United News of Bangladesh

Eid-ul-Azha, one of the two major Islamic festivals, is celebrated by Chinese Muslims with religious devotion, cultural tradition and community spirit as elsewhere in the world.  As the Muslim community in China prepares to mark Eid-ul-Azha on Friday (June 6), millions of Chinese Muslims will observe the festival with dedication and joy. Celebrated across diverse regions—from the Hui-majority areas in Ningxia and Gansu to Uighur communities in Xinjiang—Eid in China reflects a rich tapestry of religious rituals and cultural customs. According to Wikipedia, China is home to an estimated 17–25 million Muslims, comprising less than 2 percent of the total population.  Eid home rush: 12-km tailback on Dhaka-M’sing highway Hui Muslims are the most numerous group nationwide.  The greatest concentration of Muslims resides in northwestern China's Xinjiang autonomous region, which has a significant Uyghur population. This geographic and cultural diversity influences how Eid is celebrated across different communities. The Muslim population in Beijing is smaller compared to many other provinces.  Muslims in the city also celebrate Eid with a festive mood. The day begins with prayers held in mosques nationwide. Speaking to UNB, one of the imams of a mosque situated in Dongcheng, Beijing, said they will offer the Eid-ul-Azha prayer at 8 am on Friday. “These special Eid Salah (prayer) sessions often draw large congregations, with sermons emphasising themes of sacrifice, gratitude, and unity.  For many Muslims, the prayer is an opportunity to reaffirm faith and seek blessings for their families and communities,” he added. He said after offering prayer, they will slaughter sacrificial animals, hoping to receive blessings from the Almighty. Md Ataur Rahman Sobuj, a Bangladeshi living in Beijing for several years, said, “We Bangladeshis usually offer Eid prayers at the Eidgah, but Chinese Muslims perform their Eid prayers at mosques instead.” He said there are about 65 mosques in Beijing and one can offer prayer at any of them without restrictions or hassles. 

Hunan Province in Central China has introduced 10 policies to strengthen cooperation with German-speaking countries and regions, the provincial Department of Commerce announced on Wednesday. The measures, effective immediately and set to remain in place for three years, aim to enhance the integration of industrial, innovation and talent chains, and to boost high-standard opening up. German-speaking countries and regions are leading in sectors such as auto manufacturing, engineering machinery and smart manufacturing, complementing Hunan's industries. A total of 34 German firms, including Bosch and Schaeffler, had cumulatively invested 2.23 billion U.S. dollars in Hunan by the end of 2024. The new policy measures cover trade, innovation, talent, finance and logistics, among others. Specific measures include those to facilitate business matches, attract projects, build cooperation platforms, and support local firms in expanding abroad. Separately, Hunan has also rolled out eight measures to ease entry, work permit, business establishment and daily life services for foreign nationals, effective June 1. Local officials of the provincial department of commerce said that all of these new measures will optimize Hunan's business environment, boost two-way investment, and enhance the province's international industrial integration. 

Several people were feared dead and many more injured in a stampede on Wednesday outside a cricket stadium in southern India. According to AP, the incident happened as thousands of cricket fans gathered outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru city to celebrate the winners of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which is the world’s most popular T20 cricket tournament. RCB’s IPL triumph belongs to Virat Kohli most of all The Times of India newspaper reported at least seven people had died in the crush. Local TV news channels showed visuals of police shifting the injured persons and those who fell unconscious to ambulances. There was no immediate comment from the authorities.

South Korea’s new President Lee Jae-myung vowed Wednesday to restart dormant talks with North Korea and bolster a trilateral partnership with the US and Japan, as he laid out key policy goals for his single, five-year term. Lee, who rose from childhood poverty to become South Korea’s leading liberal politician vowing to fight inequality and corruption, began his term earlier Wednesday, hours after winning a snap election that was triggered in April by the removal of then-President Yoon Suk Yeol over his ill-fated imposition of martial law late last year. According to AP, in his inaugural address at the National Assembly, Lee said that his government will deal with North Korean nuclear threats and its potential military aggressions with “strong deterrence” based on the South Korea-US military alliance. But he said he would “open a communication channel with North Korea and establish peace on the Korean Peninsula through talks and cooperation.” South Koreans vote for new president in wake of Yoon's ouster over martial law He said he’ll pursue pragmatic diplomacy with neighbouring countries and boost trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo cooperation. "Through pragmatic diplomacy based on national interests, we will turn the crisis posed by the major shift in global economic and security landscapes into an opportunity to maximize our national interests,” Lee said. It was unclear whether Lee’s election would cause any major, immediate shift in South Korea’s foreign policy. Lee, previously accused by critics of tilting toward China and North Korea and away from the US and Japan, has recently repeatedly stressed South Korea’s alliance with the US as the foundation of its foreign policy and avoided any contentious remarks that would raise questions on his views on the US and Japan.

The Ministry of Commerce said on Tuesday that China strongly opposes the EU's protectionist action to restrict Chinese medical device companies from participating in major EU public procurement tenders. The statement was issued in response to EU member states' decision to exclude Chinese companies from participating in public procurement tenders in the medical device sector for contracts exceeding 5 million euros (approximately 5.72 million U.S. dollars) under the bloc's International Procurement Instrument. The plan, reportedly approved on Monday, would prohibit Chinese firms from bidding on such contracts for a five-year period. The EU's decision and discriminatory measures harm the interests of Chinese enterprises, and also undermine fair competition and set up new trade barriers through unilateral tools, the ministry noted, stressing that China firmly opposes such a protectionist move. The global economic order is facing severe challenges from unilateralism and protectionism, the ministry said. As responsible major economies, China and the EU should adhere to WTO rules, uphold the principles of fairness, transparency and non-discrimination, address challenges through mutual openness, and resolve differences through cooperative dialogue to jointly safeguard the healthy development of China-EU economic and trade relations, the ministry added. It is hoped that the EU will rectify its misguided approach, the ministry said, stressing that China will closely monitor the EU's subsequent actions and take necessary measures to safeguard the lawful rights and interests of Chinese enterprises.

Millions of South Koreans are voting Tuesday for a new president in a snap election triggered by the ouster of Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who now faces an explosive trial on rebellion charges over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December. Pre-election surveys suggested Yoon’s liberal archrival, Lee Jae-myung, appeared headed for an easy win, riding on deep public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Yoon’s martial law debacle. The main conservative candidate, Kim Moon Soo, has struggled to win over moderate, swing voters as his People Power Party remains in a quagmire of internal feuding over how to view Yoon’s actions. This election serves as another defining moment in the country’s resilient democracy, but observers worry a domestic divide worsened after Yoon's martial law stunt is far from over and could pose a big political burden on the new president. The past six months saw large crowds of people rallying in the streets to either denounce or support Yoon, while a leadership vacuum caused by Yoon’s impeachment and ensuing formal dismissal rattled the country’s high-level diplomatic activities and financial markets. The winning candidate will immediately be sworn in as president Wednesday for a single, full term of five years without the typical two-month transition period. The new president will face major challenges including a slowing economy, President Donald Trump’s America-first policies and North Korea’s evolving nuclear threats. Voting began at 6 a.m. at 14,295 polling stations nationwide that will close at 8 p.m. Observers say the winner could emerge as early as midnight. South Korean conservative party fails in a bid to switch presidential candidates As of 2 p.m., more than 13 million people had cast their ballots. Combined with the 15 million who voted during last week’s two-day early voting period, voter turnout stood at 65.5%. South Korea has 44.4 million eligible voters. Final pitches made by rival candidates In a Facebook posting on Tuesday, Lee, whose Democratic Party led the legislative effort to oust Yoon, called for voters to “deliver a stern and resolute judgement” against the conservatives over martial law. In one of his final campaign speeches Monday, Lee argued that a win by Kim would mean the “the return of the rebellion forces, the destruction of democracy and the deprival of people’s human rights.” He also promised to revitalize the economy, reduce inequality and ease national divisions. He urged the people to vote for him, Kim, a former labor minister under Yoon, warned that a Lee win would allow him to wield excessive power, launch political retaliation against opponents and legislate laws to protect him from various legal troubles, as his party already controls parliament. Lee “is now trying to seize all power in South Korea and establish a Hitler-like dictatorship,” Kim told a rally in the southeastern city of Busan. Lee’s positions would impact nation’s direction Lee, who served as governor of Gyeonggi province and mayor of Seongnam city, has been a highly divisive figure in South Korean politics for years. As a former child laborer known for his inspirational rags-to-riches story, Lee came to fame through biting criticism of the country’s conservative establishment and calls to build a more assertive South Korea in foreign policy. That rhetoric has given him an image as someone who can institute sweeping reforms and fix the country’s deep-seated economic inequality and corruption. His critics view him as a dangerous populist who relies on a political division and backpedals on promises too easily. On foreign policy, Lee has not made any contentious remarks recently and has steadfastly vowed to pursue pragmatic diplomacy. He has called South Korea’s alliance with the U.S. the foundation of its foreign policy and promised to solidify a trilateral Seoul-Washington-Tokyo partnership, a stance that is not much different than the position held by South Korea’s conservatives. Experts say there aren’t many diplomatic options for South Korea as it tries to address Trump’s tariff hikes and calls for South Korea to pay more for the cost of the U.S. military presence, as well as North Korea’s headlong pursuit of nuclear weapons. Experts say that has made both Lee and Kim avoid unveiling ambitious foreign policy goals. Lee’s government still could become engaged in “a little bit of friction” with the Trump administration, while Kim’s government, which prioritize relations with Washington, will likely offer more concessions to the U.S., said Chung Jin-young, a former dean of the Graduate School of Pan-Pacific International Studies at South Korea’s Kyung Hee University. South Korea's President Yoon removed over martial law Chung predicted Lee won’t be able to pursue overly drastic steps on foreign policy and security, given the country’s foreign exchange and financial markets are very vulnerable to such changes. Lee has preached patience over Trump’s tariff policy, arguing it would be a mistake to rush negotiations in pursuit of an early agreement with Washington. Kim has said he would meet Trump as soon as possible. On Monday, South Korean trade officials held an emergency meeting to discuss a response to Trump’s announcement that the U.S. will raise tariffs on steel and aluminum products to 50% beginning June 4. South Korea’s central bank last week sharply lowered its 2025 growth outlook to 0.8%, citing the potential impact of Trump’s tariff hikes and weak domestic demand worsened by the political turmoil of past months. Prospects for improved North Korea relations are unclear Relations with North Korea remain badly strained since 2019, with the North focused on expanding its nuclear arsenal while refusing dialogues with South Korea and the U.S. Since his second term began in January, Trump has repeatedly expressed his intent to resume diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but Kim has so far ignored the offer while making Russia his priority in foreign policy. Lee, who wants warmer ties with North Korea, recently acknowledged it would be “very difficult” to realize a summit with Kim Jong Un anytime soon. Lee said he would support Trump’s push to restart talks with Kim Jong Un, which he believed would eventually allow South Korea to be involved in some projects in North Korea. Foreign policy strategists for Lee understand there isn’t much South Korea can do to bring about a denuclearization of North Korea, said Paik Wooyeal, a professor at Seoul’s Yonsei University. South Korea battles devastating wildfires as death toll reaches 27 He said Lee also doesn’t share the Korean nationalistic zeal held by ex-liberal President Moon Jae-in, who met Kim Jong Un three times during his 2017-22 term.

Shigeo Nagashima, who was known in Japan as “Mr. Pro Baseball” and was one of the most famous people in the country during his playing days, has died. He was 89. His death was confirmed Tuesday by the Yomiuri Giants, the team he helped make famous and eventually managed. His passing was also announced in special extra editions of newspapers that are handed out on street corners — a throwback to breaking news in an earlier time. He was famous in a period before Japanese players like Ichiro Suzuki and Shohei Ohtani began to star in North American MLB. Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Nagashima “gave bright dreams and hopes to the society.” Nagashima helped lead the Giants as they won nine straight Japan Series titles — the counterpart to the World Series — from 1965 through 1973. His equally famous teammate was Sadaharu Oh, who hit 868 home runs in his career. Nagashima played third base, finished with a .305 batting average, had 2,471 hits, 1,522 RBIs and 444 home runs. Gene Hackman died at home a week after wife Betsy Arakawa died from hantavirus He played for 17 seasons and retired in 1974, then returned to manage the Giants in 1975 through 1980. He was fired after the 1980 season when the Giants failed to win the Japan Series during his stint. He returned to the dugout in 1993 and led the Giants to the Japan Series title in 1994 with Hideki Matsui, who eventually joined the New York Yankees. He also won the championship in 2000. He was to set to manage Japan in the 2004 Athens Olympics, but had a stroke a few months before that left him partially paralyzed and unable to participate.  

Mongolia 's prime minister resigned early Tuesday after he failed to receive enough support in a vote of confidence in parliament, Mongolian media reported. The country's embassy in Washington confirmed it. Prime Minister Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai received 44 votes, well short of the 64 needed, according to news site ikon.mn. The vote followed weeks of protests sparked by reports of lavish spending by the prime minister’s son. Some called for the prime minister to step down. Before the vote, Oyun-Erdene warned that the vote could lead to instability and shake Mongolia’s fledgling democracy. “If governance becomes unstable, the economic situation deteriorates, and political parties cannot come to consensus. It could lead the public to lose faith in parliamentary rule and potentially put our democratic parliamentary system at risk of collapse,” he said. He defended his integrity but acknowledged a mistake: “dedicating too much time to major projects while paying insufficient attention to social and internal political matters.” Oyun-Erdene had held the post for four years and survived previous calls to step down. Yemen's internationally recognized prime minister resigns over a political dispute Last year, parliament was enlarged from 76 seats to 126 following electoral reforms. It resulted in a coalition government. Landlocked between Russia and China, Mongolia has struggled to become more democratic after its party-state era. A communist state during the Cold War, it has been transforming into a democracy since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Protesters have said the country’s mineral riches have benefited business interests and the wealthy, while many Mongolians still live in poverty. “It’s very difficult to build that foundation for democracy” at a time that Mongolia also must tackle economic problems, which are a major source of people's frustration, said Erin Murphy, deputy director and senior fellow of India and emerging Asian economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. ‘Shame on you all’: Indian-American engineer resigns over Microsoft’s Israel ties “We still have to see what happens next and how the new government plans to tackle these issues," she said. While democracy is yet to thrive in Mongolia, “it is taking root,” Murphy said.

According to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the Chinese capital welcomed 8.21 million tourists during the Dragon Boat Festival holiday, representing a 5.4 percent increase compared to the previous year. Running from May 31 to June 2, the three-day holiday saw 10.77 billion yuan (about 1.49 billion U.S. dollars) in tourism revenue in Beijing, up 6.7 percent from the same period last year. To boost the city's tourism, more than 1,700 cultural tourism events, including dragon boat carnivals, intangible cultural heritage markets and Hanfu (traditional Chinese attire) workshops, were held. This year's Dragon Boat Festival on May 31 overlapped with Children's Day on June 1, driving a high demand for family-friendly outings and educational tours. Meanwhile, 1,119 commercial performances staged across the city attracted an audience of 458,000 with a total box office revenue of 140 million yuan -- representing year-on-year growth of 32 percent, 75 percent and 130 percent, respectively. In the three days, Beijing's inbound tourism market also experienced strong growth, with 67,000 inbound visitors, a 35.8 percent increase year-on-year, and tourism revenue from them rising 41.1 percent year-on-year to 720 million yuan.

China on Sunday denounced US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth for calling the Asian country a threat, accusing him of touting a Cold War mentality as tensions between Washington and Beijing further escalate. The foreign ministry said Hegseth vilified Beijing with defamatory allegations the previous day at the Shangri-La Dialogue, a global security conference. The statement also accused the United States of inciting conflict and confrontation in the region, according to AP. “Hegseth deliberately ignored the call for peace and development by countries in the region, and instead touted the Cold War mentality for bloc confrontation,” it said, referring to the post-World War II rivalry between the US and the former Soviet Union. “No country in the world deserves to be called a hegemonic power other than the US itself,” it said, alleging that Washington is also undermining peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific. US defense secretary warns Indo-Pacific allies of 'imminent' threat from China Hegseth said in Singapore on Saturday that Washington will bolster its defences overseas to counter what the Pentagon sees as rapidly developing threats by Beijing, particularly in its aggressive stance toward Taiwan. China’s army “is rehearsing for the real deal,” Hegseth said. “We are not going to sugarcoat it — the threat China poses is real. And it could be imminent.” A ‘provocation’ by Hegseth The Chinese statement said the matter of Taiwan is China’s internal affair and that the US should “never play with fire” with it. The statement also alleged Washington had deployed offensive weaponry in the South China Sea, was “stoking flames and creating tensions in the Asia-Pacific” and "turning the region into a powder keg.” Spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang of China's defense ministry called Hegseth's comments a provocation and said they distorted China’s policy positions. The US and China had reached a deal last month to cut US President Donald Trump’s tariffs from 145 per cent to 30 per cent for 90 days, creating time for negotiators from both sides to reach a more substantive agreement. China also reduced its taxes on US goods from 125 per cent to 10 per cent.