Charli XCX celebrates birthday week with electrifying Lollapalooza 2026 performance

Michael Jackson’s estate has secured a significant legal victory in a lawsuit filed by four siblings who accused the late pop icon of sexually abusing and trafficking them when they were minors. The case was brought earlier this year by siblings Edward, Dominic, Marie-Nicole and Aldo Cascio against the estate of Jackson, who died in 2009 at the age of 50. The siblings claimed that the singer had groomed and brainwashed them during their childhood and alleged that they were subjected to sexual abuse and trafficking. The Cascio siblings had a close relationship with Jackson while growing up and have previously described themselves as part of his “second family.” Their connection with the singer became the focus of legal proceedings after they made allegations against him and subsequently reached a settlement with his estate. In 2019, Jackson’s estate agreed to pay the siblings $3.5 million as part of a settlement. The agreement did not include any admission of wrongdoing by the estate or acknowledge the allegations made against the late singer. The siblings later attempted to challenge the settlement, arguing that the agreement should be declared invalid and unenforceable. They claimed they had been pressured or coerced into signing the deal and sought to pursue their allegations through the court system. However, their effort to bring the dispute before a public trial has now been rejected. On Wednesday, August 12, Judge Hernán D. Vera ruled that the legal dispute must be resolved through confidential arbitration instead of proceeding as a public court case. The decision represents a major victory for Jackson’s estate, as arbitration generally keeps legal proceedings private and limits the matter from moving forward through a public trial. According to court papers obtained by Billboard, Judge Vera acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations but concluded that the existing agreement required the dispute to be handled through arbitration. “Although the allegations are horrific, the court is without discretion to do aught but enforce the language of the arbitration clause,” the court stated. The ruling does not determine whether the allegations made by the Cascio siblings are true or false. Instead, it focuses on the legal terms of the 2019 settlement and whether the dispute must follow the arbitration provision contained in that agreement. The siblings’ allegations have nevertheless brought renewed attention to Jackson’s relationships with children and families who were close to him during his lifetime. Jackson, one of the most influential entertainers in music history, faced allegations of sexual misconduct during his career, though he consistently denied wrongdoing. The latest ruling means that the Cascio siblings’ dispute with Jackson’s estate will now continue, if at all, through a private arbitration process rather than a public courtroom trial. The outcome of that process could determine whether their challenge to the 2019 settlement has any further legal consequences.

Filmmaker Arfat Sheikh’s film Saffron Kingdom is now streaming worldwide. It has landed on the Palestinian-owned platform Watermelon+. The release comes after a strong run on the international festival circuit. Sheikh hails from India-Occupied Kashmir. He had earlier described the film as his attempt to reclaim his people’s stories from Bollywood. He said he wanted to take the pen back from an industry he views as a tool of oppression. The story follows Masrat, played by Diana Aras. She is a half-widow, a term used for Kashmiri women whose husbands have been forcibly disappeared by Indian forces. After her husband vanishes, Masrat flees the valley with her young son Rizwan, played by Alex Cheeks. The pair eventually settle in the United States. There, both mother and son must confront the trauma of their years spent living under occupation. Old memories resurface even as they try to build a new life. Sheikh said the film leans heavily on its female characters to carry the emotional core. He called the choice a deliberate allegory. According to him, the story centeres on two women rather than men. He explained that this reflects reality on the ground. Few men remain in India-Occupied Kashmir today, he said. The women who stay behind, he added, reveal what survival under occupation truly demands. Saffron Kingdom premiered at the Wake Forest Film Festival in the United States. It then travelled to six more countries. Screenings consistently drew full houses. The film found strong support from minority communities. Many viewers related to its themes of migration and inherited trauma. With its streaming debut, Saffron Kingdom now sits alongside other politically resonant titles on Watermelon+. These include Oscar nominee The Voice of Hind Rajab and Bafta-winning documentary Gaza: Doctors Under Attack. Pakistan’s 2025 Oscar submission The Glassworker is also part of the platform’s growing library. Together, these films reflect Watermelon+’s focus on stories of occupation, displacement, and resistance. The platform continues to build a catalogue centered on voices often left out of mainstream cinema.

Kourtney Kardashian could not help gushing over her little sister on her big day. The Lemme founder posted on Instagram on August 11 to celebrate Kylie Jenner turning 29, tying the tribute to an old childhood nickname involving Tinker Bell The post featured a throwback photo of the sisters from Kylie’s teenage years, snapped at what looks like a sports event. In the picture, Kylie is dressed casually in a white lace tank top and green pants, while Kourtney wears denim with a graphic tee layered under a blue jacket. Kourtney’s caption played on the fairy theme, marking the moment Kylie supposedly “earned” her magical nickname, and closed with a simple birthday shoutout to her sister. Kim Kardashian joined in too, posting her own set of throwback photos from their Keeping Up with the Kardashians years. One image showed a young Kylie in a yellow dress sitting on Kim’s lap. Kim’s caption was full of affection, calling her sister a princess and pouring on the love. The wave of birthday posts followed an early celebration Kylie threw for herself over the weekend. The party ran with a Princess Kitty theme, and every guest, Kylie included, showed up in pink dresses topped with tiaras and boas.