Author: space4knews

Chaitra 8, Palpa – The number of fatalities in the tipper truck accident that occurred Saturday evening in Palpa has reached four.

According to DSP Home Prakash Chaudhary, Public Information Officer at the District Police Office Palpa, 33-year-old Rajan Chidi from Tansen Municipality-10, Patuwa, who was seriously injured in the accident at Rahabas, Ward 7 of Mathagadhi Rural Municipality, died during treatment, bringing the total death toll to four.

Previously, the drivers and individuals who died included 26-year-old Chinta Bahadur Sunar from Sheetganga 4, Arghakhanchi, 26-year-old Sunil Bik from the same locality, and 26-year-old Sunil Nepali from Khaireni, Devdaha 2, Rupandehi.

The empty tipper truck, registration number Lu 2 Kha 4525, was traveling from Jhadewa to the Chun Dhunga mine in Rahabas when it fell approximately 100 meters off the road on Saturday evening.

Four men, including the driver, were injured in the accident. The injured were immediately taken to Lumbini Medical College for treatment. Three of the men were declared dead on the spot by medical personnel.

Rajan Chidi, aged 33, was transferred to Bhairahawa Medical College in Rupandehi for further treatment where he also succumbed to his injuries, DSP Chaudhary confirmed.

March 21, Kathmandu – Nepal Rastra Bank has set the exchange rates for foreign currencies for today.

According to the central bank, the buying rate for the US Dollar is NPR 149.64 and the selling rate is NPR 150.24.

Similarly, the buying rate for the European Euro is NPR 173.12 and the selling rate is NPR 173.81.

The buying rate for the UK Pound Sterling has reached NPR 200.38 and the selling rate is NPR 201.19.

The Swiss Franc’s buying rate is NPR 190.01, with a selling rate of NPR 190.77.

The Australian Dollar’s buying rate is NPR 105.89 and its selling rate NPR 106.31, while the Canadian Dollar’s buying rate is NPR 109.04 and selling rate NPR 109.48.

Singapore Dollar has a buying rate of NPR 117.01 and selling rate of NPR 117.48.

Japanese Yen (per 10 units) has a buying rate of NPR 9.43 and a selling rate of NPR 9.47, while the Chinese Yuan’s buying rate is NPR 21.73 and selling rate NPR 21.82.

Saudi Arabian Riyal’s buying rate is NPR 39.85 and selling rate NPR 40.01.

Qatari Riyal is bought at NPR 40.94 and sold at NPR 41.11.

The central bank has set the Thai Baht’s buying rate at NPR 4.58 and selling rate at NPR 4.60.

UAE Dirham’s buying rate is NPR 40.74 and selling rate NPR 40.91, whereas the Malaysian Ringgit is bought at NPR 37.98 and sold at NPR 38.14.

South Korean Won (per 100 units) has a buying rate of NPR 9.99 and selling rate of NPR 10.03; Swiss Kroner’s buying rate is NPR 16.07 and selling rate NPR 16.14.
Danish Kroner is bought at NPR 23.17 and sold at NPR 23.26.

Hong Kong Dollar’s buying rate is NPR 19.10 and selling rate NPR 19.17 per unit, as per the central bank.

Kuwaiti Dinar has a buying rate of NPR 488.06 and selling rate of NPR 490.02; Bahraini Dinar’s buying rate is NPR 396.34 and selling rate NPR 397.93.

Omani Riyal is bought at NPR 388.68 and sold at NPR 390.23.

Indian Rupee 100 notes are valued at NPR 160 for buying and NPR 160.15 for selling.

The central bank has noted that it can revise exchange rates at any time as necessary.

Exchange rates set by commercial banks may differ, and updated rates will be available on the Nepal Rastra Bank website.

March 21, Kathmandu – The Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal has transferred the post commander and other personnel, including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Pradeep Paudel, from the border security post at Khakraul, Kailali, to their headquarters.

This action follows the seizure of illegally imported goods from India on March 18, and an investigation revealed lapses in unit security, prompting the transfer of personnel for disciplinary proceedings at the APF headquarters.

APF spokesperson Bishnu Prasad Bhatt stated that during the incident, some smuggling groups unlawfully entered the Armed Police Force compound and attempted to assault the post commander. The headquarters has initiated a thorough investigation into why force was not used in such a serious breach and why adequate security measures were not maintained at the unit.

Although DSP Paudel has been actively working to curb smuggling, the headquarters concluded that the unit’s security precautions were inadequate.

Earlier, the APF Nepal’s No. 7 Baidyanath Battalion headquarters in Kailali formed an investigative committee led by Armed Police Superintendent (SP) Anil Karki, commander of the No. 43 Reserve Battalion, Banbahada, Kailali, to look into the incident.

Following the developments, all APF personnel present at the site were recalled to headquarters, and personnel from the APF No. 34 Battalion, Kailali, have been reassigned.

The Armed Police Force has been continuously conducting operations against smuggling and maintaining special vigilance against smuggling activities originating from Khakraul, according to the headquarters.

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March 20, Gulmi – In Resunga Municipality-3, Bhadgau of Gulmi district, an elderly man has been found dead. 75-year-old Gyaneshwar Pandey from Tamghas was discovered deceased around 2 p.m. on Saturday, about 10–15 meters below the road that connects Tamghas to Gaushala.

Local residents suspect that he may have died after falling from the road. Upon receiving the report, a team led by Police Inspector Sudip Nepali from the District Police Office in Gulmi was dispatched. The police have stated that further investigation into the incident is underway.

March 21, Kathmandu – Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia has always been a loyal and reliable ally of Iran. He made these remarks while extending greetings to Iranian leaders on the occasion of ‘Nowruz’ (the Iranian New Year) on Saturday.

“Moscow has always been a loyal and trustworthy partner of Tehran,” said a statement released by the Kremlin. President Vladimir Putin conveyed New Year greetings to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian, assuring that the Iranian people will overcome difficult challenges with dignity.

Earlier, Putin criticized the United States and Israel for their attacks on Iran, which he said have plunged the entire West Asia region into devastation. “The United States and Israel have created a massive global energy crisis,” Putin commented.

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February 23, 2026

Chaitra 7, Siraha – At 60 years old, Gangadevi Ram’s feet are not yet weary, but her spirit is deeply distressed. The cause of her distress is the daily humiliation she endures in her quest for water.

Every morning, she sets out early with an empty pitcher cradled in her arms, fearful not only of thirst but of the shame she will face. Gangadevi regularly goes to a nearby brick kiln to fetch water, where she is subjected to indignities.

“Sometimes they don’t allow me to fill the water. Occasionally, when waiting my turn, I am abruptly pushed away from the spot,” Gangadevi shares her ordeal. “At times, my empty containers have been thrown aside.”

Her experience reflects the shared struggle of 50 Dalit families living in Nipane of Golbazar Municipality-5. These families endure daily insults and suffering just to access water.

Despite changes on a national level and government presence in the village, the story remains unchanged for these Dalit women in Nipane who must start each day enduring such humiliation to quench their thirst.

Jugeshwaridevi Ram, another longtime resident of the same settlement, has spent many years living this ordeal. Her hair has turned completely white, yet the disgrace connected with obtaining water persists.

“Earlier, we used to bring water from a borewell in the fields; when the water stopped flowing for days, children had to face discrimination by missing school and work,” Jugeshwari recounts, “The pain caused by the water shortage never left us.”

The residents’ grievances extend beyond the local leaders and have turned into frustration. Since the introduction of multiparty democracy, politicians have promised to bring water during every election campaign, yet clean water has never reached Nipane.

Six months ago, the Golbazar Municipality installed a borewell in the middle of the village, but clean water has yet to flow from it. “The borewell rarely works, and when it does, it only delivers dirty water,” says local resident Ramkumar Mahara.

Kapil Sah, the contractor responsible for the borewell installation, states that the machinery was installed according to plan. “The machine is installed, but due to poor drainage in the village, dirty water might be coming through,” he explains. “We are preparing to send a technical team for repairs. Once drainage improves, the water quality will also get better.”

Bal Krishna Gautam, ward chairperson of Golbazar-5, acknowledges the water issue in Nipane. “We are aware of the problem and that is why we installed the borewell. Some issues have arisen, but they will be addressed,” he stated.

However, such assurances are nothing new for the residents of Nipane, according to locals. “Promised solutions always come, but the problem remains,” says Dalit woman Jugeshwari. “We have endured these hardships all our lives. Now, we hope the next generations at least can have easy access to a single pitcher of water.”

Even in the recent House of Representatives election, candidates came promising water and taps in exchange for votes, she adds. “This time, again, they asked for votes by promising water. It remains to be seen what will happen,” she remarks.

The people of the Dalit settlement in Nipane continue to face daily humiliation and discrimination at the brick kiln borewell while fetching water, highlighting a stark reality for the state. Despite the leaders’ promises of development, the parched thirst of Nipane’s Dalit community remains a pressing concern.

The United States Central Command (Centcom) has asserted that it has weakened Iran’s ability to threaten ships in the Strait of Hormuz. According to Centcom, recent attacks have diminished Iranian power in the region.

Centcom Commander Brad Cooper shared in a video message on the social media platform X that this week’s strikes destroyed underground facilities used for storing cruise missiles and other weapons by Iran.

He added that the operation not only targeted weapon storage sites but also critical intelligence support centers used for monitoring ship movements, as well as missile radar systems.

“As a result, Iran’s capability to jeopardize the free movement of vessels around Hormuz has been weakened,” Cooper stated. “We will continue to target such facilities.”

In the video, Cooper also revealed that the United States has struck more than 8,000 Iranian military locations to date, including 130 Iranian naval vessels.

March 19, Kathmandu – Renuka Kaucha has become a proportional representative Member of Parliament from the Nepali Congress. She hails from Galkot Municipality in Baglung and was elected deputy mayor from Congress in the 2017 local elections. Having served a term as deputy mayor, Kaucha has now reached parliament.

Although she was on the proportional representation list in 2022, she was not elected as a member then. This time, she was elected from the indigenous women’s group quota and received her certificate from the Election Commission on Thursday.

“Receiving the certificate makes me truly feel the immense responsibility,” she said. “I respect the trust given by the people and will not let that trust down.”

Main Agenda: Improving People’s Living Standards

As she accepted her certificate, memories of the hardships faced by people in remote villages came to her mind. “Not just then, even now I remember those distant parents. When I was asking for votes, I cried four or five times. Those circumstances deeply moved me,” she shared.

She is determined to reform policies to solve the problems faced by those voters. “We have come to parliament to formulate and improve policies not for ourselves, but for the benefit of the country and its people,” she said. “Services and facilities found in Kathmandu, Pokhara, or even Baglung’s district headquarters are not available to people in remote areas.”

Her constituency is Baglung-2, an area still lacking road upgrades, with dangerous conditions.
“There is fear every time one gets on a vehicle – it could overturn at any moment. I’ve only been there once or twice, but we must consider how citizens travel daily. If the budget was allocated appropriately, the people would receive better services,” she said. “The tendency to allocate less budget to geographically disadvantaged areas must end, and the government should deliver work that everyone can feel.”

Coordination Needed Between Three Levels of Government

Kaucha has observed a lack of coordination among local, provincial, and federal governments. She plans to actively work to remove inconsistencies among laws. “While I was deputy mayor, I experienced difficulties working because laws at the federal, provincial, and local levels were different and uncoordinated. For example, the Mid-Hill Highway is regulated by the federal government, but locals complain about the dust. I will work to clear such ambiguities,” she said.

She also pointed out problems in the planning and selection of projects among the three government tiers. “Instead of plans being selected ‘from the bottom upwards,’ they are done the other way around — from the top down. The center forms plans, but the budget arrives late at the provincial and local levels, leading to cuts. Local representatives get scolded by user committees. This needs reform,” she said.

Entrance into Politics

Kaucha’s family has a political background in the Nepali Congress. Her grandfather was the founding chairperson of her village, and her father was also politically active. Initially, she did not plan to enter politics but became active after becoming the treasurer in the student union election at Saraswati Campus in 2008 (2065 BS).

“Senior leaders encouraged me, and I had family support, which brought me here today,” she said.

Moving forward, she is determined to apply the knowledge she gains through her studies to legislative work.

Through continuous political engagement, she has become an MP. Although Congress did not achieve the expected vote share this time, she promises to play a constructive opposition role in parliament.

“We will play a strong opposition role. Being in opposition does not mean opposing everything; we will support the government’s good work and alert them on mistakes,” she stated. “Along with warnings, we will present alternatives. Debate on bills and prioritizing people’s issues will remain our focus.”

Currently Pursuing MPhil

Kaucha continues her education, currently pursuing an MPhil in Anthropology. While serving as deputy mayor, she completed an LLB and succeeded in the parliamentary Judicial Committee, where legal matters and complaints are addressed. She highlighted the importance of law in this role.

Having completed studies in management at Tribhuvan University and Saraswati Campus, and a master’s degree in Indigenous Studies from Kathmandu University, Kaucha is committed to utilizing her academic knowledge for lawmaking.