Lawyers for Michael Jackson's mother will launch their case Monday for massive compensation from the promoter of his last doomed tour, at the trial over the late King of Pop's 2009 death.

Opening statements are due in Los Angeles at the wrongful death trial pitting Katherine Jackson against AEG Live, whom she blames for negligently hiring Conrad Murray, the doctor convicted over his killing.

Lebanese director Ziad Doueiri said Saturday the Lebanese authorities have banned his award-winning film "The Attack" from cinemas in his home country because it was partly shot in Tel Aviv using Israeli actors.

"I regret to inform you that the Interior Minister of Lebanon, Minister (Marwan) Charbel, has decided to punish us and the film by banning it... claiming that the reason for the rejection is that I, Ziad Doueiri, had spent time in Israel filming," the director said in a statement on his Facebook page.

Country music legend George Jones, singer of such enduring hits as "She Thinks I Still Care" during a career that spanned more than half a century, died Friday, his publicist said. He was 81.

He passed away at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee, eight days after he was admitted to hospital with fever and irregular blood pressure, said Webster and Associates on its website.

A vampire love story by independent U.S. film-maker Jim Jarmusch has been awarded a coveted place in the official line-up at next month's Cannes film festival, organizers said on Friday.

"Only Lovers Left Alive" with Tom Hiddleston, Tilda Swinton, John Hurt and Mia Wasikowska takes to 20 the number of films in competition for the top Palme d'Or prize at the Riviera movie extravaganza.

British actress Parminder Nagra, who shot to fame in 2002's "Bend it like Beckham," has settled a palimony lawsuit after her ex-husband claimed a share of her earnings, lawyers said Friday.

The 37-year-old actress, who went on to star in the long-running U.S. television series "ER," lived with James Stenson for six years before marrying him in January 2009. She filed for divorce in February 2012.

Classically elegant but also self-assured and daring -- designers familiar with the top-to-toe tastes of the woman about to become the Dutch queen say Maxima was born to step into royal shoes.

Valentino remains the Argentine-born princess' favorite couturier for special occasions, and according to Grazia magazine that is where she will get her outfit for Tuesday, when she becomes queen consort at the enthronement of her husband, Netherlands crown prince Willem-Alexander.

More than a million Dutch school children are participating in the "King's Games" Friday, a day of sports and games as festivities get underway to celebrate of the accession of Crown Prince Willem-Alexander to the throne next week.

Willem-Alexander and his wife Princess Maxima formally opened the games in the eastern city of Enschede. In all, 65,000 primary schools around the country are expected to participate, and most of the rest that didn't sign up formally are still celebrating in some way. Kids are wearing orange T-shirts in honor of the royal family, the ruling House of Orange.

Britain's young royals are having a magical day out with a visit to the studio where the "Harry Potter" movies were filmed.

Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry are touring Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden near London, home to the Making of Harry Potter studio tour.

Food-lovers who miss dining at the tables of Ferran Adria's elBulli restaurant can get another taste on Friday -- of his wine, at least, as the famed Catalan chef auctions his celebrated collection.

The sale, at upscale Sotheby's auction house in New York, will benefit Adria's foundation, where, two years after the legendary Spanish restaurant shut its doors, Adria, considered one of the best experimental chefs, now works full-time.

MTV is getting ready to blast viewers with a brand-new "Scream."

The network says it will produce a pilot for a TV-series adaptation of the wildly popular slasher films. The series would reinvent the horror-comedy franchise that began with the original release in 1996 and spawned three sequels, the most recent in 2011.