- Sunday, 19 April 2026
Kathmandu, March 10: The air quality index (AQI) measured the Kathmandu Valley p0llution as the second worst in the world on Wednesday. The weather has been deteriorating in the valley and many parts of the country for some days.
Director General at the Department of Environment, Gyan Raj Subedi, has argued that lack of rainfall and strong wind caused the deposit of polluted air in the bowl-shaped valley. He urged all not to go out of residence except essential work and use mask while going out of residence.
“For some days, most of the places including the Kathmandu Valley witnessed gloomy weather. Even the rains are not in sight, nor the sunny weather. With strong wind in short supply, the polluted air is choking the valley,” he said, adding, “Once the weather improves, the air pollution subsides.”
Meteorologist at Meteorological Forecasting Division, Sanjiv Adhikari, however, informed that the weather would improve gradually with gradual disappearance of haze.
The AQI measured Kathmandu Valley’s air quality at 174, placing it as the second worst polluted city in the world till 4:00pm today.
Environmental campaigner Bhushan Tuladhar said preparedness is imperative for air pollution. Massive public awareness against air pollution is needed together.
The AQI notches from 150 to 200 are categorized ‘hazardous to every ones’ health’, while the reading from 201 to 300 signals ‘very unhealthy’ and above it ‘very harmful’. The measurement from 0 to 50 indicates the air quality as ‘good’.
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22- Chinese Envoy Zhang calls on Minister Aryal
Kathmandu, March 10: Chinese Ambassador to Nepal, Zhang Maoming, paid a courtesy call on Minister for Home Affairs, Om Prakash Aryal, today.
In the meeting held at the Ministry of Home Affairs in Singha Durbar, various aspects of Nepal-China relations as well as matters of mutual cooperation were discussed, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Wishing the newly appointed Chinese envoy to Nepal a successful tenure, Minister Aryal expressed his confidence that the relation between Nepal and China would scale greater height.
On the occasion, the Minister expressed gratitude for China’s support to Nepal’s socio-economic development and articulated his expectation that such assistance would continue in the future.
He highlighted the need for greater cooperation and collaboration between Nepal and China in sectors such as telecommunication and efforts to combat cybercrimes.
In reciprocation, Chinese Ambassador Zhang congratulated the government of Nepal for successfully conducting March 5 election to the House of Representatives members.
He reaffirmed his commitment to making every possible effort to further strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries.
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23- EC extends gratefulness to employees deputed for HoR elections
Kathmandu, March 10: Officiating Chief Election Commissioner Ram Prasad Bhandari has extended gratefulness to the civil service employees who were deputed in accomplishing the House of Representatives (HoR) elections in the critical situation.
In his address today to the farewell to the employees deployed in the EC on deputation from different agencies for conducting the election, he extended thanks to all for cooperation to hold the elections within six months of its announcement.
There was a mass question on the certainty of polls when the President on12 September 2025 announced election to the HoR member for 5 March 2026, he said.
“Security was a most pressing issue after the September 8-9 protests. Political parties were not in a position to sit together even within a month of poll announcement. The EC had brought together the political parties to initiate a dialogue”, Bhandari noted, adding, “We are largely successful in brining the results”.
He informed that the EC is in preparation to submit the report to the President after accomplishing the election.
EC Secretary Krishna Bahadur Raut said it was the team work of the employees on deputation from different agencies that made it possible to conduct the election on time.
It was possible to hold the election without any significant issues in 23,112 polling centres and 143 temporary centres because of all civil service employees deputed in the election, he further said.
Administration Section Chief and Assistant Spokesperson Prakash Neuapne informed that 141 employees from different agencies were mobilized on deputation for HoR member election 2082 BS.
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14- Justice cannot be delivered under fear or intimidation: Senior Justice Malla
Kathmandu, March 10: Supreme Court Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla has said that justice cannot be delivered under any fear or intimidation.
Speaking at a program organized by the Supreme Court on the occasion of International Women’s Day and Women’s Judges’ Day today, Justice Malla said good governance is the soul of the judiciary and establishing good governance is possible only through judicial independence, impartiality and fearlessness.
Justice Malla said that judicial independence cannot be compromised under any circumstances as the constitution envisions an independent judiciary. She said that the nation will progress only when women move forward, adding that there is still a gap in the political, economic, and social sectors, so there is a need to celebrate Women’s Day.
Supreme Court Justice Saranga Subedi emphasized that women should work in a productive manner, believing in each other’s abilities, as they still have to prove themselves in every step ahead.
Attorney General Sabita Bhandari Baral said that women should work in the field of justice, equality, participation, and inclusiveness by increasing their leadership capacity.
Nepal Bar Association Vice President Saraswati Shrestha said that women’s empowerment and participation are still very much needed.
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25- ‘Ujyalo Nepal Campaign to be further advanced with enthusiasm’
Kathmandu, March 10: Chairperson of Ujyalo Nepal Party Kulman Ghising has stressed that the to-be-formed government should focus on maintaining good governance by realizing the people’s aspiration for economic prosperity.
Issuing a statement today, Chairperson Ghising extended thanks to the voters casting ballot to his party, supporters and well-wishers and said his party would lend support to the positive performance of the new government and play constructive watchdog role from streets towards the wrong deeds if any.
Saying that election loss is merely a technical issue, he expressed the commitment to engage with further energy in the campaign for building Ujyalo (Illuminating) Nepal being not disappointed by the election results.
Chair Ghising also extended gratefulness to the Prime Minister, members of the Council of Ministers, security agencies, employees and all concerned for their contributions to successfully holding the elections in the critical situation.
“We had stepped into the election with the commitment to deliver results. We had won the hearts of the people by showcasing works such as ending load-shedding. But, election defeat is merely a technical issue. The trust and good will towards our party through people’s verdict in short span has given us a big energy and guidance”, reads the statement.
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26- Pokhara-Jomsom flights to resume after three months
Mustang, March 10: The air service from Pokhara to Jomsom, which was closed for three months owing to adverse weather and tourism recession, is being resumed to revive tourism.
The winter chill and snowfall had posed weather challenges for conducting flights by the Tara Airlines and Summit Airlines. They had officially announced to halt the service reasoning unfavourable weather.
Although they had halted services till March 1, the air service companies prolonged the halt in recent days due to election.
Chief of Civil Aviation Office at Jomsom, Dipak Pokharel, shared that the private airlines had scheduled the flights on Monday. However, the weather adversity forced the cancellation of three flights. On Tuesday as well, the weather did not improve to conduct the flights.
He hoped the flights resume immediately after the weather improves.
With the onset of the Spring Season, tourism entrepreneurs and aviation companies are all set to resume flights, connecting the beautiful valley to upper mountainous attraction.
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27 – NC tops PR votes in Karnali Province
Bheriganga (Surkhet), March 10: The Nepali Congress has stood first in the proportional votes cast under the House of Representatives election held on March 5. However, it has secured only five seats under the first-past-the-post system.
The Province Election Office here shared the information that it concluded vote count under the proportional system on Tuesday. The final count showed the NC became the top party, securing 141,233 votes.
The Rastriya Swatantra Party, which secured only one seat under FPTP category in the province, however, stood second in the proportional category with 133,749 votes.
Similarly, the CPN UML emerged the third with 120,863 votes and the Nepali Communist Party the fourth with 107,101 votes.
The Rastriya Prajatantra Party collected 15,755; the Nepal Workers and Peasant Party got 5130 votes and the Shram Sanskriti Party received 4,675 votes.
Meanwhile, 90 candidates lost their deposits in the province. There were total 139 candidates from the political parties and independents combined, according to Lal Bahadur Gurung, Chief of Province Election Office.
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28- International rafting and kayaking festival kicks off in Trishuli for river tourism promotion
Chitwan, March 10: In a bid to further promote adventurous tourism based in mountainous rivers of Nepal, the International Rafting and Kayaking Festival has kicked off in Trishuli today.
The 24th Himalayan White Water Challenge 2026 and 50th international Himalayan Rafting and Kayaking festival which has become the meeting point of river, adventure and tourism is expected to promote the rivers of Nepal as a prime destination of adventurous tourism.
The three day competition, jointly organized by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and Nepal Association of Rafting Agencies (NARA), will run by Thursday.
Rafting and kayaking athletes from Nepal and various other countries are showcasing their crafts and courage while navigating through rapid currents and playful waves of the Trishuli River in the competition.
In this year’s festival, a total of 51 paddlers participated in the first kayak sprint (300 meters) competition, and 10 teams took part in the raft sprint (300 meters).
According to NARA Vice President and festival coordinator Sukra Lama, the ‘Kayak Cross’ (300 meters) and Raft Mandatory competition (10 kilometers) will be held on Wednesday.
Festival coordinator Lama informed that 32 athletes selected from the preliminary rounds will take part in these competitions.
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29- Language Commission’s member Suresh Manandhar passes away
Kathmandu, March 10: Suresh Kiran Manandhar, member of the Language Commission and litterateur passed away last Monday evening. He was 59.
Manandhar was rushed to the Manmohan Cardiothoracic Vascular and Transplant Centre at the Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj after suffering a heart attack. According to his family members, doctors declared him dead shortly after he reached the hospital.
He began his journalism career with the weekly publication ‘Inap’ and later became a full-time journalist with the daily ‘Vishwabhumi’. He subsequently served as editor of the Sandhya Times daily and later Nepal Bhasa Times.
His journalistic career spanned across publications such as ‘Apsara’ film magazine, quarterly poetry journal ‘Koshalval’ and ‘Thaybhu’, a publication of the Nepal Academy.
During the people’s movement in 2046 BS, Manandhar, along with his friend Sujiv Bajracharya disguised themselves as doctors to enter the Bir Hospital, which was under tight security, to interview the movement’s leader Ganesh Man Singh. The interview later became widely popular.
He wrote extensively on topics such as the Nepal Bhasa movement, the Nepal Sambat movement and Newa culture, publishing articles in both Nepal Bhasa and Nepali.
He also contributed columns and articles to newspapers including Gorkhapatra. Among his published works are the book Indrajatra/Yaiya: which he co-authored and the biography Padmaratna Tuladhar among others.
The final rites of Manandhar will be performed at Indrayani Ghat in Kathmandu on Wednesday morning, the bereaved family told the Rastriya Samachar Samiti.
Born in 2023 BS, Manandhar is survived by his wife and two sons.
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30- ‘Fair election helps resolve national problems’
Kailali, March 10: Chief Minister of Sudurpaschim Province, Kamal Bahadur Shah, has said free and fair election would help resolve national problems.
At a press meet organized here today, Chief Minister Shah viewed periodic election is imperative for healthy and bolstered democracy. Election not only brings new leadership but also creates atmosphere for policy reform, he said, adding that social peace and stability are possible with periodic election.
CM Shah further said election is a backbone of democracy so it paves way for institutional development of system.
Social justice, transparency, political and administrative reforms and good governance were some of the demands of recent movements upon which the House of Representatives election was held. He also thanked the President and the Prime Minister for successful conduct of HoR election.
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