Sir Paul to sing at Olympics ceremony

Plus: Olsen twins make a fashion coup, final curtain for Mr Trololo, Springsteen people's choice for anthem, Mads Mikkelsen to play Hannibal, and Spartacus runs into the sand.

Sir Paul McCartney will play at the opening ceremony of the Olympics. Joel Ryan / AP

Sir Paul McCartney announced he will be the closing act at the London Olympics opening ceremony. "I've been booked," he told the BBC on Monday. The line-up for the ceremony, overseen by the Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle and themed "Isles of Wonder", remains a closely guarded secret. The Olympics take place from July 27 until August 12. * AP

Olsen twins get fashion's big prize

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen took home the biggest prize at the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America awards. The former child stars were selected on Monday as the top womenswear designers in the US. "I'd like to thank you - you," Mary-Kate said, turning to her twin. Billy Reid won best menswear designer and Reed Krakoff best accessories designer. Jessica Chastain, Jessica Paré and Matt Bomer were among the presenters at the ceremony, hosted by Seth Meyers. Vogue's Anna Wintour presented a lifetime achievement award to Tommy Hilfiger. * AP

Russian YouTube crooner dies at 77

Eduard Khil, a Russian crooner who had a career revival in his later years via a viral video nicknamed "the Trololo song", died on Monday at 77. He launched his career in the 1960s, but in 2010 gained global fame when bloggers picked up a video of him performing a song about an American riding across the prairie to his sweetheart. Khil decided to replace the words with nonsense syllables, fearing their content would not pass the censors. * AFP

Springsteen favoured to write new US anthem

Twenty-two per cent of Americans think Bruce Springsteen should compose a new national anthem to replace The Star-Spangled Banner, according to an online poll organised by the TV show 60 Minutes and Vanity Fair magazine. Nineteen per cent think Dolly Parton is up to the task, and 18 per cent favour Stevie Wonder. Eleven per cent named Bob Dylan, eight per cent voted for Jay-Z and five per cent named Madonna. * AFP

Mads Mikkelsen cast as TV's Hannibal

The Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, who won the best actor prize at Cannes recently, has been cast in NBC's new high-profile series Hannibal, where he'll step into Anthony Hopkins's shoes to play Dr Lecter, opposite Hugh Dancy's inquisitive FBI agent.

Spartacus to end run next season

The swords will swing no more. Starz network announced on Monday it is ending its successful Spartacus saga next season, while it's still a big hit. On its third season the series drew six million US viewers, an enormous number for a cable channel. * AP