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Spears' ex who appeared at wedding charged with stalking
A man once briefly married to Britney Spears who showed up uninvited at the pop star's wedding to longtime boyfriend Sam Asghari was charged Monday with felony stalking.
Jason Alexander, 40, pleaded not guilty in Ventura County court to the charge, along with misdemeanor counts of trespassing, vandalism and battery.
The three misdemeanor charges stemmed directly from Alexander's attempt to get into the wedding, which he livestreamed on Instagram. The stalking charge involved repeated incidents over time, Spears attorney Mathew Rosengart said.
“He’s going to — I hope, and I pledged my support — be very vigorously prosecuted," Rosengart said outside the hearing. “It’s a very serious matter. This was more than just a quote ‘wedding crash.’ This was an intrusion.”
Also read: Britney Spears marries Sam Asghari in California
A judge issued a restraining order requiring Alexander, who appeared in court via video conference from jail, to stay at least 100 yards from Spears for three years. The judge set his bail at $100,000 and scheduled a Wednesday hearing on the issue.
An email seeking comment from his public defender Matthew Terry was not immediately returned.
Alexander was Spears' first husband. The two were married for less than three days in 2004 before an annulment.
Spears, 40, and Asghari, 28, were married Thursday at her home in Thousand Oaks, California, in front of several dozen guests including Selena Gomez, Drew Barrymore, Paris Hilton and Madonna.
Alexander, who was a childhood friend of Spears, was streaming live on Instagram when he approached house. He appeared in a mostly empty but decorated room, telling security Spears had invited him.
Deputies responding to a trespassing call detained him, and he was arrested when they learned he had a warrant for his arrest in another county, the Ventura County Sheriff's Office said.
Spears was previously married from 2004 to 2007 to Kevin Federline, with whom she shares two sons, ages 14 and 15.
She met Asghari in 2016 on the set of the video for her song “Slumber Party.”
Their wedding came nine months after Spears and Asghari were engaged, and nearly seven months after Spears won her freedom from a court conservatorship that controlled her life and affairs for more than 12 years.
Also read: Britney Spears under investigation over battery of staff
Spears posted about the nuptials on her Instagram and Twitter accounts the following day.
“Wow !!! Holy holy crap !!! WE DID IT !!! WE GOT MARRIED !!! Gggggeeeeezzzzz !!! It was the most spectacular day !!!” Spears said in the posts along with a picture of her and Asghari from the wedding. “The ceremony was a dream and the party was even better !!!”
Britney Spears marries Sam Asghari in California
Britney Spears has married her longtime partner Sam Asghari at a Southern California ceremony that came months after the pop superstar won her freedom from a court conservatorship.
Asghari’s representative Brandon Cohen confirmed the couple’s nuptials. He said: “I am very ecstatic this day has come, and they are married. I know he wanted this for so long. He is so caring and supportive every step of the way.”
The wedding happened nine months after the pair were engaged and nearly seven months after Spears’ conservatorship ended. While seeking an end to the court case that controlled many aspects of her life, Spears expressed her desire to marry Asghari and have children.
Read: Shakira confirms split with soccer star Piqué
Spears got pregnant earlier this year, but experienced a miscarriage in March.
The couple met on the set of the “Slumber Party” music video in 2016.
The wedding day was not without unexpected drama — Spears’ first husband was arrested after attempting to crash their wedding.
Ventura County Sheriff’s Capt. Cameron Henderson said officers responded to a trespassing call after 2 p.m. Thursday. He says the pop singer’s first husband, Jason Alexander, was detained at the site of the ceremony.
Read: Depp and Heard face uncertain career prospects after trial
Henderson says Alexander was arrested after officers noticed he had a warrant for his arrest in another county.
Alexander went on his Instagram live when he approached the event security. In what appeared to be a mostly empty but decorated room, he told them Spears invited him.
“She’s my first wife, my only wife,” said Alexander, who was briefly married to Spears — his childhood friend — in 2004. Their marriage lasted only 55 hours.
Spears was previously married to Kevin Federline, with whom she shares two sons, ages 14 and 15le revealed .they were expecting a child. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
Singer Hyder Husyn again suffers heart attack
Singer-songwriter and freedom fighter Hyder Husyn was hospitalised Wednesday following a heart attack.
Hyder is now undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital.
"My father-in-law Hyder Husyn had a massive heart attack last night. After a surgery, he has been kept at the coronary care unit (CCU) of the hospital," the musician's son-in-law Salman Faruque Khan said Wednesday.
Tuesday morning, Hyder felt chest pain and was taken to hospital in the afternoon.
In 2016, the singer had his first heart attack in the US and two stents were placed in his heart at that time.
Born and raised in a music-oriented family in Old Dhaka, Hyder got the opportunity to receive music lessons at home during his adolescence.
As a musician and lyricist, he performed with legendary singer Azam Khan and bands like Winning, Chime and Different Touch.
"Mon Ki Je Chay Bolo," one of the most famous Bangla songs of the 90s, was written by Hyder, one of the founders of Winning. He began his career in Bangladesh Air Force as an aircraft engineer.
Since 1979, Hyder has been a part of the Bangladeshi music scene with his popular albums such as "Faisha Gechi," "Shopno," "Na Bola Kotha," "Prottasha," and "Khola Akash."
"Tirish Bochor," "Saari," "Ami Faisa Gechi," are some of his most popular songs.
Shakira confirms split with soccer star Piqué
Colombian pop star Shakira and her partner, Spanish soccer player Gerard Piqué, are splitting up, the pair said in a statement released Saturday.
“We regret to confirm that we are separating,” the two said in a statement released by Shakira’s public relations firm. “For the well-being of our children, who are our highest priority, we ask that you respect our privacy. Thank you for your understanding.”
Also Read: India bids adieu to Bollywood singer KK
Shakira, 45, met the Barcelona defender while she was promoting her 2010 World Cup anthem, “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).” The couple have two children, Sasha and Milan.
In recent days, rumors of the demise of the couple’s 11-year relationship had gripped Spanish media, fueled by media reports that Piqué, 35, had left the family’s home in Barcelona and was living by himself in the city.
India bids adieu to Bollywood singer KK
Leading Bollywood singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, was cremated in India's entertainment capital Mumbai on Thursday.
The cremation took place at Mumbai's Versova Hindu crematorium, barely a kilometre from his apartment complex in the presence of his family members and close friends from Bollywood.
Local TV channels aired live the footage of his last rites performed by KK's son Nakul.
The 53-year-old playback singer died of a suspected cardiac arrest, shortly after a concert in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata late on Tuesday night.
Read: Celebrities in Bangladesh mourn Bollywood singer KK's death
Soon after the news of his death broke, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and several Bollywood celebrities took to Twitter to express their condolences.
"His songs reflected a wide range of emotions and struck a chord with people of all age groups. We will always remember him through his songs. Condolences to his family and fans," Modi wrote.
"Extremely sad and shocked to know of the sad demise of KK. What a loss! Om Shanti," Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar wrote.
Read: Shah Rukh Khan's son gets clean chit in drugs case
Regarded as one of the most versatile singers of his generation, KK recorded over 3,500 songs across 11 Indian languages, including Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Assamese and Hindi.
His glorious career began in 1994, but he shot to fame in 1999 for 'Pal,' his debut album that became massively popular as a school-farewell song in the subcontinent.
Depp and Heard face uncertain career prospects after trial
A jury's finding that both Johnny Depp and his ex-wife, Amber Heard, were defamed in a long-running public dispute capped a lurid six-week trial that also raised questions about whether the two actors can overcome tarnished reputations.
The verdict handed down Wednesday in Virginia found that Depp had been defamed by three statements in an op-ed written by Heard in which she said she was an abuse victim. The jury awarded him more than $10 million. But jurors also concluded that Heard was defamed by a lawyer for Depp who accused her of creating a detailed hoax surrounding the abuse allegations. She was awarded $2 million.
Depp had hoped the libel lawsuit would help restore his reputation. However, legal and entertainment experts said that both actors' reputations have been damaged by ugly details about their brief marriage that came out during the televised trial watched by millions.
Also read: Jury sides with Johnny Depp in libel case, awards him $10M
“Both of them will work again, but I think it will be a while before a major studio will consider them ‘safe’ enough to bet on,” said former entertainment lawyer Matthew Belloni, who writes about the business of Hollywood for the newsletter Puck. “The personal baggage that was revealed in this trial was just too icky for a studio to want to deal with.”
The case captivated viewers who watched gavel-to-gavel television coverage, including impassioned followers on social media who dissected the actors’ mannerisms, their wardrobe choices and their use of alcohol and drugs.
Both performers emerge with unclear prospects for their careers. Depp, a three-time best actor Oscar nominee, was a bankable star until recent years, with credits including playing Capt. Jack Sparrow in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” films. However, he lost that role and was replaced in a “Fantastic Beasts” spinoff.
Heard’s acting career has been more modest, and her only two upcoming roles are in a small film and the upcoming “Aquaman” sequel due out next year.
Eric Rose, a crisis management and communications expert in Los Angeles, called the trial a “classic murder-suicide,” in terms of damage to both careers.
“From a reputation-management perspective, there can be no winners,” he said. “They’ve bloodied each other up. It becomes more difficult now for studios to hire either actor because you’re potentially alienating a large segment of your audience who may not like the fact that you have retained either Johnny or Amber for a specific project because feelings are so strong now.”
Heard, who attended court Wednesday and was stoic while the verdict was read, said she was heartbroken by what she described as a setback for women in general.
"I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It’s a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously,’’ she said in a statement posted on her Twitter account.
Depp, who was not in court Wednesday, said “the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.”
“I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up,” he said in a statement posted to Instagram.
Depp sued Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” The essay never mentioned his name.
The jury found in Depp's favor on all three of his claims relating to specific statements in the piece.
In evaluating Heard's counterclaims, jurors considered three statements by a lawyer for Depp who called her allegations a hoax. They found she was defamed by one of them, in which the lawyer claimed that she and friends “spilled a little wine and roughed the place up, got their stories straight,” and called police.
Also read: Jury's duty in Depp-Heard trial doesn't track public debate
While the case was ostensibly about libel, most of the testimony focused on whether Heard had been physically and sexually abused, as she claimed. Heard enumerated more than a dozen alleged assaults, including a fight in Australia — where Depp was shooting a “Pirates of the Caribbean” sequel — in which Depp lost the tip of his middle finger and Heard said she was sexually assaulted with a liquor bottle.
Depp said he never hit Heard and that she was the abuser, though Heard’s attorneys highlighted years-old text messages Depp sent apologizing to Heard for his behavior as well as profane texts he sent to a friend in which Depp said he wanted to kill Heard and defile her dead body.
Brett Ward, a family law attorney in New York, said Depp made himself a more believable witness by admitting to drug and alcohol use and that he could be a difficult person. But he said Depp also ran the risk of making those moments more memorable to the public than his film work.
“He says he did this for his children. Having watched the whole trial, I don’t think that he did any service to his children by airing all of this dirty laundry,” Ward said in an interview.
"But whether this was worthwhile for Johnny Depp, we will know in five years if he reestablishes himself as an A-list Hollywood actor. And if he doesn’t? I think he’s made a terrible mistake because most people aren’t going to remember his rather distinguished Hollywood career. They’re going to remember this trial.”
Celebrities in Bangladesh mourn Bollywood singer KK's death
The tragic news of popular Bollywood singer Krishnakumar Kunnath's (KK) untimely death came as a shock to celebrities in Bangladesh as well, with many taking to social media to pay their tributes to the departed soul.
Dhallywood superstar Shakib Khan wrote on his Facebook page: "Rest In Peace #KK, the VOICE OF LOVE. Your songs will keep your name alive forever !!"
Read: Jury's duty in Depp-Heard trial doesn't track public debate
Expressing condolence, popular singer-music director and Coke Studio Bangla producer Shayan Chowdhury Arnob wrote: "KRISHNAKUMAR KUNNATH, Rest in peace."
Reminiscing fond memories of covering the song 'Pal,' singer-journalist Elita Karim wrote: "The death of KK is, for sure, an end of an era. May you rest in peace, dearest KK. The day today will be a tough one."
Filmmaker Amitabh Reza Chowdhury voiced the frustration which many of the fans have been asking since last night, writing: "The man died. How did none of the people realise he had a cardiac problem?"
However, paying a heartfelt tribute to the late iconic singer, Gaan Bangla Managing Director-CEO and music director Taposh shared a live video from his verified page featuring renowned singers Parvez, Balam, Protik Hasan, Puja and more, chorusing the song 'Pal' together.
Read: Leading Bollywood singer KK dies at 53
Besides, billions of fans across the world have been mourning and sharing their fond memories with his mesmerising singles and Bollywood tracks, such as "Yaaron," "O Meri Jaan," "Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai," "Ajab Si," "Khuda Jane," "Tu hi Meri Shab Hai" and many more.
Beginning his glorious career in 1994, KK sang over 3,500 jingles across 11 languages before making his feature film debut with AR Rahman in the Tamil film industry.
'Pal,' his debut album, was released in 1999 featuring tracks "Pal" (Moments) and "Yaaron" (Friends), which became massively popular as a school-farewell song in the subcontinent.
Jury's duty in Depp-Heard trial doesn't track public debate
A seven-person civil jury in Virginia will resume deliberations Tuesday in Johnny Depp's libel trial against Amber Heard. What the jury considers will be very different from the public debate that has engulfed the high-profile proceedings.
For six weeks, testimony focused on details of alleged abuse that Heard says she suffered at the hands of Depp. Heard has outlined more than a dozen specific instances where she says she was assaulted by Depp.
Also read:Surgeon: Johnny Depp's severed finger story has flaws
Depp has denied any physical or sexual abuse, and says Heard concocted the claims to destroy Depp's reputation. Depp's legions of online fans have focused on their belief that Heard has been untruthful, and that that will determine the outcome.
But the case itself is a defamation claim. Depp sued Heard for libel — for $50 million — in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.”
That article never even mentions Depp by name, but his lawyers say he was defamed nonetheless. Most of the article discusses public policy as it relates to domestic violence, and Heard's lawyers say she has a First Amendment right to weigh in.
In closing arguments, though, Depp lawyer Camille Vasquez argued that Heard's free-speech rights have limits.
“The First Amendment doesn't protect lies that hurt and defame people,” she said.
Depp's lawyers point to two passages in the article that they say clearly refer to Depp.
In the first passage, Heard writes that “two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse, and I felt the full force of our culture’s wrath.” Depp’s lawyers call it a clear reference to Depp, given that Heard publicly accused Depp of domestic violence in 2016 — two years before she wrote the article.
In a second passage, she states, “I had the rare vantage point of seeing, in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse.” (Depp's lawyers are also seeking damages over a headline that appeared above the online version of the article, even though Heard didn't write it.)
The jury, which has to come to a unanimous decision for a verdict, must decide whether those passages in the Post are defamatory. And the verdict form gives them step-by-step instructions on how to determine that.
Heard's lawyers say they have presented a mountain of evidence that Heard was abused. But they say that even if the jury were somehow to believe that she was never abused even a single time, she should still prevail in the lawsuit.
That's because libel law spells out several factors that must be considered. First, the alleged defamatory statements have to be about the plaintiff. Heard's lawyers said the article is not about Depp at all. He's not mentioned, and they say the focus is on Heard's experience about the aftermath of speaking out. Those statements remain objectively true even if she wasn't in fact abused, her lawyers contend.
Also read: Jury sees pics of Heard's swollen face after fight with Depp
Depp's lawyers, though, say the two passages are clear references to Depp, given the publicity that surrounded their 2016 divorce proceedings.
In addition, because Depp is a public figure, Heard can only be found guilty of libel if the jury decides that Heard acted with “actual malice,” which requires clear and convincing evidence that she either knew what she was writing was false or that she acted with reckless disregard for the truth.
Heard lawyer J. Benjamin Rottenborn said during Friday's closing arguments that Heard carefully reviewed drafts of the article — the first draft was written not by her, but by the American Civil Liberties Union — with her lawyers to make sure that what was written passed legal muster. Rottenborn said that fact alone is sufficient proof that she didn't act with actual malice.
As for the abuse itself, Depp's lawyers tried to suggest to the jury that if they think Heard is lying or embellishing any of her abuse claims, that she can't be trusted and that all of her abuse claims must be dismissed as untrustworthy.
“You either believe all of it, or none of it,” Vasquez said. “Either she is a victim of ugly, horrible abuse, or she is a woman who is willing to say absolutely anything.”
In Heard’s closing, Rottenborn said the nitpicking over Heard’s evidence of abuse ignores the fact there’s overwhelming evidence on her behalf and sends a dangerous message to domestic-violence victims.
“If you didn’t take pictures, it didn’t happen,” Rottenborn said. “If you did take pictures, they’re fake. If you didn’t tell your friends, they’re lying. If you did tell your friends, they’re part of the hoax.”
And he rejected Vasquez’s suggestion that if the jury thinks Heard might be embellishing on a single act of abuse that they have to disregard everything she says. He said Depp’s libel claim must fail if Heard suffered even a single incident of abuse.
“They’re trying to trick you into thinking Amber has to be perfect to win,” Rottenborn said.
Shah Rukh Khan's son gets clean chit in drugs case
India's anti-narcotics agency has given a clean chit to Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan in the drugs-on-cruise case.
Aryan (23) and his two friends -- Arbaz Merchant and Mummun Dhamecha -- were among 20 people arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on October 3 last year in connection with a rave party the agency "busted" on board a cruise ship off Mumbai coast a day before.
Also read: Anti-narco cops seek more time to file charges against Shah Rukh Khan's son
On Friday, the NCB dropped all charges against Aryan, claiming that no drugs were found on him during the raid, and five other accused "for lack of evidence". However, the agency, in its chargesheet filed in the court, named 14 others in the case.
"There were indeed some irregularities in the initial probe. Action will be taken against the officials concerned for the lapses," NCB chief SN Pradhan told the media.
In fact, on the evening of October 2, some 30 NCB sleuths, disguised as passengers, boarded luxury cruise liner 'Empress' which departed Mumbai port for the neighbouring coastal state of Goa.
The cruise ship was carrying mostly celebrities from Bollywood and the fashion industry. As soon as the rave party began later that evening, the NCB sleuths swung into action and claimed to have caught red-handed those having drugs.
Also read:Top officer probing drugs case linked to Shah Rukh Khan's son removed
Aryan, his two friends, and seven others were soon detained. While two of the detainees were freed after questioning, the NCB sleuths placed Aryan and seven others under arrest a day later after over 12 hours of interrogation. Aryan got bail from a court on October 28.
Aryan's father Shah Rukh is considered the most talented Bollywood star. Popularly called "King Khan", he has acted in over 80 films in a career spanning over 25 years. And he has a net worth of USD 700 million.
Khairul Anam Shakil appointed chair of Nazrul Institute trustee board
Eminent Nazrul exponent, researcher and Ekushey Padak conferred Nazrul singer Khairul Anam Shakil has been appointed by the government as the new trustee board Chairman of Kabi Nazrul Institute on Tuesday.
The Ministry of Public Administration issued a gazette notification on Tuesday regarding his appointment for the next 3 years.
Having graduated from Leeds Beckett University, UK in Industrial Engineering in 1984, Khairul Anam Shakil is one of the most renowned and respected Nazrul singers and researchers.
Also Read: Nazrul’s 123rd birth anniversary Wednesday
Before becoming successful in his genre, Shakil learned music from his uncle Mahmudur Rahman Benu and other music maestros in Bangladesh including Narayan Chandra Basak, Ustad Mohammad Sageeruddin Khan, Sheikh Lutfur Rahman, Sohrab Hossain and Anjalee Ray.
Khairul Anam Shakil is the current Vice President of Chhayanaut, General Secretary of Bangladesh Nazrul Sangeet Sangstha and a faculty member of the Department of Music at the University of Dhaka.
For his excellence in music as an eminent Nazrul exponent, he received Ekushey Padak in 2019 and Nazrul Award from the Kazi Nazrul Institute in 2017.
Kabi Nazrul Institute was established in February 1985, with prominent journalist Mohammad Nasiruddin, being the maiden chairman of the trustee board.