Ferry and Blanchett at DIFF VIP Lounge

Plus: Donna Summer to join rock Hall of Fame; Pop stars perform at Peace Prize concert; Storage Wars rigged, says cast member.

Bryan Ferry with the Dubai-based British interior designer Yasemin Richie. Courtesy DIFF VIP Lounge
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At the Dubai International Film Festival VIP Lounge, the Roxy Music frontman Bryan Ferry reportedly picked up several of the eco-brand Ethical Muse's sustainable products as well as a bespoke black turban with a bow and studs by the local fashion label Malaak. Ferry enjoyed his stay at the lounge so much that he even invited all of the lounge's staff to his show that night. True to his word, an hour later the staff received an email from Ferry's manager, informing them that they had tickets for the intimate after-dinner performance. Cate Blanchett was also a visitor to the lounge and she seemed to enjoy chatting to several designers who were displaying their products. She was especially enthralled with Malaak and spoke to the label's designer Huda Al Nuaimi, who gave her the lowdown on her modern take on the abaya. Blanchett took home with her a black dress and a purple turban. - The National staff

Donna Summer to join rock Hall of Fame

Donna Summer, who died in May, will join the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the Canadian rockers Rush and the hip-hop pioneers Public Enemy. The veteran female rockers Heart, the blues legend Albert King and the singer-songwriter Randy Newman will also join the music pantheon. "This year's class of inductees again represents the broad, compelling and significant definition of rock and roll," said the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation chief Joel Peresman. - AFP

Pop stars perform at Peace Prize concert

Sarah Jessica Parker and Gerard Butler hosted the Nobel Peace Prize concert in Oslo on Tuesday, honouring the European Union. The evening's artists, performing at Oslo's Spektrum Hall, included Jennifer Hudson, Kylie Minogue, Ne-Yo and Seal. "[The EU] is a story that we are trying to tell in our country [the US]," said Parker, who said that her parents were peace activists and she remembers attending anti-war rallies at an early age. "We are trying to say to one another: we are different. We are a divided nation, but our goals in many ways are the same." - AP

Storage Wars rigged, says cast member

The popular TV show Storage Wars - in which treasure hunters bid to buy unseen items in abandoned units - is rigged, with producers sometimes planting valuable items among the junk, says a cast member. "Nearly every aspect of the show is faked," said David Hester, one of the reality TV show's longest-serving stars, who filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against the show's producers. Hester said when he complained about the matter, he was fired from the show. Storage Wars is the highest-rated non-fiction programme on US cable TV. It is broadcast in the UAE. - Reuters