Lockdown in Valley not in priority: Gyawali

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali on Sunday said imposing lockdown again in the Katmandu Valley was not an instant priority and wish of the government. Speaking at a press conference organised to make the decisions of Cabinet public at the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Minister Gyawali said the government had not yet reached any conclusion of imposing lockdown again in the Valley.

Parents divided over prospect of reopening schools

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No confidence motion filed against Karnali CM Shahi

A proposal of no confidence motion has been registered against Chief Minister of Karnali State, Mahendra Bahadur Sahi, by the State Assembly members of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP). Addressing to the chief whip of the NCP on Sunday, 18 State Assembly members registered a jointly signed no confidence motion against Shahi. It has been said that the motion of no confidence proposal was registered under the leadership of Yamlal Kandel by stating various reasons. This is the first vote of...

COVID-19 update: 2,071 new cases, 1,552 recoveries, tally hits 107,755

With 2,071 new cases of the novel coronavirus infection reported on Sunday, the national COVID-19 caseload has surged to 107,755.

NRNA expert conference: call for joint fight against COVID-19   

Former Finance Minister Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada has said that all three tiers of government were working in coordination to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Aid to fight COVID-19 sees a substantial increase

Just a day after the announcement of the nation-wide lockdown on 24 March this year, in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak, Finance Minister Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada participated in a meeting of the finance ministers and senior government officials of the South Asian nations and international financial organisations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) about the possible impact the virus would make on the national and regional economy.

Govt asks Dr. KC to end strike

The government has requested Dr. Govinda KC to end his hunger strike by issuing a statement through Ministry of Education, Science and Technology on Saturday. The statement recounts the developments in regard to the demands put forth by Dr. KC following which the government has requested him to end his hunger strike noting that the government and Dr. KC were on the same page. “Nepal government is dedic

Harihaans number increasing in Ghodaghodi Lake area

A 12-year-long study and monitoring the premises of Ghodaghodi Lake in Kailali district has found that the number of Cotton Pygmy geese (Harihaans) has been increasing in and around the lake area. As a matter of fact, Ghodaghodi has been listed in the World Wetland Area.  The Bird Conservation Association (BCN), an organization working in the field of bird conservation, conducted the study in partnership with Bird Conservation Network, on the number of Harihaans in Ghodaghodi area from 2009 to...

2,672 new cases of COVID-19 found in Kathmandu Valley in last 24 hours

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, of the total new cases in the Valley, 2,100 new cases of COVID-19 were found in Kathmandu district, 369 were detected in Lalitpur and 203 cases were recorded in Bhaktapur.

Minister Gyawali directs office chiefs to provide service effectively   

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has directed chiefs of government offices in Nuwakot to provide service in an easy and effective manner.

Loss of smell, taste difficult to deal with: COVID-19 patients

While fever, dry cough and tiredness were considered to be the most common symptoms of the novel coronavirus infection, loss of sense of smell and taste, also called anosmia, was added to the symptom of COVID-19 from the mid-April. Many infected people have experienced the loss of smell and taste during the infection while some say that anosmia continues even after recovering from COVID-19. Maiya Pathak, 52, started experiencing the loss of smell and taste from the third day after testing positive...

One stillbirth occurs in every 16 seconds: UN

Almost 2 million babies are stillborn every year – or 1 every 16 seconds – according to the first ever joint stillbirth estimates released by UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Bank Group and the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The vast majority of stillbirths, 84 per cent, occur in low-and lower-middle-income countries, according to the new report, A Neglected Tragedy: The Global Burden of Stillbirths. In 2019, 3 in 4...

Bandung principles are relevant: Gyawali

Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali addressed the Annual Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) held virtually on the margins of the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday.   Speaking at the meeting this morning, he underlined the relevance of the Bandung Principles as time-tested and sacrosanct ideals for the peaceful global order, informed the Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations in New York.

PM calls for more research on Nepali food recipe

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the government’s key focus was on safeguarding people’s lives by preventing and controlling COVID-19. The Prime Minister also urged the stakeholders for more research and expansion of Nepali food recipe’s rich tradition and knowledge. Inaugurating the Second Global Knowledge Conference organized by Non Resident Nepalis Association (NRNA) International Coordination Committee through online on Friday, the Prime Minister said that Nepal was fighting...

Nepal's COVID-19 caseload crosses 100,000-mark with 2,059 new infections

Nepal's COVID-19 tally on Friday crossed 100,000's mark. With 2,059 new cases of the novel coronavirus infection, the national COVID-19 caseload has surged to 100,676.

     1.5 million migrant workers in South Korea deprived of salary   

More than 1.5 million migrant workers in South Korea have been deprived of salary that was mentioned in the contract they have reached with the employers beforehand, according to data with the Ministry of Labour here.    

No leave to policemen in festivals as COVID-19 grips nation

No policemen will get leave on the occasion of Dashain and Tihar festivals this year, according to Nepal Police Headquarters on Thursday. Police will not get Dashain leave as they have to be mobilised and focused on increasing cases of the coronavirus and maintaining peace and security during the festival time. However, emergency and essential leave in case of maternity, death rituals and others will be sanctioned, according to the Headquarters. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and spokesperson...

Microfinance borrowers find it hard to repay loans

The coronavirus pandemic has reduced the loan repayment capacity of the customers of the microfinance institutions. About 90 per cent clients of the microfinance institutions in the urban area faced difficulty in their loan repayment in the wake of coronavirus outbreak and subsequent lockdowns and restrictions, concluded a study carried out by the Centre for Microfinance (CMF). The preliminary findings and recommendations of the study 'COVID-19 effects/impacts on microfinance sector in Nepal' has...

Nepal's economy will grow by 0.6% in 2021: WB

The World Bank has projected that Nepal's economy would grow by only 0.6 per cent in 2021, inching up from an estimated 0.2 per cent in 2020 as lockdowns caused by COVID-19 have disrupted economic activity, especially tourism. The growth is likely to increase to 2.5 per cent in 2022. Informal businesses are the ones bearing the greatest brunt of the crisis, concluded the bank's latest South Asia Economic Focus, the twice-a-year regional update, released on Thursday. Informal businesses make up...

Climate change has posed existential threat: PM

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli Thursday said climate change had posed an existential threat. Addressing the Virtual Climate Vulnerable Forum Leaders event organised in conjunction with the 75th session of the United Nations General Assembly on October 7, the PM said, "The best available science tells us that with rising temperature, rising sea levels, and melting glaciers, humanity is on the wrong side of the race against nature." "Retreat of the glacial ice due to global warming has negatively impacted...