Jackson's glove sells for £29,500

• A bejewelled white glove Michael Jackson tossed to an Australian fan more than a decade ago has sold at auction for 57,600 Australian dollars (£29,500).
• Charlotte Stanes, spokeswoman for the Melbourne auction house Bonhams and Goodman, said a buyer for the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas beat five others for the late King of Pop's glove.
• Jackson visited Australia in 1996 as part of his HIStory world tour.
  While in Sydney, he attended the Australian premiere of the film Ghosts, in which he had a starring role.
• National head of collectables Giles Moon said at the end of the screening, Jackson tossed the glove at audience member Bill Hibble, who has since died.
• Jackson died in June 25, 2009 aged 50.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Michael Jackson buried

• Michael Jackson has finally been laid to rest, mourned by his family and close friends, during a private funeral service near LA.
• Those attending the Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendalen included actress Elizabeth Taylor, baseball star Barry Bonds and actor Macaulay Culkin.
• The funeral was delayed by about an hour and a half because of the late arrival of the singer's parents, Joe and Katherine, and his three children, Prince Michael, 12, Paris
• Michael, 10, and Prince Michael II, 7, known as Blanket.
• 77-year-old Taylor and about 200 other mourners were left waiting in the late summer heat, with the temperature stuck at 90 degrees just before sunset. Police escorted the family's motorcade of 31 cars, including Rolls-Royces and Cadillacs, from Encino to Forest Lawn, with the hearse bearing Jackson's body at the end.
• A large inflated light and a boom camera hovered over the seating area placed in front of the elaborate marble mausoleum, raising the possibility that the footage would be used for the Jackson concert documentary "This Is It."
• Forest Lawn cemetery is already home to the likes of Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and W.C. Fields. The "King of Pop" died a drug-induced death on June 25 at the age of 50, as he was about to embark on a comeback attempt.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Michael Jackson laid to rest beside showbiz greats

• Final preparations are being made for Michael Jackson's burial at the Forest Lawn cemetery north of Los Angeles.
• The singer will be laid to rest during a private ceremony attended by his close friends and family at 7pm local time (3am tomorrow UK time).
• The burial comes more than two months after Jackson died aged 50 at his rented LA apartment as a result of acute intoxication with the anaesthetic propofol.
• Few details of the ceremony have been released but it is believed Aretha Franklin will sing at the graveside.
• The cost of the funeral - described as "extraordinary" - is being shouldered by the Michael Jackson estate.
• Other celebrities buried in the lavish memorial grounds include Walt Disney, Clarke Gable and Humphrey Bogart.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Maddona collapses on stage

• Madonna has collapsed onstage during her record-breaking world tour, prompting concern over her health.
• Even at the age of 51, Madonna's work ethic would put that of the globe's youngest and freshest pop stars to shame. Her ongoing "Sticky & Sweet" world tour has already entered the record books, becoming the highest-grossing live jaunt ever by a solo artist.
• At the end of 2008, it was estimated to have grossed $280 million and that was before the latest leg, which is scheduled to conclude tonight in Israel. Well, it certainly looks like she's ready for a break.
• New footage shot at Saturday's show in Sofia, Bulgaria, appears to capture the pop icon passing out during "Holiday", with a dancer holding her from collapsing to the floor.
• Madonna is also said to have keeled over as she left the stage during "Spanish Lesson", with a source explaining: "She refused to end the show or take a break after the ‘Holiday' dizzy spell.
• It turns out she's suffering from exhaustion. She is anaemic. She was advised to postpone the last two shows in Israel for a few days, but logistics and stubborness stopped her."
• This promises to be a typically busy period for Madonna, who has chosen to accompany the 85-date tour with not only the infamous, prolonged adoption bid for Malawian daughter Mercy James but also an upcoming greatest hits.
• "Celebration" is her third best of and features two new songs, "Revolver", a collaboration with Lil Wayne, and the title track. The full length video for the latter has now been leaked and is a Hi-NRG club thumper that sees the singer climbing up the walls and all over new boyfriend Jesus Luz. No wonder she's exhausted.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

'Shocking' Abuse of girls in Britain - sexually abused

• One in three teenage girls in Britain is sexually abused by their boyfriend, while a quarter are physically assaulted, a new report has revealed.
• More than 1,300 youngsters aged 13 to 17 took part in the survey for the report on abusive teenage relationships.
• Researchers from the University of Bristol supported by the NSPCC and Big Lottery Fund aimed to find out the incidence and impact of teen partner violence.
• They found nearly nine out of 10 girls have been in an intimate relationship.
• Of these, one in six said they had been pressured into having sex, while one in 16 said they had been raped.
• One in 17 boys revealed they had been forced to have sex, while one in five had experienced violence.
• One of the girls interviewed for the report - known only as 'Samantha' - said she was 14 years old when her boyfriend hit her.
• The teenager told researchers he became increasingly possessive, bombarding her phone with calls and text messages.
• After five months she decided to end the relationship with the boy, who was a year older than her - but the situation did not improve.
• "He started hanging around near our house and following me wherever I went," she said.
• "Then he got really nasty and began telling people we had had sex, which wasn't true."
• She said it was an upsetting experience and she had felt "pretty unhappy".
• "Finally there was a confrontation one day at school and he hit me in the face," she said.
• "It started a big fight because some of my friends were with me but fortunately staff managed to break it up."
• One of the report's authors, Professor David Berridge from the University of Bristol, said the high rate of violence in teenage relationships was appalling.
• "It was shocking to find that exploitation and violence in relationships starts so young," he said.
• "This is a serious issue that must be given higher priority by policymakers and professionals."
• The NSPCC called for schools to help raise awareness of harmful relationships and suggested anti-bullying groups take on a supportive role for victims.
• Diane Sutton, head of NSPCC policy and public affairs said: "Boys and girls are under immense peer pressure to behave in certain ways and this can lead to disrespectful and violent relationships, with girls often bearing the brunt.
• "Parents and schools can perform a vital role in teaching them about loving and safe relationships, and what to do if they are suffering from violence or abuse."

By http://www.michaeljackson50.com/

'Homicide' ruling in Michael Jackson case welcomed

:Michael Jackson's family have welcomed a ruling of homicide by a coroner in America.

The Los Angeles County Coroner said the singer's death was the result of "acute propofol intoxication".

• It follows revelations earlier this week that his personal Dr, Conrad Murray, administered several drugs to Jackson to help him sleep in the days and hours leading up to his death.
• Police have interviewed the doctor, but he has not been named as a suspect and has strenuously denied any wrongdoing.
• The 50-year-old singer died in June from cardiac arrest at his LA mansion.
• Today, Michael Jackson fans are marking what would have been the King of Pop's 51st birthday.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com

Barack Obama 'heartbroken' at Ted Kennedy's death

:Politicians around the world have been paying tribute to one of America's most respected statesmen. Senator Edward Kennedy has died, aged 77, after a long battle with cancer.

• Senator Kennedy, who was affectionately known as "Teddy", became the head of one of the most famous dynasties in the world after his older brothers - JFK and Bobby Kennedy - were assassinated.
• Paying tribute, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he would be "mourned not just in America but in every continent".
• After following his brothers into politics, Kennedy eventually became the most senior representative of Massachusetts.
• He backed Barack Obama to win the 2008 election and was working closely with the President to help him push through his liberal healthcare reforms.
• President Obama has said he was heartbroken when he heard of Kennedy's death, adding: "Over the past several years, I've had the honor to call Teddy a colleague, a counsellor, and a friend. And even though we have known this day was coming for some time now, we awaited it with no small amount of dread."
• Senator Kennedy was diagnosed with brain cancer in May 2008 and had to leave President Obama's inauguration lunch in January after suffering a seizure.
• His death follows that of his older sister - Eunice Kennedy Shriver - who passed away a fortnight ago.
• American media is reporting Senator Kennedy will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, where his brothers are buried.

By www.MICHAELJACKSON50.com