United News of Bangladesh

American singer Beyoncé has officially become a billionaire, Forbes announced, making her the fifth musician to reach a 10-figure fortune. Beyoncé joins an exclusive group of musicians with immense wealth, including Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Bruce Springsteen, and her husband Jay-Z, whose net worth Forbes estimates at $2.5 billion. Earlier this month, Forbes valued Beyoncé’s fortune at $800 million and predicted she would cross the billionaire mark after years of successful music, tours, and business ventures. Her 2023 Renaissance World Tour alone grossed nearly $600 million, making her one of the world’s top pop icons. Beyoncé also produced a concert film from the tour, distributed through AMC theaters, earning her nearly half of the film’s $44 million global box office revenue. Her 2024 album, Cowboy Carter, celebrated the black roots of country music and won the Grammy Award for Album of the Year — her first Grammy win in that category. The accompanying tour, featuring Jay-Z, their children, and former Destiny’s Child members, generated over $400 million in ticket sales and $50 million from merchandise. Despite some slow ticket sales leading to price cuts, the tour set records at London’s Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Paris’ Stade de France, with ticket prices ranging from £71 to £950. Additional earnings came from a Netflix halftime show for the NFL and Levi’s commercials. Forbes’ announcement confirms Beyoncé’s position among the world’s wealthiest musicians, marking a major milestone in her career.   With inputs from BBC

A wide range of Britons, from internationally known actors Idris Elba and Cynthia Erivo to a 102-year-old judo teacher, have been included in King Charles III’s New Year’s Honours list, which annually recognizes individuals for their service and contributions to public life in the United Kingdom. Idris Elba, famed for his roles in The Wire and as a U.S. president in A House of Dynamite, was awarded a knighthood in recognition of his work supporting young people. Alongside his wife Sabrina, Elba founded the Elba Hope Foundation, which focuses on tackling knife crime, improving education, and addressing poverty. Elba said he accepted the honor on behalf of the young people the charity supports, emphasizing the need for long-term, practical efforts to help steer youth away from violence. Celebrated ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, who captured Olympic gold at the 1984 Winter Games in Sarajevo, were also among the top recipients. Torvill was made a dame, while Dean received a knighthood. Actress and singer Cynthia Erivo, known for her role in Wicked, was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her contributions to music and drama. John Hearn, popularly known as “Judo Jack,” received a British Empire Medal after being recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest judo instructor. Other notable honorees include author and comedian Richard Osman, creator of The Thursday Murder Club series, who was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE); former marathon world-record holder Paula Radcliffe, also awarded an OBE; and 101-year-old D-Day veteran Mervyn Kersh, who received a British Empire Medal for his educational work on Holocaust remembrance and his wartime service. Britain’s honors system dates back to medieval times, when monarchs rewarded loyalty and service with land, wealth, and titles. Today, it has evolved into a structured system of ceremonial awards granted by the monarch on the advice of the government. Modern honors recognize achievements across a broad range of fields, including public service, academia, the arts, and sports. While high-profile figures often feature on the list, many recipients are everyday community contributors such as librarians, charity volunteers, and civil servants. A total of 1,150 people were recognized in this year’s New Year’s Honours. The highest distinctions are knighthoods and damehoods, which allow recipients to use the titles “Sir” or “Dame.” Below these are the ranks of the Order of the British Empire—Commander (CBE), Officer (OBE), and Member (MBE)—with recipients entitled to use post-nominal letters. Honours are announced twice annually, at New Year and on the monarch’s birthday, and are formally presented by the king or another senior royal at ceremonies held throughout the year.

Suniel Shetty recently revealed that he turned down a ₹40 crore endorsement deal for a tobacco brand, saying he did not want to compromise his values or set a negative example for his children, Ahan and Athiya. The actor, whose career spans more than three decades, said his personal principles have always guided his choices, both professionally and personally. Speaking to Peeping Moon, Suniel said he made a firm decision long ago never to promote tobacco products, regardless of the financial incentive. He recalled being offered ₹40 crore for a tobacco advertisement but refusing the proposal outright, explaining that money alone could not sway him. Although he acknowledged that he could have used the money at the time, he said endorsing something he does not believe in was never an option. He added that he would not do anything that might reflect poorly on his children, and as a result, such offers no longer come his way. Suniel also spoke about a difficult period following the illness and death of his father, Veerappa Shetty, in 2017. He said his father had been unwell since 2014, and caring for him took an emotional toll that led him to step away from acting entirely. After a break of six to seven years, Suniel returned to films, though the comeback was challenging. He said that on the morning his father passed away, he received an offer to host a health show, which he viewed as a sign to resume work. He later took on a few South Indian film projects but admitted feeling uncertain after such a long gap, as the industry had changed and many faces were new. Reflecting on the post-pandemic period, Suniel said he experienced a personal transformation. He began focusing on fitness, learning and self-improvement, which boosted his confidence and helped him realize that he no longer needed external validation. The actor also expressed gratitude to his fans and the media for continuing to support and remember him during the years he was away from the spotlight.  source : NDTV

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan marked his 60th birthday on Friday with a grand midnight celebration at his Panvel farmhouse, attended by celebrities from the film, sports and public life. Videos and photos from the celebration quickly went viral on social media, showing the actor cutting his birthday cake in the garden surrounded by close friends and guests. Actor Sanjay Dutt shared a picture with Salman Khan from the event and wished him health and success. Politician Beena Kak also posted several photos from the party, offering a glimpse of the guest list that included actors Sanjay Dutt, Aditya Roy Kapur and Maniesh Paul, along with singer Mika Singh. In her post, she described the gathering as a warm and joyful celebration among loved ones. Salman Khan’s longtime bodyguard Shera shared a heartfelt photo with the actor from the venue, while actress Jannat Zubair posted a smiling picture with the birthday star, extending her wishes on Instagram. Another widely shared photograph featured Salman Khan with former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni, who attended the celebration in a casual yet stylish look. Several other celebrities were also present at the bash, including Karisma Kapoor, Genelia Deshmukh, Rakul Preet Singh, Huma Qureshi, Sangeeta Bijlani, Pragya Jaiswal, Zeeshan Siddiqui and Rahul Kanwal.   With inputs from BBC

Mohammad Bakri, a Palestinian director and actor who sought to share the complexities of Palestinian identity and culture through a variety of works in both Arabic and Hebrew, has died, his family announced. He was 72. Bakri was best known for “Jenin, Jenin,” a 2003 documentary he directed about an Israeli military operation in the northern West Bank city the previous year during the second Palestinian intifada, or uprising. The film, focusing on the heavy destruction and heartbreak of its Palestinian residents, was banned by Israel. Bakri also acted in the 2025 film “ All That’s Left of You,” a drama about a Palestinian family through more than 76 years, alongside his sons, Adam and Saleh Bakri, who are also actors. The film has been shortlisted by the Academy Awards for the best international feature film. Over the years, he made several films that spanned the spectrum of Palestinian experiences. He also acted in Hebrew, including at Israel’s national theater in Tel Aviv, and appeared in a number of famous Israeli films in the 1980s and 1990s. He studied at Tel Aviv University. Bakri, who was born in northern Israel and held Israeli citizenship, dabbled in both film and theater. His best-known one-man-show from 1986, “The Pessoptimist,” based on the writings of Palestinian author Emile Habiby, focused on the intricacies and emotions of someone who has both Israeli and Palestinian identities. During the 1980s, Bakri played characters in mainstream Israeli films that humanized the Palestinian identity, including “Beyond the Walls,” a seminal film about incarcerated Israelis and Palestinians, said Raya Morag, a professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem who specializes in cinema and trauma. “He broke stereotypes about how Israelis looked at Palestinians, and allowing someone Palestinian to be regarded as a hero in Israeli society,” she said. “He was a very brave person, and he was brave by standing to his ideals, choosing not to be conformist in any way, and paying the price in both societies,” said Morag. Bakri faced some pushback within Palestinian society for his cooperation with Israelis. After “Jenin, Jenin,” he was plagued by almost two decades of court cases in Israel, where the film was seen as unbalanced and inciting. In 2022, Israel's Supreme Court upheld a ban on the documentary, saying it defamed Israeli soldiers, and ordered Bakri to pay tens of thousands of dollars in damages to an Israeli military officer for defamation. “Jenin, Jenin” was a turning point in Bakri’s career. In Israel, he became a polarizing figure and he never worked with mainstream Israeli cinema again, Morag said. “He was loyal to himself despite all the pressures from inside and outside,” she added. “He was a firm voice that did not change during the years.” Local media quoted Bakri's family as saying he died Wednesday after suffering from heart and lung problems. His cousin, Rafic, told the Arabic news site Al-Jarmaq that Bakri was a tenacious advocate of the Palestinians who used his works to express support for his people. “I am certain that Abu Saleh will remain in the memory of Palestinian people everywhere and all people of the free world,” he said, using Mohammed Bakri's nickname.

From Sherlock Holmes to modern thrillers, murder mysteries have fascinated readers and viewers for over a century. With the release of the latest Knives Out film, Wake Up Dead Man, on streaming platforms, fans of the genre can revisit classic and ingenious whodunnits that have stood the test of time. Some of the most notable include Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Adventure of the Speckled Band (1892), featuring Sherlock Holmes solving a locked-room murder, and GK Chesterton’s The Invisible Man (1911), in which Father Brown investigates a seemingly impossible crime. Agatha Christie’s debut Miss Marple story, The Murder at the Vicarage (1930), and John Dickson Carr’s The Hollow Man (1935), a landmark locked-room mystery, are also widely celebrated. Other classics highlighted are Sidney Gilliat’s film Green for Danger (1946), Boileau-Narcejac’s The Living and the Dead (1954), and Dario Argento’s Italian thriller The Bird with the Crystal Plumage (1970). PD James’s The Black Tower (1975) and Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s film Sleuth (1972) showcase meticulous plotting and psychological tension. More contemporary works, such as Fred Vargas’s Have Mercy on Us All (2001), blend Gothic elements with complex investigations. These ten stories, spanning literature and cinema, are recommended for fans seeking clever plots, unexpected twists, and masterful storytelling in the murder mystery genre.   With inputs from BBC

Ranveer Singh’s Dhurandhar, released on December 5, has surged past Rs 640 crore at the domestic box office within 20 days, racing toward the Rs 650 crore mark. Jio Studios, the film’s production banner, celebrated the milestone on Instagram Thursday, calling it a “phenomenon at full force” and noting the film’s strong performance worldwide. According to Jio Studios, Dhurandhar earned Rs 20.90 crore on its 20th day, taking its domestic net total to Rs 640.20 crore. The film has now entered the top ten highest-grossing Indian films in India, surpassing Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal, which earned Rs 553 crore, and claiming ninth place. The Aditya Dhar-directed action drama opened with Rs 103 crore in its first weekend and maintained momentum through the weekdays. The second weekend saw a significant surge, with the third weekend and weekdays contributing further to its total. By the 19th day, the film had already collected Rs 619.3 crore. Stranger Things finale nears as fans await answers Dhurandhar is also the highest-grossing Indian film worldwide in 2025, surpassing Rishab Shetty’s Kantara: A Legend – Chapter 1 and Vicky Kaushal’s Chhaava. The film stars Ranveer Singh alongside Akshaye Khanna, Arjun Rampal, Sanjay Dutt, R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun, and Rakesh Bedi. Its sequel is scheduled for release on March 19, 2026. Source: NDTV 

Leaves and bodies fall in No Other Choice, a chilling and darkly comic satire from acclaimed South Korean director Park Chan-wook, who once again proves himself a master of elegant menace and moral provocation. The film opens with You Man-su (Lee Byung-hun), a seemingly content family man, welcoming autumn while grilling dinner for his wife, Miri (Son Ye-jin), and their two children. Living in a striking modern house surrounded by nature, Man-su confidently declares, “I’ve got it all.” Almost immediately, that illusion collapses. After 25 years at a paper mill, he is abruptly laid off, joining countless others discarded without ceremony. As financial pressure mounts, Man-su is forced to sell his beloved home, abandon his greenhouse and even cancel Netflix — small humiliations that signal deeper collapse. Rather than follow a conventional path of reinvention, the film takes a sharply sinister turn. Assessing the job market, Man-su concludes he ranks only fifth among potential candidates for similar positions. His solution: eliminate the competition. Based on Donald Westlake’s novel The Ax, previously adapted in 2005, No Other Choice feels tailor-made for Park, whose filmography includes Oldboy, The Handmaiden and Decision to Leave. Park transforms familiar material into a biting critique of capitalism, unemployment and modern desperation, crafting a thriller that is both absurdly funny and deeply unsettling. Nolan’s The Odyssey trailer unveils epic journey Lee Byung-hun delivers a standout performance, portraying Man-su as neither a natural killer nor a traditional villain, but a tragically misguided everyman. His descent into violence is framed with Park’s signature visual precision — reflections, trees and carefully composed frames heighten the satire and dread. Like Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite, the film skewers class anxiety, but Park’s vision is colder and more fatalistic. The final moments expand the story’s implications to automation, artificial intelligence and a future where loss is permanent. In No Other Choice, the leaves that fall do not return. A Neon release, No Other Choice is rated R for violence, language and some sexual content. In Korean with English subtitles. Running time: 139 minutes. ★★★★ out of four. Source: AP 

Saiyaara actress Aneet Padda sent warm birthday wishes to her co-star Ahaan Panday, calling him “selfless,” as he celebrated his birthday on December 23. The actor, who made his film debut with Mohit Suri’s Saiyaara, received a heartfelt tribute from Aneet, who shared a collection of charming photos and videos along with an emotional message highlighting their close bond. Aneet Padda’s birthday message for Ahaan Panday Aneet opened her post with the line, “I’ve seen the future,” before going on to describe Ahaan’s personality and the impact he has on people around him. She spoke about how strangers smile at his laughter, how he finds beauty in everyday moments, and how his creative thoughts reflect a rare and imaginative mind. She also praised his kindness, noting how deeply her parents trust him and how warmly they speak of him during video calls. Aneet mentioned the pride and emotion Ahaan’s mother feels when seeing him, as well as how even brief conversations with him can brighten a stranger’s day. Sharing more personal moments, she recalled how a security guard looks forward to their daily chats and how people are drawn to Ahaan even before recognizing his stardom. She reflected on how he was always destined for success, long before audiences discovered him on the big screen. Concluding the post, Aneet expressed her pride in the person Ahaan has become and thanked him for being who he is, wishing him a happy birthday with heartfelt affection. Ahaan responded with a touching reply, appreciating the gesture. About Saiyaara Directed by Mohit Suri, Saiyaara marked Ahaan Panday’s first film, with Aneet Padda playing the female lead. The movie performed well at the box office, and both actors earned praise for their chemistry and performances. Source NDTV

Radhika Apte, currently celebrating the success of her recently released OTT film Saali Mohabbat, recently shared a memorable encounter with Shah Rukh Khan. She recalled missing a call from the superstar, initially thinking it was a prank, before realizing it was genuine and returning the call. The actress revealed to Mashable India that Shah Rukh had called her to appreciate her performance in the 2018 film Andhadhun. “We were having a meal when I noticed a missed call. I thought, let’s check it. Then a message came from the same number: ‘Radhika, this is Shah Rukh Khan. Please call me back,’” she said. “Truly Honoured”: Janhvi Kapoor after winning Female Actor of the Year After confirming with her agent that the number was indeed SRK’s, she called him back. “He said, ‘I just wanted to tell you that I saw Andhadhun. I really loved your performance. I called only to say that,’” Radhika added. She also recalled meeting Shah Rukh at a party, describing the interaction as warm and genuine. “He came up to me because I usually don’t go and express, ‘I like you.’ He put his arm around me, and we talked for half an hour. He was so sweet—it was really lovely,” she said. About Saali MohabbatSaali Mohabbat is a drama-thriller set in a small-town backdrop, exploring how the life of a seemingly ordinary housewife turns chaotic as betrayal, secrets, and tension emerge following two unsettling deaths. The film features Radhika Apte alongside Sauraseni Maitra, Divyendu Sharma, Anshumaan Pushkar, and Anurag Kashyap, and is produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Dinesh Malhotra, Vipin Agnihotri, and Manish Malhotra. Source: NDTV