Entertainment News Roundup: 100-day strike: Hollywood writers show unity and anger on picket lines; Disney hikes streaming prices, focuses on costs as Iger moves to reassure investors and more

Robertson, who left his Toronto home at age 16 to pursue his rock'n'roll dreams, died Wednesday in Los Angeles after a long illness, Robertson's manager of 34 years, Jared Levine, said in a statement. Disney CEO reaches out to striking Hollywood creatives with 'deep respect' Walt Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger on Wednesday said he was committed to finding a solution to the Hollywood writer and actor strikes, citing his "deep respect" for creative professionals, as he signaled a turn from comments that inflamed tensions last month.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

100-day strike: Hollywood writers show unity and anger on picket lines

The Hollywood writers' strike marked 100 days on Wednesday with contract talks stalled and people on the picket lines protesting what they describe as a disregard for their demands. The strike began on May 2 after negotiations between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the major studios reached an impasse over compensation, minimum staffing of writers' rooms and residual payments in the streaming era, among other issues.

Disney hikes streaming prices, focuses on costs as Iger moves to reassure investors

Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger acknowledged that the entertainment company faces a “challenging environment” in the near term on Wednesday, but he emphasized progress in cutting costs and focusing on creativity, even as quarterly results showed Disney's soft spots. Disney’s stock rose nearly 3% in after-hours trading, as Iger touted $1 billion in operating-income improvement at the company’s streaming business over the last three quarters, which is aiming for profitability in 2024.

Kuwait bans 'Barbie' and 'Talk to Me' films - state news agency

Kuwait has banned "Barbie" and "Talk to Me" films to protect "public ethics and social traditions", the state news agency said early on Thursday. The Gulf country followed in the footsteps of Lebanon, which on Wednesday also moved to ban the film "Barbie" from being screened in the country.

Nigerian producer pumps out AI-powered Afrobeats

When artificial intelligence (AI) apps started spreading in Nigeria's music industry, Eclipse Nkasi thought his days as a producer were numbered. Then he took a step back, saw there were opportunities as well as threats and used the technology to generate a whole new Afrobeats album in his studio on the outskirts of Lagos.

Dua Lipa must face lawsuit claiming she copied 'Levitating'

A federal judge in Manhattan said the British pop star Dua Lipa must face a lawsuit accusing her of copying her 2021 megahit "Levitating" from a 1979 disco song. U.S. District Judge Katherine Polk Failla on Tuesday said songwriters L. Russell Brown and Sandy Linzer could try to prove "substantial similarity" between "Levitating" and their song "Wiggle and Giggle All Night."

'Searching for Sugar Man' singer Sixto Rodriguez dead at 81

Sixto Rodriguez, an American singer-songwriter whose outsized popularity in South Africa inspired the Oscar-winning documentary "Searching for Sugar Man," passed away on Tuesday at the age of 81, a website dedicated to him said on Wednesday. The Detroit-based Rodriguez did not know how popular he had become in South Africa, where his songs became anthems for the anti-apartheid struggle in the 1970s. Back in the United States, success had eluded him.

Canadian rapper sentenced to 10 years in prison in Megan Thee Stallion shooting

Canadian rapper Tory Lanez was sentenced on Tuesday to 10 years in prison, more than seven months after he was convicted of shooting fellow musical artist Megan Thee Stallion during an argument in 2020. Judge David Herriford handed down the sentence to the 30-year-old rapper, whose legal name is Daystar Peterson, during a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court that had been pushed back by delays.

Robbie Robertson, songwriting force in rock group The Band, dies at 80

Robbie Robertson, the guitarist and main songwriter in The Band, the Canadian-American group known for songs including "The Weight" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down," has died at the age of 80, his manager said on Wednesday. Robertson, who left his Toronto home at age 16 to pursue his rock'n'roll dreams, died Wednesday in Los Angeles after a long illness, Robertson's manager of 34 years, Jared Levine, said in a statement.

Disney CEO reaches out to striking Hollywood creatives with 'deep respect'

Walt Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger on Wednesday said he was committed to finding a solution to the Hollywood writer and actor strikes, citing his "deep respect" for creative professionals, as he signaled a turn from comments that inflamed tensions last month. Iger last month told striking actors that their demands were "not realistic."

Lebanon moves to ban 'Barbie' film for 'promoting homosexuality'

Lebanon's culture minister moved to ban the film "Barbie" from cinemas on Wednesday, saying it "promotes homosexuality" and contradicts religious values. Minister Mohammad Mortada is backed by powerful Shi'ite armed group Hezbollah, whose head Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has ramped up his rhetoric against the LGBT community, referring in a recent speech to Islamic texts that call for punishing offenders with death.