United News of Bangladesh

Kanye West’s Twitter and Instagram accounts have been locked because of anti-Jewish posts by the rapper, now known legally as Ye. Spokespersons for Twitter and Instagram parent Meta said Sunday that Ye posted messages that violated their policies. In a tweet sent late Saturday, Ye said he would soon go “death con 3 on JEWISH PEOPLE,” according to internet archive records. That’s an apparent reference to the U.S. military readiness condition scale known as DEFCON. In the same tweet, which was removed by Twitter, he said: “You guys have toyed with me and tried to black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda.” Earlier this month, Ye had been criticized for wearing a “White Lives Matter” T-shirt to his collection at Paris Fashion Week. Rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs posted a video on Instagram saying he didn’t support the shirt, and urged people not to buy it. On Instagram, Ye posted a screenshot of a text conversation with Diddy and suggested he was controlled by Jewish people, according to media reports. Under their policies, the two social networks prohibit the posting of offensive language. Ye’s Twitter account is still active but he can’t post until the suspension ends, after an unspecified period. Meta, which owns Facebook as well as Instagram, at times will place restrictions on accounts that it deems repeatedly break its rules. The sanctions may include temporary restrictions on posting, commenting or sending direct messages. Ye had returned to Twitter on Saturday following a nearly two-year hiatus, reportedly after Instagram locked his account. Billionaire and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who last week renewed his $44 billion offer to buy Twitter following a monthslong legal battle with the company, greeted Ye’s return to the platform before his suspension by tweeting, “Welcome back to Twitter, my friend.” Musk has said he would remake Twitter into a free speech haven and relax restrictions, although it’s impossible to know precisely how he would run the influential network if he were to take over.

Samarjit Roy Chowdhury, one of the most prominent Bangladeshi artists and art educators, passed away at 2:40 pm in a city hospital on Sunday.  The Ekushey Padak-winning painter (85) was suffering from multiple health issues, according to his family.Confirming the matter, Dhaka University fine arts faculty dean Nisar Hossain told the media that the revered artist was admitted to the hospital with heart complications and later suffered from pneumonia.According to Chowdhury’s son Surojit Roy Chowdhury, the art maestro was admitted to Labaid Hospital in the capital on September 5. After a week of treatment, the family took him home on September 12; however, he was readmitted to the hospital on September 15 due to complications.News of his departure created a shadow of grief among the artist community in the country.The artist's body will be placed at DU's fine arts faculty on Monday at 10 am, where his admirers can pay their respects. Read: Eminent painter Syed Jahangir’s second death anniversary on Tuesday Born in 1937 in Cumilla, Chowdhury graduated in Graphic Design from the Government Art Institute (presently Faculty of Fine Art, Dhaka University) in 1960. He received direct tutelage from legendary art maestros of the nation including Shilpacharya Zainul Abedin, Quamrul Hassan, Anwarul Huq, Mohammed Kibria and Safiuddin AhmedHe joined the Dhaka University Faculty of Fine Art in 1960 and served there for 43 years before retiring as a Professor in 2003. He also taught there as a supernumerary professor since 2014.Up until 2010, he also served as the dean for the Department of Fine and Performing Arts at Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology.In 2014, he received the Ekushey Padak, the second-highest civilian award in Bangladesh, for his meaningful contribution to the country’s art sphere.

South Korea’s military appears to want to conscript members of the K-pop supergroup BTS for mandatory military duties, as the public remains sharply divided over whether they should be given exemptions. Lee Ki Sik, commissioner of the Military Manpower Administration, told lawmakers on Friday that it’s “desirable” for BTS members to fulfill their military duties to ensure fairness in the country’s military service. Earlier this week, Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup made almost identical comments about BTS at a parliamentary committee meeting, and Culture Minister Park Bo Gyoon said his ministry would soon finalize its position on the issue. Whether the band’s seven members must serve in the army is one of the hottest issues in South Korea because its oldest member, Jin, faces possible enlistment early next year after turning 30 in December. Under South Korean law, all able-bodied men are required to perform 18-21 months of military service. But the law provides special exemptions for athletes, classical and traditional musicians, and ballet and other dancers who have won top prizes in certain competitions that enhance national prestige. Without a revision of the law, the government can take steps to grant special exemptions. But past exemptions for people who performed well in non-designated competitions triggered serious debate about the fairness of the system. Read: 3 members of K-pop sensation BTS diagnosed with COVID-19 Since the draft forces young men to suspend their professional careers or studies, the dodging of military duties or creation of exemptions is a highly sensitive issue. In one recent survey, about 61% of respondents supported exemptions for entertainers such as BTS, while in another, about 54% said BTS members should serve in the military. Several amendments of the conscription law that would pave the way for BTS members to be exempted have been introduced in the National Assembly, but haven’t been voted on with lawmakers sharply divided on the matter. Lee, the defense minister, earlier said he had ordered officials to consider conducting a public survey to help determine whether to grant exemptions to BTS. But the Defense Ministry later said it would not carry out such a survey. In August, Lee said if BTS members join the military, they would likely be allowed to continue practicing and to join other non-serving BTS members in overseas group tours. People who are exempted from the draft are released from the military after three weeks of basic training. They are also required to perform 544 hours of volunteer work and continue serving in their professional fields for 34 months.

Oscar-winning actors Marion Cotillard and Juliette Binoche, as well as other French stars of screen and music, filmed themselves chopping off locks of their hair in a video posted Wednesday in support of protesters in Iran. “For freedom,” Binoche said as she hacked a large handful of hair off the top of her head with a pair of scissors, before brandishing it in front of the camera. The video, hashtagged HairForFreedom, comes with Iran engulfed by anti-government protests. They were sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after her arrest for allegedly violating the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code. The video of Cotillard, Binoche and dozens of other women cutting off locks of their hair was released on an Instagram account, “soutienfemmesiran” — which translates as “support women in Iran.” “These women, these men are asking for our support. Their courage and their dignity obliges us,” said a post with the video. “We have decided to respond to the appeal made to us by cutting — us too — some of these locks.” Some of the other women who took part included actors Charlotte Rampling and Charlotte Gainsbourg, who was also filmed cutting off a lock of hair from the head of her mother, singer Jane Birkin.

The long list of celebrities promoting cryptocurrencies just got shorter. Kim Kardashian is being barred from doing so for three years — and will pay a $1 million fine -- to settle federal charges that she recommended a crypto security to her 330 million Instagram followers without making clear that she was paid to do so. The reality TV star also must give up the $250,000 she was paid for the Instagram post about Ethereum Max tokens, plus interest, according to a Securities and Exchange Commission settlement announced Monday. Kardashian is the latest celebrity to get ensnared in regulations that require full disclosure by people getting paid to promote financial products. In 2020, actor Steven Seagal agreed to pay more than $300,000 as part of a similar settlement with the SEC, which also banned him from promoting investments for three years. In 2018, the SEC settled charges against professional boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. and music producer DJ Khaled for failing to disclose payments they received for promoting investments in a digital currency. Many celebrities and athletes regularly promote crypto through advertisements on TV and online in ways that do not violate any law. Matt Damon, Tom Brady, Reese Witherspoon and Gwyneth Paltrow are among those who have used their fame to spread enthusiasm for cryptocurrencies. SEC Chair Gary Gensler said in a statement that the Kardashian settlement “serves as a reminder to celebrities and others that the law requires them to disclose to the public when and how much they are paid to promote investing in securities.” Gensler also used Monday's attention-grabbing settlement with a celebrity as an opportunity to educate the public, releasing a humorous YouTube video that warns about the potential pitfalls of investment advice doled out by the rich and famous. “Bravo to SEC Chairman Gensler, whose action shows that no celebrity, regardless of how big or famous, that profited from pushing these risky cryptocurrency investments should be able to simply walk away," said Adam Moskowitz, a class-action attorney currently suing Mark Cuban for promoting the company Voyager Digital before it failed. The SEC said Kardashian agreed to cooperate with an ongoing investigation, though it didn't provide any details on that investigation. A lawyer for Kardashian, Patrick Gibbs, said she “fully cooperated with the SEC from the very beginning and she remains willing to do whatever she can to assist the SEC in this matter." While Kardashian is well known for her role on the TV series “The Kardashians,” she is also a successful businesswoman with clothing and skincare brands. The value of many cryptocurrencies soared during the pandemic amid a surge in highly speculative investing. More recently, amid a decline in overall markets, the value of many cryptocurrencies has plunged. Bitcoin has lost more than half its value in 2022, tumbling to around $19,000 Monday. The Ethereum Max token that Kardashian promoted has declined in value by more than 90% since its peak last May.   After wild swings in crypto valuations and dozens of scams being exposed, the crypto industry is under growing scrutiny from the SEC and Congress. A bipartisan proposal last month would hand regulatory authority over bitcoin and ether, two popular cryptocurrencies, to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Unfolding the stories behind the cemeteries of tea planters in Bangladesh, a travel documentary titled “Tombs: Tea-Planters Cemeteries in Sylhet” was premiered on Monday at Bangladesh Tourism Board Conference Hall, Agargaon in the capital. Conceptualized and produced by heritage traveller Eliza Binte Elahi and directed by ARM Nasir, the 30-minute documentary premiere, hosted by the Bangladesh Bureau Chief of the Associated Press and United News of Bangladesh-UNB’s Chief of Correspondents Julhas Alam, was joined by Rahnuma Salam Khan, Deputy Director of Bangladesh Tourism Corporation as the chief guest. The premiere was also joined by several other prominent personalities including former additional secretary and Bangladesh Birds Club President Jalal Ahmed, Joint Secretary at Ministry of Finance Sheikh Momena Moni, Bangladesh Police DIG Ruhul Amin, Deepto TV CEO Fuad Chowdhury, botanist and tea planter Ashraf Ahmed, former additional secretary Akhtaruzzaman Khan Kabir, and travel magazine Bhromongoddya editor Mahmud Hafiz, among others. Read UNESCO Mondiacult 2022: Bangladesh lauded for creating Bangabandhu International Award Foreigners and many ethnic groups have settled for long periods of rule in Bangladesh and established trade connections, and needless to say that many of them are buried in the country. Different burial grounds are built in almost all the 64 districts of Bangladesh, and there are also tombs of tea planters in different tea gardens of the entire Sylhet division.

After creating a huge controversy by announcing she has a two-year old son with actor Shakib Khan, actress Bubly on Monday revealed her wedding date with the actor. She posted three photos with Shakib Khan at New York’s Times Square on her verified Facebook page Monday and said “So far in my life 20/07/2018 and 21/03/2020 are two of the most memorable dates.” "These are the dates of our marriage and our son’s birthday. The photos were taken in front of Times Square in the USA. Please keep us in your prayers,” she said Earlier on September 27, Bubly revealed a photo of her on social media with a baby bump. Three days later she and Shakib Khan finally made a public announcement about their two-year-old son, Shehzad Khan Bir, ending all speculations. They also published photos of their son.

The musicophiles in Dhaka were grooved on Saturday night with a special musical presentation by the Korean fusion music band “E-Sang” at the Hatirjheel Amphitheatre in the capital. The Embassy of the Republic of Korea hosted this live Korean music concert, in collaboration with RTV. This was the first outdoor cultural event organized by the Korean Embassy since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Md Atiqul Islam, Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation, joined the event as the chief guest, alongside Lee Jang-keun, Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh. “Bangladesh and Korea have a very strong relationship. In Korea, we have a significant force of skilled manpower. Additionally, they always support our economic projects and we have a great fanbase of Korean music and culture in our country,” Mayor Atiqul said in his remarks. He also joined the collaborative performances with the Korean artists at the event. Welcoming the audience to this special exhibition of Korean music, Korean Ambassador Lee Jang-keun said, “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we couldn't arrange any event outside for two years. We are returning to organise our outdoor events in Dhaka with this one. The E-Sang Band will perform today, I hope you like it.” Read: Shironamhin to feature in ‘Concert against violence’ at DU

Bangladesh's initiative to encourage a culture of innovation by instituting the UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Award  earned plaudits recently,  at the UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development, or Mondiacult 2022, held in Mexico, The final declaration got adopted by the world leaders who agreed to establish an innovation economy, among other things. Organized with the global goal of establishing the role of culture in sustainable development, this international conference was attended by 136 cultural affairs ministers and state minister level leaders, diplomats, cultural activists, organizers and civil society individuals from 150 countries of the world. A delegation of 3 members led by Bangladesh's State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid, Ambassador of Bangladesh to France and UNESCO Khandaker M Talha and First Secretary Md. Walid bin Kashem participated in the conference. At the conference, Khalid was invited to share his speech at the 'Future of Innovation Economy' Minister-level round table meeting, he thanked UNESCO for formulating the 'UNESCO-Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Award' in the innovation economy sector in 2020. “The innovation economy will play a role as a renewable regulator in the implementation of sustainable development goals and will play an effective role in protecting neglected cultural heritage in different parts of the world,” KM Khalid said at the meeting. Read: Bangladesh elected to UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage committee for 4 years He also called for cooperation among international leaders to develop a culture that is safe, accountable, and controlled. A proposal has been made for the teaching of culture in educational institutions as a response to the conference's identification of education and culture as complementary to one another. Additionally, in order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, all nations are urged to develop cultural policies and update them as needed. In Bangladesh, the National Culture Policy was formulated in 2006 and is currently undergoing modernization.   Mondiacult 2022 was organized by UNESCO as a continuation of the detailed action plan conducted globally to implement the Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in 2015. The last international cultural conference of this scale was held in Mexico in 1982.

Dhallywood superstar Shakib Khan and actress Bubly have finally made public announcement about their two-year-old son ending speculations. Shakib and Bubli revealed this in separate posts on their respective verified Facebook page on Friday. Read: Shakib Khan back home after nine months Although planned to announce the news at an auspicious date, they have shared this news with their fans earlier considering it a 'blessing from the Almighty', Shakib wrote on his post. "Shehzad Khan Bir, Bubly and my son, our little prince. My child is my pride, my strength,” he wrote. "I am seeking prayers from everyone, for our child." Bubly also announced the same in her post. Read: Film Rajkumar: Everything about Shakib Khan’s Upcoming Movie with US Actress There had been a lot of talk about them ever since Bubly uploaded a photo of her with a baby bump on Facebook recently. Later, Shakib admitted it indirectly to the media and informed that he would announce the details soon.