BIZARRE in life, Michael Jackson’s complex personal affairs are taking even stranger twists in death, with sketchy reports yesterday of plans for an elaborate public memorial and questions over the parentage of his children.

The monster storm that has hit California with fierce winds and heavy rain dropped a thick blanket of snow on the Sierra Nevada mountains today and kept thousands of people from their homes in mudslide-prone areas.

Thousands of Americans have barricaded their homes against a powerful storm which has led to flights being ground, road closures and power cuts.

Animals are not being mistreated at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch, federal officials have concluded.

Michael Jackson returned to a California court today for a second day of jury selection in his child molestation trial and was greeted by a small group of fans.

LABOUR disputes struck hard across southern California yesterday, leaving hundreds of thousands of commuters stranded, grocery shoppers inconvenienced and county jails and courts threatened with closure.