United News of Bangladesh

Under cross-examination, Sean “Diddy” Combs ’ ex-girlfriend testified Tuesday she took part in sex acts with male sex workers at the music mogul's request because it made her feel loved by him, but now regrets what she came to recognize as the “cuckold” lifestyle. The woman testified at Combs’ sex-trafficking trial under the pseudonym “Jane” to protect her identity. A day earlier, she revealed their three-year relationship lasted until the Bad Boy Records founder was arrested in September at New York hotel, where she'd been planning to meet him. Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges that carry a potential penalty of 15 years to life in prison. He has been jailed without bail. Prosecutors allege Combs used violence, threats and a network of employees and associates to control and abuse women for two decades. His lawyers have told the jury in federal court in Manhattan that although there was domestic violence in his relationships, everything he did sexually was consensual. Earlier in the trial, R&B signer Casandra “ Cassie ” Ventura testified over four days that Combs physically abused her and that she participated in hundreds of “freak-off” sexual performances during a nearly 11-year relationship that ended in 2018. The Associated Press doesn’t name alleged victims of sexual abuse without their consent unless they have shared their identities publicly, as Cassie has. Dog climbs atop 35-foot tree, dramatic rescue video goes viral Attorney Teny Geragos, representing Combs, cross-examined Jane on Tuesday by leading her into discussing the drug-fueled sexual marathons choreographed by Combs — which Jane said sometimes happened weekly — by reminding her that she mentioned regrets in earlier testimony. “I resent him for leading me into the lifestyle he led me to,” Jane said. “I resented the way he went about introducing me to this lifestyle.” She said she agreed to these “hotel nights” while “under a lot of emotional pressure” — and already hooked on love and a desire to stay in a relationship with Combs. Jane testified that she partook in the encounters, sometimes grudgingly, because they pleased Combs and she enjoyed spending time alone with him afterward. Jane testified she began therapy about three months ago. She previously met with lawyers on Combs' defense team but cut off those meetings in April, days before the trial began. She said she struggles to understand why she kept participating in “hotel nights” even though she only wanted to have sex with Combs, however the reasons are “becoming more and more clear” as she proceeds with therapy. Jane initially felt it was “something very special” to have these secret sexual experiences with Combs. She said she didn't want to judge him and “really wanted to just go along with these things because if I can be my partner's escapes than I would be.” Jane said she researched sexual variations in 2022 and came across the words “cuck” and “cuckold,” which seemed to fit the lifestyle she found herself in because she said a man known as a “cuck” derives pleasure seeing “his woman receive pleasure” from another man. “He likes to use the words ‘voyeurism’ and ‘escapism,’” Jane said. She added: “I would use the word cuck for him more so.” Geragos reminded Jane that she had testified last week that she loves Combs currently. “I do,” she responded. Geragos had Jane read aloud some of the many sexually explicit messages in which she expressed the types of activities she wanted to engage in during “hotel nights” with Combs and male sex workers as she tried to portray Jane as a willing and eager participant in frequent sex events. In Japan, Bobtail cats bring good fortune — and Nagasaki is full of them In earlier testimony, Jane provided recent examples of Combs acting violently toward a woman while seeking to fulfill his sexual desires. Cassie sued Combs in November 2023 alleging sexual abuse. The lawsuit was settled within hours for $20 million, but it touched off the criminal investigation into Combs.

A wounded fox snarls and bares its teeth from inside a cage as a woman approaches. Nicki Townsend, calm and unfazed, gently soothes the animal. Dressed casually and wearing only rubber gloves, she carefully covers the fox’s head with a towel, lifts it by the scruff, and transfers its injured body to a clean enclosure. Though this isn’t her usual morning routine, fox rescue work is anything but predictable. “You never know what you’re walking into,” Townsend explains. While they may not be as iconic as red buses or phone booths, red foxes are a common sight in London. Navigating urban life in gardens, alleys, and busy streets comes with risks — and when they're in trouble, a dedicated rescue service steps in. Townsend is often the one behind the wheel. Rather than invading, foxes moved into the city gradually, following the spread of London into their natural habitat starting in the 1930s. A Divisive Presence Not everyone welcomes them. While many Londoners enjoy spotting foxes on their evening walks or sunbathing in yards, others see them as nuisances — leaving droppings, rummaging through trash, and howling eerily during mating season. “It’s like Marmite,” Townsend says, comparing the public’s feelings to the love-it-or-hate-it food spread. “You’re either for them or against them.” This public divide inspired Trevor Williams to start The Fox Project about 35 years ago. Formerly a rock musician who campaigned against fox hunting, Williams turned his attention to urban foxes, who were often killed due to misunderstandings and myths. “People still believe foxes will bite babies, eat pets, or steal your husband,” he jokes. What started as an awareness campaign now rescues around 1,400 foxes annually — including 400 cubs, though only half survive to release. City Life: Both a Buffet and a Battlefield London is home to roughly 15,000 foxes. The Fox Project covers parts of South London and nearby suburbs, while other groups serve different areas. Urban foxes feed on everything from bugs and rodents to human leftovers, becoming reliant on handouts. But city living brings hazards — cars, soccer nets, tight gaps, and mange infections are constant threats. Townsend drives her VW Caddy through the city and countryside, answering calls about sick or injured foxes, including orphaned cubs. Her first rescue attempt, two and a half years ago, didn’t go as planned: the injured fox she approached simply ran away. “Inexperienced as I was, I chased him,” she laughs. “He was gone in seconds, and I looked ridiculous.” Despite such setbacks — and even once rescuing a fox stuck upside-down in a fence — she’s only been bitten once. Heartbreak and Hope Her van often smells strongly of foxes — especially when nervous cubs have accidents during transport. Townsend is used to it. “You can open a window if you want,” she says with a smile. “This job gets smelly.” On a recent call, she met a couple who found a wounded cub in their garden. At first, they thought it was just sleeping. “But when he didn’t move, we knew something was wrong,” said Charlotte English. Unfortunately, that cub didn’t survive — nor did the adult fox Townsend picked up earlier that day. Surviving cubs are grouped in fives to socialize before being released into rural areas. Adults are typically returned to the neighborhoods they came from. No Thanks Required Released foxes aren’t tracked, so their long-term survival is uncertain. A 2016 study in Applied Animal Behaviour Science showed that rehabilitated foxes often roam far from their release sites, increasing their risk of harm. “There’s a knowledge gap,” says Bryony Tolhurst of the University of Brighton. “We assume they do well post-release, but that needs more scrutiny.” Despite the losses, Townsend finds joy in seeing healthy foxes return to the wild — especially the moments when a fox looks back. “People say they’re saying ‘thank you,’” she says. “But really, they’re just making sure we’re not following them.”

Plumes of smoke are blanketing large swaths of the U.S. and parts of Europe, which presents risks for those breathing it. The Midwest, Northeast and Great Lakes regions of the U.S. have “very unhealthy” air quality, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, and experts say people should take precautions. What counts as bad air? The EPA's Air Quality Index converts all pollutant levels into a single number. The lower the number, the better. Anything below 50 is classified as “healthy.” Fifty to 100 is “moderate" while 100-150 is unhealthy for “sensitive groups,” and anything above 150 is bad for everyone. The Air Quality Index was around 160 in many parts of the Upper Midwest on Wednesday. Sensitive groups include people with asthma, lung disease or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said Dr. Sanjay Sethi, chief of the division of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at the University of Buffalo's medical school. “If you have heart or lung problems, then you’ve got to be definitely more careful," Sethi said. "I would either avoid going outside or wear an N95 (mask) or at least a dust mask.” Is my air unhealthy? Sometimes the air is bad enough to see or smell the smoke. Even if you don't see the pollution, it can be unhealthy to breathe. The EPA maintains a website with up-to-date, regional air quality information. PurpleAir, a company that sells air quality sensors and publishes real-time air quality data, has a citizen scientist, air quality monitoring network with a more granular map of street-by-street air quality readings. The best way to get indoor air quality readings is to buy a monitor, said Joseph Allen, director of Harvard University's Healthy Buildings Program. “You can find these low-cost, indoor air quality monitors just about everywhere online now. They don’t cost all that much anymore,” he said. What if I have to go outside? For most people, going outside for just a short time won't have a negative long-term impact, said Sethi. Wearing an N95 mask, which became common during the coronavirus pandemic, will help filter out the pollution. “N95 is going to get rid of 90-95% of the particles,” said Jennifer Stowell, a research scientist at Boston University’s Center for Climate and Health. “If you have access to a mask that has a respirator-type attachment to it, then that’s the very best.” If you must be outside and you experience symptoms, experts say you should head indoors or somewhere else with better air quality. Even if you are healthy, it’s good to take precautions. "If you start wheezing, which is like this whistling sound of the chest, or if you’re feeling short of breath, that’s definitely more concerning,” Sethi said. How do I make my air cleaner? Close the windows and turn on the air conditioner, if you have one, setting it to circulate the indoor air. Use blankets to cover cracks that allow outside air into your home, such as under doors. Finally, swapping the air conditioner's filter for a MERV 13 filter can help, though you should make sure it's installed correctly. “If you happen to have access to an air purifier, even if it’s just a room air purifier, try to keep it running and in the room that you’re doing most of your activities in,” said Stowell.

A hungry wild elephant caused havoc in a grocery store in Thailand on Monday when he strolled in from a nearby national park and helped himself to food on the shelves. Videos of the incident showed the huge male elephant, known as Plai Biang Lek, briefly stopping in front of the shop, located next to a main road near the Khao Yai National Park in northeastern Thailand, before ducking his whole body inside, according to AP. The elephant stopped in front of the shop’s counter, calmly snatching and chomping snacks, and did not flinch as the national park workers tried to shoo him away. India’s ‘History Hunter’ on a mission to preserve the past for future generations The elephant later backed out of the shop still holding a bag of snacks with his trunk. He left little damage behind, except mud tracks on the floor and the ceiling of the shop. In a video posted on social media, Kamploy Kakaew, the shop owner, appeared amused as she described the moment the elephant rifled her shop. She said he ate about nine bags of sweet rice crackers, a sandwich and some dried bananas she had bought that morning.

A massive cloud of dust from the Sahara Desert blanketed most of the Caribbean on Monday in the biggest event of its kind this year as it heads toward the United States. The cloud extended some 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) from Jamaica to well past Barbados in the eastern Caribbean, and some 750 miles (1,200 kilometers) from the Turks and Caicos Islands in the northern Caribbean down south to Trinidad and Tobago. “It’s very impressive,” said Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert with AccuWeather. The hazy skies unleashed sneezes, coughs and watery eyes across the Caribbean, with local forecasters warning that those with allergies, asthma and other conditions should remain indoors or wear face masks if outdoors. The dust concentration was high, at .55 aerosol optical depth, the highest amount so far this year, said Yidiana Zayas, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The aerosol optical depth measures how much direct sunlight is prevented from reaching the ground by particles, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The plume is expected to hit Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi late this week and into the weekend, DaSilva said. Cliffside wonders elevate tourism in east China However, plumes usually lose most of their concentration in the eastern Caribbean, he noted. “Those islands tend to see more of an impact, more of a concentration where it can actually block out the sun a little bit at times,” he said. The dry and dusty air known as the Saharan Air Layer forms over the Sahara Desert in Africa and moves west across the Atlantic Ocean starting around April until about October, according to NOAA. It also prevents tropical waves from forming during the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs June 1 to Nov. 30. June and July usually have the highest dust concentration on average, with plumes traveling anywhere from 5,000 feet to 20,000 feet above the ground, DaSilva said. In Japan, Bobtail cats bring good fortune — and Nagasaki is full of them In June 2020, a record-breaking cloud of Sahara dust smothered the Caribbean. The size and concentration of the plume hadn’t been seen in half a century, prompting forecasters to nickname it the “Godzilla dust cloud.”

Old cameras, worn-out typewriters, vintage radios, and matchboxes once used to light illicit cigarettes — stepping into Aditya Vij’s New Delhi home feels like entering a portal to another time. In a world driven by fast-changing technology and artificial intelligence, Vij has turned his house into a living museum, each corner telling a story from history. An anthropologist by profession and a passionate collector by heart, he has spent decades gathering thousands of artifacts, many centuries old, carefully documenting their historical context and cultural relevance. For Vij, every item he rescues feels like a personal triumph over time’s erasure. “The greatest joy I feel is knowing I’ve managed to save a fragment of history,” he said, speaking from a room filled with vintage cameras and gramophones. The Thrill of the SearchAmong the oldest objects in his collection are fossilized remains of fish, snails, tadpoles, and plants — millions of years old. But what he’s most obsessed with are matchboxes. His fascination with them started when he was just eight years old, after spotting one on a walk with his father. Today, at 51, he owns over 22,000 of them. Some of these matchboxes date back more than 100 years and feature illustrations reflecting religious themes and political climates from their time. “It’s not just about owning these pieces — it’s the excitement of tracking them down that keeps me going,” Vij explained. He believes matchboxes, though small, carry rich cultural and historical narratives. Saving History, One Object at a TimeSometimes, his acquisitions happen purely by chance. Once, he noticed a scrap dealer about to smash an old radio. He rushed across the street and intervened just in time. The dealer planned to sell the radio for parts, but Vij persuaded him to sell it intact. That radio now sits proudly among his other artifacts. “Thirty seconds later and it would’ve been gone. Sometimes, all it takes is being alert and acting fast,” he said. Vij sees his mission as connecting past innovations to the future. He hopes to one day turn his home into a public museum, where young people can learn about bygone eras through the very tools and objects that shaped daily life. Without such efforts, he warns, these simple but meaningful items risk being forgotten forever amid the tide of modern technology. “What once was commonplace is now rare, fading into nostalgia and memory,” he reflected. Teaching the Next GenerationVij frequently receives requests from parents eager for their children to see how things once worked — from typewriters and film cameras to rotary phones, pressing irons, and lanterns. When children tell him they had never seen or heard of these objects before, it deepens his sense of urgency. “That’s when I realize how vital it is to preserve and share history,” he said. With technology advancing at breakneck speed, many items from Vij’s youth have disappeared in just a few decades. He believes that curating and archiving them is crucial. “I hope future generations come to value history — and play a role in keeping it alive,” he said.

This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. Another cicada invasion is here. The large Brood XIV, which emerges every 17 years, is making for a spectacular natural event as billions of periodical cicadas emerge across parts of the Eastern U.S., including in Georgia, southern Ohio, Kentucky, Cape Cod in Massachusetts, and Long Island, New York. When spring warms the soil to 64 degrees Fahrenheit (about 18 degrees Celsius), these cicada nymphs dig their way up to the surface after their long development period. On the right night, usually after a warm spring rain, near trees showing cicada pilot holes and chimneys, they will emerge -- so many that they can be heard crunching through the grass to climb up trees, plants, people or any vertical surface. There is a forceful quality about it. Once they find footing, they begin the molting process. They shed their nymphal skin, emerging soft, vulnerable and pale yellow. They have two large red eyes on the sides of the head, three small, jewel-like eyes called ocelli in the center, and gossamer wings. In a few hours, their bodies harden and darken, and they fly up to the treetops. Then the screaming begins — the loud buzzing, screaming sound males make when they are looking for a mate. It leaves ears ringing. Cliffside wonders elevate tourism in east China Throughout this process, cicadas serve as a source of protein for both wildlife and humans. They survive by sheer numbers. After mating, females lay eggs in tree branches and die shortly after. The hatched tiny nymphs fall and burrow into the ground, and the cycle begins again. Cicadas are part of the magic of spring when the yellow and purple irises are blooming, and the green is new and vivid. The cicada show takes place in every light of the day and the dark of night. The pull is the power and beauty of nature and time.

A much-anticipated day of rain finally brought relief and joy to the capital, after days of unforgiving, oppressive heat.

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 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.