Entertainment News Roundup: Borat bounces back just ahead of U.S. elections; Paul McCartney to release solo album in December and more

Netflix turns to telecoms tie-ups in challenging African markets Netflix Inc is showing more African-made content and working with telecoms operators to make it easier for potential subscribers to make payments, a senior executive told Reuters ahead of its third-quarter results on Tuesday.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Borat bounces back just ahead of U.S. elections

In 2006, he shocked the world with his scathing cultural satire of the United States in "Borat." Now British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen is back with a mockumentary sequel that is garnering mixed reviews two weeks ahead of the U.S. elections. "Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan," available on Amazon Prime from Friday, sees Baron Cohen back in character as racist, sexist Kazakh journalist Borat Sagdiyev who once again travels to America.

Paul McCartney to release solo album in December

Paul McCartney will release "McCartney III" in December, a new collection of stripped-back songs all written, performed and produced by the ex-Beatle, 50 years after his first solo album. Recorded this year in Sussex in southern England, McCartney III is mostly built from McCartney's live takes on vocals and guitar or piano, overlaying his bass playing and drumming.

South Korea's pop culture machine boosts Netflix's international growth: source

A zombie drama, a TV series about a supernatural nurse and one about an antisocial children's book author helped turn South Korea into one of Netflix's biggest sources of growth in the international markets, a source familiar with the matter said. Netflix said 46% of its net new global paid customers in the third quarter came from the Asia Pacific region, where revenue rose 66% from last year, primarily Japan and South Korea, the company reported in a letter to investors on Tuesday. (Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/3jhdq7e)

Punk lives again as The Damned reform for 2021 tour

British punk band The Damned has reformed in its original line-up after more than three decades and the members, all now in their mid-60s, will hit the road for a one-off tour next July. The group on Wednesday announced a four-date UK tour including shows in London, Birmingham, Glasgow and Manchester, which will mark 45 years since the band's formation.

Netflix turns to telecoms tie-ups in challenging African markets

Netflix Inc is showing more African-made content and working with telecoms operators to make it easier for potential subscribers to make payments, a senior executive told Reuters ahead of its third-quarter results on Tuesday. The online content streaming giant, which has 193 million subscribers globally, is keen to expand in Africa and is seeking ways to overcome challenges including slow and expensive internet and the lack of proper payments infrastructure in the 55-nation continent.

(With inputs from agencies.)