Pop star Michael Jackson has died in Los Angeles, aged 50.
Paramedics were called to the singer's Beverly Hills home at about midday on Thursday after he stopped breathing.
He was pronounced dead two hours later at the UCLA medical centre. Jackson's brother, Jermaine, said he was believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest.
Jackson, who had a history of health problems, had been due to stage a series of comeback concerts in the UK on 13 July.
Speaking on behalf of the Jackson family, Jermaine, said doctors had tried to resuscitate the star for more than an hour without success.
He added: "The family request that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time."
"And Allah be with you Michael always. I love you."
Concerns were raised last month when four of Jackson's planned comeback concerts were postponed, but organisers insisted the dates had been moved due to the complexity of staging the show.
A spokeswoman for The Outside Organisation, which was organising the publicity for the shows, said she had no comment at this time.
Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini said: "I always doubted that he would have been able to go through that schedule, those concerts. It seemed to be too much of a demand on the unhealthy body of a 50 year old.
"I'm wondering that, as we find out details of his death, if perhaps the stress of preparing for those dates was a factor in his collapse.
"It was wishful thinking that at this stage of his life he could be Michael Jackson again."
Uri Gellar, a close friend of the star, told BBC News it was "very, very sad".
Speaking outside New York's historic Apollo theatre, civil rights activist Rev Al Sharpton paid tribute to his friend.
"I knew him 35 years. When he had problems he would call me," he said.
"I feel like he was not treated fairly. I hope history will be more kind to him than some of the contemporary media."
Melanie Bromley, west coast bureau chief of Us Weekly magazine, told the BBC the scene in Los Angeles was one of "pandemonium".
"At the moment there is a period of disbelief. There are hundreds of people outside UCLA waiting for news.
"He was buying a home in the Holmby Hills area of Los Angeles and the scene outside the house is one of fans, reporters and TV cameras - it's absolute craziness.
"I feel this is the biggest celebrity story in a long time and has the potential to be the Princess Diana of popular culture."
Egypt gave themselves a good chance of qualifying for the Confederations Cup semi-finals with a surprising but merited win over world champions Italy.
Mohamed Homos scored the only goal, rising to meet a well-delivered corner to direct a header in off the far post.
Despite not creating many clear-cut chances Egypt matched the Italians for work-rate and application.
Vincenzo Iaquinta struck the bar late on for Italy and Egypt keeper Essam El Hadari made a string of good saves.
After the embarrassingly one-sided earlier Group B contest between Brazil and USA, this was a much more evenly contested affair between two sides who came into the match having both scored three in their opening games of the competition.
Italy made significant changes to their attacking line with young striker Giuseppe Rossi - scorer of two goals against USA after coming on as a substitute - and Vincenzo Iaquinta starting in place of regular strikers Luca Toni and Alberto Gilardino.
Rossi almost made the most of his chance early on when a poor defensive clearance gave him the opportunity to shoot but he struck it over the crossbar from 15 yards and he was then denied by a one-handed tip-over
Ronaldo has long been a target for the Spanish giants, who signed Kaka for £62m on Monday.
Real president Florentino Perez vowed earlier this week to do "everything possible" to take the 24-year-old to the Bernabeu.
United insist they were forced to accept a world-record bid for Ronaldo after the winger revealed he wanted out of Old Trafford.
A Red Devils statement said: "Manchester United have received a world-record, unconditional offer of £80million for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.
"At Cristiano's request - who has again expressed his desire to leave - and after discussion with the player's representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player.
"Matters are expected to be concluded by June 30. The club will not comment until further notice."
Ronaldo, on holiday in Los Angeles, told United boss Alex Ferguson that he wants to quit Old Trafford for the Bernabeu.
Ferguson flew out to Lisbon last summer to persuade Ronaldo to stay with the Red Devils after a summer in which the player pushed for a move to Madrid.
But Fergie will not go chasing the player this time - and feels it is time for his star player to go.
SunSport revealed before the Champions League final that Ronaldo had told close friends he wanted a new challenge.
The Portugal ace is now relishing the chance to be part of the revival at Real under returning club president Perez.
Serengeti Boys timu ya vijana ya Tanzania U - 17 wikiendi hii ilitoa onyo kali kwa wapinzani wake kwenye michuano ya Afrika Copa Coca - Cola kwa kuisambaratisha Ethiopia 5 - 0 katika mchezo wa ufunguzi uliochezwa kwenye uwanja wa Absa mjini Pretoria jana.
Mchezaji Joseph Mahundi alifungua kalamu hiyo kwa kufunga bao la kwanza dakika ya 9 kabla ya Himid Mkami kufunga bao la pili dakika 33.
Tanzania ilifanya shambulizi lingine la nguvu dakika tano kabla ya mapunziko na kupata bao lake la tatu kupitia Issa Rashid.
Ethiopia walionekana kubadilika kipindi cha pili, lakini walijikuta wakishia kupokea kipigo kwa kufungwa bao la nne na Murshid Rashid dakika ya 51.
Ikicheza kwa kujiamini na kupigia pasi fupi fupi Serengeti Boy ilikamilisha karamu yake kwa kufunga bao la tano dakika 63 kupitia Mohamed Marzuki.
Kocha wa Tanzania, Rodrigo Stockler alisema ushindi huo mkubwa ni mafanikio makubwa kwake na ishara nzuri kwa wachezaji wake kufutwa mafundisho yake.
NAHAPA NDIO NYUMBA GARI LINAANZA SAFARI,
KAMA UNASIKIA JOTO UNAKUJA KUOGA HAPA
MWENDESHAJI WETU ANAKAA HAPA
KAMAUMECHOKA SASA UNALALA HAPA
