Rajiv Gandhi's murder is being blamed on the Tamil Tigers

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Rajiv Gandhi, the 46-year-old former Indian prime minister, has been assassinated.

He was campaigning for the Congress Party on the second day of voting in the world's largest democratic election when a powerful bomb, hidden in a basket of flowers, exploded killing him instantly.

At least 14 other people were also killed in the attack in the town of Sriperumbudur, about 30 miles from Madras, the capital of the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

No-one has admitted carrying out the murder but it is being blamed on Mr Gandhi's arch enemies, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a violent guerrilla group fighting for a separate homeland for Tamils on the island of Sri Lanka.

End of a dynasty

Rajiv Gandhi's death has shocked the world and marks the end of the Nehru dynasty that had led India for all but five years since independence from Britain.

After his brother Sanjay was killed in an air crash in 1980, he gave up his job as an airline pilot and was elected to Sanjay's parliamentary seat.

He became prime minister after his mother, Indira Gandhi, was assassinated by her own Sikh bodyguards in 1984.

Often seen as a reluctant leader, he and his Congress Party won a record majority later that year.

He encouraged foreign investment, a freer economy and rejuvenated his own party, ridding it of his mother's unelectedcronies.

After he lost the election in 1989, Rajiv Gandhi resigned.

This time, the Congress Party was expected to win the largest number of parliamentary seats - but not overall control - against the Hindu BJP Party and the Janata Dal, now split into two parties.

The campaign has been marred by sectarian violence between Hindus and Muslims in what has proved to be the most violent election in Indian history. Two hundred people have already been killed.

Rajiv Gandhi's murder is being blamed on the Tamil Tigers

After the fight Cooper was sent to Guys Hospital where he had 12 stitches for the cut that dashed his hopes of world victory.

His manager Jim Wicks, said Clay had butted Cooper with his head and should be disqualified.

Clay, a committed Muslim, has recently changed his name to Mohammed Ali.

'I am the greatest!'

The 1960 Olympic champion, famed for proclaiming "I am the greatest!", took the heavyweight title from Sonny Liston in 1964.

He was left unmarked by the fight apart from some swelling on the cheekbone under his left eye - the result of one of Cooper's best punches.

After his win, he went to Cooper's dressing room to see him and said: "I hate to spill blood. It's against my religion."

His manager and "spiritual adviser" Herbert Muhammed said Clay should be proud of his performance.

"It was a wonderful punch," he said. "The same one that broke Liston. It's terrible to see a man destroyed like that. I think the referee should have stopped the fight before."

crony:a long-time close friend or companion（密友，亲信）

gash:a long, deep cut（深长的伤口）

footwork:（体）步法