United News of Bangladesh

Jessica Renda realised the importance of self-care during a chaotic Christmas when her eldest daughter's mental and behavioural health struggles left her unable to exercise or enjoy activities she loved. “I really need to take care of myself,” she said, stressing that caregivers cannot effectively support others without looking after their own wellbeing. Renda leads a support group for parents and caregivers at the New Hampshire chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). She encourages self-care, setting boundaries and taking breaks, even if it means spending 10 minutes crying in the shower. Nearly 63 million US adults, or almost one in four, provided care to adults or children with medical conditions or disabilities in 2025, a 50% increase in a decade, according to a report by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. Nearly two-thirds reported high emotional stress. Dartmouth College and its healthcare system have announced a Family Caregiver Institute to offer services, education, support and access to home health aides. NAMI New Hampshire Executive Director Susan Stearns advises caregivers to seek help from relatives or neighbours, prioritise sleep and exercise, and maintain social connections through friends, phone calls or online support groups. She also recommends setting realistic expectations and learning to say no. Jennifer Rabalais of the University of New Hampshire said many caregivers fail to recognise themselves as such, despite regularly helping others with shopping, bills and household tasks. She warned that neglecting their own health could eventually leave caregivers needing care themselves.

Alliance Française de Dhaka (AFD) hosted 'Ghazal Evening: A Tribute to Jagjit Singh' on Saturday, bringing together music lovers for a houseful evening celebrating the timeless melodies and enduring legacy of legendary ghazal singer Jagjit Singh. The concert offered an intimate musical experience centred on the expressive beauty of ghazals, a genre celebrated for its poetic depth, emotional resonance and delicate interplay of melody and words. Through soulful renditions and evocative compositions, the evening paid tribute to Jagjit Singh’s distinctive musical style and his lasting influence on generations of listeners across the subcontinent. The programme featured Bangladeshi ghazal singer Manzurul Islam Khan, accompanied by guest artist Afsana Runa, with Indrani Nishi as the host.

Personal memories, questions of identity and a lifelong search for belonging have shaped the artistic journey of Tayeba Begum Lipi, who revisited the experiences behind her work at the 13th session of Cosmos Art Echo in Dhaka on Friday. Titled 'Being & Belonging', the art talk was organised by Gallery Cosmos and Cosmos Atelier-71 at Cosmos Centre, bringing together artists, diplomats and members of the cultural community to hear Lipi reflect on how childhood, travel, relationships and personal struggles have influenced her practice. Enayetullah Khan, Chairman of Cosmos Foundation and Editor Emeritus of United News of Bangladesh (UNB); Catherine Grace Gardner Khan, Creative Artistic Director of Cosmos Global Resources; and prominent artist Mahbubur Rahman, Lipi’s husband and Co-Founder of Britto Arts Trust, attended the event. The packed evening audience also included Mahfuzur Rahman, speechwriter to the Prime Minister, alongside diplomats, artists, art enthusiasts and other members of the cultural community.

By late afternoon, dozens of brown boxes of different sizes often pile up in the lobby of an apartment building. Each carries Amazon’s familiar smile-shaped logo, stretching from the letter “A” to “Z” and representing a company that sells almost everything and promises quick delivery. Amazon’s delivery box, seen on suburban doorsteps and in city apartment buildings, has become a symbol of a shopping culture where customers expect to receive almost anything within hours, or even in less than 30 minutes in some cities. Behind these deliveries is a vast network of workers and robots sorting and packing orders, along with trucks, vans, bicycles and even drones transporting products to customers. A few decades ago, getting something immediately usually meant visiting a nearby shop. Catalogue shopping through companies such as L.L. Bean and Lands’ End was also popular, but deliveries could take at least a week. Amazon changed those expectations after launching as an online bookseller from founder Jeff Bezos’s garage in July 1995. The company later expanded into CDs, DVDs, videotapes, toys, clothing and numerous other products, earning a reputation as an “everything store.” In 2005, Amazon introduced two-day delivery for Prime members, transforming online shopping. Since then, the company and its competitors have continued to reduce delivery times. Amazon is introducing 30-minute delivery this year. According to the company, Prime members in the United States can access free shipping on more than 300 million items across over 35 categories. Research firm eMarketer estimates that e-commerce will account for 17.4% of US retail sales this year, worth $1.4 trillion. Amazon controls 40% of the country's online market, followed by Walmart with 11.4%. The company has also expanded its operations in cloud computing and artificial intelligence. As its business grows, Amazon is developing packaging that is lighter, more compact and easier to recycle, said Pat Lindner, the company's vice president of mechatronics and sustainable packaging. The company is also reducing its use of single-use plastic packaging. The share of Amazon shipments in North America using such packaging fell from 65% in 2023 to 27% in 2025. Amazon is also using fewer of its signature cardboard boxes. Around 11% of its global orders are now shipped in their original manufacturer packaging without additional boxes or envelopes, the company said. Last year, more than half of its orders were delivered without a box, either in their original packaging or in flexible packaging. However, the traditional cardboard box is unlikely to disappear. “The box will always be important,” Lindner said, adding that Amazon would continue to introduce innovations to meet customers’ needs.

Cultural organisation Chhayanaut is set to organise its annual Autumn programme jointly with St Joseph Higher Secondary School on Friday, bringing together students from several educational institutions through music, dance and other cultural performances. Titled 'Jog De Re Aj Saman Tane', the programme will begin at 7:30 am at the St Joseph Higher Secondary School premises at 97 Asad Avenue in Mohammadpur. A second joint programme, also titled “Jog De Re Aj Saman Tane,” is scheduled for Saturday at St Gregory’s High School and College, with participation from St Gregory’s, Nalanda High School and Chhayanaut.  Students and performers from St Joseph Higher Secondary School, St Joseph International School, Excel Academy, Nalanda High School and Chhayanaut will take part in the programme, which will remain open to all.

Paris Fashion Week ended on a high note with Chanel presenting a collection inspired by freedom and movement, while Louis Vuitton brought futuristic car sculptures to the Louvre. Chanel designer Matthieu Blazy showed his spring-summer 2027 collection Monday night at the Grand Palais, where illuminated birds hung above the runway. Actors Nicole Kidman and Pedro Pascal and singer Dua Lipa were among the celebrities in the front row. Blazy built much of the collection around a new “smocked tweed” that stretches like sportswear. The idea reflects Chanel’s long history of making women’s clothing easier to move in. Blazy joined Chanel from Bottega Veneta and succeeded Virginie Viard, who took over after Karl Lagerfeld’s death in 2019. Viard’s period brought record sales, while Blazy has focused on adding surprise to the brand’s traditional style. Rather than replacing Chanel’s familiar designs, Blazy has loosened them. Tweed became more flexible, jackets were worn over bare skin and quilted handbags had a softer shape. The collection also explored Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel’s own journey, from the restrictive clothing of her youth to the men’s garments she adopted and the comfortable suits she introduced after World War II. “It’s about the women within a woman,” Blazy said. Kidman attended with her daughter, Faith Margaret, and provided recorded readings from Virginia Woolf’s “Orlando.” The novel’s central character lives through different centuries and changes sex. Kidman won an Oscar for playing Woolf in “The Hours.” The show included music from a-ha’s “Take On Me” and ended with Britney Spears’ “Gimme More.” Chanel’s mix of past and presentEdwardian influences appeared in boning, peplums and ruffled collars, while men’s formal clothing was transformed into raw-edged vests and slim skirt suits. Some standout pieces included layered printed-silk dresses inspired by the changing sky and 1930s-style sequined and beaded gowns designed to feel as comfortable as T-shirts. However, some pattern-heavy looks and ballet tutus appeared overly theatrical, while the 83-look collection sometimes felt too long. Birds appeared throughout the show, including on buttons and jewelry. A birdcage-shaped evening bag was shown with its birds already gone. Model Dyanira Hurbuscher opened and closed the show, carrying Chanel’s original 2.55 handbag from the brand’s archives, symbolizing the connection between freedom and the house’s history. Vuitton looks to the futureLouis Vuitton closed Paris Fashion Week Tuesday evening at the Louvre, with Zendaya among the guests and futuristic car sculptures suspended above the runway. Designer Nicolas Ghesquière, known for structured and futuristic designs, presented a softer collection featuring loose shift dresses, cardigans, short jackets and relaxed tailoring. Light fabrics moved freely as models walked, while slim trousers included sheer mesh panels. Ghesquière maintained his interest in science fiction. An asphalt runway crossed the Louvre’s Cour Carrée, surrounded by wedge-shaped concept cars raised on poles and covered with Louis Vuitton’s Damier checkerboard pattern. Zendaya, a Louis Vuitton ambassador, wore jeans with a white ruffled lace jacket she had previously worn to the Paris premiere of “The Odyssey.” Emma Stone, Saoirse Ronan, Blackpink’s Lisa, Sophie Turner and Catherine Deneuve also attended. Designers embrace comfortOther designers across Paris also mixed formal clothing with sportswear, brought lingerie into everyday fashion and used elaborate decorations in lighter ways. At Miu Miu, Miuccia Prada combined pleated check skirts and blazers with running shorts and track tops. Shoelaces were used as belts, while guests sat on gym-style bleachers. Olivia Colman appeared on the runway in a black leather skirt suit alongside Jamie Bell and Emma Corrin. Sacai designer Chitose Abe returned to the women’s runway after a season away. She combined biker leather with swinging fringe, military jackets with silk tassels and jeweled prints beneath sheer layers. She ended the show by running to embrace Pharrell Williams. At Valentino, Alessandro Michele presented satin bustiers and knee-length skirts at the Sainte-Geneviève Library. He compared unworn clothes with unread books, saying both “still speak to us of the lives we could have lived.” Elie Saab drew inspiration from the early 2000s with beaded slips and lace bralettes. Halle Berry famously wore one of his gowns when she won her Oscar. Paris Hilton and Nicky Hilton attended the show. Victoria Beckham presented pleated dresses suspended from jewelry chains, lightweight-looking taffeta raincoats and wedge sandals with hollowed-out heels. Like Blazy’s stretch tweed at Chanel, many of the collections shared a common goal: making sophisticated and elaborate clothing feel comfortable and easy to wear.

Dolly Parton's diverse legacy is being celebrated at a new museum and themed hotel in Nashville, showcasing different chapters of the late singer and entertainer's life and career. Parton's longtime creative director, Steve Summers, designed hundreds of dresses and outfits for the singer each year, giving him a close view of the many stages of her career. "Every person in here has a different Dolly Parton that they are in love with," Summers told fans gathered Tuesday for the opening of the museum dedicated to Parton, who died in August at age 80. The 20,000-square-foot Dolly's Life of Many Colors Museum features exhibits highlighting various parts of Parton's life and legacy, including her Smoky Mountain roots, Dollywood, movie career, fashion, faith, family and the Imagination Library. "You've got to find her and find out where you fell in love with her and then follow the path from there. So I think the journey is what most people are going to enjoy the most," Summers said. The museum is housed inside the 240-room Dolly Parton's SongTeller, a themed hotel whose lobby and open spaces are decorated with glitter, rhinestones, guitars, butterflies, portraits of Parton and an abundance of pink. The building also features two performance venues, a cafe and hotel rooms equipped with musical instruments to encourage guests to write songs. Among the museum's key attractions is Parton's original wedding dress, which she wore when she married her husband, Carl Dean. The dress was thought to have been lost until Parton's niece Rebecca Seaver, who is curating the museum, discovered it about a year ago wrapped in a paper bag and tucked inside a trunk, Summers said. For many people who worked closely with Parton, the opening of the museum and hotel is a bittersweet occasion because she is not there to see the project inspired by her. "We were as surprised as anybody that she's not here to see it," Summers said. "It's beautiful to get to see all of her work come to life, and it's hard to know that she won't ever have seen it."

Dr Saimum Parvez, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Environment, Forest and Climate Change, visited the July Uprising Memorial Museum on Tuesday afternoon and reviewed a collection of documents, artifacts and other materials preserved to record political repression, killings, enforced disappearances and the July Uprising. The visit offered Dr Parvez an opportunity to examine firsthand a range of historical records, including official documents retrieved from Ganabhaban and evidentiary materials documenting what the museum described as state-sponsored repression of political parties during the previous authoritarian regime. Upon his arrival, he was received by Ehasan Mahamud, Director General of the museum.  

Dr. Karl Deisseroth spent hours receiving congratulatory calls after learning early Monday that he had won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for helping establish a new field of brain science known as optogenetics. But the California scientist soon asked for a break from the celebrations for a much more routine responsibility preparing school lunches for his children. His children were asleep at the family's home in Stanford while their father spoke with journalists and well-wishers in the early hours of the morning. Deisseroth, 54, shared this year's medicine Nobel with German researchers Peter Hegemann and Georg Nagel for their work in optogenetics, a technique that uses light and genes to control neurons in living brains. A self-described night owl, Deisseroth, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and Stanford University professor, often works past midnight. After reviewing research papers and emailing students, he said he had just gone to bed when he received the call from the Nobel Assembly in Stockholm. “I almost felt as if I'd lost the power of forming words,” he told The Associated Press, adding that he recovered after a minute or two. He was soon able to take remote interviews with AP science reporters. Stanford's communications team helped arrange the interviews through a series of quick emails. “No real sleep was achieved,” Deisseroth said about an hour after the Nobel announcement. As the interviews continued by phone and Zoom, an AP photographer and videographer rushed to his Stanford home. The photographer arrived around 3:30 a.m. and saw Halloween decorations outside the house, with only one light on inside. Unsure whether he had found the right home, he eventually knocked on the door. Deisseroth's wife, Dr. Michelle Monje-Deisseroth, answered and welcomed the photographer inside. The Nobel laureate was sitting on the couch, taking calls. Monje-Deisseroth, also an HHMI investigator and a Stanford pediatric neuro-oncologist, stayed beside her husband when she was not preparing coffee for Stanford communications staff who had joined the celebration. Deisseroth said he was surprised that his research had received the Nobel Prize. His wife, however, was not surprised. He discussed his research with Hegemann and Nagel and its potential impact on patients. “As a physician-scientist, I am a psychiatrist. I care about patients and my patients who have autism, who have depression,” he said, adding that he valued the hope the research could bring. At the same time, he said he remained interested in basic science and in understanding how the brain works, processes information and produces the qualities that make humans unique. After finishing the interviews, Deisseroth told Stanford staff that he needed an hour-long break starting at 6:30 a.m. His children would soon wake up and needed lunches before heading to school, he said. When a Stanford representative wondered whether neighbours might be disturbed by the late-night activity, Monje-Deisseroth appeared unconcerned. They live in faculty housing, she said, adding that “there are a lot of Nobels in the neighborhood.”

An almost empty classroom on the remote Greek island of Kalamos is highlighting a wider population crisis affecting Greece and other parts of Europe. Chryssa Ntalaka, the only teacher at the island's last school, has just two students this year. When they leave for middle school on mainland Greece next year, the school is expected to close. The nearby kindergarten was shut three years ago, although toys and children's books remain on its shelves. “Usually, teachers are placed on these islands against their wishes,” Ntalaka told The Associated Press. “Whereas for Kalamos there are teachers and kindergarten teachers, as far as I know, who want to come — but there are no children.” Falling enrollment has prompted Greek authorities to close 75 schools this year and suspend or extend classes at more than 400 others. The trend is part of a broader demographic problem across Europe. The region has 16 of the world's 20 oldest populations, according to the World Population Review. Remote islands and mountain communities are often affected first as young people leave and public services disappear. About 17 million people live on more than 4,000 islands across the European Union, while Greece has around 200 islands. Kalamos now has only about 80 permanent residents. A decade ago, around 40 children attended its local schools and daycare. Seven teenagers from the island now travel by ferry to attend school on the mainland. They sometimes miss classes when strong winds make the journey unsafe. Antonis Aivaliotis, one of the students, said he would like to remain on Kalamos but sees little opportunity there. “Of course I would like to stay here,” he said. “I love Kalamos. It is my home. But there's no development at all.” Similar problems are affecting remote islands in Croatia, Japan and Italy. On Italy's Stromboli island, a school reopened last month after being closed for 20 years, with only one student. The European Union's fertility rate fell to a record-low 1.34 children per woman in 2024, well below the 2.1 rate needed to maintain a stable population. The EU has announced plans for an island strategy, while 146 million euros ($164 million) has been spent over the past five years to modernize schools in four Greek island groups.