Trinetra Dainik

Saptari, April 16 (RSS): A farmer died in elephant attack at Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality in the district this morning. The marauding elephant come from Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve attacked and killed 58-year-old Narayan Pranami from Bhardaha in the municipality, said Ganga Prasad Saha. Ranger at Reserve Jayram Neupane and team of Area Police Office, Kanchanpur, reached the place of incident after the news, according to warden Ashok Ram. He further said preparations were on to take the dead body to Gajendra Narayan Singh Hospital for postmortem. Pranami was trampled while he was inspecting the wheat field, the locals said. --- 

Ranjha, April 16 (RSS): Forty-nine persons infected with coronavirus who are receiving treatment at Bheri Hospital, Nepalgunj have become serious.  Among 74 infected ones receiving treatment at Covid-19 ward, 49 have critical condition while seven are being treated with ventilator support, according to Tej Oli, resource persons at district Covid-19 crisis management centre. Banke district alone has recorded 59 fatalities due to Covid-19 while the total death in the district has reached 93. Currently, there are 282 active positive cases of infection.  This morning, a 31-year-old man from Gurbhakot Municipality-13 of Surkhet died from Covid-19 during treatment at Bheri Hospital. The man returned from India a week back was tested positive for coronavirus, resource person Oli added. In this connection, the district crisis management centre has decided to set up and operate 50-bed isolation centre in each local level, resume the isolation centres with 120 beds in Nepalgunj Sub-Metr...

Taplejung, April 16 (RSS): Nepali Congress central working committee has distributed relief materials to the survivors of fire at Dovan and other places in the district. Sixty households from Dovan and five households from other places in the district were provided the monetary assistance totaling 600 thousand.  Each household was provided the amount ranging from Rs 9,00o to Rs 18,000, said NC district committee. The monetary assistance was provided amidst a programme at Dovan on Thursday. District President of NC Leela Devi Bokhim, former president Keshab Dahal and others handed over the assistance. The central working committee of the party extended monetary relief via district committee. Similarly, Rs 60,000 collected with the initiative of Trichandra College students hailing from Taplejung was handed to the fire survivors at the same programme. As many as 50 houses were gutted in fire occurred on March 3, which had displaced 60 households. 

Kathmandu, April 16 (RSS): Need of legal and institutional reform has been stressed to implement the convention against Transnational Organized Crimes (the Palermo Convention). The Palermo protocol is about the prevention, suppression and punishment of trafficking in person, especially women and children. The protocol was adopted by the UN in 2000. Nepal had adopted the protocol the same year. At the meeting of the Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights under the House of Representatives on Thursday, the stakeholders pointed out the need of amending laws relating to various ministries. On the occasion, Executive Director at Forum for Women, Law and Development, advocate Sabin Sharma, presented his views that the laws relating to Home Ministry, Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, and Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs should be changed along with structural reform in order to effectively implement the protocol. Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Poudyal, Se...

Jhapa, April 16 (RSS): The Siruwa festival observed by the indigenous communities especially from Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari districts has been badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic this year too. The festival is marked with New Year, playing water, mud and colour. It is the second time the annual festival is adversely impacted by the coronavirus. It is the traditional culture here. The Rajbansi and Tajpuriya ethnic communities play with water on Baisakh 1, with mud on Baisakh 2 and with colour on Baisakh 3. Central member of the Rajbansi Society Development Committee, Phulmati Rajbansi informed that they had to observe the festival by staying indoors and maintaining safety protocol. "We could not be as happy as the previous celebrations. There were no gatherings. Siruwa is the biggest festival of Rajbansi people- like Dashain of Hindu people," she added. The festival is observed wishing happiness and purging of rage among the people.

Kathmandu, April 16 (RSS): The minerals would be explored and excavated in different 13 places of Nepal. The Department of Mines and Geology has issued a tender notice for excavation of five minerals. Director General at the Department, Ram Prasad Ghimire, informed that the tender notice was issued for the exploration and digging of limestone, copper, marble sand and caballine. Limestone would be explored at Kapurkot of Salyan, and Tandranggadhi and Jurethum of Dhading, marble at Supin of Makwanpur, sand at Ghyalchowk of Gorkha, copper at Ghusa of Dhading, Okharbot of Myagdi and Agrakhola of Makwanpur, caballine at Daman of Makwanpur. Director General Ghimire further informed that qualified and selected national and international companies would be given permission for excavation. They need to submit the proposal with 60 percent allocation on technical aspects and 40 percent on economic aspect. 

Kathmandu, April 16 (RSS): The House of Representatives Committee on State Affairs and Good Governance has endorsed the report on amendment and integration of laws relating to prison. The meeting of the committee held in Singha Durbar approved the report on Thursday, recommending the reproductive rights to the women inmates. Similarly, province government could be given authority on prison management.  The report further recommended to not handcuff the inmates while staying in prison, documenting his/her statement, and furnishing views before court. If any prisoner is sexually harassed by another prisoner, the oppressor one would be slapped with two more years' imprisonment or fined up to Rs 20,000, or both. Chairperson of the State Affairs Committee, Sashi Shrestha, viewed that those involved in gang rape and rape of children could not be condoned at all.

Ranjha, April 15 (RSS): Educational institutions in Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan City are to be closed for a week from Friday after a spike in coronavirus infection cases.  A meeting of Nepalgunj sub-metropolis Disaster Management Committee held today decided to close the educational institutions inside the sub-metropolis area for a week after cases of coronavirus increased rapidly in Nepalgunj in recent period, said Deputy-Mayor Uma Thapa Magar.   The meeting held under chairmanship of Mayor Dr Dhawal Shumsher Rana has decided to take the proposal for closing all educational institutions across the district in the meeting of District Risk Management Centre. Similarly, the meeting also took the decision to further tighten for health and antigen test of India returnees at Jamunaha border point.  Requesting to follow health precautions including wearing mask, the Committee also decided to tighten the market monitoring as well as to close the shop running its busi...

Kathmandu, April 15 (RSS): The Nepal Press Union, a trade union for the welfare of working journalists, has condemned manhandling and ill-treatment on journalists of Kathmandu and Tanahun districts.  On Wednesday, Captain Bijaya Thapa at the Kalibhanjyang Battalion of Nepali Army at Chapaghat in Byas-5 in Tanahun district mistreated a photojournalist Paban Poudel for taking pictures of army personnel taking a regular training session. Thapa also snatched Poudel's camera and deleted pictures in there. The Union in a statement today denounced the incident.  The Union also expressed its concern about the manhandling of a journalist Kedar Dahal for collecting news on the premises of the Embassy of India in Kathmandu. Dahal works for Naya Patrika, a national daily. A team led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Dipak Khadka manhandled journalist Dahal while covering police intervention on journalists who reached the Indian Embassy for collecting news.  "Nepali press ...

Kathmandu, April 15 (RSS): The government is to award individuals and institutions making special contribution to the information and communications technology sector. The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has issued a notice seeking applications to five various genres under the National Information and Communication Technology Award.  The awards would be given away on the occasion of the National Information and Communication Technology Day on May 2. According to the Ministry, the awards would be presented in five various categories to the best among the individuals and institutions making special contribution to the information and communication technology.  The five genres include: the National ICT Excellence Award, the National ICT Innovation Award, the National ICT Award (Public Sector), the National ICT Award (Private Sector) and the National ICT Excellence Award (Woman).  The National Information and Communication Technology Day is obs...

Baglung, April 15 (RSS): Many incidents of wild fire have taken place in the district with the onset of summer, incurring losses worth thousands of rupees.  In a latest fire incident, 330 hectares of forests were destroyed in forest fires, according to the District Division Forest Office. Buki area under the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Ghumte of Galkot, Buchhung Salleri community forest of Resh Sigana and Malika community forest were burnt down in the fires, said the assistant forest office at the forest office, Madan Kandel.  A long spell of drought and human negligence are blamed for wildfires. "There is a long spell of drought. As a result, tree leaves have become dry and they can easily catch a fire when people build a fire nearby. People should be well aware and take cautions," he said.  Ninety five percent of bushfires has taken place due to human negligence, he said.  In a bid to control forest fires, the forest office has been launching awareness progr...

Kathmandu, April 15 (RSS): Office of National Food Bank has been inaugurated at New Baneshwor today. The Bank was established few months ago under the slogan 'Sustainable Agriculture for Nutrient-Rich Food' in order to give priority to organic production.  Chairperson of Bank, Shankarnath Upreti, said that the bank was established with an objective of giving emphasis on organic production by reducing dependency on agriculture.  The bank was established at the investment of Rs 2 billion and it has 590 promoter share members so far. Preparation has been made to increase the number of promoter share members to 1,000. Upreti further said that the bank has been making preparation to issue IPO for general people soon by fulfilling all required criteria.  He shared, "We facilitate production of and carry out trade in rice, wheat, maize, vegetables and fruits through bank. We increase production collaborating with farmers." The bank has made preparation to begin a...

Jhapa, April 15 (RSS): A journalist, Kamal Mishra, 48, of Birtamod municipality-8 in Jhapa district died due to coronavirus on Wednesday night. He died while undergoing treatment at Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, Teku.  Journalist Mishra had returned from India attending a religious programme few days ago. He fell ill soon after returning from India and admitted at the hospital for treatment.  Mishra had been working as a campaigner of a religious organisation located at Bhaktapur for the past two years. --- 

Gandaki, April 15 (RSS): The current winter session of the Gandaki Province Assembly has been prorogued.  Province Chief Amik Sherchan, on the recommendation of the province government, prorogued the Assembly session with effect from 12 midnight on April 14. Province Assembly Secretariat's secretary Hariraj Pokharel said a letter notifying the prorogation of the Province Assembly session has been received from the Office of the Province Chief and it has been registered at the Secretariat at 10.35 am today.  The province government's decision to prorogue the Assembly session has been seen with interest in the political circle as it comes at a time when the opposition parties including the Nepali Congress were preparing to register no-confidence proposal against the province government.

Mahendranagar, April 15 (RSS): Kanchanpur prison is housing over four times more prisoners against its actual capacity.  Currently it has 414 jailbirds against its actual capacity of 95. Established 45 years ago, the prison is in a dilapidated condition. However, plea of the prison administration for repair of the old buildings to the center has not been heard so far.   A prison security platoon led by an inspector and first-aid management are required at the prison, said Superintendent of Police Uma Prasad Chaturbedi. "There is a situation wherein 10 police personnel have to guard five prisoners while taking them elsewhere on purpose. The prison has neither a safe van nor an additional workforce," he said.  Without proper management of accommodation, the inmates are forced to live under tents, said jailor Maya Basnet Thapa.  "As a result, we have written to the center to transfer four inmates at the prison to Dhangadhi and some other to Dang. At least...

Darchula, April 15 (RSS): Intensive Care Unit (ICU) along with ventilator beds set up at District Hospital, Darchula, has not yet come into operation. The ICU has not come into operation in lack of capable human resources even after five months of the establishment of ICU.  ICU was set up along with two ventilator beds received from Sudurpaschim Province government. Sudurpaschim Province government had established ICU along with ventilator beds at all district hospitals of the province.  Deputy-Speaker of Sudurpaschim Province Assembly, Nirmala Badal, had inaugurated the ICU service at the District Hospital, Darchula, on December 10, 2020.  The ICU, established with an objective of treating the coronavirus infected people who are in critical condition die untimely in lack of intensive care, has not come into operation in lack of capable human resources, according to the Hospital.  The Sudurpaschim province government had provided ventilators to the Distri...

Bagmati, April 15 (RSS): Two staffs working at National Investigation Department, Province Office, Hetauda, died in a road accident on Wednesday night. The deceased have been identified as informer (head constable), Shashi Kanta Jha, 38, and assistant informer (constable) Sanu Kaji Chitrakar, 30, informed District Police office, Bara, today. The accident took place when the motorcycle (Na 27 Pa 636) they were riding met with an accident at Balganga of Piple of Bara district along East-West highway while heading towards Nijgadh from Pathalaiya. Jha died on the spot while Chitrakar died while undergoing treatment at Narayani Hospital, Birgunj, said police.

Janakpurdham, April 15 (RSS): The folk festival Judsheetal is being celebrated in Mithilanchal today amidst gaiety and fervor. This festival is considered special agricultural culture. This festival, related to nature and health, is marked as the New Year festival in Mithilanchal and as Siruwa festival by the Tharu community. Basically, the essence of both the festivals is, according to the scriptures, to 'cool' the people who are tormented by the heat of the sun. Since Mithilanchal region is mainly an agricultural region, most of the festivals celebrated here have the influence of the agriculture culture. Various agriculture produce are used in the Judsheetal festival as well.  The two terms that make the word Judsheetal, 'Jud' and 'Sheetal', are related to human welfare and wellbeing. Jud means to bestow blessings while the term 'Sheetal' denotes 'giving the feeling of coolness'. One of the main rituals associated with this festival is that the...

   People perform Bihu, a folk dance, during the Rangoli Bihu Festival in Guwahati city of India's northeastern state of Assam on April 14, 2021. (Str/Xinhua)

TOKYO, April 15 :  (AFP) - Japan's prime minister heads to Washington on Thursday to become the first foreign leader to hold face-to-face talks with US President Joe Biden, with concerns about China topping the agenda. Yoshihide Suga will be hoping to renew the all-important alliance with Washington after the Trump era, as well as compare notes on an increasingly assertive Beijing. The trip comes after two top US officials visited Japan in March, and following a summit of leaders from the Quad alliance -- a grouping of the United States, Japan, Australia and India. The theme of all the diplomatic activity has been clear: signalling a united front to Beijing at a time of growing concern about its military stance and human rights issues. In Tokyo, Suga's trip is seen as "a sign that the United States puts top priority on East Asia in its diplomacy," said Kunihiko Miyake, president of Japan's Foreign Policy Institute think-tank. "It means Washington now shares J...

TOKYO, April 15 : (AP) - Two officials in Japan's ruling LDP party on Thursday said changes could be coming to the Tokyo Olympics. One suggested they still could be canceled, and the other said even if they proceed, it might be without any fans. Toshihiro Nikai, the No. 2 and secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, suggested the cancellation only a day after Tokyo reached the 100-days-to-go mark on Wednesday. He made his comments in a show recorded by Japan’s TBS TV. “If it seems impossible to go on with the games, they must be definitely canceled,” Nikai said. “If there is a surge in infections because of the Olympics, there will be no meaning to having the Olympics.” Asked if a cancellation was still an option, Nikai said: “Of course.” But he also added: “It is important for Japan to have a successful Olympics. It is a big opportunity. I want to make it a success. We will have many issues to resolve and prepare, and it is important to take care of them one by on...

WASHINGTON, April 15 : (Xinhua) -- President Joe Biden announced on Wednesday that all U.S. troops will be withdrawn from Afghanistan before Sept. 11, a decision to end the longest war in American history. "The United States will begin our final withdrawal, begin it on May 1 of this year," Biden said in his remarks at the White House. "U.S. troops, as well as forces deployed by our NATO allies and operational partners, will be out of Afghanistan before we mark the 20th anniversary of that heinous attack on September 11th." Biden delivered the address at the Treaty Room, the same place where then President George W. Bush informed the nation that the U.S. military had begun airstrikes against terrorists in Afghanistan nearly two decades ago. "It is time to end America's longest war. It is time for American troops to come home," he said, noting that the United States has achieved counterterrorism objectives in this war. In his remarks, Biden made clear th...

NEW DELHI, April 15 :  (Xinhua) -- India's COVID-19 surge continues as over 200,000 (200,739) cases were registered during the past 24 hours, taking the total tally to over 14 million (14,074,564), said the latest data released by the federal health ministry on Thursday. As many as 1,038 deaths due to the pandemic since Wednesday morning took the death toll to 173,123, added the data. This is the first time when the single-day spike in COVID-19 cases has surpassed the 200,000 mark ever since the pandemic broke out in the country. For almost 10 days, the number of new cases registered in India in 24 hours had been over 100,000. On Wednesday 184,372 new cases were reported. There are still 1,471,877 active cases in the country, while 12,429,564 people have been discharged from hospitals after medical treatment.  

NEW DELHI, April 15 : (AFP) - India added a record 200,000 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, official data showed Thursday, as the country's huge second wave accelerates. The number of new infections in a day has more than doubled since early April, with a cumulative total 14.1 million cases. India also added 1,038 deaths in the past day, taking the total to almost 175,000, the health ministry data showed, although on a per capita basis India is far behind many other countries. This week, it overtook Brazil to become the country with the second-highest number of Covid-19 cases -- experts have blamed complacency about the virus and frustration for the surge. Having let its guard down with mass religious festivals, political rallies and spectators at cricket matches, India is experiencing a ferocious new wave with almost two million fresh cases this month. After a lockdown a year ago caused widespread misery and one of the sharpest downturns of any major economy, the centra...

MEXICO CITY, April 15 : (Xinhua) -- Haitian President Jovenel Moise on Wednesday appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs Claude Joseph as interim prime minister, succeeding Joseph Jouthe. Moise confirmed on Twitter that he accepted Jouthe's resignation, saying it "will make it possible to address the glaring problem of public safety, and to continue the discussions with a view to reaching the necessary consensus for the political and institutional stability of our country." Jouthe's departure came as Haiti was grappling with a high crime rate brought by surging kidnappings and murders, especially in the capital Port-au-Prince. The United Nations Security Council has voiced deep concern about the political and several other protracted crises in Haiti, urging stakeholders to set aside their differences and to prepare for free, fair, transparent and credible presidential elections later in 2021. The Caribbean country has been mired in a prolonged political impasse, yet the...

SAO PAULO, April 15 : (Xinhua) -- Brazil's COVID-19 death toll has risen to 361,884 after 3,459 new deaths were reported in the last 24 hours, the Ministry of Health reported on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the country registered 73,513 new cases, bringing the national tally to 13,673,507, the ministry said. Sao Paulo, the most populous state in Brazil, has also been the hardest hit by the virus with 2,686,031 cases and 85,475 deaths. Starting its vaccination process on Jan. 17, Brazil has so far vaccinated 32.15 million people. Brazil has been experiencing a new wave of cases since January, and many states in the country have reported an overloading of their healthcare systems.  

Kathmandu, April 15 (RSS): Ambassador of Nepal to the Republic of South Africa Dr. Nirmal Kumar Bishokarma presented the Letters of Credence to the President of the Republic of South Africa Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa.  The letters of credence were presented at a special ceremony held at the Sefako Mapogo Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria.  During the occasion Dr. Bishokarma conveyed warm greetings and best wishes from the Bidya Devi Bhandari, the President of Nepal to Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa for his personal well-being and continued peace, progress and prosperity of the people of the Republic of South Africa.  In his short remarks Ambassador Bishokarma expressed that Nepal and South Africa have been enjoying very warm and cordial relationship which are based on friendship, mutual trust, goodwill, understanding and cooperation ever since the two countries established the diplomatic relations in 1994. Bishokarma also expressed his commitment to put his best effor...

-Narayan Adhikari  Chitwan, April 15 (RSS): Private elephants kept for providing jungle safari services to tourists are now on verge of displacement.  With shrinking business opportunities after the COVID-19 pandemic, the elephant owners were found to have started selling or returning the tuskers rented from India.  In two years the number of elephants has reduced to 35 from 67 in the United Elephant Ride Operation Cooperative that has been providing the riding service.  Chairperson of Regional Hotel Association Deepak Bhattarai, who was also served as the former chairperson of the cooperative, said it was difficult to keep the elephants without any business.  He further noted that the displacement of tusker was occurring with no support from government front.  Entrepreneurs said it costs more than Rs 100,000 per month to keep an elephant which normally requires over two quintals of food each day.  As informed, only three elephants among those rented f...

Jhapa, April 15 (RSS): Nepal's eastern borders have been sealed off for 72 hours since 6.00 am this morning in the run-up of West Bengal elections.  Kakadbhitta and Bhadrapur borders have been sealed off in view of the Loksabha elections to be held on April 17.  Chief District Officer Shrawan Kumar Timsina shared that the borders have been sealed off from 6.00 am (April 15) to 6.00 pm (April 17).  According to him, the mobility of people and transportation has been completely restricted during the period. 

Kaski, April 15 (RSS): The first National Conference of chairs/chiefs of local levels held in Pokhara. The conference organized by Pokhara Metropolitan City on April 13-14 has adopted a 16-point Pokhara declaration.  Pokhara Mayor Man Bahadur GC shared that the declaration was adopted reflecting the learning and challenges following the local level election held in 2018 and charting out future strategies with a plan of action.  He further shared that the conference-adopted declaration would be sent to all 753 local levels through email and finalized by incorporating inputs and recommendations by coming April 23.  The conference has come up with a commitment to create opportunities for mutual collaboration and coordination among the local levels towards realizing 'Prosperous Nepal and Happy Nepali'.  The declaration has also laid emphasis on implementing the policy and programmes to ensure quality life of citizens with self-respect and identity by prioritizing local d...

Khotang, April 15 (RSS): Swiss Ambassador to Nepal,  Elizabeth von Kepler arrived at Sakela Rural Municipality of Khotang to observe Mundhum trail – one of the 100 tourism destinations set by Nepal government.  A team of Swiss Ambassador Elizabeth came to Sakela to observe Mundhum Trail. The trail construction has been initiated so as to promote tourism in attractive areas of Khotang, Solukhumbu, Bhojpur and Sankhuwasabha.  Sakela Rural Municipality Arjun Kumar Khadka shared that Ambassador Elizabeth came Khotang to observe tourism hotspot of Sakela-3, Fidim, Tawabhanjyang as it is the entry point of departure for Mundhum Trail.  "We held a discussion with Swiss Ambassador on the status of overall development process, especially the matters related to tourism promotion", he said. During the discussion, Ambassador Elizabeth said the Swiss government would extend its necessary support for the under-construction trail.  Sakela chair Khadka and deputy chair Sarita K...

LA JOYA, TEXAS - APRIL 10: Central American immigrants wait to be processed by U.S. Border Patrol agents near the border with Mexico on April 10, 2021 in La Joya, Texas. A surge of immigrants crossing the southern border, including record numbers of children, continues. John Moore/Getty Images/AFP

Moussa Diaby (C) of Leverkusen breaks through the defense from Ryan Sessegnon (L) and Pavel Kaderabek of Hoffenheim during a German Bundesliga match between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Sinsheim, Germany, April 12, 2021. (Photo by Ulrich Hufnagel/Xinhua)

A Palestinian man sells dates at a market in the West Bank city of Nablus ahead of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, on April 12, 2021. (Photo by Ayman Nobani/Xinhua)

  In this picture taken with a slow shutter speed, far smaller crowds than usual of Muslim pilgrims circumambulate the Kaaba, the cubic building at the Grand Mosque, as they keep social distancing during the minor pilgrimage, known as Umrah, marking the holy month of Ramadan, in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, Monday, April 12, 2021. During Ramadan, the holiest month in Islamic calendar, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex from dawn to dusk. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Kathmandu, April 13 (RSS): Minister for Health and Population Hridayesh Tripathi has said the government is preparing to close schools in big cities of the country including Kathmandu for one month in view of the surge in Covid-19 infection. Health Minister Tripathi said this while addressing a face-to-face programme organised by the Health Journalists Forum here today. He said the topic of running online classes by closing the schools for one month was also discussed in the meeting of the Council of Ministers and the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) following an increase in the risk of new variant of the coronavirus. "Preparations have been made to run online classes at least for one month in the city areas. Seven to eight hundred thousand students can take classes remaining at home when online classes are conducted and this will reduce the movement up to 20 per cent," Minister Tripathi said. According to him, the new variant of coronavirus has...

Itahari, April 13 (RSS): - Birat Anupam The fourth edition of Mundum Trail Race is scheduled to kick off on 1 May 2021 (18 Baisakh 2078 BS). The premium trail race in East Nepal, the event will be held from Tawabhanjyang to Sumlikha of Bhojpur district. The distance between starting to ending is 40 kilometres. Dozens of runners are expected to join this race, said Pabi Hang Rai, the pioneer of this race. ''This race is held in one of the Nepal Government-listed 100 destinations that is Mundum trail. That is another aspect for the glamour of this event,'' explained Rai. The race is financially supported by Swiss Government and Temkemaiyung Rural Municipality. The event is mainly categorized into three sections: one is for team, second is for male/female of forty plus age and the third is for all. For team category, the prizes are Rs 10,000, Rs 8,000 and Rs 5,000 for first, second and third respectively along with trophy, medal and certificate...

Karnali, April 13 (RSS): - Shur Bahadur Singh "Neither the government understands us nor do we understand the government. But we people with disabilities are facing the problem due to this." This is what Namrata Bharati, who is hard of hearing, said while relating the problems faced by people like her in lack of interpreters for them. As she said, people with hearing impairment like her are deprived from accessing governmental and non-governmental services in Karnali due to lack of communication. Bharati is the president of the Association of the Deaf Bheri and Karnali Province. She said although the constitution has made provisions for fundamental rights, they have not been able to directly exercise these rights due to communication and language barriers. "The Ministry of Social Development is our line ministry but it doesn't have interpreters. When we go to the Ministry to discuss about problems faced by the deaf and people with hearing p...

Kathmandu, April 13 (RSS): Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has said the research-based suggestions and study report from the scholarly class are useful in policy formulation and removing the development impediments. Inaugurating the 18th anniversary of Nepal Development Research Institute in the federal capital today, he said the present government was committed to the sustainable development of the nation. "The government is active to building an advanced society and to providing basic services including education, health and the like to the citizens as well as reaching the benefits of development to them. However, the development-related problems are not fully addressed," he said and called on the intellectuals to carry out research and study on the obstacles to development. Recalling the call made by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to people from all walks of life to sincerely contribute towards fulfillment of the national aspiration, ...

Khotang, April 13 (RSS): Fire that broke out at a furniture industry here has destroyed furniture and other materials worth over Rs 5 million. The fire started at Ganesh Furniture Industry at Ratnapark, Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi municipality-1 at around 4.30 am today. Police have estimated the damage to be of Rs 5.08 million. The furniture industry is operated by a local Harka Raj Rai. Preliminary investigation showed that the fire started from an electric short circuit, Chief of the District Police Office Khotang, Deputy Superintendent Narayan Prasad Chimoriya said. The machinery equipment, ready-made furniture, timber and other materials were destroyed by the fire. It took around two hours to contain the fire. Nepali Army, Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force personnel and the locals doused the fire with the help of the municipality's fire engine. The nearby houses were spared as the fire was brought under control before it could spread out, according...

NEW DELHI, April 13,  (AFP) - India has authorised Russia's Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine, a leading local drugmaker said Tuesday, in a boost for the nation's inoculation drive as virus cases mount. "We are very pleased to obtain the emergency use authorisation for Sputnik V in India," Dr Reddy's Laboratories co-chairman and managing director G.V. Prasad said in a statement. The South Asian nation of 1.3 billion people has been battling a huge surge in virus cases in recent weeks that has prompted night curfews and a clampdown on movement and activities. India on Monday reported more than 161,000 new cases -- the seventh-consecutive day that more than 100,000 infections have been recorded. Sputnik V, backed by the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF), already has production agreements in India to produce 852 million doses. RDIF chief executive Kirill Dmitriev said in a statement that the approval was a "major milestone" after "extensive cooperation...

By Joseph SOTINEL LONDON, April 13, 2021 (AFP) - The cryptocurrency market has grown exponentially in 2021 and is now worth a staggering $2.0 trillion as it increasingly attracts interest from big names on Wall Street.As digital currency exchange Coinbase prepares to list Tuesday in New York, AFP takes a look at a sector built from scratch just 12 years ago. - Bitcoin - On October 31, 2008, in the wake of the financial crisis, one or more anonymous people, hidden behind the pseudonym Satoshi Nakamoto, published the founding white paper of bitcoin. The goal was to create a means of payment, the security of which would not be overseen by a central bank or financial organisations, but instead regulated by software with rules almost impossible to alter.  While anybody can "mine" for new bitcoins, to do so requires giant data centres -- leading to platforms such as Coinbase providing a way of trading in cryptocurrencies. Banks and payment services such as Paypal allow transactions...

GENEVA, April 13, (AFP) - The World Health Organization on Tuesday called for a halt to the sale of live wild mammals in food markets to prevent the emergence of new diseases. The WHO said that while traditional markets play a central role in providing food and livelihoods for large populations, banning the sale of live wild mammals could protect the health of market workers and shoppers alike. It said some of the earliest known cases of Covid-19 had a link to a wholesale traditional food market in Wuhan in China, with many of the initial patients stall owners, market employees or regular visitors to the market. The interim guidance was drawn up alongside the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). "The guidance calls on countries to suspend the sale of captured live wild mammals in food markets as an emergency measure," the WHO said. "Animals, particularly wild animals, are the source of more than 70 percent of all...

BEIJING, April 13,  (AFP) - China's imports and exports boomed again in March, data showed Tuesday, reaffirming the recovery in the world's number-two economy continues apace and demand picks up in key overseas markets as they emerge from last year's crisis. The readings highlight the impact of vaccines and the easing of containment measures are having, with expectations for further improvement over the next few months. Imports soared a forecast-busting 38.1 percent on-year as the country's army of consumers increasingly return to some form of normality after last year's virus crisis forced businesses to shut and people to stay at home. The figure was a huge increase from the 22.2 percent rise seen in January and February and is the biggest hike since February 2017. Exports rose 30.6 percent, well off the 38 percent increase tipped in a Bloomberg forecast but still among the highest readings since early 2018. Overseas shipments jumped more than 60 percent in January...

Parsa, April 13 (RSS): A patient of coronavirus infection died while receiving treatment at Birgunj-based Narayani Hospital early this morning. The 37-year-old man from Jitpur-Simara Sub-Metropolitan City in Bara district died of the coronavirus infection. His report of COVID-19 positive was received on April 11.   He was admitted to the Narayani Hospital on Monday after high fever, pneumonia and respiratory related illness. Prior to this, he was receiving treatment in another hospital in Birgunj. It is said that had returned home from the Indian city of Hyderabad some days ago.  Likewise, 40 people tested positive for COVID-19 out of 95 swab tests conducted in Narayani Hospital on April 12. Hospital's Covid Coordinator Dr Saroj Roshan Das said that 37 infected ones are from Parsa and three from Bara district.

Dolakha, April 13 (RSS): Four persons died and 18 others were injured in a road mishap occurred last night at Bigu Rural Municipality-4 in Dolakha district, police confirmed. A jeep (Ba 30123 Cha 7580) on its way to Bulung from Singati in the district met with an accident at 10:00 last night, Chief of District Police Office Bheshraj Rijal said.  The deceased have been identified as 35-year-old Binod KC, Radha Khadka, 52, Chandika Thapa, 24, and Ajita Khatri, 45, of Bigu Rural Municipality-3. The injured ones are receiving treatment in different hospitals in Kathmandu and Dhulikhel.

Jajarkot, April 13 (RSS): Police in Nalgadh Municipality in Jajarkot district destroyed a large quantity of opium cultivated in almost 60 ropani of land. The District Police Office, Jajarkot, said that poppy plants cultivated in at Nahakuli, Kakrimela, Dimreni, Dware, Bhargaun, Sirpachaur, Kitalekh, Garchhina and other areas were destroyed. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Madhu Kumar Thapa said that the police launched a campaign for four days to destroy the opium farming and added that further investigations are initiated.  He said that the police force has upped its vigilance against the illegal acts and other activities that pose threat to law and order.

Dolakha, April 13 (RSS): The upgradation job of Charikot-Jiri road section is taking place in a good pace with completion of blacktop upto Namdu bazaar. The construction company said that out of 55km, so far 22km has been blacktopped. According to the construction company, almost 66 per cent of the Charikot-Jiri has been completed and the remaining tasks of blacktop will be completed within some months. "As the construction works are on full swing, the remaining part of blacktop will be completed in some months," Chairman of Baiteshwor Rural Municipality Chhabi Lama said.   A joint venture of Indian company Woodhill Infrastructure Limited and Nepal's Lama Construction Company had won the tender bidding of the project for the completion of 55 kms road by mid-August of 2021. Rabindra Shrestha, Manager of Lama Construction Company, said that the project will be completed in the given deadline if the construction works continued in the current speed.    

Kathmandu, April 13 (RSS): Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Tapa Bahadur Magar has said that rights of the senior citizens should be ensured.   Speaking at an interaction programme organised with the stakeholder sat NHRC on Monday, Chairman Magar said that the hospitals across the country should be made geriatric-friendly and the NHRC was holding talks with the agencies to make this happen.  In regard to formulation of sixth strategic plan, the NHRC is soliciting feedback and doing consultation meetings with different sectors and communities.    On the occasion, members of civil society and others involved in the rights protection of senior citizens were present.  During the discussions, monitoring for the effective implementation of the existing laws and holding officials accountable and prioritizing the agendas of senior citizens in the budget, plan and programmes of the local levels were stressed. Officials from the Ministry of Women, ...

Kathmandu, April 13 (RSS): Nepal has received Rs 642.14 billion in remittance in the first eight months of the current fiscal year.  “Remittance inflows increased 8.6 percent to Rs 642.14 billion in the review period compared to 1.5 percent in the same period of the previous year. In the US Dollar terms, remittance inflows increased 5.0 percent to 5.45 billion in the review period compared to 1.5 percent in the same period of the previous year,” the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) said on Monday releasing the current macroeconomic and financial situation of the country.  Likewise, the central bank said that number of Nepali workers taking approval for foreign employment decreased 74.8 percent in the review period. It had increased 24.2 percent in the same period of the previous year. The number of Nepali workers (Renew entry) taking approval for foreign employment decreased 65.2 percent in the review period, according to the NRB. Similarly, the current account remained at a deficit of...

Kathmandu, April 12 (RSS) : Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota today reshuffled the Business Advisory Committee and other committees under the House of Representatives (HoR). In a session of the HoR today, the Speaker nominated Umashaknar Aragariya, Khagaraj Adhikari, Krishna Bhakta Pokhrel, Jayapuri Gharti, Dilendra Prasad Badu, Dev Prasad Gurung, Pushpa Bhusal Gautam, Balkrishna Khand, Rekha Sharma, Laxman Lal Karna, Sher Bahadur Tamang, Lal Bahadur Thapa, Bishal Bhattarai and Santa Chaudahry on the Business Advisory Committee.  The Speaker made changes in other committees as well. In the session, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Leelanath Shrestha presented the National Information Commission's annual report for the fiscal year 2076-77 BS (2019-20) on behalf of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.  Besides, the Speaker red out a letter relating to the formation of the Council of Minister received from the Office of President.  The HoR shall meet again at 1:00 pm ...

Kathmandu, April 12 (RSS) : Lawmakers speaking in the meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today called attention of the government through the Speaker on various pertinent issues. Speaking during the Special Hour of the meeting, they also spoke on the need of all parties coming together to make initiatives for repatriating the Nepali territories as per the revised new map. Nepali Congress lawmaker Pushpa Bhusal said the government had shown its 'patriotism' by publishing the new map but it has failed to live up to that as the territories included in the new map were not displayed in the image on the medals and decorations which President Bhandari conferred on various personalities recently.  She also sought clarification from the government that it prevented the new map from including in the school and university curricula. Bhusal also demanded that the government should table the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact in the parliament as per the due process....

Kathmandu, April 12 (RSS): The Metropolitan Traffic Police Division has launched a public awareness campaign bearing in mind the second wave of global COVID-19 infections. The campaign aimed to prevent and control the infections was launched today in coordination with transport entrepreneurs.   The theme of the campaign is 'traffic police wish for healthy and safe travel', division chief senior superintendent of police, Janak Bhattarai, said while speaking in the launching ceremony.  ''Public transport sector is at high risk of Covid-19,'' he said, underlining the need of taking all possible preventive measures to operate it.    Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs chair Yogendra Nath Karmacharya urged transport sector workers to take safety measures against the virus. Federation general secretary Punya Prasad (Saroj) Sitaula suggested the uses of mask and sanitizer and the avoidance of over-crowding in public vehicles to break the chain for t...

(Jeevan Khatri) Seoul, South Korea, April 12 (RSS): The visa term of all the migrant workers, including Nepalis, working in South Korea is to be extended by one year.The Ministry of Justice here stated that a rule has been passed by which the workers, whose visa term had expired and who could not return to their home countries due to the Coronavirus pandemic, can get their visa term extended for one year from April 13. Migrants Trade Union (MTU) president Udaya Rai said the visa term of workers, whose three-year term expired until coming December and those whose visa term of four years and ten months has terminated and who needed to return home, would be extended by one year. With this extension, the total stay of both categories of workers in South Korea would be of five years and 10 months.According to Rai no foreign migrant worker has entered South Korea for 13 months. Although some workers from Cambodia had come here in the meantime, no worker from other countries has entered South...

Butwal, April 12 (RSS): Three people died of coronavirus infection this morning in Butwal of Rupandehi. They, each from Rupandehi, Arghakhanchi and Kapilvastu, were undergoing treatment at the Corona Special Hospital under the Lumbini Province Hospital.  The deceased are a 71-year-old woman of Tilottama municipality-1,  a 79-year-old woman from Malarani rural municipality-5 in Arghakhanchi and a 71-year-old male from Banganga municipality-3 in Kapilvastu.  The first victim was brought to the hospital on April 3 with fever and breathing difficulty and was diagnosed to be a pneumonic patient while the second victim was admitted to the hospital on April 9 and was facing the health issues as of the first victim, said Province Hospital information officer Dr Bishnu Gautam Likewise, the third had fever, pneumonia and diabetes.  Meanwhile, Seti Province Hospital, Dhangadhi this morning reported the death of a 50-year-old man of Godawari municipality-3, Kailali from the viru...

Kathmandu, April 12 (RSS): Stakeholders have suggested to the government not to close schools in the name of staving off the risk of COVID-19 infection. Taking part in a consultative meeting held at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology today, they advised running schools by adopting maximum precaution against the infection.  President of Municipalities Association of Nepal, Ashok Kumar Byanju Shrestha said the federal government should leave the topic of whether or not to close schools to the local governments. He argued that schools all over the country should not be closed merely for the reason that the risk of COVID-19 has increased in a particular place.  Private and Boarding Schools Organisation of Nepal (PABSON) president Tika Puri and National Private and Boarding Schools Organisation of Nepal (N-PABSAN) general-secretary Subas Neupane also suggested in the same line.  National Examinations Board (NEB) chairperson Prof Dr Chandramani Poudel said decisi...

Charikot, April 12 (RSS): A 21-year-old has claimed to have trekked from the east Mechi to west Mahakali wishing for world peace, happiness, prosperity and national harmony and integrity.   Abhinaya Karki, 21, of Kalinchowk rural municipality-3 of Dolakha said he had embarked on the trip on his birthday on Fagun 18 from the Mechi Bridge in Jhapa  and concluded it on April 9 upon reaching Gaddachauki-based Nepal-India border pillar number 805-1 (7) in Kanchanpur district in Mahakali. As he said, he carried the national flags of over 100 countries during his journey which was for the specific reason. Though he had guessed that it would take two months for him to complete the trip, it happened on the 37th day. He travelled through around 1,200 kilometres over the course of his journey. Talking to media persons at his home town Dolakha, he said he was preparing for setting out for a 100-day bicycle tour covering all 77 districts soon. 

Muglin, April 12 (RSS): The Manakamana cable car service has resumed regular operations from today. The service was halted for five days from April 7 for the first phase repair works.The cable car service has resumed since 8am today. Although it was announced that the service would be resumed from April 13, it has been started a day earlier, said Deputy General Manager of Manakamana Darshan Pvt Ltd, Ujjwal Sherchan.   The cable car system which has completed 23 years is being upgraded in three phases to convert it from the analog technology to digital. Sherchan said the upgrading works would be completed within two years.

LIMA, April 12, (AFP) - Ballots were being counted Sunday in Peruvian presidential elections destined for a run-off with no candidate able to fire up the crisis-weary nation, during its deadliest week of the Covid-19 pandemic to date. Some 25 million people were eligible to vote -- which is mandatory -- the day after Peru reported its highest-ever daily toll in the pandemic. With 16 percent of votes counted by early Monday, far-left labor unionist Pedro Castillo took a surprise lead among 18 candidates with 15.7 percent -- much higher than polls had predicted but far short of the 51 percent required to avoid a run-off scheduled for June 6. In second place was rightist economist Hernando de Soto with 14.4 percent, said the ONPE electoral office. The two candidates with the most votes will contest the second round. Almost a third of voters had declared themselves undecided ahead of what Ipsos Peru chief Alfredo Torres said was the country's "most fragmented election" ever. ...