- Saturday, 11 April 2026
TRN Online
Democracy Is Not Zero-Sum Game
The trajectory of Nepali politics is finding many voices. The teasing fracture in the establishment has made one side reap the political spoils as a winner while the other side the real loser of the political game. To treat democracy as a zero-sum game obviously devalues its beauty that offers the possibility of credible and constructive opposition assuming that it has a rich inventory of alternative policies. Zero-sum game turns opposition into an enemy having no stake for regime survival and no interest in cooperative action. Now Nepali political parties are torn between the constitutional status quo defended by the fractured establishment and those demanding change in institutions and political culture to make it attuned to transformation.
Houseplants Help Boost Mental Health
For those of us without access to outside green space, houseplants are a stylish and affordable way of getting a nature fix. Alongside looking nice, indoor plants actually have several other perks – the biggest benefit of which could be improving your mental health. And the good news is you don’t need to be a self-professed “plant parent” to experience these benefits either.One in eight UK households don’t have access to any kind of garden. Young people and those from minority ethnic backgrounds are among those least likely to have a garden.Essential linkNot having access to nature can have a number of effects on our health. It’s been linked to symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as other health conditions, such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, and poor immune function. For many of us, houseplants are an essential link to nature.While there’s not yet a robust body of research on the mental health benefits of houseplants specifically, plenty of studies have shown how beneficial green space and gardening are for mental health. For instance, one study found that people who garden daily have better wellbeing and lower stress levels compared to those who don’t.Gardening also reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety and increases positive emotions to the same extent as biking, walking and eating out. Many of these outcomes are likely to be true of houseplants too.A recent review of 42 studies demonstrates that even just being in the presence of indoor plants can improve mental and physical health. These experiments compared participants doing various activities in rooms with or without plants.The presence of plants saw better performances on cognitive tasks involving focus, sorting or memory recall, greater pain tolerance when holding hands in ice cold water, and lower levels of physiological stress. Interestingly, the aesthetic appearance of plants is important too, with separate research showing that people tend to react more positively to lush, green plants with rounded and denser foliage.But most of these studies are centred around the mere presence of plants. From research on the benefits of gardening, we can assume that caring for houseplants will bring out many more emotional benefits – such as pride, social connection, satisfaction, fascination, mental resilience in times of stress, and may even help you heal from past trauma.There are plenty of other reasons owning houseplants is beneficial for you. Plants can remove pollutants such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide (from nearby traffic), fine particles (from dust) and volatile organic compounds (from air fresheners, cooking and cleaning). For people indoors for the majority of the day, indoor air quality is hugely important.High concentrations of carbon dioxide can reduce cognitive performance (such as concentration and memory recall) while prolonged exposure to other indoor pollutants can cause long-term health problems – ranging from minor eye or throat irritations to respiratory problems and cancer.But removing a meaningful quantity of indoor pollutants would require a lot of plants in a very bright room – something unrealistic for most people. If you do want to give it a try, plants with a high leaf area – such as an India rubber tree (Ficus elastic) or devil’s ivy (Epipremnum aureum) are your best bet.In theory, plants can also help increase indoor air humidity. Most of our buildings are too dry. Keeping humidity in an optimal range can prevent the spread of viruses, fungal growth, as well as eye, skin and nose dryness. Though dependent on other conditions in the room like size, light, and airflow, some of the best plants for increasing humidity are English ivy (Hedera helix), Devil’s ivy (Epipremnum aureum) and Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum).Lifelong learningYou don’t need a green thumb to enjoy success with houseplants. Gardening is all about learning through trial and error, and even the most seasoned gardeners make mistakes. Indeed, not all plants will thrive everywhere – and some may struggle through infestations, won’t adapt to light or water conditions, and die. Try not to get hung up on this setback. It’s always worth trying again, perhaps with a different species and armed with more botanical knowledge.Each plant has different requirements, so look for plants that are suited to the conditions in your home. You may even want to find plants that actually thrive on neglect. Some of the best options for beginners are the spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum), the parlour palm (Chamaedorea elegans), and anything in the cactus and succulent families, such as the zebra cactus (Haworthia) or the jade plant (Crassula ovata). Growing herbs is also a cheap and useful starting point for beginners. There are also apps out there that can help make it easier for you to care for your plants, by giving you advice, reminders and a forum to ask questions.Owning houseplants can have a range of benefits for our health – especially mental health. It can also be a great hobby that always teaches you something new, encourages self-expression – choosing and caring for plants –, and gives you a tangible sense of fulfilment.(Lauriane is a postdoctoral Wellbeing Fellow at the Royal Horticultural Society and the University of Sheffield Landscape Architecture Department.)-- theconversation.com
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Three 220 kv substations, Koshi Corridor transmission line come into operation
Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has brought three 220 kilovolt (kV) substations into operation on the same day. The Authority has started the operation of 220 kV three substations in Inaruwa of Sunsari and Tumlingtar and Baneshwar by charging electricity from Thursday. The 220/132/33 kV Tumlingtar and 220/ 33 kV Baneshwar substations have power transformers of 260 MVA and 60 MVA capacity respectively.
Jumla’s KAHS fulfilling dreams of aspiring doctors
Jumla used to struggle for enough number of doctors earlier. Now, the district is producing doctors itself from the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences (KAHS). For the current academic session, the KAHS has been allocated 30 seats for MBBS. The academy started running MBBS course since 2021 with 20 seats. “Several students are arriving for admission in the available seats,” said Dr. Dinesh Bastola, coordinator of basic medical sciences at the KAHS.
Gosaikunda fair attracting visitors
The Gosaikunda fair, which is held every year from the day of Nag Panchami to Janai Purnima, has started this year from Tuesday. With the beginning of the fair, hundreds have started flocking to the lake located in Rasuwa district, according to the Gosaikunda Area Development Committee. The Committee estimates that the pilgrimage site, known in Kathmandu as Silu, will attract around 15,000 devotees this year because the roads are not blocked, the foot trails are in good condition and the weather is clear. Last year, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, 10,000 people visited the area. Bathing in the lake and worshipping Gosai Baba Lord Shiva is believed to cleanse people of their sins, liberate the spirits of their ancestors and fulfil their wishes
Earthquake of 5.3 Richter scale jolts Kathmandu
An earthquake measuring 5.3 in Richter scale occurred around Belkotgadi of Nuwakot district at 5:26 am this morning.
Deputy Mayor accused of forging citizenship
A complaint has been filed with the District Administration Office (DAO) of Saptari against Meera Kumari Yadav, Deputy Mayor of Dakneshwori Municipality, accusing her of being a dual citizen of Nepal and India. The complaint alleges that Yadav has taken citizenship certificates of Nepal and India and has asked the DAO to investigate into her citizenship and find out the truth. Yadav and her husband Mahendra Kumar Yadav are believed to be residents of Supaul district, Nirmali zone, Majhari Panchayat, Bihar, India and supposedly obtained a Nepali citizenship through forged documents presented from the former Aurahi Village Development Committee (presently, Dakneshwori Municipality–6), the complaint states. The complaint also names their son Indrajit as having obtained fake Nepali citizenship.
Chinese Foreign Ministry announces countermeasures in response to Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan
Chinese Foreign Ministry on Friday announced the countermeasures,
Nepal firm in one China policy: Minister Khand
During the meeting, issues pertinent to further consolidating the bilateral relations between the two neighbours were discussed.
EC asks parties to register for polls by Aug 16
The EC has notified the political parties to get registered within August 16 while the registration will start from August 7 and the office for registration will be open even on public holidays.
Govt. forms dialogue panel to get Japanese loan of Rs. 14.69 billion
The meeting also decided to form a committee to fix the compensation for the affected people from the Madhya Bhotekoshi Transmission Line project, according to the Minister.
'End impunity to improve RTI implementation'
Various stakeholders have shed light on the need of ending impunity and increasing information requests to ensure better implementation of the constitutionally and legally-guaranteed Right to Information in Nepal.
Coordination, cooperation among public media stressed
The coordination and cooperation among the public media has been stressed for ensuring right and authentic information to the people.
Israeli Ambassador Goder pays courtesy call on Minister Shrestha
A courtesy meeting took place between Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Shashi Shrestha, and Israeli Ambassador to Nepal, Hanan Goder, here Friday.
2022 Foreign Minister’s Commendation to JUAAN
JUAAN has been committed to supporting Nepali students’ study in Japan and building a network after their return.
