- Thursday, 19 February 2026
TRN Online
Police ascertain identity of all five people killed in Waling
The identities of five people who died in a jeep accident in Waling, Syangja have been revealed.
Indian jackfruit in Nepali market (Photo Feature)
Jackfruit does not get ripened in Nepal in this season but in the market, there are a lot of jackfruits. Jackfruits imported from the neighbouring country India has been flooding the Nepali vegetable market for a month now as the fruit is also used for making a curry.
Corruption would imperil country if not curbed: Speaker Sapkota
Speaker of the House of Representatives (HoR) Agni Prasad Sapkota has called for a collective resolution to curb the continuously increasing corruption in the country, warning that it would imperil the country if not controlled.
Vulture breeding centre at CNP to close down
The vulture breeding centre at Chitwan National Park (CNP) is to shut down. The centre established in 2008 is closing down in view of the increasing number of vultures in the wild and the breeding not becoming impactful at the centre, the park officials said.
New runway in Gautam Buddha Int'l Airport to be operational from April 21
The new 3,000-metre runway in Gautam Buddha International Airport in Bhairahawa will be brought into operation from April 21.
EC determines election symbol for parties
The election symbols for the local level election have been fixed and included in the ballot paper. The election of 753 local levels across the country is taking place on May 13.
Nation engrossed in election
The nation is presently in an election mood as the Election Commission and all the political parties are focused on the upcoming local level election on May 13.
Five killed in Syangja jeep accident
Five people have been killed in the Syangja jeep accident on Sunday. The Mahindra Jeep (Ga 1 Ja 7399) heading towards Banyatari from Waling has met with an accident at Firfire of Waling municipality 12.
One killed, three injured in road accident
Bajhang, April 17 : A person was killed and three others were injured when a jeep (Sudurpaschim Province 01-001 Cha 0095) met with an accident at Bithadchir Rural Municipality-4 near Deulekh bazaar on Saturday night. The deceased has been identified as Binod Bohara. Of the injured—Bhuji Devi Deurukhi, 101, of Jayaprithivi Municipality-11, Anju Bohara, 19, and Sinki Bohara, 40, both of Surma Rural Municipality-2, who were receiving treatment at local Deulekh primary health center, Bohara was referred to Dhangadhi, said Kamal Prasad Chaudhary, information officer for the district police office. The ill-fated vehicle was carrying the total nine people when the accident occurred, he said.
-original-thumb.jpg)
12 injured in shooting at South Carolina mall; 3 detained
By MICHELLE LIU , COLUMBIA, S.C. Apr 17 , (AP) — Ten people were shot and two others injured in a shooting at a busy shopping mall in South Carolina’s capital that authorities do not believe was a random attack.Three people who had firearms have been detained in connection with the Saturday afternoon shooting at Columbiana Centre, Columbia Police Chief W.H. “Skip” Holbrook said. He said at least one of those three people fired a weapon.“We don’t believe this was random,” Holbrook said. “We believe they knew each other and something led to the gunfire.”Authorities said no fatalities have been reported but that eight of the victims were taken to the hospital. Of those eight, two were in critical condition and six were in stable condition, Holbrook said. The victims ranged in age from 15 to 73, he said.Daniel Johnson said he and his family were visiting from Alabama and were eating in the food court when they first heard shots ring out and started seeing people running.Johnson said people were screaming for their children and spouses, knocking over tables in the food court as they fled.“Everybody was trying to get outside,” Johnson said. “When I was coming out, you could see baby strollers turned over, people’s phones and left keys. It was kind of a hectic situation.”Johnson said he gathered his wife, daughter and son and began heading toward the exit after letting the crowd clear out for a bit.“My biggest thing was — and not to sound selfish — was to make sure that our family was OK and to get them out safely because this is not something that we love to do for Easter weekend.”Heavy police presence continued in the area hours after the shooting, though officers began letting more traffic through the streets surrounding the shopping centers and strip malls that are usually packed on weekends. Officers were also stationed outside a nearby hotel designated as a reunification area for people at the scene of the shooting and their families.Workers from a couple of stores remained clustered in the mostly empty parking lot Saturday evening, waiting for police to let them back inside to retrieve their car keys and personal belongings so they could leave. They said they did not hear or see anything during the shooting but followed the mall’s alert system and were evacuated by police shortly after. They declined to give their names, citing company policies.“Today’s isolated, senseless act of violence is extremely upsetting and our thoughts are with everyone impacted,” Columbiana Centre said in a statement. “We are grateful for the quick response and continued support of our security team and our partners in law enforcement.”The shooting is the latest in a rash of shootings at or near malls across the country.A 15-year-old boy was shot in the head Wednesday outside Brooklyn’s Atlantic Terminal Mall. His injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. Officials said he was with a group of boys when they got into a dispute with a second group.On Tuesday, a Southern California shoe store owner mistakenly shot a 9-year-old girl while firing at two shoplifters at the Mall of Victor Valley, police said.And earlier this month, police said six people were killed and 12 others wounded in Sacramento, California, during a gunfight between rival gangs as bars closed in a busy area near the Downtown Commons shopping mall and the state Capitol.
Bire waterfall lures growing number of local tourists
BY OUR CORRESPONDENTBajura, Apr 17 : Bire waterfall near Martadi, headquarters of Bajura district, has become center of attraction among local tourists. People who were compelled to confine themselves within four walls of the house due to the COVID-19 pandemic for more than two years are now enjoying at the Bire waterfall. The mesmerizing 200-meter tall waterfall is located in the middle of Ward No. 6 and 8 of Badimalika Municipality. The waterfall is growing popular among the locals, which is also a hidden gem for many outsiders. The municipality has claimed that it is the highest waterfall in Bajura. As per the human index, Bajura stands at 74th place but in terms of the touristic area, it stands first in Sudhurpaschim Province. Badimalika, Budinanda, Kalajarga, Khaptad Chhededaha, and Wadalekh including other places are popular tourist destinations of the district. Bire waterfall is a gift from nature and is drawing hordes of people. In order to conserve the waterfall area the municipality has constructed a bridge due to which the flow of internal tourists has increased day by day, said Kala Baduwal, ward chair of Ward No. 6 of the municipality. “The natural waterfall in the periphery of Martadi, mesmerizes the guests entering the district,” said Baduwal. One can reach the waterfall after 6km walk from Mardi. The tourism sector, which was down for more than two years due to COVID-19, has now slowly gaining momentum in the district. The vendors are now happy to see the costumers in the periphery of the waterfall. Locals are elated to see the flow of tourists at their place. The waterfall has become a source of income for many locals. “If we can promote and conserve this area on time, it could be a good source of income,” said Baduwal. The municipality has started to conserve and promote the waterfall area. Despite having importance of the waterfall it has not received due attention, said Prakash Bahadur Rawal, ward chair of Ward No. 8 of the municipality. Though nobody is concerned about the promotion and protection of the waterfall, the municipality will take steps towards its protection, said Padam Baduwal, mayor of the municipality. “The municipality will work enthusiastically to manage the tourist attraction endowed by nature,” said Baduwal.
Russia renews strikes on Ukraine capital, hits other cities
By ADAM SCHRECK and MSTYSLAV CHERNOV , KYIV, Ukraine Apr 17 , (AP) — Russian forces accelerated scattered attacks on Kyiv, western Ukraine and beyond Saturday in an explosive reminder to Ukrainians and their Western supporters that the whole country remains under threat despite Moscow’s pivot toward mounting a new offensive in the east.Stung by the loss of its Black Sea flagship and indignant over alleged Ukrainian aggression on Russian territory, Russia’s military command had warned of renewed missile strikes on Ukraine’s capital. Officials in Moscow said they were targeting military sites, a claim repeated — and refuted by witnesses — throughout 52 days of war.The toll reaches much deeper. Each day brings new discoveries of civilian victims of an invasion that has shattered European security. As Russia prepared for the anticipated offensive, a mother wept over her 15-year-old son’s body after rockets hit a residential area of Kharkiv, a city in northeast Ukraine. An infant and at least eight other people died, officials said.In the towns and villages just outside Kyiv, authorities have reported finding the bodies of more than 900 civilians, most shot dead, since Russian troops retreated two weeks ago. Smoke rose from the capital again early Saturday as Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported a strike that killed one person and wounded several.The mayor advised residents who fled the city earlier in the war not to return.“We’re not ruling out further strikes on the capital,” Klitschko said. “If you have the opportunity to stay a little bit longer in the cities where it’s safer, do it.”It was not immediately clear from the ground what was hit in the strike on Kyiv’s Darnytskyi district. The sprawling area on the southeastern edge of the capital contains a mixture of Soviet-style apartment blocks, newer shopping centers and big-box retail outlets, industrial areas and railyards.Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said an armored vehicle plant was targeted. He didn’t specify where the factory was located, but there is one in the Darnytskyi district.He said the plant was among multiple Ukrainian military sites hit with “air-launched high-precision long-range weapons.” As the U.S. and Europe send new arms to Ukraine, the strategy could be aimed at hobbling Ukraine’s defenses ahead of what’s expected to be a full-scale Russian assault in the east.It was the second strike in the Kyiv area since the Russian military vowed this week to step up missile strikes on the capital. Another hit a missile plant Friday.The Russian missiles hit the city just as residents were emerging for walks, foreign embassies planned to reopen and other tentative signs of the city’s prewar life started resurfacing, following the failure of Russian troops to capture Kyiv and their withdrawal.Kyiv was one of many targets Saturday. The Ukrainian president’s office reported missile strikes and shelling over the past 24 hours in eight regions across the country.The governor of the Lviv region in western Ukraine, which has been only sporadically touched by the war’s violence, reported airstrikes on the region by Russian Su-35 aircraft that took off from neighboring Belarus.In apparent preparations for its assault on the east, the Russian military has intensified shelling of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, in recent days. Friday’s attack killed civilians and wounded more than 50 people, the Ukrainian president’s office reported.On Saturday an explosion believed to be caused by a missile sent emergency workers scrambling near an outdoor market in Kharkiv, according to AP journalists at the scene. One person was killed, and at least 18 people were wounded, according to rescue workers.“All the windows, all the furniture, all destroyed. And the door, too,” recounted stunned resident Valentina Ulianova.Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said Saturday’s toll was three dead and 34 wounded.Nate Mook, a member of the World Central Kitchen NGO run by celebrity chef José Andrés, said in a tweet that four workers in Kharkiv were wounded by a strike. José Andrés tweeted that staff members were unnerved but safe.Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, who met with Vladimir Putin this past week in Moscow — the first European leader to do so since the invasion began Feb. 24 — said the Russian president is “in his own war logic” on Ukraine.In an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Nehammer said he thinks Putin believes he is winning the war and “we have to look in his eyes and we have to confront him with that, what we see in Ukraine.”Nehammer said he confronted Putin with what he saw during a visit to the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, where more than 350 bodies have been found along with evidence of killings and torture under Russian occupation, and “it was not a friendly conversation.”Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview with Ukrainian journalists that the continuing siege of the port city of Mariupol, which has come at a horrific cost to trapped and starving civilians, could scuttle attempts to negotiate an end to the war.“The destruction of all our guys in Mariupol — what they are doing now — can put an end to any format of negotiations,” he said.Later, in his nightly video address to the nation, Zelenskyy said Ukraine needs more support from the West to have a chance at saving Mariupol.“Either our partners give Ukraine all of the necessary heavy weapons, the planes, and without exaggeration immediately, so we can reduce the pressure of the occupiers on Mariupol and break the blockade,” he said, “or we do so through negotiations, in which the role of our partners should be decisive.”Zelenskyy said the situation in Mariupol remains “inhuman” and Russia “is deliberately trying to destroy everyone who is there.”Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Saturday that Ukrainian forces had been driven out of most of the city and remained only in the huge Azovstal steel mill.Capturing Mariupol would allow Russian forces in the south, which came up through the annexed Crimean Peninsula, to fully link up with troops in the Donbas region, Ukraine’s eastern industrial heartland.Zelenskyy estimated that 2,500 to 3,000 Ukrainian troops have died in the war, and about 10,000 have been wounded. The office of Ukraine’s prosecutor general said Saturday that at least 200 children have been killed, and more than 360 wounded.Russian forces also have taken captive some 700 Ukrainian troops and more than 1,000 civilians, Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Iryna Vereshchuk said Saturday. Ukraine holds about the same number of Russian troops as prisoners and intends to arrange a swap but is demanding the release of civilians “without any conditions,” she said.Russia’s warning of stepped-up attacks on Kyiv came after it accused Ukraine on Thursday of wounding seven people and damaging about 100 residential buildings with airstrikes in Bryansk, a region bordering Ukraine. Ukrainian officials have not confirmed hitting targets in Russia.Russian Maj. Gen. Vladimir Frolov, whose troops have been among those besieging Mariupol, was buried Saturday in St. Petersburg after dying in battle, Gov. Alexander Beglov said. Ukraine has said several Russian generals and dozens of other high-ranking officers have been killed in the war.In the Vatican, Pope Francis on Saturday invoked “gestures of peace in these days marked by the horror of war” in an Easter vigil homily at St. Peter’s Basilica that was attended by the mayor of the occupied Ukrainian city of Melitopol and three members of Ukraine’s parliament. Francis did not refer directly to Russia’s invasion but has called, apparently in vain, for an Easter truce to reach a negotiated peace.
Rupandehi clinches Nepal Pro Club Championship title
By A Staff ReporterKathmandu, Apr 17 : Rupandehi XI clinched the title of Nepal Pro Club Championship after they registered a seven wickets victory over Malaysia XI held at Siddharthanagar, Bhairahawa on Saturday.Prajjwol Thapa completed an individual half-ton as host Rupandehi XI chased the target of 141 runs set by visitors Malaysia XI in the 19 overs with the loss of just three wickets in the 20 overs allocated match.The player of the match and Opener Prajjwol Thapa scored the highest 71 runs off 61 balls that included eight boundaries and two sixes while Sandeep Rajali scored 41 runs off 45 balls that included four boundaries and a single six and opener Dev Khanal contributed 12 runs to kiss the title. He contributed 12 runs off 5 balls that included a single six and a boundary.Muhammad Wafiq, Syed Aziz, and Sharvin Muniandy grabbed one wicket apiece for the victim Malaysian team in the title clash. All-rounder Basir Ahamad was declared the Player of the Series for his all-rounder performance in the tournament. Ahamad scored 119 runs and claimed 10 wickets in the tournament to kiss the Player of the Series. Earlier, host Rupandehi won the toss and invited visitors Malaysian team and they scored 140 runs with the loss of six wickets in the allocated 20 overs match. The middle-order Nazril Rahman scored the highest 36 runs off 22 balls that included four boundaries and two sixes while opener Zubaidi Zulkifle hit 26 runs off 16 balls that included four boundaries and a six and Syed Aziz scored 20 runs off 27 balls that included two boundaries.
Healthy Living Lengthens Lifespan
Dr. Shyam P Lohani, A healthy lifestyle basically means doing things that make us happy and feel good. A healthy lifestyle is vital for everyone to maintain a healthy living. We feel better physically, socially, mentally, as well as spiritually living healthily. Healthy living not only helps in saving money but is also associated with fewer health problems. It means we are in control of our life. Healthy living is different for different people. It might be walking a mile five times a week and spending virtual or in-person with friends or loved ones frequently for someone and for others, a healthy lifestyle may be heavy workouts in a gym, following a vegan diet, and never smoking.EssentialsA healthy lifestyle does not warrant drastic changes in our life. We may adapt to change better when it does not require us to overhaul our entire life. It is advised to begin with one thing and work on that every day, keeping the rest of our life and habits stay the same. Healthy habits can reduce the risk of various diseases, including those that have traditionally been seen in the family. Those diseases include but are not limited to cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and other non-communicable ones. Good health is not just the absence of disease or illness but is a state of complete physical, mental, spiritual, and social well-being. People, who are non-smokers, try to maintain a healthy weight, eat healthy foods with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and fiber, and, of course, exercise on a regular basis are considered healthy. Healthy living helps us to manage stress, get good quality sleep each night, don't drink too much, don't sit too much, and basically, do everything in moderation all the time. Eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, avoiding tobacco and drugs, and getting plenty of rest are the key healthy living habits.It is important to know that physical fitness is not the sole basis of being healthy. Being healthy means being mentally, emotionally, and socially fit. Remaining healthy should be part of our overall lifestyle. There is evidence that maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help prevent chronic diseases and long-term illnesses. For our self-esteem and self-image, it is imperative to have good feelings about ourselves and take care of our overall health. Therefore, it is vital to maintain a healthy lifestyle by doing what is right for the body. As part of healthy living, exercise plays a crucial role. It is advised to exercise at least 20-30 minutes a day five times a week. It is noteworthy to monitor whether we have enough physical activity each day.Even in normal circumstances, strong relationships and staying in tune with friends and loved ones can support mental health. Looking at the brighter side of life helps us maintain mental health. Even if we find ourselves in the worst situation, there is always an upside to it something good and positive, therefore focus on the better aspects rather. It is neither difficult nor does it require a lot of work to maintain a healthy lifestyle. There are a few good habits such as consuming more vegetables and fruits, which are associated with a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and premature death.A balanced diet has several benefits such as a strong immune system to prevent and fight infections. It has been found that a balanced diet lowers the risk of certain types of cancers; lower blood pressure; a healthy weight; more energy; essential nutrients to support tissue growth. There is strong evidence to avoid ultra-processed as well as convenience foods. In order to change the texture, taste, or color, ultra-processed foods utilize techniques to refine grains and add additives. Foods such as cheese puffs, packaged dessert cakes, chicken nuggets, and sweetened breakfast cereals are a few examples of ultra-processed foods.Moreover, convenience food also has a negative impact on our health. Those foods include junk foods like crisps and chocolate, which are high in calories but low in nutritional value; fast food, such as hamburgers and fried chicken. They are usually prepared and served quickly but are high in fat; convenience food such as microwave-ready meals, often has too much salt and sugar added to it.Scheduling timeChronic stress is said to cause many diseases. It takes a toll on our immune system and makes us more susceptible to health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, digestive problems, depression, high blood pressure, anxiety, and difficulty sleeping. Exercise can help reduce stress. Physical activity can also help boost the release of mood-lifting hormones called endorphins. Mindfulness practices such as meditation, deep breathing, journaling, or spending time in nature can help to lower stress, and so does talking to friends.The recent lockdown has added extra time for watching TV and working on computers. It is suggested to make a schedule of when to turn off the TV and computer. Once a week, turn off all screens and do something a little more physical with the family and friends. Thus, let us give some time to play games, take a walk, and do almost anything that will be more active than sitting on the couch and watching even your favorite programs.(Dr. Lohani is the clinical director at the Nepal Drug and Poison Information Centre. lohanis@gmail.com)
Strangle performs live at Svana Studio Sessions
By Mannu ShahiStrangle is a tightly knitted hardcore quartet hailing from Lalitpur, that has been actively making music in the Nepali DIY scene for over a decade. Comprising of Ashish Kayastha on guitars, Dipesh Joshi on drums, Bibek Tamang on bass, and Santosh Shrestha on vocals, the initial line-up of the group assembled for the first time in 2009 and played live in rather eccentric places like Lukla, Namche, and Khumjung the same year.Starting out as a thrash metal outfit, the group, with time, shifted towards hardcore/crossover thrash to record an eight-track demo album in 2012. Strangle has published two full-length albums ‘You’re Next In Line’ (2017), ‘Nation Failed’ (2020), and an EP ‘The Illusion’ (2018) under their belt.Ashish Kayastha is the only remaining founding member who has managed to help sustain the group over time. In 2009, the guitarist teamed up with his friends Utsav Thapa on vocals, Avinash Magar on drums, and Ramesh Sunar on bass to give life to the very first edition of the band. Avinash, the drummer, was the one to pin the name Strangle after one of their original tunes “Strangle in Pain”. However, by 2011 the members all deserted away in their personal responsibilities and the band was not very active for a certain time until 2012 when Vikrant Singh Thapa replaced Avinash on drums and swapped the vocal duties in place of Utsav.This edition of the group was playing shows and vibrantly participating in music-making until 2014 when three members, including Ashish, had to leave the country for higher education. Thus, for two more years the band went on a hiatus without the nucleus ally of this unit, who returned to Nepal in 2016 to form yet another version of Strangle consisting of Amrit Bhandari on vocals, Bibek Tamang on bass, Ashish Kayastha on guitars and Dipesh Gurung of The Elements/The Kathmandu Killer helping out with the drums till the return of the former drummer Vikrant Singh Thapa.This formation of the group recorded the first album together but sadly Bikrant left due to some personal reasons and came in Dipesh Joshi, the current drummer of the band. Soon after Strangle were offered a touring gig in Indonesia along with another crust punk group The Doltish in 2020. The two bands traveled for a 15-day tour in five cities of Indonesia including Jakarta, Bandung, Sukabumi, Malang and Bali as well as played in a grand punk festival called Libertad Fest. While their plans were for a shorter stay, both the groups were stuck in Indonesia for 4 months straight due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Without proper resources and planning their elongated stay came off as a rather scary and uncertain experience. Although the members look back and cherish those moments now as a period of strengthening their friendship and compassion for one another. Also, during the same time the group published their second full-length album via Bandcamp and their official YouTube handle.After returning back, sadly vocalist Amrit left the group and Santosh Shrestha, the present vocalist, stepped in as the front person for the outfit. Although the group has seen quite a shift of members in the line-up, nonetheless, all of their past friends are still part of the Strangle family and help out in whatever way possible to keep the band moving forward. Since the band is a community-driven cluster its objectives are concerned in the overall upliftment of the underground music scene. Thus, organizing their own shows, bringing in their own gears, helping other bands, and creating an inclusive scene are among some ethical actions Strangle is popular for. And recently, the band was featured in the Svana Studio’s Live Sessions Series Season 2. Svana, an emerging live recording studio in Lalitpur, has been hosting sessions with various rock, punk, and metal bands to bring forth live recorded material for a wider demographic. Released on April 9, 2022, Strangle performed six tunes from the second album ‘Nation Failed’, their socio-politically driven lyrics perfectly complementing the angsty music. Santosh’s growls and screams augment the rage of youths with the political malfunctions in our country. Ashish welds things together with killer riffs and finely crafted structures. Bibek equilibrize the lower end and supports the synchronization throughout and Dipesh blasts some top-notch drumming raising the energy level even higher. So do check out the video via the official Svana Studio channel and support the band further by discovering them on their social handles for more exciting news that the band plans in the future.
