United News of Bangladesh

Standing barefoot among a patch of dandelions, Iris Phoebe Weaver eagerly explains the many ways the humble plant can be used in cooking and medicine. “I picked a bunch of dandelion flowers yesterday and soaked them in vodka with orange peel and sugar to make a dandelion aperitif,” Weaver said. “It will make a delightful mixed drink.” A seasoned herbalist and foraging instructor from Massachusetts, Weaver leads nature walks that help people reconnect with the environment. She says the growing interest in foraging benefits not only individuals but also communities and the environment. “There is so much food around us,” she said. “An abundance we often don’t even realize.” Foraging predates agriculture, which emerged around 12,000 years ago, yet interest in collecting wild mushrooms, edible plants, shellfish, and seaweed has surged recently. Enthusiasts share discoveries on social media, while experienced foragers offer guidance on safe, sustainable practices. People are drawn to foraging for various reasons—from saving money to reducing environmental impact. Some also explore creative pursuits, like making spore prints from mushrooms. The hobby is widely accessible, with opportunities ranging from urban spaces to forests, provided proper permissions are obtained. Some initiatives even map locations where people can collect fruits and vegetables for free. Day and night share equal time as fall equinox arrives Monday Gina Buelow, a natural resources specialist at Iowa University Extension, said mushroom foraging programs have been in high demand for the past two years, regularly reaching attendance limits. Participants include older gardeners as well as younger enthusiasts aged 20 to 30. Chefs are also fueling interest by introducing diners to locally foraged ingredients. Evan Mallett, owner of Portsmouth’s Black Trumpet Bistro, said, “Foraging is an ancient practice. Our culture had moved away from it, but now it’s returning.” Mallett, who has used locally foraged foods at his restaurant for nearly 20 years, encourages people to learn from mentors to avoid poisonous plants. At Black Trumpet, foraged items such as Black Trumpet mushrooms, sea kelp in lobster tamales, and sea lettuce in salads have become menu highlights. Longtime customer M.J. Blanchette praised the unique taste and local connection of these dishes. “It’s exciting, local, and something special,” she said. Source: Agency 

For the first time, Huntington’s disease, a hereditary, degenerative brain disorder – has been successfully treated, offering hope to thousands of patients and families affected by the devastating condition, according to UK researchers. The disease, which destroys brain cells and combines symptoms of dementia, Parkinson’s, and motor neuron disease, has now been slowed by an average of 75% in a clinical trial. Experts say this could extend the decline normally seen in a year to four years, giving patients decades of improved quality of life. The breakthrough involves an advanced gene therapy administered through 12 to 18 hours of delicate brain surgery. A harmless virus carrying specially designed DNA is infused into key brain regions using MRI-guided microcatheters. This prompts brain cells to produce microRNA, a fragment that silences the mutant huntingtin gene responsible for neuron death, lowering levels of the toxic protein in the brain, reports BBC.

Whether it’s a bad habit or the memory of something or somebody, letting go is always hard. However, with the right plan, strong determination and emotional discipline, you can make a change in a short period, like three to four weeks. If guided with definite purpose and a proper mindset, a human mind can be adaptive. Even though the attachment is deep or the habit is stubborn, it will start to lose its grip. Here’s how you can get rid of a habit or forget an individual within 21 to 30 days. Tips for Leaving a Habit or Forgetting a Person within a Month . Recognising Attachment Attachment is the common link, whether you have formed a habit over a certain period or allowed a person to play a pivotal role in your life. Usually, such attachments tend to fill a psychological or emotional void, like identity crisis, aspiration for validation, stress relief, loneliness, etc. Once you have found out the habit or person’s contribution in your life, you have reached the first step of letting go. Understanding the attachment’s underlying need, like convenience, habit, routine, security, connection, etc., you can start overpowering it. Now you can utilise this awareness to replace the habit or person with something healthier or someone better. Read more: How to Recognise Your Emotional Red Flags Disrupting Pattern  Habits and emotional connections often follow a pattern. For instance, a smoker often tends to light a cigarette after having a meal; you check social media after waking up. Each habit is formed over a neural pathway. To break this, one should disrupt the routine or ambience which helps the attachment to thrive. Cognitive distance can be created by reordering the schedule, altering surroundings, or opting for a different route. New attachments can help your brain to leave a regular behaviour. It can be done by bringing tiny but consistent changes. Though you may not be able to forget someone or doing something overnight, it will weaken the urge or inclination over time. Out of Sight Out of Mind When one is trying to quit a habit like sugar consumption, one should not store cakes in the refrigerator. Avoiding the purchase and storage of the sugary foods will help one to break the cravings. Rather than testing one’s willpower, the out-of-sight trick will take the sugary food out of mind. What’s more, it's the first step to drop an unhealthy habit. Instead of making the ambience painful, make it your ally to change a habit.  The same applies to mental attachments. Emotional detachment requires space. When one tries to forget a person, one should remove the reminding triggers like exchanged gifts, shared music playlists, couple photos, social media connections, etc. This step does not make one selfish or in denial; rather, it creates space for disconnection. Read more: How to Improve Focus by Training the ‘Attention Muscle’ Relearn to Unlearn Faster The process of relearning makes it fast to unlearn. The human brain acts like a vacuum, which needs something to focus on. Whether one is trying to leave a habit or forget a person, one should find a more interesting replacement. For instance, to avoid a sedentary lifestyle habit, one can opt for a new routine that includes mindfulness and learning, like going to the gym, learning new workouts, adopting fitness routines, etc.  Grabbing a new sustainable habit or adopting a healthier lifestyle fills the emotional vacuum. This mental space gives one a sense of personal development, improvement, and success. Thus, one can bit by bit learn to thrive without the habit or person one had an attachment with. Know the Hurdle The first two-week period is usually the hardest while you are trying to let go of a habit or a person. Your brain will react, whether you are avoiding nicotine or missing someone's phone or messages. You may experience anxiety, sadness, stress, cravings, chest pain or other physical symptoms. This is biology, not failure. You have to accept this pain and discomfort as a part of the process. To overcome this period, one can talk to an empathetic friend or maintain a journal. By tracking one’s mental status, failures, and victories, one can create self-awareness and emotional detachment from the habit or person one wishes to remove from one’s life. Besides this, to ease your journey, remember why you want to do this by writing it on a paper and repeating it like a resolution. Read more: Good Stress: What Are the Benefits of Eustress? Make a Commitment  You may pick a three-week or four-week window to reach your goal. Though this short period may not remove a habit or erase all feelings, it is a strong foundation. Research suggests that a consistent effort can help one overcome the emotional or physical pull towards something or somebody. Counting each day and setting daily intentions can keep your determination strong. For example, one can divide the time window into days instead of seeing it as a fixed period of time. By reaching tiny and attainable goals every day, one can make the struggle less stressful. Thus, success can be achieved through piecemeal victories. Visualise Your Future When one understands that letting go means regaining control over oneself rather than losing something precious. When one aims to drop a habit that is unhealthy or forget a person who no longer complies with one’s well-being, one is protecting one’s future self. Visualising the independent, focused, and progressive version of yourself, your hardship aligns with healing instead of longing. Conclusion  The process of letting go is incremental; it doesn’t act like a switch. The idea of getting rid of a habit or forgetting someone completely in three or four weeks may sound ambitious. To be honest, some emotional urges may exist beyond the 30-day period. But a four-week time window is quite reasonable to start, to weaken the hold, and to regain one's emotional control. Thus, you allow life to continue in healthier, better, freer and more peaceful ways than before. The process wants you to be patient, disciplined, and self-compassionate. On the whole, when you are fully determined to drop a habit or forget a person in 21 days or 30 days, you will discover the attachment is fading away gradually. Read more: 15 Japanese Concepts for Personal and Professional Development

Popular tattoo artist Song Jaemin is booked weeks in advance and admired by clients from around the world. Yet each tattoo he inks is technically illegal, as South Korea only permits licensed doctors to perform the practice. That could soon change. The National Assembly is expected to pass the Tattooist Act, a landmark bill that would allow non-medical professionals to legally give tattoos. “I started this knowing it was illegal, but I believed the law would change one day,” said Song, 28, at his studio near Seoul. “Many tattooists feel we’re not doing anything wrong — it’s just that there’s no law for us.” For years, tens of thousands of tattoo artists have campaigned through rallies, court appeals, and petitions to overturn the decades-old ban. Their movement has gained momentum as public attitudes toward tattoos have shifted from taboo to mainstream, with K-pop stars like BTS’s Jungkook, TWICE’s Chaeyoung, and BigBang’s G-Dragon openly sporting ink. Experts estimate millions of South Koreans now have tattoos, with around 70% opting for semi-permanent cosmetic designs on eyebrows, eyelids, lips, or scalps. Yet, under a 1992 Supreme Court ruling, tattooing remains classified as a medical procedure, and artists face up to five years in prison or fines of 50 million won ($35,740). Pamela Anderson embraces makeup-free look, inspires women to follow Although enforcement is lax, many tattooists work discreetly, fearing reports to authorities or harassment. Some have gone abroad, while others run studios without signs. “I was truly terrified when someone close to me threatened to report my business,” said Kim Sho-yun, 45, who runs a cosmetic tattoo shop. The Tattooist Act, if passed, would introduce an official licensing system and require annual hygiene training for practitioners. While some artists worry about government oversight, many say it would bring long-sought legitimacy. The bill has bipartisan support and backing from the Health Ministry, with doctors’ opposition waning. It has cleared parliamentary committees and could pass in a plenary session as early as Thursday. A two-year grace period would follow before it takes effect. For many tattooists, the law would bring relief. “I think I’ll cry if it passes,” said Kim. “It would lift a heavy burden off my shoulders.” Day and night share equal time as fall equinox arrives Monday Song, who has won national awards, said his work often carries deep meaning. Recent designs include portraits of loved ones and religious imagery. “There are no limits in tattoos,” he said. “Whatever you draw on paper or walls, we can put on the human body.” Clients like Lee Byong-joo, 37, see tattoos as lifelong art. “I feel good having pictures I love on my body forever,” he said, while showing his new Jesus Christ tattoo. “But my wife told me this will be my last one.” Source: Agency 

Pamela Anderson says she has nothing against makeup. But having worn plenty of it in her younger days, the 58-year-old actress now feels more comfortable attending fashion shows and film premieres with a bare face. Her fresh-faced appearance has sparked conversations, particularly among older women, about whether to continue chasing youth with full makeup or to embrace natural skin. “I’m not trying to be the prettiest girl in the room,” Anderson told Vogue before a Paris Fashion Week show. “I feel like it’s just freedom. It’s like a relief.” Since the pandemic, many women say they have also grown more comfortable going makeup free at work. Some have found it easier, cheaper and more liberating, while style experts point to ways of enhancing a natural look. Makeup artist Rebecca Robles suggests focusing on hydration with a five-step routine — gentle cleanser, vitamin C serum, moisturizer with SPF, a separate sunscreen and a glossy lip balm. For a subtle lift, she recommends using a lash curler and brushing brows neatly into place. Personal stylist Natalie Tincher noted that celebrities like Anderson and Alicia Keys have inspired women to explore alternatives. She advises clients who go makeup free to rely on colorful clothing, experiment with textures, and accessorize thoughtfully to maintain a polished appearance. For some women, the shift has been long in the making. Colleen Gehoski Steinman, 59, from Michigan, gave up hair dye and makeup during the pandemic, saying, “This is who we really are, and you can be beautiful just as you are.” Others, like 57-year-old Cate Chapman from South Carolina, abandoned makeup decades ago due to cost and time pressures. “If you enjoy it, do it,” she said. “But if you feel like a slave to it, let it go.” Still, challenges remain in workplaces that expect a polished appearance. Deborah Borg, a senior executive at a global firm, acknowledged that women face “politics” around looking presentable, even in creative industries. For Anderson, however, the choice is clear — makeup is no longer a necessity but a freedom she embraces with confidence.  

Poet Rezauddin Stalin has been appointed as the new Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs on Sunday. The appointment comes just a week after an office order had temporarily assigned the role to Abul Foyez Md Alauddin Khan, additional secretary (administration) at the ministry, in addition to his existing duties. The position has seen multiple changes in the past year following the resignation of longtime DG Liaquat Ali Lucky in August 2024 after the fall of the Awami League government during the student-led uprising. In September last year, theatre director and researcher Syed Jamil Ahmed was appointed DG for two years, but he stepped down in February 2025. Since March, BSA Secretary Mohammad Wares Hossain had been serving as acting DG. Alongside Stalin’s appointment, the government named four new directors in different departments of the academy: filmmaker Shaheen Dil-Riaz (Training Department), media and branding specialist Daniel Afzalur Rahman (Production Department), art researcher Salma Jamal Mausum (Research and Publication Department), and theatre personality Deepak Kumar Goswami (Drama and Film Department). The Cultural Affairs Ministry said the academy will be restructured under the new leadership to align with modern needs. Key priorities include nurturing local talents through online and offline training, adopting new strategies with national and international experts and institutions, presenting Bangladesh’s cultural heritage on the global stage, and celebrating cultural icons and milestones both nationally and internationally. Turn houseplants into living art with Japanese kokedama

Day and night will share almost equal hours on Monday as much of the world enters the fall season, marking the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and the start of spring in the Southern Hemisphere. At the equator, the sun will be directly overhead at noon, while both the north and south poles will be illuminated simultaneously — a phenomenon that occurs only during equinoxes. In the Northern Hemisphere, daylight will gradually shorten each day until the winter solstice on December 21. Equinoxes have been observed and celebrated for centuries, often tied to harvest festivals. For instance, in Poland and parts of Eastern Europe, the fall harvest festival Dozynki traces its origins to the equinox. At Mexico’s Mayan site Chichen Itza, people gather during the equinox to witness the sun casting a shadow resembling a descending serpent on the El Castillo pyramid. This year, residents of Antarctica, New Zealand, and parts of Australia may also witness a partial lunar eclipse on Monday, adding a rare astronomical bonus to the equinox. Understanding the equinox The equinox occurs as the Earth orbits the sun at a tilt. For most of the year, the planet’s axis leans toward or away from the sun, causing unequal sunlight across the hemispheres. During the equinox, however, the Earth’s tilt aligns with its orbit, giving both hemispheres nearly equal sunlight. The term equinox comes from Latin, meaning “equal night,” as day and night last almost the same length, though minor differences can occur depending on location. The Northern Hemisphere’s fall equinox generally falls between September 21 and 24, while the spring equinox occurs between March 19 and 21. What is a solstice? Solstices mark times when the Earth reaches its maximum tilt toward or away from the sun, resulting in the greatest difference between day and night. During the summer solstice, the Northern Hemisphere tilts toward the sun, creating the longest day and shortest night, typically between June 20 and 22. The winter solstice, between December 20 and 23, occurs when the hemisphere tilts away from the sun, giving the shortest day and longest night. Meteorological vs. astronomical seasons While astronomical seasons are based on the Earth’s position in its orbit, meteorological seasons follow the annual temperature cycle. According to meteorologists, spring begins on March 1, summer on June 1, fall on September 1, and winter on December 1.

Beyond the hum-drum of hectic cities, Bangladesh is home to several wildlife sanctuaries that conserve endangered species, maintain ecological balance, and offer natural habitats for wildlife and migratory birds. The Habiganj district, located in the northeastern part of Bangladesh, is blessed with natural greenery, featuring lush forests, tea gardens, hills, and wildlife. Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary was created in 1982 in Habiganj and was enlarged in 1996. Besides abounding in many rare plants and animal species, its scenic landscapes provide fresh air, biodiversity, and a peaceful environment for visitors and locals. Here is a detailed travel guide to Rema-Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary.  Location The Rema–Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary is located at Chunarughat Upazila of Habiganj District in the Sylhet Division. It lies next to India's Tripura border and close to Srimangal in the Moulvibazar district. Approximately 130 km northeast of Dhaka, the city, lies the wildlife reserve. It includes the Kalenga, Rema, Chanbari, and Rashidpur portions of the Habiganj District's Kalenga Forest Range. Significance The Rema–Kalenga Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected forest and wildlife reserve in Bangladesh. It is a dry and evergreen forest, and after the Sundarbans, it is the largest natural forest in Bangladesh. It is also the country’s second-largest wildlife sanctuary and one of the richest areas in terms of biodiversity. The sanctuary covers an area of 1,795.54 hectares. Among the few natural forests in Bangladesh that have survived in relatively good condition, Rema–Kalenga is one of the most notable. Read more: International Air Flights with Connecting Flights: Beginner’s Guide for Transfer-transit Passengers Among Bangladesh's natural forests, this sanctuary is still in good condition. However, the refuge is threatened by deforestation and careless tree theft. Flora The sanctuary is home to 638 species of plants, trees, and vines. Some of the most notable among them include Awal, Teak, Kakra, Neur, Hargaza, Gandharoi, Haritaki, Bohera, Jamun, Fig, Jackfruit, Champa Jackfruit, Kau, Kadam, Rata, Chikrashi, Chapalish, Neem, Bonmala, etc.

Indonesia has rolled out an attractive permanent residency programme, offering long-term stay opportunities for foreigners, including Indians, at a cost starting from under Rs 59,000. The residency permit, officially called ITAP (Kartu Izin Tinggal Tetap) or KITAP, allows foreign nationals to live, work and invest in the country with greater stability than short-term visas. Each KITAP is valid for five years and can be renewed indefinitely. According to Indonesian authorities, applicants must first hold a temporary residency permit (ITAS/KITAS) for five years before becoming eligible for ITAP. However, faster tracks are available through investment, marriage to an Indonesian citizen, or exceptional skills in fields such as science, sports or the arts. Residency vs citizenshipWhile permanent residency provides rights such as legal employment, access to banking, healthcare, and ease of travel in and out of Indonesia, citizenship offers additional political privileges, including voting rights and eligibility for public office. Costs involvedThe government application fee for ITAP ranges between Rs 58,000 and Rs 65,000 (IDR 10–12 million), depending on the category of application. Renewals, required every five years, cost between Rs 27,000 and Rs 33,000 (IDR 5–6 million). Additional charges may apply for applications through investment, marriage or work sponsorship, along with documentation and consultant fees. Benefits of Indonesian PR ·         Exemption from repeated visa applications ·         Easier entry and exit from Indonesia ·         Eligibility to open local bank accounts and obtain a driving licence ·         Access to employment with valid work permits ·         Stronger integration into Indonesia’s financial and social systems Application routesPermanent residency can be secured through: ·         Status transfer from ITAS after five years of residence ·         Marriage to an Indonesian citizen (eligibility after two years) ·         Investment visas (residency in three years with qualifying investment) ·         Exceptional talent or highly skilled worker visas ·         Humanitarian grounds in rare cases For renewal, applicants must apply at least 60 days before expiry, submit necessary documents including passports and residence proof, pay fees online, and complete an interview and fingerprinting process before collecting the new ITAP card. With its blend of affordable costs, business opportunities and cultural vibrancy, Indonesia’s permanent residency programme is being seen as a promising option for Indians seeking a stable long-term base in Southeast Asia.  

San Francisco’s City Hall, with its grand marble staircase, elegant balconies, and natural light pouring through massive art deco windows, is now a dream spot for quinceañera photos. “In 80 years, I found no day of sorrow:” Enam Ul Haque celebrated with tributes at Cosmos Centre The Beaux-Arts landmark has always been a popular wedding venue. But with the rise of social media, it has also become a must-visit backdrop for girls across Northern California preparing for their quinceañera — the traditional coming-of-age celebration in Latino culture marking a girl’s 15th birthday. Source: Agency