Holocaust Remembrance Day, Deceased Musicians, Bumblebee Gecko: What’s Spiking (Thursday)

The weekday report for the topics and people that are trending on

Yahoo! and across the Web for Thursday April 19, 2012.

Research by Search editor Liz Streng

Commemorations around the world marked the Jewish genocide during World War II. Tributes were also paid to two musicians who died—one from a long illness, the other sudden. On the nature front, a small creature made its public debut. Below, other news catching people’s attention across the Web.

STANDOUT SPIKES

Holocaust Remembrance Day: Israelis gathered to read names at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, and other tributes happened around the world to commemorate 6 million Jews killed during World War II. Related searches: yom hashoah
Greg Ham: The 58-year-old Men at Work musician—who played the flute, saxophone, and keyboard—was found dead in his Melbourne home on Thursday. Lead singer Colin Hay issued a statement: “We played in a band and conquered the world together. I love him very much. He’s a beautiful man. He’s here forever.” His death is under investigation.
Levon Helm: The 71 year-old drummer from The Band died after a long bout with throat cancer. Though long estranged, the founding guitarist/songwriter Robbie Robertson paid a hospital visit. He wrote on his website: “Levon is one of the most extraordinary talented people I’ve ever known and very much like an older brother to me. I am so grateful I got to see him one last time and will miss him and love him forever.”
Bumblebee Gecko: Found another one: Researchers in Papua New Guinea spotted a new (to us) gecko species back in 2010 and have finally told us: It’s named Nactus kunan, or the bumblebee gecko.

(Click to see slideshow)

Bumblebee Gecko

NEWS & POLITICS

500-Year-Old Painting: A 16th-century painting has been returned to the Jewish family of Federico Gentili di Giuseppe, who proved that the French government illegally auctioned the painting during the Nazi occupation.
Carnival Star Princess: The American-based cruise ship allegedly didn’t help a stranded fishing boat with three men, stranded a total 28 days at sea. One man died the day after the cruise ship passed, another 16 days later, leaving one survivor who was eventually rescued by the Coast Guard.
Charles Colson: The Watergate figure is in “grave condition” following brain surgery earlier this month.
Fort Bragg Soldier: Investigators sent a dive team to a North Carolina pond Thursday morning as police continued their search for missing Fort Bragg soldier, Pfc. Kelli Bordeaux.
Leon Panetta: The U.S. Defense Secretary pronounced “deep skepticism” Thursday over Syria honoring the U.N. ceasefire, due to “deceitful actions” by President Bashar al-Assad.
N.J. Bully’s Punch: A New Jersey school district has settled a lawsuit and will pay $4.2 million to a paralyzed middle school student hit by a known bully.

SCIENCE & NATURE

Baldness Cure: Not quite, but Japanese researchers grew hair on hairless mice by implanting follicles created from stem cells.

BUSINESS & MONEY

Adastra Super Yacht: A one-of-a-kind boat that bears a closer resemblance to a “Star Wars” spacecraft than a sea-faring vehicle for earthlings.
Chesapeake Energy: Shares continue to drop in wake of a Reuters report that the company’s chief executive took out personal loans to finance wells.

ENTERTAINMENT

American Idol: On performance night, host Ryan Seacrest paid tribute to mentor Dick Clark, who died yesterday of a massive heart attack at age 82. Seacrest explained, “Without Dick, a show like this would not exist. He will be missed greatly and our thoughts and our prayers go out to his family.” Related searches: american bandstand, dick clark death
Bachelor Show Discrimination: Producers for ABC’s “The Bachelor” said yesterday that the discrimination lawsuit against the show is “baseless and without merit.”
Madea’s Witness Protection: The trailer for Tyler Perry’s latest movie premiered, which stars Eugene Levy, Romeo Miller, Denise Richards, John Amos, and Doris Roberts.

CELEBRITIES

Carly Foulkes: The T-Mobile spokeswoman traded in her pink dresses for all-leather outfit in a new ad.
Courtney Stodden: The teen bride of “Lost” actor Doug Hutchison is doing a YouTube series to count down to her 18th birthday on August 29.
Jonathan Frid: The original Barnabas Collins in the 1960s soap “Dark Shadows” died in Canada at age 87 last week, one month before the release of Tim Burton’s big-screen version starring Johnny Depp.
Mel Gibson: The actor’s self-financed movie “Get the Gringo,” which debuted in a handful of theaters Wednesday only, will move on to the satellite service DirecTV on May 1. Screenwriter Joe Eszterhas incidentally released Gibson’s latest rant, “filled with expletives and epithets,” on Wednesday.

SPORTS

Fenway Park: Happy 100th birthday, Fenway! Boston’s venerable ballpark turns 100 Friday.
Chelsea Barcelona: Chelsea beat Barcelona 1-0 in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League game. They meet again April 24.
Delonte West: Sticking a finger in it will cost the Mavericks’ guard $25,000, for pulling a “wet willie” to the Utah Jazz player Gordon Haywood.
Flyers: The Philadelphia Flyers lost in a huge way to the Pittsburgh Penguins 3-10 in game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarter-Finals . Ouch.
Holly Warlick: The Tennessee Lady Vols assistant will be taking over, as coach Pat Summitt retires after 38 years.
Ivan Rodriguez: The catcher plans to announce his retirement Monday. His Major League career spans 21 years and a record 13 Gold Gloves.
Marian Hossa: The Coyotes’ forward Torres will find out his fate Friday, after his indefinite suspension by the NHL due to his hit on Blackhawks’ Marian Hossa that sent Hossa to the hospital.

HEADLINES FROM AROUND THE WEB

What’s popular on Yahoo!, Twitter, Google Trends, CNN, BBC, Hollywood Reporter, and other sources.

Yahoo! News (popular)

Rolling Stone magazine (most popular)

Twitter