October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on…
October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on…
October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased…
October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago.…
October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement.…
October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of…
October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative…
October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic…
October 29: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Nepal on a four-day official visit.…
Farmers in Baglung are facing a dire situation as their lemon plants have fallen victim to a relentless fungus…
October 28: Hindus residing in Nepal are observing the Kojagrat Purnima (full moon day) today as part of the final day of the 15-day Bada Dashain festival.…
October 28: Dashain festival this year was observed peacefully except for a few incidents in the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts), according to the traffic…
The motorboat service along the Narayani River is back in operation following a four-month closure due to the monsoon season. Rising water levels brought about by the monsoon rains had temporarily suspended the motorboat…
October 27: Due to the decline in internal electricity consumption in the country during the festival of Dashain, about 500 megawatts of electricity produced by hydropower projects is being wasted on a daily…
October 27: Commercial paragliding is now available at Chandragiri, a 'hill station' near the Kathmandu…
October 27: The locals of Baglung as well as commuters have been suffering due to failure in completion of the Mid-Hill Highway, a national pride…
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on Saturday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global growth is projected to slow further this year at 3.1 percent, and is likely to remain weak at the same level in 2024, according to the IFF 2023 Global Finance and Development Report released during the IFF 20th Anniversary and Annual Meeting held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The report said that the monetary tightening cycle in most countries is likely to end by 2024. However, monetary and financial tightening are likely to continue and further depress demand growth and slow the global recovery. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It therefore forecast the global economy to grow by 3.1 percent in 2024, with developed economies growing by 1.3 percent and developing economies by 4.3 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global community should work together to address both short-and-longer-term challenges. Countries should pursue international cooperation and multilateralism in dealing with common challenges, including reducing poverty, protecting environment and mitigating climate change, resolving cross-country conflicts and reducing geopolitical tensions, said the report. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The International Finance Forum (IFF) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental international organization founded in Beijing in October 2003, established by financial leaders from more than 20 countries and regions including China, the United States, the European Union, emerging countries as well as leaders of international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. – Xinhua/RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19079', 'image' => '20231030064249_j1698580339.abhiyan (28).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:42:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19347', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Visitors Up in Mardi Himal Foot Trail during Dashain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly. Since the start of Dashain, occupancy of hotels and restaurants has been full due to the increase in the number of tourists on this tour. Businessmen say that the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists has been encouraging since Ghatasthapana, the first day of the Dashain festival. Meanwhile, the arrival of tourists has increased sharply since the day after the celebration of Dashain.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi trail is one of the best trekking routes that can be done in a short time. It is the preferred choice of most of the people because it is possible to return to Pokhara in three days and two nights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tourists are attracted by the snow-capped mountains, lush green forests, beautiful hills and settlements along the trail.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The attraction of foreign and domestic tourists towards this trekking route is increasing year by year as there is an opportunity to see more than half a dozen mountains including Mt Machhapuchhre, Mardi, Annapurna South, Himchuli, Annapurna First, Gangapurna, Gandharva Chuli.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Raj Kumar Tamang, chairman of the Mardi Trek Tourism Management Committee, said that around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">400</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> domestic and foreign tourists are now enjoying the Mardi trek on a daily basis. According to him, with the increase in the number of tourists, businessmen are elated.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“We are excited by the current increase in arrival of tourists, which has been affected by the Covid-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">19. </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Since the day after Dashain, we have been struggling to manage the tourists," said Tamang.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">There are </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">60</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> hotels and restaurants along the Mardi foot trail. It has the capacity to accommodate around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">550</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> tourists per day. It is said that the daily arrival of tourists is more than </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prakash Baral, a member of the provincial assembly of Gandaki Province, who did the Mardi trek two days ago, said that he was thrilled during the journey. He said that with the beautiful view from the "view point", all the fatigue and suffering experienced during the trek will be forgotten in one moment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Mardi trek has become the main choice of domestic tourists. This has contributed to the economic activity. There is no problem for fooding and lodging. It is a perfect destination for family travel,” said Baral.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Stating that the tourists are facing problems due to the lack of toilets at the "view point", Provincial Assembly member Baral said that he will take initiative with the provincial government to solve the problem.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi foot trail starts after a jeep ride to Kalimati and Siding through Ghalel of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality, which is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">22</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km away from Pokhara. From there, one can climb uphill through the forest path and reach the Low Camp located at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2,970</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">From the Low Camp, the trail leads to the High Camp, view point and then the Mardi Himal base camp at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4,500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters. From the 'view point', one can enjoy the view of the Pokhara valley and other places with more than half a dozen mountains.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Most of the tourists reach Mardi Himal base camp through Ghalel, Kanoning and return to Pokhara via Lwang, also known as the tea village. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shiv Bhandari, the owner of Hotel Kalimati, which is located along the foot trail, said that the Mardi foot trail is a short trek that can be completed even during one or two days’ vacation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19075', 'image' => '20231029024955_20230305101707_20230304102843_20220718030551_fishtail-seen-from-mardi-himal-base-camp.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:49:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19346', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Capital Gains Tax Increases by Rs 80 Million', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. More than Rs 140.06 million were collected in mid-August to mid-September, but more than Rs 219.57 million were collected in mid-September to mid-October.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the information provided by Suresh Neupane, the information officer of CDS and Clearing Limited (CDSC), more than Rs 157.6 million were collected from short-term investors and more than Rs 61.9 million from long-term investors in the review month.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Looking at the data of CDSC, it seems that short-term investors have been more active in the secondary market in the last month as well. Brokers say that due to the lack of stability in market-related policy, investors are also active in booking profits in a short period of time. By mid-September, the securities market, NEPSE, stood at 1,964.91 points. In mid-October, the NEPSE was down to 1,864.62 points. Comparing the data of two months, NEPSE took a nosedive of 100.29 points. The income of the government increased despite the downfall of the secondary market. Brokers estimate that investors who are active in short-term trading made profit in mid-October based on the dividends of listed companies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government collects tax by dividing the investors who deal in the secondary market of securities into two types in the case of individual investors. By dividing those who hold shares for more than 1 year as long-term investors and those who hold shares for less than that as short-term investors, the government collects capital gains tax of 7.5 percent for short-term investors and 5 percent for long-term investors. Institutional investors have to pay 10 percent capital gains tax. These investors have to pay capital gains tax based on the weighted average cost if they have made a profit from the securities business.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stakeholders say that if the government's income can be increased along with the income of investors in the securities market, the confidence of the general public in the securities market will increase. The regulatory body of the capital market, SEBON, is currently working on the necessary legislation to increase institutional investors in the market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chairman of the board, Ramesh Kumar Hamal informed that in the coming days, work will be done to prepare the law to allow non-resident Nepali to enter the securities market as institutional investors. Hamal emphasized that for the sustainable development of the market, institutional investors should be brought forward as well.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19074', 'image' => '20231029022456_1698547751.1695517713.1692935579.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:23:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19345', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '21 Percent Nepalis Lack Minimum Calorie Intake Requirement', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. According to Januka Pandit, deputy director general of Department of Agriculture, the problem of people not getting enough calories has not improved yet as 21 percent of the common people are deprived of the necessary calories even now. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The World Food Organization's standard for adult requirement is a minimum of 2,220 calories per day. The government does not even have the data on how many calories are consumed by the 21 percent of people who do not have access to minimum calories. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to government data, Nepal's total food grain production reached 17.72 million metric tons in the fiscal year 2078/79. As per the government information, about 7,530,000 metric tons of consumable food can be obtained from the produce after deducting the amount of seeds, animal feed, storage and processing losses. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the results of the National Census and Household Survey 2078, the total population of Nepal is 29.1 million. It is said that about 5,867,000 metric tons of unprocessed food will be required for this population annually. Correlating to this data, there is about 1,663,000 metric tons of food in surplus in Nepal. But even though there is a food surplus, the stakeholders say that people are unable to get the prescribed calorie intake due to the weakness in the government’s policies and regulations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Increasing production and productivity is not a big deal. It is also an important whether all the people can get enough to eat or not. Because of their poor and weak financial condition, many people cannot consume the necessary calories. For that, it is important to emphasize on job growth. The government should take responsibility for their social security,” said Pandit.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr Hari Bahadur KC said India has a system of ration cards which Nepal lacks. Although the Food Sovereignty Act mentions that the government should take responsibility for the food security of the people, it is not accessible to everyone despite higher production.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022, 19 percent of children under the age of 5 in Nepal are underweight, 25 percent are stunted and 8 percent are undernourished. In addition, children are still deprived of access to sufficient clean and nutritious food according to their needs.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Even though the government data shows that the country is in a state of surplus food due to excess production to what the population needs, Nepal ironically imports food worth billions annually. Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Govinda Prasad Sharma said that all the food produced is not used for humans alone. According to him, a large amount of food is used as animal feed, so even though the production is higher, food has to be imported from outside.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19073', 'image' => '20231029014538_20230116032506_120238810_2409742145996788_1009834206072561128_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:44:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19344', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Express Bus Service on the Verge of Closure ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had launched the express bus service with an investment of Rs 20 million without necessary study. As a result, the service has almost come to a standstill.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The ministry has been running </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> buses along the the </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">13</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km Suryabinayak-Ratnapark route for delivering quick service during peak office hours. Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala had claimed that the express bus service was a great achievement in the transport sector. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A separate lane was painted with red colour for operating the express buses. It was said that express buses would ply on that lane from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">9</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> am to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> am and from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm daily. But now this service is in disarray.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Uddhav Prasad Rijal, director general of the Department of Transport Management, said that even though a separate lane has been arranged for express buses, the express bus service has not been effective as all the vehicles travel through the same lane. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"The buses operating under the express bus service and other buses have been using the same lane, which has reduced its effectiveness," he said, adding, "We are still new in the matter of providing express transport services, we are still learning. There was little research before the operation of the express bus service. We will take the matter forward in a more effective manner after Tihar.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The express bus service has been criticized because the passengers of ordinary buses and other vehicles have had to face traffic congestion for hours because a separate lane was arranged in the name of express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Critics said that the express buses were given more priority than ambulances and fire engines. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Director General Rijal said that they are studying the prospect of making all public buses plying on the separate lane to be operated as express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The ministry claimed that the service was initiated only as a test and it is natural for some problems to arise in the management. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shubha Shrestha, information officer of the ministry, said that the express bus service will be made effective after further studies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19072', 'image' => '20231029010859_1698544107.3 bus.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:08:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19343', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Belt and Road Initiative Paves Way for Prosperous, Sustainable Future: Experts ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">With eight major steps and 458 outcomes announced at the gathering, the initiative is charting the course for a better connected world featuring prosperity, harmony and sustainability. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the past decade, China has signed more than 230 BRI cooperation agreements with over 150 countries and 30-plus international organizations. More than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Experts and officials said the initiative has delivered tangible benefits, offering more opportunities and pushing for an open, inclusive and interconnected world for common development. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">CONNECTIVITY BRINGS PROSPERITY </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Since its inception, many observers have envisaged the initiative would improve people's livelihood. Ten years on, the initiative has indeed promoted connectivity in BRI partners. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In some places once under colonial rule in Africa and South America, for example, transportation does not go through the continent, said Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China "has been doing a great deal to help both these continents open up internal transportation, and that will make a big difference to those countries' productivity," he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Asia, one good example is the China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, which runs 1,035 km, including 422 km in Laos, from the city of Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, to Lao capital Vientiane. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The China-Laos Railway has transformed Laos from a landlocked ASEAN member state to a land-linked country," said Ong Tee Keat, president of the BRI Caucus for Asia Pacific. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As a famous Chinese saying goes, "If you want to be wealthy, build roads first." Statistics show that two-way trade between China and ASEAN reached 975.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, more than double the 443.6 billion U.S. dollars recorded in 2013. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI remains committed to global connectivity and multilateralism in an era marked by de-globalization," Chheang Vannarith, president of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">TIMELY AND ESSENTIAL </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative has helped improve people's livelihood as the world is suffering from a slowing economy, rising interest rates, and higher inflation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Every participant of the initiative, which was proposed by China 10 years ago, is a winner, Alaa Thabet, editor-in-chief of Egypt's top daily Al-Ahram Newspaper, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The initiative has led to the construction of massive infrastructure projects across continents, including roads, railways, ports, and energy pipelines," said Thabet. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI is a timely initiative. Chinese initiatives are essential for humanity. They address global threats and promote the (building of a) community with a shared future," Egypt's former Prime Minister Essam Sharaf told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Over the past decade, more than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated, with an estimated investment of nearly 1 trillion U.S. dollars, Sharaf added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Based on the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, the initiative has the potential to make substantial contributions to a more reasonable and just global governance system and promote globalization, said Farhat Asif, president of the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a World Bank report, increased trade via Belt and Road cooperation is expected to raise global real income by 0.7 to 2.9 percent, and BRI projects could help lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The decade-old initiative has built up China's reputation as a responsible global player that seeks to pursue green and sustainable globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"On the ten-year anniversary we can declare the BRI an amazingly successful initiative," said Erik Solheim, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, he said, has contributed to very important green rail corridors in Kenya, Ethiopia, Laos and most recently Indonesia. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A white paper released ahead of the third BRF said the initiative embraces the global trend of green and low-carbon development, emphasizes respecting and protecting nature and following its laws, and respects the right of all parties to pursue sustainable and eco-friendly growth. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"As the world's largest manufacturer of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles, China is well-placed to help enable the adoption of low-carbon technologies at scale in emerging economies and developing nations through the BRI," Damilola Ogunbiyi, special representative of the UN secretary-general for sustainable energy for all, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In pursuing the "dual goals" to peak its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, China has been improving the sustainability and efficiency of the BRI as an international public good, in line with the current trend of globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to one of the eight major steps announced by China last week in support of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the country will continue to promote green development and step up support for the BRI International Green Development Coalition. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China will also implement the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road, and provide 100,000 training opportunities for partner countries by 2030. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, as "a massive project" with "immense potential," can help accelerate efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Ghada Waly, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, told Xinhua. – Xinhua/RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19071', 'image' => '20231029120234_20231011113404_20201117123742_88500034 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 12:01:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19342', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Travelers Call for Improved Facilities to Ensure Safety on the Way to Phoksundo Lake', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Better bridges and trails will most likely attract even more tourists, say the international and domestic tourists who visited Phoksundo Lake.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Currently, tourists visiting the lake have to travel through the district headquarters of Jajarkot along the Mid-Hill Highway and spend a night at the district headquarters of Dolpa before reaching the lake. To reach the lake, the visitors have to cross a dozen of dilapidated wooden bridges built over the Suligad River.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Life is at risk while crossing the river through the dilapidated wooden bridges, says Ram Prasad Khatri of Nalgad Municipality-8. One can reach Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpa, by any means of transport. The lake is within a two-day walk from Suligad. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It would be convenient for domestic and foreign tourists to reach the lake if there had been concrete bridges over the Suligad River and a reliable trekking route, according to stakeholders. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">At an elevation of 3,600 metres above the sea level, the lake spanning 4.94 square kilometres in area lies near the Rigmo village of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality-8. Although the depth of the lake is said to be 145 metres, the locals claim that it is 650 metres deep. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The lake, which changes its colour from time to time according to the weather, is shaped like the English alphabet Y, and it also looks like a human lung from another angle. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Visitors have to use a foot trail to reach the Phoksundo Lake from Suligad via Kathepul, Thoso, Lapku and Sankul. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although the government has been building suspension bridges over most of rivers in Dolpa, the trail leading to Phoksundo Lake from Suligad still has wooden bridges which are in dilapidated condition.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nima Lama, ward chair of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality, argues that the wooden bridges need to be preserved along with the construction of suspension bridges.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“As the area is a trekking route, the stakeholders should stress the need for the preservation of wooden bridges to attract tourists,” he said. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19070', 'image' => '20231029103644_20220904011304_bibek-raj-shrestha-z2m3t4z88aI-unsplash-1024x685.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 10:35:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19341', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UN Secretary-General Guterres Arrives in Kathmandu ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Nepal on a four-day official visit. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Nepal on a four-day official visit. Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Prakash Saud greeted the UN Secretary-General at the VVIP lounge of the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu on Sunday. Others present on the occasion were high ranking officials of the Government of Nepal and representatives of the UN Office in Nepal. The Nepalese Army offered a guard of honour to Secretary-General Guterres. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Guterres' visit to Nepal took place at the invitation of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the first day of his visit on Sunday, Secretary-General Guterres is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Ram Chandra Paudel at the Office of the President and PM Dahal at the Prime Minister's office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The secretary-general will have separate meetings with Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli at the New Baneshwar-based Federal Parliament building. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Guterres is also scheduled to hold separate meetings with Deputy Prime Minister duo, Purna Bahadur Khadka and Narayan Kaji Shrestha. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Following the meetings, he will observe the Patan Durbar Square, a heritage site of historical and archeological importance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prime Minister Dahal will host a banquet reception on Sunday evening in honour of Secretary-General Guterres. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In course of his visit, the Secretary-General will travel to Namche, Pokhara, Annapurna Base Camp and Lumbini on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Parliament Secretariat, he is scheduled to address a joint session of the federal parliament at 4.00 pm on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Guterres, who is scheduled to visit Nepal for the first time after assuming the role of UN secretary-general in 2017, will discuss the matters relating to the peace process, sustainable development and climate change, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The high-level visit of the UN secretary-general after a hiatus of around 15 years has been taken with importance. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19069', 'image' => '20231029095344_Antonio_Guterres_CC_U.S. Mission Photo-Eric Bridiers.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 09:52:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19340', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Baglung Farmers Likely to Incur Heavy Loss Due to Fungus in Lemon Plants', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Farmers in Baglung are facing a dire situation as their lemon plants have fallen victim to a relentless fungus infestation.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">October 29: Farmers in Baglung are facing a dire situation as their lemon plants have fallen victim to a relentless fungus infestation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt"> Over the past two months, thousands of lemon plants cultivated by hundreds of farmers have begun to wither away, causing considerable concern among the local farmers. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">If left unchecked, this outbreak could result in substantial financial losses for the affected farmers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Kumar Pun Magar, the information officer for the Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Baglung, said that the fungus is the root cause behind the widespread deterioration of lemon plants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">The telltale sign of this affliction is the drying and eventual death of the tips of lemon plant leaves. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">To mitigate the damage, Magar suggests that farmers should promptly remove and discard the affected, dried-up plants to salvage the remaining healthy ones. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">He emphasizes that seeking technical advice is crucial to prevent the fungus from taking hold, as it primarily targets lemon plants.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Magar elaborates, "The fungus leads to the demise of lemon branches, and farmers need to remain vigilant to combat this issue. Timely pruning of the drying branches is essential. This problem has primarily affected the Nisikhola area and its surroundings within the district."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Nar Bahadur Budha Magar, who has planted a total of 60 lemon plants in Nisikhola, is among those grappling with the fungus infestation. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">He's already lost 34 of his lemon plants, causing ripe lemon fruits to fall prematurely during the harvest.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt"> Even the lemon plants he had nurtured for a year succumbed to the disease. Budha Magar had ventured into commercial lemon cultivation two years ago and anticipates a substantial loss of around Rs 200,000 due to the damage to his lemon plants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">He recounts, "There were lemon trees planted six to seven years ago in the garden. Initially, the branches of those trees began to die, and later the problem spread to other smaller plants. If this continues, my substantial investment will be in jeopardy."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Purna Bahadur Chhetri, another local farmer, is also grappling with the spreading disease. Out of the 90 lemon plants he had cultivated, 70 are now affected. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Chhetri has been proactive in cutting the dried branches as soon as they show signs of infestation. This issue did not arise in his lemon plants the previous year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">The Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Baglung reports that of the 45 hectares of land allocated for lemon cultivation in the district, only 22 hectares are currently yielding production. (RSS)</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19068', 'image' => '20231029063152_collage (3).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 06:29:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19339', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Kojagrat Purnima being Observed ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 28: Hindus residing in Nepal are observing the Kojagrat Purnima (full moon day) today as part of the final day of the 15-day Bada Dashain festival. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 28: Hindus residing in Nepal observed the Kojagrat Purnima (full moon day) on Saturday as part of the final day of the 15-day Bada Dashain festival. People worship and pay homage to Mahalaxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, on this day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Bada Dashain festival formally ends with the marking of the Kojagrat Purnima--devotees offering worship to Mahalaxmi at their homes in the evening, and keeping vigil the whole night. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There is a belief that the goddess Mahalaxmi takes a trip around the world on the night of Kojagrat Purnima 'to check as to who is observing the vigil on this particular night'. As per this belief, the goddess of wealth blesses the people who are found observing the overnight vigil, according to the Nepal Calendar Determination Committee. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Since the ritual of giving and receiving Tika and Jamara of the Dashain festival also concludes on this day, the Jamara that is sprouted and anointed at the Dashainghar on the day of Ghatasthapana is disposed of as per the religious tradition today. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">People also perform worship at the Swoyambhu Chaitya and observe the night vigil by lighting the lamps.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Also today, a partial lunar eclipse will occur tonight. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-28', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19067', 'image' => '20231028103710_kojag.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-28 10:36:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19338', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Kathmandu Valley Witnesses 103 Incidents during Dashain ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 28: Dashain festival this year was observed peacefully except for a few incidents in the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts), according to the traffic police. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 28: Dashain festival this year was observed peacefully except for a few incidents in the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts), according to the traffic police. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although there were sporadic incidents since Fulpati (the seventh day of Dashain on October 21) until October 27, there have not been any major criminal activities and incidents of thefts, robberies and road accidents, said Senior Superintendent of Police Dinesh Raj Mainali, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Police Office. In terms of peace and security, this year's Dashain has concluded more amicably than in previous years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the festival, the police had carried out monitoring by forming a special security plan and police in civil dress were deployed in the potential risky areas. Surveillance took place in all three districts using trained dogs and drones, he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"No efforts were spared in the security arrangements. Police were mobilised in civil dress and even drones and dogs were used for surveillance. Dashain became peaceful as surveillance has been done by mobilising additional workforce. Now, there is a plan to continue surveillance until Chhath," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, sporadic incidents took place. A total of 103 incidents took place between October 21 and 27. Two people were killed and 118 others were injured in the incidents, said Mainali. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Among those incidents, 51 were related to road accidents killing one and injuring 73. According to the police, one person died and 13 others were injured in 13 incidents of fighting. Similarly, 10 incidents of theft took place and there were two incidents relating to the use of sharp weapons that left three people injured. Three gambling-related incidents took place and a total of 22 gamblers were arrested (seven from Kathmandu, 13 from Lalitpur and two from Bhaktapur). Around Rs 500,000 was confiscated from them, said the police. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-28', 'modified' => '2023-10-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19066', 'image' => '20231028102632_Kathmandu Valley.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-28 10:25:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19336', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Motorboat Service Resumes in Narayani River After Four-Month Closure', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The motorboat service along the Narayani River is back in operation following a four-month closure due to the monsoon season. Rising water levels brought about by the monsoon rains had temporarily suspended the motorboat service.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">October 27: The motorboat service along the Narayani River is back in operation following a four-month closure due to the monsoon season. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Rising water levels brought about by the monsoon rains had temporarily suspended the motorboat service.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Typically, the monsoon forced a three-month closure from mid-June to mid-September (Asar to Bhadau). However, this year, the closure was extended due to a delayed monsoon, said Ashesh Malla, the chair of the Narayani Motorboat Entrepreneurs Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In recent times, the availability of motorboat services on the river has attracted a growing number of domestic tourists.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Approximately 2,000 people visit the riverbanks daily to enjoy a motorboat ride, with a higher number of visitors during the Dashain and Tihar festivals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The motorboat service on the river was initiated in the year 2076 BS (2019-20) with only one motorboat. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At present, there are 32 registered motorboat companies, both large and small, with 19 of them already serving visitors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The service offers various packages and covers routes from the Narayani Bridge to Majuwa Tapu Pokhara Bus Park, Majuwa Tapu Pokhara Bus Park to Radha Krishna Temple in Gaidakot, Majuwa Tapu to Parijat Park, and from the Narayani Bridge to Devghat.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Large motorboats can accommodate 18 to 25 passengers at once, while small motorboats can carry up to 12 passengers for shorter distances. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The service charges are Rs 250 per person for the short route and Rs 1,500 for the long route.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Bharatpur Metropolitan City imposes a 15% tax on the revenue generated from this service. (RSS) </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19065', 'image' => '20231027070932_collage (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 07:07:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19335', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '500 Megawatts of Electricity is being Wasted Every Day during Dashain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 27: Due to the decline in internal electricity consumption in the country during the festival of Dashain, about 500 megawatts of electricity produced by hydropower projects is being wasted on a daily basis.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 27: Due to the decline in internal electricity consumption in the country during the festival of Dashain, about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity produced by hydropower projects is being wasted on a daily basis.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As the industries and factories that consume more electricity are shutdown during this time, the demand for electricity has decreased internally. Another reason is that the winter is yet to begin and the summer heat has ended in the Terai and there is not much use of electrical appliances at this period of year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On the other hand, electricity generation in the country is taking place without any hindrance as the flow of water in the rivers and stream is sufficient at the moment since the dry season has not yet started. The NEA, its subsidiaries and private sector hydropower projects have been producing electricity at optimal condition.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">About </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2,200</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity are currently being produced by the authority, its subsidiaries and private sector hydropower projects. Out of that, about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW is being consumed within the country, while about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">650</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">700</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW of electricity is being exported to India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Kulman Ghising, executive director of the NEA, said that since the electricity generated could not be consumed within the country and the NEA could not get approval from India for further export, around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity is being wasted on a daily basis.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Due to the festival of Dashain, domestic demand for electricity has decreased. Taking this situation into account, we had sent a proposal to the Central Electricity Authority of India seeking approval for exporting about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">300</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of surplus electricity. However, since we are yet to get the approval, around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity is being wasted on a daily basis since the day before Phulpati,” said Ghising, adding, “We are losing millions of rupees daily due to this. But, we are confident that we will get approval for exporting more electricity soon."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The NEA has been exporting surplus electricity to India during the rainy season. The NEA has been selling around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">110</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW of electricity to the Indian company NTPC Vidyut Vyar Nigam Ltd (NVVN) through competitive bids in the day-ahead market of IEX and under the medium-term power agreement. NVVN is selling the electricity purchased from Nepal in the state of Haryana.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Nepal Electricity Authority has received approval for the export of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">632</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW to India including </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">522</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW of electricity in the competitive market of India and </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">110</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">to NVVN.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The NEA exported electricity worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11.80</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion to India from mid-May to mid-October.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => 'electricity, wastage, Dashain, festival, Nepal, India, surplus', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19064', 'image' => '20231027064215_20231026111327_elec.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 06:41:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19334', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Commercial Paragliding Begins at Chandragiri', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 27: Commercial paragliding is now available at Chandragiri, a 'hill station' near the Kathmandu Valley.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 27: Commercial paragliding is now available at Chandragiri, a 'hill station' near the Kathmandu Valley. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Babu Adventures, the company owned by pilot Sanobabu Sunuwar, Nepal's first instructor of high altitude paragliding, has launched paragliding service at Chandragiri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar is also the winner of the 'Adventures of Year-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2012</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">' award from National Geography. He has flown all the way to the sea from the peak of Mount Everest.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar says that the paragliding flight are being conducted from a spot </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> minutes’ walk west from Bhaleshwar temple in Chandragiri. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The flight from Chandragiri (</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2300</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters) lands outside the valley at Chitlang, which is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1700</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters above the sea level, while offering a wonderful view of beautiful scenery.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the paragliding flight, one can observe the 'aerial view' of Bhaleshwar temple as well as most of the terrain of Kathmandu valley. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“From the flight, you can also see the terrain of Rasuwa and Dhading, and you can also have an attractive view of the man-made Indrasarovar Lake as well as Tistung, Palung of Makwanpur. When the weather is clear, the wide range of snow-capped mountains visible to the north will fascinate anyone,” says Sunuwar.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar informed New Business Age that his company can operate </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> paragliders at a time, as per the approval from the government. He added that up to a hundred people can be served per day.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar, who is running a paragliding school in Syangja, says that adventure tourism is possible all over Nepal and that they have invested in Chandragiri to give the valley dwellers the taste of flying in Kathmandu.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“There is a campaign to spread paragliding across Nepal. As the population density is high in Kathmandu, I am hopeful that its message can be spread quickly and effectively,” he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">How much is the fee?</span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The company has fixed a fee of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">8,000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> per person for paragliding at Chandragiri. It covers paragliding flight of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">15</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> minutes, photos and videos as well as transportation from Kathmandu to the paragliding site. Photo and video equipment is managed by the company itself. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar informed that foreign nationals have to pay a fee of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12,000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> per person for the same package.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Nepali tourists who do not wish to take the facility of traveling in the company's vehicle will be able to enjoy the paragliding flight by paying Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">7</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">200</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">What should you be careful about?</span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It is advisable to use a windproof jacket and dark sun glasses while going on a paragliding flight. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Also, it is better to wear shoes than sandals as you have to run during the take off.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19063', 'image' => '20231027064037_1698315264.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 06:38:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19333', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Locals Bearing Brunt of Dilapidated Condition of Mid-Hill Highway ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 27: The locals of Baglung as well as commuters have been suffering due to failure in completion of the Mid-Hill Highway, a national pride project. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">October 27: The locals of Baglung as well as commuters have been suffering due to failure in completion of the Mid-Hill Highway, a national pride project. <br /> Although the Baglung-Ghodabandhe section along the Mid-Hill Highway was opened two and a half decades ago, the road has yet to be blacktopped forcing locals to deal with the dusty road. <br /> The highway office had awarded the contract to two contractor companies to blacktop the 25-km section stretching from Upallochaur to Ghodabandhe. The project completion duration was set for two years. But seven years on, the project has yet to be completed. <br /> India-Siddhisai JV won the contract to blacktop the 13-km track from Upallochaur while Surya Construction Company was contracted for blacktopping the remaining 12-km from Bihun to Ghodabandhe. As of now, only seven kilometers of the 13 km track has been completed though the deadline was extended four times. Similarly, only six kilometers of the 12-km road section has been blacktopped despite the deadline being extended five times. <br /> The locals have been forced to face dusty road conditions for years due to the dillydallying in completing the project, complained Kedar Kandel, a local.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">“It has been years since the project started. But nothing has changed. Now, there is bulky dust on the road and the road is muddy during the rainy season,” he said. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19062', 'image' => '20231027063834_map.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 06:36:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on Saturday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global growth is projected to slow further this year at 3.1 percent, and is likely to remain weak at the same level in 2024, according to the IFF 2023 Global Finance and Development Report released during the IFF 20th Anniversary and Annual Meeting held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The report said that the monetary tightening cycle in most countries is likely to end by 2024. However, monetary and financial tightening are likely to continue and further depress demand growth and slow the global recovery. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It therefore forecast the global economy to grow by 3.1 percent in 2024, with developed economies growing by 1.3 percent and developing economies by 4.3 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global community should work together to address both short-and-longer-term challenges. Countries should pursue international cooperation and multilateralism in dealing with common challenges, including reducing poverty, protecting environment and mitigating climate change, resolving cross-country conflicts and reducing geopolitical tensions, said the report. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The International Finance Forum (IFF) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental international organization founded in Beijing in October 2003, established by financial leaders from more than 20 countries and regions including China, the United States, the European Union, emerging countries as well as leaders of international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. – Xinhua/RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19079', 'image' => '20231030064249_j1698580339.abhiyan (28).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:42:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19347', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Visitors Up in Mardi Himal Foot Trail during Dashain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly. Since the start of Dashain, occupancy of hotels and restaurants has been full due to the increase in the number of tourists on this tour. Businessmen say that the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists has been encouraging since Ghatasthapana, the first day of the Dashain festival. Meanwhile, the arrival of tourists has increased sharply since the day after the celebration of Dashain.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi trail is one of the best trekking routes that can be done in a short time. It is the preferred choice of most of the people because it is possible to return to Pokhara in three days and two nights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tourists are attracted by the snow-capped mountains, lush green forests, beautiful hills and settlements along the trail.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The attraction of foreign and domestic tourists towards this trekking route is increasing year by year as there is an opportunity to see more than half a dozen mountains including Mt Machhapuchhre, Mardi, Annapurna South, Himchuli, Annapurna First, Gangapurna, Gandharva Chuli.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Raj Kumar Tamang, chairman of the Mardi Trek Tourism Management Committee, said that around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">400</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> domestic and foreign tourists are now enjoying the Mardi trek on a daily basis. According to him, with the increase in the number of tourists, businessmen are elated.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“We are excited by the current increase in arrival of tourists, which has been affected by the Covid-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">19. </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Since the day after Dashain, we have been struggling to manage the tourists," said Tamang.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">There are </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">60</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> hotels and restaurants along the Mardi foot trail. It has the capacity to accommodate around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">550</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> tourists per day. It is said that the daily arrival of tourists is more than </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prakash Baral, a member of the provincial assembly of Gandaki Province, who did the Mardi trek two days ago, said that he was thrilled during the journey. He said that with the beautiful view from the "view point", all the fatigue and suffering experienced during the trek will be forgotten in one moment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Mardi trek has become the main choice of domestic tourists. This has contributed to the economic activity. There is no problem for fooding and lodging. It is a perfect destination for family travel,” said Baral.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Stating that the tourists are facing problems due to the lack of toilets at the "view point", Provincial Assembly member Baral said that he will take initiative with the provincial government to solve the problem.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi foot trail starts after a jeep ride to Kalimati and Siding through Ghalel of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality, which is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">22</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km away from Pokhara. From there, one can climb uphill through the forest path and reach the Low Camp located at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2,970</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">From the Low Camp, the trail leads to the High Camp, view point and then the Mardi Himal base camp at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4,500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters. From the 'view point', one can enjoy the view of the Pokhara valley and other places with more than half a dozen mountains.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Most of the tourists reach Mardi Himal base camp through Ghalel, Kanoning and return to Pokhara via Lwang, also known as the tea village. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shiv Bhandari, the owner of Hotel Kalimati, which is located along the foot trail, said that the Mardi foot trail is a short trek that can be completed even during one or two days’ vacation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19075', 'image' => '20231029024955_20230305101707_20230304102843_20220718030551_fishtail-seen-from-mardi-himal-base-camp.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:49:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19346', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Capital Gains Tax Increases by Rs 80 Million', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. More than Rs 140.06 million were collected in mid-August to mid-September, but more than Rs 219.57 million were collected in mid-September to mid-October.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the information provided by Suresh Neupane, the information officer of CDS and Clearing Limited (CDSC), more than Rs 157.6 million were collected from short-term investors and more than Rs 61.9 million from long-term investors in the review month.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Looking at the data of CDSC, it seems that short-term investors have been more active in the secondary market in the last month as well. Brokers say that due to the lack of stability in market-related policy, investors are also active in booking profits in a short period of time. By mid-September, the securities market, NEPSE, stood at 1,964.91 points. In mid-October, the NEPSE was down to 1,864.62 points. Comparing the data of two months, NEPSE took a nosedive of 100.29 points. The income of the government increased despite the downfall of the secondary market. Brokers estimate that investors who are active in short-term trading made profit in mid-October based on the dividends of listed companies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government collects tax by dividing the investors who deal in the secondary market of securities into two types in the case of individual investors. By dividing those who hold shares for more than 1 year as long-term investors and those who hold shares for less than that as short-term investors, the government collects capital gains tax of 7.5 percent for short-term investors and 5 percent for long-term investors. Institutional investors have to pay 10 percent capital gains tax. These investors have to pay capital gains tax based on the weighted average cost if they have made a profit from the securities business.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stakeholders say that if the government's income can be increased along with the income of investors in the securities market, the confidence of the general public in the securities market will increase. The regulatory body of the capital market, SEBON, is currently working on the necessary legislation to increase institutional investors in the market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chairman of the board, Ramesh Kumar Hamal informed that in the coming days, work will be done to prepare the law to allow non-resident Nepali to enter the securities market as institutional investors. Hamal emphasized that for the sustainable development of the market, institutional investors should be brought forward as well.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19074', 'image' => '20231029022456_1698547751.1695517713.1692935579.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:23:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19345', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '21 Percent Nepalis Lack Minimum Calorie Intake Requirement', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. According to Januka Pandit, deputy director general of Department of Agriculture, the problem of people not getting enough calories has not improved yet as 21 percent of the common people are deprived of the necessary calories even now. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The World Food Organization's standard for adult requirement is a minimum of 2,220 calories per day. The government does not even have the data on how many calories are consumed by the 21 percent of people who do not have access to minimum calories. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to government data, Nepal's total food grain production reached 17.72 million metric tons in the fiscal year 2078/79. As per the government information, about 7,530,000 metric tons of consumable food can be obtained from the produce after deducting the amount of seeds, animal feed, storage and processing losses. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the results of the National Census and Household Survey 2078, the total population of Nepal is 29.1 million. It is said that about 5,867,000 metric tons of unprocessed food will be required for this population annually. Correlating to this data, there is about 1,663,000 metric tons of food in surplus in Nepal. But even though there is a food surplus, the stakeholders say that people are unable to get the prescribed calorie intake due to the weakness in the government’s policies and regulations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Increasing production and productivity is not a big deal. It is also an important whether all the people can get enough to eat or not. Because of their poor and weak financial condition, many people cannot consume the necessary calories. For that, it is important to emphasize on job growth. The government should take responsibility for their social security,” said Pandit.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr Hari Bahadur KC said India has a system of ration cards which Nepal lacks. Although the Food Sovereignty Act mentions that the government should take responsibility for the food security of the people, it is not accessible to everyone despite higher production.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022, 19 percent of children under the age of 5 in Nepal are underweight, 25 percent are stunted and 8 percent are undernourished. In addition, children are still deprived of access to sufficient clean and nutritious food according to their needs.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Even though the government data shows that the country is in a state of surplus food due to excess production to what the population needs, Nepal ironically imports food worth billions annually. Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Govinda Prasad Sharma said that all the food produced is not used for humans alone. According to him, a large amount of food is used as animal feed, so even though the production is higher, food has to be imported from outside.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19073', 'image' => '20231029014538_20230116032506_120238810_2409742145996788_1009834206072561128_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:44:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19344', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Express Bus Service on the Verge of Closure ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had launched the express bus service with an investment of Rs 20 million without necessary study. As a result, the service has almost come to a standstill.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The ministry has been running </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> buses along the the </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">13</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km Suryabinayak-Ratnapark route for delivering quick service during peak office hours. Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala had claimed that the express bus service was a great achievement in the transport sector. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A separate lane was painted with red colour for operating the express buses. It was said that express buses would ply on that lane from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">9</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> am to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> am and from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm daily. But now this service is in disarray.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Uddhav Prasad Rijal, director general of the Department of Transport Management, said that even though a separate lane has been arranged for express buses, the express bus service has not been effective as all the vehicles travel through the same lane. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"The buses operating under the express bus service and other buses have been using the same lane, which has reduced its effectiveness," he said, adding, "We are still new in the matter of providing express transport services, we are still learning. There was little research before the operation of the express bus service. We will take the matter forward in a more effective manner after Tihar.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The express bus service has been criticized because the passengers of ordinary buses and other vehicles have had to face traffic congestion for hours because a separate lane was arranged in the name of express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Critics said that the express buses were given more priority than ambulances and fire engines. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Director General Rijal said that they are studying the prospect of making all public buses plying on the separate lane to be operated as express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The ministry claimed that the service was initiated only as a test and it is natural for some problems to arise in the management. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shubha Shrestha, information officer of the ministry, said that the express bus service will be made effective after further studies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19072', 'image' => '20231029010859_1698544107.3 bus.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:08:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19343', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Belt and Road Initiative Paves Way for Prosperous, Sustainable Future: Experts ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">With eight major steps and 458 outcomes announced at the gathering, the initiative is charting the course for a better connected world featuring prosperity, harmony and sustainability. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the past decade, China has signed more than 230 BRI cooperation agreements with over 150 countries and 30-plus international organizations. More than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Experts and officials said the initiative has delivered tangible benefits, offering more opportunities and pushing for an open, inclusive and interconnected world for common development. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">CONNECTIVITY BRINGS PROSPERITY </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Since its inception, many observers have envisaged the initiative would improve people's livelihood. Ten years on, the initiative has indeed promoted connectivity in BRI partners. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In some places once under colonial rule in Africa and South America, for example, transportation does not go through the continent, said Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China "has been doing a great deal to help both these continents open up internal transportation, and that will make a big difference to those countries' productivity," he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Asia, one good example is the China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, which runs 1,035 km, including 422 km in Laos, from the city of Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, to Lao capital Vientiane. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The China-Laos Railway has transformed Laos from a landlocked ASEAN member state to a land-linked country," said Ong Tee Keat, president of the BRI Caucus for Asia Pacific. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As a famous Chinese saying goes, "If you want to be wealthy, build roads first." Statistics show that two-way trade between China and ASEAN reached 975.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, more than double the 443.6 billion U.S. dollars recorded in 2013. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI remains committed to global connectivity and multilateralism in an era marked by de-globalization," Chheang Vannarith, president of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">TIMELY AND ESSENTIAL </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative has helped improve people's livelihood as the world is suffering from a slowing economy, rising interest rates, and higher inflation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Every participant of the initiative, which was proposed by China 10 years ago, is a winner, Alaa Thabet, editor-in-chief of Egypt's top daily Al-Ahram Newspaper, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The initiative has led to the construction of massive infrastructure projects across continents, including roads, railways, ports, and energy pipelines," said Thabet. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI is a timely initiative. Chinese initiatives are essential for humanity. They address global threats and promote the (building of a) community with a shared future," Egypt's former Prime Minister Essam Sharaf told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Over the past decade, more than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated, with an estimated investment of nearly 1 trillion U.S. dollars, Sharaf added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Based on the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, the initiative has the potential to make substantial contributions to a more reasonable and just global governance system and promote globalization, said Farhat Asif, president of the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a World Bank report, increased trade via Belt and Road cooperation is expected to raise global real income by 0.7 to 2.9 percent, and BRI projects could help lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The decade-old initiative has built up China's reputation as a responsible global player that seeks to pursue green and sustainable globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"On the ten-year anniversary we can declare the BRI an amazingly successful initiative," said Erik Solheim, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, he said, has contributed to very important green rail corridors in Kenya, Ethiopia, Laos and most recently Indonesia. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A white paper released ahead of the third BRF said the initiative embraces the global trend of green and low-carbon development, emphasizes respecting and protecting nature and following its laws, and respects the right of all parties to pursue sustainable and eco-friendly growth. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"As the world's largest manufacturer of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles, China is well-placed to help enable the adoption of low-carbon technologies at scale in emerging economies and developing nations through the BRI," Damilola Ogunbiyi, special representative of the UN secretary-general for sustainable energy for all, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In pursuing the "dual goals" to peak its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, China has been improving the sustainability and efficiency of the BRI as an international public good, in line with the current trend of globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to one of the eight major steps announced by China last week in support of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the country will continue to promote green development and step up support for the BRI International Green Development Coalition. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China will also implement the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road, and provide 100,000 training opportunities for partner countries by 2030. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, as "a massive project" with "immense potential," can help accelerate efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Ghada Waly, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, told Xinhua. – Xinhua/RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19071', 'image' => '20231029120234_20231011113404_20201117123742_88500034 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 12:01:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19342', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Travelers Call for Improved Facilities to Ensure Safety on the Way to Phoksundo Lake', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Better bridges and trails will most likely attract even more tourists, say the international and domestic tourists who visited Phoksundo Lake.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Currently, tourists visiting the lake have to travel through the district headquarters of Jajarkot along the Mid-Hill Highway and spend a night at the district headquarters of Dolpa before reaching the lake. To reach the lake, the visitors have to cross a dozen of dilapidated wooden bridges built over the Suligad River.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Life is at risk while crossing the river through the dilapidated wooden bridges, says Ram Prasad Khatri of Nalgad Municipality-8. One can reach Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpa, by any means of transport. The lake is within a two-day walk from Suligad. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It would be convenient for domestic and foreign tourists to reach the lake if there had been concrete bridges over the Suligad River and a reliable trekking route, according to stakeholders. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">At an elevation of 3,600 metres above the sea level, the lake spanning 4.94 square kilometres in area lies near the Rigmo village of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality-8. Although the depth of the lake is said to be 145 metres, the locals claim that it is 650 metres deep. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The lake, which changes its colour from time to time according to the weather, is shaped like the English alphabet Y, and it also looks like a human lung from another angle. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Visitors have to use a foot trail to reach the Phoksundo Lake from Suligad via Kathepul, Thoso, Lapku and Sankul. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although the government has been building suspension bridges over most of rivers in Dolpa, the trail leading to Phoksundo Lake from Suligad still has wooden bridges which are in dilapidated condition.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nima Lama, ward chair of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality, argues that the wooden bridges need to be preserved along with the construction of suspension bridges.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“As the area is a trekking route, the stakeholders should stress the need for the preservation of wooden bridges to attract tourists,” he said. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19070', 'image' => '20231029103644_20220904011304_bibek-raj-shrestha-z2m3t4z88aI-unsplash-1024x685.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 10:35:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19341', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UN Secretary-General Guterres Arrives in Kathmandu ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Nepal on a four-day official visit. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Nepal on a four-day official visit. Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Prakash Saud greeted the UN Secretary-General at the VVIP lounge of the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu on Sunday. Others present on the occasion were high ranking officials of the Government of Nepal and representatives of the UN Office in Nepal. The Nepalese Army offered a guard of honour to Secretary-General Guterres. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Guterres' visit to Nepal took place at the invitation of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the first day of his visit on Sunday, Secretary-General Guterres is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Ram Chandra Paudel at the Office of the President and PM Dahal at the Prime Minister's office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The secretary-general will have separate meetings with Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli at the New Baneshwar-based Federal Parliament building. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Guterres is also scheduled to hold separate meetings with Deputy Prime Minister duo, Purna Bahadur Khadka and Narayan Kaji Shrestha. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Following the meetings, he will observe the Patan Durbar Square, a heritage site of historical and archeological importance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prime Minister Dahal will host a banquet reception on Sunday evening in honour of Secretary-General Guterres. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In course of his visit, the Secretary-General will travel to Namche, Pokhara, Annapurna Base Camp and Lumbini on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Parliament Secretariat, he is scheduled to address a joint session of the federal parliament at 4.00 pm on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Guterres, who is scheduled to visit Nepal for the first time after assuming the role of UN secretary-general in 2017, will discuss the matters relating to the peace process, sustainable development and climate change, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The high-level visit of the UN secretary-general after a hiatus of around 15 years has been taken with importance. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19069', 'image' => '20231029095344_Antonio_Guterres_CC_U.S. Mission Photo-Eric Bridiers.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 09:52:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19340', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Baglung Farmers Likely to Incur Heavy Loss Due to Fungus in Lemon Plants', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Farmers in Baglung are facing a dire situation as their lemon plants have fallen victim to a relentless fungus infestation.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">October 29: Farmers in Baglung are facing a dire situation as their lemon plants have fallen victim to a relentless fungus infestation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt"> Over the past two months, thousands of lemon plants cultivated by hundreds of farmers have begun to wither away, causing considerable concern among the local farmers. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">If left unchecked, this outbreak could result in substantial financial losses for the affected farmers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Kumar Pun Magar, the information officer for the Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Baglung, said that the fungus is the root cause behind the widespread deterioration of lemon plants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">The telltale sign of this affliction is the drying and eventual death of the tips of lemon plant leaves. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">To mitigate the damage, Magar suggests that farmers should promptly remove and discard the affected, dried-up plants to salvage the remaining healthy ones. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">He emphasizes that seeking technical advice is crucial to prevent the fungus from taking hold, as it primarily targets lemon plants.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Magar elaborates, "The fungus leads to the demise of lemon branches, and farmers need to remain vigilant to combat this issue. Timely pruning of the drying branches is essential. This problem has primarily affected the Nisikhola area and its surroundings within the district."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Nar Bahadur Budha Magar, who has planted a total of 60 lemon plants in Nisikhola, is among those grappling with the fungus infestation. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">He's already lost 34 of his lemon plants, causing ripe lemon fruits to fall prematurely during the harvest.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt"> Even the lemon plants he had nurtured for a year succumbed to the disease. Budha Magar had ventured into commercial lemon cultivation two years ago and anticipates a substantial loss of around Rs 200,000 due to the damage to his lemon plants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">He recounts, "There were lemon trees planted six to seven years ago in the garden. Initially, the branches of those trees began to die, and later the problem spread to other smaller plants. If this continues, my substantial investment will be in jeopardy."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Purna Bahadur Chhetri, another local farmer, is also grappling with the spreading disease. Out of the 90 lemon plants he had cultivated, 70 are now affected. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Chhetri has been proactive in cutting the dried branches as soon as they show signs of infestation. This issue did not arise in his lemon plants the previous year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">The Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Baglung reports that of the 45 hectares of land allocated for lemon cultivation in the district, only 22 hectares are currently yielding production. (RSS)</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19068', 'image' => '20231029063152_collage (3).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 06:29:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19339', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Kojagrat Purnima being Observed ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 28: Hindus residing in Nepal are observing the Kojagrat Purnima (full moon day) today as part of the final day of the 15-day Bada Dashain festival. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 28: Hindus residing in Nepal observed the Kojagrat Purnima (full moon day) on Saturday as part of the final day of the 15-day Bada Dashain festival. People worship and pay homage to Mahalaxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, on this day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Bada Dashain festival formally ends with the marking of the Kojagrat Purnima--devotees offering worship to Mahalaxmi at their homes in the evening, and keeping vigil the whole night. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There is a belief that the goddess Mahalaxmi takes a trip around the world on the night of Kojagrat Purnima 'to check as to who is observing the vigil on this particular night'. As per this belief, the goddess of wealth blesses the people who are found observing the overnight vigil, according to the Nepal Calendar Determination Committee. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Since the ritual of giving and receiving Tika and Jamara of the Dashain festival also concludes on this day, the Jamara that is sprouted and anointed at the Dashainghar on the day of Ghatasthapana is disposed of as per the religious tradition today. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">People also perform worship at the Swoyambhu Chaitya and observe the night vigil by lighting the lamps.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Also today, a partial lunar eclipse will occur tonight. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-28', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19067', 'image' => '20231028103710_kojag.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-28 10:36:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19338', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Kathmandu Valley Witnesses 103 Incidents during Dashain ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 28: Dashain festival this year was observed peacefully except for a few incidents in the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts), according to the traffic police. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 28: Dashain festival this year was observed peacefully except for a few incidents in the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts), according to the traffic police. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although there were sporadic incidents since Fulpati (the seventh day of Dashain on October 21) until October 27, there have not been any major criminal activities and incidents of thefts, robberies and road accidents, said Senior Superintendent of Police Dinesh Raj Mainali, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Police Office. In terms of peace and security, this year's Dashain has concluded more amicably than in previous years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the festival, the police had carried out monitoring by forming a special security plan and police in civil dress were deployed in the potential risky areas. Surveillance took place in all three districts using trained dogs and drones, he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"No efforts were spared in the security arrangements. Police were mobilised in civil dress and even drones and dogs were used for surveillance. Dashain became peaceful as surveillance has been done by mobilising additional workforce. Now, there is a plan to continue surveillance until Chhath," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, sporadic incidents took place. A total of 103 incidents took place between October 21 and 27. Two people were killed and 118 others were injured in the incidents, said Mainali. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Among those incidents, 51 were related to road accidents killing one and injuring 73. According to the police, one person died and 13 others were injured in 13 incidents of fighting. Similarly, 10 incidents of theft took place and there were two incidents relating to the use of sharp weapons that left three people injured. Three gambling-related incidents took place and a total of 22 gamblers were arrested (seven from Kathmandu, 13 from Lalitpur and two from Bhaktapur). Around Rs 500,000 was confiscated from them, said the police. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-28', 'modified' => '2023-10-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19066', 'image' => '20231028102632_Kathmandu Valley.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-28 10:25:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19336', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Motorboat Service Resumes in Narayani River After Four-Month Closure', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The motorboat service along the Narayani River is back in operation following a four-month closure due to the monsoon season. Rising water levels brought about by the monsoon rains had temporarily suspended the motorboat service.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">October 27: The motorboat service along the Narayani River is back in operation following a four-month closure due to the monsoon season. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Rising water levels brought about by the monsoon rains had temporarily suspended the motorboat service.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Typically, the monsoon forced a three-month closure from mid-June to mid-September (Asar to Bhadau). However, this year, the closure was extended due to a delayed monsoon, said Ashesh Malla, the chair of the Narayani Motorboat Entrepreneurs Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In recent times, the availability of motorboat services on the river has attracted a growing number of domestic tourists.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Approximately 2,000 people visit the riverbanks daily to enjoy a motorboat ride, with a higher number of visitors during the Dashain and Tihar festivals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The motorboat service on the river was initiated in the year 2076 BS (2019-20) with only one motorboat. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At present, there are 32 registered motorboat companies, both large and small, with 19 of them already serving visitors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The service offers various packages and covers routes from the Narayani Bridge to Majuwa Tapu Pokhara Bus Park, Majuwa Tapu Pokhara Bus Park to Radha Krishna Temple in Gaidakot, Majuwa Tapu to Parijat Park, and from the Narayani Bridge to Devghat.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Large motorboats can accommodate 18 to 25 passengers at once, while small motorboats can carry up to 12 passengers for shorter distances. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The service charges are Rs 250 per person for the short route and Rs 1,500 for the long route.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Bharatpur Metropolitan City imposes a 15% tax on the revenue generated from this service. (RSS) </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19065', 'image' => '20231027070932_collage (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 07:07:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19335', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '500 Megawatts of Electricity is being Wasted Every Day during Dashain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 27: Due to the decline in internal electricity consumption in the country during the festival of Dashain, about 500 megawatts of electricity produced by hydropower projects is being wasted on a daily basis.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 27: Due to the decline in internal electricity consumption in the country during the festival of Dashain, about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity produced by hydropower projects is being wasted on a daily basis.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As the industries and factories that consume more electricity are shutdown during this time, the demand for electricity has decreased internally. Another reason is that the winter is yet to begin and the summer heat has ended in the Terai and there is not much use of electrical appliances at this period of year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On the other hand, electricity generation in the country is taking place without any hindrance as the flow of water in the rivers and stream is sufficient at the moment since the dry season has not yet started. The NEA, its subsidiaries and private sector hydropower projects have been producing electricity at optimal condition.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">About </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2,200</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity are currently being produced by the authority, its subsidiaries and private sector hydropower projects. Out of that, about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW is being consumed within the country, while about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">650</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">700</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW of electricity is being exported to India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Kulman Ghising, executive director of the NEA, said that since the electricity generated could not be consumed within the country and the NEA could not get approval from India for further export, around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity is being wasted on a daily basis.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Due to the festival of Dashain, domestic demand for electricity has decreased. Taking this situation into account, we had sent a proposal to the Central Electricity Authority of India seeking approval for exporting about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">300</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of surplus electricity. However, since we are yet to get the approval, around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity is being wasted on a daily basis since the day before Phulpati,” said Ghising, adding, “We are losing millions of rupees daily due to this. But, we are confident that we will get approval for exporting more electricity soon."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The NEA has been exporting surplus electricity to India during the rainy season. The NEA has been selling around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">110</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW of electricity to the Indian company NTPC Vidyut Vyar Nigam Ltd (NVVN) through competitive bids in the day-ahead market of IEX and under the medium-term power agreement. NVVN is selling the electricity purchased from Nepal in the state of Haryana.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Nepal Electricity Authority has received approval for the export of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">632</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW to India including </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">522</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW of electricity in the competitive market of India and </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">110</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">to NVVN.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The NEA exported electricity worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11.80</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion to India from mid-May to mid-October.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => 'electricity, wastage, Dashain, festival, Nepal, India, surplus', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19064', 'image' => '20231027064215_20231026111327_elec.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 06:41:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19334', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Commercial Paragliding Begins at Chandragiri', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 27: Commercial paragliding is now available at Chandragiri, a 'hill station' near the Kathmandu Valley.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 27: Commercial paragliding is now available at Chandragiri, a 'hill station' near the Kathmandu Valley. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Babu Adventures, the company owned by pilot Sanobabu Sunuwar, Nepal's first instructor of high altitude paragliding, has launched paragliding service at Chandragiri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar is also the winner of the 'Adventures of Year-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2012</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">' award from National Geography. He has flown all the way to the sea from the peak of Mount Everest.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar says that the paragliding flight are being conducted from a spot </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> minutes’ walk west from Bhaleshwar temple in Chandragiri. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The flight from Chandragiri (</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2300</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters) lands outside the valley at Chitlang, which is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1700</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters above the sea level, while offering a wonderful view of beautiful scenery.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the paragliding flight, one can observe the 'aerial view' of Bhaleshwar temple as well as most of the terrain of Kathmandu valley. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“From the flight, you can also see the terrain of Rasuwa and Dhading, and you can also have an attractive view of the man-made Indrasarovar Lake as well as Tistung, Palung of Makwanpur. When the weather is clear, the wide range of snow-capped mountains visible to the north will fascinate anyone,” says Sunuwar.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar informed New Business Age that his company can operate </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> paragliders at a time, as per the approval from the government. He added that up to a hundred people can be served per day.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar, who is running a paragliding school in Syangja, says that adventure tourism is possible all over Nepal and that they have invested in Chandragiri to give the valley dwellers the taste of flying in Kathmandu.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“There is a campaign to spread paragliding across Nepal. As the population density is high in Kathmandu, I am hopeful that its message can be spread quickly and effectively,” he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">How much is the fee?</span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The company has fixed a fee of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">8,000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> per person for paragliding at Chandragiri. It covers paragliding flight of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">15</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> minutes, photos and videos as well as transportation from Kathmandu to the paragliding site. Photo and video equipment is managed by the company itself. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar informed that foreign nationals have to pay a fee of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12,000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> per person for the same package.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Nepali tourists who do not wish to take the facility of traveling in the company's vehicle will be able to enjoy the paragliding flight by paying Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">7</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">200</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">What should you be careful about?</span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It is advisable to use a windproof jacket and dark sun glasses while going on a paragliding flight. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Also, it is better to wear shoes than sandals as you have to run during the take off.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19063', 'image' => '20231027064037_1698315264.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 06:38:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19333', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Locals Bearing Brunt of Dilapidated Condition of Mid-Hill Highway ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 27: The locals of Baglung as well as commuters have been suffering due to failure in completion of the Mid-Hill Highway, a national pride project. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">October 27: The locals of Baglung as well as commuters have been suffering due to failure in completion of the Mid-Hill Highway, a national pride project. <br /> Although the Baglung-Ghodabandhe section along the Mid-Hill Highway was opened two and a half decades ago, the road has yet to be blacktopped forcing locals to deal with the dusty road. <br /> The highway office had awarded the contract to two contractor companies to blacktop the 25-km section stretching from Upallochaur to Ghodabandhe. The project completion duration was set for two years. But seven years on, the project has yet to be completed. <br /> India-Siddhisai JV won the contract to blacktop the 13-km track from Upallochaur while Surya Construction Company was contracted for blacktopping the remaining 12-km from Bihun to Ghodabandhe. As of now, only seven kilometers of the 13 km track has been completed though the deadline was extended four times. Similarly, only six kilometers of the 12-km road section has been blacktopped despite the deadline being extended five times. <br /> The locals have been forced to face dusty road conditions for years due to the dillydallying in completing the project, complained Kedar Kandel, a local.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">“It has been years since the project started. But nothing has changed. Now, there is bulky dust on the road and the road is muddy during the rainy season,” he said. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19062', 'image' => '20231027063834_map.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 06:36:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 60 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on Saturday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global growth is projected to slow further this year at 3.1 percent, and is likely to remain weak at the same level in 2024, according to the IFF 2023 Global Finance and Development Report released during the IFF 20th Anniversary and Annual Meeting held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The report said that the monetary tightening cycle in most countries is likely to end by 2024. However, monetary and financial tightening are likely to continue and further depress demand growth and slow the global recovery. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It therefore forecast the global economy to grow by 3.1 percent in 2024, with developed economies growing by 1.3 percent and developing economies by 4.3 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global community should work together to address both short-and-longer-term challenges. Countries should pursue international cooperation and multilateralism in dealing with common challenges, including reducing poverty, protecting environment and mitigating climate change, resolving cross-country conflicts and reducing geopolitical tensions, said the report. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The International Finance Forum (IFF) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental international organization founded in Beijing in October 2003, established by financial leaders from more than 20 countries and regions including China, the United States, the European Union, emerging countries as well as leaders of international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. – Xinhua/RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19079', 'image' => '20231030064249_j1698580339.abhiyan (28).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:42:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19347', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Visitors Up in Mardi Himal Foot Trail during Dashain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly. Since the start of Dashain, occupancy of hotels and restaurants has been full due to the increase in the number of tourists on this tour. Businessmen say that the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists has been encouraging since Ghatasthapana, the first day of the Dashain festival. Meanwhile, the arrival of tourists has increased sharply since the day after the celebration of Dashain.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi trail is one of the best trekking routes that can be done in a short time. It is the preferred choice of most of the people because it is possible to return to Pokhara in three days and two nights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tourists are attracted by the snow-capped mountains, lush green forests, beautiful hills and settlements along the trail.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The attraction of foreign and domestic tourists towards this trekking route is increasing year by year as there is an opportunity to see more than half a dozen mountains including Mt Machhapuchhre, Mardi, Annapurna South, Himchuli, Annapurna First, Gangapurna, Gandharva Chuli.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Raj Kumar Tamang, chairman of the Mardi Trek Tourism Management Committee, said that around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">400</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> domestic and foreign tourists are now enjoying the Mardi trek on a daily basis. According to him, with the increase in the number of tourists, businessmen are elated.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“We are excited by the current increase in arrival of tourists, which has been affected by the Covid-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">19. </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Since the day after Dashain, we have been struggling to manage the tourists," said Tamang.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">There are </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">60</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> hotels and restaurants along the Mardi foot trail. It has the capacity to accommodate around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">550</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> tourists per day. It is said that the daily arrival of tourists is more than </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prakash Baral, a member of the provincial assembly of Gandaki Province, who did the Mardi trek two days ago, said that he was thrilled during the journey. He said that with the beautiful view from the "view point", all the fatigue and suffering experienced during the trek will be forgotten in one moment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Mardi trek has become the main choice of domestic tourists. This has contributed to the economic activity. There is no problem for fooding and lodging. It is a perfect destination for family travel,” said Baral.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Stating that the tourists are facing problems due to the lack of toilets at the "view point", Provincial Assembly member Baral said that he will take initiative with the provincial government to solve the problem.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi foot trail starts after a jeep ride to Kalimati and Siding through Ghalel of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality, which is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">22</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km away from Pokhara. From there, one can climb uphill through the forest path and reach the Low Camp located at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2,970</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">From the Low Camp, the trail leads to the High Camp, view point and then the Mardi Himal base camp at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4,500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters. From the 'view point', one can enjoy the view of the Pokhara valley and other places with more than half a dozen mountains.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Most of the tourists reach Mardi Himal base camp through Ghalel, Kanoning and return to Pokhara via Lwang, also known as the tea village. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shiv Bhandari, the owner of Hotel Kalimati, which is located along the foot trail, said that the Mardi foot trail is a short trek that can be completed even during one or two days’ vacation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19075', 'image' => '20231029024955_20230305101707_20230304102843_20220718030551_fishtail-seen-from-mardi-himal-base-camp.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:49:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19346', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Capital Gains Tax Increases by Rs 80 Million', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. More than Rs 140.06 million were collected in mid-August to mid-September, but more than Rs 219.57 million were collected in mid-September to mid-October.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the information provided by Suresh Neupane, the information officer of CDS and Clearing Limited (CDSC), more than Rs 157.6 million were collected from short-term investors and more than Rs 61.9 million from long-term investors in the review month.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Looking at the data of CDSC, it seems that short-term investors have been more active in the secondary market in the last month as well. Brokers say that due to the lack of stability in market-related policy, investors are also active in booking profits in a short period of time. By mid-September, the securities market, NEPSE, stood at 1,964.91 points. In mid-October, the NEPSE was down to 1,864.62 points. Comparing the data of two months, NEPSE took a nosedive of 100.29 points. The income of the government increased despite the downfall of the secondary market. Brokers estimate that investors who are active in short-term trading made profit in mid-October based on the dividends of listed companies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government collects tax by dividing the investors who deal in the secondary market of securities into two types in the case of individual investors. By dividing those who hold shares for more than 1 year as long-term investors and those who hold shares for less than that as short-term investors, the government collects capital gains tax of 7.5 percent for short-term investors and 5 percent for long-term investors. Institutional investors have to pay 10 percent capital gains tax. These investors have to pay capital gains tax based on the weighted average cost if they have made a profit from the securities business.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stakeholders say that if the government's income can be increased along with the income of investors in the securities market, the confidence of the general public in the securities market will increase. The regulatory body of the capital market, SEBON, is currently working on the necessary legislation to increase institutional investors in the market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chairman of the board, Ramesh Kumar Hamal informed that in the coming days, work will be done to prepare the law to allow non-resident Nepali to enter the securities market as institutional investors. Hamal emphasized that for the sustainable development of the market, institutional investors should be brought forward as well.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19074', 'image' => '20231029022456_1698547751.1695517713.1692935579.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:23:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19345', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '21 Percent Nepalis Lack Minimum Calorie Intake Requirement', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. According to Januka Pandit, deputy director general of Department of Agriculture, the problem of people not getting enough calories has not improved yet as 21 percent of the common people are deprived of the necessary calories even now. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The World Food Organization's standard for adult requirement is a minimum of 2,220 calories per day. The government does not even have the data on how many calories are consumed by the 21 percent of people who do not have access to minimum calories. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to government data, Nepal's total food grain production reached 17.72 million metric tons in the fiscal year 2078/79. As per the government information, about 7,530,000 metric tons of consumable food can be obtained from the produce after deducting the amount of seeds, animal feed, storage and processing losses. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the results of the National Census and Household Survey 2078, the total population of Nepal is 29.1 million. It is said that about 5,867,000 metric tons of unprocessed food will be required for this population annually. Correlating to this data, there is about 1,663,000 metric tons of food in surplus in Nepal. But even though there is a food surplus, the stakeholders say that people are unable to get the prescribed calorie intake due to the weakness in the government’s policies and regulations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Increasing production and productivity is not a big deal. It is also an important whether all the people can get enough to eat or not. Because of their poor and weak financial condition, many people cannot consume the necessary calories. For that, it is important to emphasize on job growth. The government should take responsibility for their social security,” said Pandit.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr Hari Bahadur KC said India has a system of ration cards which Nepal lacks. Although the Food Sovereignty Act mentions that the government should take responsibility for the food security of the people, it is not accessible to everyone despite higher production.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022, 19 percent of children under the age of 5 in Nepal are underweight, 25 percent are stunted and 8 percent are undernourished. In addition, children are still deprived of access to sufficient clean and nutritious food according to their needs.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Even though the government data shows that the country is in a state of surplus food due to excess production to what the population needs, Nepal ironically imports food worth billions annually. Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Govinda Prasad Sharma said that all the food produced is not used for humans alone. According to him, a large amount of food is used as animal feed, so even though the production is higher, food has to be imported from outside.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19073', 'image' => '20231029014538_20230116032506_120238810_2409742145996788_1009834206072561128_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:44:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19344', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Express Bus Service on the Verge of Closure ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had launched the express bus service with an investment of Rs 20 million without necessary study. As a result, the service has almost come to a standstill.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The ministry has been running </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> buses along the the </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">13</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km Suryabinayak-Ratnapark route for delivering quick service during peak office hours. Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala had claimed that the express bus service was a great achievement in the transport sector. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A separate lane was painted with red colour for operating the express buses. It was said that express buses would ply on that lane from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">9</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> am to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> am and from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm daily. But now this service is in disarray.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Uddhav Prasad Rijal, director general of the Department of Transport Management, said that even though a separate lane has been arranged for express buses, the express bus service has not been effective as all the vehicles travel through the same lane. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"The buses operating under the express bus service and other buses have been using the same lane, which has reduced its effectiveness," he said, adding, "We are still new in the matter of providing express transport services, we are still learning. There was little research before the operation of the express bus service. We will take the matter forward in a more effective manner after Tihar.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The express bus service has been criticized because the passengers of ordinary buses and other vehicles have had to face traffic congestion for hours because a separate lane was arranged in the name of express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Critics said that the express buses were given more priority than ambulances and fire engines. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Director General Rijal said that they are studying the prospect of making all public buses plying on the separate lane to be operated as express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The ministry claimed that the service was initiated only as a test and it is natural for some problems to arise in the management. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shubha Shrestha, information officer of the ministry, said that the express bus service will be made effective after further studies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19072', 'image' => '20231029010859_1698544107.3 bus.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:08:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19343', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Belt and Road Initiative Paves Way for Prosperous, Sustainable Future: Experts ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">With eight major steps and 458 outcomes announced at the gathering, the initiative is charting the course for a better connected world featuring prosperity, harmony and sustainability. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the past decade, China has signed more than 230 BRI cooperation agreements with over 150 countries and 30-plus international organizations. More than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Experts and officials said the initiative has delivered tangible benefits, offering more opportunities and pushing for an open, inclusive and interconnected world for common development. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">CONNECTIVITY BRINGS PROSPERITY </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Since its inception, many observers have envisaged the initiative would improve people's livelihood. Ten years on, the initiative has indeed promoted connectivity in BRI partners. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In some places once under colonial rule in Africa and South America, for example, transportation does not go through the continent, said Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China "has been doing a great deal to help both these continents open up internal transportation, and that will make a big difference to those countries' productivity," he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Asia, one good example is the China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, which runs 1,035 km, including 422 km in Laos, from the city of Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, to Lao capital Vientiane. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The China-Laos Railway has transformed Laos from a landlocked ASEAN member state to a land-linked country," said Ong Tee Keat, president of the BRI Caucus for Asia Pacific. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As a famous Chinese saying goes, "If you want to be wealthy, build roads first." Statistics show that two-way trade between China and ASEAN reached 975.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, more than double the 443.6 billion U.S. dollars recorded in 2013. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI remains committed to global connectivity and multilateralism in an era marked by de-globalization," Chheang Vannarith, president of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">TIMELY AND ESSENTIAL </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative has helped improve people's livelihood as the world is suffering from a slowing economy, rising interest rates, and higher inflation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Every participant of the initiative, which was proposed by China 10 years ago, is a winner, Alaa Thabet, editor-in-chief of Egypt's top daily Al-Ahram Newspaper, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The initiative has led to the construction of massive infrastructure projects across continents, including roads, railways, ports, and energy pipelines," said Thabet. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI is a timely initiative. Chinese initiatives are essential for humanity. They address global threats and promote the (building of a) community with a shared future," Egypt's former Prime Minister Essam Sharaf told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Over the past decade, more than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated, with an estimated investment of nearly 1 trillion U.S. dollars, Sharaf added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Based on the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, the initiative has the potential to make substantial contributions to a more reasonable and just global governance system and promote globalization, said Farhat Asif, president of the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a World Bank report, increased trade via Belt and Road cooperation is expected to raise global real income by 0.7 to 2.9 percent, and BRI projects could help lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The decade-old initiative has built up China's reputation as a responsible global player that seeks to pursue green and sustainable globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"On the ten-year anniversary we can declare the BRI an amazingly successful initiative," said Erik Solheim, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, he said, has contributed to very important green rail corridors in Kenya, Ethiopia, Laos and most recently Indonesia. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A white paper released ahead of the third BRF said the initiative embraces the global trend of green and low-carbon development, emphasizes respecting and protecting nature and following its laws, and respects the right of all parties to pursue sustainable and eco-friendly growth. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"As the world's largest manufacturer of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles, China is well-placed to help enable the adoption of low-carbon technologies at scale in emerging economies and developing nations through the BRI," Damilola Ogunbiyi, special representative of the UN secretary-general for sustainable energy for all, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In pursuing the "dual goals" to peak its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, China has been improving the sustainability and efficiency of the BRI as an international public good, in line with the current trend of globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to one of the eight major steps announced by China last week in support of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the country will continue to promote green development and step up support for the BRI International Green Development Coalition. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China will also implement the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road, and provide 100,000 training opportunities for partner countries by 2030. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, as "a massive project" with "immense potential," can help accelerate efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Ghada Waly, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, told Xinhua. – Xinhua/RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19071', 'image' => '20231029120234_20231011113404_20201117123742_88500034 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 12:01:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19342', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Travelers Call for Improved Facilities to Ensure Safety on the Way to Phoksundo Lake', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Better bridges and trails will most likely attract even more tourists, say the international and domestic tourists who visited Phoksundo Lake.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Currently, tourists visiting the lake have to travel through the district headquarters of Jajarkot along the Mid-Hill Highway and spend a night at the district headquarters of Dolpa before reaching the lake. To reach the lake, the visitors have to cross a dozen of dilapidated wooden bridges built over the Suligad River.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Life is at risk while crossing the river through the dilapidated wooden bridges, says Ram Prasad Khatri of Nalgad Municipality-8. One can reach Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpa, by any means of transport. The lake is within a two-day walk from Suligad. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It would be convenient for domestic and foreign tourists to reach the lake if there had been concrete bridges over the Suligad River and a reliable trekking route, according to stakeholders. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">At an elevation of 3,600 metres above the sea level, the lake spanning 4.94 square kilometres in area lies near the Rigmo village of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality-8. Although the depth of the lake is said to be 145 metres, the locals claim that it is 650 metres deep. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The lake, which changes its colour from time to time according to the weather, is shaped like the English alphabet Y, and it also looks like a human lung from another angle. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Visitors have to use a foot trail to reach the Phoksundo Lake from Suligad via Kathepul, Thoso, Lapku and Sankul. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although the government has been building suspension bridges over most of rivers in Dolpa, the trail leading to Phoksundo Lake from Suligad still has wooden bridges which are in dilapidated condition.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nima Lama, ward chair of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality, argues that the wooden bridges need to be preserved along with the construction of suspension bridges.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“As the area is a trekking route, the stakeholders should stress the need for the preservation of wooden bridges to attract tourists,” he said. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19070', 'image' => '20231029103644_20220904011304_bibek-raj-shrestha-z2m3t4z88aI-unsplash-1024x685.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 10:35:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19341', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UN Secretary-General Guterres Arrives in Kathmandu ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Nepal on a four-day official visit. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Nepal on a four-day official visit. Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Prakash Saud greeted the UN Secretary-General at the VVIP lounge of the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu on Sunday. Others present on the occasion were high ranking officials of the Government of Nepal and representatives of the UN Office in Nepal. The Nepalese Army offered a guard of honour to Secretary-General Guterres. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Guterres' visit to Nepal took place at the invitation of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the first day of his visit on Sunday, Secretary-General Guterres is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Ram Chandra Paudel at the Office of the President and PM Dahal at the Prime Minister's office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The secretary-general will have separate meetings with Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli at the New Baneshwar-based Federal Parliament building. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Guterres is also scheduled to hold separate meetings with Deputy Prime Minister duo, Purna Bahadur Khadka and Narayan Kaji Shrestha. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Following the meetings, he will observe the Patan Durbar Square, a heritage site of historical and archeological importance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prime Minister Dahal will host a banquet reception on Sunday evening in honour of Secretary-General Guterres. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In course of his visit, the Secretary-General will travel to Namche, Pokhara, Annapurna Base Camp and Lumbini on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Parliament Secretariat, he is scheduled to address a joint session of the federal parliament at 4.00 pm on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Guterres, who is scheduled to visit Nepal for the first time after assuming the role of UN secretary-general in 2017, will discuss the matters relating to the peace process, sustainable development and climate change, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The high-level visit of the UN secretary-general after a hiatus of around 15 years has been taken with importance. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19069', 'image' => '20231029095344_Antonio_Guterres_CC_U.S. Mission Photo-Eric Bridiers.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 09:52:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19340', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Baglung Farmers Likely to Incur Heavy Loss Due to Fungus in Lemon Plants', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Farmers in Baglung are facing a dire situation as their lemon plants have fallen victim to a relentless fungus infestation.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">October 29: Farmers in Baglung are facing a dire situation as their lemon plants have fallen victim to a relentless fungus infestation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt"> Over the past two months, thousands of lemon plants cultivated by hundreds of farmers have begun to wither away, causing considerable concern among the local farmers. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">If left unchecked, this outbreak could result in substantial financial losses for the affected farmers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Kumar Pun Magar, the information officer for the Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Baglung, said that the fungus is the root cause behind the widespread deterioration of lemon plants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">The telltale sign of this affliction is the drying and eventual death of the tips of lemon plant leaves. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">To mitigate the damage, Magar suggests that farmers should promptly remove and discard the affected, dried-up plants to salvage the remaining healthy ones. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">He emphasizes that seeking technical advice is crucial to prevent the fungus from taking hold, as it primarily targets lemon plants.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Magar elaborates, "The fungus leads to the demise of lemon branches, and farmers need to remain vigilant to combat this issue. Timely pruning of the drying branches is essential. This problem has primarily affected the Nisikhola area and its surroundings within the district."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Nar Bahadur Budha Magar, who has planted a total of 60 lemon plants in Nisikhola, is among those grappling with the fungus infestation. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">He's already lost 34 of his lemon plants, causing ripe lemon fruits to fall prematurely during the harvest.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt"> Even the lemon plants he had nurtured for a year succumbed to the disease. Budha Magar had ventured into commercial lemon cultivation two years ago and anticipates a substantial loss of around Rs 200,000 due to the damage to his lemon plants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">He recounts, "There were lemon trees planted six to seven years ago in the garden. Initially, the branches of those trees began to die, and later the problem spread to other smaller plants. If this continues, my substantial investment will be in jeopardy."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Purna Bahadur Chhetri, another local farmer, is also grappling with the spreading disease. Out of the 90 lemon plants he had cultivated, 70 are now affected. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Chhetri has been proactive in cutting the dried branches as soon as they show signs of infestation. This issue did not arise in his lemon plants the previous year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">The Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Baglung reports that of the 45 hectares of land allocated for lemon cultivation in the district, only 22 hectares are currently yielding production. (RSS)</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19068', 'image' => '20231029063152_collage (3).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 06:29:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19339', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Kojagrat Purnima being Observed ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 28: Hindus residing in Nepal are observing the Kojagrat Purnima (full moon day) today as part of the final day of the 15-day Bada Dashain festival. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 28: Hindus residing in Nepal observed the Kojagrat Purnima (full moon day) on Saturday as part of the final day of the 15-day Bada Dashain festival. People worship and pay homage to Mahalaxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, on this day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Bada Dashain festival formally ends with the marking of the Kojagrat Purnima--devotees offering worship to Mahalaxmi at their homes in the evening, and keeping vigil the whole night. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There is a belief that the goddess Mahalaxmi takes a trip around the world on the night of Kojagrat Purnima 'to check as to who is observing the vigil on this particular night'. As per this belief, the goddess of wealth blesses the people who are found observing the overnight vigil, according to the Nepal Calendar Determination Committee. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Since the ritual of giving and receiving Tika and Jamara of the Dashain festival also concludes on this day, the Jamara that is sprouted and anointed at the Dashainghar on the day of Ghatasthapana is disposed of as per the religious tradition today. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">People also perform worship at the Swoyambhu Chaitya and observe the night vigil by lighting the lamps.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Also today, a partial lunar eclipse will occur tonight. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-28', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19067', 'image' => '20231028103710_kojag.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-28 10:36:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19338', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Kathmandu Valley Witnesses 103 Incidents during Dashain ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 28: Dashain festival this year was observed peacefully except for a few incidents in the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts), according to the traffic police. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 28: Dashain festival this year was observed peacefully except for a few incidents in the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts), according to the traffic police. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although there were sporadic incidents since Fulpati (the seventh day of Dashain on October 21) until October 27, there have not been any major criminal activities and incidents of thefts, robberies and road accidents, said Senior Superintendent of Police Dinesh Raj Mainali, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Police Office. In terms of peace and security, this year's Dashain has concluded more amicably than in previous years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the festival, the police had carried out monitoring by forming a special security plan and police in civil dress were deployed in the potential risky areas. Surveillance took place in all three districts using trained dogs and drones, he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"No efforts were spared in the security arrangements. Police were mobilised in civil dress and even drones and dogs were used for surveillance. Dashain became peaceful as surveillance has been done by mobilising additional workforce. Now, there is a plan to continue surveillance until Chhath," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, sporadic incidents took place. A total of 103 incidents took place between October 21 and 27. Two people were killed and 118 others were injured in the incidents, said Mainali. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Among those incidents, 51 were related to road accidents killing one and injuring 73. According to the police, one person died and 13 others were injured in 13 incidents of fighting. Similarly, 10 incidents of theft took place and there were two incidents relating to the use of sharp weapons that left three people injured. Three gambling-related incidents took place and a total of 22 gamblers were arrested (seven from Kathmandu, 13 from Lalitpur and two from Bhaktapur). Around Rs 500,000 was confiscated from them, said the police. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-28', 'modified' => '2023-10-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19066', 'image' => '20231028102632_Kathmandu Valley.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-28 10:25:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19336', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Motorboat Service Resumes in Narayani River After Four-Month Closure', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The motorboat service along the Narayani River is back in operation following a four-month closure due to the monsoon season. Rising water levels brought about by the monsoon rains had temporarily suspended the motorboat service.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">October 27: The motorboat service along the Narayani River is back in operation following a four-month closure due to the monsoon season. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Rising water levels brought about by the monsoon rains had temporarily suspended the motorboat service.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Typically, the monsoon forced a three-month closure from mid-June to mid-September (Asar to Bhadau). However, this year, the closure was extended due to a delayed monsoon, said Ashesh Malla, the chair of the Narayani Motorboat Entrepreneurs Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In recent times, the availability of motorboat services on the river has attracted a growing number of domestic tourists.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Approximately 2,000 people visit the riverbanks daily to enjoy a motorboat ride, with a higher number of visitors during the Dashain and Tihar festivals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The motorboat service on the river was initiated in the year 2076 BS (2019-20) with only one motorboat. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At present, there are 32 registered motorboat companies, both large and small, with 19 of them already serving visitors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The service offers various packages and covers routes from the Narayani Bridge to Majuwa Tapu Pokhara Bus Park, Majuwa Tapu Pokhara Bus Park to Radha Krishna Temple in Gaidakot, Majuwa Tapu to Parijat Park, and from the Narayani Bridge to Devghat.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Large motorboats can accommodate 18 to 25 passengers at once, while small motorboats can carry up to 12 passengers for shorter distances. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The service charges are Rs 250 per person for the short route and Rs 1,500 for the long route.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Bharatpur Metropolitan City imposes a 15% tax on the revenue generated from this service. (RSS) </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19065', 'image' => '20231027070932_collage (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 07:07:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19335', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '500 Megawatts of Electricity is being Wasted Every Day during Dashain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 27: Due to the decline in internal electricity consumption in the country during the festival of Dashain, about 500 megawatts of electricity produced by hydropower projects is being wasted on a daily basis.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 27: Due to the decline in internal electricity consumption in the country during the festival of Dashain, about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity produced by hydropower projects is being wasted on a daily basis.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As the industries and factories that consume more electricity are shutdown during this time, the demand for electricity has decreased internally. Another reason is that the winter is yet to begin and the summer heat has ended in the Terai and there is not much use of electrical appliances at this period of year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On the other hand, electricity generation in the country is taking place without any hindrance as the flow of water in the rivers and stream is sufficient at the moment since the dry season has not yet started. The NEA, its subsidiaries and private sector hydropower projects have been producing electricity at optimal condition.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">About </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2,200</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity are currently being produced by the authority, its subsidiaries and private sector hydropower projects. Out of that, about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW is being consumed within the country, while about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">650</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">700</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW of electricity is being exported to India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Kulman Ghising, executive director of the NEA, said that since the electricity generated could not be consumed within the country and the NEA could not get approval from India for further export, around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity is being wasted on a daily basis.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Due to the festival of Dashain, domestic demand for electricity has decreased. Taking this situation into account, we had sent a proposal to the Central Electricity Authority of India seeking approval for exporting about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">300</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of surplus electricity. However, since we are yet to get the approval, around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity is being wasted on a daily basis since the day before Phulpati,” said Ghising, adding, “We are losing millions of rupees daily due to this. But, we are confident that we will get approval for exporting more electricity soon."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The NEA has been exporting surplus electricity to India during the rainy season. The NEA has been selling around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">110</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW of electricity to the Indian company NTPC Vidyut Vyar Nigam Ltd (NVVN) through competitive bids in the day-ahead market of IEX and under the medium-term power agreement. NVVN is selling the electricity purchased from Nepal in the state of Haryana.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Nepal Electricity Authority has received approval for the export of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">632</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW to India including </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">522</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW of electricity in the competitive market of India and </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">110</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">to NVVN.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The NEA exported electricity worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11.80</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion to India from mid-May to mid-October.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => 'electricity, wastage, Dashain, festival, Nepal, India, surplus', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19064', 'image' => '20231027064215_20231026111327_elec.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 06:41:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19334', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Commercial Paragliding Begins at Chandragiri', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 27: Commercial paragliding is now available at Chandragiri, a 'hill station' near the Kathmandu Valley.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 27: Commercial paragliding is now available at Chandragiri, a 'hill station' near the Kathmandu Valley. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Babu Adventures, the company owned by pilot Sanobabu Sunuwar, Nepal's first instructor of high altitude paragliding, has launched paragliding service at Chandragiri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar is also the winner of the 'Adventures of Year-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2012</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">' award from National Geography. He has flown all the way to the sea from the peak of Mount Everest.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar says that the paragliding flight are being conducted from a spot </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> minutes’ walk west from Bhaleshwar temple in Chandragiri. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The flight from Chandragiri (</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2300</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters) lands outside the valley at Chitlang, which is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1700</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters above the sea level, while offering a wonderful view of beautiful scenery.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the paragliding flight, one can observe the 'aerial view' of Bhaleshwar temple as well as most of the terrain of Kathmandu valley. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“From the flight, you can also see the terrain of Rasuwa and Dhading, and you can also have an attractive view of the man-made Indrasarovar Lake as well as Tistung, Palung of Makwanpur. When the weather is clear, the wide range of snow-capped mountains visible to the north will fascinate anyone,” says Sunuwar.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar informed New Business Age that his company can operate </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> paragliders at a time, as per the approval from the government. He added that up to a hundred people can be served per day.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar, who is running a paragliding school in Syangja, says that adventure tourism is possible all over Nepal and that they have invested in Chandragiri to give the valley dwellers the taste of flying in Kathmandu.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“There is a campaign to spread paragliding across Nepal. As the population density is high in Kathmandu, I am hopeful that its message can be spread quickly and effectively,” he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">How much is the fee?</span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The company has fixed a fee of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">8,000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> per person for paragliding at Chandragiri. It covers paragliding flight of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">15</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> minutes, photos and videos as well as transportation from Kathmandu to the paragliding site. Photo and video equipment is managed by the company itself. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar informed that foreign nationals have to pay a fee of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12,000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> per person for the same package.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Nepali tourists who do not wish to take the facility of traveling in the company's vehicle will be able to enjoy the paragliding flight by paying Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">7</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">200</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">What should you be careful about?</span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It is advisable to use a windproof jacket and dark sun glasses while going on a paragliding flight. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Also, it is better to wear shoes than sandals as you have to run during the take off.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19063', 'image' => '20231027064037_1698315264.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 06:38:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19333', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Locals Bearing Brunt of Dilapidated Condition of Mid-Hill Highway ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 27: The locals of Baglung as well as commuters have been suffering due to failure in completion of the Mid-Hill Highway, a national pride project. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">October 27: The locals of Baglung as well as commuters have been suffering due to failure in completion of the Mid-Hill Highway, a national pride project. <br /> Although the Baglung-Ghodabandhe section along the Mid-Hill Highway was opened two and a half decades ago, the road has yet to be blacktopped forcing locals to deal with the dusty road. <br /> The highway office had awarded the contract to two contractor companies to blacktop the 25-km section stretching from Upallochaur to Ghodabandhe. The project completion duration was set for two years. But seven years on, the project has yet to be completed. <br /> India-Siddhisai JV won the contract to blacktop the 13-km track from Upallochaur while Surya Construction Company was contracted for blacktopping the remaining 12-km from Bihun to Ghodabandhe. As of now, only seven kilometers of the 13 km track has been completed though the deadline was extended four times. Similarly, only six kilometers of the 12-km road section has been blacktopped despite the deadline being extended five times. <br /> The locals have been forced to face dusty road conditions for years due to the dillydallying in completing the project, complained Kedar Kandel, a local.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">“It has been years since the project started. But nothing has changed. Now, there is bulky dust on the road and the road is muddy during the rainy season,” he said. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19062', 'image' => '20231027063834_map.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 06:36:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falseinclude - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
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', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 30: China's gross domestic product (GDP) is expected to grow 5.2 percent in 2023 and 5 percent in 2024, according to a report released at the International Financial Forum (IFF) on Saturday. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global growth is projected to slow further this year at 3.1 percent, and is likely to remain weak at the same level in 2024, according to the IFF 2023 Global Finance and Development Report released during the IFF 20th Anniversary and Annual Meeting held in Guangzhou, south China's Guangdong Province. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The report said that the monetary tightening cycle in most countries is likely to end by 2024. However, monetary and financial tightening are likely to continue and further depress demand growth and slow the global recovery. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">It therefore forecast the global economy to grow by 3.1 percent in 2024, with developed economies growing by 1.3 percent and developing economies by 4.3 percent. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The global community should work together to address both short-and-longer-term challenges. Countries should pursue international cooperation and multilateralism in dealing with common challenges, including reducing poverty, protecting environment and mitigating climate change, resolving cross-country conflicts and reducing geopolitical tensions, said the report. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The International Finance Forum (IFF) is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental international organization founded in Beijing in October 2003, established by financial leaders from more than 20 countries and regions including China, the United States, the European Union, emerging countries as well as leaders of international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. – Xinhua/RSS</span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-30', 'modified' => '2023-10-30', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19079', 'image' => '20231030064249_j1698580339.abhiyan (28).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-30 06:42:07', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 1 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19347', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Visitors Up in Mardi Himal Foot Trail during Dashain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 29: The number of visitors in the famed Mardi Himal foot trail located in Kaski district has increased significantly. Since the start of Dashain, occupancy of hotels and restaurants has been full due to the increase in the number of tourists on this tour. Businessmen say that the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists has been encouraging since Ghatasthapana, the first day of the Dashain festival. Meanwhile, the arrival of tourists has increased sharply since the day after the celebration of Dashain.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi trail is one of the best trekking routes that can be done in a short time. It is the preferred choice of most of the people because it is possible to return to Pokhara in three days and two nights.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Tourists are attracted by the snow-capped mountains, lush green forests, beautiful hills and settlements along the trail.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The attraction of foreign and domestic tourists towards this trekking route is increasing year by year as there is an opportunity to see more than half a dozen mountains including Mt Machhapuchhre, Mardi, Annapurna South, Himchuli, Annapurna First, Gangapurna, Gandharva Chuli.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Raj Kumar Tamang, chairman of the Mardi Trek Tourism Management Committee, said that around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">400</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> domestic and foreign tourists are now enjoying the Mardi trek on a daily basis. According to him, with the increase in the number of tourists, businessmen are elated.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“We are excited by the current increase in arrival of tourists, which has been affected by the Covid-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">19. </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Since the day after Dashain, we have been struggling to manage the tourists," said Tamang.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">There are </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">60</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> hotels and restaurants along the Mardi foot trail. It has the capacity to accommodate around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">550</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> tourists per day. It is said that the daily arrival of tourists is more than </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Prakash Baral, a member of the provincial assembly of Gandaki Province, who did the Mardi trek two days ago, said that he was thrilled during the journey. He said that with the beautiful view from the "view point", all the fatigue and suffering experienced during the trek will be forgotten in one moment.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"Mardi trek has become the main choice of domestic tourists. This has contributed to the economic activity. There is no problem for fooding and lodging. It is a perfect destination for family travel,” said Baral.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Stating that the tourists are facing problems due to the lack of toilets at the "view point", Provincial Assembly member Baral said that he will take initiative with the provincial government to solve the problem.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Mardi foot trail starts after a jeep ride to Kalimati and Siding through Ghalel of Machhapuchhre Rural Municipality, which is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">22</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km away from Pokhara. From there, one can climb uphill through the forest path and reach the Low Camp located at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2,970</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">From the Low Camp, the trail leads to the High Camp, view point and then the Mardi Himal base camp at an altitude of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4,500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters. From the 'view point', one can enjoy the view of the Pokhara valley and other places with more than half a dozen mountains.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Most of the tourists reach Mardi Himal base camp through Ghalel, Kanoning and return to Pokhara via Lwang, also known as the tea village. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shiv Bhandari, the owner of Hotel Kalimati, which is located along the foot trail, said that the Mardi foot trail is a short trek that can be completed even during one or two days’ vacation.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19075', 'image' => '20231029024955_20230305101707_20230304102843_20220718030551_fishtail-seen-from-mardi-himal-base-camp.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:49:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 2 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19346', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Capital Gains Tax Increases by Rs 80 Million', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: The capital gains tax collected from investors in the securities market has increased by more than Rs 79.51 million in the month of Asoj (mid-September to mid-October) compared to a month ago. More than Rs 140.06 million were collected in mid-August to mid-September, but more than Rs 219.57 million were collected in mid-September to mid-October.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the information provided by Suresh Neupane, the information officer of CDS and Clearing Limited (CDSC), more than Rs 157.6 million were collected from short-term investors and more than Rs 61.9 million from long-term investors in the review month.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Looking at the data of CDSC, it seems that short-term investors have been more active in the secondary market in the last month as well. Brokers say that due to the lack of stability in market-related policy, investors are also active in booking profits in a short period of time. By mid-September, the securities market, NEPSE, stood at 1,964.91 points. In mid-October, the NEPSE was down to 1,864.62 points. Comparing the data of two months, NEPSE took a nosedive of 100.29 points. The income of the government increased despite the downfall of the secondary market. Brokers estimate that investors who are active in short-term trading made profit in mid-October based on the dividends of listed companies.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The government collects tax by dividing the investors who deal in the secondary market of securities into two types in the case of individual investors. By dividing those who hold shares for more than 1 year as long-term investors and those who hold shares for less than that as short-term investors, the government collects capital gains tax of 7.5 percent for short-term investors and 5 percent for long-term investors. Institutional investors have to pay 10 percent capital gains tax. These investors have to pay capital gains tax based on the weighted average cost if they have made a profit from the securities business.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Stakeholders say that if the government's income can be increased along with the income of investors in the securities market, the confidence of the general public in the securities market will increase. The regulatory body of the capital market, SEBON, is currently working on the necessary legislation to increase institutional investors in the market.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The chairman of the board, Ramesh Kumar Hamal informed that in the coming days, work will be done to prepare the law to allow non-resident Nepali to enter the securities market as institutional investors. Hamal emphasized that for the sustainable development of the market, institutional investors should be brought forward as well.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19074', 'image' => '20231029022456_1698547751.1695517713.1692935579.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 14:23:23', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 3 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19345', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '21 Percent Nepalis Lack Minimum Calorie Intake Requirement', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">October 29: Twenty one percent of people in Nepal are out of the reach of the daily minimum calorie requirement. According to Januka Pandit, deputy director general of Department of Agriculture, the problem of people not getting enough calories has not improved yet as 21 percent of the common people are deprived of the necessary calories even now. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">The World Food Organization's standard for adult requirement is a minimum of 2,220 calories per day. The government does not even have the data on how many calories are consumed by the 21 percent of people who do not have access to minimum calories. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to government data, Nepal's total food grain production reached 17.72 million metric tons in the fiscal year 2078/79. As per the government information, about 7,530,000 metric tons of consumable food can be obtained from the produce after deducting the amount of seeds, animal feed, storage and processing losses. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the results of the National Census and Household Survey 2078, the total population of Nepal is 29.1 million. It is said that about 5,867,000 metric tons of unprocessed food will be required for this population annually. Correlating to this data, there is about 1,663,000 metric tons of food in surplus in Nepal. But even though there is a food surplus, the stakeholders say that people are unable to get the prescribed calorie intake due to the weakness in the government’s policies and regulations.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">“Increasing production and productivity is not a big deal. It is also an important whether all the people can get enough to eat or not. Because of their poor and weak financial condition, many people cannot consume the necessary calories. For that, it is important to emphasize on job growth. The government should take responsibility for their social security,” said Pandit.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr Hari Bahadur KC said India has a system of ration cards which Nepal lacks. Although the Food Sovereignty Act mentions that the government should take responsibility for the food security of the people, it is not accessible to everyone despite higher production.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">According to the data of Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022, 19 percent of children under the age of 5 in Nepal are underweight, 25 percent are stunted and 8 percent are undernourished. In addition, children are still deprived of access to sufficient clean and nutritious food according to their needs.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"">Even though the government data shows that the country is in a state of surplus food due to excess production to what the population needs, Nepal ironically imports food worth billions annually. Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development Dr Govinda Prasad Sharma said that all the food produced is not used for humans alone. According to him, a large amount of food is used as animal feed, so even though the production is higher, food has to be imported from outside.</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19073', 'image' => '20231029014538_20230116032506_120238810_2409742145996788_1009834206072561128_n.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:44:57', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 4 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19344', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Express Bus Service on the Verge of Closure ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 29: The express bus service operated by the government since September 20 is on the verge of closure.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport had launched the express bus service with an investment of Rs 20 million without necessary study. As a result, the service has almost come to a standstill.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The ministry has been running </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> buses along the the </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">13</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> km Suryabinayak-Ratnapark route for delivering quick service during peak office hours. Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala had claimed that the express bus service was a great achievement in the transport sector. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">A separate lane was painted with red colour for operating the express buses. It was said that express buses would ply on that lane from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">9</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> am to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> am and from </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">4</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">6</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> pm daily. But now this service is in disarray.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Uddhav Prasad Rijal, director general of the Department of Transport Management, said that even though a separate lane has been arranged for express buses, the express bus service has not been effective as all the vehicles travel through the same lane. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">"The buses operating under the express bus service and other buses have been using the same lane, which has reduced its effectiveness," he said, adding, "We are still new in the matter of providing express transport services, we are still learning. There was little research before the operation of the express bus service. We will take the matter forward in a more effective manner after Tihar.”</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The express bus service has been criticized because the passengers of ordinary buses and other vehicles have had to face traffic congestion for hours because a separate lane was arranged in the name of express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Critics said that the express buses were given more priority than ambulances and fire engines. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Director General Rijal said that they are studying the prospect of making all public buses plying on the separate lane to be operated as express buses.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The ministry claimed that the service was initiated only as a test and it is natural for some problems to arise in the management. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Shubha Shrestha, information officer of the ministry, said that the express bus service will be made effective after further studies.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19072', 'image' => '20231029010859_1698544107.3 bus.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 13:08:25', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 5 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19343', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Belt and Road Initiative Paves Way for Prosperous, Sustainable Future: Experts ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">October 29: The just-concluded third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) has injected new vitality into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">With eight major steps and 458 outcomes announced at the gathering, the initiative is charting the course for a better connected world featuring prosperity, harmony and sustainability. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In the past decade, China has signed more than 230 BRI cooperation agreements with over 150 countries and 30-plus international organizations. More than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Experts and officials said the initiative has delivered tangible benefits, offering more opportunities and pushing for an open, inclusive and interconnected world for common development. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">CONNECTIVITY BRINGS PROSPERITY </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Since its inception, many observers have envisaged the initiative would improve people's livelihood. Ten years on, the initiative has indeed promoted connectivity in BRI partners. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In some places once under colonial rule in Africa and South America, for example, transportation does not go through the continent, said Stephen Perry, chairman of Britain's 48 Group Club. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China "has been doing a great deal to help both these continents open up internal transportation, and that will make a big difference to those countries' productivity," he said. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In Asia, one good example is the China-Laos Railway, a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, which runs 1,035 km, including 422 km in Laos, from the city of Kunming, southwest China's Yunnan Province, to Lao capital Vientiane. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The China-Laos Railway has transformed Laos from a landlocked ASEAN member state to a land-linked country," said Ong Tee Keat, president of the BRI Caucus for Asia Pacific. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">As a famous Chinese saying goes, "If you want to be wealthy, build roads first." Statistics show that two-way trade between China and ASEAN reached 975.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2022, more than double the 443.6 billion U.S. dollars recorded in 2013. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI remains committed to global connectivity and multilateralism in an era marked by de-globalization," Chheang Vannarith, president of the Phnom Penh-based Asian Vision Institute, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">TIMELY AND ESSENTIAL </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative has helped improve people's livelihood as the world is suffering from a slowing economy, rising interest rates, and higher inflation exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Every participant of the initiative, which was proposed by China 10 years ago, is a winner, Alaa Thabet, editor-in-chief of Egypt's top daily Al-Ahram Newspaper, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The initiative has led to the construction of massive infrastructure projects across continents, including roads, railways, ports, and energy pipelines," said Thabet. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"The BRI is a timely initiative. Chinese initiatives are essential for humanity. They address global threats and promote the (building of a) community with a shared future," Egypt's former Prime Minister Essam Sharaf told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Over the past decade, more than 3,000 cooperation projects have been initiated, with an estimated investment of nearly 1 trillion U.S. dollars, Sharaf added. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">Based on the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, the initiative has the potential to make substantial contributions to a more reasonable and just global governance system and promote globalization, said Farhat Asif, president of the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to a World Bank report, increased trade via Belt and Road cooperation is expected to raise global real income by 0.7 to 2.9 percent, and BRI projects could help lift 7.6 million people out of extreme poverty. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""> </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The decade-old initiative has built up China's reputation as a responsible global player that seeks to pursue green and sustainable globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"On the ten-year anniversary we can declare the BRI an amazingly successful initiative," said Erik Solheim, former under-secretary-general of the United Nations. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, he said, has contributed to very important green rail corridors in Kenya, Ethiopia, Laos and most recently Indonesia. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">A white paper released ahead of the third BRF said the initiative embraces the global trend of green and low-carbon development, emphasizes respecting and protecting nature and following its laws, and respects the right of all parties to pursue sustainable and eco-friendly growth. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">"As the world's largest manufacturer of solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and electric vehicles, China is well-placed to help enable the adoption of low-carbon technologies at scale in emerging economies and developing nations through the BRI," Damilola Ogunbiyi, special representative of the UN secretary-general for sustainable energy for all, told Xinhua. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">In pursuing the "dual goals" to peak its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, China has been improving the sustainability and efficiency of the BRI as an international public good, in line with the current trend of globalization. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">According to one of the eight major steps announced by China last week in support of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, the country will continue to promote green development and step up support for the BRI International Green Development Coalition. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">China will also implement the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road, and provide 100,000 training opportunities for partner countries by 2030. </span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif"">The initiative, as "a massive project" with "immense potential," can help accelerate efforts to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Ghada Waly, executive director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, told Xinhua. – Xinhua/RSS </span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19071', 'image' => '20231029120234_20231011113404_20201117123742_88500034 2.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 12:01:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 6 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19342', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Travelers Call for Improved Facilities to Ensure Safety on the Way to Phoksundo Lake', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: Considering the risk of precarious journey to Phoksundo Lake, one of the major attractions of Dolpa, the visitors have urged the authorities concerned to construct the required infrastructures to facilitate their journey to the scenic lake.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Better bridges and trails will most likely attract even more tourists, say the international and domestic tourists who visited Phoksundo Lake.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Currently, tourists visiting the lake have to travel through the district headquarters of Jajarkot along the Mid-Hill Highway and spend a night at the district headquarters of Dolpa before reaching the lake. To reach the lake, the visitors have to cross a dozen of dilapidated wooden bridges built over the Suligad River.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Life is at risk while crossing the river through the dilapidated wooden bridges, says Ram Prasad Khatri of Nalgad Municipality-8. One can reach Dunai, the headquarters of Dolpa, by any means of transport. The lake is within a two-day walk from Suligad. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">It would be convenient for domestic and foreign tourists to reach the lake if there had been concrete bridges over the Suligad River and a reliable trekking route, according to stakeholders. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">At an elevation of 3,600 metres above the sea level, the lake spanning 4.94 square kilometres in area lies near the Rigmo village of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality-8. Although the depth of the lake is said to be 145 metres, the locals claim that it is 650 metres deep. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The lake, which changes its colour from time to time according to the weather, is shaped like the English alphabet Y, and it also looks like a human lung from another angle. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Visitors have to use a foot trail to reach the Phoksundo Lake from Suligad via Kathepul, Thoso, Lapku and Sankul. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although the government has been building suspension bridges over most of rivers in Dolpa, the trail leading to Phoksundo Lake from Suligad still has wooden bridges which are in dilapidated condition.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Nima Lama, ward chair of Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality, argues that the wooden bridges need to be preserved along with the construction of suspension bridges.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">“As the area is a trekking route, the stakeholders should stress the need for the preservation of wooden bridges to attract tourists,” he said. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19070', 'image' => '20231029103644_20220904011304_bibek-raj-shrestha-z2m3t4z88aI-unsplash-1024x685.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 10:35:48', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 7 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19341', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'UN Secretary-General Guterres Arrives in Kathmandu ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 29: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Nepal on a four-day official visit. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 29: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has arrived in Nepal on a four-day official visit. Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Prakash Saud greeted the UN Secretary-General at the VVIP lounge of the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu on Sunday. Others present on the occasion were high ranking officials of the Government of Nepal and representatives of the UN Office in Nepal. The Nepalese Army offered a guard of honour to Secretary-General Guterres. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Guterres' visit to Nepal took place at the invitation of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">On the first day of his visit on Sunday, Secretary-General Guterres is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Ram Chandra Paudel at the Office of the President and PM Dahal at the Prime Minister's office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The secretary-general will have separate meetings with Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli at the New Baneshwar-based Federal Parliament building. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Likewise, Guterres is also scheduled to hold separate meetings with Deputy Prime Minister duo, Purna Bahadur Khadka and Narayan Kaji Shrestha. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Following the meetings, he will observe the Patan Durbar Square, a heritage site of historical and archeological importance. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Prime Minister Dahal will host a banquet reception on Sunday evening in honour of Secretary-General Guterres. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">In course of his visit, the Secretary-General will travel to Namche, Pokhara, Annapurna Base Camp and Lumbini on Monday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">According to the Parliament Secretariat, he is scheduled to address a joint session of the federal parliament at 4.00 pm on Tuesday. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Guterres, who is scheduled to visit Nepal for the first time after assuming the role of UN secretary-general in 2017, will discuss the matters relating to the peace process, sustainable development and climate change, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The high-level visit of the UN secretary-general after a hiatus of around 15 years has been taken with importance. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19069', 'image' => '20231029095344_Antonio_Guterres_CC_U.S. Mission Photo-Eric Bridiers.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 09:52:58', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 8 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19340', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Baglung Farmers Likely to Incur Heavy Loss Due to Fungus in Lemon Plants', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'Farmers in Baglung are facing a dire situation as their lemon plants have fallen victim to a relentless fungus infestation.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">October 29: Farmers in Baglung are facing a dire situation as their lemon plants have fallen victim to a relentless fungus infestation.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt"> Over the past two months, thousands of lemon plants cultivated by hundreds of farmers have begun to wither away, causing considerable concern among the local farmers. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">If left unchecked, this outbreak could result in substantial financial losses for the affected farmers.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Kumar Pun Magar, the information officer for the Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Baglung, said that the fungus is the root cause behind the widespread deterioration of lemon plants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">The telltale sign of this affliction is the drying and eventual death of the tips of lemon plant leaves. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">To mitigate the damage, Magar suggests that farmers should promptly remove and discard the affected, dried-up plants to salvage the remaining healthy ones. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">He emphasizes that seeking technical advice is crucial to prevent the fungus from taking hold, as it primarily targets lemon plants.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Magar elaborates, "The fungus leads to the demise of lemon branches, and farmers need to remain vigilant to combat this issue. Timely pruning of the drying branches is essential. This problem has primarily affected the Nisikhola area and its surroundings within the district."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Nar Bahadur Budha Magar, who has planted a total of 60 lemon plants in Nisikhola, is among those grappling with the fungus infestation. </span></span></span><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">He's already lost 34 of his lemon plants, causing ripe lemon fruits to fall prematurely during the harvest.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt"> Even the lemon plants he had nurtured for a year succumbed to the disease. Budha Magar had ventured into commercial lemon cultivation two years ago and anticipates a substantial loss of around Rs 200,000 due to the damage to his lemon plants. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">He recounts, "There were lemon trees planted six to seven years ago in the garden. Initially, the branches of those trees began to die, and later the problem spread to other smaller plants. If this continues, my substantial investment will be in jeopardy."</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Purna Bahadur Chhetri, another local farmer, is also grappling with the spreading disease. Out of the 90 lemon plants he had cultivated, 70 are now affected. </span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">Chhetri has been proactive in cutting the dried branches as soon as they show signs of infestation. This issue did not arise in his lemon plants the previous year.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="font-size:19.0pt">The Agriculture Knowledge Centre in Baglung reports that of the 45 hectares of land allocated for lemon cultivation in the district, only 22 hectares are currently yielding production. (RSS)</span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-29', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19068', 'image' => '20231029063152_collage (3).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-29 06:29:06', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 9 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19339', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Kojagrat Purnima being Observed ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 28: Hindus residing in Nepal are observing the Kojagrat Purnima (full moon day) today as part of the final day of the 15-day Bada Dashain festival. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 28: Hindus residing in Nepal observed the Kojagrat Purnima (full moon day) on Saturday as part of the final day of the 15-day Bada Dashain festival. People worship and pay homage to Mahalaxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, on this day. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">The Bada Dashain festival formally ends with the marking of the Kojagrat Purnima--devotees offering worship to Mahalaxmi at their homes in the evening, and keeping vigil the whole night. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">There is a belief that the goddess Mahalaxmi takes a trip around the world on the night of Kojagrat Purnima 'to check as to who is observing the vigil on this particular night'. As per this belief, the goddess of wealth blesses the people who are found observing the overnight vigil, according to the Nepal Calendar Determination Committee. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Since the ritual of giving and receiving Tika and Jamara of the Dashain festival also concludes on this day, the Jamara that is sprouted and anointed at the Dashainghar on the day of Ghatasthapana is disposed of as per the religious tradition today. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">People also perform worship at the Swoyambhu Chaitya and observe the night vigil by lighting the lamps.</span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Also today, a partial lunar eclipse will occur tonight. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-28', 'modified' => '2023-10-29', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19067', 'image' => '20231028103710_kojag.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-28 10:36:19', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => false, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 10 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19338', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Kathmandu Valley Witnesses 103 Incidents during Dashain ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 28: Dashain festival this year was observed peacefully except for a few incidents in the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts), according to the traffic police. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">October 28: Dashain festival this year was observed peacefully except for a few incidents in the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts), according to the traffic police. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Although there were sporadic incidents since Fulpati (the seventh day of Dashain on October 21) until October 27, there have not been any major criminal activities and incidents of thefts, robberies and road accidents, said Senior Superintendent of Police Dinesh Raj Mainali, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Police Office. In terms of peace and security, this year's Dashain has concluded more amicably than in previous years. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">During the festival, the police had carried out monitoring by forming a special security plan and police in civil dress were deployed in the potential risky areas. Surveillance took place in all three districts using trained dogs and drones, he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">"No efforts were spared in the security arrangements. Police were mobilised in civil dress and even drones and dogs were used for surveillance. Dashain became peaceful as surveillance has been done by mobilising additional workforce. Now, there is a plan to continue surveillance until Chhath," he said. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">However, sporadic incidents took place. A total of 103 incidents took place between October 21 and 27. Two people were killed and 118 others were injured in the incidents, said Mainali. </span><br /> <span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">Among those incidents, 51 were related to road accidents killing one and injuring 73. According to the police, one person died and 13 others were injured in 13 incidents of fighting. Similarly, 10 incidents of theft took place and there were two incidents relating to the use of sharp weapons that left three people injured. Three gambling-related incidents took place and a total of 22 gamblers were arrested (seven from Kathmandu, 13 from Lalitpur and two from Bhaktapur). Around Rs 500,000 was confiscated from them, said the police. -- RSS </span></span></span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-28', 'modified' => '2023-10-28', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19066', 'image' => '20231028102632_Kathmandu Valley.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-28 10:25:52', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 11 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19336', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Motorboat Service Resumes in Narayani River After Four-Month Closure', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'The motorboat service along the Narayani River is back in operation following a four-month closure due to the monsoon season. Rising water levels brought about by the monsoon rains had temporarily suspended the motorboat service.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">October 27: The motorboat service along the Narayani River is back in operation following a four-month closure due to the monsoon season. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Rising water levels brought about by the monsoon rains had temporarily suspended the motorboat service.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"> Typically, the monsoon forced a three-month closure from mid-June to mid-September (Asar to Bhadau). However, this year, the closure was extended due to a delayed monsoon, said Ashesh Malla, the chair of the Narayani Motorboat Entrepreneurs Association.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">In recent times, the availability of motorboat services on the river has attracted a growing number of domestic tourists.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Approximately 2,000 people visit the riverbanks daily to enjoy a motorboat ride, with a higher number of visitors during the Dashain and Tihar festivals.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The motorboat service on the river was initiated in the year 2076 BS (2019-20) with only one motorboat. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">At present, there are 32 registered motorboat companies, both large and small, with 19 of them already serving visitors.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The service offers various packages and covers routes from the Narayani Bridge to Majuwa Tapu Pokhara Bus Park, Majuwa Tapu Pokhara Bus Park to Radha Krishna Temple in Gaidakot, Majuwa Tapu to Parijat Park, and from the Narayani Bridge to Devghat.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">Large motorboats can accommodate 18 to 25 passengers at once, while small motorboats can carry up to 12 passengers for shorter distances. </span></span><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The service charges are Rs 250 per person for the short route and Rs 1,500 for the long route.</span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:20px"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif">The Bharatpur Metropolitan City imposes a 15% tax on the revenue generated from this service. (RSS) </span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19065', 'image' => '20231027070932_collage (1).jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 07:07:30', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '42' ) ), (int) 12 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19335', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => '500 Megawatts of Electricity is being Wasted Every Day during Dashain', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 27: Due to the decline in internal electricity consumption in the country during the festival of Dashain, about 500 megawatts of electricity produced by hydropower projects is being wasted on a daily basis.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 27: Due to the decline in internal electricity consumption in the country during the festival of Dashain, about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity produced by hydropower projects is being wasted on a daily basis.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">As the industries and factories that consume more electricity are shutdown during this time, the demand for electricity has decreased internally. Another reason is that the winter is yet to begin and the summer heat has ended in the Terai and there is not much use of electrical appliances at this period of year. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">On the other hand, electricity generation in the country is taking place without any hindrance as the flow of water in the rivers and stream is sufficient at the moment since the dry season has not yet started. The NEA, its subsidiaries and private sector hydropower projects have been producing electricity at optimal condition.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">About </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2,200</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity are currently being produced by the authority, its subsidiaries and private sector hydropower projects. Out of that, about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW is being consumed within the country, while about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">650</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">700</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW of electricity is being exported to India.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Kulman Ghising, executive director of the NEA, said that since the electricity generated could not be consumed within the country and the NEA could not get approval from India for further export, around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity is being wasted on a daily basis.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“Due to the festival of Dashain, domestic demand for electricity has decreased. Taking this situation into account, we had sent a proposal to the Central Electricity Authority of India seeking approval for exporting about </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">300</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of surplus electricity. However, since we are yet to get the approval, around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">500</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> megawatts of electricity is being wasted on a daily basis since the day before Phulpati,” said Ghising, adding, “We are losing millions of rupees daily due to this. But, we are confident that we will get approval for exporting more electricity soon."</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The NEA has been exporting surplus electricity to India during the rainy season. The NEA has been selling around </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">110</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW of electricity to the Indian company NTPC Vidyut Vyar Nigam Ltd (NVVN) through competitive bids in the day-ahead market of IEX and under the medium-term power agreement. NVVN is selling the electricity purchased from Nepal in the state of Haryana.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The Nepal Electricity Authority has received approval for the export of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">632</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW to India including </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">522</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW of electricity in the competitive market of India and </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">110</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> MW</span></span> <span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">to NVVN.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:12pt"><span style="font-family:"Times New Roman","serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The NEA exported electricity worth Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">11.80</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> billion to India from mid-May to mid-October.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => 'electricity, wastage, Dashain, festival, Nepal, India, surplus', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19064', 'image' => '20231027064215_20231026111327_elec.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 06:41:18', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 13 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19334', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => ' Commercial Paragliding Begins at Chandragiri', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 27: Commercial paragliding is now available at Chandragiri, a 'hill station' near the Kathmandu Valley.', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">October 27: Commercial paragliding is now available at Chandragiri, a 'hill station' near the Kathmandu Valley. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Babu Adventures, the company owned by pilot Sanobabu Sunuwar, Nepal's first instructor of high altitude paragliding, has launched paragliding service at Chandragiri.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar is also the winner of the 'Adventures of Year-</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2012</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">' award from National Geography. He has flown all the way to the sea from the peak of Mount Everest.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar says that the paragliding flight are being conducted from a spot </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">20</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> minutes’ walk west from Bhaleshwar temple in Chandragiri. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The flight from Chandragiri (</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">2300</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters) lands outside the valley at Chitlang, which is </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">1700</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> meters above the sea level, while offering a wonderful view of beautiful scenery.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">During the paragliding flight, one can observe the 'aerial view' of Bhaleshwar temple as well as most of the terrain of Kathmandu valley. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“From the flight, you can also see the terrain of Rasuwa and Dhading, and you can also have an attractive view of the man-made Indrasarovar Lake as well as Tistung, Palung of Makwanpur. When the weather is clear, the wide range of snow-capped mountains visible to the north will fascinate anyone,” says Sunuwar.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar informed New Business Age that his company can operate </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> paragliders at a time, as per the approval from the government. He added that up to a hundred people can be served per day.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar, who is running a paragliding school in Syangja, says that adventure tourism is possible all over Nepal and that they have invested in Chandragiri to give the valley dwellers the taste of flying in Kathmandu.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">“There is a campaign to spread paragliding across Nepal. As the population density is high in Kathmandu, I am hopeful that its message can be spread quickly and effectively,” he said.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">How much is the fee?</span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">The company has fixed a fee of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">8,000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> per person for paragliding at Chandragiri. It covers paragliding flight of </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">15</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> to </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">25</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> minutes, photos and videos as well as transportation from Kathmandu to the paragliding site. Photo and video equipment is managed by the company itself. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Sunuwar informed that foreign nationals have to pay a fee of Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">12,000</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""> per person for the same package.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Nepali tourists who do not wish to take the facility of traveling in the company's vehicle will be able to enjoy the paragliding flight by paying Rs </span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">7</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">,</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"">200</span></span><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">.</span></span></span></span></p> <p><strong><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">What should you be careful about?</span></span></span></span></strong></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">It is advisable to use a windproof jacket and dark sun glasses while going on a paragliding flight. </span></span></span></span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="font-family:Calibri,"sans-serif""><span style="font-size:15.0pt"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Also, it is better to wear shoes than sandals as you have to run during the take off.</span></span></span></span></p> <p> </p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19063', 'image' => '20231027064037_1698315264.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 06:38:47', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ), (int) 14 => array( 'Article' => array( 'id' => '19333', 'article_category_id' => '1', 'title' => 'Locals Bearing Brunt of Dilapidated Condition of Mid-Hill Highway ', 'sub_title' => '', 'summary' => 'October 27: The locals of Baglung as well as commuters have been suffering due to failure in completion of the Mid-Hill Highway, a national pride project. ', 'content' => '<p><span style="font-size:16px">October 27: The locals of Baglung as well as commuters have been suffering due to failure in completion of the Mid-Hill Highway, a national pride project. <br /> Although the Baglung-Ghodabandhe section along the Mid-Hill Highway was opened two and a half decades ago, the road has yet to be blacktopped forcing locals to deal with the dusty road. <br /> The highway office had awarded the contract to two contractor companies to blacktop the 25-km section stretching from Upallochaur to Ghodabandhe. The project completion duration was set for two years. But seven years on, the project has yet to be completed. <br /> India-Siddhisai JV won the contract to blacktop the 13-km track from Upallochaur while Surya Construction Company was contracted for blacktopping the remaining 12-km from Bihun to Ghodabandhe. As of now, only seven kilometers of the 13 km track has been completed though the deadline was extended four times. Similarly, only six kilometers of the 12-km road section has been blacktopped despite the deadline being extended five times. <br /> The locals have been forced to face dusty road conditions for years due to the dillydallying in completing the project, complained Kedar Kandel, a local.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:16px">“It has been years since the project started. But nothing has changed. Now, there is bulky dust on the road and the road is muddy during the rainy season,” he said. -- RSS</span></p> ', 'published' => true, 'created' => '2023-10-27', 'modified' => '2023-10-27', 'keywords' => '', 'description' => '', 'sortorder' => '19062', 'image' => '20231027063834_map.jpg', 'article_date' => '2023-10-27 06:36:17', 'homepage' => false, 'breaking_news' => false, 'main_news' => true, 'in_scroller' => null, 'user_id' => '34' ) ) ) $current_user = null $logged_in = false $xml = falsesimplexml_load_file - [internal], line ?? include - APP/View/Elements/side_bar.ctp, line 133 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::_renderElement() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 1224 View::element() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 418 include - APP/View/Articles/index.ctp, line 157 View::_evaluate() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 971 View::_render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 933 View::render() - CORE/Cake/View/View.php, line 473 Controller::render() - CORE/Cake/Controller/Controller.php, line 968 Dispatcher::_invoke() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 200 Dispatcher::dispatch() - CORE/Cake/Routing/Dispatcher.php, line 167 [main] - APP/webroot/index.php, line 117
| Currency | Unit |
Buy | Sell |
| U.S. Dollar | 1 | 121.23 | 121.83 |
| European Euro | 1 | 131.65 | 132.31 |
| UK Pound Sterling | 1 | 142.47 | 143.18 |
| Swiss Franc | 1 | 124.29 | 124.90 |
| Australian Dollar | 1 | 71.69 | 72.05 |
| Canadian Dollar | 1 | 83.90 | 84.32 |
| Japanese Yen | 10 | 10.94 | 11.00 |
| Chinese Yuan | 1 | 17.17 | 17.26 |
| Saudi Arabian Riyal | 1 | 32.27 | 32.43 |
| UAE Dirham | 1 | 33.01 | 33.17 |
| Malaysian Ringgit | 1 | 27.36 | 27.50 |
| South Korean Won | 100 | 9.77 | 9.82 |
Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)
| Fine Gold | 1 tola | 77000.00 |
| Tejabi Gold | 1 tola | 76700.00 |
| Silver | 1 tola | 720.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association
| Petrol | 1 Liter | 106.00 |
| Diesel | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| Kerosene | 1 Liter | 95.00 |
| LP Gas | 1 Cylinder | 1375.00 |
Update : 2020-03-25
