Entertainment News Roundup: Judge reserves decision on bail for Canadian fashion mogul Nygard; South Korean AI technology brings back folk singer's voice and more

South African jazz singer Sibongile Khumalo dies after stroke South African opera and jazz singer, Sibongile Khumalo, a recipient of the country's second highest national order, died on Thursday, her family said a statement.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Judge reserves decision on bail for Canadian fashion mogul Nygard

A judge reserved her decision on Thursday on whether to grant bail to Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard ahead of a possible hearing on extradition to the United States on sex trafficking and racketeering charges. Canadian police arrested Nygard in Winnipeg on Dec. 14 at the U.S. government's request under the countries' extradition treaty.

South Korean AI technology brings back folk singer's voice

Even though South Korean folk rock singer Kim Kwang-seok has been dead for nearly 25 years, his fans will be able to hear him perform a new song cover on Friday thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) technology used to recreate his voice. The voice AI system - Singing Voice Synthesis (SVS) - learned 20 songs of Kim based on training tool with over 700 Korean songs to improve accuracy, so that the system can mimic a new song in Kim's own style, according to the AI company Supertone which recreated the dead singer's voice.

South African jazz singer Sibongile Khumalo dies after stroke

South African opera and jazz singer, Sibongile Khumalo, a recipient of the country's second highest national order, died on Thursday, her family said a statement. The 63 year-old singer, born in Soweto not far from late President Nelson Mandela's home, sang at the leader's 1994 inauguration. She also performed internationally, including at London's famed Royal Albert Hall.

Online premieres and digital Q&As as Sundance goes virtual

Red carpets for the stars might not be rolled out in Park City, Utah, this year, but the 2021 Sundance Film Festival is opening its doors to audiences globally with online premieres and virtual panels. Like many other festivals, the main U.S. showcase for independent film, founded by actor and director Robert Redford, has canceled its in-person edition at the ski resort town due to the COVID-19 pandemic, presenting a digital version instead.

Documentary 'Assassins' tells the strange story of the murder of Kim Jong Un's half-brother

Nearly four years after the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's estranged half-brother, Kim Jong Nam, a new documentary seeks to shed light on the brazen airport murder and the involvement of the two young women accused of carrying it out. Kim Jong Nam's killing https://www.reuters.com/article/us-northkorea-malaysia-kim-murder/murder-at-the-airport-the-brazen-attack-on-kim-jong-nam-idUSKCN1RD185 at Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur International Airport in February 2017 was caught on grainy CCTV footage broadcast worldwide, yet many details still remain a mystery. (https://reut.rs/2KWDB8f)

Country star Kris Kristofferson quietly bows out

Country singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson has quietly retired from touring after more than 50 years in the music business. The news, buried in a news release earlier this week, comes a year after the "Me and Bobby McGee" singer played his last gig on the Outlaw Country Cruise in the Caribbean in January 2020. U.S. comedy legend Cloris Leachman dies at 94

American actress Cloris Leachman, who won eight Emmys for her work on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and other television programs as well as an Academy Award for "The Last Picture Show," died on Wednesday at the age of 94, her representatives said. Leachman's publicist said in a statement that the actress died of natural causes at her home in Encinitas, California.

Norman Lear to receive comedy honor at Golden Globes ceremony

Television pioneer Norman Lear, creator of ground-breaking comedy shows such as "All in the Family," "Maude" and "One Day at a Time," will receive a lifetime achievement award at this year's Golden Globe ceremony, organizers said on Thursday. Lear, 98, will be the recipient of the Carol Burnett Award, an accolade established in 2018 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group that hands out the Golden Globes.

Actress Cicely Tyson, groundbreaking Emmy and Tony winner, dies at age 96

Actress Cicely Tyson, who specialized in portraying strong Black women caught up in life's struggles during a 60-year career that earned her three Emmys and a Tony Award, died on Thursday at age 96, her manager said in a statement. No cause of death was given. Tyson had recently completed a memoir, "Just As I Am," which was released just this week.

Cannes Film Festival postponed due to COVID-19 The 2021 edition of the Cannes Film Festival will be postponed until July because of the coronavirus pandemic, organisers said on Wednesday. Last year's event was cancelled and replaced by a low-key event in October showcasing short films but without the A-list movie stars, directors and producers.