Michael Jackson dead at 50

The world of entertainment has lost one of its most loved and most controversial figures. Michael Jackson is dead. He was 50. He fell ill at his home but when he arrived in hospital in Los Angeles, his heart had stopped.

The body of the star who first found fame with the Jackson Five was flown to the County Coroner’s office for a post-mortem examination. One of his brothers Jermaine Jackson said: “Upon arriving at the hospital at approximately 1.14pm, a team of doctors including emergency physicians and cardiologists attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than one hour and they were unsuccessful. Our family requests that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time and may Allah be with you Michael, always. Love you.” Despite two formal complaints of child sex abuse against him, legions of fans remained loyal to Jackson, calling him the King of Pop. And even though he sold an estimated three-quarters of a billion records in his lifetime, the Wall Street Journal reported that one of the most successful pop-artists ever was saddled with 350-million euros worth of debt. And that is one reason he announced a major comeback in London earlier this year, a comeback that will remain unfulfilled.

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