Submit your Article

The 'first red panda and thar festival' kicked off as part of the 'Mundum Trail Visit Year' in Khotang on New Year Day, 2082. The festival is organized by Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Municipality.

The event was held at Hurlung. It has aimed at protecting the endangered wild animals – red panda and thar. Thar is a rare Himalayan goat. 

The festival runs for two days. The event features cultural pageantries, cuisine of organic products, display of costumes and local produces.

The event held on the occasion of the New Year 2082BS also has photos and videos on endangered wild animals.

The locals are elated to have such an event in the locality where there is participation from diverse communities. Interestingly, the items put on display are managed by the locals themselves. They voluntarily attended the fair to perform cultural pageants.

Chancellor of the Nepal Academy, Bhupal Rai, inaugurated the festival. He stressed the need for conserving the endangered wildlife to protect the environment and ecosystem.

Local administrators, district and national level political leaders, economists, artists and researchers attended the inaugural function.

Municipality Mayor Tirtha Raj Bhattarai informed that even the trekking route, 'Mudum Trail Red Panda-Thar Route', was opened on the occasion.

A landmark antitrust trial against Meta began on Monday, with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alleging that the company unlawfully stifled competition by acquiring Instagram and WhatsApp.

The FTC claims Meta chose to eliminate rivals instead of competing, noting that the company overpaid for Instagram in 2012 ($1 billion) and WhatsApp in 2014 ($19 billion), Reuters reported.

Meta defended its position by claiming that the FTC had already authorized these purchases and that YouTube and TikTok are competitors.

A decision in the FTC's favor would cause Meta to disband, which might compel CEO Mark Zuckerberg to sell up Instagram and WhatsApp. The trial will probably last for a few weeks, and both Zuckerberg and former COO Sheryl Sandberg are anticipated to testify.

Police have arrested a person with a large cache of 'Shaligram Sheela' or the ammonite stone in Mustang.

The arrestee has been identified as Kunsang Ranging Gurung (41) of Surkhang of Loghekar Damodarkunda-5, Mustang. 

The Shaligram Sheela is a fossilized stone or ammonite collected from the riverbed or banks of the Kali Gandaki, a tributary of the Gandaki River.

The Hindus consider the Shaligram as a form of their god Vishnu.

The Kali Gandaki River flows through sacred places such as Muktinath and Damodar Kunda, enhancing the spiritual significance of these 'Shaligrams'. Collection of a large amount of Shaligrams is prohibited.

The Area Police Office, Chhusang Check Post at Baragung Muktikshetra-3,  Mustang has seized 894 kg 'Shaligram Sheela' packed in 34 white sacks during a regular security check, according to the District Police Office, Mustang.

Information Officer at the District Police Office, Mustang, Police Inspector Bishal Adhikari, said that the Shaligram Sheela was confiscated from a Bolero jeep (Ga 3 Cha 8152) heading towards Jomsom from Loghekar Damodarkunda Rural Municipality-3 in Mustang. 

According to the District Police Office, Mustang, Gurung, the jeep and the Shiligram Sheela have been handed over to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Office, Jomsom.

Meanwhile, ACAP Jomsom said that it has already handed over Gurung, the jeep, and Shaligram Sheela to Annapurna Conservation Area Project's Head Office in Pokhara for investigation, said Office Chief Rajesh Gupta.

The Nepal Teachers’ Federation, the umbrella body of school teachers, continued its protest in Kathmandu even on New Year’s Day demanding enactment of the School Education Act.

The Federation continued its protest demanding that the School Education Act be issued at the earliest based on the agreement reached with them.

The teachers have said that they would not return to the classrooms until their demand is addressed.