United News of Bangladesh

South Korean police have asked prosecutors to indict Bang Si-Hyuk, the billionaire music executive behind K-pop giant HYBE and supergroup BTS, over allegations that he misled investors before the company went public. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency referred Bang's case to the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors' Office on Thursday, recommending his indictment for allegedly violating the country's capital markets law, according to police and prosecutors. Bang, HYBE's founder and chairman, has been under investigation over allegations that he misled investors in 2019 by telling them the company had no immediate plans to go public. Police allege that the investors later sold their shares to a private equity fund shortly before HYBE launched its initial public offering. Investigators have previously said the private equity fund may have paid Bang around 200 billion won, or about $147 million, under a separate agreement that entitled him to 30% of profits from stock sales following the company's IPO. South Korean media reported that police also referred four other people to prosecutors on Thursday, including HYBE executives and officials linked to the private equity fund, recommending their indictment. Bang and HYBE have denied any wrongdoing. “We have consistently responded to the allegations with objective evidence and facts,” Bang's legal team said in a statement Thursday, adding that it expects the matter to be resolved fairly and transparently through the legal process. Police had previously sought Bang's arrest twice, in April and May, but prosecutors rejected both requests, saying there were insufficient grounds for his arrest and ordering further investigation. Legal observers say prosecutors may seek additional investigation before deciding whether to formally indict Bang. The latest development comes as BTS returned to the global music scene and launched a highly anticipated world tour earlier this year, following a nearly four-year break caused by the members' mandatory military service in South Korea.

Cassandra Wilson, the acclaimed jazz singer, songwriter and producer who won two Grammy Awards and became known for her distinctive voice and genre-crossing music, has died at the age of 70. Wilson died at her home in her native Jackson, Mississippi, on Tuesday morning, according to Hinds County Coroner Jeramiah Howard. Her manager said the legendary jazz artist “transitioned peacefully at home,” surrounded by family, close friends and her manager. Named America’s best singer by Time magazine in 2001, Wilson was widely admired for her deep, soulful contralto voice and her ability to blend jazz with blues, folk, pop, R&B, country and other musical styles. Musician Jon Batiste, paying tribute to Wilson on Wednesday, said her voice captured the spirit of the American South. Born and raised in Jackson, Wilson developed an interest in music at an early age. Her father, Herman B. Fowlkes, was a musician, while her mother, Mary Fowlkes, was a teacher. She grew up listening to artists including Motown performers, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk. Wilson began taking piano lessons at the age of 6 and later played clarinet in marching bands. While studying at Millsaps College and Jackson State University, she performed at coffeehouses and played with cover bands. In the early 1980s, she worked with and learned from leading jazz musicians in New Orleans before moving to New York City. There, she joined saxophonist Steve Coleman’s M-Base Collective and eventually became its main vocalist. Wilson’s distinctive style earned her four Grammy nominations and two awards for Best Jazz Vocal Album. She won in 1997 for “New Moon Daughter” and again in 2009 for “Loverly.” In 2015, Wilson performed a special concert at the Apollo Theater marking the 100th anniversary of the birth of legendary blues and jazz singer Billie Holiday. Later that year, she released “Coming Forth by Day,” her final album, which paid tribute to Holiday. In 2022, Wilson was named a Jazz Master by the National Endowment for the Arts, one of the highest honors for jazz musicians in the United States. Tributes poured in following news of her death. Batiste said Wilson’s unique vocal style and her ability to combine folk traditions, R&B and music from the African diaspora with experimental and popular sounds had a major influence on him. He also praised her deep connection to Mississippi, saying her Southern roots remained at the heart of her music even as her artistry continued to evolve. Jackson Mayor John Horhn described Wilson as an extraordinary daughter of the city and said the world had lost a truly unique musical voice. “Cassandra Wilson carried the sound, spirit and history of Mississippi with her wherever her music reached,” the mayor said in a statement. He said her music had a rare depth and showed a powerful understanding of how songs can move people, tell stories and connect generations.

A group art exhibition titled ‘Untold Story’, exploring memory, identity, heritage and the often unspoken dimensions of human experience, was inaugurated at La Galerie of Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) in the capital's Dhanmondi on Tuesday. Curated by Fareha Zeba, the exhibition brings together artist books and contemporary artworks by a group of artists working across painting, drawing, collage, stitching, textiles, found materials and experimental book forms.

Winning an Oscar remains one of Hollywood's highest honours, but the famous golden statuette comes with a long history of mystery, controversy and unusual rules. The Academy Awards have grown far beyond their modest beginnings in 1929, when the first ceremony reportedly lasted just 10 minutes. Today, the Oscars are the centrepiece of a huge awards season involving studios, campaign consultants, critics, media outlets, stylists and thousands of people working behind the scenes. The origins of the Academy itself were also far from simple. Hollywood producer Louis B. Mayer helped establish it at a time when the film industry was trying to improve its public image and strengthen the influence of major studios. Even the origin of the name “Oscar” remains uncertain. One popular story says Academy librarian Margaret Herrick nicknamed the statuette after her uncle, though no one knows for sure who first gave the award its famous name. Over the years, the Oscars have produced both celebrated choices and controversial decisions. Classic films such as Citizen Kane and Brokeback Mountain lost the Best Picture award, while Crash and Green Book won the top prize. Other acclaimed films, including 2001: A Space Odyssey, Do the Right Thing and Hoop Dreams, were not even nominated for Best Picture. Acclaimed filmmaker David Lynch, meanwhile, never won a competitive Oscar. Despite such criticism, an Oscar remains the most widely recognised award in the film industry. The statuette itself is worth far less than its symbolic value. It costs about $400 to produce, but studios can spend tens of millions of dollars campaigning for awards. Winning can lead to higher salaries and greater career opportunities, although an Oscar is no guarantee of long-term success. The trophy also comes with strict ownership rules. Winners of Oscars awarded after 1951 cannot sell or dispose of their statuettes without first offering them to the Academy for $1. The popularity of the Oscars has also changed over the decades. Television audiences have risen and fallen since the ceremony was first broadcast in 1953, while the Academy has repeatedly faced criticism over its membership and lack of diversity. In 2015, the hashtag #OscarsSoWhite sparked widespread criticism and pushed the Academy to make major changes in its membership. Critics have questioned the Oscars' relevance almost since the awards began. Yet the ceremony continues to attract global attention every year. For Hollywood, the Oscar remains both a symbol of artistic achievement and a reminder of the industry's flaws — shaped by talent, ambition, money, power and, often, controversy.

Dulquer Salmaan has revealed that his upcoming film I’m Game has more to offer than what viewers have seen in its trailer, including a fantasy element that has been deliberately kept under wraps. The film is set to hit theatres on September 3. Speaking to students at a college in Hyderabad, Dulquer said the makers intentionally avoided revealing the film’s main surprise in the trailer to preserve the experience for cinema audiences. According to Pinkvilla, the actor said the film has a fantasy-related core concept that has not yet been shown to viewers. The revelation adds a new dimension to the film, as earlier reports had suggested that its story could involve a man receiving a transplanted hand from someone who had died, with the hand somehow linked to avenging its former owner’s death. However, the trailer tells a different story. Dulquer plays Dan John, a carefree and risk-taking man who knows how to make quick money. Instead of relying only on luck while betting, he uses an algorithm to decide where to place his money. But his life takes an unexpected turn when the algorithm begins producing results that work against him. His carefully planned world starts to fall apart, leaving audiences wondering what is really happening. Dulquer’s latest comments suggest that the trailer has revealed only part of the story, while the fantasy element and the film’s main concept have been kept secret ahead of its release. The actor also said his character, Dan John, would surprise audiences. He added that it had been some time since he last played a somewhat bratty and carefree character. Directed by Nahas Hidhayath, I’m Game also stars Antony Varghese Pepe, Kayadu Lohar, Kathir, Mysskin, Samyuktha, Vinay Forrt, Jayasudha and Shyamaprasad. The film was originally scheduled for release on August 21 during the Onam festival but was later postponed to September 3.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art has cancelled a planned exhibition honouring British fashion designer John Galliano following strong criticism over his past antisemitic and racist remarks. The exhibition had been scheduled as the Costume Institute’s spring 2027 show and was expected to coincide with the annual Met Gala. The museum said another exhibition would be announced later. “Following thoughtful discussions with John Galliano, we have together decided not to proceed with the exhibition,” the museum’s director and CEO Max Hollein said in a statement. Galliano said he supported the decision and expressed regret over his past remarks, particularly the pain caused to Jewish and Asian communities. Galliano was once one of the fashion industry’s most celebrated designers and served as creative director of Christian Dior. However, he was dismissed after racist and antisemitic remarks he made in 2010 and 2011 became public. He was later convicted in France over antisemitic comments. After several years away from the spotlight, Galliano returned to the fashion industry in 2014 as creative director of Maison Margiela, where he worked for a decade. He would have been only the third living designer to receive a solo exhibition at the Met’s Costume Institute. The planned exhibition had faced growing opposition, including from New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin, who welcomed the museum’s decision to cancel it. Menin said she had repeatedly opposed honouring Galliano, arguing that the exhibition had caused deep pain to the Jewish community at a time of rising antisemitism. She described the cancellation as the right decision, saying the harm and distress caused by the planned exhibition were unacceptable. I can also make it shorter and sharper for direct UNB website publication.

The 83rd Venice Film Festival opens Wednesday on the Lido, launching the fall awards season with major stars, Oscar hopefuls and documentaries focused on Elon Musk, Russia and Gaza. Noel and Liam Gallagher, Robert Pattinson, Rooney Mara, George Clooney and Penélope Cruz are among those expected. Clooney and Ellen Burstyn will receive lifetime achievement awards. Tom Cruise to reprise ‘Days of Thunder’ role in 2028 sequel Alex Gibney's nearly four-hour documentary examines Musk's rise and influence. The filmmaker, who interviewed hundreds of people, said the Tesla and SpaceX CEO declined to participate and described his findings as challenging Musk's public image. Julia Loktev's nearly six-hour “My Undesirable Friends: Part II — Exile” follows independent Russian journalists forced to flee after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Gaza is also featured in “NAZA,” a late competition entry from two filmmakers behind the Oscar-winning “No Other Land.” Venice4Palestine has urged the festival to cut ties with Israeli government-linked institutions. Awards contenders include Martin McDonagh's “Wild Horse Nine,” Florian Zeller's “Bunker,” Danny Boyle's “Ink” and Lance Oppenheim's “Primetime.” Only Danish-Egyptian director May El-Toukhy is competing among women filmmakers, despite Venice's 2018 pledge to achieve gender parity. Outside the competition, Venice Days opens with Lili Horvát's “My Notes on Mars” and features a programme in which more than half the selections are directed by women.

Tom Cruise will return as NASCAR driver Cole Trickle in a sequel to the 1990 racing film “Days of Thunder,” with the follow-up scheduled to hit theaters in June 2028. The 64-year-old actor announced the project Saturday at Daytona International Speedway, hours before the NASCAR Cup Series regular-season finale. He also attended the pre-race drivers’ meeting and spoke about the importance of NASCAR’s racing culture and community. Cruise said the new film will seek to give audiences a deeper understanding of NASCAR as a team sport and community while showcasing the speed, excitement and danger of racing. Anne Hathaway will co-star in the film, portraying a team owner and engineer. Paramount Pictures has set June 2, 2028, for its theatrical release. Cruise will produce the movie alongside Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper. Jonathan Levine will direct from a screenplay by Will Staples. Bruckheimer, Harper and Staples also joined Cruise at the drivers’ meeting. Cruise made a high-energy appearance at the speedway, jumping onto the stage before posing for photographs, greeting fans and military personnel and preparing to watch the race from pit road. The sequel follows years of speculation about a follow-up to “Days of Thunder.” The Hollywood Reporter reported in November 2024 that Cruise had discussed the project with Paramount. The original film, directed by Tony Scott and produced by Bruckheimer, was a commercial success despite receiving poor reviews and drawing criticism within NASCAR circles for its exaggerated portrayal of stock-car racing. Over the years, however, it developed a cult following among NASCAR fans. Cruise’s character, Cole Trickle, was loosely inspired by late NASCAR driver Tim Richmond. The film helped introduce NASCAR to a broader mainstream audience at a time when stock-car racing had limited exposure outside its traditional fan base. Four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon has previously encouraged Cruise to make a sequel. Gordon and Cruise have remained friends, raising the possibility that Hendrick Motorsports could potentially be involved in the new project. Cruise, known for performing many of his own stunts, also recalled filming a dangerous sequence at Daytona for the original movie. He said a car he was driving at high speed suddenly caught fire while he was filming on the backstretch. “Suddenly, the whole car was in flames,” Cruise recalled, describing the incident as turning “from a barbecue to a bonfire.” The upcoming sequel will mark Cruise’s return to the NASCAR world more than three decades after “Days of Thunder” first brought the sport to Hollywood’s mainstream audience.

Dolly Parton never described herself as a feminist and generally avoided political labels. But for many of her fans and admirers, her life, career and music reflected values closely linked to feminism. The country music icon, who died this week at the age of 80, built a career on her own terms and often used her songs to speak about women’s independence, workplace inequality and double standards. In 1987, Parton was featured among the 12 Women of the Year on the cover of Ms. magazine, alongside prominent figures from politics, literature and social activism. Feminist icon Gloria Steinem wrote that Parton had used her business skills and influence to support other women and disadvantaged people. “If feminism means each of us finding our unique power, and helping other women to do the same,” Steinem wrote, “Dolly Parton certainly has done both.” Parton herself, however, never embraced the feminist label. Author Lynn Melnick, who wrote about Parton’s influence on her life and recovery from trauma, said the singer did not need to call herself a feminist. “She didn't tell us she was a feminist,” Melnick said. “She showed us — in her actions and her words and in her songs.” One example came from Parton’s 1968 song Just Because I’m a Woman, which challenged the different standards often applied to men and women. During a 2019 performance at the Newport Folk Festival, Parton explained that the song was inspired by expectations that women should remain “pure,” while men were often judged differently for similar behaviour. Music writer Caryn Rose said Parton understood how her appearance could be used to underestimate her and turned that perception to her advantage. “She knew she was blonde and pretty, and that it was always going to work against her,” Rose said. “So she figured out how to make it work for her.” Parton’s feminist themes were also reflected in songs such as 9 to 5, which highlighted the struggles of working women, unequal treatment and economic independence. The song was linked to the 1980 film of the same name, in which she starred alongside Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda. She also addressed issues including equal pay, teenage pregnancy, women’s sexuality and the social judgment faced by women. Her 1975 song The Bargain Store was about emotional healing after a relationship, although some country radio stations reportedly avoided playing it because they misunderstood its meaning. Another song, Down from Dover, told the story of a pregnant teenage girl at a time when unmarried mothers were rarely discussed openly in popular music. Some writers and fans have described Parton as being ahead of her time, reflecting ideas later associated with third-wave feminism, which placed greater emphasis on personal choice and individual expression. Parton often defended her glamorous image — the wigs, makeup, high heels and rhinestones — as her own choice. In a 1977 interview with Barbara Walters, Parton faced personal questions about her marriage and appearance, including whether her famous breasts were real. Walters also asked her to stand up and display her body. Parton remained calm and confident, explaining that she was comfortable with jokes about her appearance because she knew exactly who she was. “I know exactly what I am doing and I can change it at any time,” she said, adding that her confidence in herself and her talent allowed her to enjoy makeup, clothes and her larger-than-life image. For her feminist fans, that confidence, independence and refusal to let others define her may have been the clearest message of all. Parton may never have called herself a feminist, but through her choices, her music and her outspoken independence, many believed she showed exactly what it meant.

Indian actor Manoj Bajpayee’s upcoming film Last Man in Tower, based on Aravind Adiga’s acclaimed novel of the same name, is set to hit theatres across India on September 11. Directed by Ben Rekhi, the film also stars Boman Irani and Divya Dutta. The screenplay has been adapted by Sooni Taraporevala, known for her collaborations with filmmaker Mira Nair on projects including Salaam Bombay!, Mississippi Masala and The Namesake. Presented by Rana Daggubati’s Spirit Media, the film follows Masterji, a retired schoolteacher who finds himself standing alone as people around him begin making decisions that go against his principles. As his neighbours see an opportunity to change their lives, Masterji’s determination to stick to his beliefs puts his relationships to the test. The story explores a conflict involving people’s homes and the difficult choices they face when offered the chance for a better future. Juhi Chaturvedi, known for films such as Piku and October, has written the dialogues, while Govind Vasantha has composed the music. Spirit Media recently released the teaser on Instagram with the caption: “Resilience never retires. But when one man stands in the way of everyone else's dreams, what happens next?” The film is produced by Rekhi, Guneet Dogra and Pratiksha Rao. Bajpayee was most recently seen in the financial thriller Governor: The Silent Saviour. He is widely known for his performances in films such as Gangs of Wasseypur, Special 26 and Sirf Ek Banda Kaafi Hai. Source: NDTV