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The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has raided a call center at Satdobato in Lalitpur and arrested 53 persons including two Indian nationals on the charge of operating an online gambling den.

CIB Spokesperson, Deputy Superintendent of Police Hobindra Bogati, said the 53 persons were arrested on the charge of operating an online casino.

According to spokesman Bogati, an investigation is underway in this connection and further investigation would be launched after seeking extension of detention period from the court.

Eighty-five laptop computers and 82 mobile phones have been confiscated from the accused, DSP Bogati said, adding that it was found that they had also been operating illegal activities.

Desserts complete a meal. After you have had a nice dinner, there’s nothing like a slice of gooey cake with caramel drizzled on top to make you feel like your soul has been nourished. Other times, you are just in the mood for something sweet. You aren’t hungry but you want to indulge in something delicious after a particularly tough meeting or on a lazy Sunday afternoon when you want to spend some time by yourself. Here are five places you can head to if you are in the mood for some perfectly crafted cakes and desserts.

Singma Cafe

A food court of sorts serving warm, wholesome meals, Singma Cafe in Jhamsikhel has the best cheesecakes. The items are slightly on the pricier side but the taste more than makes up for it. The Japanese Cotton Cheesecake and Blueberry Cheesecake are crowd favorites at the cafe. The Apple Crumble Pie also deserves a special mention. They aren’t very sweet but hit all the right notes. 

Capital Grill 

Capital Grill or Jimbu Thakali is a busy place, especially during lunch and dinner time. You might have heard of it as a place that serves Nepali khana. But a few years ago, they added some really nice desserts on their menu. From homemade vanilla cake to churros, there’s a neat selection. Some come with ice cream on top and some are bathed in caramel sauce. You won’t be disappointed.

Ama Bakery

This little busy place has two outlets in Kathmandu, one in Boudha and the other in Swayambhu. The Swiss Roll and Dora cake are just the things you might want to grab if you are in the mood for a sweet dessert that feels like a meal. They will tide you over till dinner. They are moderately sweet and you won’t feel like you overdosed on the sweet stuff. They also have slices of banana bread and coconut cake for just Rs 30. Actually, everything here is reasonably priced and the taste is outstanding.

Herman Helmers 

Breads, cookies, cakes, Herman Helmers has all your bakery needs sorted. There are many kinds of breads, cookies, cakes, and healthy treats available here. Their smoothly whipped cream that just melts in your mouth makes their cakes stand out. There are all kinds of varieties of cakes and Swiss Rolls as well with the option of buying small portions if you don’t want the whole thing. You will be spoilt for choice. They also have eggless and sugar-free versions available on request.

Makoo Bakery

Located in Jawalakhel, Makoo Bakery is a perfect spot to sip on some instant coffee or tea and indulge in a slice of cake or two. We recommend the Chocolate Snap which, when heated a little, is just the right consistency. The varieties of pastries on display will make you want to try everything and you can pick one without much thought as they all taste really good. It’s not an expensive place and that’s always a good thing.

A four-lane concrete bridge and access road have been constructed over the Mahakali River for the dry port under development in Dodhara Chandani. A six-lane, eight-kilometer-long road now connects Gaddachauki—the terminus of the East-West Highway—to the dry port site at Malaria Nala in Dodhara-Chandani-1. Additionally, an agreement was made to build a pond alongside the bridge and road. Two ponds, each 2,600 meters long, are currently under construction on either side of the bridge to enhance the area’s appeal as a tourist destination. However, the Mahakali River remains undammed for the ponds.

The absence of a dam has caused challenges. In 2021, flooding in the Mahakali River destroyed the access road, also known as the viral road. The original design included guide bunds (dams) on both sides of the bridge, constructed with stones weighing over 250 kilograms. However, due to the unavailability of such large stones, the bunds were built using gabion mesh and plum concrete, which were subsequently destroyed by floods in September last year. This prompted the Mahakali Bridge Planning Office to revise the dam’s design twice.

The Mahakali River spans two kilometers in width in this area, with an 800-meter bridge crossing it. The ponds under construction on either side are 2,600 meters long and 600 meters wide. The northern dam, located near Bhimdatta Municipality, was destroyed by flooding, and its reconstruction is yet to be completed.

Technicians are now considering building a concrete dam after the plum concrete structure was washed away. During a flood event, when the river’s flow reached 461,000 cusecs, approximately 200 meters of the dam were destroyed. Three years ago, the river’s flow peaked at 547,000 cusecs, flooding villages and damaging infrastructure. Bhimdatta Municipality-11, 12, 13 were submerged. Without timely construction of a dam, there is a significant risk of future floods destroying the bridge’s access road and entering nearby settlements.

Criticism has also been directed at the original bridge design. Both the construction company and the bridge project team have conducted studies and prepared reports on the pond dam’s collapse. The bridge planning office has attributed the failure to delays in design approval, budget releases, and variations in construction plans.

Sub-engineer Durgadutta Awasthi of the Mahakali Bridge Planning Office emphasized the urgency of rebuilding the guide bund before the next monsoon. “If the collapsed dam is not rebuilt in time, additional risks will arise during the coming monsoon,” he said. “The construction company has been unable to proceed due to delays in approving design variations. If the dam is not completed by May, other structures here are also at risk.” The office has already forwarded the file for variation approval to the ministry.

Engineer Kishor Pandey from Kumar Shrestha CFEC JV, the construction company, explained that work has stalled due to pending approvals for the revised design. “The new design was approved in April last year, but the variation remains unresolved despite repeated requests,” said Pandey. He warned that further delays could lead to catastrophic damage. “We started construction on credit, hoping for government approval. The flood caused a loss exceeding Rs 100, and we have yet to receive compensation due to the lack of variation approval.”

The company has written to the Mahakali Bridge Project and the Prime Minister’s Office, stating that work cannot resume immediately. Locals fear that if the dam is not reconstructed before the monsoon, nearby settlements will face severe risks.

Ward Chairperson Ram Bahadur Bohara of Bhimdatta-13 highlighted the potential displacement of over 1,100 households in his ward. “Last September’s flood diverted the Mahakali River toward the settlement,” he said. “The government must urgently construct the Bhujela River dam; otherwise, the monsoon could bring even greater destruction.” Similarly, Ward Chair Bhupendra Singh Rawal of Bhimdatta-12 warned of escalating damage if work is delayed further. “Locals here are already living in fear of the floods,” he said.

Two hundred meters of blacktop work remains incomplete in the Gaddachauki area of the access road. While the concrete bridge infrastructure for the Dodhara Chandani dry port was completed last year, other associated structures are still under construction. According to the original agreement, the 800-meter bridge, the eight-kilometer access road, and four ponds were to be completed by September 2020. However, five extensions have been granted, and a sixth is under process. The initial construction cost of Rs 3.27bn has increased by an additional Rs 1bn due to design changes.

Once the dry port and integrated check post are operational, they are expected to significantly boost trade, directly connecting Sudurpaschim Province to India. Industrialists in the region anticipate enhanced access to New Delhi and Rudrapur’s industrial area in Uttarakhand, spurring economic growth in the Sudurpaschim.

 At least 53 people have been killed after a powerful earthquake struck a remote region of Tibet on Tuesday morning, according to Chinese state media, with tremors felt in neighboring Nepal and parts of northern India, CNN reported.

The United States Geological Society (USGS) said the 7.1-magnitude quake struck at 9:05 a.m. local time and was followed by multiple aftershocks.

Both the USGS and the China Earthquake Networks Center gave the epicenter location high up in the remote Tibetan plateau close to the Himalayan border with Nepal.

Another 62 people were injured in the quake, while more than 1,000 houses were damaged in Tingri county, where the epicenter is located, state news agency Xinhua reported.

Chinese social media videos geolocated by CNN showed damaged roofs, shop fronts and debris piling on the streets of Lhatse county, some 86 kilometers (53 miles) from the epicenter. Some cars and motorcycles parked along the road were also damaged, the footage showed, according to CNN.

The region close to the epicenter is sparsely populated but small villages are nestled in the remote and often hard to access Himalayan valleys. About 6,900 people are estimated to live in 27 villages within a 20-km (12-miles) radius of the epicenter, according to Xinhua.

Surveillance camera footage at a supermarket in Shigatse shared by Xinhua captured the moment the quake struck, with customers running outside as goods fell from quivering shelves.

Rescue teams including the Chinese air force have joined in search efforts, state broadcaster CCTV reported. Three villages had lost their phone signals by noon, according to the broadcaster, CNN reported.

A total of 49 aftershocks were recorded as of noon Monday, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

In a statement following the quake, Chinese leader Xi Jinping called on officials to make all-out efforts to search and rescue survivors, minimize casualties, properly accommodate affected residents, and ensure their safety and warmth in the winter cold.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has urged all to stay alert and safe in the wake of the earthquake.

Taking to social media early this morning, PM Oli said, "Nepal is witnessing earthquakes of varying scales in recent days, so everyone needs to be alert and adopt safety."

An earthquake measuring 7 Richter scale with its epicenter in Tibet shook various districts in Nepal, including the federal capital, Kathmandu. It occurred at 6:50 am today.

An earthquake measuring 7.0 in Richter scale with its epicenter at Dinggye County of Tibet, China shook the federal capital of Nepal, Kathmandu.

Lok Bijay Adhikari, a senior Divisional Seismologist at Department of Minerals and Geology said.

The tremor occurred at 6:50 am panicked people mostly in the eastern hilly districts including Solukhumbu, Okhaldhunga, Khotang, Sankhuwasabha, Bhojpur and even in Tarai.

A local from Salleri, headquarters of Solukhumbu district, said that although the earthquake occurred for a long moment, there was not any damage at Salleri Bazaar.

Solukhumbu district borders Tibet, China.

The tremor was felt in the Kathmandu Valley and vicinity, forcing people to rush to streets.

A Buddha Air plane with 72 passengers and four crew members, which had departed from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) for Chandragadhi, Jhapa, returned safely to TIA today.

The flight was diverted back after an issue was detected in the aircraft's left engine, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) TIA office.

The flight took off at 10:37 am and made a safe return and landing at TIA at 11:15 am, the office confirmed in a statement.

The Janamat Party has formed a two-member task force to establish an alliance with Madhesh-centric parties.

The task force, consisting of the party's central vice-chair Abdul Khan and spokesperson Sharad Singh Yadav, was formed following a decision by the party's central secretariat committee in this regard.

The task force's role is to initiate dialogues and foster cooperation among Madhesh-centric parties, particularly in light of recent calls for amendments to the Constitution.

Earlier, on Sunday, the Loktantrik Socialist Party also formed a committee to pursue unity and potential unification with parties that share similar political agenda and ideologies.