On June 26, the day after Michael Jackson passed away, President Obama issued a statement on the singer’s tragic death though his press agent.

Now in a new interview with The Associated Press on Thursday (July 2), Obama is remembering the legendary pop star for everything he has contributed to the world of pop culture.

“I’m glad to see that he is being remembered primarily for the great joy that he brought to a lot of people through his extraordinary gifts as an entertainer,” he said, adding, “I still have all his stuff on my iPod.”

When news broke of the singer’s death on June 25, a lot of people were wondering why the President didn’t release a statement sooner. Obama didn’t see why people felt it was controversial of him not to and he also commented on whether or not the African-American community felt dissatisfied with Jackson over the years.

“I know a lot of people in the black community, and I haven’t heard that,” Obama told the AP.

Read More…

An Egyptian business tycoon and a former police officer have been found guilty of the July slaying of rising Lebanese pop singer Suzanne Tamim.

The case, with its high-profile victim and defendant, has captivated Egypt and the region.

A judge convicted real estate mogul Hisham Talaat Moustafa and the former officer Muhsen el Sukkari on Thursday. He then sent the case to Egypt’s Grand Mufti — the country’s highest religious official — for sentencing.

The Mufti is expected to make a ruling on June 25, the judge said. Because the two men will be sentenced under Islamic law, it is widely expected that they’ll be hanged.

Tamim was found slain in her apartment in the United Arab Emirates. She had been stabbed and her throat slit.

Prosecutors alleged that Moustafa, a parliament member for the ruling National Democratic Party, paid el Sukkari $2 million to kill Tamim.

During the trial, Moustafa’s lawyer told CNN his client loved the singer, but could not take Tamim as a second wife because his family objected.

Polygamy is legal in Egypt and it’s not unusual for men like Moustafa, a married father of three, to take additional wives.

Prosecutors have said Tamim’s death was a “means of taking revenge,” but have not elaborated.

Moustafa and el Sukkari claim the prosecution’s evidence could have been fabricated or tampered with by UAE authorities and should not be used against them.

Read More…