A GERMAN court, trying the father of tennis star Steffi Graf on tax evasion charges, ruled yesterday he could be released from custody on bail.

It was not immediately clear if Peter Graf would be free to go, since a higher court has to decide on the prosecutors objection, but bail was set at five million marks (£2.03 million).

The court also said he would have to report to police twice a week and receive pyscho therapy.

He is accused of evading almost £8 million of tax on his daughter's earnings between 1989 and 1993.

A Zimbabwean court yesterday put off until next year the trial of veteran opposition leader Ndabaningi Sithole (77) on charges of plotting to kill President Robert Mugabe.

Madonna nearly drove British actor Jimmy Nail to drink, his first in nine years, on the set of their £60 million film Evita. He laughingly told the film's director, Alan Parker, that he wanted to strangle her.

Nail (42) plays Augustin Magaldi, who abandons lover Eva Peron (Madonna) in the film, based on Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical.

"In the beginning it was a little awkward as she is very combative. She pushes to see what kind of reaction she can get," Nail said.