Singer The Weeknd avoids jail time in the United States after punching cop

Plus: J K Rowling play to feature adult Harry Potter, son Albus; Raf Simons leaving Dior after three-and-a-half years; Daniel Craig won’t say whether Spectre is his 007 swansong; SRK receives autographed copy of The Alchemist from Coelho; and Elton John reunites with band for new album.

Singer Abel Tesfaye, known by his stage name The Weeknd. Charles Sykes / Invision / AP Photo

Canadian singer The Weeknd has managed to avoid jail time in the United States after punching a Las Vegas police officer earlier this year. According to court documents filed this week, the singer, whose real name is Abel Tesfaye, has agreed to "stay out of trouble" in exchange for having the case dismissed. He also pledged to do 50 hours of community work in his native Canada, to contribute US$1,000 [Dh3,670] to a fund for injured police officers and to undergo counseling. The 25-year-old R&B singer was arrested in January at the Cromwell Hotel in Las Vegas after police were called in to break up a fight. He punched a police officer and was arrested following the incident. The Weeknd, best known for his hit song Can't Feel My Face, is considered an early favourite for the upcoming Grammy Awards. – AP

J K Rowling play to feature adult Harry Potter and son Albus

An adult Harry Potter and his son, Albus Severus will take centre stage in a theatrical sequel to J K Rowling's magical book series. Producers revealed on Friday that Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will open where Rowling's books ended – 19 years after the boy wizard's epic battle with Lord Voldemort. A synopsis says Harry is now an overworked civil servant in the Ministry of Magic, while his youngest son is struggling "with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted". The play will run in two parts that can be seen either on the same day or different days. It opens on July 30 at London's Palace Theatre. The first-ever play about the bespectacled wizard is based on a new story by Rowling, scriptwriter Jack Thorne and director John Tiffany. – AP

Raf Simons leaving Dior after more than three years

Christian Dior says creative director Raf Simons will leave the storied French fashion house for what it called “personal reasons”. Simons, known for minimalist designs, has been creative director of Dior’s women’s collection for three-and-a-half years. In a statement on Thursday, Simons said his decision to leave Dior was “based entirely and equally on my desire to focus on other interests in my life, including my own brand, and the passions that drive me outside of my work.” Dior’s statement made no mention of Simons’s replacement. – AP

Daniel Craig won’t say whether Spectre is his 007 swansong

Is Spectre Daniel Craig's swansong as Bond? We'll have to wait and see. The British actor makes his fourth appearance as the suave secret agent 007 in the Sam Mendes-directed film, which has its world premiere in London on Monday, October 26. Speculation has swirled that it will be Craig's last film as James Bond, ever since the actor told Time Out magazine that he would only make another Bond movie "for the money". But asked on Thursday by Britain's Press Association about returning to Bond, Craig joked: "Do I have a choice?"

Bond battles a shadowy international conspiracy in Spectre, which opens in the UAE on November 6. – AP

SRK receives autographed copy of The Alchemist from Coelho

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was elated to receive an autographed copy of acclaimed writer Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist. "&,when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping u to achieve it.Thx @paulocoelho This is so special," SRK posted on Twitter along with images of his signed copy of the book. Coelho's autograph read, "Dear Shah Rukh Khan, a master of acting. With my admiration". Earlier this month, SRK sent across a collection of his films to the Brazilian author, who has written several books such as Brida, Eleven Minutes and Adultery, to introduce him to the world of Hindi films. – IANS

Elton John reunites with band for new album

Elton John on Thursday announced his first album in nearly three years. In it, the pop legend reunites with long-time backup artists. The 68-year-old English singer said that Wonderful Crazy Night, his 33rd studio album, will come out worldwide on February 5. A first song from the album, Looking Up, shows John going back to the blues-rock sound, characteristic of his early work, with the song driven by a heavy rhythm guitar. It marks a return to an upbeat feel for John after his last album, The Diving Board, a more stripped-down work consisting largely of John singing alone with his piano. – AFP