Submit your Article

Will we ever find peace in this chaos? It’s a question that lingers inside the mind of everyone stuck in Kathmandu’s endless traffic jams. Once a beautiful valley known for its quiet charm, Kathmandu today is trapped under a cacophonous din of honking horns and revving engines. 

The traffic of Kathmandu has become a nightmare for pedestrians and motorists alike. This mess isn’t just due to high numbers of vehicles on the streets; it’s the result of years of poor planning and neglect. Narrow roads built decades ago now struggle to handle the sheer number of vehicles. They are clogged with an endless stream of traffic. Morning and evening rush hours feel like an eternity.

It’s not just the roads that are overwhelmed but also the people’s mind and their hearts. The city itself seems to be staining under the weight of its own growth. While Kathmandu’s ancient temples and narrow alleyways tell stories of centuries past, its roads tell a different tale—one of crowd and chaos. 

Kathmandu is a city trapped in its own rhythm—one that feels unrelenting, exhausting ,and at times suffocating. The energy of the city is undeniable. What was once a place of peaceful spirituality now is locked in a constant rush. Once a steady beat of history , culture and community has become a noise, frustration and uncertainty. The city’s charm is still there, in its temple and its traditions but now it’s harder to hear over the blare of horns. Once the sounds of temple bells and sweet melodies filled the air, and the silence was loud enough to hear our own thoughts and understand each other’s emotions. But now, lost in the same cycle of frustration and rage the city’s noise drowns out everything—and in the midst of the chaos people can barely hear anything let alone their own thoughts. People are constantly swept away  by a surge of nostalgia—longing for a peace they once grew up with as they walk through chaotic streets.

The people who called Kathmandu home are no longer just navigating the streets , they are navigating the frustration and their weariness. Despite numerous attempts at reform from widening roads to introducing more efficient transportation systems, it seems to go into vain. The city’s leaders have long promised a solution, but it never seems to be enough. To see Kathmandu free from all these constant noises and traffic feels like a distant dream. As the city continues to grow, one can only wonder if Kathmandu will ever find a way to break free and return to the rhythm it once knew of. 

As the question still remains, how much longer can people stay trapped in a rhythm that can no longer serve them?

Shraddha Acharya

BSc, IInd Year 

Padma Kanya Campus

The Embassy of Israel together with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany marked the International Holocaust Day with a solemn “Memorial Event and Exhibition titled Auschwitz- A Place on Earth” on Monday in Kathmandu.

On the occasion, six candles were lit, honoring the six million Jewish people, who were brutally and systematically murdered during the Holocaust. A moving testimony from a Holocaust survivor was also screened, providing a powerful first-hand account of unimaginable suffering and survival.

Underlining the lessons of history, Dr Surya Prasad Sharma Dhungel, Member of the National Human Rights Commission, stated, “The Holocaust was not merely a tragedy of the Jewish people or Europe- it was a failure of humanity itself. It serves as a reminder of what can happen when hatred is normalized, when prejudice goes unchecked, and when justice is denied,” reads a statement issued by the Embassy of Israel.

Expressing solidarity, US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson highlighted the shared responsibility to stand against anti-Semitism, racism, and all forms of hatred and intolerance. He conveyed greetings from the Secretary of State of Marco Rubio, who reaffirmed his unwavering support for the Holocaust survivors and their heirs, according to the statement. He stated, “I am confident that we will continue to be a partner in remembering and honoring the period of such devastation.”

Speaking at the event, Benjamin Siedel, Deputy Chief of Mission, on behalf of Dr Thomas Heinrich Prinz, German Ambassador to Nepal stated, “While today is primarily a day of remembrance, it is also a call to action. The Holocaust did not begin with gas chambers; it began with words- words of hate, division, and dehumanization. The sobering reality underscores our shared responsibility as democratic citizens to stand resolutely against anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, and all forms of discrimination.”

Shmulik Arie Bass, Ambassador of Israel stated, “Humanity must commemorate this day in memory of the victims to educate younger generations, emphasizing that a tragedy of such magnitude is never repeated." He further remarked, "On January 27, 2005, the United Nations General Assembly held its first special session to commemorate the Holocaust, marking the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. For the first time, a Yad Vashem Museum exhibition was displayed at the UN building in New York, and the anthem of hope, “Hatikvah,” was sung. That year marked a pivotal effort to promote Holocaust remembrance within the UN, supported by then-Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Member States. The process culminated in the adoption of General Assembly Resolution 60/7, which established a UN Holocaust remembrance department and designated January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day,” the statement further reads.

The event continued with a choir performance by students of Himali Boarding School and a musical piece performed by students of Kathmandu Pragya Kunja School, both of which added to the reflective atmosphere of the gathering.

The event also featured the exhibition, “Auschwitz- A Place on Earth” aiming at educating about the human-made brutality and delivering the message that such cruelty should never be repeated. The exhibition will remain open to the public at the following locations:

•      Himali Boarding School            : 28- 2 Jan 2025

•      Kathmandu Pragya Kunja School       : 3- 9 Feb 2025

Following these dates, the exhibition will also be open at other sites as well.

The memorial gathering served as a reminder of the importance of remembrance, solidarity and the global commitment to “never forget, never again.”

The Holocaust started with the vision to exterminate the entire Jewish population. It was the systematic, bureaucratic, state-sponsored persecution and murder of six million Jews (1.5 million of these were children) by the Nazi regime and its collaborators between 1930s and 40s in Europe.

A joint team of the Armed Police Force and Customs Office on Monday seized clothes and hardware goods worth more than Rs 5 million brought into Nepal by evading tax.

Acting on a tip off that the goods smuggled into Nepal from India have been stored illegally on the ground floors of two houses at Adharsanagar in Birgunj Metropolitan City-10, Parsa, a joint team of the APF led by DSP Lokendra Subba and Birgunj Customs Office, Parsa raised the warehouses and recovered the goods.

The goods were seized from the place located about 3 km north of the border area.

The team confiscated clothes worth Rs 4.97 million and hardware goods worth Rs 121, 500.

The seized goods have been handed over to the Birgunj Customs Office, Parsa for investigation.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 10. 61 points to close at 2, 633.32 points on Monday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 2. 07 points to close at 441. 52 points.

A total of 17,253,576-unit shares of 312 companies were traded for Rs 8. 92 billion.

Meanwhile, Nyadi Hydropower Limited (NYADI) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Saptakoshi Development Bank Ltd (SAPDBL) was the top loser with its price dropped by 8. 46 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 36 trillion.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that journalism is the guardian of democracy.

While congratulating the newly elected officials of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) today at the Ministry of Home Affairs at Singha Durbar, Minister Lekhak said that impartial journalism is the pillar of democracy.

"Our Constitution guarantees full press freedom. The government ensures the atmosphere for independent, professional and impartial journalism," he said.

The Home Minister emphasized that journalism should be based on ethics, system and truth.

"I urge you to protect yourself and the media from activities such as disseminating fictitious news, creating unnecessary confusion in the society, character assassination of individuals, society and communities," said Minister Lekhak.

FNJ chair Nirmala Sharma, expressed her gratitude for the role played by the government in facilitating the conduction of the elections of the FNJ in a peaceful environment.

In addition, she submitted a memorandum to the Minister of Home Affairs, demanding action against those involved in the violation of press freedom.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that coordinated efforts were inevitable among the bodies concerned with anti-money laundering for minimizing the financial crime.

In a message of best wishes on the occasion of the Prevention of Money Laundering First National Day, 2025, PM Oli underscored coordination among the informant organization, regulatory agency, law enforcement bodies related to the anti-money laundering system as well as the judicial bodies.

"The mechanism for the prevention of money laundering should carry out works effectively for maintaining financial integrity and transparency by preventing the entry of assets acquired through criminal activities," reads the PM's message.

He wished that may the Day provide further encouragement to increase the effectiveness in the prevention of money laundering and to maintain financial hygiene in the coming days since criminal use of wealth posed a challenge to the economy as well as transparency in governance.

He has urged all those involved in their profession and doing business with good intentions to work freely in their professional and business life without getting distracted.

Prime Minister Oli's message was read out at the program venue.

The Prevention of Money Laundering National Day is observed for the first time under the slogan 'Transparency in Financial Activities, Commitment to Prevention of Money Laundering', under the aegis of the Department of Money Laundering Investigation (DMLI).

On the occasion of the promulgation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2064 BS, the Government of Nepal has decided to observe the 14th of Magh in Nepali calendar every year as the Prevention of Money Laundering National Day.

The National Cybersecurity Center under the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology has issued an advisory on cybersecurity for government employees. The center issued the advisory for users of government information technology systems with the aim of preventing issues such as website hacking and data theft. The advisory comes in the wake of incidents of unauthorized access to government websites and servers. This has led to criticism that the government’s security systems are weak.

In January last year, Nepal government’s main server had faced cyberattacks leading to disruptions of hundreds of government websites across the country. The websites went offline due to distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks—a subclass of denial of service (DoS) attacks. Likewise, in 2023, similar cyberattacks hit international travel due to the shutdown of the immigration server. Around 1,500 government websites were shut down on that day due to cyberattacks on the government’s only central data bank at the Government Integrated Data Centre (GIDC). Hackers recently put up data from the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration for sale on the dark web for $50.

The eight-page advisory covers the security of government office websites, applications, servers, storage, and networks, as well as the security of desktops, laptops and printers in offices. It also includes guidance on password management and security, internet browsing security, email and phishing attacks, removable media, mobile security and social media security.

The center has advised employees to change passwords for government office information systems every three months, keep mobile phones outside during sensitive discussions and not to install any games on office computers, among others.

The advisory states that government office websites must implement a security framework, regularly backup and archive data, implement a business continuity plan, conduct mandatory security audits at least once a year, keep source codes updated and secure, and ensure that the source codes of information technology systems, including emails used in the organization, are updated and secure.

Likewise, it has advised employees to set passwords according to a non-trivial password policy, making them difficult to guess. It also mentions implementing network segmentation to secure servers and other network devices related to data and services, installing SSL certificates on websites and applications, and setting up access control and door lock systems, as well as IP cameras in data centers and server rooms.

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey has announced to institute a welfare fund for climbers.

Felicitating climber Phunjo Jhangmu Lama and other mountaineers in Kathmandu on Sunday, he said a welfare fund would be established for social security and promotion of mountaineering.

At a felicitation program organized by Chumnubri Rural Municipality of Gorkha, Lama was honored for setting a record by climbing Mount Everest in the shortest time (14 hours and 31 minutes).

Minister Pandey also honored other mountaineers, including Mingmar Tshering Lama, Nangsel Chhodon Lama, Nanu Maya Gurung, Diki Lhamu Lama and Yukta Gurung.