Missing Dutch sailor Laura Dekker, 14, found on Caribbean island

A teenager who went missing from her family home in the Netherlands after authorities thwarted her attempt to become the youngest person to sail single-handed around the world has been found alive thousands of miles away on a Caribbean island.

Laura Dekker, 14, who went missing on Thursday, was found today on the island of St Martin, in the Dutch Antilles, according to the Dutch news agency ANP.

Bernhard Jens, a spokesman for the police in Utrecht, her home town, said investigators were not treating the case as a crime. The Dutch public broadcaster NOS said Dekker left a note for her father before disappearing, but did not reveal its contents.

Dekker, the child of two sailing enthusiasts who separated six years after she was born on their yacht in New Zealand, had her attempt to break the world record blocked in October. Citing concerns about her safety and schooling, the Utrecht district court placed her under the guardianship of local welfare authorities.

Although she remained living with her father, who was in favour of her undertaking the sea challenge, she and her parents were required to get the approval of child protection officials for any future trips, the court ruled. The judgment meant she could not leave the country until July, without their approval.

Dekker, who had spoken fervently of her desire to set off on a two-year voyage which would beat the record currently held by Mike Perham, a 17-year-old Briton, was said by a family spokeswoman to be have been "disappointed" by the court's ruling. As she has dual Dutch and New Zealand nationality, she was quoted as saying she was considering setting sail from New Zealand.

Jens told journalists that Dekker's boat, Guppy, was still moored at its usual place. He refused to confirm a report in the Dutch press that she withdrew €3,500 from her bank account days before she disappeared. A spokesperson for the family, Mariska Woertman, said Dekker left a letter addressed to her father, but refused to elaborate on its content.

Her father has emerged as a controversial figure in the saga. When his daughter – then 13 – was picked up by British police in the port of Lowestoft in May, after sailing alone from the Netherlands, he initially refused to come and collect her, insisting she was capable of returning home in her boat.

The teenager's mother has expressed more caution about the scheme, saying she believes Laura might still be too young to face the mental and physical stress of such an endeavour. In its October ruling, the court accepted that her sailing skills were adequate and that the undertaking would not harm her emotional development. But it insisted there were concerns about her safety and education.

Playboy shares jump on report the men's magazine is in talks to be sold

CHICAGO (AP) — Shares of Playboy Enterprises (PLA) soared Thursday on a report that the men's magazine publisher is in talks to sell its business to Iconix Brand Group.

The stock rose by as much as 66% during the day and closed up $1.21, or 43%, at $4.07. Iconix shares fell 39 cents, or 3.2%, to finish at $11.76.

Playboy, based in Chicago, and Iconix declined to comment.

A news report by Bloomberg said Iconix has examined Playboy's finances, but there's no guarantee of a deal, citing people close to the situation.

Iconix, based in New York, owns brands that it licenses to manufacturers, such as Candie's and London Fog.

Iconix CEO Neil Cole has been looking for more brands to acquire, while Playboy has been looking for a buyer since Scott Flanders became CEO in June, replacing long-time head Christie Hefner, the daughter of Hugh Hefner.

In the third quarter, Playboy's ad revenue fell 44% to $9.45 million, according to the Publishers Information Bureau. Circulation declined 9% to 2.45 million in the first six months of the year, the Audit Bureau of Circulations reported.

Actress Brittany Murphy dies in LA at age 32

LOS ANGELES - Brittany Murphy, the actress who got her start in the sleeper hit "Clueless" and rose to stardom in "8 Mile" before her movie roles declined in recent years, died Sunday in Los Angeles of what appeared to be natural causes, a Los Angeles County coroner's official said. She was 32.
Murphy was pronounced dead at 10:04 a.m. at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Sally Stewart said.

Murphy was transported to the hospital after the Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a call at 8 a.m. at the home she shared with her husband, British screenwriter Simon Monjack, in the Hollywood Hills.
Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said Murphy apparently collapsed in the bathroom, and authorities were looking into her medical history.

An official cause of death may not be determined for some time, since toxicology tests will be required, but "it appears to be natural," Winter said. He said an autopsy was planned for Monday or Tuesday.

Winter said Murphy's family was cooperating with the coroner's investigation. Funeral arrangements have not been announced, he said.

Los Angeles police have opened an investigation into Murphy's death, Officer Norma Eisenman said. Detectives and coroner's officials were at Murphy and Monjack's home Sunday afternoon but did not talk to reporters. Paparazzi were camped outside the multistory home, located above the Sunset Strip.

Messages left for Murphy's manager and agent by The Associated Press were not immediately returned.
Neighbor Clare Staples said she saw firefighters working to resuscitate the actress Sunday morning. She said Murphy was on a stretcher and "looked as though she was dead at the scene."

Murphy's husband, wearing pajama bottoms and no shoes, appeared "dazed" as firefighters tried to save her, Staples said. "It's just tragic," she added.

TMZ.com first reported Murphy's death Sunday morning.

Murphy's father, Angelo Bertolotti, said he learned of her death from his son, the actress's brother, and was stunned.

"She was just an absolute doll since she was born," Bertolotti said from his Branford, Fla., home. "Her personality was always outward. Everybody loved her — people that made movies with her, people on a cruise — they all loved her. She was just a regular gal."

He said he hadn't heard much about the circumstances of Murphy's death. Bertolotti divorced her mother when Murphy was young and hadn't seen Murphy in the past few years. He said he used to be in the mob and served prison time on federal drug charges.

"She was just talented," Bertolotti said. "And I loved her very much."

Meanwhile, Murphy's publicist, Nicole Perna, said in a statement: "In this time of sadness, the family thanks you for your love and support. It is their wish that you respect their privacy."

Born Nov. 10, 1977, in Atlanta, Murphy grew up in New Jersey and later moved with her mother to Los Angeles to pursue acting.

Her career started in the early 1990s with small roles in television series, commercials and movies. She is best known for parts in "Girl, Interrupted," "Clueless" and "8 Mile."

Her on-screen work had lessened of late, but Murphy's voice gave life to numerous animated characters, including Luanne Platter on more than 200 episodes of Fox's "King of the Hill" and Gloria the penguin in the 2006 feature "Happy Feet."

She is due to appear in Sylvester Stallone's upcoming film, "The Expendables," set for release next year.
Her role in "8 Mile" led to more recognition, Murphy told AP in 2003. "That changed a lot," she said. "That was the difference between people knowing my first and last name as opposed to not."
Murphy credited her mother, Sharon, with being a key to her success.

"When I asked my mom to move to California, she sold everything and moved out here for me," Murphy said. "I was really grateful to have grown up in an environment that was conducive to creating and didn't stifle any of that. She always believed in me."

She dated Ashton Kutcher, who costarred with Murphy in 2003's romantic comedy "Just Married."
Kutcher sent a message on Twitter Sunday morning about Murphy's death: "2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine," Kutcher wrote. "My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany's family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon."
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AP Entertainment Writer Anthony McCartney and Matt Sedensky in Miami contributed to this report.