Iggy Azalea tumbled off the stage during an MTV Video Music Awards benefit concert. The Australian rapper fell on Friday night while performing her hit Fancy at The Avalon in Los Angeles. Security guards quickly pulled her back onto the stage and she barely missed a beat as Charli XCX joined her for the performance of the chart-topping single. Azalea appeared to have avoided any serious injury and told the crowd she felt "very blessed" that she had not broken her legs. She appeared to be taking the mishap in good humour, even posting a video of the fall on Instagram. She wrote in the caption: "I know I laughed." Tori Kelly and Sam Smith also performed at the event benefiting Lifebeat – Music Fights HIV/Aids. Azalea is nominated for seven awards and is scheduled to perform at the MTV VMAs, which takes place tonight, August 24, in Los Angeles and will be broadcast on August 25 in the UAE. – AP
Dancer bitten by anaconda during Nicki Minaj rehearsal
A dancer was bitten by a snake while Nicki Minaj rehearsed a performance of her hit song Anaconda at the MTV Video Music Awards, according to the entertainment website TMZ. It said the woman was taken to hospital for treatment. Anacondas are not venomous but their bites can cause serious infections. It wasn't clear whether the snake would remain part of the performance at the awards ceremony. The last time a singer appeared on stage with a snake at the awards was in 2001, when Britney Spears appeared with an albino Burmese python draped around her shoulders while performing her song I'm a Slave 4 U. Other exotic animals were also used, including a white tiger, and Spears faced intense criticism from the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. – The National staff
There’s life after Mars for creators of hit BBC TV drama
The co-creators of the critically acclaimed BBC drama Life on Mars and its sequel, Ashes to Ashes, are teaming up again for a new show, Entertainment Weekly reports. The Living and the Dead, written by Ashley Pharoah and Matthew Graham, is set in Somerset, England, in 1888, and features "a land and a community on the edge of monumental change, on the great hinge between ancient traditional ways and an industrial, scientific future". Producers say the show is about "a land of ghosts and myths, poltergeists and demons – if there was ever a time for those ghosts to rise out of the ground, this would be that time". The central character in the show is Nathan Appleby, a farmer obsessed with proving the existence of the afterlife, who investigates hauntings and other paranormal activity. Filming is due to begin next year on the show, which will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC America. Life on Mars, starring John Simm as a modern-day policeman who wakes up in the 1970s after an accident, was a huge hit, along with its 1980s-set sequel, Ashes to Ashes. – The National staff
A baggage carousel show by Cirque du Soleil
Visitors flying into Las Vegas got more than just their luggage at the carousels. The cast members from Cirque du Soleil danced on the carousels, did handstands on the moving sidewalks and rode a vintage Volkswagen Beetle into the terminal at McCarran International Airport. The unannounced, three-song show marked the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' flight from San Francisco to Las Vegas. The British band's two-show gig in 1964 was the only time the Fab Four performed in Sin City. Cirque du Soleil has a Beatles-themed resident show at The Mirage casino called LOVE. The cast's re-creation of The Beatles' journey also included a preflight performance at San Francisco International Airport. – AP
Jurassic Park star to perform in New York
Jeff Goldblum will perform in New York next month, but not on a Broadway stage – he'll be singing with his band. The music venue Café Carlyle said the Jurassic Park and The Fly star will perform a string of gigs from September 16 to 20 with his jazz band, The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra. The actor has sung and played piano with the band for years but the concerts mark their New York debut. The group are named after a friend of Goldblum's family and they play improvised versions of jazz standards such as Summertime and The Sidewinder. Other stars due to perform in the next few months at Café Carlyle, a legendary lounge inside the hotel Carlyle on Manhattan's Upper East Side, include The Breakfast Club star Molly Ringwald, Woody Allen and his jazz band, and the It's Complicated actress Rita Wilson. – The National staff
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
The biog
Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages
Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”
Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”
Favourite film: “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”
Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”
The biog
Name: Samar Frost
Born: Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: Singing, music and socialising with friends
Favourite singer: Adele
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
Heavily-sugared soft drinks slip through the tax net
Some popular drinks with high levels of sugar and caffeine have slipped through the fizz drink tax loophole, as they are not carbonated or classed as an energy drink.
Arizona Iced Tea with lemon is one of those beverages, with one 240 millilitre serving offering up 23 grams of sugar - about six teaspoons.
A 680ml can of Arizona Iced Tea costs just Dh6.
Most sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, five teaspoons of sugar in a 500ml bottle.
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi
Director: Kangana Ranaut, Krish Jagarlamudi
Producer: Zee Studios, Kamal Jain
Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Ankita Lokhande, Danny Denzongpa, Atul Kulkarni
Rating: 2.5/5
Wednesday's results
Finland 3-0 Armenia
Faroes Islands 1-0 Malta
Sweden 1-1 Spain
Gibraltar 2-3 Georgia
Romania 1-1 Norway
Greece 2-1 Bosnia and Herzegovina
Liechtenstein 0-5 Italy
Switzerland 2-0 Rep of Ireland
Israel 3-1 Latvia
MATCH INFO
Inter Milan 2 (Vecino 65', Barella 83')
Verona 1 (Verre 19' pen)
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
The specs: Volvo XC40
Price: base / as tested: Dh185,000
Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 250hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.4L / 100km
BOSH!'s pantry essentials
Nutritional yeast
This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.
Seeds
"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."
Umami flavours
"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".
Onions and garlic
"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."
Your grain of choice
Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."
Overview
Cricket World Cup League Two: Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
RESULTS
6.30pm: Longines Conquest Classic Dh150,000 Maiden 1,200m.
Winner: Halima Hatun, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ismail Mohammed (trainer).
7.05pm: Longines Gents La Grande Classique Dh155,000 Handicap 1,200m.
Winner: Moosir, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Longines Equestrian Collection Dh150,000 Maiden 1,600m.
Winner: Mazeed, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm: Longines Gents Master Collection Dh175,000 Handicap.
Winner: Thegreatcollection, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Longines Ladies Master Collection Dh225,000 Conditions 1,600m.
Winner: Cosmo Charlie, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
9.25pm: Longines Ladies La Grande Classique Dh155,000 Handicap 1,600m.
Winner: Secret Trade, Tadhg O’Shea, Ali Rashid Al Raihe.
10pm: Longines Moon Phase Master Collection Dh170,000 Handicap 2,000m.
Winner:
Match info:
Burnley 0
Manchester United 2
Lukaku (22', 44')
Red card: Marcus Rashford (Man United)
Man of the match: Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)
