United News of Bangladesh

Russia's Foreign Ministry announced Monday that 100 Canadians have been added to the list of people banned from entering the country in response to sanctions against Russia by Canada. A ministry statement said author Margaret Atwood, actor Jim Carrey and Amy Knight, a noted historian of the KGB, were on the banned list. Read more: Russia bans more EU officials from entry The ministry said they and the other 97, many of whom are connected to ethnic Ukrainian organizations, were banned because of involvement in “formation of (Canada's) aggressively anti-Russian cou

In the “Game of Thrones” universe and the prequel “House of the Dragon” – season 1 of which just finished airing – members of the Targaryen family possess some distinguishing features. The most striking among these physical features is their silver or white hair. But, many viewers have wondered, why does every Targaryen have silver hair? It is obvious that Targaryens anticipate their offspring having white or silver hair when they are born. In fact, Viserys and Alicent Hightower’s true-born children all inherited their father’s silver hair. Meanwhile, based only on their brown hair, Rhaenyra Targaryen’s children are assumed to be “not of pure Targaryen blood”. What is it about the Targaryen silver hair? Can Targaryens have hair that is a different colour at birth? Based on George RR Martin’s books, the answer is not as simple as you may expect. So, what really causes the Targaryens to have silver hair? Read more: House of the Dragon: Did you notice this actor swap in season finale? The Targaryen family hails from Old Valyria, where lighter skin tones and hair colours were particularly common. As a result, the family had white or silvery blonde hair. The Targaryens have been able to keep their distinguishing Valyrian characteristics due to years of inbreeding. George RR Martin might have given the Targaryens such an unusual hair colour out of the blue to set them apart from the Westerosi people and suggest a certain otherworldliness about the royal lineage, underscoring the idea that they do not really belong in the Seven Kingdoms. But not every Targaryen has silver hair. In “Game of Thrones,” Jon Snow is a Targaryen, and his hair is dark. And he is not the only one. In George RR Martin’s books, characters with black hair include Baelor Breakspear and Aegor Rivers. All these instances include those who chose not to “keep it in the family.” Read more: ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel keeps dragons, adds diversity Long story short, as per genetics, it is most likely because dark hair is a dominant gene in the real world and light hair is recessive. Targaryens in “Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon” who were not born through incest have darker hair, it seems. Therefore, it is less likely that offspring born to a single Targaryen parent will exhibit Valyrian characteristics, such as silver hair.

There have been new developments in the chain of events set off by Dhallywood diva Pori Moni's viral Facebook post tagging her husband Sariful Razz, himself an actor on a hot streak, her fellow diva Bidya Sinha Mim, and the director Raihan Rafi. She has now shared a screenshot of her and Mim chatting on Messenger, where we can see Pori wrote: “People who don't know me might think I'm jealous, but how could you? I am the one who insisted that you two should work more as you look good on-screen together.” She also wrote, "Your mother also talked with me and I knocked you for Infinity Season-2. How did you forget this?" Read: Jealous of my success, a party is spreading rumours about me: Mim "Five days ago, I told Abu Raihan Jewel Bhai - to pair up Razz with you for his next project," Pori Moni also commented as can be seen in the screenshot. At the same time, Pori Moni explained that the intimacy of the on-screen pair is affecting her married life. “Making work excuses, you talk over the phone all the time,” she wrote. “But your late-night talking is troubling both me and my child. Stop these." Earlier Mim, in a Facebook post from her verified profile, asked fans and journalists not to be misguided by “false accusations”. Mim also wrote she is having the best time of her life after two of her films “Poran” and “Damal” were hugely successful. “At this particular time, a party – jealous of my success – is trying to hinder my journey by spreading rumours about me.” This is the accusation of jealousy Pori Moni was presumably addressing. Mim also warned of legal action against those circulating rumours against her, but her fellow actress let that go. This all started with Pori Moni's initial post on Wednesday in which she accused Rafi of 'dalali', implying he plays the pimp, told Mim she should've contented herself with her husband, and warned Razz he shouldn't have allowed things to get so far.  

Bangladeshi artist Jannatul Fardous Meghla scooped up the first prize at the first Annual Student Art Show (ASAS) in the UAE's Dubai. Organised by UAE-based Art Group Funun Arts at De Montfort University, 320 student artists from 60 nationalities participated in ASAS from November 4-6, focusing on 16 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Artist Meghla won the first prize in the third category for her painting "Give Clean Water," which was based on SDG Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation. She is now pursuing her BSc in architecture from North South University. Also, another Bangladeshi calligraphy artist Shamsunnahar Tasnim, a tenth-grader at Jannatul Banat Madrasha in Dhaka, received an award for her Arabic calligraphy on SDG Goal 3: Good health and well-being. The event was inaugurated by entrepreneur and Chairman of the Al Zarooni Foundation Suhail Mohd Al Zarooni, also a renowned Emirati collector and Guinness Book World Record holder, and Ahmad Al Awadhi Rukni, a renowned Emirati artist. Read: GENTLE GRASS: Faroque unveils his world in first solo exhibition in Dhaka The founder of Funun Arts Shiba Khan and Farah Khan initiated this large-scale student art show and the inaugural edition welcomed 26 self-taught artists from Bangladesh under the mentorship of artist Mahfuzur Rahman through Mahfuz Canvas.

Continuing its successful legacy of hosting early winter concerts for the rock music lovers in the capital, Brandmyth Experiential is organising ‘November Rain Volume 2’ at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) Expo Zone in the capital. The concert, scheduled to groove the rock music fans on November 12, is showcasing an ensemble line-up of 10 esteemed bands in the country: Aurthohin, Artcell, Black, Cryptic Fate, Viking, Chirkutt, Indalo, Meghdol, Ashes and Powersurge. A press conference was held at The Daily Star center on Tuesday, where the organisers briefed the journalists with the event details. Also read: Nora Fatehi finally gets permission in Bangladesh “The maiden edition of our ‘November Rain’ concert series, which featured some of the biggest artists in the nation, was held on the same date the previous year. We have then successfully organized the 25th anniversary concert of the popular band Shironamhin with overwhelmingly positive reception, and now we're ready to entertain band music fans with the ‘November Rain Volume 2’ this coming Saturday,” the organisers said at the press conference. It was announced that the Artcell, Black, Cryptic Fate – collectively known as the 'ABC' generation during the golden era of these popular bands between 2000 and 2010 - will once again enthrall their fans on November Rain Volume 2, with some exclusive collaborative performances including a special song titled ‘Ashirbad.’ Meghdol vocalist Shibu Kumer Shill praised the initiative behind the event, saying, "Our generation has huge expectations for these types of concerts. The band music scene in Bangladesh experienced a severe loss because of the Covid-19 pandemic, and this type of mega concerts can benefit the bands and the artists.” Also read: 'Dhaka Classics Japanese Recital' enthrals audience at Japanese mission Brandmyth mentioned that unlike the previous edition of ‘November Rain,’ this year the concert will be an open-air concert to entertain more audiences. The venue has been divided into two separate zones - Myth Zone and Rockers Zone, and two tiers of tickets, worth 1050 tk and 550 tk, are available for the concert at the getsetrock.com website. The venue will be welcoming the concert-goers from 1 pm, according to the organisers.

Globally renowned Bollywood actress-dancer Nora Fatehi has finally been granted permission to arrive in Bangladesh, the Ministry of Information said on Monday after much speculation and controversy regarding her arrival in the country. Women's Leadership Corporation, a community organisation, had previously applied to the government for permission to welcome the Indian-Canadian actress to shoot for a documentary titled "Women Empowerment in Bangladesh," as part of the organisation’s Global Achievers Award on November 18. In a letter issued by the Ministry of Information on Monday, it was stated that the government has granted permission to the artist, exclusively for the shooting of the aforementioned documentary. She will be allowed to visit Dhaka on November 18 just for the purpose of filming. Sharna Maria Mrittik, President of Women Leadership Corporation, confirmed the news to the media on Monday. Social media handles of the event have also been referring to her as the special guest of the event.  The clearance was granted subject to five conditions, according to a circular from the Ministry of Information that was signed by Deputy Secretary Mohammad Saiful Islam. Except for travel time, the actress is only permitted to enter the country for one day to participate in documentary filming and is not permitted to work or participate in any other activities during this period. Nora Fatehi was scheduled to arrive in Dhaka in mid-December to perform at an awards event, but the permission was denied by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs due to the dollar crisis. Read more: Bollywood: Katrina Kaif & Vicky Kaushal get death threats The dancer-actress gained popularity for item songs including "Saki Saki" and "Dilbar," and worked in several Bollywood films including "Baahubali: The Beginning," "Kick 2," "Sher," "Loafer," "Satyameva Jayate," "Stree," "Bharat," and more. She also performed in the music video of the song “Light The Sky” as part of the FIFA World Cup 2022 Soundtrack. Read more: Bollywood actress Sunny Leone arrives in Dhaka

Remembering the late Indian singer, cultural icon and politician from Assam Dr Bhupen Hazarika on his 11th death anniversary, State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid said Hazarika's songs played an influential role during the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh. "During our Liberation War, songs of Dr Bhupen Hazarika inspired our freedom fighters. He was not only a prolific cultural icon but also a politician and even served as MLA of Assam. He passionately created meaningful melodies that transcended the barriers," Khalid said. To mark his death anniversary, a Bangladesh-India ceremony was held in the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA)'s National Theatre Hall auditorium Saturday, which Khalid joined as the chief guest. Cultural Secretary of the Awami League and member of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Cultural Affairs Asim Kumar Ukil, Cultural Affairs Secretary Md Abul Monsur and Chief Coordinator of Friends of Bangladesh ASM Shamsul Arefin were also present. Bhupen Hazarika's sister-in-law and singer Manisha Hazarika and Byatikram MASDO President Soumen Bharatiya joined the event as the speakers. "I often wondered why Bhupen Da wandered around here and there – from Assam to Kolkata, Mumbai, Bangladesh and so on. Later I realised, he brought Assam to the world through his remarkable and majestic literary creations,” Manisha said. Bhupen Hazarika used to travel to Bangladesh regularly and study the folk culture of the nation, crafting an everlasting cultural bond with the country. BSA DG Liaquat Ali Lucky was a close acquaintance of Hazarika and often performed his songs as a singer. Lucky said: "While serving as the Dhaka University Central Student's Union's cultural affairs secretary, I travelled the nation singing Dr Bhupen Hazarika's songs. Also, Bhupen da complimented me and gave me the title "Bhupen of Bangladesh" after listening to my rendition of his songs."

Showcasing the brilliance of globally acclaimed Korean films, the three-day Korean Film Festival 2022 was inaugurated at the National Museum Auditorium in the capital's Shahbagh on Wednesday. State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid joined the opening ceremony of the festival organised by the Korean Embassy. South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-Keun and National Museum Director General Md Kamruzzaman also spoke. "Bangladesh and South Korea have many similarities in history, tradition and culture. Based on our similarities and strong diplomatic ties, cultural exchange between the two nations can be one of the means of strengthening mutual cooperation. And this festival is a testament to that," Khalid said. "2023 will mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and South Korea. To celebrate the occasion, cultural exchange between the two countries will be increased through special events." Khalid expressed deep grief over Halloween stampede in Seoul, the capital of South Korea on October 29. A one-minute silence was observed at the ceremony. Read more: Winners of K-pop contests Dhaka announced The embassy has selected these five films for this year's festival from various genres of Korean films, including comedy, thriller, action and animation, which will reflect and showcase various aspects of Korean history, society and modern culture. The festival began with "Escape from Mogadishu" at 6pm after the opening of the festival at the National Museum Auditorium. Thursday, two movies will be screened at the festival – "Dude in Me" at 2pm and "The Battle of Zangsari" at 5pm. Friday, the festival will screen "Underdog" at 11am and "The Edge of Shadows" at 3pm. Read more: Bangladeshi food products appreciated at South Korea fair    

A Supreme Court lawyer Saturday sent a legal notice to the creators and lead performer of the film "Hawa," including director Mejbaur Rahman Sumon and protagonist Chanchal Chowdhury, for "violating tobacco control law." The film did not show anti-tobacco messages while showcasing smoking as per the rules, Lawyer Jewel Sarkar said in his legal notice. He sent the notice to the film's director, producer, lead character and chairman of the Censor Board. Jewel said, "Even though the producer and director of the movie were warned verbally for several days, they did not add anti-tobacco messages in the movie as per the law." According to the Smoking and Usage of Tobacco Products (Control) Acts 2005 if the story of a movie requires displaying any scene containing the usage of tobacco products, it can be shown by displaying a written warning about the harmful effects of usage of tobacco products. And a health warning containing "Smoking or consuming tobacco causes death" will have to be displayed in the middle of the screen covering at least one-fifth of the screen, in white letters against a black background, in Bangla. Also, such health warnings will have to be displayed continuously as long as the scene runs, according to the Act. In case of a movie showing in a cinema hall which has a scene of usage of tobacco products, a health warning containing "Smoking or consuming tobacco causes death" will have to be displayed in full screen for at least 20 seconds in Bangla before starting the movie, before and after the break and after completion of the movie, the Act says. A gross violation of law was seen in Hawa where unnecessary smoking scenes were used without any health warning about the dangers of smoking, the notice said. However, Sumon said: "The issues mentioned here were baseless; those who have watched the movie know it very well."  

As part of celebrations for the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between Bangladesh and Japan, the Japanese Embassy in Dhaka organised the special musical event "Dhaka Classics Japanese Recital" Saturday evening. Negishi Yuki, a visiting Japanese pianist in London, and Dhaka Classics, an international ensemble of exceptional players in Dhaka under the direction of Kelley Taylor, performed at the classical music event. The other four performers of Dhaka Classics on the evening were Nakatsuka Miwa (piano), Yebin Yun (piano), Yamada Keisuke (flute) and Yamada Eiji (oboe). Yuki has established herself as a pianist of poetry, passion, and virtuosity; captivating audiences wherever she performs around the world. She performs at about 30 international concerts in a calendar year and has already performed in more than 500 concerts in the UK alone, many of which were at prestigious festivals and theatres. At night, Yuki played "Clair de Lune" by Debussy, "Rhapsody in Blue" by Gershwin, and "Merry Christmas Mr Lawrence" by Ryuichi Sakamoto. The concert began with the opening remarks of Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki, who appreciated cultural exchanges beyond boundaries through music. Education Minister Dr Dipu Moni, and State Minister for Planning Dr Shamsul Alam joined the event as special guests. Nodame Choir, a Japanese Choir in Dhaka, also performed at the event.