Patrick Stewart to make appearance in Dubai next week

Also, Busta Rhymes posts video of stage fall, poet Mark Strand dies, news on Frozen sequel, Priyanka Chopra in sex spa controversy and Freida Pinto leading a girl campaign.

Sir Patrick Stewart to be guest of honour at the Chivas legends Dinner. Ilya S. Savenok / Getty Images

The English screen and stage actor Sir Patrick Stewart OBE has been announced as the guest of honour at the Chivas Legends Dinner on December 7 in Dubai. The invitation-only event, which will be held at the Armani Hotel at the Burj Khalifa, will commemorate Stewart's achievements and contribution to society. The 74-year-old actor, who is best known for his roles as Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise, will make a speech on "the values of living with chivalry; gender equality and his personal dedication to helping combat domestic violence against women and children". Guests can also participate in a silent auction to attend the Time 100 Awards in New York. – The National staff

Busta Rhymes posts footage of stage fall

The 42-year-old rapper Busta Rhymes, who is due to headline a New Year’s Eve concert at Meydan in Dubai, fell off the stage during a performance with hip-hop artist OT Genasis at Webster Hall in New York on Friday and hurt his head. He lost no time in posting the video on Instagram with the caption: “This is what happens when #TheConglomerate money starts changing and when we got the hottest record in the country. Congrats 2 O.T.@Genasisishere #Coco on iTunes now!!! Yo Wiz @mistercap I think my stage dive was better than yours.” – The National staff

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mark Strand dies at 80

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mark Strand, who was widely praised for his concentrated and elegiac verse, has died. His daughter, Jessica Strand, says the former United States poet laureate died on Saturday at her New York home from cancer. She says her 80-year-old father died of liposarcoma that had spread throughout his body. He received numerous honours, including the Pulitzer in 1999 for Blizzard of One and a gold medal from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. This autumn, he was nominated for a National Book Award for Collected Poems. He was appointed poet laureate for 1990-91. – AP

Idina Menzel: Frozen sequel is happening

Idina Menzel says Frozen 2 is on the way. In an interview with The Telegraph on Saturday about the Frozen spin-offs including a film sequel and stage musical, Menzel said: "They're all in the works." The singer, who voiced the character Elsa and sang the movie's hit song Let It Go, added that she did not have plans to join the musical, but "hoped to return in the film sequel". – The National staff

Priyanka Chopra in sex spa controversy

A Mumbai property owned by the Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra, which she had rented out to Charisma Beauty Spa, is under investigation for alleged involvement in prostitution, the Indian Express reported. Chopra, who has sent the owner Soni a "legal notice", has been unavailable for comment. The raid came after the Mumbai police received a tip off that the spa was "being used as a front to run a sex racket". – The National staff

Freida Pinto leads Girl Rising campaign

Girl Rising, a global campaign for girls’ education, launched in India in New Delhi on Saturday. The actresses Freida Pinto and Priyanka Chopra have been chosen to lead the programme, which will be focused on keeping girls from dropping out of secondary school and reducing gender-based discrimination. The campaign will spread awareness through films narrated by Pinto and Chopra. – IANS