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.

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.

Dolly Parton, the legendary country music singer, songwriter, actor and philanthropist whose career spanned generations, has died in Nashville at the age of 80. Parton died Tuesday at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center after a brief battle with cancer, her publicist Marcel Pariseau said in a statement. She was surrounded by family and loved ones at the time of her death. With her distinctive voice, heartfelt songwriting and dazzling stage costumes, Parton rose from humble beginnings in the Tennessee mountains to become one of the world's most recognisable entertainers. She became known for her signature blonde wigs, glamorous outfits and sharp self-deprecating humour, but her influence extended far beyond music. Her appeal crossed generations, cultures and political divides, making her one of the most widely admired figures in American popular culture. Parton wrote hundreds of songs during her career, including enduring hits such as “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You.” Her music has generated more than 100 million sales worldwide and over 1 billion online streams. She was also a successful businesswoman and philanthropist. Her ventures included Dollywood, a major theme park in the Smoky Mountains near her birthplace, while her charitable efforts reached millions of children and families. From a Poor Tennessee Family to Country Music StardomParton's career was deeply shaped by her childhood as one of 12 children in a poor Tennessee family. Her father left school at an early age to work on the family farm and struggled with reading. That experience inspired Parton to establish the Imagination Library, an education initiative that provides free books to children. Her musical journey began in church, where her grandfather served as a preacher. By the age of 10, she was playing guitar and performing on local television programmes. At 13, she made her debut at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry, where Johnny Cash introduced her as a young performer from East Tennessee. After graduating from high school in 1964, Parton moved to Nashville with a suitcase full of songs. She was accompanied by her uncle Bill Owens, a songwriter. Producer Fred Foster recognised her talent and helped introduce her music to other performers while also recording Parton's own songs. By the mid-1970s, she had established herself as one of Nashville's leading country stars. Partnership With Porter WagonerA major turning point in Parton's career came through her collaboration with country star Porter Wagoner. She joined his syndicated television programme and developed her performance skills while Wagoner helped her secure a recording contract with RCA. Their first duet, “The Last Thing On My Mind,” was released in 1967. Around the same time, Parton launched her own music publishing company. Although their joint recordings became popular radio hits, Parton's early solo releases initially achieved more modest success. With Wagoner's help, she gradually refined her traditional country style into a more polished sound with broader pop appeal. Her first solo No. 1 country hit came with “Joshua.” She also reached the Top 5 with “Coat of Many Colors,” a deeply personal song about the coat her mother made from scraps of fabric and the ridicule Parton faced because of her family's poverty. In 1973, she released “Jolene,” the song that became one of the defining recordings of her career. Its success took Parton's music beyond country audiences and opened doors to international listeners. “Jolene” went on to become one of her most frequently covered songs, with artists including Miley Cyrus, Olivia Newton-John and The White Stripes recording versions of it. Parton left Wagoner's television show in 1974 following tensions between the two, although they continued working together for several years. Their professional relationship later became the subject of a legal dispute after Wagoner sued Parton in 1979 over management fees and royalties. Crossing Over Into Pop MusicParton's 1974 song “I Will Always Love You” became another landmark in her career. Written as a farewell to Wagoner, the song helped her win the Country Music Association's female vocalist of the year award in 1975 and 1976. She famously declined an offer from Elvis Presley to record the song because she did not want to give up her publishing rights. Years later, Whitney Houston's rendition of “I Will Always Love You” became a global blockbuster after appearing on the soundtrack of the 1992 film “The Bodyguard.” Houston won a Grammy for the recording in 1994, with Parton presenting her with the award. Parton's own move toward pop music also paid off. “Here You Come Again,” one of the few major hits she did not write herself, became a crossover success and earned her first Grammy Award in 1979. Other major hits followed, including the title song from the 1980 film “9 to 5,” in which she starred alongside Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin. She also recorded the hugely popular duet “Islands in the Stream” with Kenny Rogers. In 1987, Parton joined Linda Ronstadt and Emmylou Harris for the album “Trio,” which sold more than a million copies. A Unique Image and Feminist IconTo millions of fans, she was simply “Dolly” — a combination of Southern warmth, humour and glamour. Her flamboyant appearance, including rhinestone-covered dresses, figure-hugging outfits and elaborate hairstyles, became an inseparable part of her public identity. At the same time, Parton was widely regarded as a role model for women in the entertainment industry. She maintained control over her songwriting, publishing and business interests at a time when the industry was largely dominated by men. She was also willing to make herself the subject of jokes. During her 1989 appearance as host of “Saturday Night Live,” she allowed writers to poke fun at her image while maintaining that she would not use profanity or make jokes about Jesus. Parton frequently joked about her appearance and blonde persona, turning stereotypes about herself into a source of humour and a way to control her public image. She married Carl Dean, an asphalt paving contractor, in the mid-1960s. The couple remained together until his death in 2025 at the age of 82. Although Dean rarely appeared publicly, Parton said he influenced her career and inspired some of her songwriting. Success in Hollywood and on BroadwayParton's acting career took off with “9 to 5,” in which she played an office worker alongside Fonda and Tomlin. Film critic Roger Ebert described her as a natural movie star. The film's title song became another major hit and earned Parton two Grammy Awards. She later appeared in films including “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” and “Steel Magnolias.” Her connection with film and television continued for decades. She appeared alongside her goddaughter Miley Cyrus on “Hannah Montana” and contributed to numerous television specials, films and streaming projects based on her music. Parton also became a successful author, publishing books and memoirs, including “Dolly,” as well as the bestselling novel “Run, Rose, Run,” which she co-wrote with James Patterson. “9 to 5: The Musical” premiered on Broadway in 2009. Another stage production, “DOLLY: A True Original Musical,” is scheduled to open on Jan. 19, 2027, the date that would have marked her 81st birthday. A Legacy of PhilanthropyBeyond her music and entertainment career, Parton's charitable work became one of her most enduring legacies. After devastating wildfires struck the Smoky Mountains in 2016, she organised a televised benefit concert and established a foundation that provided monthly financial assistance to residents whose homes had been destroyed or damaged. Her Dollywood theme park became a major economic force in eastern Tennessee, attracting visitors from across the United States. She also expanded her philanthropic work through the Dollywood Foundation. Parton was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame and received a lifetime achievement award from the Recording Academy. In 2025, she was selected to receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She received 55 Grammy nominations and won 10 awards, making her the third-most nominated woman in Grammy history, behind Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. A Rare Figure Above PoliticsParton's popularity extended across political and social divides. Fans from different generations and backgrounds embraced her, and “Dolly for President” became a familiar slogan during US election seasons. Despite her enormous public profile, Parton generally avoided discussing her political views. She repeatedly said she preferred not to take sides because she had supporters across the political spectrum. When the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Foundation nominated her in 2022, Parton initially questioned whether she belonged in the institution because she did not consider herself a rock artist. The voters ultimately selected her for induction. Parton attended the ceremony, performed at the event and subsequently released a rock album. Her career, spanning music, film, television, business and philanthropy, established her as one of the most influential and enduring entertainers of her generation.

An old Fair & Lovely advertisement featuring Bollywood actresses Aishwarya Rai and Mahima Chaudhry has resurfaced online, sparking nostalgia among viewers and debate over Aishwarya’s voice in the commercial. The advertisement, reportedly made in the 1990s before both actresses became major stars, shows the two meeting at an airport. In the commercial, Mahima compliments Aishwarya on her glowing skin and suggests that marriage could be the reason behind her appearance. Aishwarya then reveals that she has been using Fair & Lovely for two months. The old commercial has once again gained attention on social media, with many viewers reminiscing about advertisements from the 1990s. The ad was directed by filmmaker Kailash Surendranath. Internet reacts to Aishwarya’s voice The video has drawn mixed reactions, particularly over Aishwarya’s voice, which appears to have been dubbed. A caption accompanying the resurfaced video said the advertisement “deserved Aishwarya Rai’s real voice.” Comments on the video posted on Surendranath’s YouTube page praised both actresses for their looks. “Wow, Mahima and Aishwarya — both of them are looking so pretty. Both of them are my favourite actresses,” one user wrote. Another commented, “Fun fact: After all these years, everyone knows the reality.” Some viewers questioned the voice used for Aishwarya, with one writing, “No way in hell that’s their voice.” Others focused on the actresses’ beauty, with one viewer saying Aishwarya’s looks had nothing to do with the fairness cream featured in the advertisement. Aishwarya Rai’s recent work Aishwarya Rai’s most recent film was Mani Ratnam’s ‘Ponniyin Selvan: Part II’, released in April 2023. She played the dual roles of Nandini and Oomai Rani in the film. Source: NDTV

Colombian superstar Shakira has pledged to help build at least 10 new schools in a remote and severely affected region of her home country following last week’s devastating earthquake that killed hundreds of people and damaged thousands of educational facilities across western Colombia. The globally acclaimed singer made the commitment Monday during a surprise visit to Quibdó, capital of the province of Chocó, where she toured damaged schools, hugged students and posed for photos with them. “What worries me the most is that schools are not rebuilt once this emergency is over,” Shakira told reporters. “Every day that children don’t go to school is a day they miss out on their future.” She was accompanied by Howard Buffett, son of billionaire philanthropist Warren Buffett and a longtime donor to Colombia who has previously helped Shakira establish schools in the country. The Howard G. Buffett Foundation will work with Shakira’s Fundación Pies Descalzos, or Barefoot Foundation, on the project. “When she calls, I come,” Buffett said during the visit. Shakira also announced $500,000 commitments from Global Citizen and Live Nation to support the initiative. The magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck a large part of western Colombia on Aug. 10, killing at least 287 people and destroying more than 26,000 homes, according to authorities. The government has reported 194 people missing, while other civilian-run databases put the number at more than 4,100. The quake’s epicenter was in Chocó, one of Colombia’s poorest regions. According to the latest report from the regional government Monday, at least 3,100 homes were destroyed and more than 265 educational facilities were affected. “It’s a place I love, a place where I’ve seen our students grow in our classrooms,” Shakira said in a video posted on X by Colombian news outlet La FM. Her foundation, which works to improve educational access for young people in Colombia, has operated in Chocó for 22 years and runs two schools from which hundreds of students have graduated, she said. “I really want to see it rebuild again,” she said. Aid organizations have faced difficulties assessing the full extent of the damage in Chocó, an area roughly the size of Switzerland where communications are challenging. The province has limited road connections with the rest of Colombia, while many towns and villages are accessible mainly by rivers and unpaved roads. About 600,000 people live in Chocó, most of them in poverty, according to figures released last year by Colombia’s national government. The province is largely home to Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. “There is not a way to alleviate the pain of so many, there are no magic solutions,” Shakira said during a visit to a large high school in Quibdó. “But what there is, is commitment to be here alongside those from Chocó, to not abandon El Chocó like it historically has been abandoned, until every Colombian and every person from Chocó can return to their normal lives like they deserve and all the children can return to their schools and dream of the futures they deserve,” she said. The Grammy-winning singer, known for hits including “Whenever, Wherever” and “La Tortura,” as well as the 2026 FIFA World Cup anthem “Dai Dai,” has long supported education initiatives. She told reporters Monday that she planned to devote all her “personal efforts” to rebuilding a local technological university in Chocó. Shakira, 49, has drawn significant attention to both her music and philanthropic causes. She headlined the halftime show at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final in July and performed in May at Brazil’s Copacabana Beach before an estimated crowd of 2 million people. Following Venezuela’s twin earthquakes in June, Shakira announced that the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund would provide $500,000 for education recovery efforts there. Her latest pledge is among several commitments by prominent Colombians and other Latin American artists to support earthquake relief efforts in Colombia and Venezuela. On Sunday, Marc Anthony and Chayanne joined dozens of other artists at a benefit concert and live fundraiser in Miami for the two countries. Colombian singer Karol G pledged to match fan donations to her Con Cora Foundation during her three-night performances at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles last weekend. She is also scheduled to join Maluma, Sebastián Yatra and others at a benefit concert in Bogotá on Sunday. The Colombian Football Federation and South American Football Confederation jointly pledged $1 million last week to Colombian First Lady Ana Lucía Pineda’s “Colombia, one heart” recovery fund.