The weekday report for the topics and people that are trending on
Yahoo! and across the Web for Tuesday April 17, 2012.
Research by Search editor Liz Streng
Mother Nature blows some volcanic steam in Mexico. Meanwhile, a celebrity and her mother team up for a tell-all book that reveals some terrible secrets. And the mother of all geek conventions is set, thanks to an unprecedented intergalactic reunion. Here now, the mother lode in online buzz.
STANDOUT SPIKES
- Popocatepetl Volcano: Mexican authorities raised the alert level Tuesday morning after the volcano coughed up some burning hot rocks. Nearby residents have Tweeted messages of the eruption and posted images of the ash cloud. The real concern: Will this be harder to pronounce than Eyjafjallajökull?
- Vanessa Williams: The actress-singer told ABC's "Nightline" that she had been sexually abused as a child and had abortion as a teen, details revealed in her new book, "You Have No Idea," co-authored with her mother Helen Williams.
- Star Trek Convention: Organizers of "Destination Star Trek London" (Oct. 19-22) trumpeted that all the captains—William Shatner, Sir Patrick Stewart, Avery Brooks, Kate Mulgrew, and Scott Bakula—will appear together on stage. Not included in the announcement: They are not real captains.
NEWS & POLITICS
- Anders Behring Breivik: The accused Norwegian mass killer addressed the court Tuesday saying the deaths were the "most spectacular sophisticated political act in Europe since the Second World War" and that "July 22 wasn't about me. July 22 was a suicide attack. I wasn't expecting to survive that day."
- Secret Service Scandal: Up to 21 women were apparently brought to a Colombian hotel. The agents partied and drank at a Cartagena brothel called the Pley Club before bringing the ladies of the evening back to the hotel.
- Chile Earthquake: A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck near the port city Valparaiso late Monday and was felt as far away as Santiago, 69 miles from the epicenter. No major damage reported.
- Cardboard Cathedral: The city of Christchurch, New Zealand, which was ruined in a 2011 earthquake that killed 185 people, announced plans to build a temporary 82-foot high cathedral from 104 tubes of cardboard.
- Cardboard Cathedral: The city of Christchurch, ruined in the 2011 earthquake that killed 185 people, announced plans to build a temporary 82-foot high cathedral from 104 tubes of cardboard.
- Pulitzer Prize Winners: The late Manning Marable won the Pulitzer Prize Monday for a Malcolm X book he worked on for decades, but didn't live to see published. For the first time in 35 years, no fiction prize was awarded.
- Judge Jessica Recksiedler: George Zimmerman's attorney wants the judge removed for conflict of interest because her husband works with CNN legal analyst Mark NeJame.
- Newt Gingrich: A Magellanic penguin bit the GOP presidential hopeful during a private tour of St. Louis Zoo at the last Friday. In other biting news, former campaign manager Michael Krull confirmed Monday he was longer working for the campaign. Politico reported his departure in late March. Gingrich is currently campaigning in Pennsylvania.
- Pippa Middleton: The Duchess of Windsor's sister could be called as a witness after the 27-year-old was photographed over the weekend in Paris with a man who looked to be brandishing a gun.
SCIENCE & NATURE
- Space Shuttle Discovery: The retired space shuttle arrived at its final resting place in Washington D.C. To get there, the shuttle hitched aboard the NASA's Shuttle Carrier Aircraft, a modified Boeing 747 jumbo jet, on a flight above the National Mall and other nearby monuments.
- Jane Goodall: The chimpanzee expert returned from the wild to promote the Disney film "Chimpanzee" and raise money for the animal population. Who says primatologists don't make good marketers: She gave Jon Stewart a "proper chimpanzee greeting" on Monday's episode of "The Daily Show."
- Chin Implants: The fastest-growing and mystifying plastic surgery trend among men and women: "A total of 10,593 men had the operation done in 2011, a 76 percent increase over the prior year, and 10,087 women had the procedure, a 66 percent rise."
BUSINESS & MONEY
- GSA: General Services Administration whistleblower Susan Brita testified at a congressional hearing Tuesday about big bucks dropped at a 2010 Las Vegas conference. "I share your anger and disappointment in GSA's conduct," she said, a contrast to conference organizer Jeff Neely, who repeatedly invoked the Fifth Amendment on Monday.
- Lamborghini on Fire: A nice Saturday test-drive turned into a costly inferno when a $376,000 Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4 combusted in southern California. Lucky for all of us, the episode was caught on video.
- Mark Cuban: The mobile app developer Vringo saw its shares rise 50 percent Monday after when word got around that the Dallas Mavericks owner had acquired a major stake.
- Titanic Auction: Items from the wrecked luxury liner sold at Bonhams auction house on the 100th anniversary of the ship's sinking. An original launch ticket received the winning bid of $56,250.
- Karl Wlaschek: Wedding bells get recycled a fifth time for the 94-year-old Austrian billionaire. The lucky lady is Friederike Ricki Schenk, who hasn't revealed her age but appears to be 30 years younger.
ENTERTAINMENT
- Ernest Hemingway: A new trailer for HBO's film "Hemingway & Gellhorn" premiered. The film, which stars Clive Owen as the American writer and Nicole Kidman as his journalist wife Martha Gellhorn, airs May 28 on HBO.
- DeLuna Fest: The Florida lineup features Pearl Jam, Foo Fighters, and Florence and the Machine. The music fest takes place Sept. 21-23 on Pensacola Beach.
CELEBRITIES
- Nicki Minaj: Should the singer change her mind about deleting her Twitter account to protest online song theft ("Like seriously, it's but so much a person can take. Good f---ing bye"), she has 30 days to change her mind and get her 11 million fans back. The Miami New Times profiled four other quitters...who all came back.
- Ryan O'Neal: His rep reports the actor has stage 2 prostate cancer, not stage 4 as was reported previously, and expects a full recovery. Ryan is currently working on the TV show "Bones."
- Daphne Selfe: You go, octogenarian: The 83-year-old is the world's oldest supermodel, according to People.
- Mila Kunis: Another rep clears the air after photos circulate showing Kunis and Ashton Kutcher hanging out: "They're so not dating." Breathe easy.
SPORTS
- Roger Clemens: Prosecutors are having another go at the disgraced former Hall of Famer for a perjury trial, but several prospective jurors openly questioned the value of a congressional hearing in which Clemens is alleged to have lied.
- Kevin Youkilis: The Greek God of Walks got an apology from his Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine, who had criticized the first baseman for not being "as physically or emotionally into the game as he has been in the past." Youkilis remarked, "I'm more confused than anything, because I think everyone knows I go out and play the game as hard as I can, and it's just my style of play."
- WNBA Draft 2012: The WNBA completed its annual draft on Monday with Stanford's Nnemkadi Ogwumike picked first by the L.A. Sparks.
- Alison Melder: After Deadspin.com reported the former model received hundreds of text messages from former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino, her attorney rejects any inappropriate behavior: "Unfortunately, my client has been drawn into a firestorm that is simply sad. While she did meet Coach Petrino last fall and kept in touch; the truth is that Alison has never in her life been alone with Coach Petrino."
- Piermario Morosini: His coffin was taken to Armando Picchi Stadium for Livorno fans' final tributes. The 25-year-old midfielder had a heart attack during a game Saturday.
HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE WEB
What's popular on Yahoo!, Twitter, Google Trends, CNN, BBC, Hollywood Reporter, and other sources.
- Titanic photo shows evidence of human remains
- Romney tells Obama to 'start packing' in interview with Diane Sawyer
- Granny 'Drug Kingpin' Busted in Oklahoma
- Exclusive: Secret Service Bragged About Protecting Obama While Partying At Colombian Brothel
- Girl in Pulitzer-winning picture still has nightmares
- Michigan lotto winner charged with welfare fraud
Twitter Trends (International)
- #ThingsWeSay2DaPolice
- #CongratsWe1DirectionersFor30KFollowers
- Jonatics Always With Jo Bros
- #NeymarNoCorinthians
- Smilers Love Beliebers
- Baby Nath
- Gaga Notice Lebanon
- We Love Klaine
- Russell Wilson
- Allianz Arena
- #LucyTakeOver
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