China to provide USD 4 million for March 5 elections
The Chinese government is to provide USD four million to Nepal for the elections to the House of Representatives scheduled for March 5.
A Cabinet meeting held today decided to accept the amount to be received as the grant.
Government Spokesperson and Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal also took the decision to approve the investment model for Budhigandaki Project as mentioned in current fiscal year's budget and programme.
Similarly, Chief Judge of Kathmandu District Court, Diwakar Bhatta, has been appointed Chairperson of Consumer Court Kathmandu with the responsibility of overseeing the functions of Kathmandu District Court as well.
The meeting also declared the public holidays for 2083 BS as well as to form Gen Z Council, he added.
Nepse surges by 21. 62 points on Tuesday
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 21. 62 points to close at 2, 638. 60 points on Tuesday.
Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 2. 31 points to close at 453. 37 points.
A total of 9,364,938-unit shares of 328 companies were traded for Rs 1. 51 billion.
Meanwhile, Salapa Bikas Bank Limited (SABBL) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 10. 00 percent.
At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 43 trillion.
Government declares three-day holiday for March 5 HoR elections
The government has announced a three-day public holiday from March 4 to March 6 for the House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5.
A Cabinet meeting held on Tuesday made the decision to this effect.
Earlier, the Election Commission had urged the government to grant a three-day holiday in order to encourage enthusiastic voter participation.
UAE expresses sorrow over Dhading bus accident
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expressed sorrow over the Dhading bus accident that occurred on Monday. .
According to the UAE's Embassy in Kathmandu, the United Arab Emirates has expressed its sincere condolences and solidarity with Nepal following the tragic bus accident in the Dhading area of central Nepal, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of dozens of people.
In its statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs extended heartfelt sympathy to the families of the victims, as well as to the government and people of Nepal, and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in this painful tragedy.
Nineteen people lost their lives and 25 others were injured in the accident.
Holi begins with erection of ‘Chir’
Holi, the festival of colors, began with the installation of a 'Chir' (bamboo pole) decorated with colorful strips of clothes at Hanumandhoka Durbar Square in Basantapur on Tuesday. .
The ‘Chir’ was erected at 7: 13 am today. Erection of the pole in Basantapur marks the beginning of the festival which lasts for a week.
Holi will be celebrated in Kathmandu valley and hilly districts on March 2 and in Tarai on March 3.
The ‘Chir’ will be erected in Patan and Bhaktapur also.
Following the completion of the Holi festival, people would collect the pieces of cloth from the Chir and keep it in their homes with a belief that it will bring good luck for them.
The Chir will be dispersed in local Tundikhel.
Probe under way after illness kills 72 tigers in Thai tourist park
Authorities in Chiang Mai, a city in northern Thailand, are investigating the deaths of dozens of tigers at a popular tourist attraction this month, BBC reported.
Seventy-two tigers died in the span of less than two weeks across two facilities of Tiger Kingdom Chiang Mai, a park where visitors can touch and interact with tigers.
The local livestock department said samples from the tigers showed canine distemper virus - though authorities have not confirmed how the outbreak happened, according to BBC.
Holi festival commences in Mithilanchal from today
Holi, the festival of colours, formally commenced in Mithilanchal region from today with the participants of the 15-day Madhyamiki Parikrama pilgrimage playing Holi at local Kanchanban, Bhangaha Municipality-7 in Mahottari.
Baba Naval Kishore Das, participant of the fifteen-day Madhyamiki circuit pilgrimage, said that the Holi festival began today after performing the religious rituals in which Mithilavihari (God Ramchandra) plays Holi with Kishori Ji (Goddess Sita) in the presence of the holy people, sadhus and devotees at Kanchanban this morning, marking the beginning of the Holi festival across the entire Mithila region from today.
On the seventh day of the fifteen-day medium-level pilgrimage, at the residence in Kanchanavan, Lord Ramchandra and Mother Sita's palanquin and idol were ceremonially celebrated with colours and powdered colours as part of Holi.
Thousands of sadhus, ascetics, and families participating in the pilgrimage, along with all the devotees, smeared colours and colour powder at each other, marking the beginning of the Holi festival, explained Baba Naval Kishore Das.
With this, the festival of Holi has formally started in the villages and households in Mithilanchal, the Holi revelers throwing coloured powder at each other in celebration.
Similarly, with the arrival of Holi, like every year, the tradition of singing Holi songs, dancing, sharing humour and satire, and performing satirical poetry and jokes has also commenced this year too, in the villages of Mithilanchal, said Pandit Dhirendra Jha of Jaleshwar Municipality–8.
The 15 days long Mithila Madhyamiki Parikrama pilgrimage commemorates the period of 14 years in which god Ramchandra with his consort goddess Sita and brother Laxman spend life in exile in the forest. It is believed that lord Ram and goddess Sita also played Holi on this very day during the exile.
The Madhyamiki Parikrama pilgrimage started from Kalaneshwar in India on February 17 and this procession journey along with the palanquins bearing images of Lord Ramchandra and Mata Sita will conclude after 15 days in Janakpur on March 3.
HoR elections: Nine political parties, 1 213 candidates open bank accounts
Only 1,213 candidates, out of 3406, for the House of Representatives (HoR) elections, have so far opened the bank accounts to make monetary transactions for election purposes.
According to the Election Commission, only nine political parties, out of 68 contesting the elections, have now bank accounts for the election-related expenditures.
Such political parties are the Nepali Congress, Rastriya Janamorcha, CPN (United), Nepali Communist Party (NCP), Nepal Party for Nepal, Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP), Samyukta Nagarik Party, Miteri Party and Nepal Janata Samrakshan Party.
EC Assistant Spokesperson Kul Bahadur GC said the Election Commission has implemented a provision mandating political parties and candidates to open bank accounts for making the collection of economic assistance for the election transparent by adhering to the set expenditures ceiling.
As per the House of Election Members Election Publicity Bank Account (Operation and Management) Procedure, 2082 BS, electoral candidates and parties contesting towards the both proportional representation and the First-Past-The-Post system are mandated to follow the banking system for the economic transactions meant for the election publicity campaign.
