412 new cases of COVID-19, 483 recoveries in 24 hours

In 5,132 Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests done in the last 24 hours, 412 persons were found infected with SARS-CoV-2.

Air quality in Kathmandu will improve: Experts

Every year during the winter season, the air pollution level in major cities of Nepal used to cross the dangerous level. Despite having limited resources, the Department of Environment used to organise various awareness programmes. The cloudy weather in various cities across the nation including the Kathmandu Valley led the air pollution to hazardous level. While the officials at the Department of Environment were waiting for rainfall or the blazing sun to bring the hazardous level of air pollution...

Hearing on House dissolution writs put off for a week

The Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court (SC) Wednesday postponed its final hearing on the 13 writ petitions filed against House dissolution for next Wednesday. It was postponed immediately after a brief hearing today. The petitioners questioned the presence of Justice Hari Krishna Karki in the constitutional bench citing that he was the Attorney General before he was appointed justice of the SC.

Surge in gadget use: Brighter side of the pandemic

While the COVID-19-induced lockdown has adversely affected virtually all sectors throughout the country, it has had a silver lining in one critically important sector: education. The crisis has come as a boon for education sector as learning virtually has found widespread adoption. To make things sweeter, it has been found to be more effective than traditional methods of both teaching and learning, in most of the cases.

Shortest Kathmandu-Hetauda road construction gathers pace

Work at the shortest route connecting Hetauda, capital of Bagmati Province, with the federal Capital, Kathmandu, has gained momentum recently. Satungal-Matatirtha-Deurali-Kulekhani road project is currently widening the road and constructing the civil structures on both sides in Kathmandu and Makwanpur district. Distance from Satungal to Kulekhani is only 15 km. Directorate of Transport Infrastructure of Bagmati is carrying out the road upgrading works. The project had begun some two decades ago...

HoR dissolution Case: advocates demand hearing at extended full bench

In the hearing that began today on the case of dissolution of House of Representatives (HoR), advocates demanded the case be heard at extended full bench rather than constitutional bench.

COVID-19 tally hits 263,193 with 409 new cases

In 6,706 Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests done in the last 24 hours, 409 persons were found infected with SARS-CoV-2.

AQI level in Kathmandu Valley drops to 114 from 437

While the officials at the Department of Environment were waiting for rainfall or the blazing sun to bring the hazardous level of air pollution to control, the environmentalists were claiming that dense clouds covering the cities had increased the air pollution level.

Hearing commences on cases against dissolution of HoR 

Hearing has begun at the Supreme Court today on cases filed against the dissolution of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the federal parliament.  

Police ask public to report fake news complaints

When a major event -- be it political or pandemic -- hits the headlines, fake news reports related to that event start making their way through media, especially social media. And it doesn’t stop there. Fake news never fails to pique curiosity among a good number of people. Enthused by it, they share it to everyone they are friend with. This is how fake news spreads, reaching epic proportions. No country, including Nepal, has been able to remain immune to this recent phenomenon of fake news. In...

Capital budget spending stuck at 12.2%

As the first half of the current Fiscal Year 2020/21 draws to a close, government capital spending has recorded a slight improvement amidst the fear of coronavirus pandemic but it has failed to touch the mark of the previous year. In the past five and a half months, capital spending stood at 12.19 per cent – with the utilisation of Rs. 43.01 billion out of the total Rs. 352.9 billion. The progress in the same period last fiscal 2019/20 was 11.75 per cent but the amount mobilised was Rs. 47.9 billion,...

EC begins fixing polling stations

The Election Commission (EC) is beginning the work on fixing polling stations and polling booths from this week. In a press release issued on Tuesday, the EC announced that it would initiate the process related to the determination of polling stations and booths at the district level from Thursday. This work is carried out by a recommendation committee led by the Chief District Officer of the respective districts. The EC hopes to complete the work by January 30, read the statement.

Kathmandu records worst air pollution level

Air pollution in Kathmandu Valley reached the highest among the cities across the world on Monday and Tuesday, adding more risk particularly to people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma and COVID-19 infections as well as people with respiratory problems. The air in Kathmandu Valley has been found to be most polluted for the first time after the installation of Real-Time Air Quality Index (AQI) in 2016, said Indu Bikram Joshi, Acting Director-General of the Department of Environment...

COVID-19 update: 522 new cases, 578 recoveries, eight fatalities

In 4,551 Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests done in the last 24 hours, 522 persons, 184 females and 338 males, were found infected with SARS-CoV-2.

NAC takes action against three of its 'negligent' employees   

The Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has taken action against three of its employees working at its Malaysia station for negligence in properly fulfilling their responsibility.     

Rains, snow affect life in mountains

Normal life in various mountainous districts as well as in low-lying areas has been affected by snowfall and fog since Sunday. Westerly winds have caused snowfall in mountainous districts, according to the Meteorological Forecasting Division under the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM). The weather turned generally hazy and cloudy in most parts of the country on Monday due to the influence of the westerly wind, meteorologists said. Senior meteorologist at DHM, Min Kumar Aryal said that...

Start preparations for polls, Pokhrel tells party cadres

Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokhrel has urged everyone to start preparing for the elections, stating that it is the only way to protect democracy and the Constitution. Addressing a district-level gathering of cadres organised by the Siraha chapter of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), Pokhrel, who is also a member of the party’s secretariat, stated that the government had to dissolve parliament and call fresh elections after leaders of the ruling party themselves tried to make both the government...

NCP cadres against division, says Home Minister

Home Minister and Standing Committee member of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Ram Bahadur Thapa 'Badal' said on Monday that the leaders willing to become the new prime minister should not escape from election. Speaking at a meeting of the party cadres organised by the Nepal Communist Party, Chitwan, in Bharatpur, Home Minister Badal said that the new prime minister could be chosen only by the new members of the House of Representatives who will be elected from the upcoming mid-term election.

Baglung-Parbat Footbridge shines bright at night

Deemed as the longest of its kind in the world, the suspension bridge over Kaligandaki River connecting Baglung to Parbat, has become a major source of attraction not only by the day but also after dark. With over 300 lights installed, the ‘lit’ pedestrian bridge has begun luring domestic and foreign tourists alike. In the piercing darkness of the roaring Kaligandaki below and the surrounding green forest, the glowing curvature of the bridge stands out like a sore thumb. To witness its marvel,...

SC seeks written response from government on cabinet expansion

The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday sought written response from the government on cabinet reshuffle that happened after the dissolution of the House of Representatives (HoR).