Newspaper review: Speculation mounts over Houston death

http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/uk-17008898

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The circumstances surrounding the death of singer Whitney Houston is the source of much speculation in the newspapers.

The <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/whitney-houstons-two-day-booze-and-pills-682660" >Daily Mirror claims she was seen lurching drunkenly</a> round a hotel lobby just hours before her body was found.

<a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2099983/Whitney-Houston-cause-death-Did-star-drown-bath-taking-prescription-drugs.html" >Did she drown in the bath?, asks the Daily Mail,</a> while the <a href="http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/301804/Drugs-riddle-as-Whitney-Houston-is-found-dead-in-the-bath" >Daily Express concludes that it was the "sad death of a troubled diva". </a>

The <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/" >Sun says that once again "an artist with a God-given gift"</a> has had their life cut short because of addiction.

'Spreading scandal'

The <a href="http://www.ft.com/home/uk" >Financial Times says Rupert Murdoch's media empire</a> has been rocked by the arrests of five Sun journalists.

It says staff have been asking whether he can contain the spreading scandal.

The <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/sun-owner-rupert-murdoch-at-war-682377" >Daily Mirror claims there is a full scale revolt</a> among staff at the Sun, quoting one senior executive saying there is "nothing the Murdochs will not do to protect their own backs".

Another tells the <a href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/" >Times the firm's Management and Standards Committee</a> is "flinging people off a cliff".

'Horrible muddle'

Many papers report on Britain's first male mother. <a href="http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/british-man-gives-birth-despite-682240" >The Daily Mirror says the man was born a woman,</a> and retained a womb during sex-change surgery, allowing him to carry a baby.

Some campaigners have called for an <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/9077506/Sex-change-British-man-gives-birth-to-son.html" >inquiry into transgender births, according to the Daily Telegraph.</a>

And the <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2100036/Man-born-woman-Britain-birth-despite-sex-change-operation.html" >Daily Mail says the case has caused an ethical controversy. </a>

It quotes ex-Tory MP Ann Widdecombe as calling it a horrible muddle. "What's the child going to think?", she asks.

Silent is golden

Meryl Streep's success at the Baftas for her role as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady gets wide coverage.

<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2012/feb/12/baftas-2012-winners-the-artist" >"Cast iron" is the Guardian's take,</a> while the <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/news/and-the-bafta-for-best-dressed-goes-to-6804826.html" >Independent has a photograph captioned "The Lady Is For Turning On The Style". </a>

The <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2100138/Baftas-2012-live-Meryl-Streep-Christina-Hendricks-plunge-Hollywood-royalty-hit-red-carpet.html" >Daily Mail says while Meryl got her gong,</a> it was the French silent film, The Artist, which ruled the roost.

<a href="http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/" >"Silent is golden", says the Times,</a> highlighting the fact that The Artist picked up seven awards including best film, best director and best actor.