John Kerry's wife critical in hospital

Teresa Heinz Kerry, wife of US secretary of state John Kerry, is in critical but stable condition in a hospital in Massachusetts.

74-year-old Teresa, who recently accompanied Kerry to the G8 summit in Northern Ireland last month was admitted to the emergency room in Nantucket last night, hospital spokesman Noah Brown said.

She arrived in a critical condition and remained that way although doctors had stabilised her, Mr Brown said.

He said he could not release any more details about her condition or her illness.