Abu Dhabi Festival 2014 to honour Quincy Jones

The Abu Dhabi Festival 2014 presented the American music mogul Quincy Jones with a certificate of appreciation on Saturday ahead of officially receiving the Abu Dhabi festival award during the 11th edition next year.

Jones was chosen for his “creative commitment to music over the course of six decades, for his support of the Arab music sector through the Global Gumbo Group [G3], and for arts education across the world”. Quincy Jones, in the UAE to present Dubai Music Week, said: “I am extremely proud that my work in the region is helping to hone and nurture the music and creative development of such a culturally rich and talented nation. I am honoured to have received a certificate of appreciation, and look forward to returning to the region to accept my award and enjoy the festival in 2014.” The award will be presented during the Abu Dhabi Festival in March next year, in association with Chopard.

Aaron Paul cameos on SNL as Breaking Bad’s Jesse Pinkman

Saturday Night Live had some fun with this week's Breaking Bad finale with help from Aaron Paul in a surprise cameo. Paul appeared on SNL as his Breaking Bad character Jesse Pinkman, describing a friend who cooked meth and committed murder after not being able to afford health insurance. Paul, who played Walter White's drug-making colleague in the recently concluded Emmy-winning AMC series, appeared in the opening segment of the new SNL season. He portrayed one of several "average Americans" joining President Obama to testify to the need for health-care coverage. — The National staff

Fire on set, SRK offers to help out

The Indian comic Kapil Sharma, the host of the television show Comedy Nights with Kapil, has been offered help by the actor Shah Rukh Khan and the singer Lata Mangeshkar after his show set in Mumbai was damaged in a massive fire. There were no casualties in the mishap. The show, which is broadcast on Colors TV, often features Bollywood celebrities including Khan, Deepika Padukone and Anil Kapoor.