Author: space4knews

Most houses made of bricks, uniformly designed streets, and an advanced sewage system equipped with flush toilets. Hearing this might evoke the image of a modern city, but in reality, it depicts the urban centers of the ancient Indus Valley civilization from thousands of years ago. This civilization was highly advanced and is believed to have coexisted alongside ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia – yet relatively little is known about it. One of its enduring mysteries stems primarily from its still undeciphered script, which continues to baffle historians.

The Indus Valley Civilization reached its peak phase between 2600 and 1900 BCE. However, its origins trace back even earlier, approximately around 4000 BCE, explains Dr. Sangaralingam Ramesh, a lecturer at the University of London and University College London. This civilization was centered around the Indus River, in present-day Pakistan and India. It encompassed not only agricultural villages but over 1,400 towns and cities, with the largest urban centers being Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. According to Dr. Ramesh, the Indus Valley civilization was larger than both ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, housing around one million people across 80,000 settlements.

1. Advanced Urban Planning
   Dr. Ramesh points out that the Indus Valley civilization was among the first to construct homes from bricks. “The cities were constructed with straight roads set at right angles,” he describes. “They had wells, toilets within houses… and an advanced drainage system that predates the Roman civilization’s by about 2,000 years.” Excavations of this drainage system and bathing facilities reveal an emphasis on hygiene and awareness of disease control within the society. The density of urban areas facilitated effective supply chain management, which simplified trade. “They traded goods ranging from wood, copper, gold, to cotton textiles with ancient Mesopotamia,” Dr. Ramesh adds.
2. Collective Governance Structure
   According to Dr. Ramesh, the organization of urban areas suggests more facets of their society. “There are indications of simple yet effective civic administration that managed infrastructure across towns and settlements,” he comments. “Their governance system appears to have been collective rather than highly centralized, with no evidence of royal courts or elite rulers.” These features distinguish the Indus Valley from other contemporary societies.
3. Relative Equality and Peaceful Existence
   Evidence indicates some degree of social stratification in the Indus Valley, but it is not as pronounced as in other societies. “Social hierarchies are easily identifiable in Egypt and Mesopotamia, but in the Indus civilization, while house sizes vary slightly, the differences are not substantial,” Dr. Ramesh explains. Archaeologists have found signs of injuries on some skeletons; however, they consider this society more peaceful compared to others. “There are scant signs of warfare, fewer indications of a weapon-bearing elite class, and fewer trauma marks on skeletal remains compared to other ancient Near Eastern regions,” he notes. Nonetheless, this does not imply complete absence of violence. The lack of evidence may also shape this perception. “If there were no monuments or inscriptions about war, later researchers would find fewer traces of violent conflict,” he adds.

Many More Mysteries Remain
Much about the Indus Valley civilization remains unknown. One key reason, Dr. Ramesh suggests, is the limited archaeological excavation. “The civilization extended as far as Afghanistan, where current conditions are not conducive for excavations,” he says. Another factor could be the materials and methods they used in construction. “While Egypt and Mesopotamia utilized durable stone, the Indus people primarily used baked mud bricks and fired bricks,” he explains. “The absence of large stone temples, palaces, or royal tombs complicates reconstruction of the Indus state.” But the greatest challenge remains the inability to decipher the ancient Indus script.

Characters engraved on stones in the Indus Valley represent a script described by Dr. Nisha Yadav of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in Mumbai as “the most attempted yet still undeciphered script.” “Every ten days I receive emails claiming: ‘I have deciphered the Indus script,'” she remarks. However, no interpretation has gained scientific consensus. According to Yadav, deciphering is difficult because the script is brief, containing only five to fourteen symbols per inscription. A detailed ‘Rosetta Stone’-like artifact has yet to be found.

The Rosetta Stone is a world-famous ancient artifact inscribed with the same text in Egyptian hieroglyphics, Demotic script, and Classical Greek, which facilitated understanding of hieroglyphs. Nevertheless, Dr. Yadav’s research using computer modeling has revealed patterns in the symbols. Syntax rules and evidence of “inherent logic” within the script have been identified. “If we can read it, it would be like opening a treasure trove of knowledge,” she states. Decoding the script could illuminate the civilization’s beliefs, worldview, and clarify the role of inscriptions on trade goods and stones.

What Happened to This Civilization?
One leading theory for the decline of the Indus Valley civilization is environmental change. “Around 1900 BCE, they left these sites and relocated elsewhere, with archaeologists and climate scientists linking this to changes in rainfall and weather patterns,” Dr. Ramesh explains. Excavations at Mohenjo-Daro also reveal efforts by inhabitants to protect themselves from flooding. Dr. Ramesh emphasizes that understanding this is crucial for modern society because, “If glaciers today are melting rapidly, history could repeat itself.” He underscores that unlike then, we currently have technologies to monitor natural changes, and using this knowledge wisely can ensure sustainability of our civilization.

The first meeting of the House of Representatives after the recent election, scheduled for Thursday afternoon, presents a scene that, in terms of seat distribution and faces, differs from the past few decades, though experts note that the agenda items remain largely conventional. This time, out of 275 seats, 182 members were elected from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (Raswpa), a party established just before the last general election. Having secured a strong mandate from the people, the party is entering Parliament; a former House Secretary observed that maintaining balance within parliament will depend largely on the leadership of the ruling party.

The newly elected House with a five-year tenure will commence its session the same day the National Assembly convenes, where Raswpa representatives will not be present. The parliamentary secretariat has released a tentative list of eight agenda items for the House meeting set for 2 PM. The session will begin with the national anthem, followed by senior member Arjun Narasingh KC, designated as the speaker for the meeting, reading the official letter summoning the session delivered from the President’s office.

Subsequently, information regarding the Prime Minister’s appointment and the formation of the Cabinet will be conveyed to the House. Meanwhile, as a new rulebook has not yet been created, the House will operate under the procedural rules adopted in 2023 (2079 BS), which will be presented for approval in the agenda. Also included are the nomination of members who will chair proceedings in the Speaker’s absence and scheduled party-based statements, mirroring previous sessions.

The agenda also likely includes setting the date for the Speaker’s election, slated for the 22nd of this month. Following this, Home Minister Sudan Gurung is expected to present three ordinances introduced by the election government led by Sushila Karki. Additionally, a condolence motion honoring five late former members of parliament will be part of the meeting’s business.

March 31, Kathmandu – Currently, western and local winds are partially active across the country. Their influence has resulted in partly cloudy skies in various regions and generally cloudy weather in some areas. According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, there is generally cloudy weather in the hilly and mountainous areas of Koshi and Sudurpashchim provinces, as well as other provinces. The rest of the country is expected to experience partly cloudy conditions.

March 31, Kathmandu – Former Deputy Chairman of the Nepali Congress, Wimlendra Nidhi, has declared the recently held special general convention illegal and stated that they will not recognize it. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday after discussions with supporters of Purna Bahadur Khadka and Dr. Shekhar Koirala, Nidhi asserted that only their faction represents the legitimate Congress and that they have filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission’s decision.

He further claimed that under Khadka’s leadership as ‘Acting Chairman,’ consecutive Central Committee meetings were held over the past two days. “The Supreme Court hearing is scheduled for the 22nd. Although the Election Commission has recognized the special general convention supporters, we consider it illegal, unconstitutional, and politically inappropriate, which is why we have approached the Supreme Court,” Nidhi said. “We have neither recognized nor participated in the special general convention.” The meeting also covered preparations related to the ongoing case, he added.

“Legal advisors and advocates are ready for the hearings, and we are currently deliberating on the matter,” he noted. Nidhi reiterated that only their faction is the legitimate Nepali Congress. “We are the real Congress; wherever we are, that is the true Congress. This is the conclusion we have reached,” he clarified.

According to Nidhi, the session also involved discussions regarding election-related issues. “The circumstances under which the election was conducted produced unpredictable results. The election occurred unexpectedly in 2025 B.S., although it was scheduled for 2027 B.S. We participated to uphold the constitution and undertook a thorough review,” he explained. The discussion extended to current national political matters as well.

“In this regard, the Nepali Congress majority discussed advancing the democratic system with greater strength than before,” Nidhi stated. “Broad unity is necessary for this, and we will make it our mission. We plan to continue dialogue with partners nationwide.” He urged that supporters of the special general convention should also be ready to support party unity.

March 31, Kathmandu — The political transformation following the Janajati movement has brought unexpected success to Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal. After the dissolution of the then Nepal Communist Party (NCP), Thapa chose to remain within the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) or CPN-UML. Within a short span of five years, he has ascended to the positions of acting party chairman and leader of the parliamentary party. The internal crisis within the UML played a significant role in accelerating his rise.

Had the UML avoided its historic defeat in the last election and had Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli not been arrested, Thapa’s role might have remained limited to that of a vice-chairman. However, citing the implementation of the Kari Commission’s recommendations, the former Prime Minister Oli was arrested on the morning of April 2 (Nepali date 14 Chaitra).

“After Oli’s arrest, the chairman appointed Thapa as acting chairman the same day,” said Mahesh Basnet, Secretary of the UML. In fact, a secretariat meeting under Thapa’s leadership had already begun prior to Oli’s arrest. Following the electoral results declared on February 3 (21 Magh), the secretariat had convened on March 15 (1 Chaitra) with Thapa chairing due to Oli being on private bereavement leave. Oli had not presided over any meetings under normal circumstances. After Oli’s detention, another secretariat meeting was held on April 3 (17 Chaitra) under Thapa’s chairmanship, where the decision to select the parliamentary party leader was finalized.

The UML faced two choices in selecting the parliamentary party leader: either to appoint Thapa, a senior leader elected via proportional representation, or to acknowledge the changed political environment by promoting a younger leader. Thapa insisted on his central role, disregarding voices advocating change both inside and outside the party. Had he been responsive to such calls, 36-year-old Suhang Nembang would have become the leader of the UML parliamentary party. Suhang had expressed his interest in leading during the parliamentary party meeting. Sources reveal that Rajendra Rai and Arjun Karki had promised to propose and support Suhang’s candidacy, with some proportional members also voicing support. However, a scheme orchestrated by Rajendra Rai and Arjun Karki limited proposer and supporter roles to directly elected MPs only, creating unforeseen challenges for Suhang upon his arrival in Chyasal.

“Upon reaching Chyasal, Secretary General Shankar Pokhrel had already consolidated his dominance. Since Suhang was unwilling to step back, MPs designated as proposers and supporters were pressured,” sources report.

The decision on the parliamentary party leadership has sparked dissatisfaction within UML ranks. Deputy Secretary General Yogesh Bhattarai publicly voiced his objection to the pressure exerted on MPs, which led to Suhang being unable to secure even a proposer or supporter. Frustration is widespread among young central members as well as local party workers.

The meeting that reshaped the alliance was organized after KP Oli’s arrest provided Thapa the opportunity to become acting chairman. According to party insiders, Thapa revolted during the secretariat meeting on December 27 (13 Poush) and placed himself on the proportional candidate list. Oli had indicated that Thapa should contest a direct electoral constituency. However, due to predictions that Chitwan would be a difficult seat for the UML, Thapa preferred becoming an MP through proportional representation. During that meeting, Thapa vocally objected to the list presented by Oli, which included names such as Guru Baral first among the Khas Arya males and Jitu Gautam Darji amongst Dalit males.

“Is this the list?” Thapa had asked sharply.

However, circumstances changed the next day. “Oli corrected the list by placing Thapa’s name at the top for the indigenous male category. After that, Thapa became silent,” an official said. Once Thapa’s parliamentary seat was secured, Oli restructured the leadership, removing vice-chairman Gokarna Bista and Deputy Secretary General Yogesh Bhattarai among others. Crucially, after securing Thapa’s support, the power balance within UML was fundamentally altered. Currently, Thapa stands poised to lead both the party and the parliamentary faction.

Thapa’s rise was not limited to personal gains but also overshadowed the decade-long Maoist armed insurgency that opposed parliamentary politics. After failing to deliver a constitution through the Constituent Assembly in 2007 BS (1961/62 AD), Thapa was expelled from the Maoist party. Subsequently, Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” gave him opportunities in parliamentary politics and power. Though Thapa led the agitation disturbing the 2014 BS (1957) Constituent Assembly elections, he was appointed Home Minister following the 2017 general election by Prachanda. Though he was not elected to the House of Representatives, Thapa was a member of the National Assembly. However, the UML-Maoist alliance dissolved within three years after 2017 BS (1960) and Oli’s prime ministership following the dissolution of the House of Representatives set the stage for the breakup of the then NCP union. Having originally been a Maoist leader, Thapa resigned his ministerial post and ceased supporting reinstatement of the House of Representatives, opting instead to back Oli by joining the UML. However, during this period, he lost both his National Assembly membership and Home Minister portfolio. He also did not contest in the 2022 elections.

Under Oli’s sole leadership, Thapa was elected vice-chairman during the UML’s decade-old national general convention in 2021 BS (1964) and then re-elected as vice-chairman at the 11th national convention held last December. During the period of the then NCP, Thapa’s seniority over Vishnu Paudel helped elevate their positions within the party, thereby laying the foundation for Thapa’s current appointments as acting chairman and parliamentary party leader.

March 31, Kathmandu – The Patan High Court has dismissed a writ petition filed by a young woman demanding the advancement of a supplementary complaint against UML Secretary Mahesh Basnet. The woman had filed a complaint at the District Police Office about allegations involving Basnet in cases of feticide, rape, and robbery, calling for investigation progress. When the complaint did not move forward, she petitioned the Patan High Court. However, the bench of Justices Somkant Mainali and Keshav Prasad Adhikari rejected the writ, noting that legal proceedings were already underway.

The order states, “Following the order issued by the Kathmandu District Court on March 30, 2026 BS (April 13, 2020), the legal process appears to be in progress; therefore, there is no need to issue a mandamus as requested by the petitioner.” The writ petition was consequently dismissed.

With the order made public, UML leader Mahesh Basnet claimed that the ordeal imposed on him by the young woman over the past three years had come to an end. He asserted that all related complaints have been dismissed, and attempts to file supplementary complaints have failed following the High Court’s decision. Nevertheless, the High Court declined the petition, citing the ongoing legal process. On Tuesday, the District Court refused permission to arrest Basnet, stating that an arrest could only proceed after receiving the certified copies of the order from the Patan High Court. Subsequently, the High Court ruled that since the legal proceedings had already begun, no mandamus was required, thus dismissing the petition.

The young woman, identified as residing in 26 Parisar 58, had previously filed a written complaint which the police refused to register, prompting her to send it via postal service to the District Public Prosecutor’s Office. When the investigation did not advance, the Public Prosecutor decided not to pursue the case. The writ petition filed against this decision was dismissed by the Patan High Court. She later submitted an additional supplementary complaint. Observing no progress following her complaints, her second writ petition was under consideration at the Patan High Court, which also requested all related files from the Public Prosecutor’s Office during hearings.

After the second complaint, the District Police Office, Kathmandu, sought permission from the Kathmandu District Court to arrest Mahesh Basnet. The court expressed that it would grant arrest permission only after reviewing the previous case files. The order from the District Court two days prior mentioned, “The file is currently with the High Court, and there is no change in its registration details. Since this matter is under consideration by the High Court, issuing further orders from this court would be contrary to judicial norms and legal procedures.” The District Court emphasized that decisions would be made only upon receipt of authenticated copies from the High Court.

The order further states, “Under the current circumstances, arrest permission cannot be granted as requested.” Following the Wednesday order from the Patan High Court, UML leader Basnet declared that all investigations against him have been completed. The District Court indicated it would finalize remaining matters after the High Court’s directives. The High Court’s dismissal was based on the fact that investigations were ongoing, making a mandamus unnecessary. This situation has raised questions about the investigation’s next steps. A government prosecutor commented on the apparent confusion between the instructions of the District and High Courts: “Once the High Court concludes the matter, the file will be submitted to the District Court, which will then make decisions accordingly. We will submit the files asserting that the investigation is ongoing, and the District Court will decide on further action based on that.”

According to data collected by the commission, the highest number of informal settlers identified is 914,618 families. Additionally, there are approximately 175,109 landless squatter families and 96,339 landless Dalit families.

The Armed Police Force (APF) club, led by national team captain Rohit Paudel and other prominent players, has failed to deliver a strong performance in the Prime Minister’s Cup One-Day Cricket Tournament. APF has lost four out of five matches in the competition. Captain Rohit Paudel has managed to score only 49 runs in these five games. Bowlers Nandan Yadav and Avinash Bohara have had limited opportunities.

Kathmandu, 18 Chaitra: Despite being considered a strong domestic team with former national players, the APF club has been experiencing consecutive defeats in the Prime Minister’s Cup one-day cricket competition. In Wednesday’s match held in Birgunj, APF was defeated by Lumbini Province. Chasing a target of 125 runs set by APF, Lumbini was all out for 124 runs, taking the game into a super over. In the super over, APF managed just six runs while chasing a target of 15, resulting in defeat.

National team players including captain Rohit Paudel, Lokesh Bam, and Sandeep Jora struggled against the bowling of 19-year-old youngster Santosh Yadav. Despite the presence of national players, APF has been unable to maintain consistent form in the ongoing PM Cup tournament.

APF started well by defeating Bagmati Province by 71 runs in their opening match, but suffered a heavy 185-run loss against Nepal Police Club in their second game. The third match was abandoned due to rain, and APF lost the fourth and fifth matches against provincial teams.

Departmental teams usually dominate domestic cricket, often winning titles across various tournaments. Provincial teams have found it challenging to compete with these departments. However, APF has been consecutively defeated by provincial teams. They lost to Gandaki Province by 43 runs and were also defeated by Lumbini in the super over.

The APF squad includes national team players such as captain Rohit Paudel, openers Asif Sheikh, Sandeep Jora, Lokesh Bam, and bowlers Nandan Yadav, Avinash Bohara, and Kamal Singh Airi. Despite these strengths, the team is losing to provincial sides and most players have yet to find their rhythm after five matches. Opener Asif Sheikh scored a century in the first game but has since been inconsistent, failing to score more than 21 runs in any subsequent match. Captain Rohit has totaled only 49 runs across five games. Although he has taken seven wickets, the team’s overall bowling performance remains below expectations. Sandeep Jora and Lokesh Bam have also underperformed. Sandeep managed a half-century in the first match but has been disappointing afterward, scoring 112 runs in five matches. Lokesh has scored only 60 runs. Bowlers Nandan Yadav and Avinash Bohara have had limited chances; Nandan has claimed two wickets and conceded 49 runs in two games, while Avinash took three wickets in three matches. Kamal Singh Airi has taken four wickets and scored 66 runs over five games. Young bowlers Yuvraj Khatri and Abhishek Gautam have also not made significant impact, with Yuvraj taking five wickets and Abhishek six wickets, yet both are struggling to find consistent form. This lack of rhythm across players is a key reason behind APF’s string of defeats.

APF’s performance has continuously declined in the Prime Minister’s Cup. Under the captaincy of Rohit Paudel, who took over in 2024, the team’s form has weakened. In the 2024 season, APF finished fifth, while in the previous edition, they had secured third place. This season similarly has not started well for them.

APF had won the title successfully in 2022 by defeating Tribhuvan Army Club in the final. They beat Army in 2021 and were eliminated in the semifinals in 2019. APF were champions in 2018 after reaching the semifinals in 2017. Past captains include Gyanendra Malla (2017), Basanta Regmi (2018 and 2019), and Sharad (2021 and 2022). Rohit Paudel has been leading the squad since then.

The preparation for the Secondary Education Examination (SEE) has been completed. Examinations will be conducted from Chaitra 19 at 1,966 exam centers. This year, 512,421 students will participate in the SEE, including 257,613 female students and 254,801 male students. Results will be announced within one month after the exam concludes, and answer sheets will be evaluated at the exam centers.

According to the National Examination Board, preparations for the examination starting tomorrow, Thursday, are complete. Examination Controller Tukaraj Adhikari stated, ‘Preparations are finished. The exam will be conducted tomorrow. All 77 districts have reported complete readiness.’ Among the 1,966 established exam centers, one is located in Japan.

Board Member Secretary Jung Bahadur Aryal said, ‘We plan to announce the results within one month after the exams end.’ He added, ‘The evaluation of answer sheets will take place at the examination centers, supervised by the center chiefs.’ Education, Science, and Technology Minister Sasmit Pokhrel had instructed the board to release results within one month, and the board has adhered to this directive.