Legendary pop singer Whitney Houston was found dead Saturday at a Beverly Hills, California, hotel, officials said. She was 48. The entertainer, whose incredible talent was discovered at an early age, was pronounced dead at 3:55 p.m. (6:55 p.m. ET) at the Beverly Hilton hotel despite resuscitation efforts, a police spokesman said. Beverly Hills Police Lt. Mark Rosen said there were "no obvious signs of criminal intent" and that the cause of her death is being investigated. Houston's bodyguard found her body, said Courtney Barnes, publicist for hip-hop artist Ray J, who was dating the pop diva. According to her official website, Houston sold ...
Yahoo Inc Chairman Roy Bostock and three other directors will step down as the struggling company ploughs ahead with an internal overhaul, including discussions on dealing with its stakes in China's Alibaba Group and Yahoo Japan. The corporation - once a Web powerhouse but now agonizing over a range of options to revive flagging growth - on Tuesday said it appointed former Rovi Corp CEO and International Business Machines Corp veteran Alfred Amoroso and ex-eBay COO Maynard Webb as independent directors. Yahoo's board has come under fire from investors impatient with the company's persistent inability to effect a turnaround, and frustrated with the apparent indecisiveness of stakeholders over ...
Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne has vowed to fight an "anti-business culture" in Britain, warning that a row overexecutive pay and bonuses threatens the country's fragile economic recovery. "Let me say something about the row over bonuses and pay," Osborne said in a speech to the Federation of Small Businesses. "Of course rewards for failure are unacceptable -- and those who believe in the free market are the first to say so. But a strong, free market economy must be built on rewards for success." The Labour Party has heaped pressure on the ruling coalition to curb excessive pay for top executives, using a House of Commons debate to demand the return ...
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said on Tuesday he is resolved to settle a longstanding territorial dispute with Russia at an annual rally calling for the return of all four Russian-held islands off Hokkaido in northern Japan, the Kyodo news agency reported. "We'll continue to make steady and determined efforts to move ahead with negotiations," Noda said, stressing the need to sign a peace treaty with Russia. The four islands - which Russia calls the Southern Kurils and Japan calls the Northern Territories - has been the subject of a territorial dispute between the two nations since the end of World War ...
Amanda Knox's Italian lawyer has filed an appeal of her slander conviction in Italy, a Knox family spokesman inSeattle said Monday. In October, an Italian appeals court overturned the young Seattle woman's murder conviction in the 2007 death of her British roommate in Perugia. But the same court upheld Knox's conviction for slander — for falsely accusing bar owner Diya "Patrick" Lumumba of involvement in the slaying. Lumumba was freed after two weeks in prison for lack of evidence. Knox later said she was "manipulated" during her lengthy police interrogation. An appeal of the slander conviction was filed Monday, Knox family spokesman Dave Marriott confirmed. He doesn't know when the Italian ...
The Dutch railway will remain 'vulnerable' during wintry weather but Dutch Rail (NS) and track operator ProRail did not help matters during the current cold snap by the late introduction of schedule adjustments to cope with the conditions, transport minister Melanie Schultz van Haegen told parliament in a briefing on Tuesday. The NS and ProRail assumed on Thursday of last week that there would be three to five centimetres of snow. When the forecast was increased on Friday morning to between 10 and 15 centimetres, it was too late to change the timetables automatically, Schultz van Haegen told parliament. Drivers and conductors ...
Greece can leave the eurozone without damaging monetary union, European digital affairs commissioner Neelie Kroes says in an interview with the Volkskrant on Tuesday. Kroes, a member of the Dutch ruling right-wing Liberal party VVD, is not a supporter of Greece exchanging the euro for the drachma, but says: 'It is absolutely not a case of man overboard if someone leaves the eurozone.' The commissioner is very critical of the new Greek government and says they are not fulfilling their promises. 'Too few spending cuts, too little restructuring,' she says. She says the Greeks should follow the example of Italy where the new ...
Mitt Romney hopes his presidential campaign hasn't ignored Rick Santorum's aggressive attacks for too long, as caucuses in Colorado and Minnesota on Tuesday could reshuffle the race for the Republican presidential nomination. Santorum largely bypassed Florida and Nevada to blanket the two caucus states with criticism of Romney and lay the groundwork among conservatives who have great sway in the process. RivalNewt Gingrich praised Santorum's strategy as shrewd even as he signaled he had no interest in exiting the four-way race, which also includes Ron Paul. "I think that Santorum's going to have a pretty good day," Gingrich told reporters on the eve of the caucuses. "He targeted differently than I ...
Glencore and Xstrata agreed an all-share merger worth $90 billion (56 billion pounds) on Tuesday in the industry's largest ever deal, creating a commodities powerhouse spanning mining, agriculture and trading. Glencore, the world's largest diversified commodities tradinghouse, will issue 2.8 new shares for each Xstrata share in a deal they said was a "merger of equals." The ratio is a 15.2 percent premium to Xstrata shareholders compared with its share price last Wednesday before word leaked out about the merger talks, a joint statement said. "A merger between Glencore and Xstrata offers a unique opportunity to create a new business model in our industry to respond to ...
US White House hopeful Mitt Romney aims for another big caucus win in Colorado on Tuesday, as his well-oiled campaign machine works to cement his position as the Republican front runner in the US presidential race. Polls suggest he should triumph easily in the western US state -- where he scored 60 percent in 2008 -- although there is a tighter race in Minnesota, where last-placed Rick Santorum is hoping to snatch a win. Romney's main rival, former House speaker Newt Gingrich, is battling to stay in the race after two heavy losses in a row to the former Massachusetts governor, who ...
Poland braced Saturday for an election forced by the death in an air crash of conservative president Lech Kaczynski, as polls showed a tight race between his twin brother and the governing liberals’ candidate. Ex-prime minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski and liberal rival Bronislaw Komorowski pushed to the wire until a campaign blackout came into force at midnight Friday. A flurry of final surveys suggested Sunday’s contest could be... [more]
The Norwegian government has given final approval to Statnett’s controversial plans for building a 420kV power line along and across the scenic Hardangerfjord in Western Norway. The much-debated plan had been opposed by local authorities as well as environmental groups, but the Government’s final approval made on Friday, cannot be appealed. The new power line will become an important part of the National Grid, and is seen... [more]
Mel Gibson’s ex-girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva has testified under oath about her troubled relationship with the Hollywood actor as part of a bitter custody battle over their baby daughter. The Braveheart star split from Grigorieva earlier this year and the former couple is now embroiled in a battle over visitation rights to seven-month-old Lucia. The Russian singer sat for the deposition in Los Angeles on Friday. Gibson and Grigorieva’s... [more]
Today is Saturday, July 3, the 184th day of 2010. There are 181 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On July 3, 1863, the three-day Civil War Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania ended in a major victory for the North as Confederate troops retreated. On this date: In 1608, the city of Quebec was founded by Samuel de Champlain. In 1775, Gen. George Washington took command of the Continental Army at Cambridge, Mass. In... [more]
The Netherlands came from behind to break Brazilian hearts and take a huge step towards a third FIFA World Cup™ final appearance. Trailing at half-time to Robinho’s early goal in Port Elizabeth, Bert van Marwijk’s men drew level through Felipe Melo’s own goal before Wesley Sneijder headed the winner with 22 minutes remaining. Brazil ended the game a man short after Felipe Melo’s dismissal as, like in Germany four... [more]
Dutch fightback buries Brazil In a matchup that was good enough to be the World Cup final, Brazil was upset by the Netherlands. Above, Dani Alves of Brazil tackles Arjen Robben of the Netherlands. The Netherlands came from behind to break Brazilian hearts as Felipe Melo’s own goal and Wesley Sneijder’s header secured a 2-1 quarter-final win in Port Elizabeth. More to follow…………………. Finally,... [more]
Today is Friday, July 2, the 183rd day of 2010. There are 182 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On July 2, 1937, aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to make the first round-the-world flight along the equator. On this date: In 1776, the Continental Congress passed a resolution saying that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.” In... [more]
Supermodel Naomi Campbell can be called to give evidence over a “blood diamond” prosecutors say she was given by former Liberian president Charles Taylor, the Sierra Leone war crimes court has ruled. Prosecutors at the Special Court for Sierra Leone sought in May to call Campbell, who has so far refused to testify, saying she can provide “material evidence” to rebut Taylor’s claims that he never possessed rough... [more]
Today is Thursday, July 1, the 182nd day of 2010. There are 183 days left in the year. This is Canada Day. Today’s Highlight in History: On July 1, 1910, the original Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox for eight decades, held its opening day under the name White Sox Park. (The home team lost to the St. Louis Browns, 2-0.) On this date: In 1860, Charles Goodyear, the inventor of vulcanized rubber, died in New York at age 59. In... [more]
