No public funeral for Houston

Pop icon Whitney Houston will be laid to rest on Saturday following a private funeral service in a church in her hometown, Newark, where she sang as a child. No arrangements have been made for a public memorial service, the singer's family is said to have confirmed.

"Everything will be private," a spokeswoman for Whigham funeral home, which was handling preparations for Houston's burial, said on Tuesday. "The service will be held Saturday 12 noon (1700 GMT) at New Hope Baptist Church," the spokeswoman added.

Tuesday's announcement has quelled media reports that plans were underway for a large public service at Newark's Prudential Center, a major sports and entertainment venue that can seat about 18,000 people.

Saturday's funeral is "the only service being held," the source said, adding that it would be by invitation only.

Houston, 48, was found dead on Saturday at a hotel in Beverly Hills, California just hours before she was due to perform at producer Clive Davis' pre-Grammy Awards bash. Medics were unable to revive her after she was pulled unconscious from a bathtub.

An autopsy was completed on Sunday but the results have been held back pending the completion of a toxicology probe, which could take weeks.

ccp/ai (AFP, AP)