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| Stars attend Whitney Houston funeral in New Jersey | Stars attend Whitney Houston funeral in New Jersey |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Some 1,500 family and friends are attending the funeral of music star Whitney Houston in Newark, New Jersey. | Some 1,500 family and friends are attending the funeral of music star Whitney Houston in Newark, New Jersey. |
| Her daughter Bobbi Kristina is at New Hope Baptist Church, with many celebrities also in attendance. | |
| Stevie Wonder and Kevin Costner are among the celebrities paying tribute in person. Security is tight, with fans kept away - although the service is being streamed live on the internet. | Stevie Wonder and Kevin Costner are among the celebrities paying tribute in person. Security is tight, with fans kept away - although the service is being streamed live on the internet. |
| Houston, 48, was found dead in a hotel in Los Angeles a week ago. | Houston, 48, was found dead in a hotel in Los Angeles a week ago. |
| Officials are waiting for the results of toxicology tests that will help them ascertain how she died. | Officials are waiting for the results of toxicology tests that will help them ascertain how she died. |
| 'Private viewing' | 'Private viewing' |
| Police cordoned off streets surrounding the New Hope Baptist Church, with pockets of fans gathered outside the perimeter. | Police cordoned off streets surrounding the New Hope Baptist Church, with pockets of fans gathered outside the perimeter. |
| A golden hearse was used to transfer Houston's coffin from a nearby funeral home to the church. | A golden hearse was used to transfer Houston's coffin from a nearby funeral home to the church. |
| The coffin, draped with flowers, was escorted into church as a choir, dressed all in white, sang quietly: "Whitney, Whitney, Whitney." | The coffin, draped with flowers, was escorted into church as a choir, dressed all in white, sang quietly: "Whitney, Whitney, Whitney." |
| The church is where a young Houston sang in a gospel choir run by her mother. | The church is where a young Houston sang in a gospel choir run by her mother. |
| Kevin Costner, who starred opposite Houston in The Bodyguard, has been paying tribute to what he called the "sweet miracle" of her life. | |
| "Whitney returns home today to the place where it all began," he said and urged the nation to "dry our tears, suspend our sorrow and perhaps our anger". | |
| He spoke about how they built a friendship, despite their obvious differences, exchanging stories about their childhood and growing up in a Baptist church community. | |
| Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin were scheduled to sing, although a Houston family source told the Associated Press news agency that Franklin would no longer be able to attend as she was unwell. | Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin were scheduled to sing, although a Houston family source told the Associated Press news agency that Franklin would no longer be able to attend as she was unwell. |
| There will also be contributions from Clive Davis, her musical mentor, Houston's cousin Dionne Warwick and singer Alicia Keys. | |
| The BBC's Michelle Fleury in Newark says there has been a lot of debate about his attendance because of the well-publicised problems of the couple's marriage, and also talk about how much time he will spend with his daughter. | The BBC's Michelle Fleury in Newark says there has been a lot of debate about his attendance because of the well-publicised problems of the couple's marriage, and also talk about how much time he will spend with his daughter. |
| Houston will then be buried beside her father, John Russell Houston, at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield. | Houston will then be buried beside her father, John Russell Houston, at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield. |
| A number of Houston's relatives attended a private viewing service at the funeral home on Friday night amid tight security. | A number of Houston's relatives attended a private viewing service at the funeral home on Friday night amid tight security. |
| Houston was one of the world's leading musical artists from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, selling 170 million records worldwide. | Houston was one of the world's leading musical artists from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s, selling 170 million records worldwide. |
| Sales of her records have soared since her death was announced last Saturday. | Sales of her records have soared since her death was announced last Saturday. |