Metrolyrics - RIHANNA MOST 'LIKED' ARTIST ON FACEBOOK IN 2011, Dec 15, 2011

"Pop star Rihanna has topped a list of the most popular music artists on Facebook during 2011. The 23-year-old singer beat musical artists including Bob Marley and Avril Lavigne, who came second and third respectively, in the list of the fastest-growing pages and most shared media of the year. Rihanna has 47,788,147 fans on Facebook, over two million more than Lady Gaga, and 10 million more likes than Justin Bieber. The star also had the most listened to song with We Found Love, her hit single featuring Calvin Harris.

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

This Beat Goes - Exec John C. Atterberry Dies from Gunshot Wounds, Dec 15, 2011

"Former Death Row Records VP John C. Atterberry died on December 12th after he was fatally wounded on Friday, December 9th when a gunman opened fire on motorists in Hollywood. Atterberry was running an errand to the bank when his Mercedes-Benz coupe came under fire.
Police identified the shooter as 26-year-old Tyler Brehm who reportedly opened fire on motorists with a .40-caliber handgun near the intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street. He was approached by plain clothes detectives and an off-duty officer who appeared first on the scene, but refused to surrender and turned his weapon on the police while screaming that he wanted to die. The officers shot and killed Brehm when he refused to drop his weapon. Police have not yet ascertained the motive behind the rampage, although Brehm had recently broken up with his girlfriend and began taking a pharmaceutical drug."

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

The Washington Post - George Whitman, owner of Paris bookstore Shakespeare and Company, dies at 98, Dec 15, 2011

"George Whitman, the owner of Shakespeare and Company, a bookshop that became the center of English-language literary life in Paris and might be the most famous and beloved bookstore in the world, died Dec. 14 in his apartment above the store. He died two days after his 98th birthday.

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

WKM - Country singer Billie Jo Spears dies at 73, Dec 15, 2011

"VIDOR, Texas (AP) - Billie Jo Spears, whose performance of "Blanket on the Ground" went No. 1 on the country charts in 1975, has died at age 73.
Carl Willis of R.S. Farmer Funeral Home in Silsbee, Texas, which is handling funeral arrangements, confirmed her death. He had no details, but The Orange Leader reported that she died Wednesday morning at her home in the Southeast Texas town of Vidor (VYE'-dur), 85 miles northeast of Houston. No cause of death was stated."

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

AHLAN LIVE - Most Expensive Celebrity DivorcesDec 15, 2011

"First Kim Kardashian shocked the world by announcing her separation from Kris Humphries after just 72 days, then Demi Moore filed for divorce after six years of marriage with Ashton Kutcher. While both of these ladies made sure they signed prenups, Ahlan! uncovers who got what in other celeb cases."

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

NZ HERALD - Madeleine McCann: Police 'looking at eight important new leads', Dec 15, 2011

"Scotland Yard detectives investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann are examining eight "important" new leads, it was claimed yesterday.
Spanish private investigators have handed over 30 boxes of documents which could yield a breakthrough.
On Tuesday, four British officers visited the Barcelona HQ of Metodo 3, the detective agency employed to look for Madeleine by her parents Kate and Gerry for six months after she vanished at the age of three in 2007.
The agency's director, Francisco Marco, said there were "six, seven or eight very important leads" within the files.
But sources close to the British investigation played down the significance of the material yesterday."

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

NZ HERALD - Legal firm manager stole funds for Thai prostitute, Dec 15, 2011

"A manager at a legal firm stole $374,000 from the company to pay for the upkeep of a Thai prostitute who called him "Daddy", a court has heard.
Peter James McClintock, a 63 year-old churchgoer, had earlier pleaded guilty to two charges of false accounting and seven of accessing a computer for a dishonest purpose.
He was sentenced to 12 months home detention and 300 hours community work when he appeared at the Auckland District Court today, supported by his wife, brother and adult children."

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

MATANGI Tonga - Tonga's 2nd Contingent returns from Afghanistan, Dec 15, 2011

"TONGA'S second contingent of 55 soldiers returned safely to Tonga after six-months duty in Afghanistan and were greeted by happy families at the Fua'amotu International Airport, on December 9.
The contingent led by Commander Sione Fifita arrived on a Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft at 3:30pm and were formally welcomed by Lord Ma'afu and the Commander of the Tonga Defence Services, Brigadier General Tau'aika 'Uta'atu. "

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

FIJI LIVE - 'Protester' named Time's person of year, Dec 15, 2011

"TIME magazine named the collective "protester" around the world as its person of the year Wednesday, citing the change brought by street demonstrations from Arab countries to New York.
The shared honor for protesters beat the traditional individual contenders, who included Admiral William McCraven, commander of the US mission to kill Al-Qaeda founder Osama bin Laden.
"There's this contagion of protest," managing editor Richard Stengel said on NBC television.
"These are folks who are changing history already and they will change history in the future."

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

FIJI LIVE - Australian PM gets 31% pay rise, Dec 15, 2011

"Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was Thursday recommended for a 31 percent pay rise to take her salary to Aus$481,000 (US$476,000) -- more than US President Barack Obama.
Gillard, whose support in opinion polls is near rock bottom, was handed the early Christmas present by the independent Remuneration Tribunal, which recommended pay hikes for most politicians and public servants.
Parliament needs to approve the changes before the new pay scale comes into effect.
Federal MPs will also get more money, with the base salary for even the most junior parliamentarian jumping from Aus$140,000 to Aus$185,000."

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

FIJI LIVE Sports - Suva included in Champions League, Dec 15, 2011

"Suva has been included in the Champions League which kicks start Fiji Football Association's 2012 season.

The Whites which makes up the fourth team in the competition was the given the chance by the Fiji FA Board Of Control (BOC) which earlier rejected the request by the Capital City for it to be included in the Pillay Garments sponsored event.
Fiji FA chief executive officer Bob Kumar confirmed the decision in a statement this afternoon."

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

FIJI LIVE - British royals unveil world tour, Dec 15, 2011

"Britain's royal family will tour the globe next year to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee marking 60 years on the throne, Buckingham Palace announced on Wednesday.
Prince William and his wife Catherine will travel to the Asia-Pacific region, while heir to the throne Prince Charles and his wife Camilla will visit countries including Australia and Canada, it said.
The queen, 85, and her husband Prince Philip, 90, will remain in Britain but will travel as widely as possible throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the palace said."

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

SAMOA News - Annual Territorial Christmas program opens tonight, Dec 15, 2011

"Gov. Togiola Tulafono will deliver his annual Territorial Christmas Address at tonight’s opening of the ASG sponsored Territorial Christmas Program, which is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at the Malaeoletalu Fagatogo Pavilion and will be broadcast live on KVZK-TV.
A special part of the opening program will include a Gold Star Families Recognition — in honor of the families who lost a member of their family in a combat zone. The mission of Gold Star Family is to see that all 50 states and U.S. territories honor their Fallen Warriors with a Gold Star Family license plate."

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

SAMOA News - Obama marking end of Iraq war, Dec 15, 2011

"FORT BRAGG, N.C. (AP) -- President Barack Obama saluted troops returning from Iraq Wednesday, declaring that the nearly nine-year conflict is ending honorably, "not with a final battle, but with a final march toward home."
Marking the conclusion of the war at this military base that's seen more than 200 deaths over nearly nine years of fighting in Iraq, Obama never tried to declare victory. It was a war that he opposed from the start, inherited as president and is now bringing to a close, leaving behind an Iraq still struggling."

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS

HAWAII Reporter - Videos, Dec 15, 2011

ALEXANDER LANGUAGE SCHOOLS