The week’s 20 biggest news stories (18 February)

1
 

Whitney Houston’s death was allegedly caused by an overdose of prescription drugs, according to reports. The singer passed away on Saturday (February 11) and was discovered in the bath, leading reports to circulate that she had died as a result of drowning. However, according to TMZ.com, ‘family sources’ have said that Houston died as a result of an overdose of Xanax mixed with alcohol.

2
 

Adele is planning a five-year break from music following on from her Grammy success on Sunday. The ‘Someone Like You’ singer has revealed that she wants to take time off to focus on her relationship with new boyfriend Simon Konecki. Speaking to the US edition of Vogue, Adele explained: “I am fucking off for four or five years. If I am constantly working, my relationships fail.”

3
 

Daniel Radcliffe has admitted that he didn’t actually see Lana Del Rey perform on Saturday Night Live. The actor, who was presenting the flagship US television show when the ‘Born To Die’ star made her appearance has now revealed he didn’t hear her perform. He told GQ: “I haven’t had a chance to yet but I’m sure it’s very good.”

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4
 

Noel Gallagher has revealed that his collaboration album with Amorphous Androgynous may not be released until next year.
He said: “I’ve got a break in the middle of this tour in July, so now the plan is to do something then, and then to finish it off after the tour in October. So it might come out at the end of the year, but it’s more likely to be next year now.”

5
 

You can hear Sleigh Bells’ new album ‘Reign Of Terror’ in full on NME.COM now. The album isn’t officially released into shops until Monday (February 20), but you can hear it in full now. ‘Reign Of Terror’ is the follow-up to the band’s debut record ‘Treats’ and contains a total of 11 tracks. The band’s guitarist Derek Miller has also acted as producer on the album.

6
 

Beyonce is working on two new albums, according to one of her co-writers. Ryan Tedder told MTV that the pair had already started conversations about the follow-ups to ‘4’. Tedder said: “The conversations about her next album literally just started and there [are] two projects happening. All I can say is you kind of feed her the best that you have and she’s this phenomenal filter.”

7
 

Former Supergrass frontman Gaz Coombes has said that he is relieved to have gone solo and doesn’t miss being in a band. Speaking exclusively to NME, Coombes said: “With my solo album I’m making the kind of music I want to make. I don’t have to have a discussion with a bandmate where I’m trying to convince them of the direction I want to go in. Right now I don’t want to to be in a band.”

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8
 

Radiohead have confirmed that they will headline this summer’s Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee. The festival, which runs from June 7–10, will be headlined by the Oxford band as well as Phish and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

9
 

Adele has showed off the new £7 million mansion she has moved into in a new US TV interview. The mansion, which is costing the singer around £15,000 a month to rent, is situated in a remote part of West Sussex. The house has 10 bedrooms in total, two swimming pools, a helicopter hangar and landing pad, tennis court and a media centre. It is set in 25 acres of private land.

10
 

Osama bin Laden, former leader of the terrorist group al-Qaeda, was a huge admirer of Whitney Houston and had openly said that he wished to marry her, a former friend has claimed. Kola Boof, a poet and activist, said that the terrorist often spoke of his desire to go to the US and meet Houston. She added that he said he was prepared to spend “vast amounts of money” to do so.

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