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Friday Kicks off 2009 Essence Fest in New Orleans
The Essence Music Festival kicks off in New Orleans on Friday, held at the Louisiana Superdome and Morial Convention Center, it will include a tribute to Micheal Jackson, as well as performances by Richie, Beyonce, John Legend, Ne-Yo, Anita Baker and others. Organizers say they are still planning the tribute, so details were not immediately available. The festival runs through Sunday.
Vibe Magazine To Close Down Immediately
Vibe, one of the nation’s leading popular music magazines, is closing immediately, a spokeswoman said. The closure of Vibe leaves just two large-circulation music magazines, XXL and The Source, focusing on hip-hop and R&B. The Source has had its own troubles, going through a bankruptcy and emerging under new ownership last year. A rock-focused magazine, Blender, folded last year.
Democrats win crucial Senate seat
President Barack Obama's party has secured crucial control of 60 seats in the US Senate, after the last undecided seat was awarded to a Democrat. The Minnesota Supreme Court confirmed that Al Franken had narrowly won November's poll in the state. The Democrats need control of three-fifths of the Senate to overcome a Republican filibuster - a method used by minority parties to delay or prevent voting by excessive speaking.
Fraudster Madoff gets 150 years
Bernard Madoff has been given the maximum prison sentence of 150 years for masterminding a massive fraud that robbed investors of $65bn. The sentence, which means Madoff will spend the rest of his life in jail, was greeted with cheers and applause in the packed courtroom.
Jackson body 'going to Neverland'
Fans have gathered outside Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch following reports that the late singer's body will go on public view there. Various sources claim a public viewing has been scheduled for Friday ahead of a private funeral on Sunday.
Obama says he'll get prime initiatives into law
President Barack Obama is vowing to sign climate change legislation and overhauls in health care and financial regulations this year and is dismissing his critics as naysayers. Obama warned more than 400 of the Democratic Party's top fundraisers Monday evening that winning policy fights will become more difficult.
Venus Williams powers into Wimbledon semifinals
Five-time champion Venus Williams overpowered Agnieszka Radwanska 6-1, 6-2 on Tuesday to reach the Wimbledon semifinals and move a step closer to another possible championship showdown with sister Serena. Williams, seeking her third straight Wimbledon title, outhit the 14th-ranked Pole from all parts of the court and proved again that she is the dominant female player on grass.
Jacksons 'not ready' for funeral
Michael Jackson's father has said the family will wait for the results of a second post-mortem before finalising plans for the pop stars's funeral. Joe Jackson told reporters in Los Angeles the ceremony would have "some private" elements but "not closed down all the way to the public". The music legend will not be buried at the Neverland ranch, Mr Jackson added.
BET Awards' call to celebration
Cheers greeted Janet Jackson when she appeared on the stage of the Shrine Auditorium on Sunday at the end of the BET Awards, but her face was etched with pain. For several moments, her mouth quivered, and it looked as if she might not be able to speak. "My entire family wanted to be here tonight, but it was just too painful, so they elected me to speak for all of us," she finally said. It's been only four days since her brother Michael Jackson died suddenly, shocking the world. The award ceremony, which had previously been scheduled to honor athletes, musicians and actors, was transformed to a hastily organized celebration of Jackson and his music.
BET Awards: Janet Jackson's tribute to Michael
Singer Janet Jackson took to the stage at the BET Awards to pay an emotional tribute to her brother Michael who died on Thursday (June 25). It was the first public appearance by sister Janet Jackson and father Joe Jackson following the death of pop superstar Michael last week. Janet also expressed her family's gratitude for the support they have received from the public. The BET Awards was re-arranged to pay tribute to Michael Jackson and his music.
Many artists dedicated their awards to Jackson and there were performances of some of Jackson's hits. Singer and actor Jamie Foxx and R&B star Ne-Yo sang a duet of Jackson 5 hit "I'll Be There," while pictures of Jackson were displayed on a giant video screen.
Jackson left 'fresh' new songs
Pop star Will.i.am has spoken about the new material he recorded with Michael Jackson before the King of Pop's death. "It was fresh," said the Black Eyed Peas frontman, who became close friends with Jackson. "It was very demanding. "It demanded all the people to the dancefloor. Of course, it was melodic. As he would say, juicy." He was speaking at the Glastonbury festival. He did not know what would happen to the new songs as Jackson had kept the hard drives on which they were saved. "He had all the hard drives because I didn't want to be responsible for that," Will.i.am
President Speaks on Michael Jackson’s Death
“Obviously Michael Jackson was a spectacular performer and a music icon. I think everybody remembers hearing his songs, watching him moonwalk on television during Motown’s 25th anniversary”. But President Obama also said, look,”He had aspects of his life that were sad and tragic. And my condolences go out to the Jackson family and to the fans that mourned his loss.”
Prince George's Co. board votes to name school after President Obama
The Prince George's County school board has voted to name an Upper Marlboro elementary school after President Barack Obama.The board voted unanimously on the name for the school just miles from the White House. Barack Obama Elementary School, which is expected to be completed later this year, would be the first school in the Washington region to be named after the president, but not the first in the nation. A Long Island, N.Y., school was renamed shortly after Obama was elected in November.
Stars talk about the losing Michael
Usher said he was "deeply saddened" by the loss and paid tribute to Jackson's legacy. "May God cover you Michael. We all lift your name up in prayer. I pray for the entire Jackson family particularly Michael's mother, children and all his fans that loved him so much. I would not be the artist, performer, and philanthropist I am today without the influence of Michael. I have great admiration and respect for him and I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to meet and perform with such a great entertainer, who in so many ways, transcended the culture.
"He was magic," said Beyoncé Knowles. He was what we all strive to be. He will always be the King of Pop!"
Whitney Houston released a statement saying simply, "I am full of grief,"
Paul McCartney, who collaborated with Jackson at the height of his success, writes on his Web site: "I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy man with a gentle soul. His music will be remembered forever and my memories of our time together will be happy ones."
"My heart is overcome with sadness for the devastating loss of my true friend Michael," adds Brooke Shields, who raised eyebrows when she briefly dated Jackson. "He was an extraordinary friend, artist and contributor to the world. I join his family and his fans in celebrating his incredible life and mourning his untimely passing."
Quincy Jones, who produced Jackson's biggest hits, says, "I am absolutely devastated at this tragic and unexpected news. For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words."
Lisa Marie: Michael Would Talk About His Death
Michael Jackson would think about – and discuss – his death sometimes, his ex Lisa Marie Presley writes in a candid new entry on her MySpace blog. "Years ago Michael and I were having a deep conversation about life in general," Presley, 41, writes. "He stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, 'I am afraid that I am going to end up like [Elvis Presley], the way he did.' I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that."
The Greatest Entertainer of all time
Michael Jackson
dies at 50
Pop star Michael Jackson dies in Los Angeles at the age of 50, after suffering a suspected cardiac arrest.
Screen star Fawcett dies aged 62
Actress Farrah Fawcett has died after a three-year battle with cancer. Fawcett is best known for starring in Charlie's Angels, and in later years for hard-hitting TV and stage roles. Her battle with illness was chronicled in the television documentary Farrah's Story earlier this year. Her partner Ryan O'Neal said: "After a long and brave battle with cancer, our beloved Farrah has passed away." He was said to be by her beside when she passed away in a Los Angeles hospital.
Strip-search of US girl illegal
The US Supreme Court has ruled that school staff broke the law when they ordered a 13-year-old girl to strip while searching her for painkillers. The Arizona school, which bans prescription and over-the-counter drugs, suspected Savana Redding, then 13, of carrying ibuprofen. After no drugs were found in her bag, she had to remove her clothing, and then move her bra and underwear. However, the court said individuals could not be held liable in a lawsuit.
Fortune 500 First Black Women CEO
Xerox Corp.’s Ursula Burns, who takes the reins at the world’s largest high-speed color printer maker in less than six weeks, has a mandate: getting budget-cutting customers to increase spending on office equipment. Burns, 50, will become chief executive officer on July 1, ending the eight-year run of Anne Mulcahy, who will stay on as chairman. Mulcahy, 56, named Burns president in 2007, almost three decades after Burns joined Xerox as a summer intern. Burns will be the first black female CEO among Fortune 500 companies
Obama picks former astronaut to lead NASA
Charles F. Bolden Jr. has been nominated by President Obama to serve as NASA's next administrator. Bolden, a former combat pilot and Marine Corps major general, is also a veteran space shuttle commander. Bolden, 62, the third African-American to fly in space, had met with Obama at the White House, the day the Hubble Space Telescope was relaunched from the shuttle Atlantis. The five-spacewalk overhaul marked NASA's fifth and final visit to the storied telescope since Bolden helped launch it in 1990.
Native American tribal issues to be a priority for Pres. Obama
"Barack has pledged to honor the unique government-to-government relationship between tribes and the federal government," she said. The new senior staffer "will be tasked to work with tribes (on) issues such as sovereignty, health care (and) education — all central to the well-being of Native American families and the prosperity of tribes all across this country."
Pliot Hailed As Hero of US Air Crash Landing
Federal investigators will be working through the remains of the US Airways Airbus A320, which is tethered to a pier in Manhattan. Both engines are believed to have been disabled by a flock of birds. The pilot has been hailed as a hero after his smooth landing enabled all 155 passengers and crew to be rescued. Captain Chesley Sullenberger was praised by New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg for his "masterful" landing.
Ex-Oakland transit officer is arrested in Nevada
A white former transit police officer accused of killing an unarmed black man on an Oakland train platform has been arrested on a murder warrant in Nevada, 12 days after the shooting, which sparked violent street protests. Johannes Mehserle, 27, was in custody Tuesday evening under a fugitive warrant issued from California, law enforcement officials said.
Music industry drops effort to sue song swappers
The group representing the U.S. recording industry said it has abandoned its policy of suing people for sharing songs protected by copyright and will work with Internet service providers to cut abusers' access if they ignore repeated warnings.
The Most Stolen Cars in the U.S.
The 2007 Cadillac Escalade ESV, a full-size luxury SUV, has the highest theft-claim frequency of any vehicle by a long shot. It's 15 times more likely to end up in the hands of thieves than the least-stolen car, the luxurious Mercedes E Class sedan, according to the theft-claim frequency report for 2005-07 model year cars, SUVs and light trucks, produced by the Highway Loss Data Institute (an affiliate of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety). The E Class, Buick Rainer and Subaru Forester have the lowest theft-claim frequency reports.
(Hatian Born) Canada head weighs crisis options
Canada's governor general, Michaelle Jean, has cut short a trip to Europe to deal with a growing political crisis. Opposition parties have united in a bid to topple the minority conservative government of Stephen Harper less than two months since a general election. "The prime minister and myself need to have a conversation... I have to see what the prime minister has to say to me and what he is actually thinking of doing." Ms Jean told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Obama Popular Vote Margin Largest Ever for Non-Incumbent: site 538
President-Elect Obama has received at least 68,724,397 popular votes for the Presidency. It's "at least" because they're still counting in California and several other states, and so Obama's total should wind up comfortably over 69 million. This total represents 22.62 percent of the population. The victory margin from November 4th now stands at 9,124,522 votes.
NYC bridge renamed for Robert F. Kennedy
Several generations of Robert F. Kennedy's family have gathered for a ceremony renaming New York City's Triborough Bridge in honor of the slain senator and U.S. attorney general. The bridge will be the first major public work dedicated to Kennedy in the state he represented from 1965 to 1968. It is a complex of three spans that connect Manhattan, the Bronx and Queens.
Obama's Rise Forces Brazil to Look At Racial Divide
Barack Obama's rise to power in the United States has exposed cracks in Brazil's self-image as a racially integrated society. With almost half the population considered black, Brazilians often boast that their country is a more harmonious melting pot than the United States. But analysts say that is only because blacks in Brazil have never posed a threat to the dominance of the white elite in politics and business. Brazil was the last country in the Americas to abolish slavery in 1888 and is home to the largest black population outside of Africa.
Secret Service Releases Code Names
The new First Family has been issued code names by the Secret Service. Barack Obama's is "Renegade," Michelle Obama's is "Renaissance," Malia Obama's is "Radiance," and Sasha Obama's is "Rosebud." Joe and Jill Biden also received code names, though it's tough to top "Renegade" and "Renaissance." Joe Biden's is "Celtic," and Jill Biden's is "Capri."
Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan
Almost three years after stepping down as chairman of the Federal Reserve, a humbled, 82 yr old, Alan Greenspan admitted that he had put too much faith in the self-correcting power of free markets and had failed to anticipate the self-destructive power of wanton mortgage lending. “Those of us who have looked to the self-interest of lending institutions to protect shareholders’ equity, myself included, are in a state of shocked disbelief,” he told the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
