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The 2570th Buddha Jayanti is being observed today, recalling the contribution of Siddhartha Gautam to the establishment of world peace. 

Buddha Jayanti is celebrated on the full moon day in the month of Baishakh of the Lunar calendar every year. This festival commemorates Siddhartha Gautam's significant contributions to establishing world peace.

Buddhists from Nepal and other countries are celebrating Buddha Jayanti, wishing for peace and tranquility in the world. Born in Lumbini, Nepal, Lord Gautam Buddha is regarded as the profounder and messenger of non-violence and peace.

This year, the 2570th birth anniversary of Lord Gautama Buddha, who propagated timeless messages such as 'non-violence is the cornerstone of peace and friendship,' is being celebrated across the country with hopes for peace.

Traditional pujas are performed by Buddhists, with lamas and Buddhist gurus conducting ceremonies in Chaityas, monasteries, viharas, and other sacred sites. Various programmes are traditionally organized in significant locations like Lumbini, Swayambhu, and Boudha to commemorate the day.

Buddha's birth, enlightenment, and Mahaparinirvana (death) all occurred on the full moon day of Baisakh. Thus, Buddhists worldwide, including those in Nepal, celebrate Buddha Jayanti with deep reverence and devotion. 

Siddhartha Gautama was born in Lumbini Garden to King Suddhodhan and Queen Mayadevi on the full moon day of Baisakh Shukla. 

Siddhartha Gautam was deeply moved by the sufferings of the people. 

At the age of 29, he left his palace to seek enlightenment through penance.

Ubhauli Parva, the most important festival of the Kirant community, is being marked today with joy and fervor, and by offering worship to the Bhumesthan (the god of land). 

This festival is mostly celebrated in the districts of the Koshi Province and Kathmandu in the country.

Ubhauli festival is celebrated every year on the full moon day of the month of Baishakh in the Lunar calendar, which also coincides with Buddha Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Buddha. 

During the festival, the Kiranti folks gather together to celebrate the festival in an organized manner and exchange good wishes.

According to the religious book Mundhum of the Kirants, time is divided into two parts, Udhauli and Ubhauli.

The Kirant community believes that these two periods are divided on the basis of farming. 

Ubhauli is a festival celebrated to mark the beginning of farming. 

The festival is celebrated for good harvest, peace and prosperity in the community.

The kirati community, known to be devoted to nature, celebrate Ubhauli by worshipping the land and performing their traditional dance called Sakela.

The Kirant Rai Yayokhha has prepared for worship at Sakelasthan at Hatiban of Lalitpur.  

Likewise, the people in Yeselukharka in Khotang district have decided to mark this festival only on Jestha 22 as per their longstanding tradition to mark this festival on that day.

Iran said on Thursday it would respond with “long and painful strikes” on US positions if Washington renewed attacks and restated its claim to the Strait of ​Hormuz, complicating US plans for a coalition to reopen the waterway, Reuters reported. 

Aerospace Force Commander ​Majid Mousavi was quoted by Iran's official media SNN as saying: “We’ve seen what happened to your regional bases, we will see the same thing happen to your warships.”

Mousavi was responding to a statements by the US military's CENTCOM commander claiming the success of the US blockade against Iran, according to SNN.

King Charles III has arrived in Bermuda after he and Queen Camilla ended their four-day state visit to the US with a community parade in Virginia, BBC reported. 

He made a low-key entrance in Hamilton, the territory's capital, with a ceremonial welcome expected on Friday. The King, who was not accompanied by the Queen, is making his first visit to the island as monarch.

The royal couple had marked their final day in the US in a more relaxed setting of bluegrass music and country rock music in the small town of Front Royal.

China will scrap tariffs for all African countries from Friday – except Eswatini, which maintains ties with Taiwan, BBC reported. 

As of December 2024, China had already implemented a duty-free policy for 33 least-developed African nations. The policy now covers 53 countries, and will be in place until 30 April 2028. It is unclear what will happen after that.

Beijing has boasted that it is the first major economy to offer unilateral zero-tariff treatment to Africa.

The detained former Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been moved to house arrest, the country's state media has reported, BBC reported. 

The 80-year-old Nobel laureate has been held in detention - probably in a military prison in the capital Nay Pyi Taw - since she was removed from office in a military coup in 2021.

A statement by military leader Min Aung Hlaing, who led the coup, said he had "commuted her remaining sentence to be served at the designated residence".

President Ram Chandra Paudel issued the Public Procurement (Second Amendment) Ordinance, 2083, on Thursday. 

President Paudel, on recommendation of the Council of Ministers, issued the Ordinance in accordance with Article 114 (1) of the Constitution of Nepal, according to the Office of the President.

At least 18 people died on the spot in a jeep accident in Rolpa district on Thursday.

Information Officer at the District Police Office, Rolpa, Police Inspector Sunil Thapa Nepali said  that the accident took place when the jeep (Lu 1 Ja 4167) heading towards Jaljala of Thabang Rural Municipality of Rolpa from Rukum East fell some 800 meters off the road.

A team under the leadership of Police Chief of Rolpa, Birendra Bishwokarma, reached the incident site and carried out a rescue operation, he added.  

Inspector Thapa mentioned that all the passengers were travelling towards Jaljala to attend a fair to be organized on the occasion of Baishakh purnima. 

The identities of the deceased have not been ascertained yet. 

The Details of the incident are awaited.