Submit your Article

Presently the monsoon winds have influence across the country and the low-pressure line of the monsoon is located towards south of the average place, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. 

It will be partly to generally cloudy throughout the country due to the effects.

Light to moderate rainfall is taking place at one or two places of Koshi and Gandaki Provinces. According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, the weather will be partly to generally cloudy throughout the country this afternoon.

Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at a few places of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces.

Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places of Gandaki, Lumbini and Karnali Provinces. Similarly, the weather will be partly to generally cloudy throughout the country tonight with chances of light to moderate rain accompanied by thunder and lightning at some places of Gandaki, Lumbini and Sudurpaschim Provinces.

Heavy rainfall is also likely to occur at one or two places of Koshi, Gandaki, Lumbini and Sudurpaschim Provinces. Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at a few places of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces during the next 24 hours.

The Department has cautioned the general public of the area for alertness in view of heavy rainfall in the provinces. 

Annapurna Media Network (AMN) has announced its partnership with The Times of Media Group, Bennett & Coleman Co Ltd (BCCL), India’s largest media conglomerate.

Under the agreement, AMN has been designated as the buyer responsible for soliciting advertisements from Nepal across all categories for BCCL’s publications, web platforms and other mediums.

In turn, AMN has appointed BCCL as its buyer to solicit advertisements from India for AMN’s publications and advertising spaces as part of a reciprocal agreement. Both parties have agreed to act in their respective capacities as publisher and buyer.

Speaking about the partnership, AMN’s General Manager, Manoj Basnet, expressed gratitude to the Times of India team and Head of International Sales, Shweta Arora, for facilitating the dual representation agreement.

Life Mantra, a mental health related organization, in collaboration with Kathmandu Metropolitan City-6 organized a rally at Boudha to mark Suicide Prevention Day on Tuesday.

Students from Mahendra Boudha Secondary School, Lord Buddha, Janakalyan Secondary School, Kumari Boarding Secondary School, members of Tusal Youth Club and Attarkhel Yuwa Samaj took part in the program.

The rally, which started from Mahendra Boudha Secondary School this morning, passed through Boudha Stupa, Boudha Pipalbot and Boudha Tusal before converging into a corner Assembly at the same school.

On the occasion, KMC-6 Chairman Bhuwan Lama said: “We were not born to commit suicide, but to develop the society, country and the world. We all have to join hands together to take the country towards the path of prosperity.”

“We have to help each other in every step. We were born to change the society and ensure the rights of every people,” adding, “Like the population is increasing day by day, the incidents of suicide are also on the rise.”

“Family problems, anxiety, depression, substance abuse among others are some of the causes that are leading the people to commit suicide,” he further said.

Meanwhile, clinical psychologist Sulav Raj Upreti said that those who struggle with low self-worth often view themselves negatively, unable to see their strengths, and deny their own needs. This mindset can increase the risk of depression and even suicide.

“We must create environments that encourage support and understanding. If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, don't hesitate to seek help. You are not alone, and support is always available,” he said.

Similarly, senior clinical psychologist Chetana Lokshum said: there are very few people who take their lives all of a sudden, they plan, prepare and execute. They show several signs such as talking about guilt, not wanting to live anymore. We have to take these signs seriously and consider it as their “cry for help.”

She said that just the way we need physical food for us to function properly in a physical way, we also need mental food for us to function properly in a mental way too, such as:

   - Physical exercise

   - Meditation

   - Cutting off junk food

   - Maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

According to World Health Organization, over 800,000 people die by suicide each year – that’s one person every 40 seconds.

The World Suicide Prevention Day is being observed since 2003 on September 10 each year.

Life Mantra is an organization that raises mental health awareness through community programs, provides specialized counseling to help individuals overcome challenges and offers tailored training for education, health workers, parents and students.

The organization’s objective is to strive to foster social justice, equality, peace, and prosperity supporting disadvantaged groups like seniors, women, children and disaster survivors.

Life Mantra provides services like 

- Individual Counseling (Relationship, Trauma, Depression, Anxiety, Stress)

- Yoga and Meditation

- Hiking for Well-being

- Training and Capacity Building Programs on Mental Health and Well-being

- Awareness Programs

- Parenting Skills Training

- Life Skills Training

- Rejuvenating Retreat

Who doesn’t want to look and feel their best? But it’s not easy. You have to exercise and eat right and those are perhaps the most difficult things to do. Finding the time to exercise is next to impossible when you have a zillion chores at home and work deadlines to meet. Often, there are too many things to do and not enough hours in a day. But that doesn’t have to mean you can’t achieve your fitness goals. You just have to find innovative ways to squeeze some squats and lunges in your routine and get your heart rate up to burn those calories. We are here to arm you with some simple hacks to make fitness a part of your daily life, all without you having to set aside a fixed time for it.

 Make it a group activity

Go for a run or a Zumba workout with a friend. Enjoy a stroll after dinner with your partner. Play badminton with a neighbor. If you make fitness a group activity or engage in it with a partner, you will enjoy it and stick to it. 

 Dance to a song every day 

Play your favorite song and dance to it as soon as you get out of bed or before you take a shower. You can also do this in the evening after coming back from work. It will help you burn some calories as well as put you in a good mood.

 Do 20 squats every two hours

You can easily do about 120 to 150 squats in a day if you simply break it down and do 20 every two hours. You can do this at work too. Simply get up from your seat and do 20 squats before sitting down again. Squats are great to tone your calf and thigh muscles.

 Hydrate

Drink water. We can’t stress on this enough. If you are hydrated, you are less likely to reach for cold drinks or other sugary beverages when you are thirsty. Make sure you have at least eight large glasses of water every day.

 Play with kids or pets

If you have children or pets, this is a great way to feel good as well as get your heart pumping. Toss a ball or play chase to have a good time and make some memories while burning some calories.

 Focus on small things

You might not be able to go for a 40-minute walk, but you can make it a point to get in 500 steps after each meal. You might not be able to join a gym, but you can take the stairs instead of the elevator. Look for little things you can do to stay active. Don’t underestimate its power.

Walk when on the phone

If you are at home or at work and you have a phone call to make, do so moving around. Better, head out and go for a short walk. A 10-minute phone can fetch you a thousand steps. This is a really great way to get your step count up.

Stand on one leg

Studies have found that this feat of coordination provides a proper brain workout, improving neuroplasticity. There’s also the option to close your eyes to make it much more challenging. Do this while brushing your teeth, making tea, or while putting on makeup.

Switch up your commute

If you regularly use the car to go to work, consider walking or cycling to work at least once a day. You might have to leave half an hour early but the results will be worth it. You will also be lowering your carbon footprint and contributing to a cleaner planet.

Do some chores

Every day, do one chore around the house that you normally don’t do yourself. It could be sweeping the stairs, vacuuming the carpets, or cleaning the windows. You will have gotten some exercise in, freed up your house help’s time for something else and, best of all, you will have a clean house.

Use little pockets of time

The most common excuse people have for a lack of exercise in their lives is not having the time for it, yet most of us watch TV on a regular basis. During television breaks, get up and do something—10 burpees, 15 crunches, or some stretching. It all adds up at the end of the day.

Do a 10-minute YouTube workout

Really, nobody is so busy that they can’t do a 10-minute workout at home. There are fitness apps and YouTube channels that provide great mini workouts that can tone your entire body in minutes. If you can’t do anything else, make sure you do at least one of these every day.

Narainapur Rural Municipality of Banke district has recorded a patient of Japanese encephalitis. A nine-year-old girl was found detected with Japanese encephalitis, the Bheri Hospital said.

Pediatrician Dr Pratima Khadka said the girl suffering Japanese encephalitis was receiving treatment at ICU and she had a normal health condition at present.

"The laboratory report confirmed that the child had got the virus," she added.

Chief at District Health Office, Angad Bahadur Shahi, informed that it was not clear whether the girl was immunized against the Japanese encephalitis.

However, there is a mandatory provision that the children from 12 to 23 months after birth are immunized against Japanese encephalitis.

According to medical persons, the virus of Japanese encephalitis is found in pigs and birds. Once the mosquito of culex species bites a human, it transmits the disease.

The virus causes fever, nausea, shivering and headache, according to Dr Sanket Kumar Risal, information officer at Bheri Hospital.

Meanwhile, the hospital has set up a separate ward for the patients suffering diarrhea. Three girls are undergoing treatment here. Among them, one is critical, Dr Khadka added.

The Humla District Hospital has witnessed a rise in the number of patients.

The people suffering from common cold have crowded the hospital of late.

Doctor Sunil Pujara informed that they could not manage beds for the increasing number of patients. There are only 15 beds in the hospital.

Last Sunday, as many as 150 persons were provided service. Most of them were suffering from common cold, fever, diarrhea, pneumonia and gastritis. The hospital provided service to nearly 90 patients despite resource constraints on Monday.

Dr Pujara informed that the average daily arrival of patients is 50. But the number surged in recent days, thereby exposing the limitation of the facility.

The people from Thehe, Jodam, Dandaphaya, Dharapori, Buraunse, Bargau, Yanchu, Maja, Chhipra and among other villages visit the district hospital.

Although the number of people visiting the hospital has surged, there is no shortage of medicine, the Dr added.

Police have made public today four people arrested on the charge of presenting fake academic certificates at the US Embassy in Nepal for proceeding with an entry to the USA under the Electronic Diversity Visa (EDV).

The arrested are Goma Pandey of Mahalaxmi Municipality-8 in Lalitpur, Anil Kumar Mahato of Lalbandi-10 in Sarlahi, Gopal Prasad Ghimire of Arjundhara Municipality-8 in Jhapa, and Subash Dhakal (43) of Khandbari Municipality-9 in Sankhuwasabha.   The accused were temporarily residing in Lalitpur and Bhaktapur.

According to Kathmandu Valley Crime Division, Teku's Information Officer and Superintendent of Police, Kaji Kumar Acharya, the four were charged with producing fake documents of SEE and +2 education and presenting them to the Embassy.

They were detained from near the Embassy and have been sent to the District Police Range, Bhadrakali, Kathmandu for further action, it has been said.

While Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML have argued that the decision of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) to extend no-construction zone along riverbanks by an additional 20 meters will displace people, Mayor Balendra Shah aka Balen has stated that houses along riverbanks will not be demolished under the new guidelines.

Also, Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal has also called for a review of the Supreme Court’s decision. Speaking to officials of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce on Sunday, he emphasized the need to revisit the Court’s ruling. “Some aspects of the ruling are difficult to implement, and the government is working on that matter,” he added.

In a post on his social media page on Sunday, Mayor Shah said that the government would need to provide compensation if houses falling within the guidelines were to be demolished. “Be assured that no house falling under the new guidelines will be demolished,” Shah wrote. “If demolition becomes necessary, the government must provide compensation.”

The decision, however, has faced obstacles, with both ruling parties Nepali Congress and CPN-UML urging the KMC to reconsider the decision.

The CPN-UML Kathmandu District Committee submitted a seven-point memorandum to Mayor Shah, demanding the scrapping of the decision. UML has argued that the decision affects hundreds of thousands of people living on the riverbanks and warned of severe consequences if the decision is not reversed.

The Kathmandu District Committee of the NC has also opposed the decision. Issuing a joint statement, NC Kathmandu District Committee President Nilkaji Shakya and leader Srijana Singh claimed that the KMC’s decision puts numerous religious and historical sites, including Pashupatinath, Guhyeshwari, Teku, Pachali Ghat and Shobha Bhagwati temples, at risk. The party said that the decision not only causes distress in the economic, physical, cultural and social lives of people living in the metropolis, but also infringes upon the fundamental right to housing as guaranteed by the Constitution.

In a post on his social media page on July 31, KMC Mayor Balen Shah said the metropolis has decided to prohibit construction within an additional 20 meters from riverbanks in the Kathmandu Valley, doubling the buffer from riverbanks to 40 meters. Shah said the decision was based on a Supreme Court verdict.

The opposition to Balen’s decision is not limited to external political parties. Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol has also expressed her disagreement with the manner in which the notice was issued. During the 35th Municipal Executive meeting, Dangol criticized the mayor for causing panic among the citizens.

Meanwhile, the government has formed a committee under Padma Kumar Mainali, joint-secretary at the Ministry of Urban Development, to study the issue, giving it until September 10 to submit its report. 

The committee will study all aspects of the Supreme Court’s decision regarding the prohibition on construction within an additional 20 meters from the banks of the Bagmati river and its tributaries in the valley.

The demarcation of riverbanks in the valley dates back to 2008 when the then cabinet had decided to prohibit construction within 20 meters of the banks of Bagmati, Bishnumati and Manohara rivers and within 4-20 meters of rivulets. The Supreme Court order on 18 Dec 2022, extended this to 40 meters.