Entertainment News Roundup: What could go wrong? Oscars team prepares for anything after Will Smith slap; Spotify listeners cross half a billion mark and more

The Swedish company, which has invested heavily in building up its podcast and audiobooks business in recent years in a bid to attract users and advertisers, announced the "new re-imagined user interface" at its Stream On event. Tennis-Netflix stars say series shows ups and downs of pro game Rising tennis stars featured in the Netflix tennis docuseries "Break Point" said it has raised their profiles and boosted the game's visibility even if it does not always show their best side.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

What could go wrong? Oscars team prepares for anything after Will Smith slap

Organizers of Sunday's 95th Academy Awards are preparing for the unexpected after Will Smith's infamous slap of Chris Rock convulsed Hollywood's biggest awards ceremony last year. For the first time, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has created a crisis team to respond to any mishaps.

Spotify listeners cross half a billion mark

Spotify Technology SA said on Wednesday it would roll out new features like smart shuffle and previews of podcasts and music playlists on its audio streaming platform, as it crossed 500 million in monthly active listeners. The Swedish company, which has invested heavily in building up its podcast and audiobooks business in recent years in a bid to attract users and advertisers, announced the "new re-imagined user interface" at its Stream On event.

Women's stories stand out in Oscars race, but Hollywood lagging in gender parity

Michelle Yeoh battles her way through a multiverse, Angela Bassett leads a grieving nation at war, and Cate Blanchett deviously manipulates members of a world-class orchestra. Wide-ranging stories led by female actors fill the list of movies vying for Academy Awards on Sunday, reflecting gains in an industry that has long relegated women to secondary roles in the shadow of male heroes.

Former 'Boy Meets World' star Ben Savage to run for U.S. Congress

Ben Savage, who starred in the 1990s sitcom "Boy Meets World," is running for U.S. Congress in a Los Angeles-area district, aiming at a seat being vacated by Representative Adam Schiff, who is now running for Senate. "I'm running for Congress because it's time to restore faith in government by offering reasonable, innovative and compassionate solutions to our country's most pressing issues," Savage, 42, said in an Instagram post announcing his campaign.

Venice Biennale to honour British musician Brian Eno

Brian Eno, the renowned British musician and visual artist who has worked with Talking Heads, U2 and David Bowie, will receive the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement from the Venice Biennale 2023, the organiser said on Wednesday. Eno, 74, who describes himself as a 'non-musician', came to prominence in the early 1970s as a founding member of the band Roxy Music. He is best known for his contributions to ambient music and work in rock, pop and electronica.

Eurovision Song Contest final tickets sell out in 36 minutes

Tickets for the 2023 Eurovision song contest grand final in Liverpool, England, in May sold out in little over 30 minutes on Tuesday, organisers said. Britain is hosting the 67th contest on behalf of Ukraine, the winner of the 2022 competition that was ruled out from hosting because of the ongoing conflict there.

Tennis-Netflix stars say series shows ups and downs of pro game

Rising tennis stars featured in the Netflix tennis docuseries "Break Point" said it has raised their profiles and boosted the game's visibility even if it does not always show their best side. The show, which is filming at Indian Wells again this year, focuses on a group of up-and-coming players including Casper Ruud, Felix Auger Aliassime and Taylor Fritz and as they try to navigate the pressure-filled world of professional tennis.

Louis Vuitton shows playful, French styles at Musee d'Orsay in Paris

Louis Vuitton took to the Musee d'Orsay for its fall-winter catwalk show on Monday, sending a modern lineup of playful, sculptural looks down a slick, black runway designed to evoke a Paris street. Exploring notions of French style, Nicolas Ghesquiere, artistic director of the label's womenswear collections, played with volumes of clothing and trompe l'oeil effects, including boots that looked like black high heel shoes worn with white socks and fuzzy coats resembling blazers.

(With inputs from agencies.)