Entertainment News Roundup: Designers fashion a go-slow future for catwalks and collections; Grief over virus deaths sets Hungarian artist on darker course and more

Designers fashion a go-slow future for catwalks and collections From Armani to Gucci, top fashion houses are re-designing their calendars to slow down the frantic pace of catwalk shows and new collections, as the coronavirus pandemic forces a rethink of the way the industry works.

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

London producer Mackintosh shuts down 'Hamilton' and other top shows until 2021

Shows including "Hamilton" and "Les Miserables" will not return to the London stage until 2021, producer Cameron Mackintosh said on Wednesday, blaming uncertainty over when the British government would lift social distancing measures. Theatres, cinemas and other entertainment venues were shut down in March as part of efforts to slow the spread of the new coronavirus, which has claimed more lives in Britain than in any other European country.

Designers fashion a go-slow future for catwalks and collections

From Armani to Gucci, top fashion houses are re-designing their calendars to slow down the frantic pace of catwalk shows and new collections, as the coronavirus pandemic forces a rethink of the way the industry works. Luxury labels are scaling back the number of collections they show at fashion weeks across the year in London, Paris, Milan and New York or at other events in exotic locations.

Hong Kong's Disneyland reopens after five-month coronavirus break

Hong Kong's loss-making Disneyland theme park reopened on Thursday to a limited number of local visitors and with enhanced health measures after the coronavirus outbreak forced it to close in late January. In contrast to major outbreaks seen in other big cities around the world, Hong Kong has reported a relatively small number of infections, recording 1,121 cases and four deaths. The border remains virtually shut but life is slowly returning to normal.

Grief over virus deaths sets Hungarian artist on darker course

Hungarian artist Jozsef Szurcsik lost four of his friends in a matter of weeks to COVID-19 and the tremendous pain and grief he feels has transformed his art. Szurcsik, who teaches at the Hungarian University of Fine Arts and is one of the country's top contemporary artists, has always tried to reflect on the relationship between the human soul and the landscape in his often surreal paintings.

Vera Lynn, voice of hope in wartime Britain, dies at 103

Vera Lynn, the singer who became a symbol of hope in Britain during World War Two and again during the coronavirus pandemic with her song "We'll Meet Again", has died at the age of 103. Known as the Forces' Sweetheart, Lynn struck a chord with soldiers fighting overseas and with the public back home with songs such as "The White Cliffs of Dover" that gave voice to the hopes and fears about the conflict with Nazi Germany.

U.S. actor Danny Masterson charged with raping three women

"That 70s Show" actor Danny Masterson has been charged with raping three women in separate incidents in 2001 and 2003, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office said on Wednesday. The District Attorney's Office said in a statement that it had declined to file sexual assault charges against Masterson in two other cases because of insufficient evidence and because of the statute of limitations.

Locked-down puppeteer brings her characters to life in Madrid flat

Madrid-based Colombian actress and puppeteer Yohana Yara has been using her time in lockdown filming puppet shows on her balcony and creating an online fan base for her characters. Just two months after she moved to the Spanish capital the country went into lockdown, depriving her and thousands of others who work in the arts of a job and shattering her plans for 2020.

Kristen Stewart to play Princess Diana in new movie

Kristen Stewart will play Britain's Princess Diana in an upcoming movie about the breakdown of her marriage to Prince Charles, Hollywood trade publication Deadline reported on Wednesday. Stewart, 30, best known for her role in the "Twilight Saga" movies, has been cast in the film which will take place over three days in the early 1990s when Diana made the bombshell decision to part ways with Charles and remove herself from becoming queen.

Kim Kardashian West to host criminal justice podcast for Spotify

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian West has reached a deal with Swedish music streaming company Spotify Technology SA to host a podcast related to criminal justice reform, a representative for West said on Wednesday. The show, to be available exclusively on Spotify, will be connected to West's work with The Innocence Project, a nonprofit that fights wrongful convictions, the representative said.

From Asia to Africa, 'Sesame Street' special tackles coronavirus pandemic

Elmo, Cookie Monster and Muppets from Asia and the Middle East are joining forces for a special episode of "Sesame Street" aimed at helping kids cope with a world turned upside down by the coronavirus pandemic. "Elmo's World News," airing over the next few weeks in 13 languages across Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, will share activities, play, and advice on how to manage "big feelings" like frustration and sadness.