United News of Bangladesh

South Korean actor Lee Sang-Bo has been found dead at his home in Pyeongtaek. He was 44. According to local police, a family member discovered his body around 12:40 pm local time on Thursday. Officers said there were no signs of foul play, but an investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of death. His funeral is scheduled to be held at 10:30 am on March 29 at Jungang Funeral Home in Pyeongtaek. Following the incident, his agency, Korea Management Group, confirmed the news in a statement, saying the cause of death will not be disclosed at the request of his family. The agency also urged the media and public to respect the family’s privacy and avoid visits or unnecessary coverage. Lee’s death has also drawn attention to a 2022 incident that briefly affected his career. At the time, he was investigated over suspected drug use after being seen acting unsteadily in public and was briefly detained. However, later tests by authorities confirmed that no illegal substances were found in his system. Officials said his condition was linked to prescribed medications, including antidepressants and tranquillisers, taken after a personal loss. The case was later closed, clearing him of all allegations. Born in 1981, Lee began his acting career with the 2006 drama ‘Invisible Man Choi Jang Soo’. He went on to appear in several TV series, including ‘Private Lives’, ‘Miss Monte-Cristo’ and ‘The Elegant Empire’. His lead role in ‘Miss Monte-Cristo’ in 2021 brought him wider recognition, while his 2023 project ‘The Elegant Empire’ marked his return to the screen. In 2025, he signed an exclusive contract with Korea Management Group.

A Florida woman accused of opening fire at pop star Rihanna’s Los Angeles home has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and several other charges. Ivanna Lisette Ortiz, 35, entered her plea through her lawyer on Wednesday at a Los Angeles County court. She is accused of trying to kill Rihanna after allegedly firing a semi-automatic rifle at the singer’s Beverly Crest mansion on 8 March. No one was hurt in the incident. According to court documents, Ortiz allegedly targeted not only Rihanna but also rapper A$AP Rocky, their three young children and others present at the home and a nearby property. Ortiz remains in custody with bail set at $1.875 million. She is scheduled to appear again for a preliminary hearing on 8 April. Prosecutors said she fired around 20 rounds from an AR-style weapon, putting multiple lives at risk. They also claimed she had a wig with her, suggesting the attack may have been planned. A judge has barred her from working as a speech pathologist in California. She faces several additional charges, including 10 counts of assault with a semi-automatic firearm and three counts of shooting at an inhabited property. Each assault charge relates to a different alleged victim. The complaint names victims including Rihanna and A$AP Rocky—whose real names are Robyn Fenty and Rakim Mayers—their children, Rihanna’s mother Monica Fenty, and others. Investigators said Ortiz allegedly drove up to the house, fired multiple shots, and then fled. Her vehicle was later found about 12 kilometres away at a shopping centre in Sherman Oaks, where she was arrested. If convicted, Ortiz could face life in prison. Her lawyer and representatives for Rihanna have not yet commented on the case. Source:BBC

K-pop supergroup BTS made a highly anticipated return on Saturday with a large-scale free comeback concert in Seoul, marking their first group performance in four years. The event, held at Gwanghwamun Square, drew tens of thousands of fans, prompting authorities to impose strict security measures, including closing major roads and deploying a heavy police presence. The concert was also streamed exclusively on Netflix. Opening the show, group leader RM greeted fans and kicked off the performance, sparking loud cheers from the crowd. All seven members—RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V and Jung Kook—recently completed their mandatory military service and reunited for the comeback. The concert followed the release of their fifth studio album, ARIRANG, which reportedly sold nearly 4 million copies within its first day. The performance also marked the beginning of an extensive global tour across the United States, Europe and Asia. Fans from around the world gathered in large numbers, with thousands securing designated viewing spots while others watched from nearby screens. The atmosphere was energetic, with fans singing along and waving light sticks throughout the show. Authorities enforced tight crowd control measures, shutting down nearby transport services and restricting access to surrounding areas to ensure safety during the high-profile event. The comeback comes at a time when global interest in K-pop continues to rise, and analysts say the group’s return could have a major impact on the international music scene.  

US actor Nicholas Brendon, best known for his role in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, has died at the age of 54, his family confirmed. In a statement shared on social media, his family said he passed away in his sleep from natural causes. Brendon gained widespread recognition for portraying Xander Harris, a central character in the series that aired from 1997 to 2003. Tributes poured in following his death, including from co-star Sarah Michelle Gellar, who honoured him with a message referencing the show. Throughout his career, Brendon also appeared in several television series, including Criminal Minds, Private Practice and Kitchen Confidential, as well as films such as Psycho Beach Party and Big Gay Love. He had been open about his personal struggles, including health issues and addiction, and had advocated for awareness around stuttering. His family said he had been undergoing treatment and remained hopeful about the future prior to his death.   With inputs from BBC

ABC has abruptly cancelled the upcoming season of The Bachelorette starring reality personality Taylor Frankie Paul just three days before its planned premiere, after a 2023 video surfaced showing her allegedly assaulting her former partner while her young daughter looked on in distress. The scrapped 22nd season had already been filmed, making the late cancellation an unprecedented move for the long-running reality franchise. ABC’s parent company, Disney, said the decision followed the emergence of the video, though it also coincides with an ongoing domestic violence investigation involving Paul and Dakota Mortensen, the father of her youngest child. In a statement, Disney Entertainment Television said the network would not move forward with the season at this time and would instead focus on supporting the family. Paul’s representative said she had suffered years of mental and physical abuse but had remained silent out of fear. The footage, released by TMZ, appears to show Mortensen trying to shield himself while recording as Paul punches, kicks and throws chairs at him, while a child cries and calls out for her mother. The incident matches details of Paul’s 2023 arrest. She later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge, with other counts dismissed.

Guitarists in Dhaka are not just individual artists; many of them see themselves as part of a close-knit musical family. An iftar gathering recently brought them together under a platform called ‘Guitarist’s Community of Dhaka’, planting the seed of a stronger sense of brotherhood that participants hope will lead to larger musical events, collaborations and workshops in the future. The event was organised by young guitarists Emil, Shawon, Prince and Debashish, while it was conducted by Rashed Shibli. The gathering was particularly meaningful for young guitarists, as it offered them a rare opportunity to interact directly with experienced musicians associated with popular bands such as Dalchhut and Prometheus, allowing them to exchange experiences and receive feedback.  

Palestinian actor Motaz Malhees says he will not be able to attend this weekend’s Academy Awards due to a US travel ban affecting Palestinian citizens. Malhees plays a call centre operator in the film The Voice of Hind Rajab, which has been nominated for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars. The movie tells the story of a five-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024. The actor said he cannot travel to the United States because people holding Palestinian citizenship are currently barred from entering the country. “I am not allowed to enter the United States because of my Palestinian citizenship,” Malhees wrote in a post on Instagram, adding that it “hurts” not to be able to attend the prestigious awards ceremony. The film is based on a tragic incident in which five members of Hind Rajab’s family and two ambulance workers who tried to rescue her were also killed by Israeli fire. Israeli authorities have said the incident is under review. The travel restriction stems from a December proclamation issued by US President Donald Trump, which limits the entry of individuals using travel documents issued or approved by the Palestinian Authority. The order cited security concerns for imposing the restrictions. The U.S. Department of State did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Malhees’s claim. Source: NDTV

Indian actress Fatima Sana Shaikh, who gained widespread recognition with the 2016 film Dangal, has once again spoken about her struggle with epilepsy. She recently shared an incident from the film’s set when she experienced a seizure and received support from co-stars Aamir Khan and Sanya Malhotra. Speaking on Soha Ali Khan’s podcast All About Her, the actress explained that during the time she was training for the movie, she often experienced “auras”—a warning sign before a seizure. At that time, however, she did not understand what the symptoms meant. She described seeing a growing flash of light on one side of her vision that gradually intensified and caused fear because she did not know when a seizure might occur. Shaikh said that while training during the filming of Dangal, the sensation appeared again. Initially she tried to ignore it, thinking it would pass, but it became stronger. Realizing something serious was about to happen, she informed people around her that she felt a seizure coming on. Since no one on set knew how to respond, Aamir Khan, Sanya Malhotra, and their wrestling trainer Kripa Shankar Bishnoi quickly searched online for guidance and helped manage the situation. She added that the production team later took responsibility for identifying the problem because the film’s progress depended heavily on her performance. They arranged medical tests, including MRIs and EEG scans, and took her to a neurologist in Mumbai, who prescribed medication. However, Shaikh said the medication had strong side effects. She felt disoriented, struggled to walk normally, and experienced mood swings, including anger and depression. Because of these difficulties—especially while she was still training for wrestling scenes—she eventually stopped taking the medication without informing anyone. The actress admitted that after stopping the treatment, she continued experiencing seizures. Out of fear that others might see her during an episode, she would hide in the bathroom whenever she sensed an aura, lock the door, and wait for it to pass. This situation continued for nearly four years. Shaikh also recalled her earliest memory of having a seizure, which occurred during a dance class. She said she suddenly collapsed while dancing and later woke up in a hospital with little memory of what had happened. One of her classmates had tried to help by putting her hand in Shaikh’s mouth during the seizure, believing it would prevent injury, but Shaikh accidentally bit her, causing the girl to bleed. She said the experience was frightening, as she regained consciousness surrounded by people and did not understand where she was. At the time, a doctor mistakenly suggested the episode might have been for attention or possibly related to drug use, as epilepsy had not yet been diagnosed. On the professional front, Fatima Sana Shaikh was last seen in the film Gustaakh Ishq, where she starred alongside Vijay Varma.  source: NDTV

Actress Priyanka Chopra, who made her film debut in the Tamil movie ‘Thamizhan’ and later in Hindi cinema with ‘The Hero: Love Story of a Spy’, revealed why she left Bollywood at the height of her career to pursue opportunities in Hollywood. In a recent podcast, the former Miss World said she dislikes staying “in the shit” and believes in pivoting when life gets tough. “We all have battles, but I don’t like getting used to the smell,” she said. “I pick myself up, grieve, feel the pain and then pivot. I have done that many times in my career.” Priyanka admitted she had no clear roadmap when she took the leap abroad. “There wasn’t much precedent. I just gave it a shot. I knew I was a hard worker and could hold my own with any filmmaker or co-actor,” she said. She also cited a lack of Indian representation in global entertainment as a motivation. “In American pop culture, I had only seen people like Mindy Kaling and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. Very few Indians, male or female, were working in Hollywood. I wanted to explore why and create more space for Indian talent,” Priyanka explained. The actress, last seen in the Hindi film ‘The Sky Is Pink’ (2019), will return to Indian cinema with Mahesh Babu in SS Rajamouli’s pan-India project ‘Varanasi’(2027). She has also expanded into film production and appeared in international films including ‘Love Again’, ‘Tiger’ (2023), ‘Heads of State’ (2025), and ‘The Bluff’ (2026). Priyanka Chopra’s journey reflects her drive to constantly challenge herself and broaden the global presence of Indian actors. Source: NDTV

Tehran-born Iranian actor Elnaaz Norouzi, who holds German citizenship, expressed her thoughts on Iran’s political situation days before Mojtaba Khamenei was named the country’s new Supreme Leader on March 8, 2026. Speaking to NDTV in an exclusive interview, Norouzi highlighted the long history of political repression in Iran. Reacting to reports about Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, taking power, she said it was “nothing new” for leaders to be imposed on Iranians without public choice. “Just like the past 47 years, people coming to power were never chosen by the Iranian people. The same happened with Ali Khamenei; now his son is stepping in. We have no say in this,” she told NDTV. Norouzi emphasized the Iranian people’s desire for democracy and the right to vote. “For 47 years, Iranians have been asking to choose their leaders. In 2009, millions protested chanting ‘Where is our vote?’ Many lost their lives. People realised that the leaders in office were not the ones they had chosen,” she said. The actor, known for works including ‘Sacred Games’, ‘Kandahar’, and ‘Made in Heaven’, urged her fellow Iranians to stay resilient. “Stay strong. Stay in your homes. Hope for better days. Protests often lead to brutal crackdowns, leaving civilians without jobs, security, or even basic necessities,” she said. She also called for international attention and support, saying, “We are empty-handed. Right now, the world only seems to notice because of the war.” Reflecting on her personal connection to Iran’s struggles, Norouzi noted that many Iranians, including her family, have lived through decades of unrest. “My parents realised during the 1979 revolution that life was becoming unbearable. Today, over five million Iranians live abroad because they couldn’t build a safe life at home. Ninety million people can’t leave Iran—they need to get their country back,” she said. Norouzi’s remarks underline the frustration of many Iranians as Mojtaba Khamenei takes leadership in a nation long yearning for the right to choose its own path. Source: NDTV