in Mexico City. Muñoz was credited with bringing rock 'n' roll to Spanish-speaking audiences, remaking classic tunes with a Latin flavor. During his 42-year career, he released an impressive 80 albums and received the Virginia Fabregas award for his contribution to arts in the Latino community.

DIED. EVA MORRIS, 114, listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest woman; in Stone, England. Morris attributed her longevity to a daily shot of whisky. The onetime domestic servant—widowed in the 1930s—was also known to enjoy the occasional cigarette. She died two weeks shy of her 115th birthday.

DIED. FRANCISCO QUEROL LOMBARDERO, 69, respected Supreme Court military judge; in Madrid. The victim of a massive car bomb explosion blamed on the Basque separatist group e.t.a., Querol was killed along with his driver and a police bodyguard, sparking a public outcry and prompting calls for tougher prison sentences and even the reinstatement of the death penalty.

RESIGNED. RUTH DYSON, 43, disgraced New Zealand minister for disability issues; in Wellington. After drinking wine while working late, Dyson was pulled over by police for a random breath test and found to have almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in her system. It was the second time in recent days that the minister had come under fire: she also raised eyebrows by criticizing rugby captain Norm Hewitt for being a bad role model, when he chose to play in a rugby final with a broken arm. Her resignation was accepted by Prime Minister Helen Clark, who has been strict about maintaining high standards among her staff.

RE-ELECTED. ASKAR AKAYEV, 55, as President of Kyrgyzstan; in the capital, Bishkek. Akayev begins his third five-year term amid controversy over the election, with opposition camps raising allegations of vote-fixing. Akayev's main challenger—former National Security Minister Feliks Kulov—was barred from running after failing a Kyrgyz language test, a move seen as a bid by Akayev supporters to remove his strongest opponent from the race.