Submit your Article

In a bid to conserve an endangered species of bird, owl, a two-day festival is being organized in Dang. 

An owl festival is being held in the Biodiversity Park of Lamahi in Dang on May 1-2.

The Ajammari Community Forest Users' Group of Lamahi and the Prakitika Sathiharu, an organization in Kathmandu, are jointly organizing the festival. 

They have aimed at conserving the owl, a bird known as the friend of farmers. 

It is the first time such a festival is being organized in Dang district, according to Director of the Prakitika Sathiharu, Raju Acharya. 

He stressed the urgency of public awareness to curb poaching and illegal trade of owls.

The Eurasian barn owls are endangered species of birds. 

The event also makes the people aware of biodiversity and need to advance initiatives to conserve the bird for environmental balance. 

Director Acharya further shared that the festival was earlier held in Dhading, Chitwan, Nawalparasi, Gorkha, Karki, Kapilbastu, Dolakha and Khotang district.

Chairman of Forest Users' Group of Lamahi, Pavan Sharma Rijal, said that local people would be given orientation on how they could work for protecting the valuable birds for environmental balance. 

The loss of habitat with construction of modern houses and deforestation is threatening owls' existence. 

The two-day festival also features birds watching, mini museum, robot exhibition and screening of a documentary. Even the sports of indigenous Tharu, Magar and Kumal communities would be played on the occasion.  

Although owls are found in all geographies- southern plains to mountain- of Nepal, exact number of this species is unknown. 

Hunting and selling of this bird is illegal in Nepal. If anyone is found involved in such acts, he/she is subjected to a fine of Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000 and jail terms from six to 12 months. 

It is estimated that 23 species of owl are found across the globe. 

In Nepal, among 886 species of birds found in Nepal, 39, including owls, are endangered ones.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 3, 000 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday. 

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 297, 500 per tola today.   It was traded at Rs 300, 500 per tola on Monday. 

Similarly, the price of silver has dropped by Rs 100 per tola and is being traded at Rs 4, 945 per tola.

A small passenger plane has crashed in South Sudan killing all on board, the country's civil aviation authority (SSCAA) said, BBC reported. 

Officials have sent a team to the crash site for investigations but initial reports suggested the aircraft may have come down "due to adverse weather conditions, particularly low visibility", the SSCAA added in a statement.

The plane crashed about 20km (12 miles) south-west of the capital, Juba, on Monday morning. It took off from Yei at 09:15 local time ( 07:15 GMT) and air traffic control lost contact about 30 minutes into the flight to the capital.

The new academic session is beginning today, Baisakh 15. The school calendar was adjusted as per the government's decision.

The government had reminded the schools to begin a new academic session from today, breaking the hurried trend of school enrollment in the very beginning of Baisakh. There was neither adequate gap nor annual exam result prepared before initiating a new session from the first week of Baisakh month. 

The government, therefore, asked the schools to adjust some days for the new session also taking into account the shortage of fuel supply. 

However, some local levels have already enrolled students.

Similarly, the government had asked the private schools to return the children's fee if they imposed it ignoring the rule. The schools were reminded of the provision of a fee determination directive, 2072 so that their guardians would not be forced to pay more. 

It is worth noting that the Supreme Court had issued an order to not launch annual school enrolment if the result of the previous session was not published and original certificates prepared and handed over to students. 

A single bench of Justice Balkrishna Dhakal had issued the order. 

The academic session used to begin just a day after the New Year, Baisakh 2.

In the order, the schools were asked to ensure proper time arrangement of exam results, educational sessions and certificate distribution.

Holders Paris St Germain take on Bayern Munich in a Champions League semi-final clash of ​two of the top attacking teams in Europe, and while Luis Enrique says the German club are the most consistent, no team is better than his side, Reuters reported. 

Three of the last four teams, PSG, Bayern and Arsenal, are top of their domestic leagues and the German side have clinched the Bundesliga, losing one game, having also lost once in Europe.

While PSG ​and Atletico Madrid had to come through the playoffs, Arsenal and Bayern were the top two in the ​league phase. In the last 16 and quarter-finals, PSG netted 12 goals and Bayern 16.

Manchester United defender Harry Maguire praised coach Michael Carrick for the turnaround in the club's ​fortunes after a 2-1 Premier League win over Brentford that leaves them close to a return to the Champions League after finishing 15th last term, Reuters reported.

United sacked previous coach Ruben Amorim in January after a turbulent 14-month spell at the helm that saw ​the United players struggle to get to grips with his tactics, ​and Maguire credited his successor Carrick with restoring the team's confidence ⁠and getting them back to winning ways.

"We had two tough fixtures when ​Michael first come in, and I think everyone was probably looking at them ​thinking 'oh no', with Arsenal and Man City, and we managed to get the six points," Maguire told Sky Sports after setting up Casemiro for the first goal against Brentford.

Champions League holders Paris St Germain have every right to call themselves the best in Europe, Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany said ahead of a semi-final against the French team, but he ​wants his side to be able to do the same next season, Reuters reported. 

PSG boss Luis Enrique praised Bayern as Europe's most consistent side ahead of Tuesday's first leg in Paris but said there was no team better than his European champions, and Kompany feels no need to dispute those claims.

"I think the title holders are always in the right ​to claim some things, but I hope next season I will be in the position to say ​the same," Kompany told reporters on Monday.

Manchester United's Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko struck first-half goals to secure a 2-1 Premier League home win over Brentford on Monday, taking their side to the brink of Champions League football ​for the first time since the 2023-24 season, Reuters reported. 

Third-placed United moved to 61 points, 11 ahead of sixth-placed Brighton & Hove Albion with four games left. The top five qualify for next season's Champions League.

With the prize of European football almost within their grasp, the home side came flying out of the traps as Kobbie Mainoo danced through ​the Brentford penalty area before slipping the ball to Amad in the second minute, but his ​shot deflected off a defender and went behind for a corner.