Rick Ross performing in Dubai on Friday
After rumours of will he or won't he, it is now confirmed: the rapper Rick Ross will perform live in Dubai on Friday at Atlantis, The Palm. Ross, who will headline the Nasimi Beach Re-opening Fiesta, is undoubtedly hip-hop's star of the moment. His latest album, God Forgives, I Don't, continues his run of blockbuster releases that began with Deeper Than Rap in 2009. The festival starts at 2pm, and will feature live international DJ sets. Ross is expected to appear later that night. Tickets cost from Dh295; the special meet-and-greet package costs Dh995. Visit www.rickrossdubai.com or call 055 200 4321. – Saeed Saeed
Lady Gaga takes on London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week kicked into high gear on Sunday with Lady Gaga taking a starring turn on the celebrity milliner Philip Treacy's catwalk. The pop star, in a hot pink, floor-length shroud, stole the show when she opened Treacy's Michael Jackson-themed comeback show. Treacy, who has designed fanciful hats for Gaga as well as several members of royalty, has not shown at the event for a decade. Raising her arms and looking up, Gaga announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest milliner in the world: Philip Treacy." She was joined by her fellow celebrities Kim Cattrall and Grace Jones in the front row at the show, which featured Jackson's legendary stage costumes paired with Treacy's headgear. The spectacle topped a long day of shows that featured the one-time punk icon Vivienne Westwood, who championed her favourite cause as she closed her catwalk preview, strutting down the runway in a T-shirt inscribed with a slogan about climate change. The orange-haired designer used two models to unfurl a banner proclaiming a climate revolution. - AP
Minaj, Urban join American Idol panel
The pop star Nicki Minaj and the country crooner Keith Urban have signed on as American Idol judges, joining Mariah Carey and Randy Jackson on the panel. The announcement came hours before the initial auditions for the next season in New York on Sunday. Arriving at the audition venue, Urban hailed American Idol for its "great history of producing real stars". Minaj said she'll be looking for "a superstar", which, she explained, is "something that can't be defined in words". Carey said: "Am I the mean one? Am I the nice one? It's not about me, me, me, it's about the contestants and what I can bring to them to help guide them in the right direction." Idol is looking for its famous new faces to supercharge a show that remains a ratings leader but has seen its pop-culture clout erode in recent seasons in an increasingly crowded talent show field. Besides The X Factor, which recently added Britney Spears and Demi Lovato as judges, there's The Voice, which boasts the likes of Maroon 5's Adam Levine. - AP
Silver Linings wins top prize at Toronto
David Owen Russell's dramatic comedy Silver Linings Playbook, about a man's recovery from a personal and professional meltdown, won the Toronto International Film Festival's top prize on Sunday. The film stars Bradley Cooper as a former teacher who moves back in with his parents – played by Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver – after a stint in a mental institution. Russell earlier revealed he used Skype to audition actors for the movie – among them were Jennifer Lawrence and the Indian star Anupam Kher. The music film Artifact, directed by the actor Jared Leto, took home the top documentary award. The French filmmaker François Ozon's In the House nabbed the International Critics Prize. Seven Psychopaths by Martin McDonagh, starring Colin Farrell, snagged the People's Choice Award. - AFP
