The National

Also; Karisma Kapoor launches book on pregnancy and motherhood; Mallika Sherawat serenades Modi on his birthday; Zac Efron was in rehab for cocaine addiction; Ricky Martin to publish book on children.

Karisma Kapoor has launched a book titled My Yummy Mummy Guide to offer an Indian. Prodip Guha/Hindustan Times via Getty Images

The National staff and agency

Sep 18, 2013

UAE artists nominated for MTV awards

The Emirati R&B singer and songwriter Hamdan Al Abri and the Dubai rockers Juliana Down have been nominated for Best Middle East Act as part of the 2013 MTV European Music Awards. Other artists nominated in the category are the American-Egyptian singer Lara Scandar, the Moroccan singer Ahmed Soultan and Saudi Arabia's Rakan. The winner, to be chosen through online voting, will be announced on November 1 and will go on to compete for the Worldwide Act gong in the main awards show scheduled to take place on November 10 in Amsterdam. – The National staff

Mad Men’s final season split into two parts

Taking its cue from Breaking Bad, AMC has added an episode to the initial 13-episode order and will split the Emmy-winning drama Mad Men's seventh and final season into two even parts, with one running in spring next year, titled The Beginning, and the second in the spring of 2015, titled The End of an Era. The Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner says the structure will work well for the show's final-season story. "We plan to take advantage of this chance to have a more elaborate story told in two parts, which can resonate a little bit longer in the minds of our audience." The series, which stars Jon Hamm as the 1960s adman Don Draper, has won four Emmys for Outstanding Drama Series. The extra season will give the series another year of Emmy consideration. – The National staff

Zac Efron was in rehab for cocaine addiction

The actor Zac Efron completed a stay in rehab this year and is doing well, according to TMZ, which also reported that the actor's addiction became an issue while filming Neighbors with Seth Rogen. Efron was in top form at the recent Toronto International Film Festival, where he promoted his newest movie Parkland. – The National staff

Karisma Kapoor launches book on pregnancy and motherhood

The Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor launched her book My Yummy Mummy Guide earlier this week in New Delhi. "We don't have an Indian take on pregnancy and motherhood. I felt that this will be something that Indian mothers will be able to relate to," said Kapoor, who has two young children. "It is all about priority, if you know your priorities, you can do anything," she said. – The National staff