United News of Bangladesh

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.

Nexus Television has arranged a six-day special programme to mark Eid-ul-Fitr, featuring performances by popular artists in a music show titled ‘Ganer Opare’ Hosted by Dr. Jakia Sultana and produced by M Hasan, the show will bring together noted singers and musicians each day of Eid. On Eid day, Dithi Anwar, Rokeya Ashab and Lispa Laila will perform and take part in conversations.

The Karnataka State Commission for Women has asked the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) to take strict action over alleged obscene and derogatory lyrics used in films, particularly in a song from the movie ‘KD: The Devil’. In a letter to the CBFC’s regional director, the Commission expressed concern about the song ‘Sarke Chunar Teri Sarke’, saying it portrays women in a disrespectful manner. The move came after receiving multiple public complaints. The Commission said such lyrics violate film certification rules and could negatively affect women’s safety and social well-being. It stressed that any content that demeans or presents women in an obscene way should not be approved for public release. It urged the CBFC to carefully review such scenes and lyrics and ensure they are removed or modified before granting certification. It also called for action against those responsible for including such content. In a separate letter to the Karnataka Film Chamber of Commerce, the Commission raised similar concerns and asked for steps to regulate the use of offensive language in films. It warned that such content could encourage harassment, especially among young people. Meanwhile, actor Kangana Ranaut criticised the song, calling it a “new low” and urging stricter control over vulgar content in Bollywood. The issue has also reached legal authorities, as a lawyer filed a complaint seeking action against the song, alleging it contains highly vulgar and sexually suggestive content that may harm public decency. Source: NDTV

A US federal judge on Tuesday directed the Trump administration to reinstate operations of Voice of America, which had been largely shut down a year ago, clearing the way for hundreds of employees on administrative leave to resume work. US District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth instructed the U.S. Agency for Global Media to submit a plan within a week to bring VOA back on air. The broadcaster has been running with minimal staff since President Donald Trump issued an executive order to close it. Earlier, Lamberth ruled that Kari Lake, Trump’s pick to head the agency, lacked the legal authority for her actions involving VOA. In Tuesday’s decision, he criticised the measures taken in response to Trump’s directive, which sidelined 1,042 of the organisation’s 1,147 employees, saying no sound justification had been provided. There was no immediate response from the agency. Lake had earlier opposed the court’s March 7 ruling and indicated plans to appeal. Meanwhile, Trump has nominated Sarah Rogers, currently undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, to lead USAGM, subject to Senate approval. Patsy Widakuswara, VOA’s White House bureau chief and one of the plaintiffs, welcomed the ruling, expressing hope of rebuilding the organisation and restoring trust among its global audience. Founded during World War II, VOA has long provided news to countries with limited press freedom. Before the shutdown order, it broadcast in 49 languages, reaching an estimated 362 million people worldwide.

The 98th Academy Awards on Sunday delivered one of the most exciting Oscars ceremonies in years, with a mix of thrilling winners, historic milestones, and heartfelt tributes that kept audiences captivated. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another emerged as the big winner, taking six Oscars including best picture, while Ryan Coogler’s Sinners won four, marking a rare box-office and awards success for both films. Netflix’s Frankenstein and KPop Demon Hunters also earned multiple wins, proving that popular streaming films could compete with traditional cinema. The ceremony saw historic firsts, including Autumn Durald Arkapaw becoming the first woman to win an Oscar for cinematography for Sinners, and Jessie Buckley becoming the first Irish woman to win best actress. Michael B. Jordan and Ryan Coogler made history as among the few Black recipients in leading acting and screenwriting categories. Host Conan O’Brien set a lively tone, blending humor and political edge, while the In Memoriam segment stood out with emotional tributes, including Barbra Streisand’s homage to Robert Redford. Unlike recent years, the 2026 Oscars avoided major mishaps, running smoothly with no envelope mix-ups or on-stage controversies, and even included a rare tie in the best short film category. The ceremony reflected both cinematic achievement and commercial appeal, signaling a rejuvenation of the Oscars experience for audiences worldwide.   With inputs from BBC

The film One Battle After Another dominated the 98th Academy Awards, winning six Oscars including the coveted best picture award at the ceremony in Los Angeles. Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the dark comedy action thriller also secured awards for best director and best casting, marking a major triumph for the filmmaker after multiple previous nominations. The film features a star-studded cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor and Chase Infiniti. It received 13 nominations this year. In the acting categories, Michael B. Jordan won best actor for his role in the film Sinners, while Jessie Buckley took home the best actress award for her performance in Hamnet. Buckley’s win made her the first Irish actress to claim the Oscar for best actress. In her acceptance speech, she dedicated the award to “the beautiful chaos of a mother’s heart.” Meanwhile, Autumn Durald Arkapaw became the first woman to win the Oscar for best cinematography for her work on Sinners. In another historic moment, the films The Singers and Two People Exchanging Saliva shared the award for best live-action short film, marking only the sixth tie in the category in the nearly century-long history of the Academy Awards. The ceremony was hosted by US comedian Conan O'Brien and took place in Los Angeles.   With inputs from BBC

Actor Madhu Malhotra, known for her supporting roles in Hindi films during the 1980s and 1990s, has died at the age of 72. Although she never emerged as a leading star, Malhotra became familiar to audiences through appearances in several popular Bollywood productions. One of her most memorable performances was in Hero, directed by Subhash Ghai. In the 1983 hit action romance, she portrayed a gypsy woman featured in the well-known song Lambi Judai, sung by Reshma. The film is also remembered for launching the careers of Jackie Shroff and Meenakshi Seshadri. Malhotra also appeared in the 1982 action-comedy Satte Pe Satta, directed by Raj N. Sippy and starring Amitabh Bachchan and Hema Malini. In the ensemble film, she was paired opposite actor Paintal. She made her film debut in the horror movie Andhera by the Ramsay Brothers. Her entry into mainstream Hindi cinema came with The Great Gambler (1979), directed by Shakti Samanta, where she played the sister of the character portrayed by Amitabh Bachchan. A regular collaborator of Subhash Ghai, Malhotra also appeared in the 1980 hit Karz alongside Rishi Kapoor, Simi Garewal and Tina Munim. Before gaining recognition through “Lambi Judai,” she played the love interest of Prem Chopra in the romantic drama Aas Paas, which starred Dharmendra and Hema Malini. Despite appearing in numerous films, her career largely remained limited to secondary and supporting roles. She later portrayed the sister of Anil Kapoor in the 1992 adaptation of Heer Ranjha, which featured Sridevi in the title role. In 1993, she played Mrs Malik in King Uncle, directed by Rakesh Roshan and starring Shah Rukh Khan, Jackie Shroff and Nagma. She also appeared in Ghulam, directed by Vikram Bhatt and headlined by Aamir Khan and Rani Mukerji. Her final screen appearance came in the 2000 film Woh Bewafa Thi, directed by Mohan Bhakri, which featured Sudesh Berry among its cast.  source:The Indian Express 

Cast members of the hit comedy Bridesmaids reunited at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Saturday as they rehearsed for their role as presenters at the upcoming 98th Academy Awards. Actors Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Kristen Wiig and Ellie Kemper gathered on stage to run through their lines a day before the awards ceremony. Fifteen years after the film’s release, the group appeared delighted to reunite, sharing laughs and chatting while preparing for their cue. During the rehearsal, Wiig took on a directing role, asking about lighting and camera timing to ensure the segment would run smoothly. Byrne is also among the nominees at this year’s ceremony for her leading performance in the film If I Had Legs I’d Kick You. Other presenters were also seen rehearsing ahead of the event. Javier Bardem and Adrien Brody attended the practice session in casual outfits, both wearing sneakers. Bardem briefly stepped into the auditorium to greet Lynette Howell Taylor, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and the academy’s chief executive Bill Kramer. The atmosphere inside the theatre was calm as producers, technicians and camera operators continued final preparations for the show. Rehearsals have been taking place for several days and will continue through Saturday evening. Producers have also teased several reunion moments during the ceremony, including appearances by Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow. Another reunion will feature Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor from the film Moulin Rouge!. The awards ceremony, hosted by Conan O'Brien, will take place Sunday at the Dolby Theatre and will be broadcast live on ABC.  

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