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US President Barack Obama’s former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel says he is preparing to run for Chicago mayor.

Mr Emanuel made the announcement in a video posted on his website, ChicagoforRahm.com.

The move was widely expected as Mr Emanuel has made no secret of his desire to one day run for mayor.

Mr Emanuel – who has a reputation for brashness – is a native of Chicago and represented Illinois’ 5th district in Congress for six years.

Pundits have tipped Mr Emanuel to replace Richard M Daley, since the latter announced on 7 September that he would be stepping down.

In the video, Mr Emanuel said: “I’m going to spend the next few weeks visiting our neighbourhoods (in Chicago) – at grocery stores, L stops (metro), bowling alleys, and hot dog stands”.

“I’m calling this the ‘Tell It Like It Is’ tour, because I want to hear from you – in blunt, Chicago terms – what you think about our city, and how the next mayor and you, can make it better.”

He said that “it was a great honour to work for” President Barack Obama, but he was now “glad to be home”.

“Leading Chicago would be a great responsibility and a tremendous privilege,” Mr Emanuel said.

Earlier this year, he admitted that “one day I would like to run for mayor of the city of Chicago.”

“That’s always been an aspiration of mine even when I was in the House of Representatives.”

In his video, Mr Emanuel also paid to tribute to Mr Daley, his long-time political ally.

“Chicago’s a world-class city today because of Mayor Daley’s leadership. He deserves our appreciation.”

Mr Daley – who has been mayor of Chicago since 1989 – announced last month that he would not seek a seventh term.

The mayoral election is due to be held in February 2011.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

A woman has died after going missing while canoeing with friends on a river near the border between Staffordshire and Cheshire.

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to reports of a missing canoeist on the River Dane, near Gradbach, Buxton, at about 1430 BST on Sunday.

The woman – who has not been named – was found in the water about a quarter of a mile down river an hour later.

Attempts to save her failed and she was confirmed dead at the scene.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: “The woman had reportedly been canoeing on the River Dane with friends when the incident happened.

“Staff from ambulance, fire and rescue, police and mountain rescue services worked together on scene to help locate [her].”

Rescue boats and a police helicopter with a thermal imaging camera were also used in the search, they added.

“Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of ambulance crews and fellow emergency service personnel, nothing could be done to save the woman.”

The rescue mission also involved ambulance crews from a neighbouring county as well as fire and rescue services and police from Staffordshire, Derbyshire and Cheshire.

This article is from the BBC News website. © British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.

The creation of the coalition was “right” and a better choice than a minority Tory government “muddling through”, Foreign Secretary William Hague has said.

He told the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham that the AV voting system referendum would be held with the Conservatives honouring their word.