Meryl Streep joins Mary Poppins sequel, has Nargis Fakhri left Bollywood and more...

Hollywood veteran Meryl Streep will join Emily Blunt in Disney's Mary Poppins Returns, according to Variety magazine. Streep will reportedly play Poppins's cousin, Topsy Tartlet, a maid who, in PL Travers's novel Mary Poppins Comes Back, marries Arthur Turvy – changing her name to Topsy Turvy. The movie will be directed by Rob Marshall, reuniting him with Blunt and Streep following 2014's fairy tale musical Into The Woods, which closed the Dubai International Film Festival that year. Like the original 1964 Mary Poppins film – which starred Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke – Mary Poppins Returns will be a musical, set in 1930s London. The plot will involve the magical nanny helping the now-grown Banks children she helped in the first film through a bereavement. – Staff

Priyanka Chopra to host the United Nations’ Global Citizen Festival

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra will host the United Nations' Global Citizen Festival, which aims to raise awareness of global issues. Other hosts include Hollywood stars Hugh Jackman, Salma Hayek, Neil Patrick Harris and Seth Meyers. The Billboard reported that Chopra, 33, star of US TV crime thriller Quantico and the upcoming Baywatch movie, will host the event, featuring musicians Rihanna, Chris Martin, Usher, Metallica, Major Lazer, Selena Gomez and more. Chopra announced the news on the Today Show in the US and on Twitter, sharing a photo of herself with Usher. – Sonali Kokra

Has Nargis left Bollywood?

Rumours have been flying that actress Nargis Fakhri has left India and Bollywood for good and moved to the US to deal with her heartbreak over breaking up with actor boyfriend Uday Chopra. However the 36-year-old Rockstar actress has broken her silence to dismiss the suggestions. She tweeted that she had no plans to quit acting and will return to India in a few weeks to promote her new film Banjo, in which she stars opposite Riteish Deshmukh. The film is due for release on September 30 in India. – Sonali Kokra

Pokemon Go is too real for some

The creators of Pokemon Go say they are working to remove from the real-world locations that do not wish to be included in the mobile gaming sensation. “When something is really popular, we have to figure out the most respectful way to deal with it and make sure that everyone is playing safely and doing things in a respectful manner,” said Pokemon Co’s marketing director, JC Smith. “It’s only been two weeks since it launched, and there’s been so much attention and so many people playing that it’s tough to think of all the ways it could affect the world.” The location-based game provides virtual rewards for players who visit real-world locations designated as “Pokestops”. However, some locations – including the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in Japan and the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC, have asked to be removed. “For us, we’re making sure the play experience is done right,” said Smith. “Initially, there was some server overload, which we’ve worked on. Now, we’re looking at features in the game and how to fine-tune them so that it’s appealing to the fans but also respectful of the private institutions that are affected by it.” – AP

Rolling Stones coming to cinemas

Not everyone can get to a Rolling Stones concert, so the band is putting on a show in a new venue – cinemas all over the world. The legendary band played a free concert in Cuba in March, which was filmed by award-winning director Paul Dugdale. The resulting concert film, Havana Moon, is billed as a unique cinematic experience, with super-high-definition visuals and surround sound. The title refers both to the moon the band played under and a Chuck Berry song. It is estimated that about 1.2 million people watched the gig. The film will screen in cinemas globally for one night only on September 23 – watch this space for details of UAE screenings. – Reuters

Salman Khan honours industry stalwart

Bollywood star Salman Khan has paid tribute to Rajjat Barjatya – cousin of filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya, also managing director and chief executive of Rajshri Media, who died of cancer on Friday. Salman shared a photo of himself with Rajjat on Twitter and wrote: "Rest in peace my brother Rajjat Barjatya." Salman collaborated with the Barjatyas on movies including Maine Pyar Kiya, Hum Aapke Hain Koun..!, Hum Saath-Saath Hain and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo. – IANS