Liz Smith, the syndicated gossip columnist whose mixture of banter, barbs, and bon mots about the glitterati helped her climb the A-list as high as many of the celebrities she covered, has died aged 94.

California prepared last night to execute its third death row inmate in as many months. For the first time an anaesthetist was present to minimise the condemned man’s pain.

PAUL Winchell, a ventriloquist, inventor and children’s TV show host best known for creating the lispy voice of Winnie the Pooh’s animated friend Tigger, has died. He was 82.