ADB approves $150 million for TIA, GBIA

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$150 million (Rs. 17.77 billion as per Friday’s exchange rate) concessional loan to improve the capacity of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) and Gautam Buddha International Airport (GBIA). The TIA in Kathmandu is the country’s only internationa

Time to do everything possible for party unity: Gautam

Vice-chairman of Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Bamdev Gautam Saturday said that the time had come to work hard to strengthen the party. During a meeting with party leaders and cadres at Tulsipur in Dang district today, Gautam urged all leaders to prepare to strengthen the party by resolving intra-party problems. “Recently, there have been some problems within our party. But we are working to strengthen the unity by solving those problems. Time has come to do everything possible to keep the party...

Though nascent in Nepal, online freelancing is growing at a steady pace

Bangalore-based Information Technology Engineer Swagat Gyawali quit a lucrative job at Amazon India to become a freelancer. After over a year of working at one of the coveted FAANG (Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google) companies, Gyawali, originally from Butwal, now works independently — choosing projects he fancies and executing them the way he desires. Gyawali is just one among the growing tribe of professionals who are gradually moving away from mainstream work and opting for short-term...

Religious services switching online amid COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted an unprecedented demand for digital technology to carry out virtually all human deeds. From online education and banking services to stock trading and health and socio-economic functions, the practice of doing everything online is becoming more and more popular. And religious service is not an exception.

Govt starts assessing impact of COVID-19 on employment

The government has started to collect data about unemployment in the local bodies across the country. Issuing a notice to all rural municipalities and municipalities on Friday, the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MoFAGA) has asked them to collect the data regarding the unemployment situation in their respective areas. The local bodies are requested to collect the details of the returnee migrants who lost their jobs in foreign countries due to COVID-19 pandemic and the unemployed...

COVID-19 update: 1,674 new cases, 2,323 recoveries in last 24 hours

The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) on Saturday confirmed 1,674 new cases of COVID-19. The national COVID-19 tally has now reached 218,639.

Biden wants Congress to pass virus aid in lame-duck session

President-elect Joe Biden is pushing Congress to approve billions of dollars in emergency COVID-19 assistance before he takes office, saying in a meeting Friday with the top Democrats in the House and Senate that such a package should be approved during the lame-duck session.

Traders reach farmers to buy oranges

As oranges begin to ripen in the tree, fruit traders and contractors have begun to approach farmers in Tanahun district’s orange block and pocket areas. This time in the year, traders book the oranges in the tree in advance and pluck it after a month when they fully ripe. Kul Prasad Tiwari of Agric

Local level collaboration crucial to tackle air pollution

With the plunge in temperature levels, major cities, including Kathmandu, witnessed an increase in air pollution. The air we breathe is not healthy and exceeds almost five times the World Health Organisation's (WHO) recommended value. Residents of the main urban areas continue to bear the brunt of pollutants and its harmful effects on public health and the surrounding environment, experts say. To combat the present environmental crisis, Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), Department of Environment,...

Cultural Cohesion Fosters Unity

One articulated theme about Nepal is that it does not symbolise a melting pot metaphor of cultural homogeny. The Kathmandu Valley has, however, absorbed Gopals, Mahishpals, Kirats, Licchavis, Mallas and Bahuns from hills and Terai into Newars and became a national centre for cultural celebration for all people. Its long physical isolation from the great traditions, the Indic and the Sinic, eased internal social and cultural interaction and coherence of Tibeto-Mongolian, Indo-Aryan and Austro-Asiatic...