Entertainment News Roundup: Kanye West apologizes in Hebrew for anti-Jewish remarks; Shakira's home city unveils giant statue of 'Hips Don't Lie' singer and more

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Tom Smothers, half of American comedy duo the Smothers Brothers, dies at 86

American comic Tom Smothers, one-half of the musical-comedy duo the Smothers Brothers, died on Tuesday at 86 at home in California after being diagnosed with cancer, his family said in a statement released by the National Comedy Center. Smothers and his younger brother, Dick, started out wanting to be folk singers but found success weaving comedy into their act, a formula they perfected in 1967 with the CBS show "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," a precursor of "Saturday Night Live" and other satirical television shows.

Rapper Ye, the former Kanye West, apologizes in Hebrew for anti-Jewish remarks

The rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, issued an apology in Hebrew to the Jewish community on Tuesday for his past antisemitic remarks, saying he sought forgiveness and regretted any pain that his words had caused. Ye's apology, posted to X and Instagram, follows reports that the release of his new album, "Vultures," has been delayed until January. The release has been pushed back several times from its original date in October.

Gaston Glock, the man behind the gun, dies aged 94 - APA

Gaston Glock, the reclusive engineer and tycoon who developed one of the world's best-selling handguns, died on Wednesday aged 94, Austrian news agency APA said. The Austrian won loyal followings among police and military across the world with the weapons that bore his name. Forbes estimated his and his family's fortune at $1.1 billion in 2021.

Shakira's home city unveils giant statue of 'Hips Don't Lie' singer

Grammy-winning Colombian singer Shakira, one of the world's top-selling musicians, has been immortalized in her famous belly-dancing pose in a giant bronze statue in her home city of Barranquilla. The city's Mayor Jaime Pumarejo unveiled the 6.5 meter (21 foot) sculpture in a park along the banks of the Magdalena River on Tuesday in the company of the singer's parents.

Lucasfilm sues Star Wash, Chilean 'Star Wars'-themed car wash

Walt Disney production company Lucasfilm is suing a themed carwash on the outskirts of Chilean capital Santiago for plagiarizing its multibillion-dollar galactic film and television saga "Star Wars," lawyers for the carwash said. Star Wash has shared videos on social media showing attendants dressed as "Star Wars" characters such as Chewbacca or a Stormtrooper wiping down hoods, bounty hunter Boba Fett and hero Cassian Andor wielding hosepipes instead of blasters and Darth Vader appearing to use The Force to summon cleaning cloths.

Telecom Italia, DAZN agree new soccer streaming deal - sources

Telecom Italia (TIM) has renewed a deal with sports streaming service DAZN to continue offering Italy's top Serie A soccer league matches over the next five seasons, two sources said on Wednesday. Under the new agreement, TIM will pay some 43-46 million euros ($47.52-50.83 million) per year to keep showing Serie A games on its video content platform TimVision via DAZN, the sources said.

Actor Lee of Oscar-winning 'Parasite' found dead amid drugs probe

Lee Sun-kyun, a South Korean actor who drew global attention with his performance as the wealthy patriarch in the Oscar-winning film "Parasite", was found dead on Wednesday in an apparent suicide in a Seoul park, officials in the capital said.

Lee, 48, who met a gory end in the 2019 film, South Korea's first to win any Oscar, had faced police questioning three times over accusations of illegal drug use amid a government crackdown, with one session running 19 hours over the weekend.

(With inputs from agencies.)