Majority of the madrasas are located along the UP-Nepal border, including districts like Maharajganj, Shravasti, and Bahraich.
The SIT report said that it had sought financial records from these madrasas, but most have failed to provide a clear account of their income and expenditure, fuelling suspicions of diversion of funds for ‘illicit’ activities.
According to police sources, most of the madrasas claimed to have been built with donations, they have been unable to disclose the names of contributors.
The investigation, covering a total of 23,000 madrasas, has identified 5,000 with provisional recognition, and some have fallen short of meeting accreditation standards over the past 25 years.
Recently, the police agencies had confirmed that approximately 80 madrasas in border regions, received funding totalling around Rs 100 crore from foreign sources.
Taking a serious view of this, the state government had set up the SIT to conduct a thorough investigation into the operations of all madrasas in the state. This directive came amidst growing concerns over the potential misuse of funds, raising questions about the authenticity of the sources supporting these religious institutions.
The Mahantha of Janaki Temple of Janakpur, Ram Roshan Das handed over the exquisitely decorated souvenirs to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Trust General Secretary Champat Ray.
Lord Ram, according to Ramayana, traveled to Ayodhya and married Sita -- whose second name is Janaki.
The souvenirs included gold-silver articles, various kinds of sweet dishes, clothes, fruits, cosmetics, furniture among others. These gifts and souvenirs were packed in small buckets crafted with bamboo and wrapped in colorful clothes.
“Sita is our daughter and since Janakpur is her parental home, it is our duty to send her all necessary stuff required for a new home,” Janakpur Mayor Manoj Shah said.
Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Tirtha Trust General Secretary Champat Ray had expressed happiness over receiving the souvenir presented on behalf of Sita’s birthplace.
The souvenirs and gifts were packed in two trucks which were specially decorated and left for Ayodhya from Janakpur on Thursday.
Earlier, two big Shaligrams (a fossilised stone or ammonite collected from the riverbed of the Kali Gandaki, a tributary of the Gandaki River in Nepal which is also considered a form of Vishnu) were also sent from Nepal to Ayodhya.
“As per the tradition, we do not visit our daughter's home empty handed. We went to Ayodhya with five hundred different decorated gifts which will fulfill the requirements of a new home,” Mahantha of Janaki Temple of Janakpur Ram Roshan Das told media persons in Nepal after returning from Ayodhya.
He said that these gifts represent the sentiments of residents of Janakpur.
“We received a rousing welcome at different places in Nepal and India. The major attraction of the souvenir was Dhanush (bow) and Kharau (an ancient kind of sandal) made of silver including necklace, ring, anklets, Mangal Sutra, silver plate, glass, spoon among others,” he said.
He said that different kinds of sweet dishes, local Mithila food items, fruits, nuts, grains among other household items were also part of these souvenirs.
A single-judge bench of the Kathmandu District Court convicted Lamichhane for the alleged sexual offence following hearings that started on Sunday. The Court convicted the cricketer of raping a girl by taking advantage of her financial condition.
The court on Friday concluded that the victim was not a minor at the time of the incident, as had been reported earlier. The next hearing on the matter will determine Lamichhane's sentence. Lamichhane is currently out on bail.
Lamichhane made his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut against the West Indies, where he represented a World XI side.
A girl had filed a police complaint in September 2022, accusing Lamichhane of raping her in a hotel room in Kathmandu. Police confirmed that the CCTV footage of the hotel revealed Lamichhane was staying with the girl.
A Kathmandu District Court had authorised Lamichhane's arrest for further investigation. During the arrest period, Lamichhane was due to take part in the 2022 Caribbean Premier League representing Jamaica Tallawahs but had to pull out because of the rape allegations.
He was released on bail following a court order in January 2023.
“Deeply saddened by loss of lives and damage due to the earthquake in Nepal. India stands in solidarity with the people of Nepal and is ready to extend all possible assistance. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families and we wish the injured a quick recovery," the Prime Minister said in a post on X, tagging Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'.
At least 69 people were killed and dozens were injured on midnight Friday when a 5.6-magnitude earthquake hit western Nepal, officials said.
The earthquake jolted the western Jajarkot district at around 2:02 a.m. local time Saturday (1802 GMT Friday) with a depth of 18 km, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the US Geological Survey.
The quake killed at least 35 people in Rukum district and 34 others in neighbouring Jajarkot district, officials said.
While Oman got the better of Bahrain by 10 wickets in the first semifinal, Nepal beat UAE by eight wickets in front of a huge home crowd to mark their re-entry into the T20 World Cup fold for just the second time after 2014.
At the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Aqib Ilyas took 4-10 and played a critical role in Oman restricting Bahrain to 106/9. Openers Kashyap Prajapati (57 not out) and Pratik Athavale (50 not out) pulled off the chase in style with 34 balls remaining, to confirm their third T20 World Cup appearance after 2016 and 2021 editions.
Meanwhile, at the Mulpani Cricket Stadium in Kageshwari-Manohara, spinners Kushal Malla and Sandeep Lamichhane bowled economical spells to keep UAE to a modest 134/9. Vriitya Aravind made 64 but found little support from his teammates. Opener Aasif Sheikh hit an unbeaten 64 to complete the chase with 17 balls to spare.
In the tournament to be held from June 4 to 30, 20 teams will be divided into four groups of five each for the first round. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the Super Eight stage. In Super Eight, teams will be split into two groups of four each, with the top two sides from two groups entering the semi-finals.
Hosts West Indies and USA, as well as Australia, defending champions England, India, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh have already qualified for the competition,
Ireland, Scotland, Papua New Guinea and Canada sealed their spots for the tournament through regional qualifiers, with Nepal and Oman now joining them. The last two spots for the tournament will be decided by the Africa Qualifiers, to be held from November 22 to 30 in Namibia.
Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Broward County in Lauderhill, Florida and Nassau County in New York were confirmed to be the venues in the United States of America (USA) leg of the tournament.
Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad & Tobago will be the hosts for the competition’s matches to be played in the West Indies.
West Indies, the two-time winners of the Men’s T20 World Cup, will be hosting the ninth edition of the tournament after first playing hosts for the competition in 2010, while this is the first time the USA will be hosting an ICC tournament. The two countries were awarded joint hosting rights for the competition in 2021.
In the group match of the ongoing Asian Games, Dipendra scored an unbeaten 52 off just 10 balls against Mongolia here at the Pingfeng Cricket Field. His record knock was studded with eight sixes.
Nepal posted a massive total of 314/3 against Mongolia, becoming the first team to cross the 300-run mark in a T20 innings.
Kushal Malla, who smashed 137 off 50, broke the fastest T20I century record. He slammed a ton in just 34 balls, pushing Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma (35 balls) to second place.
In response, Mongolia bundled out for 41 in 13.1 Overs with Nepal sealing 273-run victory, the highest in T20 Internationals so far.
Before the Nepalese batter, former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj held the T20 cricket's fastest 50 record for nearly 16 years. His remarkable innings came against England in the inaugural ICC T20 World Cup in 2007, achieving a half-century in just 12 balls. This remains the fastest 50 in T20 World Cup history.
Yuvraj's memorable knock included three fours and seven sixes, with six sixes coming in a single Stuart Broad's over, marking the first instance of six sixes in one over in T20 cricket.
This agreement was reached during the 14th meeting of the Joint Technical Team ( JTT) on Wednesday in New Delhi, according to the Nepali side.
Both sides also reached an understanding on increasing the quantum of power to be traded through the Dhalkehar -Muzaffarpur cross - border transmission line and accelerating the - construction of cross-border lines to boos the power trade.
Any Indian undertaking that is in the power trading business can sell and buy electricity through a 132 kv transmission line, said Prabal Adhikari, head of the energy trade department of Nepal Electricity Authority, the power trade between Nepal and any Indian states will be signed at Energy Secretary level.
The agreement comes in operation and execution only after signing the deal whose meeting is expected to convene soon.
Those states who want to procure electricity from Nepal should propose first to India’s state power agency for approval.
In order to implement the agreement, two dedicated 132 kv transmission lines between Nepal and India will be used for power export from Nepal to Indian states like Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh among others. Nepal and India are going to complete the construction of 132 kv new Nautanwa - Mainaiya line and Kohalpur - Nanpara line which will be used for the import and export of power besides the 400 kv Dhalkehar - Muzaffarpur cross - border transmission line.
India's Sutluj Jal Vidyut Nigam which is currently developing a 900 MW Arun - III hydropower project is building a 400 kv Dhalkebar - Sitamarhi line that is expected to evacuate up to 2,000 MW.
Now India is going to give access to Nepal to use this line for power export and import from the country. Earlier, this line was exclusively built to power export being produced in Arun III and two other projects.
As of now, Nepal and India are trading business only through the 400 kv Dhalkehar - Muzaffarpur cross-border transmission line. The meeting also decided to upgrade the capacity of the Dhalkewar-Muzaffarpur cross-border transmission line which has a capacity for importing and exporting 600-MW of electricity.
After strengthening of this transmission line, Nepal can sell 800 MW of electricity to India.
In the last joint steering committee meeting held in February, both sides agreed to increase the volume of power to be traded via the 400kv Dhalkehar - Muzaffarpur cross - border line from 600 MW to 800 MW.
As energy trade becomes a key foundation between Nepal and India, both countries are planning to constitute several cross-border transmission lines.
Besides, the 400KV Dhalkehar-Muzaffarpur cross-border line, both nations are also constructing Hetuda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa line. Another 400 kV transmission line that is under construction between the two countries is Dodhara-Bareilly which is expected to complete by 2028-29.
The request was made last week through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Indian side.
"We have requested the Indian side to make available 100,000 tonnes of rice, 50,000 tonnes of sugar, and one million tonnes of paddy," Ram Chandra Tiwari, joint secretary at the Ministry of Industry Commerce and Supplies told IANS.
After India imposed a ban on the export of rice, psychology has spread among the public that there could be a lack of rice in the market, said Tiwari, in order to dispel that public’s notion, we have requested for supplies of grain and sugar.
However, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs just communicated with the Indian side about the request on Tuesday.
The request was sent through the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.
Some Nepali traders started hoarding rice and paddy in Nepal under the pretext of India’s embargo on the export of non-basmati rice beginning from July 20 amid the threat of El Nino weather disruption.
As soon as news about India’s embargo was out, the traders started hoarding huge amounts of rice resulting in price hikes of non-basmati rice in Nepal.
Rice is the staple food in Nepal and is heavily dependent on imported food, mostly from India.
Nepal imported 1.4 million tonnes of rice --1.38 million tonnes of non-basmati and 19,000 tonnes of basmati rice -- from India, the highest import on record, according to an Indian government report.
In terms of value, rice imports came to $473.43 million or just over Rs 60 billion.
Imports of basmati and non-basmati rice dropped sharply to 812,028 tonnes in 2022-23 as India strangled exports.
Nepali traders have said that immediately after India stopped the export of rice, retail prices jumped by Rs 200 to Rs 250 per 25 kg bag.
They say that prices are expected to increase further, particularly during the festive season.
Since consumption of rice and sugar increases during the festive season, government officials said that it is their preparations to keep stock of food and sugar-like essential products in stock so that the general public will not face any shortcomings in the future.
Due to depleting stock of paddy and sugar, the government has decided to procure the food grains and sugar from India in order to mitigate the crisis if any occurs in the future.
Before making such a request Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies Ramesh Rijal held talks with Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, and requested him not to impose a ban on the export of rice to Nepal.
The Indian side is positive, said Tiwari.
The figure was released on Friday during the 10th India-Nepal LOC Review Meeting held in Kathmandu.
The government of India’s LOC portfolio is more than $30 billion and is spread across more than 60 partner countries, said a statement issued by the Embassy of India in Kathmandu.
In Nepal, it includes four LOCs: $100 million, $250 million, $550 million and 750 million, totaling $1.65 billion.
The projects funded under the LOC are dedicated towards infrastructure development as prioritised by government of Nepal, the statement said, adding that so far the LOCs have financed more than 40 road projects (1,105 km completed), six projects in hydropower and transmission lines, and several others in housing and reconstruction.
India is the largest development partner of Nepal as well as trading partner. Major chunks of the Indian LOC go for cross-border power transmission lines.
Power transmission infrastructure in Nepal has been augmented with major line of credit projects, such as Koshi Corridor (220 kV), Modi Lekhnath (132 kV), Solu Corridor (132 kV) and the Dhalkebar-Bhittamod (400 kV) projects.
“As of now, upto 452 MW of power export is being carried out through the Dhalkebar-Bhittamod 400 kV line. The government of India has also agreed to fund Bheri Corridor, Nijgadh-Inaruwa and Gandak Nepalgunj Transmission lines and associated substations under Indian LOC at an estimated cost of $ 679.8 million,” the statement added.
Both sides appreciated the strong cooperation in the India-Nepal Developmental Partnership, including through the LOCs extended to Nepal and reviewed the progress of projects which are at various stages of implementation.
From the Indian side, the meeting was led by Ajay Kumar, Joint Secretary, (Development Partnership Administration-I), Ministry of External Affairs; and other officials from the Embassy of India and the EXIM Bank.
From Nepal side, the meeting was led by Shreekrishna Nepal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance, government of Nepal (GoN), and included officials from several departments involved in the execution of projects under the Indian LOC.
The Indian delegation also visited the sites of some road projects funded under the LOC.
Seema is under the scanner for coming to India without a visa to live with her partner Sachin, a resident of Greater Noida. Seema’s case has been taking new turns every day after she was taken by Uttar Pradesh Police’s Anti-Terror Squad (ATS).
Recent reports suggest that Seema speaks perfect English and can read too. She left the officials of UP ATS in sock after she was asked to read a few lines in English. She not only read the text properly, but the way she read the text was perfect, a report in India Today said.
During the questioning, Seema reportedly confessed to contacting people mostly from Delhi-NCR while playing PUBG and that’s how she came in contact with her boyfriend Sachin.
Later, she entered India through Nepal and posed as ‘Preeti’ when she boarded the bus from Pokhara, Nepal to illegally enter India with her four children. She also possessed a forged Aadhaar card and claimed to be ‘Preeti’, an Indian resident.
Meanwhile, UP ATS has been grilling Seema to understand her motive behind sneaking into India illegally. She was also questioned about her family members and the claims of her uncle and brother serving in the Pakistan army.
If reports are to be believed, Seema obtained a tourist visa and flew from Karachi to Dubai and then to Kathmandu, Nepal before taking a bus to India. There have been reports of Seema being an agent of the Pakistani intelligence agency ISI.
Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Shrivastava handed over keys of the vehicles to the representative organisations in the presence of Nepal Education, Science and Technology Minister Ashok Kumar Rai, The Kathmandu Post reported.
As per a statement by the Indian embassy in Nepal, Srivastava said: "This has been one of the long-standing traditions of Government of India under the Nepal-India Development Partnership Programme to bolster the efforts of Government of Nepal to strengthen its infrastructure in health and education sectors. He also highlighted that this is part of very robust and strong development partnership between India and Nepal, which has a long history and legacy, and has geographical spread throughout Nepal, touching people's lives and bringing out a tangible progress in the development journey of Nepal."
Hailing the Indian government for various developmental projects in the Himalyan country, the Nepal minister expressed hope that these will strengthen the bilateral relations between the two nations.
The Manang Air helicopter crashed at the Lamjura area in Likhupike Rural Municipality, the police said.
The area lies between Jiri and Phaplu, near Mount Everest.
Niranjan Basnet, a junior police officer who is stationed at the crash site, said the five bodies have been found and a search operation is on to find the sixth missing person.
Raju Neupane, the operations and safety manager at Manang Air, said the six people on board comprised Captain Chet Bahadur Gurung and five Mexican nationals.
According to rural municipality deputy chair Nwang Lhakpa Sherpa, locals discovered the crashed chopper.
The last location of the chopper, with the registration number 9N-AMV, was tracked at 10.12 a.m. in the Lamjura Pass area, said Neupane.
The helicopter was originally heading to Lukla near the Mount Everest base camp but could not land due to bad weather.
Then the helicopter landed in Surke, Solukhumbu, following which it was headed to Kathmandu.
The pact was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Nepalese counterpart Pushpa Kamal Dahal, aka Prachanda, in New Delhi.
The agreement was signed by SJVN Chairman and Managing Director, Nand Lal Sharma, and the CEO of the Investment Board of Nepal, Sushil Bhatta.
Speaking on the occasion, Sharma said SJVN is committed to make Lower Arun HEP a model hydro project with complete execution, from concept to commissioning, within seven to eight years. As one of major achievement, the detail project report (DPR) has been prepared by SJVN in record time and its approval by both governments was the fastest till date.
He expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Modi for his continual guidance and Nepal Prime Minister Dahal for showing confidence in SJVN as a development partner. He also thanked the Ministry of Power, the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Jal Shakti for the support extended in accelerating necessary techno-economic approvals of the project.
"This is our second large-scale investment in Nepal after the 900 MW Arun-3 HEP, which is in advance stage of construction. Now, our target is to start the construction of the new project in the current fiscal after obtaining investment approval from the government of India," an official statement quoting Sharma said.
Highlighting the salient features, he said the project would be constructed in five years at a cost of Rs 5,792 crore with a levelised tariff of Rs 4.99 per unit. The project will be developed on BOOT basis and on completion it will generate 2,901 million units of energy annually.
In addition to this, SJVN is also developing 217-km-long associated transmission network for power evacuation and export to India.
The 669 MW Lower Arun Hydro Electric Project is located in Sankhuwasabha and Bhojpur districts of Nepal.
Shimla-headquartered SJVN won the project through international competitive bidding in February 2021 and the MoU was signed in July 2021.
SJVN is already operating India's largest underground 1,500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station in tandem with the 412 MW Rampur Hydro Power Station in Himachal Pradesh.
Presently, SJVN is executing three hydro projects of 2,059 MW in Nepal. The 900 MW Arun-III HEP is in advance stage of construction and the 490 MW Arun-IV will be developed in joint venture mode by SJVN and Nepal Electricity Authority.
SJVN is targeting 5,000 MW projects in Nepal by 2030.
Addressing the media during a joint press conference with his visiting Nepalese counterpart Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' after their bilateral meeting, Modi said: "We have established new rail links to increase physical connectivity. Long term power trade agreement has been established between India and Nepal today. This will give strength to the power sector of our countries."
He further added that the religious and cultural ties between India and Nepal are very old and strong.
"To further strengthen this, we have decided that projects related to Ramayana Circuit should be expedited," Modi added.
On his part, Prachanda said: "This is my fourth visit to India. The relationship between India and Nepal is age-old. Today we discussed over steps to strengthen the ties between both nations. We also jointly launched many groundbreaking projects."
Modi and Prachanda virtually participated in the groundbreaking and inauguration ceremony of various projects, giving boost to cross-border connectivity and flow of people, goods and energy.
Both leaders jointly unveiled the e-plaque of the Kurtha-Bijalpura section of the railway.
They also jointly flagged off the Indian Railway cargo train from Bathnaha to Nepal Custom yard.
They participated in the handing over of Kurtha-Bijalpura section of railway line and also witnessed the inaugural run of an Indian railway cargo train from Bathnaha (India) to the Nepal Customs Yard.
The two Prime Ministers inaugurated inland container ports (ICPs) at Nepalgunj (Nepal) and Rupaidiha (India).
They also participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of ICPs at Bhairahawa (Nepal) and Sonauli (India) and also in the groundbreaking ceremony of phase-II facilities under Motihari-Amlekhgunj petroleum pipeline.
Modi and Prachanda also virtually participated in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Indian portion of Gorakhpur-Bhutwal transmission line.
Prachanda arrived in India on Wednesday on a four-day official visit.
Another Indian climber Anurag Maloo, 34, from Kishangargh of Rajasthan, India, also went missing after he fell down from around 6,000m while descending from Camp III in the same mountain on Monday.
Maloo's whereabouts are still unknown but a search operation is underway, said the Seven Summit Treks, the organiser of his expedition.
Kaur had posted a photo on Twitter on April 9 where she said she is taking rest at the base camp of the Annapurna.
The Himachal-based mountaineer had many feathers in her hat. The 27-year-old broke the record of the first Indian woman to summit Mount Manaslu without oxygen, the first Indian woman to summit true Mount Manaslu, and the youngest woman to summit Mount Manaslu without oxygen.
She was also the first Indian to climb six 8,000M peaks in the world and the fastest Indian to climb six 8,000M peaks in the world (5 months 2 days).
Pasang Sherpa, chairman at Pioneer Adventure, said that Baljeet died above Camp IV while descending from the top as she scaled the peak without using supplemental oxygen.
She is the first Indian mountaineer to scale four 8,000-meter peaks in less than a month.
Efforts are underway to bring their bodies back to base camp, organisers said.
The Mission made the claim in a letter to the Department of Consular Services under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on March 25.
"The esteemed Ministry is requested to inform the Department of Immigration not to permit Amritpal Singh to travel through Nepal for any third country and arrest him if he attempts to escape from Nepal using an Indian passport or any other fake passport under intimation to this mission," reads a copy of the letter obtained by The Kathmandu Post.
The letter and Singh's personal details have been circulated to all the concerned agencies from hotels to airlines, multiple sources told The Kathmandu Post.
Singh is said to be possessing multiple passports with different identities.
The development comes amid a massive crackdown on Amritpal Singh and his associates in Punjab.
Amritpal Singh, against whom the National Security Act has been invoked and a non-bailable warrant issued, has been on the run despite the massive manhunt launched to nab him since March 18.
The self-styled preacher had returned from Dubai last year.
Nepal overcame UAE by nine runs in a thriller to book their berth for the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe. At this event, they will compete with 10 sides for a place in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023.
The Rhinos needed 42 runs from 36 balls in the game when the umpires decided that the play couldn't continue due to bad light. At the time, Nepal were nine runs ahead of the DLS score and took all two points to pip Namibia (39 points) by a solitary point, according to a report on the ICC website.
Chasing a target of 311, Nepal made a horrendous start as they lost Aasif Sheikh (0) and Kushal Malla (5) within the first nine balls. Skipper Rohit Paudel tried to bring a semblance of the order along with Kushal Bhurtel, but fell in the seventh over to Aayan Khan. At 37/3, the game seemed to be slipping away from Nepal's grasp.
However, Bhim Sarki (67) joined hands with Bhurtel (50) and then Aarif Sheikh (52) to lead Nepal's fightback in the middle overs. A charge from 17-year-old Gulsan Jha (50*) in the later overs ensured that Nepal were ahead of the required DLS score when umpires decided to take the players off the field.
Earlier in the day, Muhammad Waseem won the toss for UAE and elected to bat, heaping pressure on the hosts by putting a target on the board. The opener then let his batting do the talking, silencing the heaving Tribhuvan University Ground crowd with a range of boundaries.
At the other end, Lalit Rajbanshi turned the volume back up, making a mess of Aryan Lakra's stumps for just six.
Vriitya Aravind accompanied Waseem, though the latter was eventually brought undone lbw by Sandeep Lamichhane, the leg-spinner's 99th ODI wicket. The wicket turned proceedings back in the hosts' favour, and a calamitous piece of running from CP Rizwan (7) ended in an easy run out to help turn the screws.
Aravind continued UAE's charge almost singlehandedly, bringing up fifty with a guide behind the point of Sompal Kami. The youngster helped UAE to the 200 mark, setting the platform for a late blitz from his teammates.
With Aravind holding one end, Asif Khan joined the party and took on the Nepal bowlers. The right-hander spared no one, even hitting four back-to-back sixes off Lamichhane in one over. He hit as many as 11 sixes in his outstanding knock of 101* off just 42 balls - the fourth-fastest century in men's ODIs.
As per reports, the act was about the silent protest of Scotland cricketers against Lamichhane, who has been accused of rape. He is currently out on bail.
The video of the incident has gone viral over various social media platforms.
The star cricketer from Nepal is accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in a Kathmandu hotel room last August.
The Cricket Association of Nepal recently announced the inclusion of the 22-year-old in the national squad for the upcoming home series against Namibia and Scotland. Cricket Association of Nepal lifted the star spinner’s suspension earlier this month.
स्कटल्यान्डका खेलाडीले सन्दीप लामिछानेसँग मिलाएनन् हात#Galaxy4K #GalaxyNewsReport pic.twitter.com/au9ORcIFx2
— Galaxy4K (@Galaxy4KNepal) February 17, 2023
Lamichhane is a popular cricketer in Nepal and he is a poster boy for the rise of cricket in the country. Inspired by the performances of a few cricketers like Lamichhane, Nepal gained ODI status in 2018. The tricky spinner got a big break in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) when Delhi Capitals roped him in 2018.
Following the rape accusation against Nepal’s most sought-after cricketer, authorities issued an arrest warrant against him in September while he was away playing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). Subsequently, Lamichhane pleaded innocence. However, he was suspended as Nepal captain.
Every couple now wants grand entries, exotic locations and grand celebrations like celebrities. While only the rich can afford such grand weddings, it has become a trend on Instagram now.
Meanwhile, a groom booked an entire plane for his family and relatives for his wedding destination. The happy guests can be seen waving, cheering and making heart shapes with their hands as someone records the video.
A video of the enthusiastic guests inside the flight is now going viral. The video was shared by an Instagram page ‘The Shubh Wedding’.
The caption of the video reads, “Ride to get @drolia_shagun home.”
According to sources, the groom from India had booked the flight to fly to Kathmandu, Nepal for the wedding. The excited groom has been identified as Bhuwan. He is also seen on the flight with mehendi in his hand, making goofy faces for the camera.
After being shared online, the video has been receiving lots of love from social media users. It has garnered a massive 17 lakh views with the numbers increasing every second.
“Bas Itna Amir Hona Hai,” commented a user while another user commented, “Tell me you are rich without telling it.”
However, many social media users weren’t too happy and termed it as a show-off and a waste of money. Many even trolled the relatives for taking advantage of the groom.
The star cricketer from Nepal is accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in a Kathmandu hotel room last August.
The Cricket Association of Nepal took to Twitter to announce the inclusion of the 22-year-old in the national squad for the upcoming home series against Namibia and Scotland to be played from February 14-21.
Cricket Association of Nepal lifted the star spinner’s suspension earlier this month and the decision for his inclusion in the squad was on the cards.
“Cricket Association of Nepal took disciplinary action against him and suspended him following the charges. The new decision to lift the suspension will allow him to play cricket for the national team again,” said Chatur Bahadur Chand, President of Cricket Association of Nepal.
Lamichhane is a popular cricketer in Nepal and he is a poster boy for the rise of cricket in the country. Inspired by the performances of a few cricketers like Lamichhane, Nepal gained ODI status in 2018. The tricky spinner got a big break in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) when Delhi Capitals roped him in 2018.
Following the rape accusation against Nepal’s most sought-after cricketer, authorities had issued an arrest warrant against him in September while he was away playing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). Subsequently, Lamichhane pleaded innocence. However, he was suspended as Nepal captain.
In a tweet, the Prime Minister said: "Pained by the tragic air crash in Nepal in which precious lives have been lost, including Indian nationals. In this hour of grief, my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families."
Pained by the tragic air crash in Nepal in which precious lives have been lost, including Indian nationals. In this hour of grief, my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families. @cmprachanda @PM_nepal_
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 15, 2023
At least 68 people were killed on Sunday when a domestic flight of Yeti Airlines crashed in Pokhara in Nepal, considered to be one of the worst air crashes in three decades in the Himalayan nation.
The passengers on board also included five Indians.
Hundreds of rescue workers scoured the hillside where the flight carrying 72 people -- 68 passengers and 4 crew members, from the capital Kathmandu went down.
Out of the Parliament's 265 lawmakers, Prachanda has claimed the support of 170 members.
As per the Article 76 (2) of the Constitution, President Bhandari has appointed Prachanda as the Prime Minister of Nepal, reads a statement issued by the President's office.
He will be the administered the oath of office and secrecy on Monday at 4 p.m., Tika Dhakal, Information and Communication aide to President Bhandari, said.
Prachanda will replace incumbent Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress.
He had earlier staked the claim to lead the new government in the Himalayan nation. Backed by seven political parties - his own CPN-Maoist Centre, the CPN-UML, the Rastriya Swatantra Party, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, the Janamat Party, the Janata Samajbadi Party and the Nagarik Unmukti Party - and three independent candidates, Prachanda had reached the President's Office on Sunday evening and submitted a letter claiming that he has received support from majority of the members of parliament as per the constitutional provision.
The CPN-UML has 77 seats, the Maoist Centre 32 seats, the Rastriya Swatantra Party 20 seats, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party 14 seats, the Janamat Party 6 seats, the Janata Samajbadi Party 12 seats, and Nagarik Unmukti Party 4 seats in the lower house. Combined, they now have a comfortable majority to form a new government.
Prachanda's party walked out of the Nepali Congress-led alliance on Sunday afternoon after a failed attempt to reach a consensus with its President Deuba. With the Congress refusing to share none of the posts of the Prime Minister and the President with the Maoist Centre, Prachanda had told Deuba that his party cannot remain in the coalition any longer.
He then went to Balkot to meet UML chair Oli. They were later joined by the key leaders of other parties.
With the Nepali Congress-led five-party ruling alliance breaking in the eleventh hour of the deadline given by President Bhandari for the parties to stake their claim to form the government by Sunday evening, Prachanda, with the support of second largest party, the CPN-UML, staked claim over the premiership of the new government.
As per the agreement between Prachanda and UML's K.P. Oli, Prachanda will be Prime Minister for the first half of the next five-year term.
As no party commanded a majority in the House of Representatives single-handedly, the President on December 19 had called parties to form a government under Article 76 (2) of the constitution within seven days.
On Wednesday, Nepal's Supreme Court had ordered the release of Sobhraj for different reasons.
A joint bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Til Prasad Shrestha hearing a habeas corpus petition lodged by Sobhraj had ordered his release if he need not be jailed for another case, and added that arrangements be made to return the French citizen back to his country within 15 days.
He should have been released much ago but due to political maneuvering, it got delayed, Nihita Biswas, who is known as his fiancee, told reporters in Kathmandu ahead of his release from the central jail.
He should have been released some five years ago but it could not happen, said Biswas, adding that political party only released their people from the jail, and did not give preferences to his early release.
He has spent 19 years and two months in central jail in Kathmandu.
Though the central jail released him on Thursday but due to some internal process including documentation process at Immigration Department, his release was only possible on Friday afternoon, according to the officials.
But Biswas said that if all process will be completed, he will leave for France today.
Though Sobhraj expressed his wish to live for some more days in Nepal after his release, officials at Department of Immigration said it cannot exceed 15 days.
The immigration department will deport Shobhraj to his lawyers and some people who came from France.
Sobhraj has told his lawyers that he will not give any interview to the media while living in Nepal. The conditions of his release is that he will not be allowed to return Nepal again.
Sbobhraj was wanted in Nepal for the 1975 murders of Canadian Laddie DuParr and an American woman Annabella Tremont, both of whom he befriended in Kathmandu. Later, Nepal Police arrested Sobhraj in September, 2003 from a five star hotel.
In 1996, he made an escape from a prison in New Delhi after it looked likely he would be extradited to Thailand to face charges of murdering six girls, all wearing bikinis, on a beach at Pattaya. He was rearrested from Goa. He was known to have been living quietly in France since his release from prison in India.
Sobhraj pointed in his petition that he has already served 19 years and is 78 years old.
Kathmandu and Bhaktapur district courts had found him guilty in murder of American and Canadian citizens in 1975.
He was ruled to have murdered American citizen Connie Jo Bronzich in Manohara of Kathmandu and then Canadian national Laurent Carriere two days later in Sanga of Bhaktapur in December 1975.
The Supreme Court in 2010 had endorsed the life sentence slapped on him by the Kathmandu District Court. The Bhaktapur District Court had then sentenced him for the murder of Canadian national in 2014.
Sobhraj repeatedly had filed writ petitions at the Supreme Court, seeking leniency that senior citizens over 70 years get. He had sent such applications, especially around Constitution Day, Democracy Day and Republic Day, hoping for a presidential pardon.
Thailand
There is a visa on arrival in Thailand also, but under following requirements: The visit is of tourism purpose, and the passport should be valid for 30 days and genuine. This country is famous for spa massages, Buddhist temples, Beaches, and of course shopping.
Tanzania
It is the home of the widely popular Serengeti National Park and Kilimanjaro National Park. It is an East African country. If you are looking for an offbeat or exotic destination this will be a great love for wildlife lovers.
Jordan
It is located in the Middle East, it is a delight for travellers. In addition to the visa arrival policy for Indians, the nation is popular for its pretty beaches, beautiful ruins, ancient cities and one of the most delicious cuisines. Petra, the Rose City is the most beautiful city you can visit.
Bolivia - Visa on arrival (90 days)
A South American country famous for loads of Llamas, and deadly roads that wind through jungles. If you are looking for an interesting offbeat destination that offers a visa on arrival, this could be Bolivia. This country is also an attraction for Salar De Uyuni, the world's largest salt flat, and Lake Titicaca. You can see different cultural experiences here as well.
Samoa - Visa on arrival (60 days)
Samoa is also one of the countries which allow visas on arrival policy. It is a group of beautiful islands and is believed to be the birthplace of soman culture. Alluring swimming holes, crystal clear waters, vibrant marine life, and rainforest are the main attractions for tourists.
Mongolia - Visa on arrival (30 days)
Mongolia is also a lovable destination for wildlife lovers including in visa arrival policy. This country lures you with its landscapes and takes you close to the nomadic lifestyle. It is also famous for Siberian Ibex, Snow leopard, and Gobi bear.
Palau - Visa on arrival (30 days)
It is a beautiful country that also offers visas on arrival for Indians. If a sunny, beach holiday is in your mind for 2023 you can go to Palau. It is the most loving destination and can be visited if you love water sports.
Seychelles Tourist registration - (30 days expandable to 90 days)
It is also one of the counties with a visa-on-arrival policy. This country has the most loved beaches, nature reserves, and deep water, which can be interesting for Indian travellers.
Nepal
Nepal is also a place with a Visa on arrival policy, it will be a tourist visa, if you are visiting nepal by purpose rather than tourism then you will still get ‘Tourist visa’. It also does not need a passport. It is the country of Mount Everest and the birthplace of Gautama Buddha, you can visit Nepal without worrying about your passport and visa.
The video was shared by a Nepali Instagram user who goes by the username, TikTok Nepali.
In the video, a Nepalese woman can be seen dancing in front of a store, probably a liquor store. She was joined by another foreign woman as she enthusiastically danced to the catchy tune.
Netizens were very impressed by her sharp moves and on-point. She moved fluidly, and her performance seemed to come naturally.
The video garnered over 5 lakh views after being shared online. Netizens were simply stunned after watching the foreigner's performance.
A user replied, “Good to see tourist having such a fun. And very supportive new generation.”
Another user wrote, “Ye sab peeche Wale ka khel ha re baba,” implying indirectly to the liquor store behind.
A third user wrote, “Me from Gujarat watching and enjoying the background,” indicating the dry state status of Gujarat where liquor is banned.
Kulman Ghising, the executive director of the state-owned power utility, said that Nepal exported power valued at 7.19 billion Nepali rupees (56.19 million U.S. dollars) to India from early June to mid-September.
Since June this year, Nepal started selling more electricity to India following consensus between the two governments.
As per the current plan, Nepal hopes to earn more than 30 billion Nepali rupees (234 million dollars) in the fiscal year 2023-2024 by selling electricity to India, according to Ghising.
The earning that Nepal has made from power export is contributing to maintain adequate foreign currency reserves and reduce trade deficit with India, authorities said here.
Nepal had a power deficit for a long time, but it started generating surplus electricity after the country's largest 456 megawatts (MW) Upper Tamakoshi Hydroelectric Project started to generate electricity in July last year.
According to the negotiations between Nepal and India, the Indian government allowed Nepal to sell electricity in the Indian market through a competitive bidding in November 2021. Now, Nepal can export 364MW of power generated by six hydropower projects in the country.
Electricity has emerged as a key export item of Nepal and it is cooperating with India for the same. Neighbouring India has been Nepal's only viable market for electricity trade so far.
There have been a few rounds of talks between Nepal and Bangladesh for power trade in recent months, for which India is expected to help facilitate building cross-border transmission lines.
Nepal-India energy sector cooperation has gained momentum in recent years. In mid-September, Nepal's foreign secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal and his Indian counterpart Vinay Mohan Kwatra held a comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation and energy cooperation was high on the agenda of their talks. The export of surplus electricity from Nepal to India was also discussed during the meeting.
Power sector cooperation has been one of the key areas that the two countries have given priorities in recent months. A major development during the Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's visit to New Delhi last April was the adoption of the Joint Vision Statement on Power Sector Cooperation between Nepal and India.
As per the consensus reached at the highest level, Nepal Investment Board under the Nepali government had signed a pact with India's NHPC Limited to develop two hydroelectric projects- West Seti (750 megawatts) and Seti River-6 (450 megawatts) - in the far western region of Nepal in the third week of August.
India has been Nepal's largest trade partner. The volume of bilateral trade reached over Nepali rupees 976.78 billion during the last eleven months of the fiscal year 2020-21 with imports from India amounting to Nepali rupees 886.59 billion and exports to India standing over Nepali rupees 90.19 billion, according to official figures.
Incessant rain since Friday morning triggered the overnight landslides, which swept away houses in three different parts of the district, the official told Xinhua news agency.
"Rescue teams have recovered the dead bodies of 17 people and rescued 11 injured people from the scenes," he said.
"The search for five missing people is ongoing," the official said, noting that the army and the police have been mobiliaed for the rescue operations.
Of the injured, three were in serious condition and have been airlifted for treatment in the neighbouring province.
The long term deal signed between Nepal's Krishi Samagri Company Limited and India's Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers Limited will allow Nepal to buy about 900,000 tons of chemical fertilisers for the next five years.
In recent years, Nepali farmers have been facing severe shortages of chemical fertilisers during planting season.
The agreement states that Nepal will be able to purchase 150,000 tons of crop nutrients�100,000 tons of urea and 50,000 tons of diammonium phosphate (DAP)-from India in the first year.
In the second year, the country will be able to buy 170,000 tons, in the third year 195,000 tons, and in the fourth and fifth years, 210,000 tons each.
"To minimise the uncertainty and assure the timely supply of fertilizers to the farmers of Nepal for the next 5 years, an agreement has been signed between Nepal and India," Nepal's ambassador to New Delhi Dr Shankar Prasad Sharma said on Twitter on Thursday.
The agreement follows a government-to-government deal, which was signed in February this year.
Rajendra Bahadur Karki, general manager of Krishi Samagri Company, said that the Indian side will deliver fertilisers at various border areas including Birgunj, Biratnagar and Bhairahawa.
The general manager said that Nepal will start the procurement to avail fertilizers for the wheat plantation season.
"The Indian company will begin supplying fertilizers 30 days after getting the supply order from us," he said.
Ram Prasad Subedi, deputy chief of mission at the Nepal Embassy in New Delhi, said that the commercial agreement for the supply of chemical fertilizers to Nepal is welcome news for Nepali farmers.
"The negotiation took place for a couple of months between the two sides to finalize the commercial agreement on the purchase of chemical fertilizers. We also sincerely thank the Indian government for its warm cooperation to finalise this much-awaited deal," he told India Narrative over phone.
Earlier in June, a Nepali delegation led by then Agriculture Minister Mahendra Yadav visited New Delhi to finalise the commercial agreement for the supply of chemical fertilizers, targeting the paddy transplantation season which begins in mid-June. However, the two sides had failed to sign commercial agreements on time owing to legal constraints.
Chief Minister of Nepal's Madesh province, Lalbabu Raut welcomed the passengers on board the 14-coach Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train, which was jointly flagged off from New Delhi on Tuesday Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw and Tourism Minister G. Kishan Reddy.
It is a first of its kind tourist train covering the Ramayana Circuit in India and Nepal. The Prime Ministers of India and Nepal had jointly flagged off a train connecting Jaynagar in India to Kurtha in Nepal on April 2.
Several people from diverse backgrounds welcomed the pilgrims in Janakpur, the birthplace of Sita. Lord Rama of Ayodhya had married Sita of Janakpur, according to a famous Hindu epic, Ramayana.
The tourists were overwhelmed by the grand reception-cum-welcome ceremony organised in their honor, according to the Indian Councilor Office in Birgunj.
The Indian government had launched an initiative to join all the major places related to Lord Ram and Sita and developed the Ramayana Circuit.
Nepal and India had long ago agreed to build the Ramayana Circuit in order to promote the Hindu religion.
Ramayana Circuit is one of the 15 thematic circuits identified for development under the Swadesh Darshan scheme of the Ministry of Tourism of India and Nepal has asked to join it.
During his visit to Janakpur in May 2018, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his then Nepalese counterpart KP Sharma Oli jointly flagged off a passenger bus service between Janakpur and Ayodhya, the first official connection between Nepal and India under the scheme.
Nepal Tourism Board was working to finalize the project and routes under the circuit but it got delayed due to Covid pandemic.
The tourists who arrived on Thursday, will visit the Janaki Temple, witness a cultural programme and participate in Ganga Aarti.
On Friday, they will visit Janakpurdham and proceed to Sitmarhi by Road for onward journey on the Ramayana Circuit route by Bharat Gaurav Train.
The Twin Otter 9N-AET plane belonging to Tara Air, which took off at 10:15 am from Pokhara, lost contact with the tower 15 minutes after it flew, according to a spokesperson at the Tara Air.
There are four Indian nationals, two Germans and 13 Nepali passengers besides a three member Nepali crew, said Sudarshan Bartaula, spokesperson at the airlines.
The three member crew of the aircraft was led by captain Prabhakar Prasad Ghimire. The aircraft was scheduled to land at Jomsom Airport in the Western mountainous region at 10:15 am.
The aircraft lost contact with the tower from the sky above Ghorepani on the Pokhara-Jomsom air route, aviation sources said.
According to an air traffic controller at Jomsom Airport, they have an unconfirmed report about a loud noise in Ghasa of Jomsom.
It is suspected that the aircraft crashed in the Dhaulagiri area, My Republica newspaper quoted DSP Ram Kumar Dani of Mustang as saying.
Dani said that a helicopter had flown from Jomsom to search for the aircraft.
One of the major takeaways of the visit is the joint development of the Arun-4 hydroelectricity project between the two neighbouring nations.
India's Sutlej Jala Vidyut Nigam (SJVN), and Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), will jointly develop the project that has an installed capacity of 695 megawatts.
The SJVN is currently developing, the Arun-III hydroelectricity project in the same river that has a generation capacity of 800 megawatts.
Kulman Ghising, managing director of the NEA, and Nandalal Sharma, chairman of SJVN, signed the agreement on the respective sides.
With this, now both sides would set up a joint venture company where SJV will put 51 per cent stake while NEA will have a share of 49 per cent, as per the agreements.
Nepal will receive 21.9 per cent free energy after completing the project.
It will cost around $750 million to develop the project.
The two sides also signed an MoU between the Indian Council of Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Lumbini Buddhist University on the establishment of Dr. Ambedkar Chair for Buddhist Studies.
Similarly, the ICCR and the Centre for Nepal and Asian Studies Tribhuvan University signed another pact on the establishment of the ICCR Chair of Indian Studies at CNAS.
Likewise, the ICCR and the Kathmandu University (KU) also signed an agreement on the establishment of the ICCR Chair of Indian Studies at the latter.
The KU and the Indian Institute of Technology Madras have signed another MoU on collaboration in the education sector, while a Letter of Agreement was inked between the two for a joint degree programme at the Master's level.
The pacts were signed after bilateral talks between Modi and his Nepali counterpart, Sher Bahadur Deuba.
Upon arriving at the Unesco World Heritage Site, which is the birthplace of Gautam Buddha, Modi said in a tweet: "Landed in Nepal. Happy to be among the wonderful people of Nepal on the special occasion of Buddha Purnima. Looking forward to the programmes in Lumbini."
In 1997, Lumbini was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
This is Modi's fifth visit to Nepal after becoming Prime Minister in 2015, but the first since he was re-elected in 2019.
After his visit to the Maya Devi Temple, Modi will light a butter lamp in front of the Ashoka Pillar, and water the Bodhi Vriksha - the tree under which Gautam Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment, according to his itinerary.
Later, he will perform a 'Bhoomi Poojan' and lay the foundation stone of the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage, being built at the initiative of the International Buddhist Confederation, New Delhi.
A bilateral meeting between the two Prime Ministers is also scheduled which will undertake a comprehensive review of recent agreements.
Some MoUs on cooperation in cultural and educational sectors are expected to be exchanged between the two countries after the bilateral meeting, according to officials.
Deuba will host a lunch in the honour of Modi and his delegation.
Prime Minister Modi will also attend the 2566th Buddha Jayanti Celebration and address a large gathering of people from Nepal and India, including Buddhist scholars and monks.
In 2014, Modi visited Nepal twice, in August for a bilateral visit and in November for the SAARC Summit.
Modi also paid a state visit in May 2018 and for the BIMSTEC summit later that year in August.
Narayanan Iyer, from Ghatkopar in Mumbai, reportedly died during a summit push on Kanchenjunga on Thursday (May 5) while Dr Pradnya Samant, who is from Goregaon and was part of a group of doctors that was attempting to reach the Everest base camp from the Gokya route, died while trekking to the Mount Everest base camp.
Iyer, 52, died due to dehydration, according to a sherpa guide who was accompanying the expedition. "We started for Camp 4 on May 4 and reached on May 5. He was the slowest among all climbers in the group and fell ill after Camp 4 and just before the final push to the summit. We advised him to abort his attempt and descend but he refused to do so," said Pasang Sherpa, a guide with the company that organised the expedition.
He claimed that the other climbers in the group decided to leave Iyer along with two sherpas at around 8,200 metres (26,900 feet, above sea level) while trying to reach the 8,586 metres (28,169 feet) peak.
When they returned, Iyer was already dead. "He looked very slow and had no energy. The two sherpas who stayed back with him told us that they again tried to persuade him to descend but he refused," Pasang Sherpa told IANS from Kathmandu.
Doubts are being raised in Maharashtra mountaineering circles on the veracity of their claims regarding Narayanan Iyer as people remember him as a very cautious climber who would not take a major risk.
"He was a very cautious and experienced climber. I remember a few years back on an expedition in Nepal, he felt unwell at the first base camp and immediately decided not to go any further. It is unlike him to disregard advice and push for the summit," said a senior member of the Maharashtra mountaineering community who didn't want to be named.
The member said the incident needs to be thoroughly investigated as the private companies that organise these expeditions tend to put the blame on the climbers and shun their responsibilities.
While condoling Iyer's death, Umesh Zirpe, president, Akhil Maharashtra Giryarohan Mahasangh, said, "Death of Narayanan on Mt. Kanchenjunga is very sad and shocking news. Mt Kanchenjunga is one of the toughest 8000er peaks with a very long summit push. The Importance of hardcore preparations and to know where to stop on the mountain are the key factors while climbing in the death zone."
Leading a 11-rope fixing team, Kami Rita and his team reached the summit on Saturday, breaking his own previous world record, Chhang Dawa Sherpa, expedition manager at Seven Summit Treks, the organiser of the expedition, told IANS.
After ascending Everest, the rope fixing team led by Kami Rita is successfully descending from the top to the base camp, Chhang said.
As the Everest climbing season is approaching fast and hundreds of climbers are waiting for fair weather to reach the top, Kami Rita and his team went to the top of Everest to fix the rope so that the Everest expedition becomes easier for the other climbers.
Born in 1970 in Solukhumbu district, he started breaking world records one after another after 2018. He first climbed the Everest in May 1994.
His father was among the first professional Sherpa guides after Everest was opened for foreign mountaineers in 1950. His brother, also a guide, scaled Everest 17 times.
After ascending Everest for the 25th time last year, he told the media that he planned to scale the peak one more time before retirement, saying: "Not just for myself, but for my family, the Sherpa people and for my country, Nepal."
Kami Rita has climbed most of the peaks of mountains above 8,000 metres in the world, including K2, the second highest peak in the world, and Annapurna. He holds the record for 'Most climbs over 8,000 metres', with 38 climbs.
According to the Department of Tourism, as many as 316 people have applied to scale Everest in this season. With this, Nepal has collected the royalties of $3.25 million from Everest alone.
"A cabinet meeting on April 26 decided to implement the two-day public holidays in a week effective from May 15 on a trial basis," Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, minister for communication and information technology, told reporters.
Currently, Nepal is implementing a one-day public holiday in a week on Saturday, the new rule adds Sunday as an extra off-day, reports Xinhua news agency.
As per the cabinet decision, the five-day work hours will be rescheduled to 9.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., from the existing office hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Earlier, Nepal's central bank had advised the government to implement two-day public holidays to reduce the consumption of fuels on the grounds that public mobility is reduced substantially during holidays.
Fuels are the largest import item for Nepal, accounting for over 14 per cent of the total merchandise imports in the first eight months of the current fiscal year that began in mid-July 2021, according to the Trade and Export Promotion Centre.
As in other parts of the world, Nepal has seen the prices of fuels hike in recent months over the Russia-Ukraine conflict and other factors.
Meanwhile, Nepal's gross foreign exchange reserves had decreased by 18.5 percent to $9.58 billion in mid-March, from $11.75 billion at the beginning of the current fiscal year, according to central bank statistics.
In response to falling forex reserves, the government has imposed a ban on the import of some products, and the fuel allowance for government bodies has been cut by 20 per cent until the end of the current fiscal year.
In the late 1990s, Nepal had experimented with two-day weekly holidays with a view to increasing the efficiency and productivity of government employees.
The decision was then rolled back a few months later.
This will be Deuba's first foreign visit after assuming office in July 2021.
According to Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the three-day visit is taking place at the invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Deuba will be accompanied by his wife, Arzu Rana Deuba.
According to the MoFA statement, the entourage of Prime Minister Deuba will comprise Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Khadka, other senior ministers and secretaries and officials.
"The visit will further strengthen the multifaceted, age-old and cordial ties between Nepal and India."
According to India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Prime Minister Deuba is scheduled to call on Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu and hold talks with Modi at the Hyderabad House on April 2.
Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, as well as National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will also call on Prime Minister Deuba.
The visit is expected to provide an opportunity to review the wide-ranging cooperative partnership between the two countries and progress it further for the benefit of the two people, the Indian MEA said.
Besides official engagements in New Delhi, Deuba is also scheduled to visit Varanasi, from where he will return to Kathmandu on April 3.
While in Varanasi, Deuba will visit the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple and the Nepali Temple also known as Shri Samrajeswar Pashupatinath Mahadev Mandir.
The Nepali Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is located on Lalita Ghat and was envisaged by the late Nepali King Rana Bahadur Shah who was exiled to the city from 1800-1804.
It was during his exile that he decided to build a replica of Kathmandu's famous Pashupatinath Temple in Varanasi.
The construction of the temple was taken forward by his son, King Girvan Yuddha Bikram Shah.
Earlier Deuba was supposed to travel India in January to participate in the Vibrant Gujarat Summit but it was cancelled due to the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nepal signed the Millennium Challenge Corporation pact to fund infrastructure projects in 2017 and it has been a bone of contention between the US and China.
Several people were injured in the demonstrations outside the Parliament in Kathmandu.
Groups opposing the US funding have said it undermines Nepal's sovereignty, the report said.
Protesters were also targeted with water cannon in an attempt to disperse Sunday's demonstration. Police had stones thrown at them.
The Nepal Parliament has until February 28 to ratify the deal, which has been delayed by divisions within political parties, including the ruling coalition.
Nepalese media has reported that the US administration has held conversations with Nepali politicians urging them to endorse the pact by the end of the month or face the ties between the countries being reviewed.
In response, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said such development co-operation should "come with no strings attached".
The Millennium Challenge Corporation was created by the US Congress in 2004 and offers large grants to support economic growth and reduce poverty, according to Washington DC.
Deuba, who secured 2,733 votes during the second round of election, defeated Shekhar Koirala, who secured 1,855 votes, according to the 14th General Convention of the Nepali Congress.
Koirala is the nephew of former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala.
The total number of votes cast during Tuesday's election was 4,623 while 35 votes were declared as void.
The first round of the election could not decide the president as none of the five contestants received a clear majority of more than 50 per cent votes.
Other contestants for the party president in the first phase of election Prakash Man Singh and Bimalendra Nidhi decided to support 75-year-old Deuba in the second phase of election, which made his victory comfortable.
On Tuesday, the delegates of the Nepali Congress voted for the second time to elect the party president.
To be elected president, a candidate must secure 50 per cent plus one vote. If no one gets 50 per cent plus one vote in the first and second rounds of voting, then the two candidates with highest votes will contest a round among themselves, according to party rules.
In the last convention held in March 2016, Deuba had won in a run-off.
The grand old party went to the polls to elect 13 office bearers - president, two vice presidents, two general secretaries, eight joint general secretaries and 121 Central Working Committee members.
Deepak Kumar Bhattarai, director general at the department,said: "This was agreed while finalising the Standard Operating Procedure (SPA) for cross-border railway operation," The Kathmandu Post reported.
The SPA is a document outlining the procedures to be adopted while operating the railway service.
Nepal and India signed the SPA in New Delhi last month.
According to Bhattarai, India's security concern was one of the reasons why it took so long to finalise the SPA. With Nepal and India sharing a porous border, India has always been suspicious about the possibility of criminals and terrorists using the porous border to cause harm to India. Both sides have suffered from cross-border crimes over the last several years.
According to Bhattarai, Nepal will also notify India about the passengers on board to ensure security clearance at the border point. "Based on the ticket issued, we will have to send details of the passengers travelling to India," he said.
Even though the SPA was finalised, it is not clear when the railway service will resume with the Nepal government yet to introduce a law on railway service and the Nepal Railway Company yet to hire staff to operate the service.
This request was made during a meeting between Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Glasgow on the sidelines of the UN COP26.
Nepal had already asked India to allow three air entry points over India from Bhairahawa, Dhangadi, Nepalgunj and Mahendranagar during Modi's visit to Kathmandu in 2014.
"And we have requested them again," said Nepal's Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Poudyal.
The new air routes would facilitate international flights to proposed international airports in Bhairahawa, Pokhara and Nijgadh, according to officials.
On June 17, 2018, India had provided new air entry routes to Nepal over Biratnagar and Janakpur. With the permission, international flights coming to Nepal can use the eastern air entry routes over Biratnagar and Janakpur. Before that, Nepal-bound international flights would enter Nepali airspace from Simara only.
Prime Minister Deuba thanked Modi for its valuable assistance in socio-economic development of Nepal including infrastructures, railway links, petroleum pipeline, reconstruction projects among others, a statement issued by Foreign Ministry of Nepal said,
Deuba also thanked for the Indian support to Nepal in essential medical supplies and vaccines in its fight against Covid-19 pandemic.
The Nepali leader expressed that India's support would continue in supply of chemical fertilizer as in the past.
"He (Deuba) also requested the Indian government to allow additional air entry routes through Mahendranagar, Dhangadhi, Nepalgunj and Bhairahawa. The Indian Prime Minister stated that he would work for further strengthening Nepal-India ties and assured of his full support to Nepal as required," the statement added.
Deuba also requested India's support for early resumption of export of chemical fertilizers to Nepal as both sides are waiting to sign a formal deal. In June, Nepali and Indian officials had discussed signing a five-year deal to supply chemical fertilizers to Nepal.
As per the proposed deal, Nepal can buy up to 200,000 tonnes of chemical fertilizers, mostly urea, per year from the southern neighbour without issuing a global tender. The amount will be enough to meet Nepal's 30 per cent annual fertilizer requirement.
The procurement would be made government-to-government by the state-owned Agriculture Inputs Company. During a meeting in June in Delhi, India had given approval for an immediate supply of 30,000 tonnes of urea and 20,000 tonnes of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) to Nepal to meet the seasonal demands, but there has been no further progress on the front since then.
This is the first meeting between Deuba and Modi in four years.
With regard to Covid vaccines, Modi has promised to supply jabs as per Nepal's request and demand, according to officials.
No specific discussion was held about high-level visits from both sides but there are always prospects of such visits in the future from both sides, another Nepali official said.
"In their first engagement since PM Deuba assumed office, the two leaders discussed ways to further strengthen our close bilateral ties," Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson for India's Ministry of External Affairs, tweeted.
"Also discussed climate, Covid-19 and resolved to work together towards post pandemic recovery."
Deuba also thanked Modi for India's continued support for Nepal's development endeavours, post-earthquake recovery and expected similar kind of support and cooperation in the future too, said Poudyal.
"...Theirs was a fruitful meeting, in which different issues including a collective effort against Covid-19 and working together to overcome climate change were discussed," a tweet by India's Prime Minister Office has mentioned after the meeting between Deuba and Modi.
The strategic power corridor was built with the soft loan of India's Exim Bank.
The 106-km Koshi Corridor transmission line, costing a total of NRs 10.40 billion (USD 86.8 million) is being built under government of India's Line of Credit of USD 550 million, extended by the EXIM Bank of India, Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said in a statement on Wednesday.
The package 1 of this project, worth NRs 4.5 billion (USD 37.3 million), was executed by India's Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd (KPTL) and handed over to Nepal Electricity Authority after successful completion and charging of the line.
Once the remaining two packages are completed, the project will ensure smooth power evacuation from the generation projects coming up in the Arun and Tamor river basins, with power output totaling about 2000 MW.
Considered as one of the longest transmission lines in Nepal, Koshi corridor will help connect various big and small hydropower in Nepal in the national grid. Around 28 various macro and micro hydropower stations are in different stages and once the construction is completed, this dedicated line helps to evacuate the power and its distribution.
Bishowjeet Garg of EXIM Bank of India handed over the key of the transmission line to the senior officials of Nepal's Ministry of Energy and Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority, Kulman Ghising.
"With the completion of this dedicated transmission line, we have created a backbone for power evacuation in eastern Nepal," said Ghising and added, "once we complete construction of the more hydropower stations, we will be able to evacuate more reliable power from this new transmission line."
A ceremony was held in eastern Nepal of Dhankuta district on Wednesday. In the occasion, Deputy Chief of Mission in Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, Namgya Khampa underscored India's commitment to strengthen bilateral cooperation in power sector in all its dimensions, including development of power projects in Nepal, support for construction of transmission lines (both within Nepal and cross-border) and trade of electricity with India. She also congratulated KPTL for the quality and timely completion of the work and thanked the government of Nepal, Nepal Electricity Authority and the local administration and representatives for their support in its completion. In addition to the Koshi Corridor, India is supporting the construction of two other domestic power transmission lines in Nepal: the Modi-Lekhnath line and the Solu Corridor line, both 132 kV. In addition, it continues to support construction of several cross-border transmission links between India and Nepal, between national as well as state grids. This is a key element of India's emphasis on enhancing cross-border economic connectivity as part of our larger "Neighbourhood First" policy.
The Puri seer was invited by Nepal Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli and the Pashupatinath Temple Board.
After his arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on Sunday, Shankaracharya received a rousing reception from the trustees of the Pashupatinath Temple Board. He was escorted to his place of residence in Agrawal Bhawan amid tight security.
During his stay in Nepal, the Puri seer will give discourse on religion and spiritualism at Hansa Mandap situated at Pashupatinath Mandir premises. A seminar on various religious issues is also lined up at Agrawal Bhawan on May 14 and 15.
A grand public reception will be given to him on May 15 at Tundi Khel ground after which he will deliver a religious discourse at Golden Gate International College. On May 16, he will deliver another religious discourse at Tribhuvan University.
On May 17, he will board a flight from Tribhuvan Airport to Bharatpur Chitwan where he will stay at Mankamna Tole and address a seminar on various religious issues on May 18.
The Shankaracharya will also attend programmes at Hetouda on May 19 and at Birgunj on May 21.
The Puri seer will leave for Raxaul Station On May 22 from where he will board Mithila Express to reach Kolkata.