Author: space4knews

March 21, Kathmandu – The Election Commission has decided to resume the voter registration and updating process starting tomorrow, Sunday. This decision was made during a meeting held on March 18.

Nepali citizens possessing a national identity card number can register their names online by filling in the details contained in their identity cards.

According to Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, the spokesperson for the commission, individuals without a national identity card must fill out an online form through the commission’s pre-enrollment system, providing a photo, fingerprint, and biometric information. Additionally, provisions have been made to allow registration at provincial and district election offices.

March 21, Kathmandu – Nepali Congress leader Dr. Shekhar Koirala has attributed his party’s defeat in the recent House of Representatives election primarily to ‘swing votes.’ Speaking at the 18th Annual General Meeting of the VP Smriti Community Cooperative Hospital in Kathmandu on Saturday, he elaborated on this perspective. Koirala claimed that voters did not abandon the party outright but rather shifted their votes temporarily, and emphasized the importance of preventing such vote shifts in the future.

He identified the party’s weakened presence in parliament as largely due to a failure to understand public sentiment and the emerging political ‘storm.’ “Many wonder how we lost, what was done wrong,” Koirala said. “But it may be that such storms and political upheavals came, which we failed to comprehend.” He stressed that the next political battle will not be against leftists but against ‘liberal democrats,’ underscoring the need to strengthen the organization accordingly.

“Previously, our main contest was against the left, which was straightforward. Now, the battle is with liberal democrats,” he stated. “In this struggle, I believe we must not fall behind. We have the organization and the capability.” Koirala also recalled that from the beginning, the Central Working Committee had insisted on convening a special convention.

Regarding the special convention’s election of Gagan Thapa as party chairperson, he noted that the Supreme Court case filed by Sher Bahadur Deuba and Purna Bahadur Khadka remains pending a final verdict. Regardless of the court’s decision, Koirala reaffirmed his commitment to uniting the party. “The resolution of the case will begin tomorrow. I cannot say how long it will take,” he said. “But my final effort will be to consolidate Nepali Congress and bring everyone together.”

March 21, Kathmandu – The Nepali Embassy in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has provided updates on the condition of Nepali nationals injured when drone debris fell in Abu Dhabi. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the embassy has been in contact with the injured individuals to monitor their health status. Embassy staff have spoken with all seven injured Nepalis.

Among those injured on Friday, one individual’s condition is serious, but all seven are out of danger, said Lok Bahadur Paudel Kshetri, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He added, “We have established contact with everyone. One person sustained an injury to the hand, but their condition is stable. The embassy is actively assessing what further assistance may be required.”

According to spokesperson Paudel, two of the injured Nepalis have been discharged after treatment, while five remain hospitalized and continue to receive care. Following reports from UAE government media that seven Nepalis were injured, the embassy promptly sought information regarding their status.

The incident occurred after the UAE air defense system intercepted a drone launched by Iran with missiles, resulting in debris falling in the Al Azban area of Abu Dhabi on Friday. The event caused injuries to 12 people, including seven Nepalis and five Indian nationals.

March 21, Kathmandu – Approximately 1,900 cooperative organizations operate within Kathmandu Metropolitan City. However, nearly 50 percent of them fail to submit their annual reports regularly. This situation indicates underlying issues within the cooperatives. According to the cooperative department of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), only 723 cooperatives have submitted their annual reports on a regular basis.

According to Duvrukumar Kafle, head of the KMC cooperative department, the metropolitan office has repeatedly urged these cooperatives to submit their annual reports consistently. Cooperatives that have not submitted reports for an extended period, often citing various excuses, are preparing to face legal action. Kafle stated, “Some cooperatives do not maintain contact, while others involved in disciplinary action fail to submit reports. Additionally, cooperatives that unlawfully grant loans typically do not submit regular reports either.”

The metropolitan office has directed these cooperatives to immediately conduct their annual general meetings and submit the audit reports along with the general assembly decisions and annual reports to the KMC cooperative department. Kafle explained that for cooperatives that continue to neglect submitting general assembly reports, an investigation trap has been planned. To prevent misappropriation of depositors’ funds, the metropolitan office will first require submission of reports before proceeding with deregistration processes.

KMC has cautioned all depositors against falling for the temptation of high-interest returns, which could result in losing their savings. Kafle advised, “Before saving money, it is important to verify whether the cooperative operates according to its rules, whether audits are conducted, if the interest rates are reasonable, the transparency of the institution’s finances, and the oversight by regulators.” He added, “Do not deposit money in cooperatives run by acquaintances or relatives without due diligence, as it could lead to losses.” Currently, many cooperatives managed internally face financial management problems, and lack of legal enforcement has exacerbated these issues.

Advocate Bam, a leader of the Youth Union, has been arrested on charges of intimidation. The Crime Investigation Department (CID) took him and 12 others into custody. He is currently held in the CID’s detention facility. Kathmandu, 21 Chaitra — Advocate Bam, a leader of the Youth Union, was arrested on charges of intimidation. The CID apprehended Bam during an operation targeting individuals involved in intimidation activities. He is a secretariat member of the youth organization affiliated with the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist). Bam, active in the Youth Union office team, was arrested late Friday night and is currently in CID custody. In total, the CID detained 13 individuals including him. Originally from Palata Rural Municipality in Kalikot, Advocate Bam has been active in the Thamel area.

US military forces continue to search for a crew member from a fighter jet downed in an Iranian attack. Of the two American fighter pilots who ejected from aircrafts downed at separate locations in Iran, one crew member has been rescued, while the other reportedly ejected using the aircraft’s safety equipment. US media report that both American and Iranian military forces are engaged in ongoing efforts to locate the missing crew member.

CBS, citing US sources, told the BBC that a weapons systems officer from the US F-15 fighter jet, which was brought down in southern Iran, remains missing. The pilot of the aircraft has been rescued, but the weapons officer is still unaccounted for. US President Donald Trump declined to comment on rescue operations but stated that the incident would not affect negotiations with Iran.

Tehran has appealed to local residents to assist in locating the missing crew member. An announcement has been made offering a reward to anyone who finds the individual. It is reported that the US forces have placed a reward of $66,000 (approximately 1 crore Nepalese Rupees) for information leading to the safe recovery of the personnel.

Iranian media have also reported that another US A-10 Warthog aircraft was intercepted and forced to separate from its pilot over the Persian Gulf. According to US Central Command, six people died on March 12 after a US refueling plane collided with another aircraft in western Iraq.

Bollywood director Ramesh Sippy has described actor Rajesh Hamal as Nepal’s Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra. The conversation took place during the ‘Cinema Dialogue’ session at the Nepal International Film Festival, where Sippy and Hamal discussed the film ‘Sholay’. Sippy shared that the shooting of ‘Sholay’ began on October 2, 1973, with a budget that eventually reached three crore rupees.

Speaking at the event in Kathmandu, Sippy said, “Nepal is a fortunate country because you (Rajesh Hamal) embody both Amitabh and Dharmendra.” He openly discussed the film’s development and revealed that the writer duo Salim-Javed entrusted him to direct ‘Sholay’. He remarked, “They did not say this was a film in my style.”

Sippy provided details about the production timeline, noting that filming started six months after the script was completed, commencing on October 2, 1973. He added, “Initially the budget was set at one crore, but it finally escalated to three crore.”

Actor Hamal expressed admiration for Sippy’s direction of ‘Sholay’, highlighting how all the film’s characters and even the horse’s name have become iconic among audiences. Sippy shared, “Due to weather conditions, one particular scene took 21 days to shoot.” Their dialogue lasted for nearly an hour.

March 21, Kathmandu – Authorities have detained 18 individuals at Tribhuvan International Airport. The police took these measures last night amid reports of passenger scuffles occurring at the airport. SSP Ramesh Thapa of the Kathmandu District Police Office confirmed the arrests, stating that those apprehended include taxi drivers and hotel representatives involved in the incidents.

In addition to these arrests, police also took into custody a large number of individuals linked to gang-related activities during the night. The list of the 18 detainees is as follows: 1) Surya Maji, 18, originally from Sarlahi and residing in Kathmandu’s Sinamangal area; 2) Ekesh Tamang, 22, from Banke, residing near the airport; 3) Premkumar Magar, 26, originally from Panchthar and residing near the airport; 4) Rajkumar Rai, 32, from Sindhuli, living in Nayabasti; 5) Magalman Ghilan, 40, from Makwanpur, residing near the airport; 6) Khagendra Limbu, 38, from Panchthar, living in Tokha; 7) Ashis Khatiwada, 29, from Morang, residing near the airport; 8) Bishwo Moktan, 34, from Makwanpur, residing in Sambhumarg; 9) Birendra Jha, 45, from Dhanusha, residing near the airport; 10) Lada Miya, 60, from Siraha, living in Tilgaga; 11) Parsuram Rai, 46, residing in New Buspark; 12) Santu Tamang, 27, originally from Ramechhap, living in Bhaktapur; 13) Raghuvir Shah, 53, from Dhanusha, living in Tilgaga; 14) Rajivkumar Rawat, 33, from Mahottari, residing in Tilgaga; 15) Sarojkumar Mahto, 26, from Dhanusha, living in Gausala; 16) Ajaylama, 19, from Makwanpur, residing in Kaji Gausala; 17) Keshav Limbu, 39, originally from Jhapa, living in Sinamangal; 18) Ramprasad Joshi, 20, from Bajhang, residing in Sinamangal; and 19) Bimalraj Joshi, 29, from Bajhang, residing in Kirtipur.

Summary prepared after a news review. In West Asia, the United States and Israel have launched over 200 attacks on Iran, while Iran has also retaliated. Iran has announced a reward of 10 billion Iranian tomans for anyone who captures and surrenders the pilot of the downed U.S. fighter jet alive. Clashes continue between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, with both sides launching missile attacks. (March 21, Kathmandu)

Tensions in West Asia have escalated significantly. While the U.S. and Israel continue their intense attacks on Iran, Iran is actively retaliating. On Saturday, the U.S. is actively searching for its downed fighter jet pilot, while Iran continues missile strikes against America. Based on direct reports received Saturday morning, the recent situation in Iran is as follows: The U.S. has deployed a C-130 Hercules aircraft to search for the pilot of the American fighter jet downed in Iran. A video circulated on social media shows the plane flying at a very low altitude over Iran while releasing hot flares.

This flare release technique helps the aircraft evade missile attacks by diverting missiles to the flares’ heat signatures instead of the engine’s hot parts. Meanwhile, an Israeli official has claimed that one of the two pilots of the downed U.S. fighter jet has been rescued alive in Iran. The search for the other pilot is ongoing. However, this claim has yet to be officially confirmed. Iran initially claimed to have shot down an American F-35 fighter jet, but some reports suggest the plane might have been an F-15E. Additionally, in the Gulf region near Hormuz, an A-10 Warthog aircraft crashed, and U.S. officials say one of the two pilots was rescued.

Iran Announces Reward for Capturing U.S. Pilot Alive. Iran’s state media IRIB presenter has called upon the public, announcing a reward of 10 billion Iranian tomans for anyone who captures and surrenders the U.S. fighter jet pilot alive. After declaring the downing of the U.S. aircraft, celebrations have been reported on the streets of Iran. Iranian officials have warned that their military capabilities are vast and that attacks will continue. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Iranian Parliament, sarcastically stated, “Those who boasted about defeating Iran 37 times are now unable to find their own pilot.”

Over 200 Attacks in 24 Hours. In the last 24 hours, the U.S. and Israel have launched more than 200 attacks on Iran. The human rights organization based in the U.S., Human Rights Activists in Iran, reported that from Thursday to Friday, 206 attacks occurred across 13 provinces in Iran, resulting in the death of one civilian. However, the New York Times, citing American intelligence reports, said Iran was able to restore its underground missile bunkers damaged by U.S. and Israeli strikes within a few hours. Iran is also believed to have preserved a large number of missiles and mobile launchers safely.

Iran’s Retaliation. On Friday night, Iran fired missiles targeting Israeli and American checkpoints. Iranian ballistic missiles struck Kiryat Atta and Petah Tikva in northern Israel, causing damage to vehicles and buildings. The armed group Islamic Resistance in Iraq claimed it launched 19 drone and missile attacks on U.S. military bases in Iraq and neighboring areas in the past day, although the U.S. has not confirmed this. During these events, an Iranian drone crashed in Bahrain’s Sitra region, injuring four people and damaging homes.

Similarly, drone debris fell while intercepting an air attack in Dubai’s Marina area, but no human injuries were reported there. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that the downing of the fighter jet will not affect potential talks with Iran, adding, “This is war. We are in a state of war.” Republican Congressman John Curtis said that Congress will not provide further military funding until formally declaring war. Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni indicated Europe would not fully support the U.S. in a war against Iran, emphasizing national interests as the top priority. Trump criticized European allies for not supporting a war with Iran. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is scheduled to meet with Trump on April 8. A proposed U.N. Security Council vote on Bahrain’s proposal to ensure safe navigation in the Strait of Hormuz has been postponed until next week.

Clashes in Lebanon. In Lebanon, violent clashes continue between Israel and Hezbollah. The Israeli Air Force destroyed rocket launchers fired by Hezbollah in northern Israel and conducted attacks on various locations in Beirut. Hezbollah claimed it launched rockets and guided missiles targeting Israeli troops at three different locations in southern Lebanon. (With agency contributions)

21 Chaitra, Kathmandu – Nepal Rastra Bank has set the foreign currency exchange rates for today. The buying rate for the US dollar is NPR 148.67, and the selling rate is NPR 149.27. The European Euro’s buying rate is NPR 171.62, and the selling rate is NPR 172.31. The British Pound Sterling has a buying rate of NPR 196.76 and a selling rate of NPR 197.55, while the Swiss Franc’s buying rate is NPR 186.22 with a selling rate of NPR 186.97.

The Australian Dollar is priced with a buying rate of NPR 102.71 and selling rate of NPR 103.12. The Canadian Dollar’s buying rate is NPR 106.76 and selling rate is NPR 107.19. The Singapore Dollar has a buying rate of NPR 115.65 and a selling rate of NPR 116.11. The Japanese Yen per 10 units has a buying rate of NPR 9.32 and a selling rate of NPR 9.36. The Chinese Yuan’s buying rate is NPR 21.61 and selling rate NPR 21.69. The Saudi Arabian Riyal is bought at NPR 39.59 and sold at NPR 39.75, and the Qatari Riyal has a buying rate of NPR 40.78 and a selling rate of NPR 40.94.

According to the central bank, the Thai Baht’s buying rate is NPR 4.57 with a selling rate of NPR 4.58. The UAE Dirham is priced at NPR 40.48 for buying and NPR 40.64 for selling. The Malaysian Ringgit’s buying rate is NPR 36.88 with a selling rate of NPR 37.03. The South Korean Won per 100 units is bought at NPR 9.85 and sold at NPR 9.89. The Swedish Krona’s buying rate is NPR 15.76 and selling rate NPR 15.82, while the Danish Kroner is bought at NPR 22.96 and sold at NPR 23.06.

Nepal Rastra Bank has set the Hong Kong Dollar’s buying rate at NPR 18.97 and selling rate at NPR 19.05. The Kuwaiti Dinar is bought at NPR 484.50 and sold at NPR 486.46. The Bahraini Dinar’s buying rate is NPR 393.83 with a selling rate of NPR 395.42, and the Omani Riyal is bought at NPR 386.21 and sold at NPR 387.76. The Indian Rupee for 100 notes is set at a buying rate of NPR 160.00 and a selling rate of NPR 160.15.

The central bank has indicated that these exchange rates may be revised at any time as necessary. Commercial banks may offer different exchange rates, and the updated exchange rates are available on the central bank’s official website.