- Wednesday, 24 December 2025
The Rising Nepal
Fighting Corruption Through Cartoons
With the local poll campaign gripping the country, the Cartoonists’ Club of Nepal recently organised an exhibition entitled ‘Nisana’ (target) to expose the cases of corruption and discrepancies besetting the nation. There is no dearth of commitment on the part of the parties and the candidates to eradicate corruption from the society. Hence, the show is expected to play an important role in spreading awareness against corruption during the election, a crucial moment to pick the people’s representatives for the public offices.
Secret Of Longevity
The world’s oldest person recently passed away at the age of 119. Kane Tanaka was a Japanese national, who died of old age in a hospital in Fukuoka city. Being a citizen of a country where the average life expectancy is 70 years, I get really surprised and curious when I read about such individuals. What could be the secret of a long life exactly? Tanaka is a representative of many Japanese people who enjoy a long life. Japan ranks the second in the globe for life expectancy and the average Japanese citizen lives to 85 years. The life expectancy for Japanese women is 88.1 years. Research has pointed out food to be a major contributor to all of this. Japanese meals are pesticide-free and organic. Also, the meal only has a little portion of red meat and sugar, prioritising more fish and seafood.
Trailer of Life in LA released
Trailer of the film Life in LA, which is scheduled to be released on May 20, was made public in the capital on Wednesday. The 2-minute-55 second trailer show includes the ups and downs in the love life of lead actors of the film Bash Bissu, Aakesha Bista and Shilpa Maskey. It deals with the lifestyle of Nepalis living abroad. Artistes like Gaurav Pahari, Buddhi Tamang, Prakash Ghimire, Lokendra Lekhak, Jared Billups, Jayandra Chiluwal, Uttam Jung Thapa and Aayush KC are also seen in the triangular love story genera film. The film, directed by Surya N. Shrestha, has music by Alish Karki and Pratick Poudel. Singers Pratap Das and Prabisha Adhikari have lent their voice in the songs. The film produced by Bash Entertainment, is produced by Bash Bissu.
Deepika Padukone is now on Cannes Film Festival jury
Deepika Padukone has been named a member of the jury at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. French actor Vincent Lindon will be the president of the jury of the 75th Cannes Film Festival. Joining him on the jury along with Deepika are actor-director Rebecca Hall, Noomi Rapace and Italian actor-director Jasmine Trinca, as well as directors Asghar Farhadi, Ladj Ly, Jeff Nichols and Joachim Trier.
Second edition of Birds of Nepal launched
A field guide book “Birds of Nepal” (Nepalka Charaharu) in Nepali version (second edition), translated by reputed ornithologist Dr. Hem Sagar Baral was unveiled here on Tuesday. The handy book, originally written by Dr. Baral, Richard Grimmett, Carol Inskipp and Tim Inskipp in 2016 has been translated into Nepali targeting Nepali field guides. The first Nepali edition was published in 2003 in which 861 species of birds were mentioned, and 27 more species of birds have been added in the new version of the book in Nepali.
Test flight at Gautam Buddha airport today
A test flight at the Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA) will be conducted on Thursday, informed Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). According to CAAN, an aircraft of Nepal Airlines will be conducting the test flight. CAAN Spokesperson Deo Chandra Lal Karn informed that the flight will leave Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) for GBIA at 3 pm on Thursday and return from GBIA at 5 pm. Earlier, the test flight was scheduled on the day of Nepali New Year on April 14 but was postponed.
'Do not believe in rumours'
Minister for Home Affairs Bal Krishna Khand Wednesday said that baseless rumors were still being spread that the local election would not be held on the slated date of May 13. Speaking at a press conference organised by Nepal Press Union Chitwan at the Bharatpur Airport today, Home Minister Khand reiterated that the election would be held on the scheduled date of May 13. "In the past, there were rumors that elections would not be held. There were rumors that the constitution would not be promulgated even days after its promulgation. Apart from other things, the 14th General Convention of the Nepali Congress was also said to be not held in time.
COVID-19, war taking toll on national economy
Governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), Maha Prasad Adhikari, said that the continuous increase of oil prices in the international market and impact of Russia-Ukraine war has created pressure on inflation. "It will continue to impact our national economy. Meanwhile, there is a risk of new wave of COVID-19," he said while the NRB's 67th anniversary programme organised at its office in Baluwatar on Wednesday. He said that the central bank had announced various instruments and policies to revive the businesses and economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
NEA to cut power in industries with prior notice
The unthinkable has happened: With reduction in electricity generation within the country and similar energy dearth in India, load shedding has started in industries across the country. The NEA has not been able to supply electricity to the industries round the clock for three days as India could not supply the required electricity to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and reduced power generation in Nepal, said Kul Man Ghising, managing director of NEA.
Dozens of houses damaged by storm in Bajura
A fire caused by the storm at the house of Tuli Devi Budha in Ward No. 2 of Khaptad Chhededaha Rural Municipality of Bajura district killed an elderly on Tuesday night. An unprecedented storm had ignited fire in the house from a brazier while cooking food at around 8 pm. “Tuli Devi Budha, a 75-year-old, and 15 livestock died in the fire,” said Gindra Bahadur Bogati, information officer of Bajura District Police Office. Two oxen, a cow and 12 goats in the house had died.
Kasara's vulture breeding centre to be closed
The vulture breeding centre at Kasara in Chitwan National Park will be closed. According to officials, the breeding has not been effective and the number of vultures is also increasing in the open itself. The centre, which was established 14 years ago, has so far raised 18 chicks. It is going to close after it failed to raise any chicks in the last three years. Chief Conservation Officer of the park, Hari Bhadra Acharya, said that the vultures have become more numerous in nature and the breeding centre is not effective for now. Established in 2008, the centre was started by bringing eggs and vultures from the nature. The vulture conservation programme is being organised through Jatayu restaurants focusing on vultures in the nature. Currently, there are only 10 vultures in the breeding centre .
Diversifying trade, consumption of tea
When United Nations' General Assembly in November 2019 adopted a resolution to establish May 21 as an International Tea Day, Nepal had already completed two decades of observing National Tea Day on Baishakh 15. Thus, today is 26th National Tea Day in Nepal. Tea is not just a drink but also a part of hospitality culture in Nepal. It’s a conversation starter and an easy-to-serve beverage to welcome guests. It depends on the taste of guest to decide the host on what type of tea should be served. While most of the Nepalis are fond of milk tea, some prefer one without sugar and whitener. Moreover, because of the health consciousness, popularity of green tea is also soaring. It is worthwhile to mention here that more than a thousand types and forms of tea are consumed worldwide.
Feat In Forest Cover
Nepal is on a right track to restore her past glory couched in the popular aphorism – Hariyo ban, Nepal ko dhan (Green forest, Nepal’s wealth.) Indeed, the dense forests spread in a large swath of land across the country used to symbolise her identity, prosperity and ecological health for centuries. The thick forest in the Terai belt once served as a defensive wall against any external threat from the southern part during the Rana regime. The then rulers had preserved forests as strategic purpose to avoid mingling with the outsiders. This was one reason behind the high coverage of forest in the past. But, with the growing population and political changes, the forest land began to decline specially in 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s. During this period, there was reckless drive to clear forests for the purpose of increasing agriculture areas, human settlements, timber harvesting and grazing fields, among others.
Curbing Monetary Muscle In Polls
The prevalence of monetary muscle in politics has been an issue of growing concern worldwide. The countries, irrespective of their stages of developmentand institutionalisation of democracies, are all faced with the consequences arising out of the use and abuse of money in elections. A few months ago, South Africa had held local polls where a particular concern had been expressed over the misuse of the resources at the local polls. In the 2020 US presidential polls, the use of monetary muscle was at its worst manifestation. Nepal has not been an exception to it. The top notch politicians, including former prime ministers, have been reported to have expressed their utter dismay over the exorbitant cost of elections even though they have to molest and manipulate the figures and file their returns to the Election Commission swearing that they have not breached the expenditure ceiling fixed by the constitutional entity.
Priority Agenda For Health Strategy
The constitution of Nepal has clearly articulated basic health care as a fundamental right of its citizens. However, there are still critical needs and challenges of ensuring equitable access to quality health services for all in the federal context. Nepal’s new health policy 2019 aims at developing and expanding a health system for all with a particular focus on social justice and good governance. In this context, one of the strategic objectives of Fifteenth Plan (2019/20- 2023/24) is to transform the profit-oriented health sector gradually into a service-oriented sector. This can be achieved by enhancing social accountability of federal, provincial and local governments, and maintaining effective regulation for easily accessible and quality health services including preventive, promotional, curative and palliative care.
