Screen icon Elizabeth Taylor dies

LOS ANGELES, Mar 23 (AFP): Legendary Holly­wood actress and violet-eyed beauty Elizabeth Taylor, who captured hearts in "National Velvet" to launch a film career that spanned five decades, has died aged 79. Taylor had been in hospital in Los Angeles for six weeks with congestive heart failure, a condition with which she had struggled for some years, and had recently suffered complications, a family statement said. "Legendary actress, businesswoman, and fearless activist Elizabeth Taylor died peacefully today in Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles," said the statement by her publicist, quoting her son.