Entertainment News Roundup: Porn actor Ron Jeremy found mentally incompetent to stand trial for rape; British actor Julian Sands reported missing in California mountains and more

He has been in prison since his arrest in June 2020. A chronology of the deadly 'Rust' film shooting case A New Mexico prosecutor on Thursday charged actor Alec Baldwin and others in a 2021 accidental shooting on a New Mexico movie set that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

U.S. Senate panel to hold Jan. 24 hearing on ticket industry issues

A U.S. Senate committee will hold a hearing on Jan. 24 on the lack of competition in the ticketing industry after Ticketmaster's problems managing the sale of Taylor Swift concert tickets. The Senate Judiciary Committee hearing is titled "That’s The Ticket: Promoting Competition and Protecting Consumers in Live Entertainment." The committee did not disclose the witnesses.

Porn actor Ron Jeremy found mentally incompetent to stand trial for rape

Porn star Ron Jeremy was declared mentally incompetent to stand trial in Los Angeles on rape and other sex charges involving 21 women, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office said on Tuesday. Jeremy, 69, pleaded not guilty in August 2021 to more than 30 counts of sexual assault, including 12 of rape, in the Los Angeles area over a 23-year period. He has been in prison since his arrest in June 2020.

A chronology of the deadly 'Rust' film shooting case

A New Mexico prosecutor on Thursday charged actor Alec Baldwin and others in a 2021 accidental shooting on a New Mexico movie set that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and wounded director Joel Souza. Key events leading to Thursday's announcement of charges: Oct. 21, 2021 - A gun is fired as Alec Baldwin was rehearsing with it on the set of his movie "Rust" at Bonanza Creek Ranch outside Santa Fe, New Mexico. One bullet hits Hutchins's chest and Souza's shoulder. According to a police report, David Halls, the assistant director who handed the gun to Baldwin, did not know it contained live rounds. Halls signed a plea agreement for the charge of negligent use of a deadly weapon, the prosecutor Mary Carmack-Altwies said in a statement. Set armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed, who had handled the gun before Halls, also was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi channelled own experience of Iran in thriller 'Holy Spider'

Iranian actress Zar Amir Ebrahimi, who fled her home country in 2008 in fear after a private video was leaked, says she channelled her own experience in the thriller "Holy Spider", a dark tale of a serial killer in the holy city Mashhad. Based on real events from 20 years ago in the Iranian city, the film, dubbed a "Persian noir" by its director Ali Abbasi, follows builder Saeed, played by Mehdi Bajestani, as he murders local prostitutes in what he sees as a holy, cleansing mission.

BAFTA nominations: German 'All Quiet On The Western Front' gets most nods

A German remake of the anti-war classic "All Quiet On The Western Front" led nominations for the British Academy Film Awards on Thursday, overtaking other award season favourites with 14 nods. Based on the epic 1928 novel by German author Erich Maria Remarque about the horrors of conflict during World War One, the Netflix movie was recognised in the best film category, as well as for films not in the English language, director, supporting actor, adapted screenplay, original score and other craft and technical prizes.

British actor Julian Sands reported missing in California mountains

British-born film actor Julian Sands, known for his starring roles in such films as "A Room with a View" and "Warlock," has gone missing in the mountains of Southern California, media outlets reported on Wednesday, citing local authorities. The 65-year-old performer was reported missing by his wife on Friday evening, Jan. 13, after he had gone hiking in the Baldy Bowl area of the San Gabriel Mountains, according to Los Angeles television station KABC-TV and the Hollywood trade publication Variety.

Factbox-Key nominations for the 2023 BAFTA Film awards

Nominations for the annual BAFTA Film Awards were announced on Thursday. Britain's top film award ceremony will be held in London on Feb. 19. Below is a list of the nominees in the main categories:

Possible charges in Alec Baldwin movie shooting coming Thursday

Officials in New Mexico plan to announce on Thursday whether they will pursue criminal charges against Alec Baldwin or others in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of Western movie "Rust." New Mexico First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies and special prosecutor Andrea Reeb will announce their decision at 9 a.m. Mountain Standard Time (1600 GMT), according to a statement issued on Wednesday.

Alec Baldwin to be charged with involuntary manslaughter over 'Rust' shooting

American actor Alec Baldwin faces involuntary manslaughter charges carrying prison time for the fatal shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during the 2021 filming of Western "Rust" in New Mexico. Santa Fe's top prosecutor Mary Carmack-Altwies said on Thursday that the film's armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, would also be charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Spotify joins media firms to urge EU action against Apple's 'unfair' practices

Music streaming service Spotify Technology, along with other media firms such as Deezer, urged the European Commission to take action against Apple Inc for anticompetitive and unfair practices, in a joint industry letter on Wednesday. The letter, addressed to the European Union antitrust regulator's Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, demanded the Commission to act fast for the welfare of European consumers.

(With inputs from agencies.)