Category: ENGLISH

  • The 114th birth anniversary of Mahakavi  Laxmi Prasad Devkota

    The 114th birth anniversary of Mahakavi Laxmi Prasad Devkota

    KATHMANDU: The 114th birth anniversary of Mahakavi (great poet laureate) of Nepali literature, Laxmi Prasad Devkota, is being marked by organizing various programs in the country and abroad today.

    Devkota is one of the most influential and acclaimed poets of Nepali literature.

    Poet laureate Devkota, born on Kartik 27, 1966 BS, on the auspicious day of Laxmi Puja of the Tihar festival has contributed a lot to modern Nepali literature with several masterpieces.

    He also contributed to internationalizing the Nepali language and literature. Shakuntala, Sulochana, Maharanapartap and some others are his famous literary creations.

    Similarly, Devkota’s Munamadan is the most popular piece in Nepali literature.

    Poet Devkota played a vital role to make the Nepali language mandatory in the school curriculum when he served as the Education Minister.

    Poet laureate Devkota also contributed a lot to establishing then Royal Nepal Academy.

    He passed away on Bhadra 29, 2016 BS.

  • 10th National Games to be held in Karnali

    10th National Games to be held in Karnali

    The Ninth National Games held in Gandaki Province has been concluded last night at the presence of thousands of people at Pokhara Stadium.

    At the concluding ceremony of the Ninth National Games, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba handed over the flag of the 10th National Games to Social Development Minister of Karnali Province Yagya Bahadur BC.

    The 10th National Games will be held in Karnali Province after two years. The Karnali Province has got the responsibility to organize the 10th National Games from November 17-24, 2024.

    The concluding ceremony was marked amid a grand fanfare along with cultural programmes, processions, marches and others, which was attended by thousands of people at Pokhara Stadium.

    Played in eight different districts of Gandaki Province, a total of 36 games were played in the 9th National Games that started on October 14.  (RSS)

  • Disability Friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health Guideline Orientation in Dhangadhi

    Disability Friendly Sexual and Reproductive Health Guideline Orientation in Dhangadhi

    Dhangadhi : Disability-friendly sexual and reproductive health guidelines have been oriented in Dhangadhi, the temporary capital of Sudurpaschim Province. The event was organized by Netra Heen Yuva Sangh on Thursday.

    After the Family Division gave the blind youth association the responsibility of creating a guide on safe maternal, sexual and reproductive health, the youth prepared the guide in collaboration with the Family Division and collected more suggestions on the guide, to correct any errors or to include some new issues in the guide, and to include disabilities in the guide. Arjun Rawal, Kailali district president and central member of Netrahin Yuva Sangh Nepal, organized the orientation program to inform the people about the guidelines.

    Similarly, Rupa Rai, who has been advocating for disabled people for a long time, has demanded that it is better to bring or create a guideline and follow it to the letter.

    In the same way, another participating speaker, Nanda Raj Bhatt, secretary of the Nepal Disability Federation, Sudurpaschim Province, pointed out the missing points, the production, management and distribution of auxiliary materials for disabled people, the coordination of the organizations that are working on the issue of disabled people, and the governmental side must coordinate in the initial stage. Provincial level hospitals Seti urged to include subjects such as mandatory interpreters in provincial hospitals to be implemented in the guidelines.

    Similarly, Bhim Bahadur Shah, the former president of the Nepal Disabled Federation, Sudurpaschim Province, while narrating his experience of advocating on the issue of disability since the 20th year, said that no matter what office he goes to, the only answer he gets is that it is not disabled friendly because the physical structures are old. Shah has claimed that the issues included by the government, which has taken five years to make the guidelines, will not be implemented, saying that they will, will and must be done. He expressed his doubt that the implementation and creation of the said guidelines will be successful, saying that this is not out of anger, but from clear experience since the 20th year.

    Similarly, Pushparaj Joshi, who works in the Family Welfare Division, how can disabled people be addressed to ensure their constitutional rights and what are the disability friendly health institutions. What are the respectful words used to call or identify people with disabilities? He said that a directory has been prepared covering various topics and on top of that, it has been directed to collect suggestions and add missing things. Joshi said that since the program also suggested that there should be information centers in hospitals instead of help desks and better implementation, those topics will also be included in the guidelines.

    The presentation on disability friendly sexual and reproductive health guidelines was made by Pushparaj Joshi of the Family Department, and more than 70 people including disabled people including the central president of the Blind Youth Association and the city chief of Dhangadhi sub-metropolitan city Gopal Hamal were present in the program.

  • Disaster in Darchula: loss of property, more than a dozen people suspected to be missing

    Disaster in Darchula: loss of property, more than a dozen people suspected to be missing

    Darchula: In Darchula, people’s property has been damaged due to floods, landslides and lightning. Disasters have occurred in various places of the district due to the rains that have been happening since Friday night.

    Three people lost their lives due to flash floods and landslides in Darchula district:

    Mohan Singh Parki of Dallekh died after being struck by lightning last night in Naugad Rural Municipality Rural Municipality-2 of the district. 30-year-old Kimti Thagunna died in a landslide in Naugad Rural Municipality-1 Salla. Moti Thagunna, daughter of Pansingh Thagunna of the same place, also died.

    Rescue of three:

    Pansingh Thagunna’s father and Phaguni Thagunna’s mother, who were trapped in a landslide in Naugad Rural Municipality, have been rescued alive. Local Bira Thagunna was rescued with broken limbs.

    More than a dozen are suspected to be missing:
    A number of people are suspected to be missing due to the landslide in Naugad. So far, 11 people have gone missing in Bangabagad area of Darchula headquarters Khalanga.

    Similarly, a school, 11 houses, two bridges and some vehicles were swept away by the flood in Bangabgad area of Khalanga, according to the police stationed there.

    Who is in the rescue work?
    Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police teams along with local people have been deployed at the scene of the incident for rescue work.

    Similarly, it is said that due to the incessant rain, the water level in the Mahakali river has risen to the top of the concrete embankment. It has been requested to be cautious in the areas around the Mahakali river.

  • The meeting of ‘Enhancement of stability in education’ project was completed in Jai Prithvi

    The meeting of ‘Enhancement of stability in education’ project was completed in Jai Prithvi

    Bajhang: The municipal level project advisory committee review meeting has been completed under the project of increasing stability in education implemented in the village of Bajhang and Jaiprithvi municipality. The meeting was concluded in Jai Prithvi Municipality of the district under the chairmanship of City Chief Chetraj Bajal.

    Uma Bhatt, education development officer working in Bajhang district of Reed Nepal, informed that the program is being implemented in 11 schools under the project of improving stability in education under Jai Prithvi Municipality and four secondary schools in Diyanot Rural Municipality.

    Similarly, the Education Development Officer Bhatt said that this project has supported the children’s education by emphasizing quality education while presenting the work sheet of achievements including the review of all the activities done by this project so far.

    Likewise, the ‘Enhancement of Stability in Education’ project run by Reed Nepal with the financial support of the Australian Government (DFAT) has helped the reading of secondary school children in the region and to make it more effective, said Bhim Bogti, the executive head of Reed Nepal.

    Likewise, Chetraj Bajal, the municipal head of the municipality, promised that the project has provided good support in education and the municipality will always be ready to implement it more effectively.

    In addition to this, an 11-member advisory committee was formed under the coordination of Deputy Mayor Ratan Bahadur Singh for the municipal level project advisory committee in Jai Prithvi municipality.

    The mayor, deputy mayor, chief administrative officer, head of education, principal of all seven secondary schools, CEO of Read Nepal and education development officers working in Bajhang district were present in the review meeting.

     

  • People prefer development rather than leaders: Prachanda

    People prefer development rather than leaders: Prachanda

    KATHMANDU: CPN-Maoist Center Chairman and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has remarked that more than the political party and fame of the leader the people are looking for development agenda of late.

    Speaking at the foundation stone laying program of Nepal Electricity Authority’s distribution system in Bharatpur on Saturday, the Maoist Center Chairman said that development is the prime concern of the people now.

    “Nowadays, the people’s concern is development more than the parties, leaders and individuals,” he said, adding “The progress made in the sector of education, health, employment etc are the people’s concern. They should be addressed.”

    Prachanda said that in all political ups and downs his sole concern is the nation building and addressing the people’s agenda through development and prosperity.

  • Election Commission Nepal mulls reducing campaign duration to 15 days

    Election Commission Nepal mulls reducing campaign duration to 15 days

    With the general and provincial elections announced for November 20, the Election Commission has expedited its preparations endorsing the poll schedule for its own use.

    In the internal schedule of the commission, the election commission has scheduled the first-past-the-post (FPTP) candidacy registration for October 9-12 after the Dashain festival.

    However, the political parties will be asked to submit their closed lists for the proportional representation (PR) electoral system on September 18-19. On September 27, election officers will be appointed and election offices will be set up on October 7.

    On November 20, the voting will take place all over Nepal from 7am to 5pm. The internal schedule has been endorsed for internal use, and there are chances of amendment if required, the officials say.

    The commission started registering political parties from August 7. Until Saturday, as many as 40 parties had been registered at the commission, Surya Prasad Aryal, information officer and assistant spokesperson for the Election Commission, said.

    According to him, discussions are underway to demand funds from the Finance Ministry. The work of modifying policies and directives is also underway.

  • 119 suspects arrested for arson in Portugal

    119 suspects arrested for arson in Portugal

    LISBON: A total of 119 suspects have been arrested for the crime of arson this year as serious fires hit Portugal due to a heat wave and severe drought, causing consequences for agriculture and other primary supply systems.

    “We have this year a detention rate that is already much more than double that of the previous years” as a result of inspection work carried out jointly by the military police, the National Republican Guard, and the Judiciary Police said the Portuguese Minister of Internal Administration Jose Luis Carneiro on Sunday.

    Speaking at an event in the city of Leiria, central Portugal, Carneiro revealed that “other investigations are underway to detect the causes of other fires, which could lead to other arrests.”

    This year, the government strengthened “the inspection and surveillance mechanisms,” in conjunction with the Air Force, in addition to installing 230 fixed lookout posts and video surveillance, the minister added.

    Carneiro expressed “unconditional” solidarity with the firefighters who fight the fires.

    According to Portuguese law, forests are not allowed to be used for construction or other usage. Xinhua

  • Janai Purnima festival being observed today

    Janai Purnima festival being observed today

    KATHMANDU: The festival of ‘Janai Purnima’ or ‘Rishi Tarpani’ is being celebrated across the country today.

    The festival is basically observed by the majority Hindus in the country.

    On the occasion of Janai Purnima, the tagadharis or those who wear the ‘Janai’ (the sacred thread) around their bodies from the left shoulder to right change the sacred thread today after having a haircut and a bath.

    According to the time-honoured tradition, Hindu people receive the ‘Raksha Bandhan’ thread, which is tied around the wrist as an amulet.

    The yellow thread is purified through the chanting of mantras by Brahmin priests as a symbol of protection from fear and disease, said Prof Dr Ram Chandra Gautam, former chairperson of the Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Samiti (Calendar Determination Committee).

    The occasion is also observed as ‘Kwanti Purnima’ by the Newar community. Kwanti, a soup prepared from nine different beans, is a special delicacy added to the Nepali menu today.

    In the Tarai region, there is a tradition in which sisters tie an attractive ‘Rakhi’ around the wrist of their brothers wishing them long life and prosperity.

    Today, thousands of devotees worship lord Shiva at Pashupatinath in Kathmandu and at Kumbheswar in Lalitpur and other Shiva temples across the country, and take holy dips in ponds and lakes and rivers.

    Religious fairs are held at Gosainkunda, an alpine area in Rasuwa District, and at Dansanghu, Triveni in Jumla district to observe the festival with offerings to Lord Shiva.

    A big religious fair takes place at the Gosainkunda Lake and pilgrims come from faraway places to take a holy dip in this lake and other lakes nearby.

    Religious fairs are organised at Pashupati and Manichud of Kathmandu; Gosainkunda of Rasuwa; Kumbheshwar of Lalitpur; Panchpokhari of Sindhupalchok; Janakpurdham, Dhanush Sagar and Ganga Sagar of Dhanusha, Dansanghu of Jumla and Trivenidham of Nawalparasi.

  • Unified Socialist designates responsibilities for election preparation

    Unified Socialist designates responsibilities for election preparation

    KATHMANDU: A ruling partner Unified Socialist has entrusted its central members with responsibilities for intensifying preparation in view of federal and provincial parliamentary elections announced for coming November 20.

    The party’s Secretariat assigned general-secretary Dr Beduram Bhusal to develop the necessary criteria, processes and methods for picking possible candidates in the upcoming elections.

    The party led by Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal designated the party office secretary and deputy general-secretary Gangalal Tuladhar with the responsibility of registering the party in the Election Commission.

    Likewise, the party deputy general-secretary trio, Dr Tuladhar, Dr Bijaya Poudel and Prakash Jwala were entrusted with the responsibility for preparing the party’s election manifesto.