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A 4.8 magnitude earthquake shook Kathmandu on Thursday.

​​​According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Center, Lainchaur, Kathmandu, the tremor occurred at 1: 02 pm with its epicenter in Sindhupalchowk.

Center's spokesperson Monika Jha said that today's earthquake was an aftershock of the 2015 Gorkha Earthquake.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 500 per tola in the domestic market on Thursday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 151, 500 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 150, 000 per tola on Wednesday.

Similarly, the price of silver had increased by Rs 25 and is being traded at Rs 1, 790 per tola today.

The government has blacklisted 12 contractor companies and suppliers.

Issuing a notice today, the Public Procurement Monitoring Office (PPMO) said the companies and suppliers have been blacklisted as per the decision of the office on Wednesday.

The decision was taken being based on the statement in writing of the public agencies/bodies.

According to section 63 (1) of the Public Procurement Act, 2063 BS, 12 companies have been blacklisted. The PPMO has stated in the notice that blacklisted contractors and suppliers will not be able to participate in any procurement or bidding process for one to three years.

Some companies and suppliers have been blacklisted for three years; some for one year and some for six months, the PPMO stated in the notice.

Twelve public bodies, including the Transport Infrastructure Directorate at Phidim in Panchthar, Nepal Telecom Central Office, the Department of Roads at Chaurjahari in Rukum West, the Federal Road Supervision and Monitoring Office and the Nepal Forest Corporation Limited, have been blacklisted. 

The English Year 2024 was recorded as a catastrophic time in terms of civil aviation internationally.

The year witnessed crash of big aircrafts with several human casualties.

On December 29, two days prior to the end of 2024, a plane with 181 people on board crashed in Muan, South Korea leaving 179 people dead.

Two passengers were rescued alive from the debris.

Earlier on December 25, an Embraer ERJ 190AR aircraft of Azerbaijan Airlines crashed near Aktau Airport in Kazakhstan.

A total of 38 people were killed in the accident.

As many as 217 people were killed in two major plane crashes in the second half of the year.

In 2024, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Malawi's Vice President Saulos Chilima were among the prominent people killed in a plane crash.

The Iranian President died in a helicopter crash on May 20, while Malawi's Vice President Chilimi died in a military plane crash in the same month.

On December 22, 10 members of a family were killed when a private plane crashed in the southern Brazilian city of Gramado.

Brazilian businessman Luiz Claudio Galeazzi's wife, three daughters and other relatives died in the crash.

Likewise, the Air Canada's aircraft caught fire while trying to land on December 24.

On December 22, a plane crashed in Papua New Guinea, killing all five people on board.

An islander operated by north coastal aviation crashed in Papua New Guinea. In Argentina, the Bombardier Challenger 300 crashed near Argentina's San Fernando Airport, killing both pilots.

An American plane crashed near Daniel International Airport, killing both pilots. All 62 people on board were killed when the plane crashed in Sao Paulo, Brazil on August 9.

As the New Year 2025 began, the year 2024 proved to be a tragic for airlines.

A huge number of planes, including big ones, crashed this year.

In December alone, six major plane crashes took place where a total of 234 people were killed.

Frequent plane crashes have raised questions about safety protocols and technical problems in the aviation sector. The year 2024 could not remain exception for Nepal.

Eighteen people were killed when a Sourya Airlines plane crashed on July 24. Similarly, five people were killed when an Air Dynasty helicopter crashed in Kathmandu's Shivapuri area on last August 7.

The Yeti Airlines ATR-72 had crashed in 2023 killing all 72 on board.

This accident is the biggest domestic flight so far. Captain RK Sharma, operational director of Buddha Air, said that although the year 2024 was sad in terms of air accidents worldwide, there has been some improvement in Nepal. "The year 2024 should be considered a happy year for Nepal. However, globally, the whole year is considered sad in terms of air accidents due to the continuous big crashes nearing the end of the year," he said.

However, the solar air and air dynasty helicopter crash has once again shocked. Captain Sharma said that it is important for the airlines to pay attention to aviation safety and security as well as increase managerial capacity.

In 2024, the number of air passengers worldwide was on the rise. The ever-increasing air passenger flow has created pressure to strengthen safety and security along with rise in the attraction to the sector.

Aviation expert Achyut Pahadi also said that 2024 proved to be a tragic year in terms of aviation.

Likewise, former director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Sanjeev Gautam said that some air accidents occurred in the last month of 2024 have created doubts in the aviation sector.

Overall, aviation has suffered badly while bidding farewell to 2024, he said. "Although it has been a good year in the context of Nepal in aviation, it has been a sad year looking at globally," Gautam said, adding that the state and the concerned bodies should pay attention how to strengthen air safety by learning from accidents.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) aims to reduce human-related accidents to zero by 2030.

Currently, air passengers are increasing by 10 percent annually. Quoting data from the International Air Transport Association, former Director General Gautam said that the number of air passengers worldwide has reached about five billion.

CAAN's Information Officer Gyanendra Bhrul said that the flight safety and passenger growth are improving.

The number of air passengers in Nepal is constantly increasing. According to the CAAN data, the number of domestic and international air passengers has increased by 13 percent and 7.9 percent in 2024 as compared to the previous year.

A total of 8,760,302 passengers have travelled in domestic flights till November 2024. By November 2023, a total of 7.7 million air passengers had travelled.

Similarly, the number of international air passengers had reached 4,449,133 by November 2024.

So far, 959 people have died in 108 air accidents in Nepal. India's Kalinga Air had crashed in Simara for the first time some 70 years ago.

Two major plane crash incidents that took place in South Korea and Kazakhstan at the end of the year have disappointed the aviation sector as a whole.

The incident raises the question on the safety of aviation globally. RSS

Presently there is a general influence of westerly wind in the country with foggy weather in many places of the Terai.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the weather will be partly cloudy in the hilly regions of Lumbini, Karnali, Gandaki and Sudurpaschim provinces and mainly fair in the rest of the country this afternoon.

Similarly, the weather will be partly to generally cloudy in the high hilly and mountainous regions of Gandaki, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces tonight.

Fog is likely to occur at many places in the Terai and Kathmandu Valley on Friday morning, the Department said, urging all concerned to remain alert as it could affect daily life, health, transport and aviation.---

CPN-UML's former leader Dr Bhim Bahadur Rawal has said the party's action against him is not aligned with the party's statute, rule of law and procedures.

It may be noted that the CPN-UML recently decided to expel Rawal from the party even with the annulment of his general membership.

At a press meet organised for the first time following the party's move, the leader accused that the party took revenge against him for his candidacy to the post of party Chair in the 11th General Convention.

The former Vice Chair of the party announced that he would engage in what he called the 'Motherland Awareness Campaign' and move ahead based on the feedback and sentiments of his 'well-wishers' 'supporters' and the masses.

The UML's Secretariat meeting on December 25 took the action against him.

The leader has already served as the Deputy Prime Minster, Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, the Minister for Home Affairs and the Minister for Defence at different times.

The leader who preferred to identify himself as a 'nationalist leader' was the competitor for the party's Chair post in the UML's11th National Congress.

He had obtained the party leadership in 2032 BS.

He said that since his association with the party, he remained dedicated towards the country, people, sovereignty and the party principles amidst challenges. 

 Eighty-four leprosy cases have been identified in Banke district in a period of one year, indicating the district is at high risk of the disease.

One hundred and forty-six new leprosy cases were identified at INF-run Shining Hospital based at Janaki rural municipality-3 in the district in the last Fiscal Year 2080/81.

Of them, 84 are from Banke alone. Hospital Chief Mangal Bahadur Tharu said that among the new cases, 84 are from Banke, 24 from Bardiya, 21 from India, five from Sudurpaschim, four from Rukum, three from Salyan and one each from Dailekh, Surkhet, Jajarkot, Rolpa and Humla.

Thirty-nine per cent among the identified cases tested positive to Mycobacterium leprae, a type of bacteria that causes leprosy.

Tharu said the leprosy patients have been sent to various health facilities for treatment.

According to Tharu, the Hospital provided OPD services to 17,265 people last fiscal year.

The Shining Hospital has expanded its leprosy services and established itself as the leprosy referral centre in the western region.

The newly appointed five ambassadors to various countries have taken an oath of office and secrecy in the presence of President Ramchandra Paudel.

In the oath-taking ceremony held at the Office of the President at Sheetal Niwas today, President Paudel administered the oath to the newly appointed ambassadors for Portugal, Malaysia, South Africa, Belgium and Denmark.

​​​​Prakashmani Poudel, the Ambassador designate to Portugal; Dr Netra Prasad Timilsina, the Ambassador designate to Malaysia; Prof Dr Kapilman Shrestha, the Ambassador designate to South Africa; Sewa Lamsal, the Ambassador designate to Belgium; and Sumnima Tuladhar, the Ambassador designate to Denmark took the oath of office and secrecy before the Head of the State.