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Kathmandu Gurkhas defeated Biratnagar Kings by one wicket in today's first match of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) Cricket Tournament held at TU Cricket Ground Kirtipur. 

Kathmandu achieved the 118-run victory target posted by Biratnagar in 18.1 overs at the loss of eight wickets.

Pratik Shrestha top scored 39 runs, including two sixes and two boundaries, in 34 balls for Kathmandu.  Shankar Rana made 16-not out, Rashid Khan 14, Gerhard Erasmus 12, Dipesh Kandel undefeated 11 and Michael Levitt 10.

Captain Sandeep Lamichhane took the highest three wickets while Chris Sole, Basir Ahamad and Anil Kharel took two wickets each.

Batting first after losing the toss, Biratnagar had scored 117 runs in 19.5 overs by losing all wickets. Rajesh Pulami scored the highest 25 runs with the help of one six and one four in 21 balls for Biratnagar.

Similarly, Dipak Bohara hit 20 runs, Scott Edwards 15, Bashir Ahamad 13 and Nicholas Kirton 12 while others batters failed to score in double digits.

Towards bowling, Gerhard Erasmus took the highest three wickets, Dipesh Kandel two wickets and captain Karan KC, Shahab Alam and Dan Douthwaite took one wicket each for Kathmandu.

If you are tired of seeing the same kind of content on Instagram day in and day out or frustrated by influencers who seem to have it all, it’s time to rethink who you are following and what kind of content you are consuming. Instagram can be a vortex of random content that does nothing to stimulate and inspire you but by choosing the right kind of content, you can use it to your advantage. Here are seven pages to follow that can motivate you to make lifestyle changes and become a smarter, happier version of yourself.

Sarita Walsh

This page is pleasing to the eye with its mostly black and white aesthetics. Coach and mentor Sarita Walsh offers nuggets of wisdom that you have forgotten or pushed to the back of your minds. It inspires you to become a better version of yourself. Embracing principles from science, Eastern philosophy, and nature, Walsh dishes out gentle reminders of how you can live a simple, stress-free life.

Design Boom

Proclaimed as the world’s first online magazine, established in 1999, Design Bloom is all about architecture, art, design, and technology. The posts are stunning, sparking creativity and visual delight. There are gorgeous photos of buildings, interiors, and products. The page also features the latest news, trends, and innovations in the design world. With over 4.1 million followers, this page is all you need to stay updated on the architecture trends and styles.

Made by Nelson

Artist and designer, Nelson Cash, shares his illustrations with his followers through his Instagram page Made by Nelson. And this is such a happy page. It’s filled with colorful illustrations coupled with cute messages to make your day. Cash often collaborates with other artists and brands, and his work has been featured in publications like The New York Times and Wired. We recommend you pick a random one each day and let the philosophy of the illustration be your guide.

Megha Theeng

Her bio on Instagram says she’s a scientist and immediately below it reads ‘not a scientist’. It’s hilarious and shows Megha Theeng’s witty side. This perhaps 20 something girl from Darjeeling who lives in Siliguri is refreshing and makes content that will having you laughing out loud. She recently hit 100,000 subscribers on Instagram. There are only 359 posts so far but if you haven’t discovered yet, you are in for a treat. Her accent makes her endearing and she keeps it very, very real.

Inquisitive Bookworm

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of pages on Instagram dedicated to books and reading. We, at ApEx, like quite a few including but not limited to paperbackanddaisies, nonauppal, Sonali’s Book Club, and Penguin India. But the Inquisitive Bookworm has our heart. Each post is beautifully designed and shot. The book recommendations are also great. We have discovered new authors and titles from this page. All in all, it’s a fantastic page to follow if you want to be inspired to read more.

Quoting Literature

This page provides quotes from books and authors. Following this page is a neat little hack for appearing well read and fueling your mind with different author’s wit and wisdom. The admin posts something every day so there will be no dearth of content. From Albert Camus to Haruki Murakami, you will find a lot of inspiration in Quoting Literature. Our favorite is a quote by Henry Miller. It goes: The aim of life is to live, and to live means to be aware, joyously, drunkenly, serenely, divinely aware.

Gree Yogabhyasi

Greesha Dhingra is a holistic yoga educator who teaches yoga and life skills through her Instagram page. She inspires you to do the right thing, take care of your body, and be in tune with your higher self. If you are spiritually inclined or want to get started on your spiritual journey, this is a great page to follow. You will get to learn about meditation, ayurveda, and eating well. She offers a holistic approach to wellbeing that you can learn and follow.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 1, 200 per tola in the domestic market on Sunday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 150, 800 per tola today.

Similarly, the price of silver has dropped by Rs 20 and is being traded at Rs 1,840 per tola today.

President Ram Chandra Paudel has expressed belief that Udhauli festival will help further strengthen national unity enhancing the mutual harmony, tolerance and fraternity in the diverse Nepali society.

In a message of best wishes on the occasion of Udhauli festival 2081, President Paudel wished for the happiness, peace and prosperity to all Nepalis living home and abroad. Udhauli is the major festival of the Kirant community—mainly of Rai, Limbu, Sunuwar and Yakkha.

Clarifying that Udhauli festival marks the time of migration of people, animals and birds to lower land from highland as winter sets in, he said, "Newly harvested crops are offered to ancestors along with prayers to land on this festival."

"This Udhauli festival has helped to foster mutual harmony among all ethnic groups of Nepal as well as maintain familial, communal and societal unity", reads the message.

Yomari Punhi, one of the major festivals celebrated by the Newar community, is being observed across the country today. It marks the end of the rice harvesting season.

People from the Newar community are celebrating this festival enjoying a special and delicious food—Yomari. This festival usually falls in November/December during full moon day and this year it is being marked on December 15.

Yomari is made from new- harvest rice flour and filled with chaku (molasses) and sesame seeds and it is nutritious which helps to keep one warm. It is also a symbol of wealth and prosperity.

Women from the Newar community become busy from early morning today cooking Yomari. The Newar community celebrates Yomari Purima by worshipping at the storage where paddy is stored. 

On this occasion, fairs are organized at Dhaneshwor of Kavrepalancowk, Anantalingeshwor of Bhaktapur, Champadevi of Kathmandu, Shikharbesi and Dupcheshwor of Nuwakot.

Are there any specific lifestyle changes I can make to improve my mental health, such as exercise, diet, or sleep habits?

Answered by Aditya Dangol, Psycho-social Counselor

The effects of our daily functioning on our mental health is significant. There are lifestyle changes that you can make to improve your mental health. Exercise or any form of physical activity including sports, dancing or walking improves well-being on a physiological and psychological level. Aerobic exercises reduce anxiety and depression by activating regions of the brain that elevates mood and motivation. 

Research suggests that adding 30-35 minutes of activity at least three to five times a week reduces activity in regions of the brain that modulate fear and stress responses, and increases positive mood. On a psychological level, regular and even workouts integrated within daily activities provide a sense of distraction or break, accomplishment and opportunities for social interaction. For instance, it is recommended to physically move around after every 30 minutes to break the accumulated stress of work and improve cognitive functioning (ability to solve problems and make decisions). 

Food and sleep significantly affect our mental health. Your food intake can determine your tendency to decrease or increase mental health issues. High levels of junk food consumption have been linked to increased risk of anxiety and depression. Highly processed food causes inflammation and stress in the body which disrupts the function of the brain and leads to biological changes that mimic those of mental disorders. 

Making changes to the type of food you consume could reverse and even promote healthy brain functioning. Food containing high levels of caffeine (energy drinks, cold beverages, coffee etc.) and highly processed food (chips, white pasta, salty snacks) should be avoided. Proper hydration and intake of electrolytes ensures maintained energy levels, mood and concentration. 

When it comes to sleep and mental health, we cannot deny our lived experiences of grogginess, low energy levels and a general disdain for getting through the day after a bout of a sleepless night. But the connection goes much deeper. Sleep and mental health go in a feedback loop. Lack of sleep leads to feelings of fatigue, difficulty focusing, followed by stress and worry. 

Grounding techniques, mindfulness, avoidance of caffeine, screen usage before sleep can result in better quality sleep. But lifestyle changes aren’t limited to sleep, diet and exercise. One of the major determinants of happiness has been found by studies to be positive social relationships which develop resilience and help you push through difficult times. A lifestyle change could be the change in dialogues you have mentally. Assessing whether we are overly critical of ourselves and changing into something more compassionate is a life-style change as well. Opting for professional help (therapy and consultation) or interaction with mental health professionals as if it were a bi-monthly check up could be a lifestyle change as well. 

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said maintaining national unity by building an inclusive and equitable society is their main priority.

Addressing a national women gathering organized by Federation of Democratic Indigenous Nationalities, Nepal today, Prime Minister Oli laid emphasis on effective implementation of fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution to uplift the living standard of underprivileged communities.

Also the chairperson of the CPN-UML, PM Oli stated that the UML has been giving special importance to establish rights of indigenous nationalities and all women.

He expressed determination to uplift the living standard of every nationality, to establish social justice and build an equitable society.  

Sharing that the underprivileged communities would be uplifted by providing them easy access to education and employment, Prime Minister Oli urged the indigenous nationalities to protect their traditions, art and culture.

Annapurna Media Network (AMN) has taken a groundbreaking step toward digital transformation by implementing Proma AI across all its departments, becoming the first media house in Nepal to embrace comprehensive AI integration.

The historic agreement was formalized during a ceremony at AMN's headquarters in Tinkune on Friday, where Manoj Basnet, General Manager of Annapurna Media Network, and Shishir Bashyal, CEO of US-based Growthzilla Inc., signed the partnership agreement.

Proma.ai, a cutting-edge process management and automation platform, will be implemented across AMN's operations to enhance productivity and streamline workflows. The platform will revolutionize various aspects of the organization, including editorial workflows, advertising campaign management, customer relationship management, team collaboration, project management, and human resource operations.

"We are committed to providing all necessary resources to ensure successful AI implementation," said Bashyal during the signing ceremony. He emphasized that this initiative represents a significant milestone in AMN's digital transformation journey.

AMN General Manager Basnet highlighted the strategic importance of this move: "The adoption of Proma AI positions our organization at the forefront of the digital age. This technology will significantly enhance our team's effectiveness and efficiency, setting new standards in Nepal's media industry."

The implementation, managed by Growthzilla Inc., marks a significant step forward in modernizing Nepal's media landscape, with AMN leading the way in technological advancement and innovation.