All other news was cancelled today as the world was coming to terms with the sudden death of American songstress Whipney Houston on the eve of the Grammys.
Protesters in Egypt declared a 24 hour ceasefire, as activists in Syria laid to rest their weapons. EU officials called a break in Greek debt negotiations. Footballers decided to shake hands and other footballers apologized for not shaking hands.
An Egyptian who asked not to be named told the spoof "We have to look at the bigger picture here - Whitney was the Queen of the power ballad - is our struggle for democracy in our country after years of corrupt leadership really that significant in comparison?"
BBC World News Channel covered the death of the Grammy winning Houston like a celebrity website, including 15 minutes of coverage before any other stories, with overhead pictures of a stationary ambulance not doing much at all outside the hotel where the body of Houston was found - mainly because the police had not yet allowed the body to be moved - before more credible contributions interviewing music industry executives Peter Waterman and founder of the MOBOs Kanya King on the legacy of the artist with eleven number one hits.
An insider at the Beeb explained "Come on it was Sunday morning when the news broke - give us a break - do you really want more of the never ending troubles in countries you don't really give a toss about - or the death of an iconic superstar with one of the best voices in the world in her prime?"
While the world ground to a halt to take in the sad news, Whitney's ex-husband Bobby 'Bollock brain' Brown continued with his scheduled concert. When asked later why he didn't cancel he claimed it was 'my prerogative'.
Whitney Houston was 48.
