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The National Potato Festival kicked off on Sunday in Hemja of Pokhara Metropolitan City-25, a pocket area for potato production in the district of Kaski. 

The organizer stated that the festival will conclude on April 16.   

Chairman of the organizing Bishnu Paduka Club, Basanta Shrestha, mentioned that the festival was organized to promote the production and publicity of potatoes and other vegetables grown here in the area, as well as to establish Hemja as a popular commercial agricultural tourist destination. 

Potatoes grown in Hemja are well-known in Pokhara and the surrounding areas, thanks to their good taste and minimal use of pesticides. 

For getting massive attention, locals have created a massive pile of 50,000 kilograms of potatoes, the potato collection and agriculture mobilization sub-committee coordinator Jayraj Timilsina said. 

Out of the total 13,500 hectares of land in Hemja, potato farming is done on 550 hectares of land and some 2,000 households rely on agriculture here. 

During the inaugural session of the festival, Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City Dhanraj Acharya expressed that the city would provide the best possible support to the local community for the development of agriculture and other sectors.  

Mayor Acharya urged local farmers to take benefit from the Agriculture Ambulance introduced by the Pokhara Metropolitan City for the sale and distribution of agricultural products.

Crowds of protesters have amassed in cities across the US to denounce President Trump, in the largest nationwide show of opposition since the president took office in January, BBC reported.

The "Hands Off" protest planners aimed to hold rallies in 1,200 locations, including in all 50 US states. Thousands of people turned out in Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Washington DC, among other cities, on Saturday. 

Protesters cited grievances with Trump's agenda ranging from social to economic issues. 

Coming days after Trump's announcement that the US would impose import tariffs on most countries around the world, gatherings were also held outside the US, including in London, Paris and Berlin, according to BBC.

The US began collecting a 10% "baseline" tariff on all imports on Saturday as President Donald Trump urged Americans to "hang tough" after market turmoil, BBC reported.

The UK and France are among hundreds of countries impacted and its leaders have said nothing is off the table. While China, which has been hit the hardest by President Trump's tariffs, announced a significant retaliatory response.

All three major stock indexes in the US plunged more than 5% on Friday, with the S&P 500 dropping almost 6%, capping the worst week for the US stock market since 2020.

In Washington DC, New York and other cities thousands gathered to protest against a range of Trump's policies - from the economy to government cuts, according to BBC.

Two people died and two others were injured in a road accident in Malarani, Arghakhanchi.

The accident took place early this morning when a jeep (Lu 2 Cha 2990) heading towards Khandaha from Lutipokhari lost control and fell some 200 meters down  the road in Malarani Rural Municipality-3.

The deceased have been identified as the driver of the jeep Dilip Khanal (22) and Balkrishna Rijal ( 21) of Malarani-4, according to Chief of the District Police Office, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Chakra Bahadur Malla.

The injured are 17-year-old Bhuwan Pokharel and Basanta Pokharel (17) both of Malarani-4. They are undergoing treatment at Lumbini Provincial Hospital, Butwal. 

An investigation into the incident is underway, said District Police Office Chief Malla. 

The Ram Nawami festival is being celebrated today by worshipping Lord Shri Ram Chandra at various shrines across the country.

Shri Ram Chandra  is believed to have been born on the day of Chaitra Shukla Nawami as the son of King Dasharatha and Queen Kausalya Devi of Ayodhya in the Treta Yuga. He is revered as the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu by Hindus. 

Theologian and Chairperson of the Nepal Calendar Determination and Development Committee, Prof Dr Ram Chandra Gautam, says that one of the importance of celebrating Ram Nawami festival is an inspiration for a dignified, disciplined and controlled state ruler like Ram.

On this occasion, Ramlila is performed in Janakpur, Nepal and Ayodhya, India. 

Today, men and women from Nepal and India flock to the Ram Janaki temple in Janakpur to celebrate a grand fair organized  to mark the occasion.

There is also a tradition of fasting, bathing in holy rivers, lakes and ponds, reciting the Ramayana and worshiping Lord Rama and singing bhajans all night long.

President and Vice-President extends best wishes

In a message on the occasion, President Ram Chandra Paudel has extended best wishes for happiness, peace and prosperity to all Nepali sisters and brothers living at home and abroad on the occasion of Ram Nawami festival, 2081.

He has expressed his belief that indigenous festivals like this, which have been in practice for centuries, would further help in preserving our ancient civilization as well as religion and culture. 

“I expect that cultural and historical festivals like Ram Nawami will help in further strengthening national unity by deepening the spirit of mutual trust, goodwill, tolerance and cooperation amidst our diverse ethnic, linguistic, cultural and geographical characteristics,” President Paudel has said in his message. 

In a similar message, Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav has expressed his belief that the Ram Nawami festival will help further strengthen the faith in the ideals, truth, religion and dignity of Lord Ram.

Vice President Yadav has emphasized that this festival should be taken as an opportunity to imbibe the ideals of Lord Ram and take a pledge to work for unity, prosperity and progress in the country. 

 “Ram Nawami is not just a festival it is also an auspicious occasion for us to connect our lives with the ideals of Shri Ram,” he said, “May everyone be inspired to move forward with good deeds and strong determination like Shri Ram.”

Marking the occasion, the federal government has also announced a public holiday across the country today.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 3, 900 per tola in the domestic market on Friday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association, the gold is being traded at Rs 176, 400 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 180, 300 per tola on Thursday.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1, 870 per tola today.

A woman died while four others were injured in separate wildfires in Panchthar.

The victim of the wildfire occurred in the Tamrakhu forest of Kummayak Rural Municipality-3 was a local Pratima Sambhahamphe (26). 

Three others injured in the fire were Sapana Sambahamphe (28), Shivana Sambahamphe (11) and Nirmaya Sambahamphe (60).

They were in the forest to collect fodder, according to the police inspector at the District Police Office, Bina Lal Sah.

The injured ones have been taken to the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences (BPKIHS) for treatment. 

Injured seriously in the incident, Pratima breathed her last on the way, while three others are undergoing treatment.

Chairperson of ward no 3 from Kummayak Rural Municipality, Baburam Karki, informed that the forest fire has not been extinguished yet.

The locals were worried about the spread of the blaze in the nearby village if it was not doused on time. 

Meanwhile, Usha Nembang Rai (47), from Phidim-14 has been injured in a fire that occurred in the Raniban Community Forest. 

Rai was collecting wood from the forest. She has been receiving treatment at BPKIHS.

South Korea’s Constitutional Court removed impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol from office on Friday, ending his tumultuous presidency and setting up an election to find a new leader, four months after he threw South Korean politics into turmoil with an ill-fated declaration of martial law, Associated Press reported.

The unanimous verdict capped a dramatic fall for Yoon, a former star prosecutor who went from political novice to president in 2022, just a year after he entered politics. 

In a nationally televised verdict, the court’s acting chief Moon Hyung-bae said the eight-member bench upheld Yoon’s impeachment because his martial law decree seriously violated the constitution and other laws.

“The defendant not only declared martial law, but also violated the constitution and laws by mobilizing military and police forces to obstruct the exercise of legislative authority,” Moon said, “Ultimately, the declaration of martial law in this case violated the substantive requirements for emergency martial law.”