Award-winning rapper Wyclef Jean will perform on Thursday at the official grand opening of Billionaire Mansion, a newly opened party spot in Dubai’s Taj Hotel. The former Fugees member will appear from 11pm to 3am, and the night will also include a meal of Italian food or Japanese bites to choose from. The Taj Hotel is in Business Bay. Tickets cost Dh350 per person. Call 04 348 3000 for more information. — The National
Gabriel Iglesias coming to Dubai
Stand-up comedian Gabriel Iglesias — also known as "Fluffy", and one of the most recognisable comedians in America — is coming to Dubai as part of a three-city tour of Asia this summer. He will appear with his #Fluffy Breaks Even show at the Dubai World Trade Centre on June 3, before moving on to the Star Theatre in Singapore on June 6 and the Asia Expo in Hong Kong on June 8. The show is based on his reality-TV show of the same name, which also features fellow comedians Martin Moreno, Rick Gutierrez, G Reilly and Alfred Robles, and has been picked up for a second season by US cable channel Fuse TV. Visit www.117live.com to register for tickets. — The National
Row over Salman Khan Olympics role
Salman Khan's appointment as an Indian goodwill ambassador for the 2016 Rio Olympics, announced on Saturday, has not been well received by some of the country's Olympians. 2012 Olympics wrestling bronze medallist Yogeshwar Dutt, champion athlete Milkha Singh and hockey legend Dhanraj Pillai were among those who criticised the Indian Olympic Association's decision. It has been denounced by many as a PR gimmick to promote Sultan, Khan's upcoming film in which he plays Sultan Ali Khan, an Olympic wrestler from Haryana. However, some athletes supported the IOA decision: Olympic medallists Vijender Singh (boxing) and Abhinav Bindra (shooting) were among those who welcomed the appointment, saying that Khan's popularity would gain attention for lesser-known sports. The IOA said it would be appointing other representatives from sports, arts and culture. — Sonali Kokra
Soul singer Billy Paul dies
Billy Paul, a star of the Philadelphia soul scene who won fame with the song Me and Mrs. Jones before attracting controversy with his racially charged politics, has died. He was 80. Known for his uplifting, mellifluous voice, Paul won a Grammy Award and helped shape the course of modern R&B. A message on his website read: "We regret to announce with a heavy heart that Billy has passed away today at home after a serious medical condition." Paul topped mainstream charts in 1972 with Me and Mrs. Jones, a song about an extramarital affair that has been covered by a range of artists including Hall & Oates and Michael Bublé. Artist and producer Questlove, best known as the percussionist of The Roots, said that Paul should be considered the forerunner of soul icons Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. Questlove said: "Billy Paul, in every aspect of his presentation, was the first person to bring reality" into the music. — AFP
Michael Douglas pays tribute to Prince
Michael Douglas honoured Prince at the closing of the Tribeca Film Festival with a distinctive outfit — a matching purple shirt and pullover V-neck sweater. Douglas said: "He was such a private man; protected his work so much. But he was an extraordinary talent, just an extraordinary talent. I really feel a loss." Besides being a fan, in 1995 Douglas presented Prince with the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song Score for Purple Rain. — AP
Prequel to Angry Indian Goddesses announced
Bollywood film Angry Indian Goddesses is getting a prequel that will explore the characters' pasts. Touted as India's first female-buddy film — with an ensemble cast including Sarah-Jane Dias, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Anushka Manchanda, Sandhya Mridul, Rajshri Deshpande and Adil Hussain — the movie earned good reviews in India and was well received at international film festivals. — IANS
Roshan-Ranaut row heats up
Amid the legal battle with actress Kangana Ranaut, actor Hrithik Roshan has posted a cryptic tweet about troubled times. He wrote: “When people call you names, the universe is not testing whether you can prove them wrong. It’s testing your own belief in your own name. #knowUrName.” Issues between the stars began when Ranaut hinted at Roshan being her ex-boyfriend. She said during an interview that she fails to understand “why exes do silly things to get your attention”. The controversy between the two actors, who were rumoured to have dated, took another turn for the worse after they slapped legal notices on each other. Roshan, meanwhile, has been celebrating the 45th wedding anniversary of his parents, Rakesh and Pinky Roshan. He shared an image of the family celebrations, along with a post that read: “When love is a commitment, the commitment can create more love. 45 years! #laughterBestwithFamily thank you all for your wishes.” – IANS
Zaha Hadid’s first project after death inaugurated
One of the final works of Zaha Hadid, the acclaimed Iraqi-British architect who died suddenly last month, was posthumously inaugurated in Italy yesterday. Inspired by an oyster, the new maritime terminal at the southern port of Salerno features a hard shell above a soft, fluid interior and the wavy lines that were Hadid’s signature. It is her first major project to come to completion since her death from a heart attack at age 65. Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi said, “This extraordinary work adds to everything Salerno is doing to transform itself and I think it is marvellous. It is also a way of remembering the great architect that Zaha Hadid was. If Salerno is undergoing a transformation, it is also thanks to the contribution of this architectural star.” Hadid’s practice is now being run by German architect Patrik Schumacher, who worked alongside her for 28 years before her death. The studio had more than 30 projects at the design stage or under construction when Hadid died at a hospital in Miami, where she was being treated for bronchitis. Major works in the pipeline include a 2022 World Cup stadium in Qatar, a New York skyscraper and a new parliament for Iraq. -AFP
Prince tops US charts
On Sunday, Prince soared to number one on the US chart after his sudden death, with three of his albums entering the top 10. The Very Best of Prince, a greatest hits collection released in 2001, topped the weekly chart and his classic 1984 album Purple Rain came in at number two of the Billboard chart. A three-disc collection from 1993, The Hits/The B-sides, re-entered the latest chart at number six. The strength of the compilations indicates the renewed popularity of Prince's hits such as Let's Go Crazy, When Doves Cry, 1999, Raspberry Beret and Kiss. In one factor that likely increased outright sales, fans looking for Prince's music were unlikely to find it through streaming, which is factored into the chart through its own formula. Prince, whose relationship with the internet swung between love and hate, only streamed his music on Jay-Z's Tidal service, through which he released his last two albums. Prince, a champion of artists' rights against labels, aggressively took down unauthorised versions of his music from the internet, including YouTube. Prince released 39 studio albums during his life, selling more than 100 million records. -AFP