Entertainment News Roundup: Berlin stars in tale of a refugee's hunger; Lori Loughlin among parents to face U.S. college scam trial and more

Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Berlin stars in tale of a refugee's hunger to belong

Away from Berlin's clubs, far from the tourist hotspots, young drug dealers, many of them immigrants, eke out a marginal existence on the fringes of the city: theirs is the story of Afghan-German director Burhan Qurbani's "Berlin Alexanderplatz". A retelling of Alexander Doeblin's 1929 novel, the film thrusts itself into contemporary debates over immigration and identity that are racking Germany by turning Franz, the small-time crook at the heart of the novel into Francis, an African refugee, played by Portuguese-Guinean artist Welket Bungue.

Actress Lori Loughlin among parents to face U.S. college scam trial in October

A federal judge on Thursday said actress Lori Loughlin in October will be among eight parents accused of participating in a vast U.S. college admissions bribery and fraud scheme to face the first trial to result from the scandal. The "Full House" star, along with her fashion designer husband, Mossimo Giannulli, are among 15 parents fighting charges brought by federal prosecutors in Boston stemming from the U.S. college admissions scandal.

Weinstein's acquittal on some charges may hamper appeal of sex crimes conviction

Harvey Weinstein will seek to overturn his sex crimes conviction by arguing that the jury was prejudiced by testimony from women unconnected to prosecutors' underlying case, his lawyers have said. But, according to experts, he faces a legal hurdle: his acquittal on some of the most serious charges. Weinstein, 67, faces up to 29 years in prison for sexually assaulting former production assistant Mimi Haleyi in 2006 and raping Jessica Mann, a former aspiring actress, in 2013.

Weinstein upbeat at Manhattan hospital after sex crimes conviction, lawyer says

Former Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was in good spirits on Tuesday, as he accepted visitors while under police guard at a Manhattan hospital, his lawyer said, despite having been convicted a day earlier of sexual assault and rape. Weinstein had been expected to move to New York City's notorious Rikers Island jail complex following the verdict but was admitted late Monday night to Bellevue Hospital a few miles away.

Placido Domingo cancels Madrid 'La Traviata' show following sexual misconduct claims - EFE

Spanish opera star Placido Domingo canceled his scheduled performances of "La Traviata" in Madrid's Teatro Real following allegations of sexual misconduct, EFE news agency reported on Thursday citing a statement from the singer. Domingo apologized on Tuesday to the women who had accused him of sexual misconduct after an investigation by the American Guild of Musical Artists concluded he had behaved inappropriately with female performers.

Actor Johnny Depp takes Sun newspaper to court in 'wife beater' libel case

Hollywood star Johnny Depp appeared in a London court on Wednesday to hear his lawyer argue that Depp's ex-wife had lied when she accused him of beating her in comments quoted by the tabloid newspaper the Sun. Depp, the 55-year-old star of the "Pirates of the Caribbean" films, is suing the tabloid's publisher, News Group Newspapers, and its executive editor Dan Wootton for libel over an article Wootton wrote in 2018 calling Depp a "wife-beater".

U.S. SEC out for justice over Steven Seagal's cryptocurrency marketing

Steven Seagal, the star of action movies including "Above the Law" and "Out for Justice," has agreed to pay $314,000 to resolve charges of "unlawfully touting" a cryptocurrency offering, the U.S. securities regulator said on Thursday. Seagal, 67, agreed to give up $157,000 in ill-gotten gains and to pay another $157,000 as a penalty for failing to disclose payments he received for promoting investment in an initial coin offering from Bitcoiin2Gen (B2G), the Securities and Exchange Commission said in a statement.

Filmmaker Polanski will not attend 'French Oscars' in Paris over criticism

French-Polish movie director Roman Polanski decided on Thursday not to attend the Cesar Awards ceremony in Paris on Friday, amid criticism after his latest film led award nominations despite several recent and past accusations of sexual assault. The filmmaker launched his "An Officer and a Spy" movie in France last year, days after a French actress accused him of having raped her in 1975 when she was 18 years old, during a ski holiday in Gstaad, Switzerland.

Lanvin's Sialelli revisits tradition in retro-themed Paris show

Lanvin designer Bruno Sialelli quoted from decades of fashion history on Wednesday in a ready-to-wear show fully befitting France's oldest fashion house. With French actress Isabelle Huppert and the rapper Tyga in the front row, Lanvin's Winter 2020 runway celebrated old-school glamour as it mixed modernity with icons from long-gone eras.

Spain cancels Placido Domingo performances over sexual misconduct allegations

Spain's culture ministry on Wednesday canceled performances by Placido Domingo in Madrid in May following allegations of sexual harassment by the opera star. The ministry said it had called off the Spanish singer's performance in the operetta "Luisa Fernanda" at the Zarzuela Theater on May 14 and 15 in solidarity with women who had been affected by his alleged sexual misconduct.

(With inputs from agencies.)