Justin Bieber dominates American Music Awards

Plus Sylvester Stallone backs Rocky the Musical, celebrities push for sacred Native American land, Daniel Craig visits British troops in Afghanistan and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie makes Saturday Night Live cameo.

Justin Bieber accepts the award for Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist at the 40th Annual American Music Awards on Sunday. John Shearer / AP Photo

Justin Bieber thanked his haters after winning three American Music Awards on Sunday. "I want to say this is for all the haters who said that I was just here for one or two years. I feel like I'm going to be here for a very long time," he said, also thanking his mother, manager, family and his "beautiful, beautiful fans". The 18-year-old won Artist of the Year, Favorite Pop/Rock Male Artist and Best Pop/Rock Album. Other winners included Katy Perry for Best Pop/Rock Female Artist, Nicki Minaj for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Artist and Beyoncé for Best Soul/R&B Female Artist. * AP

Sylvester Stallone backs Rocky the Musical

Rocky the Musical, a song-and-dance version of the movie boxer's rise to the world title, has hit the stage in Germany. Wladimir Klitschko, the undisputed world heavyweight champion, and Sylvester Stallone, who wrote the screenplay and starred in the 1976 hit movie, both lent their support to the staging, which had its world premiere in Hamburg on Sunday. The German company Stage Entertainment, which brought both The Lion King and Tarzan to theatres, has adapted the original script with 20 new songs. "Rocky is not about boxing. It's about the longing for dignity and the desire to be happy," said the 66-year-old Stallone. * AFP

Celebs push for sacred Native American land

More celebrities are backing an online campaign to raise money so that Native American tribes in South Dakota can purchase land they consider sacred. P Diddy and Bette Midler are the latest big names to throw their support behind a fundraising effort to buy nearly 800 hectares of pristine prairie grass in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The actor Ezra Miller and the hip-hop producer Sol Guy have already shown support for the cause. P Diddy tweeted: "Help save the Sioux Nation! Click here," and linked to the website. More than $18,000 (Dh66,119) had been raised as of Sunday. * AP

Bond star calls in on British troops

The James Bond actor Daniel Craig surprised British servicemen at the Camp Bastion base in Afghanistan when he dropped in for a visit shortly before a screening of his new film Skyfall. Craig introduced the film to the 800 troops and then toured the camp, met soldiers and hospital patients before firing off some machine-gun rounds at the heavy weapons range, a Ministry of Defence statement said. "We get quite a lot of visitors here, but having James Bond was special," said the soldier Rob Ingham. * AFP

New Jersey governor makes SNL cameo

The tough-talking New Jersey governor Chris Christie made a guest appearance on Saturday Night Live at the weekend. The politician, who is being tipped as a 2016 Republican presidential candidate, poked fun at his notoriously short temper and the familiar blue fleece jacket that he has worn while touring the state following Hurricaine Sandy. In the show, which was hosted by The Bourne Legacy actor Jeremy Renner, Christie also thanked the Red Cross, the first responders and his wife Mary Pat, who he said has put up with "a husband who has smelled like a wet fleece for the last three weeks". * AP