Entertainment News Roundup: New York judge finds Cuba Gooding Jr liable in rape accuser's civil lawsuit; Disney rejects Scarlett Johansson's complaint about 'Black Widow' streaming release and more

The British actress has portrayed The Doctor - a shape-shifting alien Time Lord played by men since the show first appeared on British television screens in 1963 - since 2017. Dominican merengue singing star Johnny Ventura dead at 81 Legendary Dominican merengue singer Juan de Dios "Johnny" Ventura died on Wednesday, according to his family and officials in the Dominican Republic.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

New York judge finds Cuba Gooding Jr liable in rape accuser's civil lawsuit

A U.S. judge on Thursday found Cuba Gooding Jr liable in a civil lawsuit by a woman who accused the Oscar-winning actor of raping her twice in a Manhattan hotel room in 2013 after Gooding failed to respond to the accusations in court. U.S. District Judge Paul Crotty in Manhattan granted a default judgment on Gooding's liability to the plaintiff, known as Jane Doe, without addressing the merits of her accusations.

Disney rejects Scarlett Johansson's complaint about 'Black Widow' streaming release

Scarlett Johansson, star of the Marvel superhero movie "Black Widow," sued the Walt Disney Co on Thursday, alleging that the company breached her contract when it offered the movie on streaming at the same time it played in theaters. Disney said there was "no merit" to the lawsuit, saying it had complied with her contract. It added in a statement that the release of the movie on its streaming platform had "significantly enhanced her (Johansson's) ability to earn additional compensation on top of the $20 million she has received to date.”

Analysis-Why TV audiences are tuning out the Tokyo Olympic Games

Broadcasters will not be taking home any gold medals for how many people have watched the Tokyo Olympic Games so far. In several major markets around the world, the TV audience has fallen since 2016, as viewing becomes more fragmented and athletes compete in Japan when audiences are mostly asleep in the United States and Europe.

Harvey Weinstein loses bid to dismiss three LA sex crime charges

A Los Angeles judge on Thursday rejected an attempt to throw out two sexual assault charges against former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, while prosecutors refiled a third charge that had also been challenged. Weinstein, 69, who was convicted of rape at a trial last year in New York, is facing a total of 11 new charges involving five women in the Beverly Hills and Los Angeles area between 2004-2013.

Elton John condemns rapper DaBaby for comments 'fuelling' HIV stigma

Singer Elton John has condemned American rapper DaBaby for comments he made at a concert about people living with HIV, saying such statements fuel "stigma and discrimination". DaBaby has drawn widespread criticism for telling the audience at a weekend gig in Miami to "put your cell phone light up" except for those who were HIV-positive, "(had) any of the deadly sexually transmitted diseases that’ll make you die in two or three weeks," or gay men who performed sex acts in car parks.

Jodie Whittaker to leave sci-fi series 'Dr Who' in 2022

Jodie Whittaker, the first woman to take on the lead role in the sci-fi series "Doctor Who", will be leaving the television show next year, Britain's BBC said on Thursday. The British actress has portrayed The Doctor - a shape-shifting alien Time Lord played by men since the show first appeared on British television screens in 1963 - since 2017.

Dominican merengue singing star Johnny Ventura dead at 81

Legendary Dominican merengue singer Juan de Dios "Johnny" Ventura died on Wednesday, according to his family and officials in the Dominican Republic. He was 81. Ventura died after suffering a heart attack in the city of Santiago, his son Jandy said.

Spanish judge seeks tax fraud trial for pop singer Shakira

A Spanish judge has seen "sufficient evidence" for Colombian singer Shakira to face trial for tax fraud, a court document released on Thursday said. Judge Marco Jesus Juberias has wrapped up a pre-trial investigation of allegations by prosecutors that the singer failed to pay up to 14.5 million euros ($17.2 million) in tax on income earned between 2012 and 2014. It is a preliminary step before a trial is set.

'Better Call Saul' star Bob Odenkirk hospitalized after 'heart-related incident'

U.S. screen actor Bob Odenkirk remained hospitalized in New Mexico on Wednesday with an unspecified heart ailment after falling ill on the set of his television show "Better Call Saul," according to publicists and his former "Breaking Bad" co-star, Bryan Cranston. Odenkirk, 58, collapsed during the production of his darkly humorous AMC crime drama, which was shooting its sixth and final 13-episode season, and was taken to a nearby hospital, two sources close to the actor confirmed to Reuters on Tuesday night, on condition of anonymity.

Britain's ITV says 'no current plans' for another 'X Factor' series

British broadcaster ITV said it has "no current plans" for another series of music talent shows "The X Factor". The singing competition, created by British music mogul and television personality Simon Cowell, debuted on UK screens in 2004 and kick-started the careers of chart-toppers such as Leona Lewis, One Direction, and Little Mix.

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