Stereophonics get ready to Party in the Park in Dubai

Courtesy Dubai Festivals and Retail Est

Paul Jeffers / AP photo

Jonathan Short / Invision / AP

Charles Dharapak / AP photo

Andy Kropa / Invision / AP

Courtesy National Cartoonists Society

Stereophonics and Razorlight will headline Dubai's Party in the Park on November 13. The Welsh and British rockers will take the stage at the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre, alongside South African rock group The Parlotones. Fans should look forward to the The Stereophonics – they return after headlining Sandance in 2012 and are armed with a new album Keep the Village Alive, which is out tomorrow. Razorlight, whose last performance in Dubai was part of Gulf Bike Week in 2012, continue on the comeback trail after a return to gigging this year. A Hype Clubhouse stage will also be set up to house 10 Dubai DJs, plus a Good Garden Stage with acoustic performances organised by music collective Freshly Ground Sounds. Tickets start at Dh295 from www.platinumlist.net. – The National staff

Image Nation joins The Idol

Image Nation Abu Dhabi has joined Hany Abu-Assad's film The Idol during its post-production phase. The film will have its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival tomorrow. Directed by acclaimed Palestinian filmmaker Hany Abu-Assad (Paradise Now, Omar), The Idol tells the inspirational true story of Mohammad Assaf, a young Palestinian wedding singer from Gaza who became a worldwide sensation after winning the TV talent contest Arab Idol in 2013. Image Nation chief executive Michael Garin said: "Hany Abu-Assad is one of the Arab region's most gifted filmmakers and we greatly admire his work. Not only is this a great team, but it's a great film and we are thrilled to be part of it." Abu-Assad said: "I am very happy with our first collaboration on The Idol. I hope this film will mark the beginning of a beautiful friendship." The Idol is one of two high-profile Image Nation screenings at Toronto. The other is the documentary He Named Me Malala, directed by Academy Award-winner Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth). – The National staff

China cancels two Bon Jovi concerts

Bon Jovi's tour dates in China next week have been abruptly cancelled because of what promoters called "unforeseen reasons". AEG Live Asia declined to give a reason, but said refunds will be offered for shows scheduled for September 14 in Shanghai and September 17 in Beijing. The Financial Times newspaper reported that the shows were called off because the Ministry of Culture discovered the band included a picture of the Dalai Lama in a video backdrop during a concert in Taiwan in 2010. The ruling Communist Party is sensitive to any perceived support for the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. Foreign musicians have been under scrutiny after Björk shouted "Tibet, Tibet" after a song called Declare Independence at a Shanghai show in 2008. A concert by Maroon 5 planned for Saturday in Shanghai was cancelled in July after a tweet by a band member about meeting the Dalai Lama. – AP

Sam Smith gets to sing Bond theme song

The name's Smith, Sam Smith. The choice was shrouded in mystery, rumour and denial, but the 23-year-old British sensation has been confirmed as the singer of the theme song for the new James Bond film Spectre. Smith had denied the persistent rumours, but came clean on Tuesday, tweeting that taking part in the Bond film was a new peak in his remarkable, multi-award-winning career. "This is one of the highlights of my career," Smith wrote. "I am honoured to finally announce that I will be singing the next Bond theme song. I am so excited to be a part of this iconic British legacy and join an incredible line-up of some of my biggest musical inspirations." The new 007 adventure opens next month, with Daniel Craig once again portraying the durable secret agent. Smith's song – Writing's On the Wall – was recorded in January but kept secret until now. – AP

Obama eats bear’s salmon snack

US president Barack Obama chowed on half-eaten salmon stashed by an Alaskan bear during a recent television shoot with British adventurer Bear Grylls. Preview clips show the president polishing off a raw, half-chewed fish pulled from under moss near a river bank. "I think the president looked a little surprised when I pulled out this sort of bloody carcass of a half-eaten salmon," host Grylls told viewers. Obama looks on as Grylls cuts away a chunk of the pink bloody flesh. The president then pops a morsel in his mouth and chews it before declaring: "Mmmm. That's tasty." "I think a piece of salmon, that'll work just fine," he says. "It would have been nice if we'd have had cracker to go with it." Obama filmed the episode of Running Wild With Bear Grylls during a recent trip to Alaska. The episode is expected to air this year in the US. – AFP

Emmy presenters announced

The Television Academy has announced its first group of presenters for this year's Emmy broadcast. They include Golden Globe winner and past Emmy nominee Maggie Gyllenhaal and ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. The academy said that actress and comedian Amy Poehler and actor-singer LL Cool J will also hand out Emmy statuettes, along with Taraji P. Henson and Terrence Howard, stars of smash hit music drama Empire. –AP

Marmaduke comic-strip creator dies

Brad Anderson, creator of the Marmaduke cartoon strip that for more than 60 years featured the antics of a loveable Great Dane, has died. Universal Uclick, which syndicated the comic strip, says Anderson died on August 30 at the age of 91. No further details were given. Anderson was born in Jamestown, New York, in 1924. He graduated from Syracuse University and did freelance work for magazines before creating Marmaduke in 1954. Anderson’s son, Paul, assisted him in later years on the popular comic strip. – AP