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Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Maeda Toru visited historical religious sites in Birgunj today.

Ambassador Toru directly reached the historical and religious sites in Birgunj from Simara Airport.

He worshipped the famous Gahawamai Temple of Birgunj this morning.

The Japanese Ambassador, who arrived here with representatives of the Embassy, is scheduled to visit Ghadiarwa Pond and Ghantaghar of Birgunj.

Chief District Officer of Parsa, Ganesh Aryal, shared that Ambassador Toru arrived in Birgunj in connection with some work at the Birgunj Metropolitan City.

Amachhodingmo Rural Municipality in Rasuwa district has received a modern ambulance to support humanitarian services for residents in project-affected areas. The ambulance aims to assist those injured in disasters and accidents, patients with serious illnesses, and pregnant women. Provided under the project’s community support program, it will be operated by the Haku Health Post, located in Amachhodingmo Rural Municipality-1. Another ambulance will soon be provided to Uttargaya Rural Municipality, also affected by the project.

The ambulance is expected to play a vital role in saving lives by ensuring timely transportation of the sick and injured to hospitals. The project is promoted by Nepal Water and Energy Development Company CEO Byong Su Min, who officially handed over the ambulance keys to Rural Municipality Chairperson Buchung Tamang during a ceremony in Haku on Monday.

The handover event was attended by ward chairpersons of Amachhodingmo-1 and 2, health center chiefs, Indigenous Peoples Council representatives, local residents, and others. At the event, Su Min stated that the well-equipped ambulance was provided to enhance emergency healthcare access in remote project-affected areas. “We believe this ambulance will be a milestone in ensuring timely medical access and expanding basic health services,” he said.

Chairperson Tamang emphasized that development projects succeed only through collaboration with local communities. He called for inclusive implementation, highlighting that local residents should be the first to benefit. He also noted that the ambulance will help bring modern healthcare to remote regions.

The ambulance was purchased in compliance with the National Ambulance Directive, and the Government of Nepal exempted its import from taxes. The total cost under the exemption was Rs 2.5m.

So far, the project has invested around Rs 170m in affected areas through its community support initiatives. These include education, health, drinking water, road infrastructure, cultural preservation, relief distribution, livelihood support, and income generation under its Social Support Program (SSP), Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and Indigenous Community Planning Program.

Led by Korean companies, the project involves constructing a dam and associated structures in Hakuma (Amachhodingmo-1) and an underground powerhouse in Uttargaya-1. Upper Trishuli-1 is the largest hydropower project under construction in Nepal with direct foreign investment, aimed at domestic energy consumption.

Main construction began in Dec 2021 and is progressing rapidly. Overall physical progress stands at 56 percent. The Korean firm Doosan Enerbility is responsible for engineering, procurement, and construction. The project is promoted by Nepal Water and Energy Development Company, with equity investments from Korea South-East Power Co (KOEN), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and other partners.

The project is financed through 70 percent debt and 30 percent equity. Nine international financial institutions have committed $453.2m in loans, with the total project cost estimated at $647m (including interest during construction). The remaining amount has been raised through equity.

Upper Trishuli-1 will generate 1.53bn units of electricity annually—38.75 percent in the winter and 61.25 percent in the rainy season. The energy will be connected to Nepal Electricity Authority’s Trishuli-3B Hub Substation and integrated into the national grid. A power purchase agreement has been signed with the Authority.

Due to its proximity to the Kathmandu load center and its ability to generate 104 MW even during the high-demand winter months, the project is considered a key asset for Nepal’s energy sector. Completion is targeted for Feb 2027.

Arsenal have produced their best result in recent memory with a 3-0 victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final.

After an action-packed first half at the Emirates, Declan Rice opened the scoring in the 58th minute with a world-class free kick around Madrid's wall. Rice then replicated the feat 12 minutes later with another, even greater free kick goal, Sky Sports reported.

Just five minutes later, replacement striker Mikel Merino increased the Champions League holders' agony with a well-placed finish from close range to make it 3-0.

Eduardo Camavinga was sent off in the final minute of stoppage time for a second yellow card, despite the fact that his first booking had already resulted in his suspension for the second leg, according to Sky Sports.

The two teams will renew acquaintances next Wednesday at the Bernabeu to decide which team sets up a semi-final against either Paris Saint-Germain or Aston Villa.

Nepal defeated Qatar by eight wickets in the opening match of the Quadrangular T20 Series at Mong Kok, Hong Kong, on Wednesday.

Put to bat first after losing the toss, Qatar scored 151 runs in the allotted 20 overs.

Set 152 runs to win, Nepal achieved the target for the loss of two wickets in 17. 2 overs.

Opening batsman for Nepal, Kushal Bhurtel scored highest 32 runs off 19 balls, with four fours and two sixes.

Bhurtel and Asif Sheikh scored 81 runs in partnership for the first wicket. Sheikh scored 33 runs.

Captain Rohit Kumar Paudel and Wasir Ahmed shared a 62-run partnership for the third wicket.

Paudel and Ahmed scored unbeaten 37 and 30 runs respectively.

Mujeeb-ur-Rehman took two wickets for Qatar.

Captain Ikramullah Khan was the top scorer for Qatar with 54 runs off 54 balls including fiver boundaries and two sixes.

Similarly, Shahzaib Jamil made 31 runs off 21 balls with four sixes and Arumugaganesh Nagarajan 13 runs.

Likewise, Mujeeb-ur-Rehman scored unbeaten 20 runs off 19 balls and Mohammed Irshad 18 off 7 balls.

Karan KC, Sompal Kami, Gulsan Jha, Nandan Yadav and Lalit Rajbanshi claimed one wicket each for Nepal.

Two of the woolly mammoth's extinct Ice Age cohabitants have already been brought back by Colossal Biosciences, the genetic engineering company attempting to do so. One of these is the dire wolf, which has been extinct for 13,000 years, CNN reported.

They also promoted initiatives to revive extinct species like the Tasmanian tiger and the woolly mammoth using comparable state-of-the-art genetic procedures.

As per zoologist Philip Seddon of the University of Otago in New Zealand, the creatures are "genetically modified grey wolves". Meanwhile, researchers have pointed out significant biological distinctions between the wolf on the cover of Time and the dire wolf that roamed and hunted during the last ice age, according to CNN.

Romulus and Remus are genetically engineered modern wolves, with approximately 20 genes modified to successfully resemble dire wolf characteristics.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 2, 000 per tola in the domestic market on Wednesday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 175, 400 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 173, 400 per tola on Tuesday.  

Similarly, the price of silver has increased by Rs 5 and is being traded at Rs 1, 835 per tola today.

The Api Nampa Conservation Area Office has decided to distribute financial compensation to 143 people for the damage caused by wildlife in the conservation area.

Information Officer at the office, Manoj Awasthi said the amount will be provided to the people of the conservation area as compensation for the loss of life, livestock and crops due to wildlife.

In the current fiscal year so far, 105 people have been provided the compensation amount while 38 others have been recommended for the same, he informed.

The office had distributed Rs 1.5 million as compensation to 142 persons in the last fiscal year.

Two Indian airlines, SpiceJet and Air India Express, have received permission to operate scheduled flights to Kathmandu. According to the Summer Schedule published by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), SpiceJet will resume its daily New Delhi–Kathmandu flights starting May 10. The flight will arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) at 9:55 am and depart at 10:55 am. The airline will use a Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft with a seating capacity of 189 passengers. 

SpiceJet had suspended its Kathmandu operations during the Covid-19 pandemic. It has appointed Himalayan Globe Travel Services as its General Sales Agent (GSA) in Nepal. Meanwhile, Air India Express, the low-cost subsidiary of Air India, has received permission to operate daily flights to Kathmandu from Bangalore and Mumbai. According to CAAN, the Bangalore flight will arrive in Kathmandu 8:05 am and depart at 9:05 am. The Mumbai flight will land at 5:05 pm and depart at 6:00 pm. Both services are scheduled to commence in June. Air India Express has not made any formal announcement regarding its new flights.

With the addition of these two carriers, the number of Indian airlines operating regular flights to Kathmandu has increased to four. Full-service airline Air India has six daily flights on the New Delhi–Kathmandu route whereas low-cost carrier IndiGo operates three daily flights from New Delhi and one from Mumbai.

Nepal Airlines, the national flag carrier, also operates direct flights to New Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore from Kathmandu. The privately-owned Nepali carrier, Buddha Air, flies to Varanasi from Kathmandu. Bhutanese carriers—Bhutan Airlines and Druk Air—also operate flights between Kathmandu and New Delhi.

India is the largest tourism source country for Nepal, accounting for nearly one-third of the total international tourist arrivals. Improved air connectivity between major Indian cities and Kathmandu is expected to further boost tourist inflow to Nepal.