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The Third Red Panda Festival is to be organized at Kalpokhari in Sandakpur Rural Municipality-4, Ilam from April 3 to 6 with the aim of conserving the endangered wildlife Red Panda and promoting tourism.

Coordinator of the festival organizing committee, Sanam Rai, stated that the festival is being organized focusing on hiking tourism based on the 'Red Panda Trail'.

The approximately 40-kilometer trail connects various tourist spots from Maipokhari to Jaubari. 

Different species of birds, wildlife including red pandas, and rich biodiversity can be studied and observed along this route.

According to the organizers, the Red Panda Trail trek experience, jungle safari, and bird watching will be the main attractions of the festival. 

Similarly, one can observe 18 species of rhododendrons and the culture of indigenous communities.

Coordinator Rai said that more than 60 mountain ranges including the world's tallest, Mt Everest, and hundreds of bird species can be observed from this trail. 

The organizers aim to attract 10,000 domestic and foreign tourists to Sandakpur during the festival.

The Federal Parliament Secretariat has completed preparations for the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected members House of Representatives and the opening session of Parliament.

Due to ongoing construction at the Parliament building in Singha Durbar, the events—and likely the entire first session—will be held in the multipurpose hall.

Necessary arrangements, including seating, rostrum, and offices for key officials, have been put in place, according to spokesperson Ekram Giri.

The swearing in ceremony is scheduled for 2 pm on March 26.

Authorities have urged swift completion of the main Parliament building, citing difficulties in operating from the temporary venue.

The weather in  hilly and Himalayan regions in Koshi, Madhesh and Lumbini Provinces are generally cloudy, while the remaining parts in the country are partly cloudy at present. 

According to the Weather Forecasting Division of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, light rain and snowfall coupled with thunder and lightning are taking place in one or two parts of Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces.

This afternoon, generally cloudy conditions are expected in the hilly and Himalayan regions in the country including the Koshi Province, while partly cloudy conditions will prevail in the Tarai. 

There is a possibility of light rain and snowfall with thunder and lightning at a few places in the hilly and Himalayan regions of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces, and at one or two places in the remaining hilly and Himalayan regions.

Tonight, generally cloudy conditions are expected in the hilly and Himalayan regions and the weather will remain clear in Tarai. 

There is a possibility of light rain and snowfall with thunder and lightning at some places in the hilly and Himalayan regions of Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces, at a few places in the remaining hilly and Himalayan regions.

According to the Department, the country is under the partial influence of westerly winds along with local winds at present.

World TB Day is being marked across the world today. 

In Nepal, different programs are being organized by the Ministry of Health and Population, and the health care fraternities to raise public awareness against TB.   

As per the National Strategic Plan to End Tuberculosis, Nepal has set a goal to decrease incidence rate from 238 in 2020/21 to 81 patients per 100,000 population by 2025/26; decrease mortality rate from 58 in 2020/21 to 23 per 100,000 by 2020/21; end TB by 2035; prevent TB by 2050; and reduce the catastrophic cost to zero.

This year's World TB Day 2026 is being celebrated under the theme of ‘Yes! We can end TB!’, which is a bold call to action and a message of hope, affirming that it is possible to get back on track and turn the tide on the TB epidemic, even in a challenging global environment, the World Health Organization stated. 

"With decisive country leadership, increased domestic and international investment, rapid uptake of new WHO recommendations and innovations, accelerated action, and strong multisectoral collaboration, ending TB is not just aspirational - it is achievable," it said.

According to the WHO, 83 million lives have been saved since 2000 by treating TB patients, while 10.7 million people fell ill with TB in 2024 and 1.23 million people died of TB in the same year. In Nepal, 67,000 TB patients were confirmed in 2024.