Britney beats Obama in Internet 'starwar'

LOS ANGELS, USA: Yes, it was Barack Obama who redefined the possibility of the Internet to write his story of historic victory in US presidential elections. But if you thought he is the Internet star of the day… your calculation has gone wrong. Or that’s what the list of UK's 10 most searched-for subjects says.

According to the latest report, it’s the American pop icon Britney Jean Spears, who tops the Yahoo list for the Unite Kingdom.

Despite passing through a turbulent phase and legal hassles, the star value of the American sex kitten is as intact as ever, the search list shows.

Be it her troubled private life, which involved a child custody battle with her ex-husband, Kevin Federline, stays in rehabilitation centres, trouble with the law, confrontations with the paparazzi, or the sensational new album, the netizens are keen about every moment of her life.

Britney had topped the list last year too, for a wrong reason though. However, this year, she is there for the right reason only.

While World Wrestling Entertainment came second in the list, Obama is third. However, he is the most searched-for politician during 2008.

"It is fascinating to look back over the last year and see the stories, personalities and subjects that have captured our imagination ... some of which continue to be the hot topics of today," a spokesman for Yahoo Europe said.

Yahoo's Web Life editor, Heather Cabot said the searches of the people “reveal which news events, personalities and issues made an impact in 2008. This year people were captivated by the historic US presidential election and Olympic triumphs."

The most searched subjects over Internet include searches on topics like economics, politicians, news stories, the Olympics, rising celebrities, influential women, and those who have died in the last year, Yahoo said.