Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter split

Also, Tamil filmmaker K Balachander dies at 84; Opera singer Caballé fined; Clint Eastwood divorce finalised; TV star faces assault trial.

Helena Bonham Carter, left, with Tim Burton. Lucy Nicholson / Reuters

The long-time couple Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton have separated. Melody Korenbrot, a publicist for the British actress, said the pair had separated amicably this year "and have continued to be friends and co-parent their children". Burton and Bonham Carter became creative and romantic partners after Burton directed her in 2001's Planet of the Apes. Their other film credits together include Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Alice in Wonderland and Dark Shadows. Burton's latest film is Big Eyes, which earned Golden Globe nominations for the stars Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz, and for its original song by Lana del Rey. Bonham Carter's recent films include Les Miserables and The Lone Ranger. – AP

Tamil filmmaker K Balachander dies at 84

The renowned Tamil film director, screenwriter and producer K Balachander – who was instrumental in launching the acting careers of stars such as Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth and Prakash Raj – has died at the age of 84. He had been ill for some time and was recently admitted to Kauvery Hospital in Chennai suffering from a urinary infection and other age-related ailments. A cremation was due to take place on Thursday, December 25. Balachander is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter. His eldest son, Kailasam, died recently. The filmmaker had more than 150 movies to his credit, including Aval Ora Thodar Kathai, Avargal, Varumayin Niram Sigappu and 47 Natkal. He won several awards, including the Dada Saheb Phalke Award and, in 1987, the Padma Shri. – IANS

Opera singer Caballé fined

The Spanish opera star Montserrat Caballé has received a six-month jail sentence and a fine of €250,000 (Dh1.12 million) for tax fraud. According to Spanish media, the sentence is symbolic, meaning the 81-year-old soprano, who is said to be in frail health, will not have to serve any time. She has already settled the €500,000 tax bill that sparked the case. The investigation into her finances began in April and she was accused by state prosecutors of channelling earnings through a company in Andorra when she lived in Barcelona. Caballe toured the world in a career spanning 50 years and made a splash in the popular music world when she recorded Barcelona, a duet with Queen singer Freddie Mercury, for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. – AFP

Eastwood divorce finalised

Clint Eastwood and his wife of 18 years, Dina Marie, have finalised their divorce. A Monterey County Superior Court judge finalised the separation on Tuesday and approved a judgment that did not state how the pair will divide their assets. The couple have an 18-year-old daughter. Dina Marie, 49, filed for divorce in October 2013, citing irreconcilable differences. She married Eastwood, 84, in March 1996, after meeting him when she interviewed him for a television news station. Eastwood was previously married to Maggie Johnson from 1953 to 1984. – AP

TV star faces assault trial

Columbus Short, a former star of the TV drama Scandal, has been ordered to stand trial on a charge that he punched and seriously injured a man outside a Los Angeles restaurant this year. The Los Angeles Superior Court commissioner, Mark Zuckman, ruled on Tuesday after a preliminary hearing that prosecutors had enough evidence to go to trial. A witness testified that Short had delivered a running punch during a fight in March, knocking Fenton Hyche III unconscious. The actor left Scandal after being charged in the case and in a separate domestic violence case involving his estranged wife. Short's lawyer, Michael Levin, said his client was acting in self-defence. – AP