United News of Bangladesh

Nepal's mountaineering community celebrated the conquest of the world's highest mountain with a rally of climbers, guides and others who gathered for International Everest Day. The event Thursday marked the 72nd anniversary of the first summit climb of Mount Everest on May 29, 1953, by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay, reports AP. Nepal's minister for culture and tourism led the celebration in the capital, Kathmandu,that included a walk around the city and a gathering at the old palace. “We are celebrating May 29 as the international Sagarmatha (Everest) day because the world needs to continue to recognize the achievement and contribution of Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay,” said Ang Tshering, who runs Kathmandu-based Asian Trekking.  Nepal hosts environment conference as Himalayan glaciers melt The event was not just a celebration for the mountaineering community but also a festival for Nepal and the world, said Tshering, who has helped hundreds of clients scale the Himalayan peaks. Nepal contains eight of the highest peaks in the world and every year hundreds of foreign climbers fly to the country in South Asia to tackle the mountains. The climbers hire thousands of people in Nepal to assist their climbs by carrying gear, cooking food and generally taking care of them as they spend weeks in the mountains. Nepal's government collects money from the climbers through permit fees. The end of May also marks the end of the popular spring mountaineering season, when climbers finish their adventures and retreat from the peaks before the monsoon season brings foul weather. "This day is celebrated also to mark the end of the climbing season where we gather climbers and the community," Jiban Ghimire of Shangri-La Nepal Trek said. According to Nepal’s Department of Mountaineering, 468 foreign climbers from 57 countries received permits to climb Everest by the end of May, along with a roughly equal number of Nepalese mountain guides. Many were able to scale the peak, but officials were still working to verify how many reached the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) summit. Climbers must report to the department with proof they reached the summit and cleared their garbage before they are issued the official certificate. Nepal seeks partnerships with Bangladesh in key areas Famed Sherpa guide Kami Rita reached the Everest summit for the 31st time Tuesday, breaking his own record for the most climbs to the top of the famed mountain.

Imagine standing on a balcony at night, the ground disappearing into a dark abyss below while a pattern of glittering stars stretches endlessly across the sky canvas above. This breathtaking scene is a reality at a cliffside hotel in east China. "It was a thrilling and romantic experience I'll never forget," said a guest surnamed Zhang, who recently stayed at the hotel located in the Wangxian Valley Scenic Spot in Jiangxi Province, Xinhua reports. Once a granite mining quarry where villagers had lived and worked, Wangxian Valley has been transformed into a popular tourist destination following a government ban on disorderly mining, with its natural cliffs creatively repurposed into attractions such as cliffside hotels, cliff skywalks and waterfalls. Venice broadens tourist tax to tackle overtourism Thanks to its ethereal and mystical views, this valley has garnered wide attention online. The hashtag "Wangxian Valley" has racked up approximately 3.23 billion views on the Chinese short-video sharing platform Douyin. In the first quarter of 2025, the valley hosted 615,800 visitors, generating 120 million yuan (about 16.71 million US dollars) in revenue. This tourism boom has also benefited surrounding villagers. Many of them have opened shops and restaurants within the scenic area, while others have found jobs such as waiters and cleaners. The success of Wangxian Valley exemplifies Jiangxi's efforts to tap into its rich mountainous and hilly landscapes -- accounting for over 70 per cent of the province's land area -- by developing distinctive "cliff" tourism.

In Japan, cats with short, bent tails are believed to bring good luck, and Nagasaki is one of the best places to see them. Known locally as “omagari neko” (bent-tail cats) or “kagi neko” (hook cats), these feline charmers have a dedicated following, complete with a special Shinto shrine and their own fan society—the Nagasaki Cat Society. According to Kazuya Hideshima, a staff member at the Omagari Neko Shrine and a member of the society, the cats’ distinctive tails come in a variety of shapes, including hooked tips, curls, and bun-like forms. Studies show that bobtail cats make up about 80% of Nagasaki’s feline population—double the proportion found anywhere else in Japan. Cats are thought to have arrived in Japan from China in the 6th century, brought by Buddhist monks to protect sacred texts from rats during sea voyages. The bobtails of Nagasaki, however, trace their lineage back to the Dutch East Indies. During Japan’s period of isolation (17th–19th century), Nagasaki was the country’s only open port, and ships from Southeast Asia relied on these cats to safeguard goods from rodent damage. Veterinarian and feline expert Soshin Yamamoto explained that the bobtail trait likely resulted from a genetic mutation that flourished in the relatively closed environment of historical Nagasaki. “Having bobtails doesn’t impact a cat’s well-being, especially if they live around humans and don’t need to navigate wild terrain,” he said. Today, Nagasaki locals hope these lucky cats can also bring fortune in the form of tourism and economic activity. “I already knew Nagasaki was famous for these bent-tail cats,” said Natsuno Kani, a 50-year-old tourist from Tokyo, while visiting the cat shrine. But for others, the discovery was a surprise. “This is my first time hearing about them,” said Abigail Tarraso, a Spanish artist living in neighboring Saga prefecture. Similarly, American artist Cindy Bi, also visiting Nagasaki, said, “I’m excited to look for them—maybe we’ll spot a few.”

The White House released a new report highlighting what it claims are the causes of chronic disease in children. The report fleshes out many of the themes that have emerged as priorities for the Make America Healthy Again, or MAHA, movement promoted by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. One major area of focus is the negative health effects of ultraprocessed foods. The report points to the prevalence of ultraprocessed foods in the American diet as a key contributor to chronic illness in children and cites research that finds that nearly 70% of children’s diets and 50% of pregnant and postpartum women’s diets in the U.S. consist of ultraprocessed foods. The Conversation U.S. asked Paul Dawson, a food scientist at Clemson University, to explain how the government’s stance on the harms of ultraprocessed foods squares with the science. What are ultraprocessed foods? Concerns that ingredients used by food manufacturers can contribute to chronic illness first emerged in the 1970s and 1980s, when research began linking processed food consumption to increasing rates of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The term “ultraprocessed food” dates back to the 1980s and was used to describe convenience foods and snacks that contained high amounts of additives and had low nutritional value. As research on the health effects of ultraprocessed foods began to build, experts in public health and the food industry have debated the meaning of the term. Increasingly, researchers are settling on defining ultraprocessed foods based on a framework called the Nova Food Classification System, created in 2009 by nutrition researchers in Brazil. The framework assigns foods to one of four groups based on the level of processing they undergo: Group 1 - Unprocessed or minimally processed foods: This category includes raw fruits, vegetables and meats that may be cleaned, frozen or fermented but remain close to their natural state. Group 2 - Processed culinary ingredients: Think salt, sugar, oils and other ingredients extracted from nature and used to cook and flavor foods. Group 3 - Processed foods: Foods in this category are made by adding ingredients like salt or sugar to Group 1 items — for example, canned vegetables or cheese. Group 4 - Ultraprocessed foods: These are mostly foods that contain ingredients not found in a typical kitchen, such as hydrogenated oils, modified starches, flavor enhancers, color additives and preservatives. Examples include chips, sodas, candy bars and many frozen meals, which are designed to be hyper-palatable and often nutrient-poor. What does research say about ultraprocessed foods? Blood and urine markers may reveal intake of ultraprocessed foods, study finds A growing body of research links ultraprocessed foods with many negative health outcomes, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and cognitive decline. One issue is that these products are typically high in added sugar, sodium, saturated fats and chemical additives, and low in fiber, vitamins and essential micronutrients. But some studies also suggest that what makes these foods harmful isn’t just the ingredients but also how they’re made. That’s because the industrial processing of fats and starches can produce harmful compounds. For example, a substance called acrolein, formed when oils are heated at high temperatures, has been linked to DNA damage. Studies are also finding that microparticles from packaging and plastics, now found in air, water and food, may disrupt the gut microbiome, a key player in immune and metabolic health. One drawback of nutrition studies is that they often rely on self-reported dietary data, which can be inaccurate. They can also have confounding factors that are difficult to account for, such as lifestyle patterns. However, the consistency of the findings across diverse populations gives credence to the growing concerns about ultraprocessed foods. An important caveat, however, is that not all ultraprocessed foods are created equal. They vary in how nutritious they are, and some ultraprocessed foods play an important role for vulnerable populations. For example, foods containing the slow-release carbohydrate sweetener sucromalt help people with diabetes prevent blood sugar spikes, and hypoallergenic infant formula can be lifesaving for infants that cannot digest milk at a young age. How does the MAHA report fit with current dietary guidelines? The report echoes key themes of the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, a document jointly published by the Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services every five years. Both the MAHA report and the federal guidelines encourage the consumption of nutrient-dense, whole foods. One critical difference between them is that the 2020-2025 dietary guidelines make no mention of ultraprocessed foods. Some public health experts have noted that this omission may reflect food industry influence. What happens next? Kennedy has stated that a follow-up report outlining a strategy and potential policy reforms for addressing childhood chronic illness will be released in mid-August 2025. Nebraska to ban soda and energy drinks from SNAP under first USDA waiver However, change is unlikely to be straightforward. Ultraprocessed foods represent a significant industry, and policies that challenge their prominence may encounter resistance from influential commercial interests. For decades, U.S. agricultural subsidies, food policy and consumers have supported the mass production and consumption of ultraprocessed foods. Reversing their overconsumption will require structural shifts in how food is produced, distributed and consumed in the U.S.

Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) celebrated the 126th birth anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam on Monday evening with a cultural event titled 'Chetona O Jagorone Nazrul' at BSA's National Theatre Hall Auditorium in Segun Bagicha. The programme was organized by the academy’s Music, Dance and Recitation Department. Mohammad Wares Hossain, Secretary and Acting Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, presided over the event, while Mehjabeen Rahman, Director of the Music, Dance and Recitation Department, delivered the welcome address. In his remarks, Mohammad Wares Hossain highlighted the historic significance of the government's recent official recognition of Kazi Nazrul Islam as the National Poet through a gazette notification for the first time. “Although Nazrul has long been regarded as our national poet in spirit, the current interim government has made it official. This recognition fulfills a long-cherished dream of Nazrul lovers and researchers,” he said. He further noted, “Nazrul was a poet of equality and rebellion; whenever he saw oppression, he voiced resistance through his poems and prose. We witnessed that same spirit during the mass uprising of July 2024.”

The American University of Baghdad celebrated the graduation of its first cohort of students Saturday at a campus that was once a palace built by Saddam Hussein. Officials said they hope the graduation will mark the beginning of a new era in higher education in Iraq rooted in modernity, openness and international academic standards. The university was inaugurated in 2021 on the site of the al-Faw Palace, built on an island in the middle of an artificial lake by Saddam in the 1990s to mark the retaking of the peninsula of the same name during the war. After the U.S.-led invasion that unseated Saddam in 2003, it was used as a U.S. coalition military headquarters called Camp Victory. It was later developed into an American-style university with a core liberal arts program through funding by influential Iraqi business owner Saadi Saihood. A total of 38 students — 20 male and 18 female — graduated Saturday with degrees in business administration, sciences and humanities at a ceremony attended by political dignitaries as well as families and faculty members. Speaking to the attendees, university President Dr. Michael Mulnix reflected on the university’s rocky beginnings. “When I first arrived at the American University of Baghdad in 2018, the campus looked nothing like it does today," he said. "Years of war and neglect had left the infrastructure in ruins, with many buildings damaged or destroyed. Today, we stand before an exceptional, nonprofit academic institution that ranks among the finest research universities.” Trump administration bars Harvard from enrolling foreign students Today AUB has a growing network of international partnerships with top universities, he said, including Vanderbilt University, Colorado School of Mines, Lawrence Technological University, Temple University, the University of Exeter, and Sapienza University of Rome. University founder and owner Saihood called the graduation “a symbolic moment that affirms this institution was built to last and to make a real difference.” He acknowledged the economic challenges facing graduates, especially the scarcity of government employment, but emphasized that the university has equipped its students with the adaptability and initiative needed to thrive in the private sector or through entrepreneurship. Although Iraq's security situation has improved in recent years after decades of conflict, the country still suffers from brain drain as young people seek opportunities and stability abroad. Top 10 Countries Offering Post-Study Work Visas for International Students “The future in Iraq is not easy. All of us graduates have concerns," said Mohammed Baqir from Najaf province, who graduated Saturday with a bachelor's degree in business. "But what sets us apart from other universities is that we’ve already received job offers through AUB, especially in the private sector. Although my education cost around ten million Iraqi dinars, it was a truly valuable investment.” Ten million Iraqi dinars equals about $7,600.

In many African cultures, a big belly has long been seen as a sign of wealth. But this perception is proving deadly as deaths due to obesity -related illnesses rise. In Kenya, overweight politicians are often called Boss or Mkubwa — Swahili for “big man” — by constituents, with their girth symbolizing prosperity. Younger politicians, including the governors of Nairobi and Mombasa, have begun speaking publicly about weight loss. Obesity contributes to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, which have become Kenya's leading cause of death. The health ministry says they are responsible for 39% of fatalities annually. In a country where the government has said almost a third of the population is still unable to fulfill food needs, 13% adults are obese, according to the 2025 World Obesity Atlas. The contrast highlights the country's growing inequality and the popularity of fast and processed foods by those with rising incomes. Perceptions about obesity can affect financial and other decisions. In neighboring Uganda, microfinance institutions vetted loan applicants based on their weight, and those overweight were considered more able to repay loans, according to a study published by the American Economic Review in 2023. “Most people feel like when I start making money, I have to look like the money itself by being fat or obese,” said Kenyan nutritionist Felix Okoth. “They however don’t realize that they are predisposing themselves to these lifestyle conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.” The World Health Organization's Africa director has called the rising trend a “ticking time bomb" for the continent with the world's youngest and fastest growing population. Some are trying to change the conversation around weight. A former senator in Kenya, Cleophas Malala, has described how a 15-hour flight to the U.S. left him in pain and how doctors advised him to reduce. Swim lessons can be lifesaving for children with autism From a starting weight of 138 kilograms (304 pounds), he embarked on a non-solid diet for 90 days. Though he didn’t disclose his current weight, before-and-after photos show him noticeably slimmer. “My colleagues in parliament were mad that I left the ‘club’ after I lost weight,” the 39-year-old has said. Stephen Ogweno, who had childhood obesity and later became a public health advocate, said most Kenyan legislators don’t see the issue as a problem. “These discussions are held in parliament where most MPs have big bellies, and so admitting that it concerns them, too, would be a good place to start,” he said, Kenyan President William Ruto has spoken publicly about the need to be fit for work. He had to reassure Kenyans in 2023 that he was okay after online speculation about his health following weight loss. “I decided to cut it down because the task ahead was not easy,” he told journalists. Increasing incomes, proliferation of fast-food outlets in urban areas, sedentary lifestyles and lack of infrastructure that promotes physical activity have been named as probable causes of rising obesity in developing countries. “We need to make sure that when we move away from lack of food, we are not going to the wrong food groups,” said a Kampala-based doctor, Miriam Laker Oketta. Public health campaigns will help demystify the perception that weight is an indication of wealth, said Caroline Kirui, the Africa director for Project ECHO, an information-sharing platform for healthcare workers. Gyms, weight loss drugs and surgeries are being increasingly advertised in Kenya. But approaches such as the Ozempic weight-loss drug have left some users like Caroline Havi dissatisfied. She said she turned to a one-meal-a-day diet instead and hopes to eventually reduce her weight from 105 kilograms to 70 “without spending so much." In South Africa, obesity-related deaths due to non-communicable diseases have surpassed HIV-related deaths, according to the WHO. The 2025 World Obesity Atlas said 32% of South Africa's adults are obese. Blood and urine markers may reveal intake of ultraprocessed foods, study finds The perception that weight is a symbol of wealth is slowly changing, said Rebone Ntsie, nutrition director at the National Department of Health. “There are those who still see it like that, but people are also seeing the dangers and its no longer celebrated as a sign of dignity, beauty, respect, social status," she said.

A young howler monkey was seen clinging to the back of an older male monkey, tightly gripping its fur. But the two weren't related — and they weren’t even the same species. Scientists reviewing camera footage from a small island in Panama discovered unexpected and unsettling behavior: capuchin monkeys were seen taking baby howler monkeys. At least 11 such incidents occurred between 2022 and 2023. “This was an incredibly surprising discovery,” said Zoë Goldsborough, a behavioral ecologist at Germany’s Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. “We’ve never documented anything quite like this in the animal world.” The reasons behind the behavior remain unclear. Capuchins, which are roughly the size of house cats, live in Central and South America. Known for their intelligence, they can adopt new behaviors socially, and one group in Panama even uses stones to crack open nuts and shellfish. Goldsborough and her colleagues from Max Planck and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute had originally set up over 80 cameras to study tool use among capuchins. But in early 2022, they unexpectedly began recording young howler monkeys appearing in the footage. The videos showed capuchins moving around and using tools while carrying baby howlers on their backs. However, the actual abductions weren’t caught on camera — likely because they took place in the treetops, where howlers typically stay. “Our understanding is limited by what the cameras captured,” said co-author Margaret Crofoot. The findings were published this week in the journal Current Biology. In most of the observed cases, the infant howlers died. Typically, these babies would still be nursing and remain close to their mothers. The captured infants were only a few weeks to a few months old — too young to survive on their own. “Part of me hopes some of them managed to get back to their mothers, but we just don’t know,” Crofoot added. Some videos showed young male capuchins still carrying the deceased howler babies, possibly starved. Although it’s not unusual in the animal kingdom — with species like gorillas and orcas sometimes carrying their dead young — the reasons behind such behavior are still not well understood. There were no signs of violence or intent to eat the babies, ruling out predation as a motive. “We’ve all spent countless hours trying to figure out why this is happening,” said Goldsborough. She speculates the first capuchin involved may have been driven by a misdirected caregiving instinct, as he handled the babies gently. Afterward, four more males began imitating the behavior. Researchers don’t believe the capuchins intentionally harmed the infants. So far, this phenomenon has only been observed in one group. This unusual behavior highlights just how much social dynamics can differ even within the same species, noted Catherine Crockford, a primatologist at France’s CNRS Institute for Cognitive Sciences, who was not part of the study.

Renowned Japanese contemporary artist Takashi Murakami, known for his signature smiling, rainbow-hued flowers, has launched a vibrant and thought-provoking exhibit at the Cleveland Museum of Art, opening to the public this Sunday. Titled “Takashi Murakami: Stepping on the Tail of a Rainbow,” the exhibition is an expanded version of a show previously held in Los Angeles and features over 100 works spanning various media — from paintings and sculptures to collaborations with luxury fashion brands like Louis Vuitton, album art, and even Major League Baseball merchandise. Murakami, whose style often blends playful imagery with deeper socio-historical commentary, said he intentionally pairs cheerful visuals with references to collective trauma, reflecting on how events shape societies. “It might seem like my work is very light and accessible — and that’s intentional,” he told the Associated Press. “It’s one of my tricks.” The exhibit explores themes of cultural memory and resilience. According to Ed Schad, curator at The Broad museum in Los Angeles, the artworks are steeped in historical context and serve as a reflection of societal health and response to trauma. “What society is reacting to most in this exhibition is the idea of trauma,” he noted. Among the standout pieces is Pom and Me, a sculpture depicting Murakami and his dog, half of their bodies rendered in anatomical detail, revealing internal organs and bones. The piece symbolizes the artist’s Western experiences filtered through his Japanese identity. Another installation features a wall of square portraits of cartoon-like flowers, their expressions ranging from joyful to sorrowful — some crying, others zombie-like or stunned as if watching fireworks. Organized by background color to form a rainbow, these images hint at emotional complexity beneath their playful surface. While the works don’t explicitly depict historical events, the museum contextualizes them against three major moments in Japanese history: the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II, the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and resulting Fukushima nuclear disaster, and the global COVID-19 pandemic. Visitors to the lower-level gallery first pass through a structure modeled after the Yumedono (Hall of Dreams) from Horyuji Temple in Nara, Japan. Inspired by the 2024 TV series Shōgun, this octagonal pavilion houses four recent Murakami paintings: Blue Dragon Kyoto, Vermillion Bird Kyoto, White Tiger Kyoto, and Black Tortoise Kyoto — completed between 2023 and 2025. The ticketed exhibition will remain on view through early September.

A unique cultural event, “Mohurter Mayajal: Photo, Art and Craft Exhibition Season 2,” was held at Bangladesh Agricultural University (BAU) on Friday, with the participation of over a hundred students. The event took place at the university’s scenic Amtala premises and was organised for the second time by Aesthetic BAU, the university’s creative platform. The exhibition featured a live photo contest, bioscope showings, cultural performances, and a special serving of 1,000 cups of tea, among various other attractions. Students showcased the beauty and emotions of campus life through paintings, handmade crafts, and photographs captured on mobile phones.