United News of Bangladesh

The High Court on Sunday granted bail to television actor Niamat Ullah Bhuiya, popularly known as Zaher Alvi, in a case filed over his wife’s death. The HC bench of Justice KM Zahid Sarwar and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher passed the order after hearing a petition. On June 30, a Dhaka court sent Alvi to jail after end of his two-day remand in the case. Earlier on June 18, a Dhaka court sent Zaher Alvi to jail when he surrendered before the court. The court also rejected the bail petition of Alvi. Earlier on February 28,  Afra Ivnath Khan Ikra, wife of television actor Zaher Alvi, reportedly committed suicide in the capital’s Mirpur DOHS. Alvi disclosed it in a post on his verified Facebook page but did not mention any reason behind it. In the post, the actor wrote, “This noon, my wife Ikra committed suicide at our Mirpur DOHS residence. Now, I am in Nepal for a shooting project. Since hearing the news, I have not been in a state to speak. I do not understand why she chose to leave this way without thinking about our child and me.” He further wrote, “I request my well-wishers and journalist brothers to please give me some time. I am trying to return to Dhaka as soon as possible and will speak to everyone after I get back. Until then, during this moment of grief, please allow me and my family some mental peace. For the sake of our child’s future, please do not spread any misleading information. Please pray for my Ikra.” Alvi and Ikra were married in 2010 and they have a son. Ikra’s father filed a case against the actor on charge of provoking her to commit suicide.

Ariana Grande is showing a quieter side on her latest album “Petal,” stepping away from the powerful vocal performances that have long defined her music. Her eighth studio album and first full-length release since the end of her “Wicked” run and 2024’s “Eternal Sunshine,” “Petal” features 12 tracks that see the pop star taking a more inward and controlled approach. The change is clear from the lead single “Hate That I Made You Love Me.” With its smooth hook and understated vocals, the song offers an early glimpse of the album’s new direction. It became Grande’s 10th No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Rather than relying on her trademark vocal power, Grande delivers the song in a softer style, allowing the bubbling synths and gentle pop arrangement to take center stage. The track was produced with Ilya Salmanzadeh, who has worked with Grande since 2018’s “Sweetener,” and Swedish hitmaker Max Martin. For an artist famous for effortlessly hitting big notes, the restrained performance feels almost like an experiment. But it works, giving the song an easy, relaxed quality. That sense of effortlessness runs through much of “Petal.” On “Oh Well,” upbeat production contrasts with lyrics that deliver a clear message of moving on from a troubled relationship. “Petal” also offers a range of musical textures, though most of them are cooler and more laid-back than what listeners may expect from Grande. The album occasionally comes close to sounding carefree, but it still maintains the charm associated with her music. The record carries a moody R&B feel, with some of its smoothness reminiscent of SZA. “Freak” feels more like a dream—or perhaps a nightmare—with hazy layers of vocals creating an intimate and slightly mysterious atmosphere. Grande largely avoids the elaborate vocal runs and huge vocal moments that have become her trademark. Instead, she embraces a more controlled style. While the change shows artistic growth, some longtime fans may wonder whether the subtle approach will keep them fully engaged. The album becomes more energetic in its final third. Grande brings back some of her more dynamic style on “Like I Do,” particularly over its heavy bass, while “Never Get Over Me” builds slowly around the line, “The grass is way greener / Since I been beneath ya.” “Bad Thing (Bunny Hop)” is one of the album’s strongest moments. It captures the excitement of a new crush through dreamy guitars, a driving beat and playful lyrics. Grande’s distinctive way of shaping her words adds to the song’s appeal. The album closes with “Nowhere, Nobody,” which combines a retro-style vocal melody with vocoder effects. In promotional material for “Petal,” Grande described the album as something “full of life and growing through the cracks” of something difficult and challenging. That idea fits the record to some extent. Its 12 songs find moments of happiness beneath atmospheric production and subdued melodies. More importantly, “Petal” shows what happens when one of pop’s most powerful vocalists deliberately chooses to hold back. Rather than trying to prove what her voice can do, Grande seems more interested in exploring what it can say when she turns down the volume.

Actress Storm Reid wants her new music to show fans a side of her they may not often see — a young woman still figuring out love, relationships and life. Reid, 23, released her new single “Shotty” on Friday, hoping listeners will get to know the more personal and less polished side of the actor they have seen on screen. “I think people might think I have it all together when I really don’t,” said Reid, known for her roles in “Euphoria,” “A Wrinkle in Time” and “The Last of Us,” for which she won an Emmy in 2024. “I’m a normal girl trying to figure it out,” she said. “Shotty” follows her debut single, “Clean Sweep,” and marks another step in her music career, which she began pursuing more seriously over the past year. She has already recorded more than 25 songs. Reid said she plans to focus on creating her first EP after completing work on Teyana Taylor’s directorial debut, “Get Lite.” She wants to take her time developing a project with a clear and connected story. She is releasing her music independently through her own label, 1720 Music, a move she said gives her more creative control while keeping open the possibility of working with a major label later. “With the indie route, you have a little bit more autonomy of what you want to do and how you do things,” she said. Reid also hopes her label can help create opportunities for other musicians. “I want to sign people. I want to sign songwriters and producers and artists, and give them opportunities,” she said. Music has quickly become almost as important to Reid as acting, although she plans to continue working in film and television. Her upcoming projects include Netflix’s “Roommates” and “Get Lite.” Working on “Get Lite” also pushed her to develop her dancing and become more comfortable performing, skills she hopes will help when she eventually takes her own music to the stage. “It’s as big and as important as acting is,” Reid said of music. “It’s something that I want to continue to do and want to continue to grow at.” Reid said her years in Hollywood have helped her deal with criticism, including comments from people who questioned whether she deserved her Emmy. “People didn’t feel like I deserved to win an Emmy, but it’s still sitting in my house,” she said. “It’s still in my mama’s house, so I don’t really care what people say.” Since releasing “Clean Sweep,” Reid said she has mostly avoided reading online comments so that negative reactions do not affect her. She said the response so far has been largely positive and supportive, adding that she is excited for listeners to hear more of her music. For Reid, the move into music is ultimately about showing that she is more than the polished image people may have of her. “Not everything is gonna be perfect. Not everything is gonna be prim, proper and pristine and eloquent,” she said. “Like yeah, that’s a part of me, and I can do that, and I can do it really well. But also … this is me too.”

Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard, who won an Academy Award for the 2007 film Once, died in a motorcycle crash near Dublin early Wednesday, his management company said. He was 56. ATC Management told Irish broadcaster RTE that Hansard’s family was “deeply shocked and heartbroken” by his death. Tributes poured in from fellow musicians and artists, including Bruce Springsteen, who said he was “heartbroken” by the loss of “a great musician, a good friend and a generous and gracious man.” Irish police said a man in his 50s died after a single-vehicle motorcycle crash in Lucan, west of Dublin, shortly before 4:30 a.m. Wednesday. Police did not identify the man, saying he was treated at the scene but was later pronounced dead. Hansard built a career in both acting and music. He appeared as a member of a Dublin soul band in the 1991 hit film The Commitments before gaining international recognition as a singer-songwriter. He won the Oscar for best original song in 2008 for “Falling Slowly,” which he co-wrote with his Once co-star Markéta Irglová. The film tells the story of two struggling musicians who form a close bond while pursuing their musical ambitions. Once was later turned into a Broadway musical featuring songs by Hansard and Irglová. The stage production won eight Tony Awards in 2012, including best musical. Hansard was the longtime frontman of the rock band The Frames and also formed the musical duo The Swell Season with Irglová. He released several solo albums, including Didn’t He Ramble, which earned a Grammy nomination for best folk album in 2016. Ireland’s President Catherine Connolly described Hansard as one of the country’s great singer-songwriters. “Glen was one of the vital driving influences of the Irish music world, bringing people together in the sharing of live music,” Connolly said. “He will be sorely missed by all who knew him or experienced his work.” Actor and comedian Chris O’Dowd praised Hansard’s “energizing melodies and soulful, searching voice,” saying his music helped make difficult times easier, quiet periods more beautiful and happy moments more memorable. Hansard began his musical journey as a street busker in Dublin. He later became known for leading the city’s annual Christmas Eve busk outside the Gaiety Theatre, where well-known Irish musicians perform for the public to raise money for a homelessness charity. Former Irish President Michael D. Higgins remembered Hansard as a “wonderful musician and performer” who also devoted much of his life to addressing social problems. In 2023, Hansard performed a powerful rendition of The Pogues’ “Fairytale Of New York” with Irish singer Lisa O’Neill at the funeral of The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan. The performance moved mourners, with some members of the congregation dancing in the church aisles. Hansard is survived by his wife, Finnish poet Maire Saaritsa, and their 3-year-old son, Christy.

Acclaimed Kolkata-based vocalist Sumana Chatterjee, currently in Bangladesh to participate in the Nazrul Festival 2026 organised by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, will perform at a special musical evening hosted by Artist Club on Thursday. During the programme, Sumana Chatterjee will present timeless Nazrul Sangeet along with popular songs associated with legendary singers Arati Mukherjee, Nirmala Mishra, Asha Bhosle and Lata Mangeshkar, according to a press release. Born in Silchar, Assam, Sumana Chatterjee developed her passion for music from an early age in a culturally enriched family. She later moved to Kolkata, where she received formal training under renowned music maestros and established herself as a versatile performer of Nazrul Sangeet, modern Bengali songs and Bengali film music. Sumana Chatterjee first came into the limelight through a popular television reality show in 2005. Since then, she has performed extensively at cultural festivals, concerts and international events across India and Bangladesh, earning widespread appreciation for the richness of her voice, musical excellence and expressive stage performances. Artist Club believes this special musical evening will further strengthen the cultural ties between Bangladesh and India while celebrating the rich heritage of Bengali music.  

Oscar-winning Irish singer-songwriter Glen Hansard died in a motorcycle crash in Dublin early Wednesday, his management company said. He was 56. ATC Management said Hansard's family was “deeply shocked and heartbroken” by his death. Irish police said a man in his 50s died in a single-vehicle motorcycle crash in Lucan, on the outskirts of Dublin, before 4:30am on Wednesday. The man was treated at the scene but was pronounced dead shortly afterward. Hansard was known for combining acting and music throughout his career. He gained international recognition after playing a member of a Dublin soul band in the 1991 film The Commitments. In 2008, he won an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Falling Slowly” from the film Once, in which he starred alongside Markéta Irglová. He was the longtime frontman of rock band The Frames and was also part of the folk-rock duo The Swell Season. His solo album Didn't He Ramble earned a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album in 2016. For years, Hansard led the Christmas Eve charity busk outside Dublin's Gaiety Theatre, where musicians performed to raise funds for the Dublin Simon Community. At the 2023 funeral of The Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan, Hansard performed “Fairytale of New York” with Irish singer Lisa O’Neill, prompting mourners to dance in the church aisles. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin expressed deep sorrow over Hansard’s death, describing him as a talented musician and actor who made a significant contribution to Ireland’s cultural life.

Actress Hina Khan has opened up about her battle with breast cancer, saying spirituality played a key role in helping her cope with the physical and emotional challenges of chemotherapy. Hina, best known for the television series Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, revealed in June 2024 that she had been diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer. Speaking on actress Soha Ali Khan's All About Her podcast in December 2025, Hina reflected on her cancer journey, describing it as one of the toughest phases of her life. She said the treatment brought major physical changes, including weight gain, hair loss and the loss of her eyelashes. "I put on a lot of weight. My body changed. I lost my hair. That's one blow, which is very hard," she said. Hina admitted that seeing herself in the mirror was emotionally difficult. While she initially tried to remain strong, the reality of her diagnosis and treatment gradually became harder to accept. However, she said the support of family and loved ones, along with her faith, helped her stay positive. "I have always believed that everything in life is temporary. Physical appearance changes. Vanity affects you, but sanity should replace it," she said. The actress encouraged cancer patients to surround themselves with positivity through family, meditation, faith or spirituality. "Especially spirituality. It has changed me," she said. Hina also stressed the importance of giving one's best during treatment, even though the outcome is beyond anyone's control. Recalling her chemotherapy sessions, she described the first week after each treatment as the most difficult. "It was tough. Really tough. Those days were extremely hard," she said. Hina underwent chemotherapy every three weeks. She said the first week after each session was marked by severe pain, particularly nerve pain throughout her body. "The pain was unbearable," she said, adding that medication helped reduce the discomfort but did not eliminate it completely. She said the following two weeks were usually much better, allowing her to travel and continue doing the things she enjoyed. "It's the way you look at it," she said. Rather than viewing cancer as the end of her journey, Hina said she chose to see it as a temporary phase in life. "There are good days too," she said, adding that she was determined to fight the disease and make the most of every day instead of giving up. Source: NDTV

Pop star and actress Ariana Grande has officially launched the Brighter Days Ahead Foundation, bringing her years of private charitable giving under one public initiative focused on LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive health, immigrant rights and mental health. The foundation, launched in May, builds on Grande's long history of supporting these causes through donations and fundraising efforts. In the past, she quietly donated to England's Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, gave concert proceeds to nonprofit organisations, funded a holiday gift drive for transgender youth and launched a $3 million fundraising campaign for transgender young people in 2022. According to Grande's philanthropic adviser Shauna Nep, the foundation comes at a time when financial support for many of these causes is declining while political and social opposition is increasing. This summer, Grande is using her Eternal Sunshine Tour to raise awareness and funds for the foundation. At each concert, national and local nonprofit organisations are featured on arena screens before the show, while fans who donate are entered into a sweepstakes to win a trip to her final tour performance in London. Tour proceeds will eventually be shared among local nonprofit groups, although grants announced so far have been funded directly by Grande herself, a foundation spokesperson said. Like many entertainers before her, Grande is turning her public influence into organised philanthropy. Experts say social media now gives celebrities greater ability to promote charitable causes directly to millions of followers, making fundraising and advocacy more effective than in previous generations. One of the organisations supported by the foundation is Trans Lifeline, a crisis hotline for transgender people. The nonprofit has received $125,000 from Grande, including emergency funding last year and an additional grant when the foundation launched. The funding helped restart a microgrant programme that distributed $100,000 directly to transgender people across the United States through grassroots organisations. It also supported improved benefits for the group's crisis hotline workers. Trans Lifeline Executive Director Dante Alviar Horton said celebrity backing has increased the organisation's visibility and helped attract more public support. Grande had reportedly resisted creating a formal foundation for years because she did not want her charitable work to be viewed as image-building. However, Nep said a structured foundation would allow her to support nonprofit organisations more strategically and work with other funding partners. The Brighter Days Ahead Foundation operates as a fiscally sponsored project of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, a long-established public charity that helps celebrities create charitable initiatives. Its largest funding programme, Protect and Defend, supports organisations working on legal and policy issues affecting transgender youth, immigrants and reproductive rights. Many of the grassroots groups receiving grants have limited access to government or institutional funding. Grande has publicly supported these issues for years. In 2019, she donated about $250,000 in concert proceeds to Planned Parenthood after several US states introduced abortion restrictions. She has also spoken openly about living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression, voiced support for LGBTQ+ communities and criticised the Trump administration's immigration policies. Experts say her approach follows the example of celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor and Elton John, who established major charitable foundations after becoming deeply involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Anne Aslett, CEO of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, said successful celebrity philanthropy requires more than public support for a cause. While artists often bring empathy and public attention, she said, lasting impact depends on having a strong organisational structure behind their charitable work.

A decade after its launch, Studio Ghibli Fest continues to attract growing audiences across the United States, bringing longtime fans and young viewers together to enjoy beloved animated classics such as My Neighbor Totoro, Ponyo and Spirited Away on the big screen. For Amanda Mendoza VanCleave of Austin, Texas, the annual festival has become a family tradition shared with her three-year-old daughter and mother. Every year, the three attend Ghibli screenings together. VanCleave said her daughter excitedly recognises the familiar Totoro logo as soon as it appears on screen, often delighting audiences with her enthusiasm. Although the family first discovered Studio Ghibli films through HBO Max, watching them in cinemas has become a special yearly event. During a recent screening of Hayao Miyazaki's 1988 classic My Neighbor Totoro, the three even wore matching Totoro-themed pajamas. Studio Ghibli films have long inspired devoted fans, but their continued success in cinemas years—and in some cases decades—after their original release is rare. Every year, both loyal followers and first-time young viewers return to theatres to watch the films. Running from June through October, Ghibli Fest has been held for the past 10 years. Popular titles including My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away and Ponyo have become regular cinema attractions rather than occasional re-releases. The festival has also continued to expand. When North American distributor GKids and Fathom Entertainment launched Ghibli Fest in 2017, five films generated about $5 million in ticket sales. Since then, annual box office earnings have steadily increased, even after Studio Ghibli films became widely available on HBO Max in 2020. GKids President Dave Jesteadt said the festival's continued growth has exceeded expectations. He said organisers initially never imagined the programme would last this long, noting that attendance has continued to set new records each year instead of declining. The festival reached its highest box office in 2024, earning $16.4 million from 14 films. Last year, eight titles collected $10.6 million. This year, Ponyo and My Neighbor Totoro have already completed successful five-day theatrical runs. According to Shannah Miller, Vice President of Marketing at Fathom Entertainment, the festival has expanded from about 640 cinema locations in its early years to more than 1,100 this year. Strong audience demand has also led to longer screening schedules for many films. When GKids acquired North American distribution rights to the Studio Ghibli catalogue in 2011, the Japanese studio emphasised the importance of theatrical releases. Initially, screenings were mainly held in major cities and independent cinemas. Ghibli Fest later expanded into multiplexes, introducing the films to a wider audience, particularly children discovering animation beyond Hollywood productions. Industry experts say the festival has also helped cinemas fill quieter periods, as older films increasingly attract audiences when there are fewer new Hollywood releases. Streaming has also introduced Studio Ghibli to younger viewers, many of whom later choose to experience the films in theatres. Jesteadt said the arrival of the films on streaming platforms actually created a new generation of cinema-goers eager to watch them on the big screen. This year's festival continues with Tales of Earthsea in August, Only Yesterday, the 40th anniversary screening of Castle in the Sky, a 4K restoration of Princess Mononoke in September, and the 25th anniversary screening of Spirited Away in October. Although Studio Ghibli films are occasionally re-released in other countries, Ghibli Fest remains a unique event exclusive to the United States. Fans say the cinema experience offers something that streaming cannot. Angela Lector, who has attended screenings dressed as characters from the films, said watching Ghibli movies in theatres creates opportunities to meet fellow fans and share the experience with others. Many fans also hope the festival will include more lesser-known Studio Ghibli titles in future editions. For VanCleave, the annual screenings continue to create new memories. She recently invited another family to a showing of Ponyo, giving their three-year-old daughter her first cinema experience. The two children ended up sharing a recliner while watching the film together, adding another memorable moment to the growing tradition.

Singer Rei Ami, whose voice featured in the hit film KPop Demon Hunters, and actor-comedian Ken Jeong are among the celebrities appearing in Discovery Channel’s annual "Shark Week," which begins Sunday. Rei Ami said taking part in the programme gave her a new appreciation for sharks after watching about 16 reef sharks feed while diving off the Korean Peninsula. Although she expected to be frightened, she said the experience left her amazed. “I thought I'd be more scared, but I was completely in awe. Watching nature up close is something you can’t easily describe,” she said. The new season of "Shark Week" will feature 20 one-hour episodes exploring different shark species and their behaviour. The programmes include record-setting dives, research into shark attacks and studies of how sharks hunt and survive. Rei Ami, who grew up watching the popular TV event, completed two cage dives and two open-water dives with reef sharks, hammerhead sharks and bull sharks. Ken Jeong, however, chose to stay safely on the boat while appearing alongside her in the opening programme, "K-Pop Shark Heroes." Joking about his role, he said he preferred supervising from a distance rather than entering the water. The week-long event runs until Aug. 1 and includes programmes on great white sharks moving farther along the US East Coast and how thresher sharks use their tails to catch prey. One of the featured episodes follows Canadian high diver Molly Carlson as she jumps 50 feet (15 metres) from a helicopter into a protective cage surrounded by reef sharks. Carlson, who has spoken openly about living with anxiety, said she accepted the challenge to overcome her lifelong fear of sharks and encourage others to face their own fears. This year's lineup also includes an expedition to search for a rumoured 15-foot (4.5-metre) mako shark off Southern California, which researchers believe could become the largest mako shark ever recorded. Marine biologist Kendyl Berna said warmer ocean temperatures have increased food supplies in the area, creating conditions that may allow mako sharks to grow larger than usual. Despite its dramatic style, "Shark Week" continues to focus on science and shark conservation, alongside entertainment. Rei Ami said the series helps correct common misconceptions about sharks. “People often fear sharks because of misunderstandings. These programmes show how they really behave and why there’s usually no reason to fear them,” she said. The series also offers practical safety advice for people who encounter sharks in the water, including staying calm and avoiding splashing, as human-shark encounters become more common in some coastal areas.