Author: space4knews

In IPL action, Royal Challengers Bangalore defeated Delhi Capitals by 9 wickets. Bangalore chased down the target of 76 runs in 6.3 overs losing only one wicket. Delhi was bowled out for 75 runs in 16.3 overs, leaving Bangalore in second place. April 26, Kathmandu.

On Monday night, Bangalore secured a 9-wicket victory over Delhi Capitals. They achieved the modest target of 76 runs with ease, losing just a single wicket in 6.3 overs. Devdutt Padikkal scored 34 runs, while Virat Kohli remained unbeaten with 23 runs. Jacob Bethel contributed 20 runs. Kyle Jamieson was the only bowler from Delhi to take a wicket.

Delhi, having lost the toss and sent to bat first, were all out for 75 runs in 16.3 overs. Their innings collapsed early as they lost six wickets for just 8 runs. Sahil Parikh was run out without scoring on the second ball, followed closely by KL Rahul’s dismissal after adding two runs. Following Samir Rizvi’s wicket, Delhi was in a dire position at 3 runs for 2 wickets. The dismissals of Tristan Stubbs and captain Axar Patel at 7 runs and Nitish Rana at 8 runs further deepened their woes, leaving Delhi at 6 runs for 8 wickets.

Abhishek Porel was the last wicket to fall, dismissed for 30 runs, ending Delhi’s innings at 75. For Bangalore, Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were instrumental, taking three wickets each within the first four overs. Hazlewood took 4 wickets for 12 runs in 3.3 overs, while Bhuvneshwar claimed 3 wickets for 5 runs in 3 overs. With this significant victory, Bangalore accumulated 12 points from 8 matches to rise to second place, while despite the loss, Delhi remained in seventh position with 6 points from 8 games.

The Supreme Court has issued a show cause order in response to a petition filed concerning the eviction of squatter settlements residing along the riversides and public spaces in Kathmandu. A single bench of Justice Shanti Singh Thapa has directed the District Administration Office of Kathmandu and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City to submit written responses.

According to Supreme Court spokesperson Arjun Prasad Koirala, both parties have been summoned for a hearing scheduled on Baisakh 22 (approximately early May). The petition, filed on Baisakh 11 by Gopal Ran and ten others, challenges the planned eviction of these squatter settlements.

The writ petition was filed following notices issued by the District Administration Office and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City to clear the squatter settlements along the riverbanks. The petition requests that no landless families living in squatter settlements across the Kathmandu Valley or elsewhere in the country be evicted, removed, displaced, or forcibly subjected to any action without proper identification, verification, and provision of alternative arrangements.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case against Chief Customs Officer Ambikaprasad Khanal and other staff regarding gold concealed inside a BEP (bonded export package). Officer Khanal had prepared a report on the exchanged BEPs, but the CIAA accused him of withholding information. The District Court has convicted individuals involved in gold smuggling and designated customs personnel as government witnesses. Kathmandu, 14 Baisakh.

“On 19 Baisakh 2080, during routine warehouse inspection and verification of goods, it was observed that goods with different packaging were placed within the same BEP location, indicating exchange of items. When the office attempted to question Nasu Rewant Khadka to clarify the reason and purpose behind this exchange, he was unavailable and uncontactable under various pretexts. The chief customs administration therefore found it appropriate to immediately summon Nasu to the office for interrogation and, if a reasonable explanation was not obtained, to inform the investigative agency for further inquiry—this formed the basis of my report,” summarized the report prepared on 25 Baisakh 2080 by Chief Customs Officer Ambikaprasad Khanal of Tribhuvan International Customs Office.

The CIAA has accused Khanal and several customs staff of concealing information about the gold found hidden inside the BEP, thereby aiding gold smuggling. However, except for Nasu Rewant Khadka and office assistant Nirmal Kumar Bik, no direct evidence links other employees to the smuggling. Nevertheless, the CIAA has filed cases against most staff members without substantive proof. The charge sheet presented to the Special Court by the CIAA lists three charges against Khanal, the Undersecretary (Chief Customs Officer).

The CIAA’s charge sheet states, “The accused deliberately destroyed evidence and conspired to evade accountability for this crime, along with intentions to benefit from the sale of smuggled gold.” However, the charge sheet submitted to the Special Court does not demonstrate the existence of concrete evidence supporting these claims. Documents submitted in both the district and special courts reveal that only after Khanal’s report did the fact of gold hidden inside the BEP come to light.

Prior to Khanal’s report, the CIAA had not submitted any documents, evidence, or written material proving that gold was concealed in the BEP. The investigation targeted the Chief Customs Officer, who had inspected the suitcase suspected of gold smuggling and submitted the report regarding BEP exchange. Khanal later expressed to the CIAA that instead of commendation, he faced legal action, questioning the investigation approach.

“The case was initiated by the customs office to prevent further potential losses to the Government of Nepal, and I was fulfilling my legal responsibility and duty,” Khanal said in his statement to the CIAA. “In my view, instead of punishment, encouragement and recognition should be provided.”

April 27, Nepalgunj — The inaugural Street Food and Beverage Festival in Nepalgunj has witnessed a highly enthusiastic turnout from visitors. The event was jointly organized by the Banke Chapter of the Hotel Entrepreneurs Association and the Hotel Association Nepal, Banke branch. Approximately 12,000 visitors came daily to experience the festival. The organizers stated that the event aimed to promote tourism in Nepalgunj and the wider Banke district.

The festival was held with the objectives of promoting tourist destinations, identifying and celebrating local cuisine, and fostering the growth of the hotel industry. Targeted at both domestic visitors and tourists from neighboring India, the festival brought together a diverse range of street foods and gourmet dishes from five-star hotels all in one place. Traditional and contemporary local foods and beverages were made available by local authorities.

Among the hundreds of dishes offered in one venue were sel roti, chicken Thai mom, biryani, handmade fried bandiya fish, pizza, sekuwa, choila, dhikri, snail delicacies, sattu, rabri, sushi, nawabi kebabs, and many more. The festival also featured local art, cultural performances, and entertainment programs. There were 55 stalls representing hotels and other commercial establishments. Over the three-day event, a total of 35,000 visitors, including approximately 5,000 Indian tourists, attended, according to Bhim Kandel, president of the Hotel Entrepreneurs Association, Banke.

Held amid Nepalgunj’s intense heat, the festival operated from 6 PM to 11 PM each evening. Tourists reported having an enjoyable experience, noted Keshav Nyaupane, vice president of the Hotel Association, Banke.

April 27, Kathmandu – Tensions escalated in Tamliya village of Banswara district, Rajasthan, India, when a young man was murdered, leading to the arson of around 30 houses in a neighboring village. The incident took place on Sunday and has sparked widespread anger across the region, according to Indian media reports. Relatives of the deceased reportedly reached the nearby village and set fire to approximately 30 homes. Several domestic animals were also reported to have died in the fires.

In response to the unrest, police have tightened security measures. On the same night, senior officials including the district collector and superintendent of police visited the scene to restore order. According to Ramesh Patidar, the officer-in-charge of Tamliya police station, the family of the deceased has filed a murder complaint against more than two dozen individuals. Following the complaint, the victim’s body was taken to the hospital for a post-mortem examination.

Police reports indicate that the young man was in a romantic relationship with a woman from another village, and disputes over this relationship were ongoing between the two parties. It has been confirmed that the man was murdered in connection with this conflict on Sunday.

Isma Rural Municipality in Gulmi has decided to establish its permanent headquarters in Chapatari after nine years. The village assembly unanimously chose the location, putting an end to nearly a decade of uncertainty. Bhagat Singh Khadka, Chairperson of the Rural Municipality, described the decision as a significant milestone for Isma’s overall development. (April 14, Gulmi)

The decision to construct the municipal center in Chapatari resolves a long-standing dispute. The village assembly meeting held in Isma-5 Chapatari reached a unanimous agreement on the location, ending years of ambiguity. Following local government restructuring, the municipality had been operating services from rented facilities; with this decision, it now moves toward building its own permanent administrative center.

The proposal to designate Chapatari as the municipal headquarters was put forward by Pomprasad Bhusal of the UML party, and supported by Dhal Bahadur Kunwar of the Nepali Congress. Chairperson Khadka stated that the municipality would now focus on constructing its own administrative building to provide services more effectively. Deputy Chairperson Parvati Kunwar highlighted that the consensus, reached beyond political differences, exemplifies the unity of Isma.

Eleven officials and members of the Nepal Foreign Employment Entrepreneurs Association, including General Secretary Mahesh Basnet, have collectively resigned. The resigning members have accused President Bhuvansingh Gurung of adopting a management style resembling that of a private company, rather than an institutional approach. They highlighted concerns over an unfair decision-making process influenced by political interference and expressed the need for new leadership. Kathmandu, 14 Baisakh.

Following escalating disputes within the association, five officials and six members, led by General Secretary Mahesh Basnet, have tendered their collective resignation. Those resigning include First Vice President Sujit Kumar Shrestha, Third Vice President Baikuntha Prasad Paudel, Secretary Kuncha Dorje Dimdong, Treasurer Dhanmaya Sinjali, and members Rekha Sharma, Krishna Dhakal, Bharat Sapkota, Hima Gurung, Rama Khadka, and Deviprasad Giri.

A majority of the association’s officials and members have stepped down. Among seven officials, five resigned, and among ten elected members, six have resigned. They levelled accusations against President Bhuvansingh Gurung that his leadership approach is more personal and private company-like than institutional. General Secretary Basnet stated, “Despite repeated internal efforts to draw attention to these issues, the problems remained unresolved, which led us to submit our collective resignation.”

The group cited a lack of impartial, transparent, and collective decision-making processes. They also criticized the association for ineffective coordination with government bodies, entrepreneurs, the executive committee, and stakeholders. Allegations include self-centered interests and dominance of political influence within the association. According to the association’s bylaws, they concluded that working with the desired capability and unity had become difficult. In such circumstances, they deemed it untenable to remain in their positions and recommended appointing new leadership and executive committee through a fresh mandate in the organization’s best interest.

April 26, Kathmandu – Madhav Sapkota, a leader of the Nepal Communist Party, stated that local governments have initiated work not only in unproductive sectors but also in productive areas. Addressing an event held in Kathmandu on Thursday, he highlighted that Jugal Rural Municipality has identified and certified ‘Jugal Mount Everest View Point’ as a new tourist destination in the Jugal area.

Amid ongoing criticism that local governments mostly allocate budgets to unproductive sectors, Sapkota noted that Jugal Rural Municipality has invested in tourism infrastructure, sending a positive message. Emphasizing the need to focus on infrastructure development alongside identifying tourism regions, he expressed dissatisfaction with the unsatisfactory progress in upgrading the road from Balefi to Tembathan.

Sapkota also underscored the necessity of ensuring easy access to Jugal Himal. “Considering the persistent remarks that budgets of our local governments have been spent solely on unproductive sectors, Jugal Rural Municipality has invested in a significant area, and I would like to wholeheartedly praise this,” he said.

“Fundamentally, we politicians and representatives must commit here. From Balefi onwards, there is the Araniko Lokmarga. The road from Balefi to Balefi, Dhande, Kattike to Tembathan is an auxiliary national highway, but it has not seen the expected progress for a long time.” He stressed that protecting natural resources in areas above human settlements must be prioritized.

He also proposed a development plan to expand roads only in human settlement areas before developing foot trails. Furthermore, he informed that infrastructure has been constructed along the Jugal Trek with an investment equivalent to 360 million rupees. “We have recently stated that hydropower projects are effective only below human settlements. However, now, controversies have begun to surface where hydropower projects reach above human settlements, employing explosive methods and causing deforestation,” he explained.