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The Ministry of Health and Population has said that Nepal falls under the risk of infection of monkeypox (mpox).

According to Ministry Spokesperson Dr Prakash Budhathoki, the infection is spreading rapidly in neighboring India and in this context, Nepal too is vulnerable to it.

Last year, one 60-year-old foreigner (female) was diagnosed with the mpox virus in Nepal.

The Ministry has already consulted with the experts concerned regarding preparations required for its prevention.

Budhathoki said that health desks based along the air and border transits and the federal, provincial and local levels have been instructed to remain vigilant to the infection risk and take measures accordingly. 

The Ministry has designated hospitals and doctors in all seven provinces for the prevention and management of the infection.

Since the past few days, the African country Congo is battling with Clade 1b. This variant of mpox is considered to be deadly. Since January this year, it has killed 548 people.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared a health emergency over the spread of the virus.

Mpox spreads through direct contact with the infected person or animal, skin-to-skin contact with mpox rash or scabs from an infected, contact with fluid and saliva from the body of an infected, clothing, towels, beddings or objects used by the infected.

Fever, skin rash and bumps in between one and three days of the infection which appears in the face, palm and feet as well, headache, muscle ache, bone ache, chills, and swollen lymph nodes are the symptoms of mpox. It may lead to the loss of eyesight, pneumonia, brain fever, miscarriage (among pregnant) and even death.

The Ministry has hoped for a high level of cooperation from the civic- level in terms of adopting health protocols to prevent the risk which is, as the Ministry said, possible, if the civic are ready for that. 

Three members of a family were killed in a landslide at Majhgaun in Nalgad Municipality-2 of Jajarkot on Monday.  

The deceased have been identified as Lal Bahadur Pariyar (42), Manisa Pariyar (34) and their two-year-old son Shivam Pariyar of Nalgad-2.

Nalgad Municipality Mayor Dambar Rawat said that they were staying in a temporary shelter constructed for the earthquake victims.

A police team led by Inspector Madhav Prasad Chaudhary of the Area Police Office Dalli has reached the incident site, said Mayor Rawat.

The Embassy of Nepal in Ottawa has advised Nepali students planning to study in Canada to exercise caution and thoroughly prepare before embarking on their educational journey. 

The embassy’s advisory comes at a time when international students in Canada are facing unprecedented hardships due to a lack of jobs and rising accommodation prices. The Nepali mission has advised students to carefully study the notice that the embassy published in the last week of April. “Prospective students are advised to conduct thorough research about their chosen college, field of study, associated costs, and the city where the institution is located. Don’t rely on unrealistic, insufficient, or exaggerated promotional materials, as this may lead to various problems upon arrival,” the advisory reads.

The embassy has advised students to gather information from relatives, friends, senior or former students, social media networks and Nepali diaspora organizations in the relevant cities before departing for Canada. This, according to the embassy, will help students better understand the local environment, education system, expenses, housing availability and employment prospects.

The Nepali mission has also advised parents to make adequate arrangements for their children’s tuition, accommodation and living expenses before sending them off to Canada. It added that the misconception that employment can be easily secured immediately upon arrival has landed many students in trouble.

Stating that there is increasing pressure on student housing and employment opportunities across Canada due to a growing number of international students, the embassy has advised students to secure accommodation before arrival and warned against making advance payments based solely on social media advertisements.

The embassy has advised students to be prepared for extreme cold during the winter months and gather information about the local climate beforehand. “Students also need to familiarize themselves with local customs and practices related to daily life in Canada to ease their transition,” it added.

Furthermore, the embassy has emphasized the importance of being well-informed about the quality and credibility of educational institutions before paying tuition fees. Students are also advised to verify landlord information before making any rental payments to avoid falling victim to scams, it added.

Canada has decided to reduce the intake of international students by 35 percent for two years starting September to address pressure on its housing and health sector. It is also discontinuing work permits for undergraduate students enrolled in private-public partnership colleges starting September.

“Students should be aware of their rights and seek legal recourse if they face labor exploitation, abuse, or fraud in the workplace,” it added.

Canada had 1.04m international students in 2023, according to the Canadian Bureau of International Education. Nepalis accounted for two percent of the community that year, according to the Bureau. The number of Nepali students grew by a whopping 166 percent in 2023 compared to 2022.

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

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 152, 300 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 152, 600 per tola on Thursday.

The silver is being traded at Rs 1,810 per tola today.

The Bharatpur-based BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital has started providing 'CT Scan Service' in extra time. With this, patients do not need to wait for the 'CT Scan' service at the hospital.

Before this, patients had to wait for a week to access this service from the hospital that has been daily undertaking 60 to 70 CT scans of patients.

Chief of the Hospital's Radiology Department Dr Nitu Sharma said compulsion to wait for the turn has been ended when two vacant positions of radiologist got filled and mobilized for providing service in extra time. She said, "After new management was in place, the two vacant posts were fulfilled. With this, 12 hours of service from 8 am to 8 pm has begun", the Department Chief informed.

The department has a total of seven radiologists. Earlier, there was an issue of service delivery when only five radiologists had to provide service during office hours.

Now, the patients have to wait for just two days to access MRI service, she said, adding earlier the patients had to wait for two weeks to get MRI service.

There is no need to wait for the video X-ray now. Earlier, only one radiologist used to provide the video X-ray service, but now there are two dedicated persons to deliver the service, Dr Sharma added.

Shahida MacDougall is the Country Director of British Council Nepal. She has previously worked with the British Council under various roles in countries such as Tanzania, Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka. In this interview, Shreya Shrestha of ApEx talks to MacDougall about her experience, motive and programs that the British Council has organized in Nepal. Excerpts:

The British Council has been in Nepal since 1959. How would you summarize the key contributions and milestones of the British Council in Nepal over the past 65 years?

The British Council has been a key partner in Nepal since 1959. Over these 65 years, we have supported Nepal’s government and people with our work in English language, education, arts and culture. We started first as a British Library, and since then, we've impacted millions through education and skills programs utilizing our UK expertise and global presence across over 100 countries. In the 60s and 70s, we introduced UK literature and education models, including Budhanilkantha School.

In the 90s, we advanced English language initiatives, like Cambridge A Levels, and helped form Nepal English Language, Nepal English Language Teachers Association (NELTA) and Association of British Alumni (ABAN). 

We’ve supported the EU-funded Dakchyata project for vocational training and the School Sector Development Plan, focusing on Nepal’s strategic priorities for graduation and positioning for the Middle Income Country by 2030. Our current work with youth, particularly women, is crucial in skills development and collaborations in English, education, arts, culture, and UK qualifications.

In the 1970s and 1980s, the British Council played a significant role in institutionalizing English education in Nepal. How did these initiatives shape the current state of English language education in the country?

The Government of Nepal endorsed the National Education System Plan (1971–76), which made English a compulsory subject in the school curriculum from Grade 4 up to the undergraduate level. We played a key role in supporting this agenda. We trained university-level English teachers and designed various teacher training programs. We also provided scholarships to hundreds of professionals who studied in the UK and now influence English education policy in Nepal.

Tribhuvan University graduates capable English teachers, scholarship recipients shape English education policy, and NELTA forums benefit for teachers across seven provinces, improve English skills for marginalized girls for better jobs, standardized assessments like listening and speaking, and provide access to international exams like IELTS and A Levels.

Last year, we researched the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs of teacher educators to enhance teacher training and classroom quality and are now developing a competency framework with Center for Education and Human resource Development (CEHRD).  We’re working with all levels of government to improve English teaching and assessment. We’re also partnering with other organizations to extend our reach to marginalized and remote areas, supporting the School Education Sector Plan (SESP).

How has the British Council promoted cultural exchange between Nepal and the UK, and what impact has this had on fostering mutual understanding and collaboration?

The British Council has a rich history of fostering cultural exchange between Nepal and the UK. The main mission is about creating people’s connection because its mutual benefit is not just only for Nepal but also for people in the UK. Over the past decades, we’ve continued to be that bridge between our nations and cultures through various programs.

It connects artists and cultural sectors from both countries. Each year, we send Nepali artists to the UK for art programs and festivals to expand their networks. For instance, this year, we supported a Nepali filmmaker to attend the Sheffield Documentary Film Festival and sent two other artists to festivals and residencies. Our Culture Responds program focuses on diverse groups, including youth, women, disabled individuals, and LGBTIQA+ people. Over the past three years, we’ve worked with UK and Nepalis partners to support green business entrepreneurs through our ‘In Our Hands’. We’ve helped over 80 teams develop green business ideas and supported 17 teams with research and prototyping.

Since 2017, we’ve organized the Women of the World Festival in Nepal, focusing on gender issues. This major arts-culture festival has reached over 25,000 people. This year, we’re hosting the 7th edition in Kathmandu, in partnership with Kathmandu Metropolitan City. Projects include Maithili relief sculptures, archival work in Dolpo, the Kusunda language, and food heritage among Nepal’s indigenous communities are being promoted.

The Dakchyata project focuses on skills development in agriculture, construction, and tourism. How has this project impacted these industries in Nepal, and what are the future plans for similar initiatives?

The EU-funded Dakchyata Technical Vocational Educational Training (TVET) Practical Partnership Project, run by the British Council, aimed to enhance public-private partnerships in TVET, focusing on agriculture, construction, and tourism sectors for Nepal’s economic growth. 

The project trained 6,750 individuals (29 percent female, 47 percent aged 15-24) and developed an Occupational Demand Tool. For the first time in Nepal, five private sector federations, including construction and tourism associations, worked together on skills development and also assisted with the Ministry of Education Science and Technology in creating the 10-year TVET Strategic Reform Plan, shaping the sector for the next decade.

In partnership with UNDP, ILO, and IOM, we up-skilled over 2,000 returnee migrant workers, aiding their reintegration into Nepal’s economy during Covid-19. Our public information campaigns reached over 2.2m people through TVET festivals, broadcasts, social media, and digital platforms, raising awareness about TVET among young people.

How has the British Council’s role in providing technical assistance to projects like the School Sector Development Plan influenced Nepal’s education system?

The British Council has supported Nepal’s SSDP, aiming for inclusive, quality education and federalism. Since 2019, technical assistance has improved teacher development, assessment, curriculum reform, and Education Management Information System (EMIS). A teacher mentoring system has been developed, enhancing local officials’ capacity and supporting government delivery.

During the Covid pandemic, we modeled interventions around remote teaching by developing national strategies and guidelines, training teacher trainers, and enhancing CEHRD’s online learning portal. Our work included developing handbooks and assessing the portal’s accessibility to support safe online learning.

We also contributed to national reforms, including the development of a national assessment framework, improvement of the Grade 8 examination with 3,000 test items, and training local officials on administering the exam. We improved the EMIS system and trained 1,000 educators. In partnership with UNICEF, we are supporting the government and developing multilingual education standards and capacity building for teachers.

What has been your personal journey with the British Council, and how do you see your role contributing to its mission in Nepal? 

I’ve been with the British Council for over 11 years. The individual has experienced the transformative power of education and cultural exchange, driving their career with the British Council. As Country Director, we are here as trusted partners to support the government’s strategic objectives by building people-to-people connections, collaborating with government agencies, educational institutions, and development partners to enhance English language education, cultural exchanges, and educational reforms.

Additionally, I’m committed to driving innovation within our program. This means exploring new approaches and solutions that can address emerging challenges and opportunities. A significant part of my role also involves nurturing a collaborative and inclusive environment within our team, celebrating and embracing diversity. 

Ultimately, my goal as Country Director is to ensure that the British Council’s work in Nepal continues to make a positive difference. By leveraging my experience, focusing on strategic partnerships, and fostering innovation, I believe we can contribute significantly to Nepal’s educational and cultural development and ultimately continue strengthening the bonds of mutual understanding between our two nations.

Four persons died when a landslide buried a house at Tumeda in Bungal Municipality-10, Bajhang in the wee hours of Monday.

Kali Dhami, Golki Dhami, Ashika Dhami and Laxmi Dhami lost their lives after a landslide buried their house at around 1 am today, according to police.

The District Police Office, Bajhang informed that the locals and a team of Jhapa Police Post retrieved the bodies of all of them at 7: 20 am.

The house was completely damaged in the incident.

There were nine people in the house when the incident took place.

Bira Dhami, Ujjwal Dhami, Roshan Dhami, Kamala Dhami and Shanti Dhami were rescued with the locals immediately after the incident.

Janai Purnima also known as the sacred thread festival is being observed across the country on Monday.

On the occasion, Hindu Brahmins and Chhetris who have undergone Bratabandha (hair shaving ceremony) change the sacred thread (janai) and also tie sacred thread around the wrist of the right hand.

It is also believed that this thread should be removed only on the day of Laxmi Puja that falls during Laxmi Puja in Tihar.

Janai Purnima is also popularly known as Rakshya Bandan.

On this day, sisters offer rakhi (a symbol of protection) to their brothers.