Entertainment News Roundup: 'No Zoom' Oscars causes backlash; French film director Tavernier dies and more

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Liam Gallagher and DJ Guetta to headline delayed Isle of Wight festival

Liam Gallagher, 1980s pop band Duran Duran and DJ David Guetta will headline September's Isle of Wight festival, organisers said on Friday, as Britain starts finalising details for a return to big music events as it emerges from lockdown. The festival, whose 2020 edition was cancelled because of the global pandemic, will take place Sept. 16-19, pushed back from its usual June dates.

'No Zoom' Oscars causes backlash, Hollywood media reports

The "No Zoom" policy for this year's Oscars ceremony is proving a headache for multiple nominees who live outside the United States and who are still under pandemic restrictions, according to Hollywood publications. Variety and Deadline Hollywood reported on Wednesday that publicists and some studio executives have complained to the film academy about logistics, costs and quarantine issues raised by the decision to bar nominees from taking part in the ceremony remotely.

Supergiant's 'Hades' triumphs at BAFTA Games Awards

Greek mythology-inspired "Hades" took out the top honours at the BAFTA Games Awards on Thursday, scooping five prizes including a win for best game of 2020, as pandemic lockdowns brought new fans to the sector. Developed by San Francisco-based Supergiant Games, "Hades" lets players take on the role Hades' son Zagreus as he tries to escape the Underworld.

Forget labels, we're all one, says Grammy nominee Jon Batiste

American musician Jon Batiste says he set out to break the confines of the genre in his new album, mixing styles and working with the likes of gospel singer Mavis Staples, guitarist Cory Wong and author Zadie Smith. The award-winning jazz musician from Louisiana last week released "We Are", described by Vanity Fair as "a vivid turn from straight jazz to joyful, danceable pop and neo-soul".

MMA: UFC261 warn ticket holders of 'death' and 'permanent damage' from COVID-19

UFC261 set for next month in Jacksonville, Florida sold out in minutes on Friday, with tickets that were issued carrying a warning of a threat of possible "death" and "permanent damage" from COVID-19. Tickets for the April 24 event at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, which has an official capacity of 15,000, came with a liability disclaimer that attendance, "may lead to exposure to COVID-19 and that contraction of COVID-19 may result in severe and permanent damage to the health of the Holder and/or others including, but not limited to, death".

Chinese apps join celebs in backlash against Western fashion brands over Xinjiang

China's top ride-hailing app dropped Swedish fashion retailer H&M from its listings as Chinese celebrities stopped endorsing foreign labels in a growing uproar over Western accusations of forced labour in Xinjiang. H&M faced a public backlash in China when social media users in the country circulated a statement the company made last year announcing it would no longer source cotton from Xinjiang after reports of the use of forced labour by Uighur Muslims.

French film director Tavernier dies

French film director Bertrand Tavernier, who won international acclaim with his 1986 jazz film "Round Midnight", has died, the Institut Lumiere film museum said on its Twitter feed. He was 79. "We are sad to announce the disappearance today of Bertrand Tavernier," said the institute, of which Tavernier was the president.

Actor Depp loses bid to appeal wife beater libel ruling, turns to U.S. case

London's Court of Appeal on Thursday refused Johnny Depp permission to challenge a verdict last year that concluded the Hollywood actor was a "wife-beater", meaning his attempt to restore his reputation will shift to U.S. legal action. In November, High Court judge Andrew Nicol ruled against Depp, star of films including "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Edward Scissorhands", after he brought a libel case against the Sun tabloid newspaper.

Factbox-All about streaming costs in the U.S.

Walt Disney Co's Disney+ is raising the monthly subscription fee for its streaming service by a dollar per month in the United States beginning Friday, March 26. With more than 100 million paying subscribers in just 16 months, Disney+ largely owes its popularity to coronavirus-led lockdowns around the globe that has forced people to stay at home.

Ask him anything: William Shatner's life story to live on through AI

Actor William Shatner, best known for forging new frontiers on the "Star Trek" TV series, has tapped new technology that will give current and future generations the chance to query him about his life, family and career. Shatner, who turned 90 on Monday, spent more than 45 hours over five days recording answers to be used in an interactive video created by Los Angeles-based company StoryFile.

(With inputs from agencies.)