Entertainment News Roundup: Signed for his killer, 40 years on John Lennon album is up for auction; SiriusXM signs new five-year deal with Howard Stern and more

SiriusXM signs new five-year deal with Howard Stern Satellite radio service provider Sirius XM Holdings Inc said it had signed a new five-year deal with celebrity Howard Stern to continue to produce and host his popular "Howard Stern Show". Fans around the world have been remembering Lennon and his music this week, 40 years after he was shot dead in New York.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Signed for his killer, 40 years on John Lennon album is up for auction

The album signed by John Lennon for his assassin 40 years ago is up for auction in New York, as his widow and former Beatles band mates on Tuesday paid tribute to him. The copy of "Double Fantasy" that Lennon signed for Mark David Chapman a few hours before his death on Dec. 8, 1980 is being sold by a private collector through New Jersey-based Goldin Auctions.

Newsmax plans expansion to capitalize on Trump support, anger at Fox News

Newsmax, a conservative cable news channel promoted by President Donald Trump, plans to expand in the United States and Britain, Chief Executive Chris Ruddy told Reuters. The network plans to hire more staff in the United States and London, debut a new primetime host and add more weekend programming to capitalize on post-election gains and some viewers' discontent with Rupert Murdoch's longtime ratings king Fox News.

SiriusXM signs new five-year deal with Howard Stern

Satellite radio service provider Sirius XM Holdings Inc said it had signed a new five-year deal with celebrity Howard Stern to continue to produce and host his popular "Howard Stern Show". Sirius shares were up 1.4% in premarket trading.

Nile Rodgers sees no good times for artists in music streaming

Veteran U.S. musician and record producer Nile Rodgers told British lawmakers on Tuesday that artists were losing large amounts of money due to a lack of transparency in money streaming services. Rodgers, who shot to global fame in the 1970s with his band Chic and their hit song "Le Freak" and who produced, among many other albums, David Bowie's "Let's Dance", is the latest in a flurry of big names from the music industry to appear before the lawmakers investigating the economics of music streaming.

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma offers 'Songs of Comfort and Hope' in duo album

Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Kathryn Stott have teamed up for the third time in "Songs of Comfort and Hope," dedicated to all the people who are going through tough times around the world. The album, coming out on Friday, starts by acknowledging the Black Lives Matter movement with "Ol' Man River."

Got to get you into my life: Argentine 'John Lennon' channels spirit of the Beatles

Argentine Javier Parisi has been a mega fan of the Beatles since the age of eight - forming a tribute band, playing at Liverpool's Cavern Club, and promoting a biography in Spanish. He is also the spitting image of John Lennon. Fans around the world have been remembering Lennon and his music this week, 40 years after he was shot dead in New York.

What's next for Hollywood? Spotlight turns to Disney's streaming plans

What will Disney do? Hollywood is asking that question a week after AT&T Inc's Warner Bros upended the film business by saying it would debut all of its 2021 movies on its HBO Max streaming service on the same day they hit theaters. At a Thursday afternoon presentation to investors, Walt Disney Co executives are set to unveil what is next for Disney+, the Netflix Inc competitor it launched a year ago, and the company's other streaming outlets.

Oscar organizers see April awards ceremony as innovation opportunity

Director Steven Soderbergh will help produce what organizers on Tuesday called a re-envisioned Oscars awards show in April, but they did not say what form the ceremony would take. Soderbergh, a best director Oscar winner for "Traffic," will produce the April 25 televised ceremony along with Hollywood veterans Stacey Sher and Jesse Collins, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said in a statement.

Canal+ wins court fight against EU, Paramount movie-licensing deal

Vivendi's pay-TV arm Canal+ won on Wednesday its court fight against a deal between EU competition regulators and Paramount Pictures in which the U.S. studio agreed to scrap movie-licensing deals with British pay-TV group Sky UK. Paramount's pledge in 2016 in return for an end to an EU investigation was a key victory for the European Commission in its crackdown on so-called geoblocking, where companies stop consumers in another EU country from buying their products or services.

Indian Air Force objects to Netflix film scenes, asks for them to be withdrawn

India's Air Force asked Netflix to withdraw scenes from a film on Wednesday in which a veteran Bollywood actor wearing a military uniform uses offensive language, in the latest controversy for the streaming platform in the country. The film, a mockumentary featuring Anil Kapoor playing an actor depicting an officer and director Anurag Kashyap, is scheduled to be released on Netflix later this month.

(With inputs from agencies.)