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Police have arrested two persons for swindling people by promising them lucrative jobs in the UK and Canada.

A team of the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office nabbed Wakil Bahadur Ale (34) of Gorkha and Dharmendra Shrestha (34) of Tanahun for swindling job aspirants of Rs 4.5 million.

Police informed that Ale had swindled the victims out of Rs 3.6 million by promising them lucrative jobs in Canada. He had collected Rs 1.7 million per person.

Before collecting the money, Ale had told the victims that they would have the monthly basic salary of Rs 180, 000.

Police apprehended Ale from Gorkha based on the complaints filed by six people.

Similarly, Shrestha was held for swindling Rs 950, 000 from two people with false assurances of sending them to the UK.

SP Rabindra Regmi said that Shrestha was arrested from Gongabu, Kathmandu.

A windstorm blew away the roof of a school building in Dailekh.

The windstorm, coupled with hailstones and rains, blew away the roof of the three—room building of Janakanlyan Higher Secondary School at Smartkort in Dhungeshwor Rural Municipality-2, Dailekh.

According to school principal Khagendra Bahadur Shahi, the windstorm blew away the roof of the three-room building.

He said that the teaching and learning activities in the school have been affected after the incident.

“The students of grade four and five were being taught in the same classroom damaged by the windstorm. One room was brought into use under the mid-day program,” he said.

Principal Shahi said that there is a shortage of classrooms in the school.

He said that the benches, desks, and other educational materials kept inside the room were damaged after a raging windstorm blew away the roof made up of galvanized zinc sheets of the school building.

The roofs of almost all the buildings of the school established in 1961 are old and made up of corrugated zinc sheets.

“Seven other buildings of the school are 25 to 30 years old. All these buildings have the roofs with galvanized zinc sheets,” Principal Shahi said, adding, “We always have to live in constant fear thinking that the strong wind would blow away the roofs of the school buildings.”

“The buildings having roofs with old corrugated zinc sheets are very unsafe for the children,” he further said.

The school has 10 buildings. Among them, only two are concrete.

None of the authorities have given interest in reconstructing the buildings, Principal Shahi said. There are around 600 students up to class 12.

The school is considered as one the best schools in the district in educational quality although it has weak physical infrastructure.

One of the most recent plants to receive the ‘superfood’ label is moringa, known by various names such as sohijan, saijan, sajiwan, munka, munga, or sitalchini, depending on what you call it. The English name ‘moringa’ originated from the Tamil word ‘murungi’ or the Malayalam word ‘muringa.’ This so-called miracle tree, sajiwan, has been standing for thousands of years in every neighborhood of Tarai and the mid-hills.

Nowadays, moringa leaf powder is being sold in the Nepali market, averaging Rs 180 for 100 grams, promising benefits such as enhancing your sex life, balancing hormones, protecting the liver, helping fight free radicals, reducing inflammation, helping to balance blood sugar, improving digestion, and so on.

During my childhood, I never knew about eating moringa leaves. My mother used to make curry from the moringa fruit. The fruit is typically a three-valved capsule, 10 to 60 cm in length, often referred to as a ‘pod’ and resembling a drumstick, hence the name ‘drumstick tree.’ The leaves, on the other hand, were reserved for the animals.

Legend has it that the warriors of Chandragupta Maurya, the disciple of Chanakya who defeated Alexander the Great, were fed moringa leaf extracts. It was believed that this decoction relieved them from the pain and stress of war, making them known for their stamina and valor. Moringa not only provided them with the necessary strength as warriors, but it was also a stress reliever and pain reliever. It’s also said that Roman historians recorded that these warriors needed less sleep and hardly got sick.

The plant is native to South Asia but also grows in Africa, Asia, and South America. South Asian, Greek, and Egyptian civilizations have been using moringa for thousands of years for various purposes.

Research indicates that moringa leaves are extremely nutritious; they contain larger amounts of several important nutrients than common foods. They contain vitamins like A, B1, B3, C, and minerals such as calcium, chromium, protein, zinc, and many more. Often associated with these nutrients are impressive statistics. For instance, moringa leaves contain twice as much protein and four times more calcium than milk, and four times the vitamin A of carrots. Hence, they can help combat malnutrition, especially in developing countries.

So how do you eat moringa then? Curry made from moringa fruit is quite common in Nepali households. Moringa leaves can be eaten fresh, cooked, or dried and powdered. They can be added to soups, stews, smoothies, or yogurt. Moringa pods can be had cooked or pickled. Moringa seeds can be roasted and eaten like nuts or ground into a powder and used as a coffee substitute. Moringa oil can be used for cooking or applied topically to the skin.

For moringa leaf soup, sauté onions and garlic in ghee or oil. Add moringa leaves, water, and your favorite seasonings. Bring to a boil, then simmer until the leaves are tender.

For moringa stir-fry, stir-fry your favorite vegetables with moringa leaves. They can also be wilted with any other green. For moringa pesto, combine moringa leaves, garlic, nuts, parmesan cheese, and olive oil in a food processor. Serve with pasta or bread. For moringa tea, steep dried moringa leaves in hot water for 10 minutes. Strain and enjoy.

For moringa flower curry, use fresh, young moringa flowers. Gently wash the flowers in cold water to remove any dirt or insects. Soaking the flowers overnight helps remove bitterness and makes them tender. You can skip this step if you are using young flowers. Mash the flowers after boiling to help release their flavor and blend better with the other ingredients.

Add cooked lentils or chickpeas for extra protein and texture. Include a pinch of turmeric and ground black peppercorn, coriander for a different flavor profile. Temper with ghee, which will give a final touch of richness. If you prefer a spicier dish, add chopped ‘akbare’ or ‘dalle khursani’, or red chili flakes along with the green chili. Serve moringa flower ‘sabzi’ hot with roti, paratha, or steamed rice. You can also enjoy it as a side dish with curries or dals.

However, everything must be consumed in moderation. Consuming large amounts of moringa to increase balance hormones or protect the liver might be dangerous for health. Even Ayurvedic practitioners don’t recommend moringa for pregnant or nursing women. Though the leaves provide pregnant mothers with plenty of vitamins and minerals, the bark may cause uterine contractions.  If you are taking medications, it’s recommended to consult a doctor or Ayurvedic practitioner before consuming moringa. Ayurveda says moringa’s heating nature can aggravate pitta, and its bitter taste and light, dry qualities could potentially unbalance vata.

Lab studies show that moringa could lead to liver and kidney damage as well as infertility. It can also cause problems with certain diabetes medication. It can also lower blood pressure and slow heart rate because of the alkaloids in the plant. There might be uterine contractions from moringa bark, and cell mutations caused by a chemical isolated from roasted moringa seeds. It can cause interference with fertility and upset stomach, gas, or diarrhea due to its laxative properties. So, as with anything and everything else, exercise caution and moderation when taking mornings.

The author is a UK based R&D chef

Jordan Chhetri, a cancer survivor, has embarked on an expedition to climb Mt Everest to raise money for the hospital that cared for him. He was 14 when the doctor told him that he had State 4 Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. He beat the disease after nine months of intensive treatment and set up a charity, Perform with Purpose, to raise money for children with cancer by climbing Mt Everest. He also aims to be the first Nepali/English cancer survivor to stand on the Everest summit. In an interview with ApEx, Chhetri talked about his preparation for the Everest expedition. Excerpts: 

How is your health now?

I am in very good health. I have been training for this purpose for 14 months now.

How did it feel to get permission to climb Mount Everest given your health condition?

When I spoke with my doctor about this project, he said it's absolutely fine. I was ecstatic when those words came out.

You were diagnosed with cancer at the age of 13. What was that time like?

It was a strange feeling. I cannot describe this; you have this thing inside of you, threatening to take your life. So it felt scary, to say the least. No one knows how it happens; sometimes it just does, and I am okay with that. I underwent intense chemotherapy which lasted for around nine months. One does not really return to normalcy because there is always a fear of it coming back. But I learned early on that if you dwell on that fear, you will only get depressed and worried. I do not have enough hours in the day to worry about things I can not control.

I am 29 years old now. I will be the first Nepali/English cancer survivor in history to summit the massive mountain! I am doing this for the support of the Southampton Hospitals Charity, for children coming to be treated at the same hospital where I received treatment, inside the Southampton Charity Hospital, specifically on the 5th floor, in the Piam Brown Ward.

How long have you been in Nepal? What kind of preparations are being made for your expedition?

I have been in Nepal for 22 days now. I have been learning and training with the British Gurkha Training Centre in Pokhara. These guys, who are striving to be elite, are something else -hardworking and dedicated to their craft. I am currently in Namche Bazaar, taking an active rest day. This place is beautiful. I have no other words to describe Namche. All the preparatory works, including training, gear check, and briefing, have been completed. I have already received a permit to summit Everest.

You have come to Nepal to climb Mount Everest. Does it have any purpose, or is it just your hobby?

I came to Nepal to learn about the country and climb the world's tallest mountain to test my limits and see how far I can push my body. This mountain is the perfect place for that.

Do you also have plans to support cancer patients in Nepal?

I reached out to some Nepali cancer charities, but none of them ever got back to me. So, I have been raising money solely for the Piam Brown Ward of the Southampton Hospitals.

Who else is in your Everest expedition team?

I am climbing with Gelje Sherpa of AGA Adventures. These guys have been nothing short of amazing, helping me with all my administration work. Adrianna Brownlee of AGA Adventures has been on call 24/7 to answer any questions I had leading up to my project.