Author: space4knews

At least 18 people have died after a boat carrying illegal migrants sank off the coast of Mugla, Turkey, according to the Turkish Coast Guard. The boat, which had departed from a resort area in Bodrum district, capsized at approximately 6 a.m. local time. The Coast Guard deployed necessary boats and watercraft to the site for rescue operations and continues to search for missing individuals.

On Wednesday, a boat transporting illegal migrants sank off the southwestern province of Mugla’s coast, resulting in the deaths of at least 18 migrants and the rescue of 21 others, the Turkish Coast Guard reported. According to media sources, the boat had left from a resort in Bodrum district and went down around 6 a.m. local time. Upon receiving the distress call, the Coast Guard immediately dispatched appropriate vessels and watercraft to manage the emergency and ongoing rescue efforts. Authorities confirmed that the search and rescue operations for missing persons are continuing without interruption.

March 31, Kathmandu – Fourteen student organizations have united to raise their voices regarding the government’s proposal to abolish student organizations as part of the 100-point agenda on administrative reforms. In a joint statement released on Wednesday, these groups made it clear that Nepal’s student movement has never been the result of anyone’s mercy, favor, or benevolence. The first cabinet meeting under the leadership of Prime Minister Balendra Shah had approved the 100-point agenda on administrative reform, and item number 86 of that agenda drew particular attention from the student organizations.

“Nepal’s student movement has evolved on a foundation of sacrificial struggle, continuously remaining active in support of the nation, nationalism, democracy, social justice, educational reform, and the rights and interests of students,” the statement said. It further highlighted that from the Rana regime to the democratic movements, student organizations have courageously contributed a heroic history.

“Ignoring the historic background of the student movement, the government’s decision to restrict and ban student organizations under the pretext of resolving complex issues in the education sector will not yield positive long-term results,” the joint statement asserted. While acknowledging many problems in the university system, the student organizations called upon the state to conduct comprehensive studies and craft policies and programs based on genuine analysis and solutions.

The statement also criticized the government’s immature and superficial approach of attributing all educational sector problems solely to student organizations. It recalled that the student movement has itself been engaged in timely discussions on its restructuring, and claimed that the results of these efforts are beginning to show. “The right to associate based on ideology is a fundamental right guaranteed by Nepal’s constitution. Imposing restrictions on anyone’s thoughts can contradict democratic values and norms and may violate international human rights standards,” it emphasized.

March 31, Kathmandu — According to data released by the National Emergency Operations Center under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Nepal has suffered significant loss of life and property due to lightning strikes over the past 12 years. Senior Hydrologist Rajendra Sharma from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority reported that from 2013 to late February 2026, a total of 3,386 lightning incidents were recorded nationwide. These incidents have resulted in 1,073 fatalities, including 460 men, 303 women, and 312 unidentified victims. Additionally, 3,408 people were injured, comprising 1,317 men and 1,633 women.

The center noted that 4,294 families were affected by lightning strikes. Property losses include complete damage to 104 homes and partial damage to 390 others. Infrastructure-wise, 114 animal shelters were damaged, and 4,849 livestock were affected. Senior Hydrologist Sharma estimated the economic loss from these incidents to be approximately NPR 118,218,260.

Makwanpur district reported the highest number of lightning incidents with 182 cases, where 41 people lost their lives and 75 were injured. Around 300 families were affected there. Other districts recorded include Jhapa with 113, Udayapur with 104, Dailekh with 105, and Morang with 95 incidents. In terms of human casualties, Makwanpur led with 75 deaths, followed by Morang with 42 and Udayapur with 39.

The center also highlighted significant lightning risks in the eastern hilly regions: Khotang recorded 92 events, Sankhuwasabha 86, and Okhaldhunga 76, indicating a persistent hazard in these areas.

In Madhes Province, multiple deaths were reported in districts such as Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, and Parsa. In western Nepal, Rolpa had 91 incidents, Gulmi and Pyuthan each recorded 72, and Achham had 73. Economically, Jhapa suffered the highest damage estimated at around NPR 10.7 million, with Khotang, Udayapur, and Sankhuwasabha also experiencing substantial losses.

Experts have emphasized the importance of raising awareness and adopting protective measures, especially since lightning incidents tend to increase during the monsoon and pre-monsoon seasons.

Analyzing recent data, the annual average number of deaths caused by lightning stands at 67. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, in 2020 there were 248 lightning incidents causing 70 deaths and 248 injuries. In 2021, although the number of incidents reduced to 203, 56 deaths and 179 injuries were recorded. In 2022, there were 290 events with 84 fatalities and 238 injuries. In 2023, 247 incidents accounted for 44 deaths and 228 injuries, while in 2024, from April to mid-March, 416 incidents resulted in 47 deaths and 307 injuries.

What is lightning? According to the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority’s handbook, lightning is a large amount of electrical current flowing from clouds to the ground. When clouds at different heights and with opposite charges approach each other suddenly, a powerful electric discharge occurs. This generates strong electrical waves accompanied by loud thunder and sparks that strike the Earth’s surface, posing a significant risk. Though settlements, vegetation, and geographical features influence the occurrence and risk of lightning, fundamentally it is an accident.

Lightning particularly endangers those working outdoors such as farmers, laborers, and livestock herders. Installing lightning protection technology on tall buildings, schools, hospitals, shopping malls, and infrastructure like electrical and telephone lines can help minimize loss of life and property damage.

18 Chaitra, Kathmandu – Former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak’s statement has commenced today at the District Government Attorney’s Office. According to a police officer from the Kathmandu District Police Office, Lekhak’s testimony began on Tuesday afternoon.

District Court Kathmandu had granted a five-day extension for Lekhak’s statement. On Bhadra 23 and 24, he was questioned concerning his actions during the then Home Minister role amid the Janajati (Janji) movement. The inquiry commission established by the government to investigate the Janajati movement incident had recommended Lekhak for further investigation.

Alongside Lekhak, then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was also recommended for inquiry. Based on this recommendation, both Oli and Lekhak were arrested on Saturday morning.

One individual, Ekta Baidya, lost her life after a collision between two motorcycles on the East-West Highway in Gumbachok, Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-9, Makwanpur. The two injured motorcycle riders, Ronik Karki and Pushpalal Gurung, are currently undergoing treatment. The truck driver involved in the accident, Badri Gaderia, is in police custody. The incident occurred on 18 Chaitra in Hetauda.

The Makwanpur police have released details regarding the traffic accident in Gumbachok of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-9 on Wednesday, which resulted in one death and two injuries. The collision took place between motorcycle number Province 3-02-007 Pa 7683, traveling from Hetauda towards Ratomate, and motorcycle number Na 44 Pa 9354, coming from the opposite direction.

Ekta Baidya, an 18-year-old resident of Hetauda-9 and passenger on the motorcycle with registration number Province 3-02-007 Pa 7683, died as a result of the accident. After the initial collision with the other motorcycle, Baidya was struck by a cement-laden truck bearing registration Na 6 Kha 3145, traveling in the same direction. She suffered severe head and other bodily injuries and passed away during treatment at Hetauda Hospital.

Ronik Karki, the 19-year-old driver of the same motorcycle from Hetauda-4 Karra, sustained minor injuries. Pushpalal Gurung, the 21-year-old rider of the other motorcycle from Badeltar, Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality-5, Chitwan, was moderately injured. The District Police Office of Makwanpur has provided this information. The truck driver involved in the accident, 33-year-old Badri Gaderia from Kohalpur Municipality-14, Banke, is currently under police custody.

The film ‘Ek Muththi Badal’ has announced its release date as Jestha 1 and unveiled its first song, ‘Rail Ghumyo Ghumti.’ The song features vocals by Anchal Sharma, Nisha Sharma, Usha Rajak, and Sahayog Adhikari, with music composed by Sumit Pathak. Director Sahara Sharma stated that the song captures the emotions of women across three generations and expresses the essence of the film.

The music video depicts a joyful atmosphere prior to a wedding. Beginning alongside the wedding preparations, the song reflects personal experiences shared by Nisha Sharma, Usha Rajak, and Anchal Sharma. Sahara Sharma said, “While preparing the song, we aimed to encompass the feelings of women from all generations. We wanted to create a work that our grandmothers as well as granddaughters could relate to, and it feels like we have achieved that goal.”

The song was directed by Pratik Gurung. Krutika Baral handled the choreography, Nihal Bhandari was the cinematographer, and Krishna Bhandari edited the video. The film features a cast including Anchal Sharma, Nisha Sharma, Usha Rajak, Bhima Mainali, Asmita Gautam, Shekhar Chapagain, Manish Niraula, Sahayog Adhikari, Gaurav Bisht, and Aviral Pratap Adhikari. Produced by Abhimanyu Dixit with Nikun Shrestha as executive producer, the film brings together a talented ensemble.

With women leading in nearly all departments, ‘Ek Muththi Badal’ is a joint production by Gounthali Entertainment and Man Production. RR Films will handle distribution of the movie within Nepal.

Mobile services of Nepal Telecom have been suspended for three days across several settlements in Bhume Rural Municipality, Rukum East. The absence of mobile connectivity has affected banking services, schools, healthcare, and administrative functions. Nepal Telecom’s Rukum East office has not yet provided any official explanation for the service outage. 18 Chaitra, Rukum East.

Telephone services have remained down for three days in various villages within Bhume Rural Municipality, Rukum East. The suspension of Nepal Telecom’s mobile service is severely impacting local livelihoods. Since the disruption began on Monday, areas such as Jhumlabang, Morabang, Sima, Jitkhola, Khabang, and Mahat have been left without communication. As dependence on mobile networks grows, the blockage is hindering banking, educational activities, healthcare, and administrative operations of the municipality.

With interruptions to digital service provision, residents are facing difficulties in managing daily affairs. Despite the ongoing disruption, Nepal Telecom’s Rukum East office has yet to release an official statement clarifying the cause. Meanwhile, following the outage, local resident Chandra Rasaily highlighted the issue on social media, noting that the telecom tower located in Mahat, Bhume-6, has not been sustainably managed. He pointed out that recurrent power outages in the area repeatedly cause service interruptions, compounding the problem.

Significant explosions have occurred in Isfahan, a city that hosts an Iranian nuclear facility and the main base of the air force. A video released just 10 minutes after the airstrike reveals that the city includes a nuclear center, the primary air force base, and several other military installations.

Iranian media indicate that the airstrikes targeted multiple “military sites,” according to reports by AFP. Earlier, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that his country has already achieved more than half of its predetermined goals in the ongoing conflict.

The United States and Israel have been conducting attacks against Iran since last month.