Britney Spears has been on the job just two days and she's already proving to be a popular judge on "The X Factor."

The pop queen is also growing into her role as critic on the Fox singing contest show.

Katie Finneran is about to get evil — playing Miss Hannigan in the new production of "Annie" on Broadway.

Producers said Friday that the two-time Tony Award winner has been cast as the cruel head of Annie's orphanage in the show that begins reviews Oct. 3 at the Palace Theatre.

Facebook's rocky initial public offering hasn't stopped life at the world's biggest online social network. On Thursday, the company unveiled a camera app for the iPhone.

The app can be downloaded from Apple's App Store and works like most other camera applications for smart phones. To take a photo, you tap a camera icon in the upper left corner of your screen, aim and shoot. You can then add filters, crop or tilt your photo, and share it on Facebook.

When Qatari sprinter Noor al-Malki makes her debut at the London Olympics, she will not be among those contending for a medal. Breaking her own national record in the 100 meters will be enough of a prize.

But even this modest goal presents a challenge.

Rafael Nadal's white T-shirt carried specks of rust-colored clay and his white socks were smothered with the stuff during a practice session on Court Philippe Chatrier in the steamy early afternoon Thursday.

As Nadal slid across his favorite surface, in his favorite stadium, at his favorite tournament, a picture of a shiny French Open trophy rotated on a video board overhead. Under the close watch of his coach, and fully focused on the work at hand, Nadal never stole a glance at that photo. No need: He ought to have every feature of that prize memorized by now.

Describing talks with Saudi Arabia as "not an easy situation," IOC President Jacques Rogge said the Olympic body is still working with the Gulf country on sending female athletes to the London Games.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Brunei are the only countries that have never field women on their Olympic teams. While Qatar and Brunei have announced plans to take female athletes to London, the Saudis have not yet done so.

Barcelona can cap four illustrious years under Pep Guardiola with a 14th trophy when it plays Athletic Bilbao in Friday's Copa del Rey final.

The match at Atletico Madrid's Vicente Calderon Stadium will be Guardiola's last in charge of the team, ending an unprecedented period of success for Barcelona since the former player took charge in 2008.

Janet Jackson, Alec Baldwin and Adrien Brody have brought a touch of Hollywood glamour to the south of France for amfAR's Cinema Against AIDS gala.

Jackson and Baldwin co-chaired the annual event Thursday along with "The Artist" star Berenice Bejo, Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai and singer Kylie Minogue.

Elton John is canceling three Las Vegas performances on doctors' orders after being hospitalized with a respiratory infection.

Officials with Caesars Entertainment say the Thursday, Saturday and Sunday performances of "The Million Dollar Piano" are being cancelled.

As one diplomatic effort after another fails to end more than a year of brutal violence in Syria, the Obama administration is preparing a plan that would essentially give U.S. nods of approval to arms transfers from Arab nations to some Syrian opposition fighters.

The effort, U.S. officials told The Associated Press, would vet members of the Free Syrian Army and other groups to determine whether they are suitable recipients of munitions to fight the Assad government and to ensure that weapons don't wind up in the hands of al-Qaida-linked terrorists or Hizbullah that could target Israel.