Following is a summary of current people news briefs.
Venezuelan-born academic named president of MIT
CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts (Reuters) – The Massachusetts
Institute of Technology on Wednesday named Rafael Reif, an
electrical engineer born in Venezuela who has been the
university’s provost since 2005, as its 17th president. Reif,
61, replaces Susan Hockfield, the first female president of
MIT, who announced in mid-February that she was stepping down
after almost eight years leading one of the most prestigious
universities in the United States.
Fiat’s Elkann gets behind the wheel for Mille Miglia
BRESCIA, Italy (Reuters) – John Elkann, the media-shy
chairman of one of the world’s biggest car companies, got
behind the wheel and demonstrated his driving skills on
Thursday in Italy’s legendary four-day Mille Miglia rally race.
The 36-year-old head of Fiat, which now control Chrysler and
was founded by his great-great grandfather Giovanni Agnelli in
1899, will take turns driving a custom-made 1952 eight-cylinder
Fiat 8V with his wife, Lavinia Borromeo, who also has a passion
for iconic cars.
Peter Berg discusses bringing ”Battleship” to film
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Peter Berg parlayed successful
acting work on TV shows like medical drama ”Chicago Hope” to an
even greater directing career of movies such as ”Friday Night
Lights,” which later became a TV series, and the Will Smith
action flick ”Hancock.” On Friday, Berg’s latest film,
alien-invasion actioner ”Battleship,” steams into theaters. It
takes its title from the Hasbro board game in which two players
engage in a guessing game to see who can sink the other’s naval
ships.
Britney is back – and so are the brickbats
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Britney Spears hasn’t even taken
her seat as the new judge of ”The X Factor,” but the pop icon
is already getting a lesson in the media glare of live, talent
show television. Spears had barely wrapped up an appearance in
New York confirming she is joining the singing contest before
the celebrity knives were out, raising the question of how well
the singer, who went through a public meltdown in 2007, can
handle all the newfound attention.
Second Travolta accuser drops suit, hires celebrity
attorney
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – The second masseur who accused John
Travolta of sexual battery dropped his lawsuit against the
Hollywood star on Thursday and hired celebrity attorney Gloria
Allred, who said she may file a new complaint in a different
court. Allred now represents the Atlanta-based man, known as
John Doe No. 2, as well as the original Travolta sexual battery
accuser, a Texas masseur known as John Doe No. 1.
