Michael Will Be Bigger In Death

Michael Jackson will be bigger in death than he was in life, according to his father Joe.

In an interview with Fox News, Mr Jackson said he wished his son was around to see the public outpouring of affection towards him.

He also said it was unlikely stress about his upcoming concert tour killed the King of Pop.

Mr Jackson told Geraldo Rivera that the Jackson family is "pretty strong" and coping with their loss.

As for Jackson's children, he said: "My grandchildren are fantastic."

The Jacksons have gathered at the home of Michael's brother Jermaine to make funeral arrangements and discuss the future of the singer's three children.

In a statement issued by Mr Jackson earlier, they said: "Our beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in such a tragic way and much too soon.

"It leaves us, his family, speechless and devastated to a point, where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times.

"We miss Michael endlessly, our pain cannot be described in words."

And then they told fans: "Michael would not want us to give up now. Please do not despair, because Michael will continue to live on in each and every one of you.

"Continue to spread his message, because that is what he would want you to do. Carry on, so his legacy will live forever."

The family is believed to be planning a series of simultaneous global celebrations to honour the star.

And they are continuing their efforts to discover the truth about what caused Jackson's death by requesting a second post-mortem examination.

Family friend Rev Jesse Jackson said: "We have called for an independent autopsy, we cannot just depend on the state.

"It should be independent and verifiable and it should be done quickly.

"The longer we wait the more anxiety there is about the matter. It deserves real priority."

Police in Los Angeles have now had the chance to speak to Jackson's personal doctor Dr Conrad Murray.

He was with the star when he collapsed but said he was not responsible for his death.

Police have said they are not conducting a criminal inquiry into the death of the pop superstar.

Fox News reported that investigators found Jackson's body to be healthier and stronger than they had expected, with some scarring on the face.

Rare White Tiger Mauls Zookeeper To Death In NZ

A zookeeper has been mauled to death by a white tiger in front of horrified tourists at a wildlife park in New Zealand.

The animal fatally mauled the man while he was cleaning an enclosure in Whangarei's Zion Wildlife Park on North Island.

Despite the efforts of a second keeper and a rapid response from other wildlife park staff, the tiger would not let the park worker go.

He died at the scene.

Police spokeswoman Sarah Kennett said the keeper had suffered serious injuries to his abdomen and lower legs.

The tiger was later destroyed by wildlife park staff.

Victim Support officers were called to the scene to help distressed park employees and visitors, including eight foreign tourists who witnessed the attack.

The park, located near the northern city of Whangarei, has 42 rare lions and tigers.

They are kept in large wire-cage enclosures, which include trees and grassy areas.

In February, park employee Demetri Price required surgery after he was attacked by a white tiger.

Scottish teenager Lisa Baxter was left scarred last year after she put her hands through a hole in the fence and was bitten by a white lion.

Authorities are investigating the latest incident.

Michael Jackson Singles No1

Michael Jackson has topped the album chart and made six new entries in the singles top 40 as fans rushed to buy his material in the wake of his death.

His Number Ones album, that features all of his biggest hits, raced up the charts from 121 to reach number one.

The same album earned Jackson his last number one hit when it was released in 2003.

Four of his other hit albums also made a reappearance in the top 40.

A total of 11 Michael Jackson or Jackson Five albums are in this week's Top 200 and 43 out of the Top 200 singles feature the singer, the Official Charts Company said.

Thriller, still the biggest selling album of all time, surged from 179 to number seven, King of Pop reached 14, Off The Wall got to 17 and The Essential Michael Jackson came in at number 20.

Music retailers said that although demand for Jackson's singles had been overwhelming since his death his extensive back catalogue meant that no one song stood out in sales and he was narrowly denied a posthumous entry in the singles top 10.

Man in the Mirror re-entered the charts at number 11, nearly 20 years after its original release and Jackson hits accounted for all but one of the new entries in this week's top 40 singles.

Billie Jean got to 25, Smooth Criminal to 28, Beat It reached 30 and Earth Song reached 38.

Jackson's return to the charts overshadowed electro-pop newcomer La Roux's surge straight into the number one spot in the singles chart with Bulletproof.

Kasabian also suffered from the Jackson effect and was knocked off the number one spot in the albums chart after three weeks in the chart with West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum.

Jackson has been dominating sales at music retailers and download sites across the world since his death.

At one stage his songs topped Apple's iTunes download charts in every country except Japan.

Spokesman Gennaro Castaldo said HMV stores saw sales rise 80 times over in the 24 hours after Jackson's death - the biggest one day lift in any artist's album sales in the store's history and one which dwarfed the leap in sales after the deaths of Elvis Presley, John Lennon and Freddie Mercury.

Knife Murder Jail Terms Increases

The minimum sentence for murder using a knife could be increased after the family of Ben Kinsella called for an overhaul of the "complacent" rules.The minimum sentence for murder using a knife could be increased after the family of Ben Kinsella called for an overhaul of the "complacent" rules.

Justice Secretary Jack Straw has announced a review of the 15-year jail term, half the minimum sentence for murder with a gun.

Mr Straw told MPs: "There has been concern about the starting point for the minimum term for murder involving the use of a firearm.

"It is 30 years, compared with the 15 years for murder with the use of a knife.

"I intend to review this with a view to deciding whether or not to amend this.

"I will, of course, be consulting the judiciary and Sentencing Guidelines Council and will be happy to receive wider representations, including from honourable members on all sides of the House."

Juress Kika, 19, Michael Alleyne, 18, and Jade Braithwaite, 20, were each jailed for life with a minimum term of 19 years last week after being found guilty of Ben's murder at the Old Bailey.

His parents, Deborah and George Kinsella, and their daughter Brooke, the former EastEnders actress, attacked the guidelines.

"To us both are lethal weapons so I don't see the difference," said Mrs Kinsella.


"We have got to stop being so complacent, in a nutshell the sentencing isn't long enough, they don't see it as any deterrent."

Shadow justice secretary Dominic Grieve described the review as a "public relations exercise".

"The Government cannot expect to be taken seriously when it is releasing thousands of violent offenders from prison early, because of chronic overcrowding," he said.