Unidentified group torches school bus in Chitwan
A group of unidentified persons set a school bus on fire at Dadreni in Bharatpur Metropolitan City-26, Chitwan on Sunday.
The group set ablaze the bus of Seven Heaven School of Kalyanpur this morning, police said.
The bus was completely destroyed in the fire.
Further investigation into the incident is underway, said police.
Gold price increases by Rs 500 per tola on Sunday
The price of gold has increased by Rs 500 per tola in the domestic market on Sunday.
According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 138, 400 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 135, 600 per tola on Thursday.
Similarly, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 137, 750 per tola. It was traded at Rs 134, 950 per tola.
Meanwhile, the silver is being traded at Rs 1, 725 per tola today.
Kami Rita Sherpa breaks his own record, scales Everest for 29th time
Kami Rita Sherpa broke his own record by climbing Mt Everest for the 29th time on Sunday.
He reached atop the 8,848-meter Everest at 7: 25 am today.
According to the Department of Tourism, he had gone to climb the world’s highest peak as a senior high-altitude guide of a group of VVIPs.
It has been said that Sherpa has the responsibility to take the members of two companies—Seven Summits and 14 Peaks—to the top of Everest.
Sherpa (54) was born in Thame of Solukhumbu.
He stood atop the roof of the world for the 28th time in the spring season last year.
After Sherpa, Pasang Dawa Sherpa, also from Solukhumbu, holds the record for the most ascents of the world’s tallest peak.
Pasang Dawa climbed Sagarmatha for the 27th time last year.
Kamirita first climbed Mt Everest in 1994, while Pasang Dawa in 1998.
One killed in Battisputali gang fight
A man died in a gang fight between two groups at Kumari Tola in Battisputali of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-9 on Saturday.
The deceased has been identified as Sambhu Dhimal (24) of Morang, Nawaraj Adhikari, spokesperson at the District Police Range, Kathmandu, informed.
“A person died in a gang fight between two groups last night. Four persons have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the incident. Investigation into the incident is underway,” he said.
The body of Dhimal has been kept at the Maharajgunj-based Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for postmortem, Adhikari informed.
Heavy rainfall likely in Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini
The weather is partly to generally cloudy in Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces.
Some places of Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini are experiencing light to moderate rain with thunder, storm and lightning.
This is due to the effect of the westerly and local winds as well as the low-pressure system formed around Bihar in India, says the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.
The weather will remain partly to generally cloudy across the country this afternoon, with light to moderate rain accompanied by thunder and lightning in some parts of the country. There is a possibility of heavy rain at one or two places in Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini.
Late tonight, the weather will remain partly to general cloudy across the country. There is a possibility of light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning at some places of Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini provinces as well as at one or two places of the remaining provinces.
In the next 24 hours, there is a possibility of light to moderate rain with lightning in some parts of the country, according to the weather bulletin issued by the department this morning.
105 crocodiles released into Rapti river
A total of 105 crocodiles of the Gharial species have been released into the Rapti river. The crocodiles were raised at the crocodile breeding center of Chitwan National Park.
Crocodiles were raised in the breeding center with an aim of helping in the conservation of Gharial crocodiles, since the rate of survival and growth in the natural habitat is low, said information officer of the park, Ganesh Prasad Tiwari.
Established in the year 2035 BS, the Gharial Crocodile Breeding Center has so far released 1,957 crocodiles in different rivers of the country. So far, 1,222 crocodiles were released in the Rapti River, 419 in Narayani River, 110 in Babai, 115 in Saptakoshi, 35 in Kaligandaki, 41 in Karnali, 10 in West Rapti River of Banke National Park, and 25 in Chaudhar river of Shuklaphanta National Park.
According to information officer Tiwari there are currently 622 crocodiles in Gharial breeding center.
Gharial Crocodile (Gavialis gangeticus) belongs to the Crocodylia Order and Crocodylidae Family. The reptile is native to Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Pakistan. It is listed as a critically endangered species in the IUCN Red List category and Appendix I of CITES, according to the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation.
However, the number of crocodiles has not increased even though they are raised in the breeding center and released into the river. Conservation has become a challenge due to human activities and the crocodiles flowing across the border into India.
Arjun, Santosh release new song
Singer Arjun Sapkota and lyricist Santosh Sapkota have released a new music video titled ‘Baseu Alakkai’. The song features female singer Shanti Shree Pariyar alongside Arjun Sapkota, Garima Sharma, and Biraj Banskota in the cast.
The music is composed by Arjun Sapkota, with arrangement, mixing, and mastering handled by HBN Kismat. Recordist Raj Khadka contributes to the production. Additionally, instrumentalists include Madan Regmi on Madal, Hemanta Kanchha Rasaily on Sarangi, and Gopal Dev on Flute. The music video has featured Shibu Pandey and Badal Ghimire as guest artists.
With the song, Santosh Sapkota has debuted as a songwriter. Santosh, now 26, has also been working as a social media manager for several well-known faces in Nepal and India.
Born in Parbat, Santosh completed his schooling in Rupandehi and moved to Bangalore, India, to receive a diploma in mechanical engineering in 2013. Little did he know that his career would totally change. Completing the diploma in 2015, Santosh worked for two years in Bangalore as a service supervisor in Sri Manjunatha Pipes and returned to Nepal in 2018. In Nepal, he got his hands on a job as a service advisor in one of the companies of Agni Group, namely Agni Motoinc Pvt Ltd. But things took a different route in 2017 when he became an admin of the Facebook fan page for Arujn Sapkota, his cousin who had started his journey as a Nepali folk singer. He was unable to complete his engineering studies due to some family and financial issues. Nevertheless, he had not lost his hope.
Santosh’s journey showcases the unpredictable paths life can take. Despite facing challenges and detours, he found a new passion in songwriting.
India lays foundation stone to build High Impact Community Development Projects in Baitadi, Nepal
Gauri Singh Rawal, Mayor, Patan Municipality and Shri Avinash Kumar Singh, First Secretary, Embassy of India, Kathmandu laid the foundation stone for the construction of Shree Bhumeshwor Secondary School Building at Patan Municipality-4, Baitadi District, Nepal.
It is being built with Government of India’s financial assistance at the tendered cost of Rs 31.05 million under ‘Nepal-India Development Cooperation’.
Political representatives, government officials, social workers, representatives of the school management, teachers, parents and students were also present on this occasion, reads a statement issued by the Embassy of India in Kathmandu.
The Government of India grant under ‘Nepal-India Development Cooperation’ is being utilized for the construction of double storied school building Block-A and Block-C with other facilities for this school.
The project is taken up as a High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP), under an Agreement between Government of India and Government of Nepal.
This project is being implemented through Patan Municipality, Baitadi.
The project is an important example of the robust development partnership between India and Nepal.
Mayor Rawal in his remarks appreciated the continued developmental support of the Government of India in upliftment of the people of Nepal in priority sectors.
The new school buildings would be useful in providing better education facilities to students of Shree Bhumeshwor Secondary School in Patan Municipality, Baitadi and would create an improved environment for learning as well as contribute to the development of the education in this area.
Since 2003, Government of India has taken up over 551 HICDPs in Nepal in various sectors and has completed 490 projects.
Amongst these, 40 projects are in Sudurpashchim Province in various sectors, including 2 projects in Baitadi.
In addition to these, the Government of India has gifted 1009 ambulances and 300 school buses to various hospitals, health posts and educational institutions in Nepal on the occasion of Independence Day and Republic Day of India.
Amongst these, 68 ambulances and 29 school buses have been gifted in Sudurpashchim Province, including 5 ambulances provided in Baitadi District.
As close neighbors, India and Nepal share wide-ranging and multi-sectoral cooperation.
The implementation of HICDPs reflects the continued support of the Government of India in bolstering the efforts of the Government of Nepal in upliftment of its people, augmenting infrastructure in the field of priority sectors, especially in the education sector in Nepal.