McCartney and Mills in court for settlement

London – Arriving separately and saying little, Paul McCartney and Heather Mills went to court Monday to reach a financial settlement in their acrimonious, high-stakes divorce.

The High Court hearing, called to divide up the former Beatle’s fortune of as much $1.6 billion, had all the elements of high show-biz drama – hovering news helicopters, swarms of photographers, waiting reporters.

The terms of any settlement will not become public unless it is challenged in the Court of Appeal or either of the parties chooses to reveal details. Even the size of McCartney’s fortune is unknown. Some legal sources think it may be only $390 million, far less than the $1.6 billion noted by the Sunday Times newspaper in its annual Rich List.

Press reports have suggested that McCartney has offered Mills around $50 million, and that she is seeking at least double that amount.

Jackson thanks fans for success of ‘Thriller’

New York – Michael Jackson appeared in a video to thank fans for the success of “Thriller,” the landmark record the reclusive singer is marking with a 25th anniversary edition.

Jackson will release the new version of the blockbuster album today, featuring new collaborations with Kanye West, Akon, Fergie and will.i.am.

“It’s hard to believe that 25 years ago Quincy Jones and I embarked on an album named ‘Thriller,’ ” Jackson said in a video message to fans released Monday by his record company, Sony-BMG.

It was not immediately clear exactly when Jackson had made the video or where it was recorded.

He also hinted that he’s not through recording music.

“There is still much to come for Michael Jackson,” he said. “My passion for music has never stopped. : It’s my hope that ‘Thriller’ continues to live on for each new generation to discover.”

Jackson, 49, soared to superstardom after releasing “Thriller” in November 1982. The instant classic spawned the hits “Billie Jean,” “Beat It” and – of course – “Thriller,” and introduced the moonwalk to legions of fans all around the world.

Siegfried & Roy plan fundraiser performance

Las Vegas – Siegfried Fischbacher and Roy Horn plan to make a one-night-only comeback next February, performing their signature show at a fundraiser more than five years after a tiger attack ended their long-running production on the Las Vegas Strip.

Fischbacher, 68, and Horn, 63, will perform at the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute’s “Keep Memory Alive” fundraiser at a location yet to be confirmed. This year, tickets to the charity dinner cost $1,500; the event raised more than $12 million.

Horn was critically injured when the white tiger, Montecore, sank its teeth into his neck and dragged him offstage in front of a horrified audience at The Mirage in October 2003, ending one of the most successful casino shows in Las Vegas history.

The pair have said they believed Montecore sensed Horn was having a ministroke and was dragging him to safety, rather than attacking him.

“Siegfried and Roy and white lions and other endangered animals go hand in hand,” he said.

The Lou Ruvo Brain Institute, designed by architect Frank Gehry, is set to open in downtown Las Vegas next year.

Back problems force Parton to cancel tour

Los Angeles – A back problem has forced Dolly Parton to postpone a concert tour she had planned in support of her new CD.

Parton was scheduled to kick off a 13-show tour Feb. 28 in Minneapolis, two days after the release of “Backwoods Barbie,” publicist Marcee Rondan said Monday.

Doctors advised Parton to take up to eight weeks off to recover from the unspecified problem.

Rondan said she had no information on the nature of Parton’s back condition.

“I know I have been breaking my neck and bending over backwards trying to get my new ‘Backwoods Barbie’ CD and world tour together, but I didn’t mean to hurt myself doing it,” Parton, 62, said in a statement.

The tour will be rescheduled for late April through May. Tickets will be honored for the new dates.

Penelope Cruz looks forward to getting older

Berlin – Penelope Cruz is looking forward to getting older, and she won’t entertain discussions over whether her looks pose a career problem.

Cruz, 33, was at the Berlin film festival this week to promote fellow Spaniard Isabel Coixet’s “Elegy.” In the film, Cruz stars as a student who embarks on an affair with a much older professor, played by 64-year-old Ben Kingsley.

Asked whether she thought about aging herself, Cruz replied: “I’m looking forward to (it) : I want to experience things; I’m looking forward to having backaches and using that in my work.”

Cruz swatted aside a query about whether she felt her looks made it harder to be taken seriously, saying she had “plenty of offers for roles that have nothing to do with any of that.”