Author: space4knews

A fire broke out near the wheel of a Turkish Airlines aircraft that had just landed at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu from Istanbul, Turkey’s capital. Authorities have confirmed that all passengers and crew members on board are safe.

Acting Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority, Devchandra Lal Karn, provided details on the incident, stating, “A hydraulic fuel leak was observed near the brakes of the Turkish Airlines aircraft, which produced smoke and ignited a fire. Fire controllers promptly extinguished the blaze. Passengers and crew were safely evacuated from the aircraft.”

He added, “The airplane has been moved to a secure location. The process of removing passengers’ baggage is ongoing. There are currently no disruptions to airport flight operations. Everything is back to normal now.” The aircraft was carrying a total of 284 individuals, including 273 passengers and crew members. The plane arrived from Istanbul and landed at Tribhuvan International Airport at 6:36 AM. No other damage has been reported to the aircraft.

April 28, Sarlahi – A decomposed male body was discovered in Sarlahi district. According to Saroj Rai, spokesperson and DSP of the Sarlahi District Police Office, the body was found yesterday evening around 4:30 PM near the postal road section close to the sugar mill in Bagdah, Godaita Municipality-6. Locals reported the foul odor coming from the roadside area to the police. Following the information, a police team from Godaita Police Post was dispatched to the scene.
Police stated that the body is estimated to be of a male aged between 40 to 45 years. Due to severe decomposition, the identity of the deceased could not be determined. The body has been sent to Provincial Hospital Malangwa for postmortem, the police reported. The Sarlahi District Police Office confirmed that further investigation into the incident is ongoing. Authorities are making efforts to identify the deceased and ascertain the nature of the incident.

28 Baishakh, Kathmandu – Nepal Rastra Bank has set the foreign currency exchange rates for today (Monday). According to the rates, the buying rate for the US Dollar is NPR 150.88 and the selling rate is NPR 151.48. Similarly, the European Euro’s buying rate is NPR 177.83 and selling rate NPR 178.53; the UK Pound Sterling’s buying rate is NPR 205.71 and selling rate NPR 206.53; and the Swiss Franc’s buying rate is NPR 194.32 with a selling rate of NPR 195.09.

The Australian Dollar’s buying rate is NPR 109.34 and selling rate NPR 109.78; the Canadian Dollar’s buying rate is NPR 110.32 and selling rate NPR 110.76; the Singapore Dollar’s buying rate is NPR 119.08 and selling rate NPR 119.55. The Japanese Yen 10 unit has a buying rate of NPR 9.63 and selling rate of NPR 9.67; the Chinese Yuan’s buying rate is NPR 22.19 and selling rate NPR 22.27; the Saudi Arabian Riyal’s buying rate is NPR 40.22 and selling rate NPR 40.38; while the Qatari Riyal’s buying rate is NPR 41.42 and selling rate NPR 41.58.

According to the central bank, the Thai Baht’s buying rate is NPR 4.68 and selling rate NPR 4.70; UAE Dirham’s buying rate is NPR 41.08 and selling rate NPR 41.24; Malaysian Ringgit’s buying rate is NPR 38.48 and selling rate NPR 38.63. The South Korean Won 100 unit has a buying rate of NPR 10.32 and selling rate NPR 10.36; the Swedish Krona’s buying rate is NPR 16.37 and selling rate NPR 16.44; and the Danish Kroner’s buying rate is NPR 23.80 and selling rate NPR 23.89.

Nepal Rastra Bank has set the Hong Kong Dollar’s buying rate at NPR 19.27 and selling rate at NPR 19.35; Kuwaiti Dinar’s buying rate at NPR 492.75 and selling rate NPR 494.71; Bahraini Dinar’s buying rate at NPR 399.84 and selling rate NPR 401.43. The Omani Riyal’s buying rate is NPR 391.89 and selling rate NPR 393.45. Likewise, the Indian Rupee 100 unit has a buying rate of NPR 160 and selling rate NPR 160.15. The central bank has noted that it may revise these exchange rates at any time as needed. Commercial banks may set different exchange rates, and the updated rates are available on the central bank’s official website.

April 11, Kathmandu – A fire broke out on a Turkish Airlines aircraft during its landing at Tribhuvan International Airport. Firefighters quickly brought the blaze under control. The incident occurred this morning around 6:45 AM. The aircraft, arriving from Istanbul, caught fire on its landing gear during the landing process. Airport security sources confirmed that the fire was promptly extinguished by the fire brigade. Passengers were safely evacuated through the emergency exits, and all are reported to be unharmed. Authorities at the airport are investigating the cause of the fire and other technical aspects related to the incident.

April 11, Tulsipur (Dang) – Tikakumari Sarki of Tulsipur Sub-Metropolitan City Ward No. 7 was once confined to household chores around the hearth. Her daily routine revolved solely around domestic work. However, after learning how to make dolls, her lifestyle has changed significantly. She said, “Earlier, I used to stay at home and had no work, but now I have started making dolls.”

Similarly, Meena Lamichhane of Tulsipur Ward No. 6 is currently busy making pickles. She prepares and sells pickles made from ingredients produced at home, such as garlic, chili, five-spice, and beans. These women have engaged themselves in entrepreneurship. With their focus on earning income, the situation at home has improved as they no longer need to depend on other family members for household expenses. Lamichhane said, “Earlier, if any expenses occurred, I had to ask at home, but now we are able to earn on our own.”

These women serve as examples. Many other women in Tulsipur are now involved in similar income-generating activities. A 15-day training program on pickle production and doll making was organized by the Service Establishment Dang, in financial collaboration with the Social Development Division Office, Tulsipur. This training enabled women to earn income through self-employment. The training was provided to women from Wards 6, 7, and 9 of Tulsipur. Giriraj Pandey, head of the Social Development Division Office, Tulsipur, said, “We have trained 25 women in pickle making and 47 women in doll making, encouraging them to actively engage in earning income.” According to him, the women learned to make 11 types of pickles and 9 types of dolls. In the doll-making training, they were taught to create rabbit, panda, Ganesh, tire cushion, love cushion, flower cushion, and quad cushion dolls. The pickle-making training included making boiler pickle, mixed pickle, Timur pickle, bean pickle, bitter gourd pickle, lemon pickle, spice paste, mixed pickle, garlic, and ginger pickle.

Vijay Bahadur Swarn, President of the Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs National Federation, has called for an end to the practice of treating transport entrepreneurs like criminals. Swarn highlighted that transport operators are facing difficulties due to weaknesses in insurance policies and demanded revisions through a fast-track process. He also announced that the federation plans to introduce an e-voting system in this year’s elections. Kathmandu, 27 Baishakh.

Speaking at the seventh national general assembly of the Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs National Federation, Swarn emphasized the need for the state to stop the trend of treating transport entrepreneurs as criminals. He expressed concern that arresting and suspecting entrepreneurs following accidents dissuades investors, urging the government to take this matter seriously.

Swarn asserted that entrepreneurs are not criminals and pointed out that current insurance policy shortcomings have placed them in a difficult position. He demanded government intervention through a fast-track mechanism to improve insurance policies and called for legal protection for entrepreneurs upon receiving insurance coverage.

Stressing that the state cannot advance the transport sector without private investment, Swarn underscored the importance of developing it as a well-regulated and respected industry. He stated, “It is inappropriate to detain entrepreneurs like criminals or accuse them of theft while they are simply sleeping at home. We are responsible citizens contributing billions in revenue to the state. Therefore, the government must provide protective guardianship to entrepreneurs.”

Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki of Koshi Province has pledged to establish cricket training centers at nine locations within the province and secure the necessary budget for these initiatives. Following the handover of the Baijnathpur Cricket Stadium, he also announced plans to operate a state-of-the-art stadium within the next two years. The provincial government is currently preparing a budget and planning to install floodlights at the Mechi Stadium to facilitate international tournaments. (27 Baisakh, Morang)

Opening the two-day annual general meeting organized by the Nepal Cricket Association in Biratnagar, Chief Minister Karki committed to allocating the required budget to establish training centers across nine different locations in the province to nurture cricket players from the grassroots level. He added that after the federal government transferred the Baijnathpur Cricket Stadium in Biratnagar to the provincial government, there are plans to construct and operate a modern stadium equipped with top-notch facilities within two years.

Chief Minister Karki informed that the provincial government would arrange a budget to host international-level competitions at Mechi Stadium and install floodlights for night matches. He emphasized that developing cricket in the province to produce capable players would require the provincial government’s support in the third edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL). He urged the Cricket Association to include the provincial government in the league.

Moreover, he proposed arranging the first prize for the tournament and renaming the Biratnagar Kings as ‘Koshi Arnaj.’ Provincial Minister for Finance and Planning, Vidur Kumar Lingthep, highlighted Nepal’s growing global reputation through cricket and committed to supporting the development of the sport’s physical infrastructure.

National Socialist Party MP Ashish Gajurel has emphasized the need to make public transportation respectable and reliable enough to be used even by high-ranking officials. He stated that improving public transportation should be the foundation of prosperity and that road infrastructure must be made more human-friendly. Additionally, he advocated for the mandatory implementation of CCTV, GPS, and digital payment systems in public transit, along with compulsory inclusion of workers in the Social Security Fund. Kathmandu, 27 Baisakh.

Ashish Gajurel, MP and Chairperson of the Infrastructure Development Committee, stressed the necessity of elevating public transportation standards to a level suitable for use by senior government officials. Speaking at the National Convention of the National Federation of Transport Entrepreneurs, he highlighted that enhancing public transportation is key to economic development. He also expressed concern that current road infrastructure and investments are disproportionately focused on private vehicles.

MP Gajurel warned that the government is strictly monitoring to eliminate distortions and syndicate practices within the transportation sector. He urged entrepreneurs to maintain vehicles in proper condition and adhere to road safety standards to reduce accidents. Furthermore, he recalled that transport entrepreneurs have invested a total of NPR 1.3 trillion in the sector, providing direct employment to over 1.1 million people.

Gajurel identified road safety, public transportation improvements, and the construction of quality infrastructure as his primary agenda. He called for active cooperation from all stakeholders to successfully implement these initiatives.

Dissatisfied student leaders and active members have hung banners at the central office of the Nepali Congress, demanding a convention of the party’s affiliated youth organization, the Nepal Democratic Students’ Federation (Nevisangh). Nevisangh leader Pushkarvikram Shahi stated that the banners question the party leadership about when the selection of leadership will begin after ending the rent-seeking practice.

Following the Nepali Congress’s decision not to extend the tenure of the central committees of Nevisangh and other affiliated organizations, these groups have effectively become dissolved. On April 10 (27 Baishakh), in Kathmandu, dissatisfied student leaders and activists raised questions through banners such as, “When will the rent-seeking practice in affiliated organizations end and leadership selection be conducted fully through democratic processes?”

Additionally, the banners included questions like, “What is the current party leadership’s stance toward student organizations?” and “What is the party’s position on granting operational autonomy to Nevisangh?” Another inquiry raised was, “What is the clear indication of the emotional unity within the party?”

With the Nepali Congress’s decision not to extend the tenure of the central committees of various affiliated organizations, these organizations have effectively been dissolved. The party is currently preparing to appoint interim committees led by central leadership in these organizations.

Initiated by Ward No. 3 of Lalitpur Metropolitan City, a digital board has been installed at Pulchok bus stop with an investment of around NPR 150,000 to display the live locations of buses. Currently, 1,400 buses are equipped with GPS devices, allowing passengers to track their buses in real-time through the Travel Nepal app. Installation of GPS devices on other buses is ongoing, with further efforts aimed at streamlining public transportation, according to Ward Chairperson Gopal Maharjan. “Passengers can see the live location of buses right at the bus stop,” he added. “It’s easy to know how many buses are approaching.”

Previously, commuters who had to change buses at the station found it hard to rely on such information. However, for the past three months, if you have traveled from the Pulchok bus stop in Lalitpur, you might have noticed a digital board that shows live bus locations. The live locations of almost all buses—including Sajha Yatayat, Nepal Yatayat, Riddhi Siddhi Yatayat, Jharna Yatayat, Mahanagar Yatayat, and Dakshinkali Yatayat—can be viewed on this smart board. This helps passengers easily know when and where the bus they intend to board has arrived.

Ward Chairperson Gopal Maharjan of Lalitpur Metropolitan City’s Ward No. 3 said the project was completed after about 20 to 21 days of effort and an investment of nearly NPR 150,000. Work is underway to equip additional buses with GPS units to make the system more organized, he stated. “I am also working to implement similar systems at other bus stops within the ward to make travel easier,” he added. “Passengers used to wait anxiously at these stops due to uncertainty about bus arrival times, so I sought a solution and adopted this approach.”

Promos Adhikari, COO of Travel Nepal, explained, “GPS devices will be installed in many more buses. This will allow passengers to easily know where their bus currently is and its route.” According to him, the digital board displays real-time GPS data, including bus numbers and the brand colors associated with each transport company. Even if passengers have not yet reached Pulchok, they can track buses via the Travel Nepal app. Adhikari said, “What appears on the board is mirrored in real-time on the app. You can check bus locations through the app before heading to the bus stop.”

Ward Chairperson Maharjan added, “We are currently training to incorporate other buses into this system. This will be a significant advantage for vehicle owners who lack information on their vehicles’ whereabouts.” “This is just the beginning. We have plans to undertake more such initiatives to further ease public transportation,” he said.

Photo/Video: Aryan Dhimal

The Annual General Assembly of the Nepal Cricket Association approved the income and expenditure statements of the first and second editions of the Nepal Premier League (NPL). The assembly resolved to allocate NPR 200,000 each annually to 45 district cricket associations across the country from the revenue generated by the NPL. The general meeting held on 27 Baishakh in Biratnagar also ratified the audited financial report for the fiscal year 2081/082 and passed the annual program, action plan, and budget for 2026.

Additionally, the assembly decided that the 45 district cricket associations nationwide will receive NPR 200,000 each from the NPL proceeds. The Nepal Cricket Association also resolved to inaugurate the ‘CAN Annual Awards’ every December starting this year. These awards will recognize outstanding male, female, and youth players, lifetime achievement, and the ‘Moment of the Year’ in cricket.

The play ‘Grand Rehearsal’ currently staged at Mandala Theatre explores the cycle of balance and imbalance in life. People constantly strive to find equilibrium in life so they can achieve their goals smoothly. However, circumstances are rarely that simple. Individuals face numerous challenges, and as a result, they rarely remain fully balanced. Sometimes, just as balance is restored, something breaks down again; other times, new problems arise after equilibrium is achieved. Yet people do not give up—they seek solutions and try to regain their balance. The unfortunate truth is that this process keeps repeating in different aspects of life. The play ‘Grand Rehearsal’ vividly portrays this dynamic. Balance and imbalance, harmony and discord—these are the core themes of the drama.

At times, the play also evokes memories of the abstract works of Russian painter Kazimir Malevich. His paintings were distinctive and often unexpected. They heavily featured thin, thick, long, or short geometric lines and shapes, yet were never fully complete; instead, their intentional incompleteness embodied a unique sense of wholeness. Although Malevich’s artworks did not depict any specific stories, objects, or real-world representation, they were emotionally rich. Similarly, ‘Grand Rehearsal’ never appears fully complete throughout its long performance, yet the audience experiences a sense of completeness. The characters in the play resemble Malevich’s geometric shapes and the blank spaces on his canvases. Through its staging, the play attempts to bring Malevich’s suprematist art to life on the theater stage.

Malevich completely eliminated objects, shapes, and realism in his paintings, reaching the concept of the ‘Black Square’. He believed true importance lay in absence of objects and pure emotion. Likewise, ‘Grand Rehearsal’ breaks away from traditional notions of theatrical completeness, plot, and structure. It subverts representational theater, prioritizing chaos, physical gestures, and energetic performance instead. Just as Malevich’s ‘White on White’ induces a sense of void in the viewer, this play shows how life’s vitality often emerges only through disorder and breakdown. It is a deconstruction—challenging conventional styles to produce new forms of enjoyment.

To elaborate, the play is a Nepali adaptation of the British play ‘The Play That Goes Wrong.’ The adaptation retains the essence of the original work. Translators Anup Nyaupane and Umesh Tamang infused local color into the Nepali version, making it highly relevant. It does not immediately feel like a foreign play. The story presented is a ‘play within a play.’ Here, we observe a novice group preparing and rehearsing for a theater production. They practice and stage a suspense thriller called ‘Biheko Tutulko’ (Marriage Knot). However, the performance is riddled with unexpected problems—actors forget lines, technical glitches occur, stage props fall to the floor, props get lost or mixed up, and sets break. In this way, the play becomes a celebration of imperfection and chaos, with laughter and entertainment as the primary focus. The slapstick comedy drama style within the ‘play inside a play’ framework adds to the humor.

Furthermore, the play offers a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the drama of theatrical production. We witness the struggles, improvisations, scarcity, and sacrifices essential to staging a play. Usually, audiences watch a polished production, but here, the internal conflicts and processes of theater are revealed. The actors’ performances, timing, dialogue, storytelling style, and the way the audience becomes an active participant are all crucial elements of ‘Grand Rehearsal.’ However, the repeated sequence of setbacks during the performance of ‘Biheko Tutulko’ can feel somewhat predictable to audiences, reducing freshness and making parts of the play seem slow and prolonged. On another level, both life and theater inspire dreams of perfection, but reality is always a mix of disorder, failure, and ongoing improvement. The play suggests that the interplay between human effort and fate never ends. True joy comes when we accept this disorder. Watching that ongoing struggle with humor makes life lighter and easier.

Photo credit: Prasun Sangroula.