George Clooney has revealed that he will marry his fiancée Amal Alamuddin in Venice in a few weeks. "I met my lovely bride-to-be here in Italy, whom I will be marrying in a couple of weeks, in Venice of all places," he said during an awards ceremony in Florence. Reports suggested the couple might tie the knot as soon as September 26, but the actor's spokesman said: "He did not give a specific date. I can only confirm that he is getting married in Venice." The Oscar-winning actor, 53, announced in April that he was engaged to the 36-year-old British-Lebanese human-rights lawyer. Like his fiancée, he has a strong interest in human-rights issues. Alamuddin worked with the international tribunal examining the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafiq Hariri and assisted the former United Nations head Kofi Annan in efforts to make peace in Syria. – AP
Gibson celebrates 120 years of guitar-making with art exhibitions
The legendary guitar-maker Gibson is celebrating its 120th anniversary with two art exhibitions this month. The company has commissioned 18 UAE-based artists to create custom guitar artwork to commemorate the International Day of Peace on September 21, and raise money for charity. The Gibson Art Guitars will be unveiled on September 20 at the Hard Rock Cafe in Dubai, then go on display at The Dubai Mall for two weeks. The Emirati urban artist and exhibition curator, Mo Abedin, says: "It's very special when an iconic global brand such as Gibson gets involved in the local art scene, especially when the goal is to raise money for charity. Thanks to a vibrant array of visual artists, we're certain to see some amazing one-of-a-kind creations in the coming weeks." There will also be a two-day special showing of Gibson Through the Lens, a touring photographic exhibition showcasing Gibson's history with musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Angus Young, Frank Zappa, Eric Clapton, Bob Marley and B B King. – The National staff
New album out in November from One Direction
The boy band One Direction, whose third album was last year's top seller, announced on Monday that their next record will be released on November 17. And to whet fans' appetites for the album, titled simply Four, the band streamed the first track, Fireproof, for free for one day only. On October 11 and 12, a film of one of the band's concerts in Italy – called Where We Are after the name of the tour – will screen in cinemas around the world, following up on last year's documentary This Is Us. Midnight Memories sold four million copies worldwide last year, making it the biggest-seller, even though it was released in late November. – AP
Brooks adds sixth finger to his Hollywood handprint
The writer, director, actor and producer Mel Brooks, who was responsible for classic movies such as The Producers, Blazing Saddles and Young Frankenstein, had his hand and footprints immortalised in cement in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Monday – a ritual that has been undertaken by movie legends for decades. But the 88-year-old Brooks added his own twist – he wore a fake sixth finger on his left hand. He said he was leaving the unique mark "just in case somebody from Des Moines, Iowa, says, 'Harry! Harry! Look, Mel Brooks has six fingers on his left hand!'" The ceremony tied in with the release of Young Frankenstein on Blu-ray to mark the movie's 40th anniversary. – AP
James Corden to replace Craig Ferguson on talk show
The British comedy actor James Corden has been confirmed as the replacement for the Scotsman Craig Ferguson as host of The Late Late Show. It is part of an overhaul of the TV network CBS's late-night talk show line-up following the announcement by David Letterman that he is retiring as Late Show host. Soon after the comedian Stephen Colbert was announced as Letterman's replacement, Ferguson announced that he was quitting The Late Late Show, which he has hosted for 10 years. Nina Tassler, the chairman of CBS entertainment, called Corden "a rare entertainment force who combines irresistible charm, warmth and originality with a diverse range of creative instincts and performance talent". "I can't wait to get started, and will do my very best to make a show America will enjoy," Corden said. – AP
