Following is a summary of current entertainment news briefs.

Caged like a ‘canary’, Vivienne Westwood protests for Assange in London

Vivienne Westwood, dressed in yellow, was locked into a giant bird cage outside England’s Old Bailey court on Tuesday, a stunt to show her support for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange who is fighting extradition from Britain to the United States. “I am Julian Assange,” fashion designer Westwood said. “I am the canary in the cage. If I die down the coal mine from poisonous gas, that’s the signal.”

Kanye West posts series of rambling late night tweets

Rapper Kanye West posted a series of tweets late on Monday claiming his wife was trying to have him locked up on medical grounds, comparing himself to Nelson Mandela and suggesting the movie “Get Out” was based on his own life. The late night flurry of activity on West’s official Twitter account – the bulk of which was deleted a few hours later – came a day after he launched his U.S. presidential campaign with a rambling rally in Charleston, South Carolina.

Cancel culture takes the fun out of life, says comedian John Cleese

John Cleese does not have much time for political correctness or cancel culture, and as for the state of the world? It’s completely hopeless, the former “Monty Python” star says. Instead, Cleese, 80, is promising “a short selection of Peruvian burial ditties,” when he presents a comedic live-stream plus Q&A session from London next month.

UK music magazine Q to close after 34 years, hurt by coronavirus pandemic

British music magazine Q is folding after 34 years in business as the coronavirus epidemic accelerated a downturn in the media sector, forcing the publication to cease operations. The monthly magazine’s editor, Ted Kessler, announced its closure in a tweet https://bit.ly/2WEKJsw on Monday, saying that the coronavirus pandemic hurt the magazine’s business.

Hollywood stars team up with ex-players to bring NWSL to Los Angeles

Israeli-American actress Natalie Portman and more than a dozen former U.S. women’s national team players have formed an ownership group to set up a professional women’s soccer team in Los Angeles from 2022. The new team, which has yet to be named, was announced by the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) on Tuesday.

Nicki Minaj says she is expecting first child

Rapper Nicki Minaj on Monday announced she was expecting her first child, posting photos of her baby bump. “#Preggers,” wrote the “Bang, Bang” singer on her Instagram account, beside a photo of her wearing a bejeweled bra while cradling her naked belly.

‘I’m not lying’: Heard says ex-husband Depp threatened to kill her

American actress Amber Heard told London’s High Court on Monday her ex-husband Johnny Depp had threatened to kill her many times during years of abuse, denying she had made up her allegations of domestic violence. Depp is suing News Group Newspapers, publishers of Britain’s Sun newspaper, over a 2018 article which labeled him a “wife beater” and questioned his casting in the “Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them” franchise.

Disney’s ABC News sacks senior executive over allegedly racist comments

ABC News, a Walt Disney Co unit, has sacked senior executive Barbara Fedida after an independent investigation alleged she had made racially insensitive comments and used inappropriate language, according to a company email. Fedida also managed in a rough manner and would not return to ABC, Disney executive Peter Rice told staff in an email which ABC shared with Reuters.

Netflix show on Indian matchmaker stokes debate on wedding culture

A new Netflix show about an Indian matchmaker catering to the high demands of potential brides and grooms, and their parents, has stoked an online debate about arranged marriages in the country. The eight-part series “Indian Matchmaking” premiered on Netflix on Thursday and is currently among its top ranked India shows. It features Sima Taparia, a real-life matchmaker from Mumbai, who offers her services to families within India and abroad.

Heard says she punched Depp to stop him pushing sister downstairs

Amber Heard told London’s High Court on Tuesday she punched her ex-husband Johnny Depp because she feared he would push her sister downstairs, as the American actress alleged he had done to his former girlfriend, model Kate Moss. Heard, 34, is giving evidence on behalf of the Sun newspaper whose publisher, News Group Newspapers, is being sued by her former husband Depp for libel over a 2018 article which labelled him a “wife beater”.