Feds Bust One of World's Largest Spammers

Uses new law to target companies behind junk emails

(NEWSER) - The Federal Trade Commission is cracking down on spammers hawking weight loss and anti-aging products via 175K junk messages, Information Week reports, as the FTC chair announced the filing of civil complaints in Australia, Canada, and the United States. It's the first action brought by the agency under the Safe Web Act, passed by Congress last year to combat spam. More»

Medical records will be subpoenaed

(NEWSER) - The investigation into Whitney Houston's death is now turning to her doctors and pharmacies. Investigators are expected in the next few days to serve subpoenas on the singer's physicians and the pharmacies where Houston obtained multiple prescription drugs, reports the Los Angeles Times . Officials aim to determine whether the drugs were dispensed properly, and if the singer was receiving too many prescriptions, a source tells the newspaper. Investigators will likely pore over a state-created database of controlled substances prescribed in California. Tracking celebrity prescription drug use can be complicated because they may regularly use drugs prescribed to aides, according to law enforcement authorities. More»

Xanax, Ativan, Valium found in Whitney Houston's room

(NEWSER) - It will likely be weeks before we know the official cause of Whitney Houston's death, but the fact that bottles of Xanax, Valium, and Ativan were found in her room is shining a light on the dangers of prescription drug abuse, and the real risk of accidental overdose. An estimated 27,000 people died from accidental drug overdoses in the US in 2007, one death every 19 minutes, according to the most recent figures available from the CDC, reports ABC News . Prescription drug abuse is the nation's fastest growing drug problem. More»

Houston's daughter confronts police outside hotel room

(NEWSER) - Specifics are still sketchy in yesterday's sudden death of Whitney Houston . But here's what's beginning to trickle in:

• Houston was found by a member of her entourage on the floor of her Beverly Hills hotel room around 3:30pm, reports the LA Times . Paramedics were called at 3:43pm, and tried CPR for 20 minutes, but were unable to revive her, and she was pronounced dead at 3:55pm.
• No illegal drugs have been found in the room, but TMZ reports that Houston was taking Xanax, and it is possible that she drowned in her bathtub . Combined with alcohol, Xanax can cause extreme sleepiness; the gossip site speculates that Houston fell asleep in the tub.

Even crazier, Lydia Ko nearly won same tournament a year ago

(NEWSER) - Lydia Ko is just 14 years old, but that didn't stop her from becoming the youngest ever winner of a professional golf tournament earlier today, winning the New South Wales Open in New Zealand by four strokes, reports the AP . The previous record was held by Ryo Ishikawa, who won his first pro title at 15 years, eight months. The previous youngest woman was Amy Yang, who won at 16 years, seven months. It's pretty amazing,'' says the Korean-born Ko. "I don't really know what to say ... I'm really happy and to be part of history is like a miracle." More»