Entertainment News Summary

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Lesbian romance film shows to sell-out crowd in Nairobi after court lifts ban

Rafiki, an acclaimed film portraying a lesbian romance that was until Friday banned in Kenya where it was made, showed on Sunday to a cheering, sold-out audience in Nairobi. Nairobi residents will be able to watch Rafiki during daytime-only screenings at the Prestige Cinema in the capital for a week after a judge on Friday temporarily lifted a ban on the film, making it eligible to be entered for a Foreign Language Oscar. Rafiki means "friend" in the Swahili language.

Sirius XM to buy Pandora in $3.5 billion streaming push

Satellite radio company Sirius XM Holdings Inc will buy online music service Pandora Media Inc in a $3.5 billion all-stock deal that will help it battle growing competition from streaming rivals Spotify and Apple Music. Sirius XM, controlled by media mogul John Malone's Liberty Media Corp, has built a name supplying more than 175 channels to car drivers, but has largely trailed Pandora, Spotify Technology SA and Apple in mobile and streaming content.

Secret to Scrabble beatdown: 300 words added to game's dictionary

Ew. Just when you've mastered enough legitimate Scrabble words to beat your bestie on the game board and twerk in victory, Merriam-Webster has released a sixth edition of The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary. The newest dictionary for Scrabble, the popular board game in which players use lettered tiles to spell words, includes more than 300 new entries, including "ew," defined as an expression of disgust; "bestie," a best friend, and "twerk," which is a dance that involves shaking your buttocks while squatting.

Apple completes deal to buy Shazam

Apple Inc has completed the acquisition of music discovery app Shazam, it said on Monday, weeks after the European Union approved the deal. The deal, announced in December last year, is expected to help the iPhone maker better compete with Spotify, the industry leader in music streaming services.

EU regulators to decide by October 26 on Sony's $2.3 billion bid for EMI

Sony Corp will know by Oct. 26 whether EU antitrust regulators will wave through its $2.3 billion offer for control of EMI to become the world's largest music publisher, according to a filing on the European Commission website on Monday. Sony, which announced the deal in May, sought EU approval for the deal last Friday.

Swedish TV satire on Chinese tourists sparks Beijing protest

China complained to Sweden on Monday over a satirical news show on Swedish state television that advised Chinese tourists how to avoid culture clashes in a way that Beijing said insulted the Chinese people. The satire program Svenska Nyheter (Swedish News), was aired a week after police removed three Chinese citizens from a Stockholm hotel which, local media reported, they had refused to leave although they were not booked to stay there.

Celebrities gather on Milan's 'Green Carpet' to promote sustainability

Italy's fashion elite and celebrities such as film stars Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore and Colin Firth gathered at a "green-carpet" event on Sunday at Milan's fashion week to urge greater environmental sustainability in the global fashion industry. The black-tie gathering was the closing event to the city's six-day fashion extravaganza, a week after London's fashion week declared itself fur-free for the first time.

Judge to sentence Bill Cosby for sexual assault, capping his downfall

Bill Cosby will learn on Tuesday whether he will go to prison for sexual assault as a sentencing hearing in a Pennsylvania courtroom concludes, capping the comedian's downfall from "America's Dad" to disgraced felon. Cosby, who was found guilty in April, is the first celebrity to be convicted since the start of the #MeToo movement, the national reckoning with sexual misconduct that has brought down dozens of powerful men in entertainment, politics and other fields.

Theatrics, glitter and Jane Birkin: Gucci does Paris

PARIS, Sept 24 (Reuters) - Italy's Gucci brought a dose of eccentricity to Paris Fashion Week on Monday, with a runway show featuring a parrot, eerie videos, frilly sequined looks and a surprise performance by British singer and actress Jane Birkin. The brand has become one of the luxury world's fastest-growing in recent years - propelling an earnings bounce at parent group Kering - thanks to its flamboyant reinvention under designer Alessandro Michele, showcased at elaborate catwalk displays.

Box Office: 'The House With a Clock in Its Walls' leads with $26.8 million, 'Fahrenheit 11/9' falls flat

"The House With a Clock in Its Walls" easily topped the domestic box office in an otherwise quiet weekend at multiplexes. Eli Roth's adaptation of the popular children's book picked up a better-than-expected $26.8 million when it opened in 3,592 locations. The fantasy film, starring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett, didn't face much competition. A number of holdovers filled out the top five as a trio of new releases came in way under expectations.