Kathmandu, April 13: Nepal defeated Qatar by 32 runs in the second match of the ACC Men’s Premier Cup.
In the match held at the Al-Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman today, Qatar chasing a target of 211 runs to win could only gather 178 runs at the loss of nine wickets in 20 overs. Captain Muhammad Tanvir scored 63 runs in 33 balls with four fours and six sixes. Mohammad Ahnaf (23), Himanshu Rathore (22), Adnan Mirza (19) and Qamaran Khan (18) were the top contributors. Remaining batsmen of Qatar could not score significant runs.
Nepali cricketers, Lalit Rajbanshi, Dipendra Singh Airee and Gulshan Jha, took two wickets each while Kushal Malla and Avinash Bohora took one wicket each. Batting first after winning the toss, Nepal scored 210 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Airee smashed record-making six consecutive sixes in a single over which contributed Nepal to post a mammoth target for Qatar.
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Socialist culture a primary condition for preparing base of socialism-PM Dahal
Kathmandu, April 13 : Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ said cultural transformation and socialist culture are the primary conditions for preparing the base of socialism.
In his address to the ‘Opening Cultural Evening-2081’ hosted by the Sanskritik Sansthan on the occasion of New Year-2081, he said all patriotic and progressive communities should contribute towards building socialist culture.
“The Constitution promulgated through the long struggle and sacrifice of the Nepali people has a resolution to build a socialism-oriented State”, he said, expressing government’s seriousness about cultural policy, resources, infrastructure, encouragement of litterateurs and artists. He assured to address the concerns of cultural institutions in the policies, programmes and budget of the upcoming fiscal year.
PM Dahal said the cultural evening organized by the Sansthan has given him a unique energy and inspiration. “The performances presented at the programme have given me a different energy and inspiration. I believe various languages, cultural diversity, province-based cultural presentations and patriotic performances have provided an important inspiration for the assimilation and promotion of the country’s national unity and cultural diversity.”
On the occasion, General Manager of the Sanskritik Sansthan Kiran Babu Pun said the institute was active in preserving and promoting folk songs, folk music, folk dance and folk drama. He shared that a cultural programme would be organized on Friday evening of every week with the theme ‘Happiness of Cultural Institute, Let’s Celebrate Nepali New Year’.
“In order to promote the culture with tourism, the programme will showcase folk songs, dances, melodies, plays and folk culture of all ethnicities from birth to death in seven provinces,” Pun added.
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One dies in scooter accident in Kathmandu
Kathmandu, April 13: A person died in a scooter accident occurred in Kathmandu today.
The Koteswor-bound scooter (Bagmati Province 02 026 Pa 6002) from Tinkune met with the accident on the road nearby Muktibhairab bus pocket in Kathmandu Metropolis-32, Koteshwor. Scooter rider Ramsharan KC, 52, a resident of Pepsikola Kathmandu died in the mishap, informed Superintendent of Police (SP) at the District Police Range Kathmandu, Nawaraj Adhikari.
According to the police, critically injured KC died while undergoing treatment at the New Baneswor based Civil Hospital.
Fire destroys property worth Rs 170 million
Meanwhile, a fire that broke out at Bhatbhateni Super Market in Kathmandu metropolis-14, Kalanki destroyed property worth Rs 170 million according to a preliminary assessment.
Nepal Police informed that the fire occurred on Friday evening turned into ashes two set generators, one transformer, one panel board and refrigerator compressor among others.
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Offerings worth Rs. 7.5 million collected in Pathibhara
Phungling (Taplejung), April 13 : In the Nepali month of Chait (March 14 to April 12), offerings worth over Rs. 7.5 million have been collected at the Pathibhara Temple in Taplejung district.
The amount was collected as the offerings made by the devotees for prayers and worships at Pathibhara temple. According to Prajin Hangbang, Executive Director of Pathibhara Area Development Committee, a total of 7.5 million seven thousands and one hundred fifty rupees have been deposited in the bank.
The Pathibhara Area Development Committee discloses the details related to the offerings every month. The committee shared that altogether 52,455 devotees reached the temple for prayers in the month of Chait.
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Nepal posts mammoth 211-run target for Qatar with Deependra’s six sixes in a single over
Kathmandu, April 13 : Nepal has presented a mammoth target before Qatar with Deependra Singh Airee’s scintillating batting performance.
Nepal has set a target of 211 runs against Qatar in their second match of the ACC Men’s Premier Cup at the Al-Amerat Cricket Ground in Oman. Airee has performed a record game for Nepal. He hit six consecutive sixes in a single over to equal the previous record of Yuvraj Singh of India. Airee smashed six sixes in six balls in the last over where Qatar’s Kamran Khan was bowling.
Put into bat first after winning the toss, Nepal scored 210 runs at the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Airee scored highest for Nepal with 64 runs. He hit seven sixes and three fours in his 21-ball knock. Opener Asif Sheikh also played a half-century for Nepal. He scored 52 runs in 41 balls with six fours. Kushal Malla scored 35 runs in 18 balls with three sixes and two fours.
Captain Rohit Poudel contributed 18 runs, Kushal Bhurtel 12, Sandeep Jora 7, Galson Jha and Bibek Yadav contributed 5 runs each. For Qatar, Himanshu Rathore and Mussawar Shah took three wickets ÷each while Amir Farooq took one wicket. Today, Nepal’s playing XI consists of Captain Rohit Paudel, Kushal Bhurtel, Ashif Sheikh, Sandeep Jora, Gulsan Jha, Bibek Yadav, Abhinash Bohora, Sompal Kami, Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajvanshi and Kushal Malla.
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29th Wildlife Week begins in Sauraha
Bharatpur (Chitwan), April 13 : The 29th Wildlife Week 2081 BS has kicked off in Chitwan from today. Various activities are to be organized during the week.
Inaugurating the event, Ward President of Ratnanagar Municipality-5 Balkrishna Chapagain stressed the need to engage everyone for wildlife conservation. Also speaking on the occasion, Chairperson of Mrigakunja Buffer Zone Users’ Committee Durga Prasad Ghimire shared wildlife conservation and livelihood activities will be focused during the event.
The event has begun with the slogan ‘Wildlife Conservation: Eco-tourism and Income Generation’. He further informed that cleanliness around the Tikauli Road will be organized on April 14, bird watching on April 15, wildlife conservation school-level painting competition on April 16, school-level oratory competition on coexistence between wildlife and humans on the same day, boating on April 17, forest, wildlife and environment conservation awareness rally on April 18 as part of the week-long programme.
Chair Ghimire informed that an interaction on possibilities and challenges in forest, wildlife and bio- diversity conservation will be held on the last day of the week (April 19). Also on the same day, those having substantial contributions to the wildlife conservation will be honored in various categories.
Various organizations, including the park office, local governments, community forests, National Nature Conservation Trust, tourism related organizations in Sauraha collaborated with Mrigakunja users’ committee to host the weeklong event.
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KMC enhancing beauty through paintings
Kathmandu, April 13 : Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has initiated enhancing beauty of the city through paintings.
In collaboration with the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, KMC has started painting artistic pictures on the walls in public places. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed between KMC and Academy on February 29.
According to the MoU, the Academy itself has selected artists and related organizations for the same. Now painting for painting is being done in Sundhara area. Afterward, the wall paining will be made on the right side of Tripureshwar Stadium, in the area from Maitighar to Babarmahal, exhibition road, international airport, Baneshwor, Minbhawan, Social Welfare Council and Lainchour, KMC Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol shared.
According to her, priority will be given to showcase pictures having local cultural values. Sports-related pictures will be drawn in the stadium area while Nepal’s ethnicities and costumes will be depicted in the the international airport. The artistic paintings to be drawn for originality will include traditional dances, costumes, musical instruments and physical assets of Indra Jatra.
KMC expects the citizens to fulfill the responsibility to protect painted pictures. KMC further urges the citizens not to touch the walls with paintings, put any additional colour, put up posters or paper and disgrace the wall with any other object. According to KMC these paintings will showcase the magnificence of Kathmandu’s heritage.
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16 border pillars missing in Banke
Ranjha (Banke), April 13: As many as sixteen border pillars along the 65-kilometer Nepal-India border adjoining the Banke district have been found missing.
According to Chief of the Armed Police Force Nepal Bageshwori Battalion, deputed for the security of border pillars, Bimal Dangi, five main border pillars and 11 auxiliary pillars are missing in the district.
Most of the missing border pillars were situated in riverside areas and some of the remaining pillars are in dilapidated condition. Dangi mentioned, “Of the missing pillars, most of them were swept away by Rapti river and have not been reconstructed yet.
The district has 311 border pillars including 32 main and 279 auxiliary. A joint consent of both countries is required to repair and paint the border pillars. He further shared that the APF Nepal regularly monitors the border pillars and sends the details to the bodies concerned as nothing could be done without a joint team of the Department of Survey of both countries if border pillars were swept away by rivers or fallen. The APF Nepal painted 71 border pillars a few months ago at the joint decision of both countries.
The APF Nepal has been providing security of border pillars setting up 10 border outposts along 65 kilometers while India has established 23 BOPs towards the Indian side. Preparations have been made to establish one BOP at Saigaun of Janaki Rural Municipality towards the Nepali side, according to APF Nepal.
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Khanal bats for unity among leftist forces
Kathmandu, April 13: Senior leader of CPN (Unified Socialist) and former Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal has called for unity among leftist political forces to end political instability and non-performance.
In a message on the occasion of the New Year 2081 BS, the former Prime Minister argued that leftist parties’ unity was required for peace, development, independence, socialism and prosperity and urged for socialist revolution and transformation in the nation.
Khanal has also concluded that the country’s political, economic, social, cultural and nationality was in crisis and termed his party’s participation in the present coalition government as a positive milestone. “To address the acute problems of people and the nation, land reforms and agriculture revolution should be advanced; industrialization should be promoted and corruption should be controlled,” Khanal stated.
He has asked all the leftist political forces in the country to shun the idea of self-praise and arrogance.
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Country spends one-third of total capital expenditure till nine months of current FY
Kathmandu, April 13: The capital spending in the country till the third quarter of the current fiscal year is just 32.24 percent of the total allocation, the Financial Comptroller General Office (FCGO) said.
Of the total Rs 302.7 billion allocated, the government expenditure has reached Rs 97.37 billion till the first nine months of the current fiscal year that ended on April 12.
Likewise, the state of revenue collection in the country is sluggish. The government has targeted to collect Rs 1472.48 billion in revenue in the current fiscal year but the revenue collection so far is Rs 773.3 billion, which is 52.5 per cent of the total target.
The government has collected Rs 671.11 billion under the tax revenue and Rs 76.92 billion in non-taxes. Likewise, the government has received Rs 2.75 billion foreign grants till the first nine months of the current fiscal year, which is just 5.52 per cent of the annual target of Rs 49.94 billion.
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Thamel, Durbarmarg open round the clock
Kathmandu, April 13: The key tourist sites in the Capital City, Thamel and Durbarmarg, would remain open 24 hours a day from today (Baishakh 1).
Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane marked the beginning of this operation this evening from a programme organized by Thamel Tourism Development Council and Durbarmarg Development Board.
On the occasion, Lamichhane said the places would remain open 24 hours to make the tourism activities there dynamic meant to support the country’s economy. “There will be no compromise in the security situation of Thamel and Durbarmarg. The citizens too have equal responsibility to make these sites safe along with the police administration. We all should give continuity to this,” according to the Home Minister.
Based on the directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the District Administration Office, Kathmandu has created a code of conduct and is going to operate the two major thoroughfares of the federal capital round the clock starting today, which is also the first day of the year 2081 in the lunar calendar.
Saying that tourism and Thamel were synonymous, Home Minister Lamichhane said that public participation was needed to maintain vibrancy in Thamel and Durbarmarg. Likewise, Chief Administrative Officer of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Pradip Pariyar said the opening of Thamel and Durbarmarg 24 hours is an attempt to give a positive message to the world and added that this decision would help support the country’s economy.
Chairman of Thamel Tourism Development Council Bhabishwor Sharma expressed the view that opening these two major thoroughfares would help give an impetus to the tourism that was slow after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Likewise, Coordinator of Durbarmarg Development Board Sanjay Adhikari viewed that this campaign should be expanded in other cities of the country gradually. Chief District Officer of Kathmandu Jitendra Basnet said that reliable security arrangements have been made to secure Thamel and Durbarmarg areas. Thamel and Durbarmarg areas have been prepared to conduct night business as a full-time business.
A ‘Code of Conduct and Standards-2080’ has been approved for full-time business operations in Thamel and Durbarmarg areas. City bus, taxis and ride sharing apps are being managed to address the problem of night-time transportation.
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Country sees pace of development : Chair Oli
Kathmandu, April 13 : CPN (UML) chair KP Sharma Oli said the country’s development has gained momentum with the government’s dedicated efforts;
Addressing the opening ceremony of the City Hospital built by Budanilakantha Municipality here today, he claimed the health status of the people has comparatively improved in the country. He termed the group not complying with the Constitution an anti-development force. Leader Oli asked such force to come within the constitutional framework and assert their demands accordingly.
He opined that any problem can be solved through constitutional process and democratic means.”When there was monarchy, people’s rights were curtailed many times. This is the time of a republic where people’s rights cannot be ceased, ” Oli asserted.
Oli also lambasted on false propaganda that nothing good has taken place in Nepal while claiming several things are happening in the country. Budhanilkanth Municipality mayor Mitharam Adhikari said the hospital will now provide outpatient services and soon be upgraded to 15-bed health facility.
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