United News of Bangladesh

Imagine spending more than 50 days living and working hundreds of miles above the Earth. That has been the real-life experience of China’s Shenzhou-20 astronauts — Chen Dong, Chen Zhongrui, and Wang Jie — aboard the Tiangong Space Station. Far from a peaceful retreat, their mission has been a busy one. A short video released Monday by China’s state broadcaster CCTV offered a glimpse into their “space business trip,” highlighting a packed schedule filled with scientific experiments, routine health monitoring, and maintenance work — all essential tasks to support future space exploration efforts. According to a report by CCTV, the three astronauts are in good health, and the various space science experiments are progressing steadily. Led by experienced astronaut Chen Dong, the crew began their six-month mission after launching into orbit on April 24. Space station leak concerns can delay astronaut visit from India, Poland, Hungary Over the past week, they devoted substantial time to space medicine research. During their research, they have explored fundamental aspects of cognitive function in microgravity, focusing on teamwork dynamics, self-awareness in isolation and how astronauts perceive motion, depth, and relationships absent Earth's gravity. These studies are critical for ensuring safe operations during spacewalks and complex tasks. In addition, they also conducted routine vascular ultrasound scans tracked changes in cardiovascular function over time and used apparatus to capture subtle changes in control and coordination during precise tasks like equipment operation or sample handling, according to the report. On the front of life science, they focused on the "effects and mechanisms of space microgravity on microorganisms" experiment. The video showed that in Tiangong's specialized biotechnology experiment rack, the crew observed the growth, developmental patterns, and bioactive compound synthesis of Streptomyces bacteria in weightlessness. This research is expected to reveal new biological adaptations and potential applications for space-based pharmaceutical research. The crew carefully sampled liquid cultures, preserving the samples for their eventual journey back to Earth. Another highlight of their daily routine, in addition to the meticulous space station upkeep, is their rigorous exercise to counter the physical toll of microgravity. The video captures the astronauts running on a treadmill in the space module. Beyond exercise, the crew undergoes regular checkups like detailed heart monitoring and blood pressure tracking. They also participate in unique health assessments based on traditional Chinese medicine principles, according to the report. China's space station has now hosted over 200 scientific projects, with nearly 2 tonnes of scientific materials and applied equipment sent to orbit and nearly 100 experimental samples returned to Earth, according to the China Manned Space Agency.  

A groundbreaking clinical trial in Shanghai has enabled a Chinese man, who lost all four limbs in an electrical accident 13 years ago, to play chess and racing games using only his thoughts. This became possible after researchers implanted a brain-computer interface (BCI) directly into his brain — marking China's first human trial of such invasive technology. The trial is being conducted by scientists from the Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology (CEBSIT) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with Huashan Hospital of Fudan University. With this development, China becomes the second country after the United States to push invasive BCI into the clinical stage. Implanted in March 2025, the device has so far worked without complications such as infections or electrode malfunctions, researchers confirmed. They hope the technology could gain regulatory approval by 2028 and significantly improve life quality for individuals with spinal cord injuries, double-arm amputations, or neurodegenerative conditions like ALS. Japan trials ‘Universal Artificial Blood’ that could revolutionise emergency care Brain-computer interfaces link the brain directly to external systems, enabling new forms of communication and control. CEBSIT Deputy Director Shi Yongyong said this technology not only helps decode how the brain processes information but also opens up new methods for treating neurological disorders and advancing human-machine interaction. Historically, BCI research involved bulky machines. But shrinking these systems while maintaining precision has proven difficult, said Pu Muming, an academician with the CAS. The current breakthrough uses ultra-thin, flexible electrodes — just 1% the diameter of a human hair — which cause minimal disruption to brain tissue, explained Zhao Zhengtuo, the lead researcher. These electrodes can capture detailed and stable neural signals over long periods and have already been tested in rodents, monkeys, and now humans. The entire BCI implant is coin-sized — just 26 mm wide and under 6 mm thick — roughly half the size of a similar device from Elon Musk’s Neuralink, Zhao noted. According to Li Xue, another lead researcher, the system can decode brain signals and convert them into control commands in mere milliseconds, faster than the blink of an eye. Safety and performance were first confirmed in macaque monkeys, with stable operation and even successful device replacement during tests. The surgical method used for implantation is minimally invasive, ensuring low risk and quick recovery. Neurosurgeon Lu Junfeng, who led the operation, said precision was critical. His team used advanced navigation to place the electrodes accurately within the motor cortex, down to the millimeter. There are three main types of BCI: non-invasive (external), semi-invasive (partially internal), and invasive (fully implanted). Lu used a football game analogy to explain the differences: non-invasive devices are like microphones outside a stadium — you can hear the crowd but not the match clearly. Semi-invasive devices offer a better view, like hanging mics inside the stadium. Invasive ones, like the one used here, are like having mics on players — giving precise, real-time information. Arizona confirms measles outbreak in Navajo County Looking ahead, the team plans to enable the patient to operate a robotic arm for daily tasks like holding a cup. They also aim to expand capabilities by integrating more complex tools like robotic pets and smart robots to enhance mobility and independence.

Often mistaken for scenes from a sci-fi simulation, Chongqing, a Chinese Megacity, stirs curiosity with its dramatic cityscapes. Rarely found on typical tourist routes, this sprawling urban area rises in layers, sparking comparisons to a real-world cyberpunk dream. Its towering structures, elevated highways, and surreal angles give it an almost AI-generated look. Let’s take a closer look at this enigmatic city, uncovering the layers of its futuristic vision. A Rich Urban Profile in Global Tourists’ Blind Spot Tucked in southeast China near the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, Chongqing emerges as a staggering urban force. With a population of over 32 million, it holds the title of the world’s largest city by population. Its footprint spans more than 31,800 square miles, comparable in size to an entire European country like Austria. Yet, despite its immense scale and significance, Chongqing remains a hidden gem on the global tourist map. Few international visitors set foot in this colossal city, even though its geography is breathtaking by all means. Towering mountains, steep valleys, and buildings perched along cliffs define its dramatic terrain. As a major economic and transport hub of China, Chongqing defies conventional urban planning. Roads twist through vertical landscapes. Highways loop over rooftops. Entire metro lines cut directly through residential towers. In recent years, these surreal visuals have captivated social media, leaving many to wonder whether this is an AI-generated city. Read more: Wales’s Stream in the Sky: World’s Tallest Navigable Aqueduct Pontcysyllte History from Ancient Roots to Rapid Rise Chongqing’s roots run deep, with a history that spans more than 3,000 years. For much of that time, it remained a modest riverside settlement. But its transformation over the past four decades has been nothing short of extraordinary. Just 40 years ago, Chongqing was still a village in many parts. What now rises as a sprawling megacity has been built almost entirely within the last 30 years. Its rapid vertical expansion is a modern marvel. During the Second World War, the city served as a key base, and traces of that era still linger. Scattered beneath the surface are old wartime bunkers, once shelters from bombing raids. Today, many of them have been creatively repurposed into lively hotpot restaurants and atmospheric underground bars. Multi-layer City Architecture Often described as a city built in three dimensions, Chongqing earns that reputation with striking justification. Its layered urban layout can be disorienting, even for the most seasoned travelers. Visitors regularly emerge from stairwells only to find themselves on rooftops or staring down into deep valleys. Nothing here feels level. Gravity itself seems negotiable. Read more: Smiling Quokka Turned Rottnest Island into a Global Tourist Hotspot Set against the striking meeting point of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers, the city clings to a landscape of jagged cliffs and steep mountainsides. Homes rest on bridges. Neighbourhoods stack one atop another. Metro lines cut through skyscrapers as if tunnelling through rock. It’s a vertical maze, engineered with remarkable ambition. The skyline speaks volumes. Chongqing is home to 298 skyscrapers soaring over 100 metres and 26 that breach the 200-metre mark. That places it among the world’s top cities for high-rises and sixth within mainland China. For tourists, this surreal, sky-layered cityscape feels like something out of science fiction. But for many residents, especially those in the lower reaches, living in the shadows is a daily reality. In some corners of Chongqing, sunlight doesn’t pour in. It peeks through momentarily before vanishing behind concrete giants. Read more: UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Bangladesh

Two Chinese scientists accused of smuggling or shipping biological material into the United States for use at the University of Michigan will remain in custody after waiving their right to a hearing Friday in federal court. Yunqing Jian and Chengxuan Han said in separate court appearances in Detroit that they would not challenge the government's request to keep them locked up while their cases move forward. “This is a constantly evolving situation involving a large number of factors,” Han's attorney, Sara Garber, told a judge. She didn't elaborate and later declined to comment. Han was arrested Sunday at Detroit Metropolitan Airport after arriving on a flight from China, where she is pursuing an advanced degree at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan. She planned to spend a year completing a project at the University of Michigan lab, and is accused of shipping biological material months ago to laboratory staff. It was intercepted by authorities. The FBI, in a court filing, said the material is related to worms and lacked a government permit. Experts told The Associated Press it didn't appear to be dangerous. Jian's case is different. She is charged with conspiring with her boyfriend, another scientist from China, to bring a toxic fungus into the U.S. Fusarium graminearum can attack wheat, barley, maize and rice. The boyfriend, Zunyong Liu, was turned away at the Detroit airport last July and sent back to China after authorities found red plant material in his backpack. UN conference on Palestinian state postponed because of Middle East tensions Jian, who worked at the university lab, was arrested June 2. Messages between Jian and Liu in 2024 suggest that Jian was already tending to Fusarium graminearum at the lab before Liu was caught at the airport, the FBI said. Jian's attorneys declined to comment Friday. Federal authorities so far have not alleged that the scientists had a plan to unleash the fungus somewhere. Fusarium graminearum is already prevalent in the U.S. — particularly in the east and Upper Midwest — and scientists have been studying it for decades. Nicknamed “vomitoxin” because it’s most known for causing livestock to throw up, it can also cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, headache and fever in animals and people. Researchers often bring foreign plants, animals and even strains of fungi to the U.S. to study them, but they must file certain permits before moving anything across state or national borders. The university has not been accused of misconduct. It said it has received no money from the Chinese government related to the work of the three scientists. In a statement, it said it strongly condemns any actions that “seek to cause harm, threaten national security or undermine the university’s critical public mission.”  

A foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday that regardless of external challenges, China's manufacturing continues to be essential worldwide, and its market will always be a magnet for foreign investment, a foreign ministry spokesperson said on Friday. It was reported that amid the severe international economic environment, China's trade and economic ties with the rest of the world remain robust. In the first five months of this year, China opened 101 international air cargo routes in total, and over 195 weekly round-trip flights were added. From January to April, China's port cargo throughput was 5.755 billion tonnes, up 3.7 percent year on year, and port container throughput exceeded 110 million TEUs, up 7.9 percent year on year. China's railway passenger traffic surpasses 4.31 billion in 2024 In response, Lin Jian told a news briefing that in the first four months of this year, China's trade in goods grew by 2.4 percent year on year. Trade growth in April was 4.3 percentage points higher than that in the first quarter. He said China's economy continues to unleash its vitality, and resilience in trade continues to strengthen. It fully shows that whatever challenge may appear in the external environment, China's manufacturing remains needed by the world, and the Chinese market will always be a magnet for foreign investment. Chinese FM to attend FOCAC ministerial meeting, 4th China-Africa Expo "Unilateralism and protectionism are unsustainable. Walls and barriers created by some will not stop China from engaging in open cooperation with other countries for shared development," he said.

China's railway system transported over 4.31 billion passengers in 2024, marking an 11.9 percent increase compared to the previous year, according to the National Railway Administration. Railway cargo transportation volume approached 5.18 billion tonnes last year, reflecting a 2.8-percent growth compared to the previous year. In terms of investment, China's railway sector saw fixed-asset investment amount to 850.6 billion yuan (around 118.39 billion U.S. dollars) in 2024. During the same period, 3,113 km of new railway lines were inaugurated, about 79 percent of which are high-speed railways. As the modern railway network continued to expand, China's total operational length of lines reached 162,000 km in 2024, including over 48,000 km of high-speed railway lines. Furthermore, railway transportation remained safe, stable, and orderly throughout 2024, with no severe railway traffic accidents in China, the administration added.

China will resume Japanese seafood imports it banned in 2023 over worries about Japan's discharge slightly radioactive wastewater from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea, a Japanese official said Friday. China said their talks this week made “substantial progress” but did not confirm an agreement with Japan on the issue that has been a significant political and diplomatic point of tension. Agriculture Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the agreement was reached after Japanese and Chinese officials met in Beijing and the imports will resume once paperwork is complete. ”Seafood is an important export item for Japan and a resumption of its export to China is a major milestone," Koizumi said. Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya also welcomed the move, saying, “It will be a big first step that would help Japan and China to tackle a number of remaining issues between the two countries," such as disputes over territory, trade and wartime history. But officials said China's ban on farm and fisheries products from 10 Japanese prefectures including Fukushima is still in place and that they will keep pushing toward their lifting. China's General Administration of Customs, in a statement issued Friday, said the two sides on Wednesday held "a new round of technical exchanges on the safety issues of Japanese aquatic products ... and achieved substantial progress” but did not mention an agreement. Japan to use radioactive soil from Fukushima on flowerbeds at prime minister's office How the disagreement over seafood imports began China blocked imports of Japanese seafood because it said the release of the treated and diluted but still slightly radioactive wastewater would endanger the fishing industry and coastal communities in eastern China. Japanese officials have said the wastewater will be safer than international standards and its environmental impact will be negligible. They say the wastewater must be released to make room for the nuclear plant’s decommissioning and to prevent accidental leaks. Tokyo and Beijing since March held three rounds of talks on the issue before reaching the agreement on Wednesday on the “technical requirements” necessary for Japanese seafood exports to China to restart, Japan's Foreign Ministry said in a statement. It did not say how long it may take before the actual resumption. Mainland China used to be the biggest overseas market for Japanese seafood, accounting for more than one-fifth of its seafood exports, followed by Hong Kong. The ban became a major blow to the fisheries industry, though the impact on overall trade was limited because seafood exports are a fraction of Japan’s total exports. Japan’s government set up an emergency relief fund for Japanese exporters, especially scallop growers, and has sought alternative overseas markets. Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings, which operates the Fukushima Daiichi plant, has said it would compensate Japanese business owners appropriately for damages from export bans. China forms new global mediation group with dozens of countries Why the wastewater is being treated and released into the sea The nuclear plant had meltdowns in three reactors after being heavily damaged in the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that struck northeastern Japan. Water used to cool the reactor cores has been accumulating ever since, and officials say the massive stockpile is hampering the cleanup of the site. The wastewater was treated and heavily diluted with seawater to reduce the radioactivity as much as possible before Japan began releasing it into the sea in August 2023. Last September, then-Prime Minster Fumio Kishida said the two sides reached “a certain level of mutual understanding” that China would start working toward easing the import ban and join the International Atomic Energy Agency's expanded monitoring of wastewater discharges. People inside and outside Japan protested the initial wastewater release. Japanese fishing groups said they feared it would further damage the reputation of their seafood. Groups in China and South Korea also raised concerns.

Dozens of countries joined China on Friday in establishing an international mediation-based dispute resolution group. Representatives of more than 30 other countries, from Pakistan and Indonesia to Belarus and Cuba, signed the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation in Hong Kong to become founding members of the global organization, following Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Binzhou celebrates international Friendship Cities Day with focus on trade and development The support of developing countries signaled Beijing's rising influence in the global south amid heightened geopolitical tensions, partly exacerbated by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade tariffs. At a ceremony, Wang said China has long advocated for handling differences with a spirit of mutual understanding and consensus-building through dialogue, while aiming to provide “Chinese wisdom” for resolving conflicts between nations. “The establishment of the International Organization for Mediation helps to move beyond the zero-sum mindset of ‘you lose and I win,’” he said. The body, headquartered in Hong Kong, aims to help promote the amicable resolution of international disputes and build more harmonious global relations, he said. Beijing has touted the organization as the world's first intergovernmental legal organization for resolving disputes through mediation, saying it will be an important mechanism in safeguarding the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. It also positioned Hong Kong as an international legal and dispute resolution services center in Asia. Wang said the city's rule of law is highly developed, with the advantages of both common law and mainland Chinese law systems, asserting that it possesses uniquely favorable conditions for international mediation. Hong Kong leader John Lee said the organization could begin its work as early as the end of this year. The ceremony was attended by representatives from some 50 other countries and about 20 organizations, including the United Nations. Yueming Yan, a law professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, said the new organization is a complementary mechanism to existing institutions such as the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague. “While the ICJ and PCA focus on adjudication and arbitration, IOMed introduces a structured, institutionalized form of alternative dispute resolution — namely, mediation — on a global scale,” she said. Although many details about the new body are yet to be clarified, it could open the door for greater synergy between formal litigation or arbitration and more flexible methods like mediation, she said. Shahla Ali, a law professor at the University of Hong Kong, said the International Organization for Mediation would have the capacity to mediate disputes between states, between a state and a national of another state, or in international commercial disputes. Japan to use radioactive soil from Fukushima on flowerbeds at prime minister's office “Conventions can provide opportunities to experiment with new approaches," she said, noting rising interest in mediation globally as a means to resolve investor-state disputes.

China successfully launched a new satellite, Shijian-26, into space on Thursday using a Long March-4B carrier rocket. The launch took place at 12:12 p.m. (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China.  Cliffside wonders elevate tourism in east China Shijian-26 is designed primarily to support national land surveys, environmental monitoring, and other related fields, offering information services that contribute to the country's economic development. This launch marked the 579th mission of the Long March series of carrier rockets.

Bangladesh and China had "in-depth exchanges of views" on Dhaka-Beijing relations on Sunday.  The two sides also discussed other issues of "common concern." Chinese Ambassador to Bangladesh Yao Wen met Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and discussed the issues of mutual interest.  There is speculation that Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin would be replaced but there is no official announcement yet regarding any such changes.  Italian PM Meloni likely to visit Bangladesh in August  Secretary (East) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr Md Nazrul Islam led the Bangladesh delegation at the recently held Foreign Office Consultations with Japan.