Entertainment News Roundup: South Korea's BTS hopes 'Dynamite' blows away fans; Britney Spears wants her dad out of the picture and more

The 75-year old, who co-penned hits like "Waterloo" and "Dancing Queen" for ABBA with fellow member Benny Andersson and the band's manager Stig Anderson, has spent a lot of his time watching movies and listening to books during the pandemic, which has shut theatres and cinemas across the world.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Expect less extravagant shows in post-coronavirus world, ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus says

Extravagant musical productions such as "Mamma Mia!" will need to be scaled down when they go again after the coronavirus lockdowns end, ABBA star and Swedish pop impresario Bjorn Ulvaeus says. The 75-year old, who co-penned hits like "Waterloo" and "Dancing Queen" for ABBA with fellow member Benny Andersson and the band's manager Stig Anderson, has spent a lot of his time watching movies and listening to books during the pandemic, which has shut theatres and cinemas across the world. He has also found a new love in kayaking.

Nigerian lesbian love film to go online to avoid censorship board

Two young women fill the screen, reclining on a bed, talking about their hope of having children. They are protagonists in a new Nigerian film called "Ife" depicting their love story. The topic is controversial in Nigeria, where same-sex relationships are theoretically punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Comedian mocks Zimbabwe's government, despite fear of reprisal

Victor Mpofu is using satire to shine a light on Zimbabwe's political problems, reaching a growing audience despite living in fear of retribution from President Emmerson Mnangagwa's government. Mpofu, aka Doc Vikela, has seen his followers on YouTube channel Simuka Comedy grow from less than 1,000 subscribers in January when he ventured into political satire to 23,000 now.

Can Russell Crowe and cut-price popcorn bring people back to U.S. movies?

AMC Theatres and other cinema chains will fire up projectors in some major U.S. cities this week, offering lower-priced admission, discounted popcorn and new safety measures to tempt audiences back to the movies despite the pandemic. Theaters will remain closed, however, in some of the biggest movie-going markets including Los Angeles and New York, where local officials say the coronavirus risk remains too high to let cinemas resume.

South Korea's BTS hopes 'Dynamite' blows away fans amid coronavirus gloom

South Korean boy band BTS said on Friday they hoped their new digital single "Dynamite" refreshes fans and helps them recharge their batteries as they cope with the novel coronavirus pandemic. The seven-member group is at the forefront of South Korean pop music and has helped win K-pop fans around the world since their 2013 debut.

Pop star Britney Spears wants her dad out of the picture

Britney Spears wants her father to be removed as the person that controls her business and personal affairs in a major change to her 12-year court-appointed conservatorship. Ahead of a court hearing in Los Angeles on Wednesday, the 38-year-old pop star's lawyer filed documents saying the singer is "strongly opposed to having James (Spears) return as conservator of her person." The document gave no reasons for her stance.

Israel opens floating cinema for coronavirus-safe viewing

Movie-goers boarded boats floating on the shimmering waters of a Tel Aviv lake on Thursday for a test screening at Israel's first "sail-in" cinema. With indoor film theatres shut because of coronavirus restrictions, Tel Aviv municipality launched the floating cinema to allow residents to catch a movie in the open air while still keeping a safe distance from each other.

'Tiger King' zoo closing down, owner blames animal rights 'loons'

The private wildcat zoo at the center of the hit Netflix series "Tiger King" is closing its doors permanently, its owner said, citing pressure from animal rights activists and inspectors. "As of today, we have decided to close the old zoo effective immediately," Jeff Lowe, the current owner of the Greater Wynewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma, wrote in a Facebook post.

Actress Lori Loughlin, husband face sentencing in U.S. college admissions scandal

"Full House" actress Lori Loughlin and her husband face sentencing on Friday after admitting they participated in a vast U.S. college admissions fraud scheme to secure spots for their daughters at the University of Southern California. Loughlin and her husband, fashion designer Mossimo Giannulli, will appear virtually before a federal judge in Boston to be sentenced under plea deals that call for them to serve two months and five months in prison, respectively.

Brazil vice president invites DiCaprio to see reality of Amazon rainforest

Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao on Wednesday called on actor Leonardo DiCaprio to visit the Amazon to see the reality of the situation there, as the government faces criticisms for rising destruction in the world's largest rainforest. Mourao invited DiCaprio, an environmental campaigner, to go with him personally on a journey along a notoriously ill-maintained road in the remote far western Amazon near the town of Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira.

(With inputs from agencies.)