FIRST LOOK: The News in Brief, July 22, 2005

MAKING PROGRESS? Courtney Love said to be "progressing well" at a Friday hearing. The rocker did not have to attend the Friday hearing. She was said to be at home recovering from a brief hospitalization Wednesday after complaining of feeling faint.

SHUTTERBUGGED: Jurors completed their first day of deliberations Friday in the trial of John Rutter, the photog charged in connection with threatening to sell topless pics of Cameron Diaz. Earlier, prosecutors portrayed Rutter as a "con man" in their closing arguments Friday, while Rutter's attorney said he was being bullied by the A-list actress.

NOT GOING BRIDAL: Pamela Anderson taking to her Website to deny reports that she and Tommy Lee are engaged to be married yet again.

ALSO ON RUMOR PATROL: Usher refuting rumors that he and his girlfriend are expecting a baby. "It was a story fabricated by a total idiot that spread over the Internet," the R&B singer's spokeswoman said in a statement Friday.

COMING CLEAN: After being two hours late to court, Tom Sizemore admitting to using a prosthetic device to fake a drug test, among other probation violations. A judge ordered the actor to be confined to a rehab facility pending a Sept. 15 court hearing.

VICTORY OVER VANITY: Roman Polanski winning his libel suit against Vanity Fair, which published a 2002 article claiming he attempted to seduce a woman en route to wife Sharon Tate's funeral. Polanski was awarded nearly $90,000 in damages.

SLAMMED: John Densmore, the former drummer for the Doors, winning a court order Friday preventing his bandmates from using the legendary rock group's name while touring. He will also get a cut of the group's earnings.

FOOLISH: A New York jury finding Ashanti liable for $630,000 in back royalties to her first music producer, Genard Parker, in a breach-of-contract case. The R&B star, who was not in court for the verdict, is expected to appeal.

GIVE IT BACK: Judge Rodney S. Melville ordering prosecutors to return hundreds of items seized from Michael Jackson by investigators as evidence, including adult magazines, computers and books.

HIGH PRICE OF FAME: Jackson's child-molestation trial costing Santa Barbara County taxpayers upward of $2.7 million, much of went to paying sheriff's deputies posted at the courthouse and to crowd control.

WINDY CITY BOUND: Jennifer Lopez selecting a Marshall Field's in Chicago to house her first U.S. J.Lo boutique. Her first boutique opened last year in Moscow.

DETHRONED: The Princes of Malibu's Linda Thompson filing for divorce from David Foster, stepfather to "princes" Brody and Brandon, who are Thompson's sons with Bruce Jenner.

PASSION OF THE MOUSE: Mel Gibson teaming with Disney to distribute his next film, Apocalypto, which he wrote and will direct, per Daily Variety. Production is expected to commence next summer.

LIVE ACTION: The eighth and final season of Will & Grace kicking off with a live episode on Sept. 29. Alec Balwin will guest on the show for the special debut.

EVERYONE HAS THEIR MOMENT: Three new American Idol compilations arriving on DVD Nov. 22: The Best of American Idol: Seasons 1-4, The Worst of American Idol: Seasons 1-4 and a limited-edition set combining the two.

STORK WATCH: Former American Idol contestant Julia DeMato and her fiancé, Jim Polches, welcoming a son, James Peter, on July 6. The couple plans to wed next year.

BABY'S FIRST SHOPPING TRIP: Angelina Jolie taking six-month-old Zahara out on a shopping trip near Brad Pitt's Malibu mansion, where Jolie and her children have reportedly been staying.

NOT SO FAST: Eminem denying reports he is set to retire this fall. The rapper told MTV News Thursday he is simply "taking a break from my music to go in the studio and produce my other artists."

DMB + NFL + CBS: Dave Matthews Band to promote the 2005 NFL season on CBS with the title track from the band's most recent album, Stand Up.

STEPPING DOWN: Melissa Gilbert announcing her decision not to run for a third term as president of the Screen Actors Guild, because she wants to spend more time with her family. Morgan Fairchild, Robert Conrad and Alan Rosenberg are in the running for the post.

CRUISE CONTROL: Tom Cruise's couch-hopping antics on Oprah topping TV Guide's poll to determine the Wildest Celebrity Meltdown. Also-rans included Michael Jackson, Courtney Love, Farrah Fawcett and Mariah Carey.

CODA: British blues legend Long John Baldry died Thursday in Vancouver. The 6-foot-7 singer helped launch the careers of artists such as Rod Stewart and the Rolling Stones. He was 64.