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Sal’s Pizza

If you are good at quizzes and want to win a free pizza, then this is tailor-made for you! Every Monday evening, you can enjoy the cool ambience of Sal’s Pizza with their highly-engaging quiz night. Just visit the restaurant and enter the free quiz contest. You can go alone and join a group there or go with friends for a chance to play the game. The winning team gets a free yummy pizza from the restaurant, which is located at Nursery Galli in Lazimpat.

Call 9813570076 for any queries

Base Camp: Outdoor Lifestyle

Every other Wednesday, Base camp hosts the battle of the brains and you can attend with your friends and family. Each group can have up to six people so you can either bring your own team or join a table, which is a perfect way to make new friends. The quiz has 10 rounds, with five questions a round. A wide range of topics is covered so you’re bound to find at least one topic you will excel in. The cover charge is only Rs 200 per person—the money goes in a pot to be awarded to the winning team at the end of the night. They are located at Arun Thapa Chowk, Jhamiskhel.

For more information, visit basecampoutdoorlifestyle. com.

Everest Irish Pub

If you want to play quiz for charity, you may want to enter the quiz night at Everest Irish Pub. Every Thursday at 8:30 pm, just go to Z Street in Thamel to find this pub. You have to pay Rs 200 to participate. Depending on the number of people, teams will be formed. You will be tested on different topics and if your team wins, you win an Irish Pub T-shirt and a chilled beer. All of the money collected from the quiz is donated to an organization working to educate unprivileged children. So have fun and play for a cause.

Café Tara at Maharajgunj (exact opposite of the American Embassy) is one good looking joint to hang out. Elegantly decorated with ample natural light to lift one’s soggy mood, Café Tara is popular for its freshly brewed coffee, delicious cakes and bakes, and a minimalistic yet filling food menu. What more? Next door is the Tara Ktm clothing store (same owner) with a huge selection of fashionable outfits. Unfortunately for the gentlemen, this is a ladies-only store. But you can still take your wife or girlfriend shopping and spend the excruciatingly long waiting hours chilling out at the café, can’t you now? Or if you’re single, who knows? You might just find your flame trying out a dress next door. You need not worry about parking too. There’s a big enough space right next to the premise.

THE MENU

Chef’s Special:

-Ichiraku Ramen

-Nutella waffle

-Mint lemonade

Opening hours: 8 am-8 pm

Location: Maharajgunj

Cards: Accepted

Meal for 2: Rs 1500

Reservations: 9813574544

The April 21 attacks in Sri Lanka, which has killed at least 359 people as of this writing, was a brutal reminder, if we needed any, that terrorism knows no bounds. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility. Unconfirmed reports suggest the suicide attacks targeting the Christian community and foreign tourists in Sri Lanka were in ‘retaliation’ for the March 15 killings of 50 Muslims in Christchurch, New Zealand. Whatever the case, there can now be little doubt that religious terrorism has become a global menace—and no country can claim to be immune from it.

Why did the Islamic State choose Sri Lanka—a rela­tively poor country that is not involved in any anti-Mus­lim mission anywhere in the world—to target Chris­tians, who make up under 8 percent of the Lankan population? Most likely because of its weak security. The small island state could not forestall the suicide bombings even though Indian intelligence agencies had given them ample prior warnings. Perhaps the Sri Lankan authorities felt that in the post-LTTE era they had nothing to fear from terrorists of any kind.

Nepal’s own security status is fragile, what with the open border and various semi-political armed groups operating in the country. An act of international terror­ism here is not inconceivable.

During the third SAARC Summit in Kathmandu in 1987, member states had signed the ‘Regional Conven­tion on Suppression of Terrorism’. Yet there has been little progress in advancing such cooperation, as was made clear by the Lankan bombings. With the SAARC now in a coma, there is little hope of progress. This is dangerous. In this interconnected world, no single country can control the scourge of terrorism on its own, as terror groups use increasingly sophisticat­ed ways to maximize death and destruction. Great­er regional cooperation on terrorism has therefore become mandatory. (Perhaps the BIMSTEC provides a better way forward.) Nepal must also strengthen its anti-terror resolve. The 2016 National Security Policy had listed ‘prevention and control of terrorism’ as one of Nepal’s strategic objectives. The public deserves to know if there has been any progress on this front.

There are other risks of taking terrorism lightly. On the pretext of controlling anti-terror activities, big powers may try to muscle their way in. Terror groups may also foment unrest by trying to divide the recently declared secular state along religious lines. April 21 was a wake-up call. It’s a terrible tragedy that so many of our fellow South Asians had to die for it.

 By Shambhu Yadav | Siraha / Raj Karan Mahato | Mahottari

  Dukhani Sadaya from Lahan municipality in the district of Siraha is now 65, an age when she becomes eligible for social security allowance. But she is still struggling to get a citizenship certificate, which is a prerequisite to apply for government services. Her son Rajkumar Sadaya, 35, and daughter-in-law Anita Sadaya, 32, do not have citizenship certificates either. In fact, no one from the Sadaya family has a citizenship card.

Dukhani’s husband Banhu Sadaya, who passed away last year, had knocked on the doors of government offices numerous times to get a citi­zenship card, but all in vain. Banhu’s father Munar had also faced similar problems, which means the family has been deprived of government ser­vices for three generations.

 No one from the Sadaya family has a citizenship card

Rajkumar has one daugh­ter, Bhagwati, and two sons, Rakesh and Mukesh. When Rajkumar applied for birth certificates for Bhagwati and Rakesh, the erstwhile Village Development Committee (VDC) did not demand their parents’ citizenship certifi­cates. But the authorities asked for those certificates when Rajkumar applied for a birth certificate for his young­est son Mukesh. Because Mukesh’s parents did not have citizenship cards, he could not get a birth certificate.

Mukesh attends the village’s primary school, but he is not formally enrolled as he does not have a birth certificate. Says Rajkumar, “Even though we have visited various gov­ernment offices, nothing has come of it. My forefathers could not get citizenship cards, so we are facing difficul­ties now. The government pol­icies make us feel stateless.”

Rajkumar works as a man­ual laborer in the construc­tion business. Although he dreams of building his own house with his hard-earned money, it looks unlikely, both because he lacks a citizenship certificate and because what he makes barely covers his household expenses.

In contrast, Kisani Sadaya and Khajani Sadaya from another ward in Lahan munic­ipality received their citizen­ship certificates in 2006. But because their husbands do not have citizenship cards, their sons could not get birth cer­tificates. As such, they cannot enroll in a school.

Traditionally, members of the Musahar community worked for local landlords, and getting citizenship cards was never an important con­sideration for them.

“Nobody made them aware about the significance of get­ting citizenship certificates, so they are facing problems now,” says rights activist Binod Bisuke. He suggests the government carry out a sur­vey of the Musahars and issue citizenship certificates to bona fide citizens.

Chief District Officer Rudra Prasad Pandit says that if anyone presents a document proving that their family has lived in Nepal for three gener­ations, it can be used to sup­port their case for acquiring a citizenship certificate.

On the other hand, 23-year-old Manjaya Sadaya from the district of Mahottari is happy to finally receive his citizen­ship certificate after struggling to obtain it for six years. “Now I will try to get a government job,” he says elatedly. Earlier, he could not enjoy govern­ment services, open a bank account, vote in elections or avail himself of scholarship opportunities because he did not have a card to prove his citizenship.

     Q. What is an opinion you hold that most people would dis­agree with?

A. The only thing you should care about is yourself.

Q. What do you like the most about your fans?

A. Love and support that they give in every step of my journey.

Q. If you had only one day left to live, what would you do?

A. I would organize a big party and invite EVERYONE.

Q. Your alternate career choice?

A. A singer.

Q. Did you always want to be an actor?

A. During my teenage years, I thought I would become a rockstar. Never had I ever imagined working in the film industry. But now I love it!

Q. Which actress would you like to work opposite?

A. Swastima Khadka, again.

Q. Your best and worst pur­chase?

A. Best purchase: Every building material I purchased to make my house. Worst purchase: The Bluetooth mic I bought online.

Q. What would you like to say to aspiring actors?

A. Work hard and have patience. Entering movie industry is not as easy as it seems but it will be worth it!

Q. Are you someone who likes to live in a happening city or its quiet outskirts?

A. I mostly like living in a city. It also depends on my mood though.

Join a poetry night In Kathmandu

Participate in the second session of the Poetry Night hosted by Tales from Palpasa, either as an audience or as a performer. Tales from Palpasa is an effort to encourage people to express themselves through poetry and storytelling. If you want to perform at the event, you can email your writings at [email protected], and they would get back to you with the details. The poetry sessions are scheduled for a Friday of every month until December 2019, at Mo: Mo La Palpasa Café. Check their FaceBook event page for detail!

Raft in Bhote Koshi

Hosting the steepest river run in Nepal, Bhote Koshi is just three-hour drive from Kathmandu. Get ready for some adrenaline rush while rafting in this river, for a great day trip. It is also possible to spend a night on the river camp. For your own protection, make sure you go with a guide. Contact EcoTrek at 4424112; the guides there have the skills to provide you with a safe and enjoyable trip, with instructions on paddling and picking out the safest route on the river. The best season to raft on Bhote Koshi is from September to May. Don’t miss out!

Participate in business training in Kathmandu

Empower Social Entrepreneurship Training Program from May 13-23 is inviting applications. The program will teach participants how to master essential skills for concept creation and business plan development of new services. Participants learn how to become social entrepreneurs in order to identify and solve community challenges that can be transformed into business opportunities, from concept to plan to execution. Top teams will have the opportunity to train and develop their ideas at Nepal School of Entrepreneurship. To apply, email [email protected]. Deadline is April 22. Hurry!

Hike in Pokhara

If you want to visit the Peace Pagoda, which was built to inspire world peace, and explore local villages around Phewa Lake, then this hike is for you! To get to the pagoda, after crossing the Phewa Lake on a boat you will have to climb for around two and half hours; the hike downhill will take an hour less. Enjoy sweeping views of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Fishtail, and Manaslu mountains, along with a bird’s-eye view of the Pokhara Valley and Phewa Lake.

“A normal day now begins with a schedule. Some chores, some talking, and ‘letting out’ sessions with professional treatment. It was very tough initially, the withdrawal phase: The sleepless nights, the craving, the detoxing and what not. My friends and family helped me a lot but they still have trust issues, which is natural. I have relapsed before. But I have been clean for a year now and I am looking forward to facing the world. I feel healthy.”

 Addiction doesn’t always last a lifetime. Many people recover, mostly on their own. Old habits die hard, and forming a new one can be challenging. What these residential rehabilitation centers do is build up a routine, a new habit. The intense program of support and care for the sufferers inside is aimed at creating for them a healthier community and an optimistic future.

 The recovery journeys are common, as all are essentially on the same boat. The vices may differ, but the acts of ‘cleaning up’ and ‘new beginnings’ are the same, as they together build up courage.

Michael Grills, as much as the name sounds foreign, is a joint where you can savor typical Nepali food. Located at Old Baneshwor on the lane next to the APEX College (one that goes towards Maitidevi), Michael Grills is mainly famous for its sekuwas (marinated barbecue meat).

 Given its low prices and delicious offerings, youngsters looking to grab a quiet bite, and maybe a chilled beer to go with it, are always to be found at Michael’s. It currently can seat around 50-60 customers. But as its customer base grows, it is thinking of expanding to a nearby location.

THE MENU

Chef’s Special:

- Sekuwa

- Jhol momo

- Biryani

Opening hours: 11 am-10 pm

Location: Old Baneshwor

Cards: Accepted

Meal for 2: Rs 800

Reservations: 9851151508