Author: space4knews

Chaitra 9, Myagdi – The road linking Bagarphat–Kopre in Ward No. 2 of Beni Municipality to Dudhekola in Ward No. 3 has been upgraded after 18 years.

The Bagarphat–Kopre–Dudhekola section of the Handebhir–Bagarphat–Bhakimli road, managed by the Infrastructure Development Office in Myagdi, was widened and improved with better bends, grade correction, drainage, and retaining walls.

Originally opened in 2064 BS (2007-08) as an agricultural road stretching from Beni Bazaar via Handebhir and Bagarphat to Bhakimli, this dirt track saw partial paving two years ago on the section from Handebhir to Bagarphat up to Mangalghat, excluding the cliff area.

With the recent expansion, drainage, retaining walls, and graveling of approximately 2.5 kilometers from Bagarphat to Dudhekola, local residents have gained substantial convenience, according to Chandrabhadur Ghimire of Beni Municipality Ward No. 2.

“The narrow and potholed road posed major problems during the rainy season due to waterlogging and mud,” he said. “With this upgrade, the travel time has dropped from 20 minutes to just five minutes.”

Neeraj Bhandari, a representative of the construction company, reported that except for 390 meters of culvert work, cleaning of drains, and repairs of damaged sections in the Halle Gauda area, 80 percent of the work has been completed.

This project was selected as a multi-year plan under the Gandaki Province Physical Infrastructure Ministry. In Jestha 2078 BS (May 2021), the Infrastructure Development Office signed a contract worth NPR 55.9 million with Machhapuchhre Himalayan JV for the upgrade.

The project implementation was conducted via competitive bidding with a total estimated cost of NPR 100 million. The approximately 2.5-kilometer road from Bagarphat to Dudhekola was widened to eight meters and graveled, easing transportation and reducing travel time, noted Om Bahadur Ghartimagar, a resident of Kopre.

However, 390 meters of road from Dudhekola to Bhakimli remain to be asphalted. Despite the contract’s deadline extending to Chaitra end (mid-April 2024), work has been delayed due to insufficient funds from the provincial government, according to construction businessman Bhandari.

This road connects to Tarakhola and Kathekholas rural municipalities of Baglung district. It is a vital route used by residents of Beni Municipality’s Wards 2, 3, and 4, as well as Wards 3 and 4 of Mangala Rural Municipality, to reach the district headquarters in Beni.

March 22, Kathmandu – Pradip Paudel, General Secretary of the Nepali Congress, has urged the government to publicly release the investigation report on the Janajati (JENJI) movement incidents. He made the appeal on Monday morning via his Facebook account.

“The Nepali Congress has already demanded the release of the report at the Central Working Committee meeting,” Paudel wrote. “I again request this outgoing government to fulfill its responsibility by releasing the report as soon as possible.” The Nepali Congress Central Working Committee, at its meeting on March 21, had decided to demand the report’s disclosure.

The commission headed by Gauribahadur Karki investigated the events that took place during the Janajati youth movement on September 8 and 9. The commission submitted its report to the government on February 7 this year. On the same day, commission member and spokesperson Bijanraj Sharma told the media that this report would not suffer the same fate as the earlier Mallik and Rayamajhi commission reports.

The Cabinet meeting held on March 14 accepted the report. Following the meeting, Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal told reporters, “The report will come out tomorrow,” but as of now, it remains unpublished. Leaders of the Janajati movement and the Accountability Monitoring Group have been pressuring the government to make the report public.

“Secrecy is an irony”

Although demands for the report’s disclosure have been growing, it remains unpublished—an irony highlighted by General Secretary Paudel. He pointed out that the interim government’s tenure is ending, and failing to release the report before leaving office reflects a neglect of responsibility. He stated, “Publishing the report submitted by the commission is the government’s duty and responsibility. Keeping it secret like previous commissions’ reports is an irony.”

Paudel also noted that the interim government’s failure to publicize the investigation report has raised numerous questions. “What issues have prevented the release of the Karki commission’s report? Why is it not being made public? These are pressing questions,” he wrote.

9 Chaitra, Kathmandu – On Monday, the price of gold declined by Rs 6,500 per tola. It had dropped by Rs 12,500 the previous day.

The Nepal Gold and Silver Traders Association fixed the gold price at Rs 275,500 per tola for Monday.

The previous day’s price stood at Rs 282,000 per tola. Over the span of one week, gold has lost Rs 34,000 in value.

Last Monday, gold was traded at Rs 309,500 per tola, and on Magh 15 (January 29), it reached an all-time high of Rs 339,300 per tola.

The escalating conflict in West Asian countries has caused oil prices to soar, leading countries to require more US dollars for purchases. This increase in dollar demand has driven the US dollar’s value higher. International media report that the greater amount of dollars collected through gold sales has caused a significant drop in gold prices.

Globally, the spike in oil prices has triggered inflationary pressures, prompting calls for interest rate hikes worldwide. This has put additional downward pressure on gold and silver prices.

On Monday, silver prices dropped by Rs 115 per tola. The previous day, silver traded at Rs 4,540 per tola but slipped to Rs 4,425 per tola on Monday.

Over the week, silver prices declined by Rs 840 per tola. Last Monday, silver was traded at Rs 5,265 per tola, while on Magh 15 it had peaked at Rs 7,505 per tola.

Chaitra 9, Kathmandu – The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has clarified that it has not received any official approval from the National Sports Council (RAKHEP) for the international friendly football match scheduled between Nepal and Hong Kong on Chaitra 12.

In a statement released Monday morning, ANFA asserted that it failed to secure timely approval for the maintenance of Dashrath Rangasala Stadium and other necessary clearances.

Earlier, on Sunday afternoon, ANFA had announced that the match between Nepal and Hong Kong was canceled due to RAKHEP not making the Dashrath Rangasala available.

Furthermore, Nepal had informed the Hong Kong Football Association through a letter that the game was canceled due to political tensions in Nepal. However, on Sunday evening, RAKHEP refuted ANFA’s claims, stating that approval for the use of Dashrath Rangasala had been granted on time and accused ANFA of spreading misinformation. The following day, ANFA issued another statement countering RAKHEP’s letter.

According to ANFA, a request for the necessary approvals and use of Dashrath Rangasala was sent to RAKHEP on Magh 10, which was officially registered on Magh 11. Yet, no written permission was received for a prolonged period.

Despite repeatedly seeking clarification from relevant RAKHEP officials, ANFA claims they received no clear response. Even on Chaitra 5, with ANFA staff present at the RAKHEP office from morning till afternoon, written approval was not provided.

ANFA stated that it has been solely bearing all financial and technical responsibilities related to the maintenance of Dashrath Rangasala, including floodlight fuel, staffing, and other arrangements, making the lack of timely approval a regrettable incident.

Following ANFA’s announcement to postpone the match, it expressed surprise over RAKHEP’s subsequent press release claiming to have granted approval. ANFA also questioned RAKHEP’s intentions, noting that the letter dated Chaitra 5 was only made public on Chaitra 8.

ANFA reiterated that it has yet to receive any official or written approval and apologized to football fans nationwide for the circumstances caused by administrative delays.

The conflict between RAKHEP, the executive body for sports, and ANFA, Nepal’s largest sports organization, has intensified after RAKHEP refused to grant approval for ANFA’s early elections scheduled on Chaitra 13 in Jhapa.

The standoff between the two organizations, which began on Sunday, continued into Monday. While opposing teams compete to score goals on the football field, a contrasting confrontation is unfolding outside between RAKHEP and ANFA.

How Might Our Universe Come to an End?

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March 23, Kathmandu – The latest remarks by Nepal Communist Party Coordinator Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda regarding the election results have drawn considerable attention both within the party ranks and across the national political landscape.

At an event held last Friday at the party’s central headquarters in Parisdanda, Prachanda issued a strong warning, threatening disciplinary action against central members who reportedly voted for the Rastriya Swatantra Party (Raswapa).

The event, attended by leaders from affiliated organizations, also saw the former Prime Minister Prachanda presenting the party’s future roadmap. Yet the main focus of concern was his threat of disciplinary measures against those central members who allegedly supported Raswapa.

“Action will begin, starting right from the central members. Reports have surfaced that some central members voted for Raswapa,” Prachanda stated, “Bring us concrete evidence—who did not campaign in their area? Who was seen voting for Raswapa? We will take decisive action against them.”

Given the election outcome where the party, formed through the unification of 25 parties or groups, won only 17 seats, many leaders naturally focus on Prachanda’s warning. “The unity campaign was run with a clear objective, and many leaders were aligned under it. The results, however, were not as expected,” a senior leader commented. “Without serious review, moving forward is not feasible. The message from the party coordinator must be taken seriously.”

The Nepal Communist Party, which united roughly two dozen groups including the CPN (Maoist Centre) and CPN (Unified Socialist), boasts an array of top leaders. Former Prime Ministers Prachanda, Madhav Nepal, and Jhalnath Khanal are part of the leadership, alongside numerous former Deputy Prime Ministers, Home Ministers, and Cabinet members.

These leaders, based on their unity, had indicated intentions to lead or actively participate in government formation after the elections. However, the Rastriya Swatantra Party won close to a two-thirds majority independently.

Preparations Underway for a Review Meeting

This election result almost certainly marks the end of Prachanda’s continuous presence in power since participating in the interim government of 2006 (2063 BS).

With the party limited to 17 seats—eight in the direct election and nine proportional—the Nepal Communist Party now faces a difficult situation. Even if Raswapa faces internal crises, seeking to lead government formation could prove a major challenge.

“The expected result did not materialize. Now, we will move forward with a review and organizational restructuring plan,” stated leader Dr. Beduram Bhusal. “A review meeting will likely convene soon.”

However, leaders remain unclear about which specific committee will hold the meeting. “It could be the coordination committee or the secretariat,” Bhusal added. Yet, membership for both committees has yet to be finalized.

Only Prachanda and Madhav Nepal have confirmed leadership roles within the Nepal Communist Party. As coordinator and co-coordinator respectively, they have been central decision-makers. For the February 21 election, the party submitted a list of 138 central members to the Election Commission, but leaders clarify this was a technical list only.

Uncertainty Surrounds Central Members’ Identities

During the party formation process, a proposal existed to create a secretariat of 125 members, alongside a coordination committee comprising top leaders. However, decisions regarding the individual members have yet to be made.

“As the unification drive dragged on and more leaders joined, no clear designation or committee assignments were established,” a former official explained. “The coordinators and co-coordinators lose track of some group leaders.”

This means the party has not finalized even the executive leadership composition, which explains why Prachanda issued the disciplinary warning. Yet many within the party tend to interpret his threat as a political statement rather than a concrete measure. “If there is proof of someone responsible for the election campaign supporting another candidate, then that person should reconsider their party responsibilities. But it is unlikely there will be a witch-hunt to find out exactly who voted for Raswapa,” another leader remarked.

A major issue remains the lack of clear identification of central members within the party. Although plans were set to enroll 2,500 members as central leaders, many remain unfamiliar even among themselves. During the unification of eight groups, central member oaths were taken virtually since not all could be present at the Parisdanda headquarters.

Thus, rather than hunting down individuals for discipline, leaders emphasize the need for a comprehensive review of the election defeat. “It is not about who voted or did not vote, but fundamentally why the party lost,” they said. “We must assess why we failed to effectively educate society.”

Leadership Must Take Responsibility for Party’s Defeat

Leaders believe that disciplining some members based on suspicion or proof will not break the party. Instead, the root cause of defeat should be found within the leadership ranks. “Comrade Prachanda himself confused workers by making contradictory remarks during the election,” one leader said. “Statements about possible alliances with Congress, CPN-UML, or Raswapa left workers baffled.”

One candidate from the party noted that Prachanda’s comments did not create a conducive environment for unity. “When Prachanda said it might be possible to join forces with Balen tomorrow, many undecided voters may have cast their ballots for Raswapa—or at least that is what happened,” he added.

Ashesh Ghimire, candidate from Jhapa-1, urged focusing on party-level issues rather than blaming individual setbacks for the electoral defeat. “Communists have enjoyed majority support for decades, but landless peasants have not benefited materially. Only the party has changed; the leadership rhetoric is the same,” Ghimire remarked. “The Communist Party needs a serious introspection to understand why the election outcome was unfavorable.”

According to his analysis, the election marked a defeat for Marxism, with postmodernist ideologies prevailing. “When Communist parties distance themselves from class-based ideology, it opens the door to postmodernist attacks,” Ghimire said. “This weakens organizational and collective power, elevates individual glorification, and ultimately impacts election results.” He suggested that failing to understand the attacks from forces who formed parties in opposition to traditional parties may be at the core of this problem and must be investigated.

Photo source, Getty Images

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The deadline set by Trump is approaching, ending at 3 a.m. on March 24.

During a phone call on Sunday night, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Trump agreed on the necessity of reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump warned that if the waterway remains closed, Iranian energy facilities would be targeted.

In response, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that they will not reopen the Strait unless “our destroyed power plants are rebuilt,” if the US initiates an attack.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) declared the need for a prolonged conflict against Iran and Hezbollah.

Obstruction and Impact

Following recent attacks initiated by the US and Israel, Iran has effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz.

Approximately 20% of the world’s oil supply passes through this waterway, though its current navigation is limited to a few vessels.

Typically, about 3,000 ships transit the Strait of Hormuz monthly.

Due to Iran’s threats of attacking ships, the number of vessels transiting recently has significantly declined.

AFP data from March 18 indicates nearly 21 ships have been targeted or attacked.

Since the conflict began, global fuel prices have surged dramatically. Crude oil prices have surpassed $100 per barrel, rising about 70% this year and nearly 50% compared to a year ago.

On Monday, Brent crude reached $111.25 per barrel in Asian markets, while trading at $98.18 in the US markets.

Call for Enhanced Vigilance Among Americans

Photo source, Reuters

The US State Department has issued an advisory urging Americans worldwide to exercise increased caution.

On social media platform X, the Department requested “Americans globally, especially those in the Middle East, to remain extra vigilant.”

“Regular airspace closures may disrupt travel. US diplomatic missions outside the Middle East may also be targeted,” the advisory stated.

“Groups supporting Iran might target American interests or locations related to the United States and/or Americans abroad.”

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9 Chaitra, Kathmandu – Under the theme ‘Observation Today, Safety Tomorrow,’ the 76th World Meteorological Day is being observed globally, including in Nepal. Celebrated on the founding day of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), this year’s event emphasizes the growing risks posed by climate change and the critical need for accurate early warning systems.

The day is given special significance due to the changing climate and its severe impacts on lives and property.

Unprecedented Crisis in the Himalayas

A recent report from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in Nepal, reveals alarming rates of snow melt in the Hindu Kush Himalayan region. Between 2011 and 2020, the rate of snow and ice melt increased by 65 percent compared to the previous decade, according to ICIMOD.

Experts warn that if this trend continues, by the end of the century, 30 to 50 percent of the snow in the mountains may disappear, threatening the river systems known as Asia’s water towers with drying up.

ICIMOD also highlights that rapid glacier melting places Nepal’s glacial lakes at high risk of bursting. Such events could endanger millions residing in downstream areas and pose threats to hydropower facilities at any time.

Data from Nepal’s Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority indicates that climate-related disasters cause enormous loss of life and property annually in Nepal. Floods, landslides, and lightning strikes lead to an average of 250 deaths each year. Over the last decade alone, more than 5,600 people have lost their lives.

Between 2012 and 2024, over 44,000 disaster events, both major and minor, have been recorded. These incidents have damaged more than 42,000 physical infrastructures including houses, schools, and bridges.

Nepal suffers an average annual economic loss of approximately NPR 2.9 billion due to these disasters, amounting to about 0.25 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Extreme Weather Events

According to the World Meteorological Organization, 2025 has been the third warmest year on record. The Earth’s temperature has risen by 1.48 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial times. This has resulted in changes to monsoon patterns, with instances of both excessive rainfall and drought occurring. The Terai region faces heatwaves (locally called “Loo”), rising sea levels, and increased risks of major cyclones.

Therefore, the year’s theme underscores that effective early warning systems, which are accessible to all, are a key strategy for disaster risk reduction. Nepal has set a goal to provide “early warning for all” by 2027.

Officials from Nepal’s Department of Hydrology and Meteorology state that precise information provided through advanced radar and weather stations will assist farmers and the general public in staying safe. However, experts from organizations like ICIMOD emphasize that to curb rising temperatures, immediate action is required from major nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.