Cuban-born writer Guillermo Cabrera Infante dies

London — Cuban-born novelist Guillermo Cabrera Infante, regarded as one of the most original voices in 20th century Spanish literature and an outspoken critic of Fidel Castro, has died in London. He was 75.

Cabrera died in a hospital Monday from septicemia, said Carmen Pinilla, a spokeswoman for his literary agents, the Balcells agency in Barcelona, Spain. Septicemia is a type of blood infection.

Cabrera had long been lauded for his experimental use of language in his novels, essays and cinema criticism, and he won the 1997 Miguel de Cervantes prize for literature, the most prestigious literary award in the Spanish-speaking world.

“Perhaps his greatest originality was to turn cinema criticism into a new literary genre,” Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, who served on the jury that awarded the prize, said of Cabrera.

His most famous novel, “Three Trapped Tigers,” an animated account of nightlife in Havana cabarets before Castro came to power, was published in 1967.

Other titles include the author’s personal favorite, “Twentieth Century Job” published in 1963, and “Holy Smoke,” published in English in 1985.

Cabrera is survived by his wife, Miriam Gomez, and two daughters from a previous marriage.

Queen will not attend Prince Charles’ marriage

London — Buckingham Palace said Tuesday that Queen Elizabeth II would not attend the civil marriage ceremony of her son Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles, but that her absence should not be interpreted as a snub.

The monarch will attend the church blessing at Windsor Castle after the April 8 civil ceremony in the local town hall and will have the wedding reception at the castle.

“The queen will not be attending the civil ceremony because she is aware that the prince and Mrs. Parker Bowles wanted to keep the occasion low-key,” a palace spokeswoman said. “The queen and the rest of the royal family will, of course, be going to the service of dedication at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle.”

Judge confirms Jackson was ill with flu

Santa Maria, Calif.– Michael Jackson returned to court Tuesday after a week’s delay, and the judge assured prospective jurors that the singer really had been ill and there was no plot to put off his child molestation trial.

Jackson, dressed in black, chatted with his attorneys at the defense table before questioning of prospective jurors started.

Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Rodney S. Melville told prospective jurors that he understood their frustrations about “a couple of false starts.” He referred to Jackson’s illness, which closed down jury selection for a week, and an earlier delay caused by the death of defense attorney Thomas Mesereau’s sister.

He said the delays were not part of a calculated attempt by anyone to slow down the trial.

“Mr. Jackson really was sick. He really did have the flu,” the judge said. “I talked to his doctor. … I wouldn’t let anyone take advantage of us that way.”

What he meant to say was …

Los Angeles — Emmy-winning comedian Chris Rock has taken some heat for an Entertainment Weekly interview in which he called the notion of giving awards for art “idiotic” and added: “What straight black man sits there and watches the Oscars?”

But he offered some toned-down criticism of Oscar hype during Monday’s “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.”

“The awards don’t really affect anybody’s lives in the crowd,” Rock said. “Meanwhile, the Nobel Peace Prize, there’s no one there. Nobody cares what the scientists are wearing. What are you wearing Professor Allen? ‘Pants!”‘

Rock, asked if he was rooting for anyone to win, said he would favor Don Cheadle, who is up for best actor for his role in “Hotel Rwanda.”

“I like it if the award will affect the person’s life,” Rock said. “If he wins, he’s gonna get better scripts, he’s gonna work with better directors.”

And he had some advice for acceptance speeches.

“Don’t thank God,” Rock said. “God’s busy working on the tsunami, so leave him alone.”

End of the Jayhawks

Minneapolis — The Jayhawks have apparently called it a day.

Singer Gary Louris has confirmed that the alternative-country pioneers, formed in Minneapolis two decades ago, are no longer an active band.

“I don’t think we’re going to do anything else,” Louris told the Star Tribune. “We felt like we’ve done that enough. Everybody just wants to do something else. We haven’t completely closed the door, but … I’d say it’s dead.”

A sold-out concert in Madison, Wis., on Saturday reunited Louris with singer Mark Olson, who quit the Jayhawks in 1995. The concert was part of a three-week tour.

Since their formation, the Jayhawks have issued five major-label albums that have sold about 1 million copies combined. Rolling Stone and Spin magazines listed the group’s “Hollywood Town Hall” (1992) as one of the most essential albums of the 1990s.

Louris recently co-wrote new tunes with the Dixie Chicks and appears eager to try other career directions, such as record production.

“When you’re on the treadmill (with a full-time band), you never have time to learn anything else,” he said.