Adele's '21' hits 21st week at No. 1

Adele's momentum is showing no signs of slowing. After winning six Grammy Awards and taking the top prize at the Brit Awards, the young soulful star bested a chart record set by another vocal powerhouse, the late Whitney Houston. Adele's "21" coasted to another week at the top of the pop charts, giving it 21 nonconsecutive weeks in the pole position. That's the most by any album in the modern sales era.

Buoyed by her Grammy wins and return to the stage after vocal cord surgery, "21" sold a mighty 730,000 copies in the United States for the week beginning Feb. 13, according to Nielsen SoundScan stats released by Billboard. The tally gives Adele her best sales week. The album, which has now remained in the Top 10 for one full year, has sold more than 7.3 million copies.

Lohan praised

Lindsay Lohan drew praise Wednesday from a judge who said the actress was one court hearing away from putting a long-running drunken driving case behind her.

"Ms. Lohan, you're in the home stretch," Superior Court Judge Stephanie Sautner told the actress. "The probation officer is pleased with your progress."

The former Disney star has progressed under strict probation guidelines imposed by Sautner last year, including weekly stints working at the morgue and therapy sessions. Lohan, 25, now has to work 14 days at the morgue and attend five therapy sessions before the judge ends her probation on a 2007 drunken driving case that has dogged Lohan for years.

She is due back in court on March 29 for what could be her final court appearance. Lohan would remain on informal probation for a case filed after she took a necklace without permission in January, 2011, but would no longer have to report to a probation officer.

The model-actress is scheduled to host Saturday Night Live on March 3.

Royal honor

Actress Helena Bonham Carter, whose regal roles include the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland and the mother of Queen Elizabeth II in The King's Speech, has been honored by the British monarch for services to drama.

Bonham Carter was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, or CBE, by the queen at a Buckingham Palace ceremony. She was there with her husband, director Tim Burton, and children Billy Ray, 8, and Nell, 4.

Court says no

The Supreme Court has rejected Phil Spector's appeal of his conviction for killing actress Lana Clarkson.

The court did not comment Tuesday in declining to take up the music producer's argument that his constitutional rights were violated by the trial judge.

Spector is serving 19 years to life in prison.