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Presently, there is an influence of the westerly wind together with the local wind in Nepal.

Light rain or thunder and lightning is forecast at a few places of Koshi Province and at one or two places of Madhesh, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces today.

There are chances of light snowfall at one or two places of the high hilly and mountainous region of Koshi Province and Bagmati Province.

Tonight, the weather will be partly cloudy throughout the country.

Light rain or thunder and lightning is likely to occur at one or two places of hilly regions of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces, according to the Meteorological Forecasting Division.

Police on Tuesday made public five Bangladeshi nationals staying illegally in Nepal even after the expiry of their visa term.

They are Md Rifat Ahamed (26), Md Abdullah (23), Md Samsual Hoda (45), Abdul Biswas (30) and Md Masum Miah (36), according to SP Nakul Pokharel, Information Officer at the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office.

They were arrested from Sohrakhutte based on the information that they had been staying in Nepal illegally and involved in suspicious activities, shared Pokharel.

Of them, Biswas and Miah were arrested on March 22 while three on Monday.

The arrested Bangladeshi nationals have been sent to the Department of Immigration, Kalikasthan, for necessary investigation and action.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 300 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 126, 400 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 126, 700 per tola on Monday.

Similarly, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 125, 800 per tola. It was traded at Rs 126, 100 per tola.

Meanwhile, the price of silver has dropped by Rs 10 and is being traded at Rs 1, 505 per tola today.

Former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has said that it is a challenge for science to find out the Guru of Om Aditya Bal Guru.

He was addressing a program organized at the Panauti-based Third Aditya Mokshyadham in Kavre on Monday.

Saying that there should be a source of knowledge or guru in human life, Oli said that Guru Aditya has a supernatural power as the source of knowledge.

Leader Oli mentioned that the challenge to science is to find out the source of Aditya's knowledge.

“Humans need a guru or source for their knowledge. Knowledge is not possible without knowledge,” he said. Praising the language written in a book, Oli said, “Aditya’s book is not to keep in the cupboard but to keep in your brain.”

The things written in the book have touched my heart, he said.

“He has no medium to acquire knowledge. The sayings of Aditya, who has not gone to school, written in various languages are in the form of Guru Bachan,” he said. “Where did this natural ability come from?” he questioned.

“Scientists need to do research on this issue,” Oli further said.

Wishing for Aditya’s good health, Oli said that scientists should do research on Bal Guru Aditya.

Speaking at the program, Captain Rameshwor Thapa said that Aditya, considered as the eighth wonder of the world,  is constructing 108 structures in the area of that Mokshyadham.

He said that a pillar is being obstructed and that pillar is being built by learning from Guru Aditya and 80 percent of the construction has been completed.

Appealing to all to come to Mokshyadham and give suggestions, Capitan Thapa appealed for the support to develop this area as a high-level human settlement.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Ishwor Pokharel, former Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel, former Communications Minister Gokul Baskota, former minister Resham Lama, Om Adi Foundation Chairman Upendra Mahato, Dhulikhel Municipality Mayor Ashok Kumar Byanju, Panauti Municipality Mayor Ram Sharan Bhandari and Panauti Municipality Deputy Mayor Bhim Neupane among others were present in the program.

The Supreme Court has issued a directive to the government to grant affiliation to the Jhapa-based B&C Medical College.

A joint bench of Justices Kumar Chundal and Saranga Subedi issued the directive on Monday to grant affiliation to the B & C Medical College.

A controversy had erupted regarding the affiliation of the Medical College opened by medical entrepreneur Durga Prasai.

After not getting the affiliation even by completing all the procedures, Prasai filed a case on October 16, 2020.

First-phase construction of the Asian Highway connecting 32 countries in the continent has started. 

Removing trees along the western section from Sitapuri of Kamal Rural Municipality in Jhapa to Devikhola of Itahari has begun under the first-phase construction. 

Construction activities of 120-kilometer four-lane road from Kakarvitta to Laukahi of Sunsari have been forwarded with the financial support of the Asian Development Bank.  

Representative of Jain CR F G Tundi Company, a construction company, Hari Prasad Parajuli, shared that around 6,737 trees would be removed along the west section and an agreement has been reached to complete the road construction within three years.

The 120-km-long four-lane roadway forms a section of the East-West Highway and it connects Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari. It is going to be constructed at an investment of Rs 28.17 billion of the Asian Development Bank.

The highway is to be expanded along with the construction of 71 new bridges, he added.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has urged the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to ensure a policy for providing concessional loan to Nepal. 

During a courtesy meeting with a delegation led by RMP Rathnayake, the AIIB director, the Prime Minister said, "Nepal still needs concessions in borrowings as AIIB does not have such a window. In fact, this market rate pricing is restricting Nepal to access to AIIB financing. As you are policy makers, I urge you all to consider this," according to the Prime Minister's Secretariat.

Stating the government is focused on achieving a high economic growth target simultaneously with good governance, institutional development, social justice and prosperity, the Prime Minister said, hoping for the AIIB's support in financing, technical assistance, knowledge sharing and mobilizing private capital in this process.

The PM said currently there are a few projects under AIIB investment in Nepal in the energy sector and there are ample possibilities for the investment in hydropower tourism, information technology and other infrastructure projects. He urged the AIIB to consider the investment in these areas.

"It has been agreed to export 10,000 megawatts of electricity to India and to Bangladesh as well. This has paved a way for Nepal's energy trade," he said.

Recalling Nepal's schedule to host the Third Nepal Investment Summit ( NIC) next month (April 28-29), the Prime Minister expressed his hope that there would be a high-level participation from the AIIB in the event, contributing to building an investment-friendly atmosphere for  areas of priorities in  Nepal.

Apprising the delegation that Nepal has revised its policies aiming to promote private and foreign investment, he urged the AIIB to invest confidently in Nepal.

The delegation led by Rathnayake comprised AIIB vice president and other senior officials.

On the occasion, Rathnayake said AIIB accorded top priority to Nepal as being its founding member and the Bank is positive for increasing its investment in its development endeavors.

Finance Minister Barshaman Pun and three Vice-presidents—Martin Raiser, Akihiko Nishio and Guangzhe Chen—of the World Bank held discussion about mega infrastructure projects of Nepal. 

Also present on the occasion were Asian Development Bank Country Director for Nepal Arnaud Cauchois and representatives of the International Finance Corporation. 

Likewise, Finance Secretary Krishna Hari Pushkar, Revenue Secretary Dr Ram Prasad Ghimire, Joint-Secretaries, Uttar Kumar Khatry, Ritesh Kumar Shakya and Shreekrishna Nepal and Executive Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Kulman Ghising were also present in the meeting.  

The meeting discussed the development of a partnership framework between Nepal and the World Bank for next five years and taking forward the Upper Arun Hydropower Project and Dudhkoshi Reservoir Project, according to the Finance Minister’s Secretariat. 

Discussions were held on the 1,061 MW semi-reservoir Upper Arun Hydropower Project to be constructed in Bhotkhola Rural Municipality of Sankhuwasabha as a transformative project. 

The project construction will be carried out through a subsidiary company of the NEA with WB’s soft loan and a mixed investment from the Citizen Investment Trust, various domestic banks and the general public. 

It may be noted that NEA has established Upper Arun Hydropower Limited for the construction of the project. The detailed project report (DPR) has been prepared and the consultant has also been selected. The WB-led financial management for the project is expected to be finalized by mid-July. 

The project has been designed to run at full capacity for six hours a day in winter. The estimated cost of the project will be around Rs 161bn ($1.38bn).  

As informed, 70 percent of the total cost will be foreign investment and 30 percent domestic. The project is expected to generate 4.53bn units of energy annually. Similarly, there is a plan to construct a reservoir on Dudhkoshi River to generate 635 MW of hydropower at Lamidanda of Rawabensi rural municipality-3 of Khotang and Ramuwaghat of Chisankhugadhi rural municipality-6 of Okhaldhunga. 

In the virtual meeting, Finance Minister Pun thanked the World Bank for its contribution to Nepal’s economic development as one of the largest international development partners. The development projects have been carried out in Nepal with WB investment in transport, urban development, agriculture, forestry, environment, employment and other infrastructure sectors, he said, noting progress of these projects was not satisfactory due to various reasons. 

Finance Minister Pun, however, said he was committed to speeding up the works of these projects. Finance Minister Pun said Nepal has embraced the concept of green, resilient inclusive development. 

He urged the WB to promote green finance in infrastructure projects. The WB’s Vice-chairs and other office-bearers said the cooperation with Nepal was encouraging and expressed their views on the projects in the pipeline, including the Upper Arun Hydropower Project. 

Noting Nepal’s credit risk is low compared to other countries run by the International Development Association (IDA), they urged Nepal to enjoy non-concessional loans. 

Minister Pun said that a huge resource gap has been created in the implementation of sustainable development goals, infrastructure and climate adaptation due to financial constraints due to laxity in revenue mobilization. 

He opined that the development partners should enhance cooperation and cooperation with Nepal and support the efforts for economic revival.

Meanwhile, the finance minister has invited the Vice-presidents to participate in the third investment summit scheduled in Kathmandu from April 28.