Entertainment News Roundup: Lady Gaga hails Britney Spears as an inspiration after conservatorship lifted; Hollywood crew members narrowly approve contract with TV and film producers and more

The attempt, by the country's National System of Youth and Children's Orchestras, known as "The System", would beat a Russian record set two years ago and will be judged by Guinness in the next 10 days. Lady Gaga hails Britney Spears as an inspiration after conservatorship lifted Pop star and actress Lady Gaga on Saturday celebrated singer Britney Spears' release from a conservatorship imposed more than a decade ago after a mental health breakdown, calling Spears an inspiration who was treated badly by the music industry.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Young Venezuelans attempt to break Guinness record for largest orchestra

Venezuela on Saturday attempted to break the Guinness record for the world's largest orchestra, as 12,000 musicians played a classical piece together for more than five minutes. The attempt, by the country's National System of Youth and Children's Orchestras, known as "The System", would beat a Russian record set two years ago and will be judged by Guinness in the next 10 days.

Lady Gaga hails Britney Spears as an inspiration after conservatorship lifted

Pop star and actress Lady Gaga on Saturday celebrated singer Britney Spears' release from a conservatorship imposed more than a decade ago after a mental health breakdown, calling Spears an inspiration who was treated badly by the music industry. Gaga, who has said she also struggles with mental health issues including trauma from a sexual assault by a music producer when she was only 19, spoke to Reuters about Spears while attending the red-carpet premiere of the film "House of Gucci" in Milan on Saturday.

Hollywood crew members narrowly approve contract with TV and film producers

Some 60,000 behind-the-scenes workers in U.S. film and television narrowly approved a new contract with producers, their union said on Monday. The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), which includes camera operators, make-up artists, sound technicians and others, said in a statement its members voted to ratify a new three-year contract that was tentatively agreed last month.

85-year-old Swiss sharpshooter hangs up his rifle

Ultimately, it was the sun in his eyes. Surrounded by other sharpshooters, scraggly-beareded Toni Hacki lifted his long rifle and took aim across the Ruetli meadow where Switzerland was founded in 1291, just as he had done for the past 51 years.

How building Harry Potter's world conjured its own school of magic

Surrounded by "Daily Prophet" front pages and books from the magical world of "Harry Potter", graphic designer Miraphora Mina holds up an envelope countless children have surely wished to receive. It's from Hogwarts, the school for wizards, and it is addressed to a certain "Mr H. Potter, The Cupboard under the Stairs, 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey".

Ed Sheeran wins best artist as MTV Europe Music Awards returns to live format

English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran won best artist and best song for "Bad Habits", while K-pop stars BTS snatched four awards at MTV's Europe Music Awards, which returned as an in-person event after a virtual 2020 edition due to the pandemic. MTV said Sunday's EMAs, hosted in Budapest, would go ahead to show solidarity with Hungary's LGBTQ+ community following a June law banning the "display and promotion of homosexuality" among under-18s.

Nine-year-old succumbs; death toll from Houston concert stampede rises to 10

An attorney for the family of a 9-year-old boy who was trampled at a Travis Scott concert in Houston and was on life support for a week said that the child had died from his injuries on Sunday. The death of Ezra Blount brought the total number of those killed during a stampede at last week's Astroworld Festival to ten, ranging in age from 9 to 27.

Collision course: Nigerian movie explores impact of police brutality

A new movie exploring the impact of rogue law enforcement officers on Nigerian society and inspired by last year's anti-police brutality protests was premiered at one of Africa's foremost film festivals in Lagos. Nigerians last year took to the streets to demand an end to what demonstrators said was endemic police brutality. But the ebullient protests, which had taken place in cities across the nation of some 200 million, ended at a Lagos toll gate in a hail of gunfire https://www.reuters.com/article/us-nigeria-protests-shooting-idUSKBN2752PK.

(With inputs from agencies.)