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Poachers killed two rhinos in the Chitwan National Park.

Two female rhinos were found dead with their horns removed in the area, 3.5 kilometers south-east of Chaparchuli Post under the east sector of the CNP, said the CNP information officer Ganesh Tiwari.

They were killed by trapping them into ditches, he said.

"One of the deceased rhinos was six-year-old and another 18 years old. The horn of the six-year-old rhino was cut, and the horn of another one was removed."

It has appeared that the six-year-old rhino was trapped to death in a new ditch some three days ago, and another into an old ditch some 10 days ago, he said. Investigations have been launched after taking details of the incident on Thursday evening, he said.

This year, five rhinos died natural death. Last year, poachers killed two rhinos in the Amaltari area.

Following the decision of the government to ban TikTok in Nepal, the TikTok has expressed its concerns through an email to the Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA).

TikTok on Monday had sent a letter addressing NTA Chairman Purushottam Khanal.

The government on November 13 had decided to ban TikTok in Nepal over what it says is disturbing “social harmony”.

The TikTok was informed about the decision on October 27 through the authority.

In response, Tiktok said that it was surprised by the government’s decision and asked the real reasons for imposing the ban.

“It is with great concern that we acknowledge the email received from your office today regarding the Government of Nepal's decision to block/ban TikTok,” reads the email sent to Khanal by Ferdous Mottakin, the Head of Public Policy and Government Relations for South Asia on November 13.

 “We were as surprised as we’re sure the millions of Nepal citizens were, who have been a part of our community expressing their creativity and joy through the platform.”

“In a very short span of time, we have been embraced by people of all regions, cultures, and socio-economic strata in Nepal who utilize our platform to get informed, entertained, and inspired.

“This ban will not just hamper our investment plans, it will also have a severe economic impact on our Nepali content creators, especially young adults. Nepali businesses, who have relied heavily on TikTok, use our platform to market their products and keep their businesses afloat. As a result of this ban, these businesses will be significantly affected as well.”

"User safety is TikTok's top priority. We are committed to promoting a safe and welcoming environment for our community,” it said. “As a global platform, we have thousands of people across the globe where TikTok operates working to maintain a safe environment for our users. We address content and behavior that violate our Community Guidelines through a combination of policies, technology, and moderation, which may include removing contents and accounts.”

The email further states that a team of TikTok had visited Nepal on November 3, 2023 and held a meeting with the Ministry of Home Affairs for Cyber Crime Control and Cyber Security.

During the meeting, the team presented detailed working progress, moderation process and collaboration commitment with the government of Nepal.

“We conducted an Internet Safety Summit in Kathmandu on October 5, 2023 in presence of a wide range of stakeholders including non-profits, TikTok creators, civil society, law enforcement officials and government representatives,” the email further reads.

“We signed an MoU with Nepal Telecommunications Authority on October 5, 2023 to jointly conduct an internet safety awareness campaign in Nepal.”

“We opened up the access of the ‘Trust and Safety Enforcement Tool’ to the Government of Nepal on June 7, 2023 to ensure the government can report any content that they find is violative of local laws.”

It also stated that TikTok was registered as a Digital Service Tax payer in Nepal on August 29, 2023.

“We proactively removed 2.98 million videos from our platform in Nepal between October 2022 to June 2023 for violating our Community Guidelines.”

“We conducted multiple physical workshops for NTA, CIB and Cyber Bureau to enhance their knowledge and understanding of our platform. We also opened up the ‘Trust and Safety Enforcement Tool for Cyber Security recently,” according to the letter.

“Furthermore, the decision to ban TikTok contradicts the Government of Nepal’s current continued engagement with us.”

Seven persons died and 330 others were injured in 266 road accidents that occurred in a period between October 28 and November 16 in the Kathmandu Valley.

According to the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, 74 vehicles met with accidents on their own while 192 occurred due to collisions with other vehicles.

The number of vehicles that met with accidents on their own in Kathmandu is 39 while 94 accidents occurred due to collisions with other vehicles.

In Lalitpur, 19 vehicles met with accidents on their own while 30 vehicles collided with other vehicles.

In Bhaktapur, 16 vehicles met with accidents on their own while 68 vehicles collided with other vehicles.

Meanwhile, police have arrested 108 persons involved in these accidents, SP Dinesh Raj Mainali of the Kathmandu Valley Police Office, said.

Two persons were killed in separate road accidents in Sunsari.

A person died and three others were injured in a tempo accident at Malpot Chowk in Dharan Sub Metropolitan City-6, said the police.

The deceased has been identified as Padam Bahadur Limbu (34) of Kerabari Rural Municipality-5 in Morang district.

He died at Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Nabin Krishna Bhandari.

The tragedy occurred when the tempo (Ko 2 Ha 5565) skidded off the road.

All the injured are receiving treatment at the hospital, said Bhandari.

Police said that they have been searching for the absconding driver.

Similarly, a man died after being hit by a motorcycle (Ba 27 Pa 8701) at Inaruwa in Sunsari.

The deceased has been identified as Bal Kumar Khatiwada (60) of Inaruwa-3. He breathed his last at the Biratnagar-based Nobel Hospital, said the police. 

Two persons died and four others were injured when a tempo met with an accident at Totkesal in Achham last night.

The deceased have been identified as Dipak Bohara of Kamalbazaar Municipality-4, driver of the ill-fated vehicle, and a passenger Janak Khadka.

They died on the way to the district hospital, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Santosh Pathak.

The injured are receiving treatment at a health institute at Kamalbazaar, he said.

The vehicle (Sudurpaschim Province 01001 Ha 5545) was heading towards Dailekh from Kamalbazaar when the incident occurred.

President Ram Chandra Paudel received tika from his younger sisters Sharada Pandit and Chanda Ojha on the occasion of Bhai Tika festival today.

He received tika from his two younger sisters at the auspicious hour of 10.51 am at the President House, Sheetal Niwas, said the President's Private Secretariat.

The Nepal Calendar Determination Committee had fixed 10.51 am today as the auspicious time for receiving the Bhai Tika.

As per the time-honored tradition, sisters put the seven-colored tika on the forehead of their brothers and garland them while the brothers also do the same to their sisters on the occasion of Bhai Tika, the last day of the five-day Yamapanchak or Tihar festival.

The most important day of Tihar, the festival of lights, is being marked today with sisters offering 'tika' to their brothers.

Sisters throughout the country offer 'tika' to their brothers wishing them happiness, long life and prosperity on the occasion of Bhai tika. In return, the brothers pledged to protect their sisters from all kinds of adversities.

The auspicious hour for offering the 'tika' is 10: 51 am this year.

It, however, can be held until sunset. On this day, brothers are seated at a specially anointed place around which a trail of mustard oil is drawn.

The sisters then offer the brothers 'tika' and garlands of 'Dubo' and 'Makhamali'. After placing colorful 'tika' on the foreheads of their brothers, sisters offer them a treat consisting of varieties of sweets, walnut, spices and 'Sel', a special kind of bread cooked in oil.

Brothers also offer their sisters 'tika' in return, wish them happiness and good luck, and give them presents.

The occasion commemorates a legendary event in which a sister has won a boon from 'Yama', the deity of death that her brother would not die until the mustard oil is dried up and the garland of 'Dubo' and 'Makhamali' faded.

The Bhaitika tradition is so strong in Nepali society that even those who have no brothers or sisters of their own receive tika from others whom they regard as brothers and sisters.  

I’m a 35-year-old man and I’m struggling to balance my duties as a son and a husband. My wife doesn’t get along with my mother and my mother isn’t particularly fond of my wife either. They get into arguments very often and both of them expect me to take their side every time. I try to stay out of their issues but I feel like it’s my responsibility to sort things out between them. I feel helpless when I can’t. What can I do?

Answered by Rishav Koirala, psychiatrist and researcher

Balancing the relationship between your mother and your wife can be a formidable challenge. To address this conflict effectively, initiating open and honest conversations with both your wife and your mother is a crucial first step. This allows you to seek their perspectives and express your concerns openly. 

It’s essential to establish clear boundaries that encourage both parties to interact civilly and respectfully, even if they don’t become the best of friends. If conflicts persist and mediating becomes difficult, consider seeking professional help, such as couples counseling or family therapy, which can provide a neutral space for everyone to express their feelings and work towards resolutions.

Moreover, it’s important to encourage your wife and mother to develop their relationship with each other. While they may not become close friends, fostering some understanding and mutual respect can significantly improve the overall family dynamic.

In moments of conflict, strive to be a fair mediator, remaining calm and unbiased. Avoid taking sides and focus on finding common ground and practical solutions. Prioritize your marriage, and your relationship with your mother as well investing time and effort to maintain a strong and healthy relationship with your wife and your mother. This can contribute to an improved family atmosphere.

Most importantly, don’t forget to take care of your well-being, as dealing with family conflicts can be emotionally draining. Seek support from friends, support groups, or a therapist to help you cope with the emotional stress. Keep in mind that resolving family conflicts takes time, so approach the situation with patience and empathy. By focusing on communication, setting boundaries, and being open to positive relationship evolution over time, you can create a more harmonious environment for everyone involved.