Celebrities flying into Abu Dhabi to perform during the F1 weekend will also hang out at Yas Mall, which is opening on Wednesday, November 19. Artists from the After-Race Concerts and Beats on the Beach are scheduled to make appearances as part of Yasalam Live at the Yas Mall studio. Fans will get the opportunity to be part of a live audience as highlights from live Q& A sessions and performances will be broadcast on Radio 1 and Hayat FM. Daily from 3pm to 6pm on Thursday, November 20, until Sunday, November 23. Visit www.yasalam.ae for the full Yasalam schedule and details. – The National staff
DIFF announces World Cinema programme
Dubai International Film Festival's Cinema of the World line-up features 10 of the best films of the year. At the top of the list is St Vincent by Theodore Melfi, a comedy starring Bill Murray as Vincent, a grump who is suddenly plagued by the presence of his young neighbour Oliver. Danis Tanovic brings his film Tigers, about a man (Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi) who sells substandard infant formula milk to Pakistani children. Also showing is the Indian-American brother and sister duo Geeta and Ravi V Patel's comedy Meet the Patels, which focuses on the struggle to get married through traditional Indian means. DIFF runs from December 10 to 17. – The National staff
Jaswinder Singh to sing in Dubai on November 14
Contemporary Indian ghazal singer Jaswinder Singh will perform the works of noted Urdu poets and Sufi melodies in a concert titled Parvaaz at Ductac this weekend. Singh will also sing selected Punjabi tracks from his solo albums. Bollywood actor and TV-show host Annu Kapoor is part of the troupe. Parvaaz is on Friday at Centrepoint Theatre at Ductac, Mall of the Emirates, from 7pm. Tickets are priced from Dh100 and can be booked on www.ductac.org. For more information, email nadia@boxofficeevents.org. – The National staff
Big Bang Theory actress Carol Ann Susi dies
The actress best known for voicing the unseen Mrs Wolowitz on the TV comedy Big Bang Theory has died. Carol Ann Susi's agent, Pam Ellis-Evenas, said the actress died in Los Angeles on Tuesday after a brief battle with cancer. She was 62. The veteran character actress has made numerous guest appearances on TV shows since the 1970s. On the Big Bang Theory, she wasn't seen on camera as the mother of Simon Helberg's character, Howard, but her character's loud voice with a Brooklyn accent was instantly recognisable. The executive producers of the CBS sitcom say Susi was a beloved member of the Big Bang Theory family, and they praised her "immense talent and comedic timing". Susi is survived by her brother, Michael Susi, and his wife, Connie. – AP
Randy Jackson exiting American Idol after 13 years
Fox and the producers of American Idol say Randy Jackson is leaving the show after 13 seasons. In a statement on Tuesday, the network and producers said Jackson was a key part of the singing contest and would be welcomed back as a visitor. Phone and email requests to his publicist seeking comment were not im mediately returned. Jackson, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul made up Idol’s original judging panel. Jackson served as a judge for 12 seasons, with “dawn” becoming his trademark word while assessing contestants. Jackson moved to the role of mentor this year. His departure leaves host Ryan Seacrest as the only original cast member. American Idol is set to return in January with judges Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick junior and Keith Urban. – AP
Director changes plot for Malaysian plane movie
A filmmaker who sparked anger earlier this year with plans for a love triangle-themed movie about the Malaysia Airlines plane disappearance says he's changing the plot to a thriller so he won't offend the families of the missing. Director Rupesh Paul unveiled a teaser trailer for The Vanishing Act at the Cannes Film Festival this year, based on the March disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines jet with 239 people on board; the plane, which was on a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, has yet to be found. The trailer included an image of a gun and two crew members kissing as a third looks on in anger. Paul now says he is shooting a new trailer and the movie will be a psychological thriller. "We respect the sentiments of all those who experienced loss due to the tragedy, and the intention was never to benefit out of it," the Indian director said. "I am a filmmaker, and I would like to loosely base the film on one of the most baffling mysteries which has remained unanswered." Filming starts in January. Filmmakers hope to show it at the Cannes festival next year. – AP
Former Spice Girl announces her engagement
Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell has announced her engagement to a Formula One team boss. Halliwell, 42, said in a notice on Tuesday in the Times of London that she will wed Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, 40. The wedding was not mentioned. The actor Benedict Cumberbatch announced his engagement with an eight-line announcement in the same newspaper last week. – AP
