- Thursday, 28 May 2026
The Rising Nepal
Digital Harassment Impairs Press Freedom
As the world is heading towards a digitalised system where information and services are available online, digital safety has become more and more important. Be it on the reliability of the information people access through online portals, or the services including online shopping, online banking, online dating, online marriages and almost all activities related to th
Accessible Education
Recently, the plight of students in Rukum, Nepal came to news as their education was stalled due to lack of textbooks. Teachers in Rukum sent their students home after taking attendance since there were no textbooks to teach. The fact that these students were routinely deprived of education so heedlessly and irresponsibly is deplorable. It questions the nation’s rather lagging education system. Education is irrefutably a given right to a child regardless of gender, race, class, etc. With proper learning and training, a child can grow up to a secure future while without an education the future can be rather bleak.
National Paddy Day being marked today
The National Paddy Day and paddy plantation festival is being marked across the nation Wednesday. Paddy day is observed on the 15th day of the month of Asar every year to mark the paddy cultivation season. Similarly, Asar 15 is also celebrated as a day to enjoy curd and beaten rice. Nepal started celebrating Asar 15 as National Paddy Day from 2005 as per a minister-level decision taken on December 14, 2004. This year's slogan of the Paddy Day is "Utility of rice in biodiversity, support in import substitution."
Sri Lanka turn to spin in bid to inflict more pain on Australia
Sri Lanka are looking to inflict more pain on injury-hit Australia when the first match of a two-Test series starts on what looks certain to be a turning wicket in Galle on Wednesday. Sri Lanka secured a stunning 3-2 victory in the one-day international series last week and the hosts will counting on a bowling attack packed with spinners to give them the edge in the Tests. Captain Dimuth Karunaratne will lead a side bolstered by the addition of Jeffrey Vandersay to their spin brigade of Lasith Embuldeniya, Praveen Jayawickrama and Ramesh Mendis.
England beat New Zealand to complete clean sweep
A dominant England swept New Zealand 3-0 in the test series with an aggressive seven-wicket victory in the third and final test on Monday. After the first session was washed out due to rain on the final day, England motored to 296-3 in the middle session after resuming on 183-2. Joe Root (86 not out) and Jonny Bairstow (71 not out) flayed New Zealand bowlers at Headingley in a blistering 111-run stand as England cruised to the target in just over an hour on the fifth day.
Multilingual drama festival begins at Arohan Gurukul
A multilingual drama festival has begun at Arohan Gurukul Natak Ghar in Thapagaun, Kathmandu since Sunday. Organised by Nepal Academy of Music and Drama, the festival was jointly inaugurated by Dr. Jagman Gurung, Chancellor of Nepal Pragya Pratisthan, Shyam Prakash Tamot, Member Secretary of Nepal Music and Drama Pragya Pratisthan and Ashesh Malla, a senior playwright.
New working committee of NEMPA formed
Nepal Motion Picture Association (NEMPA) has formed a 17-member working committee. The first formal meeting of the association held at its office in Kathmandu on Monday constituted the new working committee under the chairmanship of Birendra Narayan Shrestha. Shrestha was elected as the chairman of the association unopposed from the 47th general assembly held in the capital on June 4. From the first official meeting, chairman Shrestha has unanimously appointed immediate past chairman Madhusudan Pradhan, first vice chairman Kuber Sharma, second vice chairman Gopal Kaji Kayastha, third vice chairman Bhaskar Dhungana, general secretary Narendra Maharjan, deputy general secretary Om Jaishi and treasurer Kapil Prasad Dwa in the working committee.
Kasthamandap yet to reopen
The historic Kasthamandap was formally opened by President Bidya Devi Bhandari on April 4. But the gate of the wood-covered shelter was closed for public after a few days of opening. Since then, it has not been opened to the public because of a case filed in the Supreme Court (SC) over the replacement of its old idols. The Supreme Court (SC) on January 18 had ordered that the new idols not be installed in the iconic structure. A heritage activist had filed the case at the SC demanding placement of original ancient idol of Gorakhnath with other four corner idols in the newly constructed Kasthamandap.
Works on Sikta irrigation project delayed
Construction of the Sikta Irrigation Project, one of the national pride projects expected to revolutionise agricultural production in Banke district, has been delayed. Even 18 years after construction works commenced, only 70 per cent works on the project have been completed. Works on the pride project had begun in the fiscal year 2003-04, and initially the project was expected to be completed in 10 years. But it was delayed because of various obstacles.
Concrete structures threatening unique bamboo grove
The famous Budhasubba temple complex in Dharan is the only place in Nepal where tipless bamboo is found. However, the construction of concrete structures around the bamboo bush has pushed it to the brink of extinction. So now, the local government has begun work to preserve it. The bamboos here have not produced new shoots for over a decade. This prompted the then Mayor of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City Tilak Rai to take a team of botanists and conduct an on-site inspection.
Declare Province 1 “tea special zone”
It has been demanded that tea cultivation, which is considered a major source of foreign exchange earnings, be accorded high importance in Province 1 and the province declared as tea special zone. Stakeholders have emphasized the need for the tea industry to be treated differently at the policy level. Representatives of tea growers, tea farmers, trade unions, tea workers, and the Tea Development Board discussed the thematic problems in the tea sector in detail and pledged to move forward collectively to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Kalikot, Achham local levels unveil budget
All nine local levels of Kalikot district have unveiled budget for upcoming fiscal year. The total amount of budget of all nine municipalities is Rs. 4,223,196,288. Tilgufa Municipality has brought the biggest amount of budget in the district. Tilagufa Municipality presented its popular budget, plan and program in the 11th executive meeting of the municipality. Deputy-mayor Mahendra Bahadur Shahi, made the popular budget, plans and programmes public. A total budget of Rs. 619,064,526 was presented which has given priority to education, health, agriculture, tourism, road, youth employment and entrepreneurship.
Heavy rainfall expected from Tuesday night
Meteorologists have forecast heavy rainfall in all the provinces from Tuesday night as the monsoon spreads across the country. This year’s monsoon system reached Sudhur Pashim on Sunday, 22 days after the monsoon entered Nepal. The monsoon entered Nepal through Province 1 on June 5 this year, eight days ahead of the scheduled date. The influence of monsoon winds has become more active across the country as it enters the far western provinces, said Sujina Shakya, a meteorologist at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM), Meteorological Forecasting Division.
Cereals worth Rs. 70B imported in 11 months
Nepal has been spending billions of rupees in the import of cereals and vegetables for consumption. According to the trade statistics of the Department of Customs, the country imported cereals worth around Rs. 70 billion during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year 2021/22. During the review period, rice and paddy worth Rs. 45.28 billion, wheat worth Rs. 6.29 billion and maize worth Rs. 17.83 billion were imported. The import of rice and wheat slightly decreased in the review period compared to the same period last fiscal year.
Apples give yield in two years after being planted in Kanda
Apples have started to yield fruit within two years of planting at the farm of one Bir Bahadur Rawal of Khaptad Chhededaha Rural Municipality-1, Kanda of the district. Fuji, Gala and Golden varieties of apples brought from Italy started fiving fruit within two years of planting in February, 2021. Bir Bahadur Rawal, a local of Khaptad Chhededah-1, Kanda, said that 1,300 new plants of apple trees were planted with the grant of the Agriculture Knowledge Centre and 700 new plants with his personal investment.
