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On the morning of August 30, 2025, Khusi Sunar was excited and delighted.

She left home early in the morning to take part in the Snow Leopard Scout’s Monitoring Camp, held around Khinga Village and Muktinath Temple premises in lower Mustang, the snow leopard’s habitats.

She was wondering how the event would be and who would accompany her. Only Khusi and two of her schoolmates from Janakalyan Basic School, Syang got an opportunity to participate in the camp. Along with her, 42 people were taking part in the two-day residential camp including school students, teachers, rural municipality officials, ward chairperson, journalists, field rangers, scientists, locals and conservationists.

Such camps have been held in Mustang since 2012 to familiarize local students with snow leopard habitats, monitoring techniques and tools, and to help them identify the snow leopard’s prey, species blue sheep. 

Khusi joined the art, face and stone painting sessions with the group where the trainer Sweta taught them how to create symbolic sketches of the snow leopard, its prey, and habitat. “I am passionate about sketching, so I enjoyed the session”, she recalls, “I never imagined that a sketch could focus on just one body part of an animal too. For example, I drew only the tail, while one of the group members drew the snow leopard’s head, body, and tail—and he won first prize.”

In any kind of conservation field programs, such an initiative engages local children, nurture their artistic talent, express their feelings for nature, and promote coexistence and the message reaches the community.

During the art session, attended mainly by eight students of her age from grades 6, 7, and 8 of six schools of lower Mustang, Khusi was surprised to see one adult participant joining the group, eager to learn sketching. “He was a high-altitude health technician from the Baragung Muktichhetra Rural Municipality,” recalls Khusi. “Later, he sketched a group of snow leopards and was very happy to be with us.” 

Among the students was Kittu Thakali, a bright and confident seventh grader from Janahit Secondary School, Jomsom,  who eagerly participated in the art session. When I asked her how she found the camp, she smiled and proudly showed me her painted stone with mountain and blue sheep, the main prey of snow leopard in the campsite. Her artwork reflected what she had learned about the snow leopard and its mountain home.

Kittu’s mother Laxmi shared that she was so happy that Kittu learned new things from the camp. “I hope Kittu will continue learning about conservation”, she says. Out of thirty-two students in her class, Kittu was selected to attend the camp because of her confidence and the essay she wrote about the snow leopard that impressed her teacher.

“Art is one of the hobbies that children truly enjoy”, says Sweta, “Engaging them through their hobbies helps them remember for a long time”.

Sweta feels that such camp leaves a lasting impression, reinforcing the importance of conservation. Through art, they can express what they know about snow leopards, their habitat, prey, and more. “Most importantly,” she says, “Children love nature and color”.

The two-day camp left a lasting impression on everyone, especially children like Khusi and Kittu, who knew that learning about snow leopards could be both fun and creative. Beyond sketches and colors, the camp fostered connection—between students, adults, and nature—and reminded all participants that conservation is a shared journey, where everyone, young or old, rangers or citizen scientists, community people or conservationists can contribute.

Minister for Communications and Information Technology Jagdish Kharel has said that the political dialogue the government held on Tuesday created an atmosphere for election.

For the first time since the formation of the present government, a dialogue was held with major political leaders and government in a bid to create an atmosphere for election and good governance.

 The five-hour-long meeting witnessed the expectation of political parties and the government's position to hold the March 5 election in a free and fair manner.

The meeting with the representatives of seven major political parties was held at a call of Prime Minister Sushila Karki at her official residence, Baluwatar.

PM Karki reiterated the government's stance on holding the election on the slated date. "It was a very positive discussion with the political parties. Most of them were positive towards elections that encouraged the government to forward activities," Minister Kharel shared before the media after the meeting on Tuesday night.  

"All stakeholders including political parties and Gen-Z have presented themselves with utmost responsibility to help in building the atmosphere for the election," Kharel, also the spokesperson of the government, said, adding that the ministers and security agencies were working untiringly for this.

 It was a serious and thorough discussion about the election, corruption control and security situation. The political parties were informed of the government's preparation for the election.

 The government also sought cooperation from political parties to build a security situation for holding elections in a free and fair way. Although PM Karki had held one-to-one meetings with top political leaders, this collective discussion has further helped in building trust, according to the Spokesperson.

Moreover, the government was recognized by all sides- political parties, Gen-Z and the international community. Even the investigation on loss of lives and property and necessary action featured the meeting.

In view of Minister Kharel, the country was normalized after a month since the Gen-Z protest, thereby building political trust and environment for talk.

He further shared that the Cabinet would be expanded immediately after Tihar festival.

Gagan Kumar Thapa and Prakash Sharan Mahat from the Nepali Congress, Shankar Pokharel and Pradip Gyawali from the CPN-UML, Barsha Man Pun and Pampha Bhusal from the CPN (Maoist Center), Swarnim Wagle and Sobhita Gautam from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rajendra Pandey and Prakash Jwala from the CPN (Unified Socialist), Rajendra Gurung and Mohan Shrestha from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Upendra Yadav and Prakash Adhikari from the Janata Samajbadi Party, and others attended the meeting.

Those from government sides were PM Karki, Finance Minister Rameshwor Khanal, Energy Minister Kulman Ghising, Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal, Minister for Agriculture Dr Madan Pariyar, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Kharel and PM's Chief Advisor, Ajay Bhadra Khanal.

Gai Puja or cow worship is being observed throughout the country today.

The Gai Puja rituals are observed today with the replicas of the Gai.

The cow is revered as mata or mother by Hindus and is sacred for them. Modern science has also proved that indigenous breeds of cows absorb the energy from the sun and the moon in their hump which is transmitted through milk to humans.

The cows are fed with sweets and delicacies as part of the Gai Puja rituals. There is the tradition of tying the sacred thread that is tied around one's wrist on the occasion of the Janai Poornima festival on the tail of the cow while performing Gai Puja. It is believed that doing so the cow would help the person's soul cross the Baitarani River, a mythical river, to heaven, after the person's death.

The rituals are linked to the Hindu God Sri Krishna who, according to the legend, lifted the Govardhan Mountain by his hand and protected the people of a place called Gokul from torrential rains caused by Indra, the God of rain.

It is believed that the rain God was angered and thereby caused the heavy downpour.

The Mha Puja (self-worship) is celebrated on the fourth day of Tihar festival by the Newar community today.

It also falls on the Newari New Year which is based on the Newar calendar, Nepal Sambat. Mha Puja literally refers to self-worship, making offerings to one’s body.

Theologian Prof Dr Ram Chandra Gautam said atma (soul) is the powerful aspect of human beings, so it deserves reverence. It is a religious belief that one becomes happy once his/her atma (soul/self) is happy, he added.

New Year 1146 is being observed with fanfare across the country. The Newari calendar is marked in memory of Sankhadhar Sakhwa, who freed the poor and peasants from financial burden- loan.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire extended best wishes to all Nepali sisters and brothers in the country and abroad on the occasion of Nepal Sambat 1146 today.

He wished Nepal Sambat, a symbol of national identity, would inspire all to be united for building a prosperous and inclusive country with good governance.

In a message of best wishes given on the occasion of Nepal Sambat today, Speaker Ghimire reminded Nepal Sambat is a symbol of tolerance, fraternity, social harmony and national unity.

"Time has come for us to end corruption so that the country would be ensured with good governance," he said in the message, underlining the need for common resolution, transparency and accountability for building a corruption-free and prosperous Nepal.

According to him, collaboration among government, political parties, youths, civil society and entire Nepali citizens is imperative for peace and stability in Nepal in the wake of Gen-Z protest.

Nepal Sambat is observed as a historic event that features the contribution of luminary Sankhadhar Sakhwa in freeing poor Nepalis from financial burden.

Bipin Joshi of Kanchanpur, who was killed while being held hostage by Hamas, a Palestinian rebel group, has been cremated on the Mahakali River with state honors.

Joshi’s father Mahananda Joshi lit the funeral pyre.

Earlier, a contingent of the Armed Police Force had offered a salute.

Joshi’s funeral procession was taken out before the cremation.

Israeli representatives, including Israeli Ambassador to Nepal Shmulik Arie Bass, relatives, and locals took part in the procession.

Joshi’s body was brought to Kathmandu on Monday after Israel handed it over to Nepal.

The Bhadrapur Inland Revenue Office in Jhapa district collected Rs 752.7 million in revenue in the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2082/083 BS.

The collection of the first quarter of the running fiscal is 16.9 percent of the total annual target of Rs 4.45 billion, Chief Tax Officer Gopal Bahadur Thapa said.

According to Thapa, the Office had set a target to collect Rs 871 million in revenue in the first three months of the current fiscal year.

The Office received Rs 272.6 million from income tax, almost Rs 311million from value added tax (VAT) and Rs 187 million from excise duty.

Chief Tax Officer Thapa shared that the Office is also focusing on beneficiary-centric tax education while continuing market monitoring and surveillance.

Two persons died when a scooter they were riding on met with an accident in Chitwan on Tuesday.

Police said that the incident occurred when the rider lost control of the scooter (Ba Pra 06-003 Pa 0692) near the Bharatpur Airport at around 2:30 am today.

 Chief of the Chitwan District Police Office and Superintendent of Police (SP) Govinda Puri shared that 25-year-old Sandeep Ghimire and pillion rider 28-year-old Kushal Aryal of the Bharatpur Metropolitan City-21 died in the mishap.

The two were rushed to the Bharatpur Hospital following the critical head injuries in the accident where they breathed their last during the course of treatment, police said.