Author: space4knews

In Khotang, Anand Rai died from electrocution, and Sunil Karki lost his life after falling from a cliff. Anand Rai was electrocuted while climbing a pole to replace a fuse in a transformer, and he died on the spot. Sunil Karki died after falling from a cliff while clearing a water source blocked by floodwaters. April 24, Khotang.
Two different incidents in Khotang resulted in the deaths of two individuals on the same day. According to police reports, Anand Rai, 43, from Ward No. 4, Batasheka, Dipsung Chhuchchumma Rural Municipality, died due to electrocution, and Sunil Karki, 45, from Ward No. 7, Mahadevsthan, Halesi Tuwachung Municipality, died after falling from a cliff.
Babidi ward chairperson Babendra Rai informed that Anand died on the evening of Wednesday at the site while climbing a pole to repair the transformer’s fuse to restore power in the village, which had faced an electricity outage. Meanwhile, Mahadevsthan ward chairperson Kamal Giri reported that Karki died after falling from a cliff while clearing the water source blocked by flood damage.

Nepali photographer Jyoti Shrestha’s ‘Chhyake’ art project is set to be exhibited at the 61st Venice Biennale di Venezia. This work will be showcased as part of the official collateral exhibition by the European Cultural Centre titled ‘Personal Structures,’ running from May 9 to November 22, 2026. Shrestha expressed, “Being part of the Venice Biennale is an incredible experience for me,” and she aims to contribute to the growing presence of Nepal in the global contemporary art scene.

Kathmandu – Nepali visual artist and photographer Jyoti Shrestha has been selected to present her ‘Chhyake’ art project at the upcoming 61st international art exhibition, ‘La Biennale di Venezia.’ Considered one of the world’s most prestigious contemporary art platforms, her participation marks a significant milestone in maintaining Nepal’s presence at this esteemed event. Her artworks will be displayed at notable historic venues in Venice, including Palazzo Bembo, Palazzo Mora, and the Marinarezza Gardens.

Founded in 1895, the Venice Biennale is regarded as one of the most influential international stages for contemporary art worldwide. Although Nepal officially debuted its pavilion at the Biennale in 2022, participation of Nepali artists within the Biennale’s main framework has remained limited. Shrestha’s involvement signals an expansion of Nepal’s creative voice in the international contemporary art dialogue.

Shrestha shared, “Being part of the Venice Biennale is an unbelievable experience. I have always dreamed of exhibiting my work here, and it is hard to believe that dream is now becoming a reality. Beyond showcasing my creations, it is very important for me to contribute to broadening Nepal’s developed presence in the global contemporary art arena.” Born in Nepal, Jyoti is also actively engaged in photography. She has been selected for the Netherlands’ ‘GUP Fresh Eyes Talent 2026’ and has received the ‘Blurring the Lines 2025’ award, granted by the European Cultural Centre, Urbanotica, and the Paris College of Art.

April 24, Kathmandu – Former president of the Nepal Student Union, Dujang Sherpa, claimed that the government has been spreading false propaganda suggesting that all individuals and officials appointed by political parties are corrupt. Speaking at a program held in Lalitpur, he accused Prime Minister Balendra Shah of attempting to defame all political appointments made by previous governments.

“There is a false narrative being created that all individuals appointed by political parties are bad and only got their positions by simply handing over a briefcase,” he said.

Sherpa further criticized attempts to portray officials appointed by past governments as individuals involved in financial irregularities, raising questions about the current Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle. “Minister Wagle is part of the Prime Minister’s cabinet. He must clearly disclose how many crores were involved in financial dealings when he was the Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission,” he challenged, adding, “He was appointed by the Nepali Congress based on his expertise and trustworthiness.”

Additionally, Sherpa expressed strong opposition to the government’s decision to dissolve organizations such as the Student Union, urging students to remain prepared to protest these actions.

April 24, Kathmandu – Dr. Maheshwar Dhakal, spokesperson for the Ministry of Forests and Environment and Chief of the Climate Change Management Division, emphasized that building a climate-resilient society is essential for Nepal’s socio-economic prosperity. During a policy review on climate change, he clarified that economic prosperity and climate resilience are complementary to each other. “Between 60 to 66 percent of Nepal’s population still depends on agriculture, which directly experiences the impacts of climate change,” he explained.

Dr. Dhakal highlighted the need to prioritize economic development in policymaking while considering the effects of climate change. He stated, “Only through the coordination of climate policy and economic development can sustainable development be ensured.” He further stressed that collaboration among all stakeholders is crucial to achieving this goal.

April 24, Kathmandu – Gokul Prasad Baskota, a leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML), has proposed constitutional amendments recommending the abolition of provincial structures and the District Coordination Committees (DCCs). He also suggested making the National Assembly fully inclusive and removing proportional representation seats from the House of Representatives. Furthermore, he expressed a positive view on appointing the Vice President as the chairperson of the National Assembly.

The former minister shared these suggestions today via a Facebook post. Referring to the ruling party’s call to abolish federalism, Baskota recalled that the Nepal Socialist Party (Rastriya Swatantra Party) had raised this issue and questioned, “Should the constitution be amended or not?” He further stated, “If amendments are to be made, they should be limited to the central and local levels only.”

He proposed increasing the National Assembly seats to 105 and ensuring equal representation of 50 percent women and 50 percent men. Baskota elaborated, “National Assembly should have 105 seats, be fully inclusive, have a 50-50 gender representation, and the Vice President should serve as its chairperson.” He also advocated for removing proportional representation seats from the House of Representatives and ensuring 40-60 percent direct representation between women and men.

Last February, business analyst Alok from Pune (name changed) received a message on his mobile phone accusing him of speeding and demanding a fine of 1,000 rupees. The message stated that immediate payment of the fine would help him avoid suspension of his driving license. This urgency prompted Alok to hastily click the link in the message and proceed with the payment. He was instructed to enter the OTP (one-time password) sent to his phone to complete the transaction. Within a minute, a notification appeared indicating that approximately 500,000 Nepali rupees had been debited from his credit card. Alok had inadvertently authorized a payment far exceeding the initially requested fine. Online fraudsters typically send fake links resembling government websites via SMS in India. They compel victims to click these phishing links without suspicion, stealing money directly from bank accounts. Alok fell victim to this type of scam.

Experts refer to this form of fraud as “social engineering,” where scammers manipulate psychological pressure by instilling fear and forcing victims to act in haste. With the rapid growth of digital payments over the past five years, India has witnessed a worrying increase in such cybercrimes. In 2025 alone, nearly 2.5 million people lost over two trillion Indian rupees (around 2.5 billion USD) to digital scams. This figure represents a staggering 4,300% increase since 2021. The massive surge in digital fraud cases has compelled India’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), to take preventive measures.

In a recently released consultation paper, the RBI discussed several proposed solutions to tackle this issue. Among the measures suggested are delaying debit transactions by one hour after money is transferred from one person’s account to another to allow for fraud detection. Additionally, for high-value digital payments from accounts of senior citizens and other vulnerable groups, extra authentication by a “trusted person” would be mandatory. The draft also proposes setting limits on large credits received into personal accounts to enable scrutiny. It has been noted that digital scammers often use ‘mule’ accounts belonging to other individuals to conduct their fraudulent activities.

April 24, Gorkha – Local governments in the district have accelerated efforts to clear encroachments on public and government lands. Palungtar Municipality and Shaheed Lakhan Rural Municipality have already issued notices, while other local bodies are preparing to follow suit. Palungtar Municipality, being the first to publish a notice, has also initiated a land surveying process to identify encroached government and public lands. Chief Administrative Officer Sher Bahadur Bisi stated, “We issued a 15-day notice last Wednesday to remove structures built on public land, and land surveys are currently underway.” He informed that surveying has been completed in areas such as the Charakune of Radhakrishna Chowk in Ward No. 5 and Biruwatar in Ward No. 7. “Surveys will gradually be conducted in other wards as well. A decision to expedite the surveying process was made during a meeting of the Public Land Protection Committee,” he added.

The municipality has issued a 15-day ultimatum to remove unauthorized structures on public lands, river flow areas, and government-allocated or leased lands within its jurisdiction. If the order is disobeyed, the municipality will remove the structures itself and recover the associated costs from the concerned individuals as compensation for government property. Similarly, Shaheed Lakhan Rural Municipality issued a notice on Monday providing a 35-day ultimatum. The municipality has warned that legal action will be taken against those who fail to remove encroachments on government land. Municipality Chairperson Ramesh Thapa Magar has appealed to residents to remove all structures on government land, except for the landless Dalits, former bonded laborers (Sukumwasi), and informal settlers. He said, “There are 297 informal settlers, 10 landless Dalits, and 9 landless Sukumwasi in our municipality. We have forwarded their details to the National Land Commission’s District Committee of Gorkha to arrange land for them.”

He further stated that a deadline has been set for everyone else to remove their structures. Meanwhile, Arugad Rural Municipality has informed that letters have been dispatched to all wards to issue notices for clearing public and government land. Gorkha Municipality plans to hold an executive meeting soon to make a decision. Chief Administrative Officer Ekadev Khanal said, “Instructions have been given to collect ward-wise details. The executive meeting will be held the day after tomorrow, where a decision will be made, and a public notice will be issued.” Among the district’s 11 local governments, the remaining bodies are also preparing to issue notices shortly.

Former US President Donald Trump has stated that positive talks with Iran have taken place within the last 24 hours. However, no such positive signals have yet been received from Tehran. Trump indicated a strong possibility of an agreement between the two countries. Yet, he warned that if the Iranian side does not agree, the US would face harsher and more severe bombings.

Iranian officials have said they are still considering the US’s new proposal to end the war. Senior Iranian negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf commented that Tehran is being pressured by the US to surrender. The White House is confident of a 14-point agreement with Iran, according to a US news report released Wednesday. Although senior Iranian lawmakers who drafted the agreement’s framework have rejected the US “letter of intent,” officials from Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tehran have stated that perceptions will be shared through Pakistani mediators.

The Pakistani Foreign Minister has said efforts are underway to turn this ceasefire into a permanent end to the conflict. US media noted that a one-page, 14-point memo could form the basis for detailed nuclear talks. The US proposal includes Iran halting its nuclear enrichment program, lifting sanctions, and restoring free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz. Two US sources and two others confirmed that this report was published by Axios.

Ismail Baqee, spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry, told Iranian news agency ISNA, “Iran is still considering the US proposal and will subsequently communicate Tehran’s position through Pakistan.” Ibrahim Rezaei, spokesperson for the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, responded on social media platform X, stating, “The US will gain nothing from this war, nor will direct talks yield any achievements.” He added, “Iran is vigilant and prepared; if the US does not yield and offer concessions, there will be a strong response.” Trump expressed hope for a possible agreement but also issued a fresh warning regarding violence. He said, “If Iran does not agree, bombings will begin, and they will be greater and more devastating than before.”

24 Baishakh, Kathmandu – News of a new provision in the House of Representatives regulations, which would differentiate members of parliament from other citizens, has sparked significant uproar in the political arena. The ruling party Raswap’s proposed amendment to the regulations, specifically Rule 259, has drawn varied reactions from opposition parties.

Rule 259 of the House of Representatives regulations states, ‘Regardless of what is written in existing laws, the assembly, committees…’ This clause is causing unease among opposition ranks, who have voiced concerns about its implications for parliamentary procedures and democratic norms.

April 7, Kathmandu – According to the exchange rates set by Nepal Rastra Bank for today, the value of the US Dollar, British Pound Sterling, and Swiss Franc has decreased, while the Euro and Australian Dollar have appreciated.

Today, the buying rate for the US Dollar is set at NPR 151.08, and the selling rate at NPR 151.68. Yesterday, the buying rate was NPR 152.16 and the selling rate was NPR 152.76.

The Euro, on the other hand, has seen a rise in value. Today, its buying rate is NPR 178.05 and the selling rate NPR 178.75, compared to yesterday’s buying rate of NPR 177.92 and selling rate of NPR 178.62.

The British Pound Sterling’s value has declined today, with a buying rate of NPR 206.04 and a selling rate of NPR 206.86. This is down from yesterday’s buying rate of NPR 206.11 and selling rate of NPR 206.92.

The Swiss Franc also decreased slightly in value today. Its buying rate is set at NPR 194.20 and the selling rate at NPR 194.97, compared to yesterday’s buying rate of NPR 194.22 and selling rate of NPR 194.98.

Conversely, the Australian Dollar’s value increased today. It is being bought at NPR 109.70 and sold at NPR 110.13, up from yesterday’s buying rate of NPR 109.15 and selling rate of NPR 109.58.

Nepal Rastra Bank has stated that these exchange rates may be adjusted as necessary at any time. Exchange rates offered by commercial banks may vary slightly, and the updated rates are available on the central bank’s official website.