Red Hot Chili Peppers' lead singer, Anthony Kiedis, was suffering from a severe case of intestinal flu when he was hospitalised at the weekend, forcing the band to cancel two shows in California. Billboard magazine reported that Kiedis was taken from the venue of Saturday's show, the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, in an ambulance suffering from extreme stomach pain. "No one's more disappointed than us that we couldn't perform tonight. Sending love and a speedy recovery to my brother Anthony," the band's drummer, Chad Smith, wrote on Twitter. Later, on the band's website, fans were told that Kiedis would be back on his feet soon. "Anthony is expected to make a full recovery," according to the post on redhotchilipeppers.com, which thanked fans for their support and said a second gig, scheduled for Tuesday, May 17 in Burbank, California, was also cancelled. – Reuters
The Wire star Pierce faces assault charge
Wendell Pierce, who starred in TV dramas The Wire and Treme, has been arrested over an alleged assault on a man and a woman at a hotel in Atlanta, Georgia. The New Orleans native, a supporter of former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, is said to have got into an argument with the couple, who were supporters of Bernie Sanders – the other main candidate for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States in this year's election. The couple said Pierce became enraged when the unnamed woman declared her support for Vermont senator Sanders. People magazine reports that the actor, 52, was arrested on simple battery charges and later released after posting a US$1,000 (Dh3,672) bond. Pierce starred as detective Bunk Moreland in The Wire and trombonist Antoine Batiste in Treme. He currently stars as an agent alongside Matthew Perry and Thomas Lennon in US TV sitcom The Odd Couple. – The National
Star-studded birthday show for Britain’s queen
Celebrities and several members of the British royal family turned out to celebrate the queen's 90th birthday with a star-studded show on Sunday night that told the story of her life, with 900 horses and more than 1,500 performers. The event, at Windsor Castle, featured performances from Take That's Gary Barlow, who kicked off the evening with a rendition of Something About This Night, and Australian pop princess Kylie, who sang a version of her song I Believe In You. Opera singer Katherine Jenkins gave a rousing, patriotic rendition of I Vow to Thee My Country, while Beverley Knight performed during a section about the Second World War. Queen Elizabeth II arrived at the event in a horse-drawn carriage accompanied by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, and the event featured a parade of 900 horses, as they are the monarch's favourite animals. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, William and Kate, were in the front row alongside the queen and Prince Philip. The event will be broadcast on ITV Choice on OSN in the UAE on Thursday. Check out Arts&Life that day for a full preview. – The National
Lawrence in talks for Ocean’s remake
Jennifer Lawrence is said to be in discussions to join an all-female Ocean's Eleven remake alongside Sandra Bullock. The role would reunite the star with her Hunger Games director Gary Ross, according to independent.co.uk. The script, reportedly being written by Little Women screenwriter Olivia Milch, will feature Bullock planning the theft of a necklace from the Met Ball in New York City and an attempt to frame a gallery owner for the crime. Lawrence would play Bullock's sidekick. Ocean's Eleven star George Clooney, who will take a producing role in the movie, is also rumoured to make an appearance, although it is thought his role would be a cameo to link the films. There is no word on whether his Ocean's co-stars Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts and Don Cheadle will return to the fold, or who the other female stars will be. – IANS
Bollywood debut for Punjabi film star
Actress Aanushka Ramesh, best known for playing Sona in the 2016 Punjabi film Canada Di Flight, will make her Bollywood debut with the upcoming film Mangal Ho. She said that she was "more than delighted" with the new role in the film, to be directed by Prithwish Chakraborty. The sci-fi comedy, about the first Indian to go to Mars, is already halfway through filming. The actress says her character, Khushi Armstrong, is "a nerd and a highly intelligent girl". The film also stars Sanjay Mishra, Annu Kapoor, Vrajesh Hirjee and Mukesh Bhatt. Though her family has an academic background, Aanushka says her passion for acting brought her to the entertainment industry. Before venturing into film, Ramesh appeared in a music video titled Intezaar alongside actor Himmanshoo Malhotra. The track was sung by Jazim Sharma. – IANS