KATHMANDU: Nepal is taking on Sri Lanka at the semifinal of SAFF Women’s Championship being held in Sahid Stadium in Biratnagar on Wednesday.

The match will begin at 11 am. Nepal is confident to clinch a win against the group B runner up, with supports from Nepali football fans.

Nepal is the winner of group A. Earlier, it defeated Bhutan by 3-0 in the opening match and emerged out to be the group winner by trouncing Bangladesh by the same goal differences.

Sri Lank became group B runner up by defeating Maldives by 2-0 in its opening match while it lost to India 5-0.

Similarly, the other semifinal match is being held between India and Bangladesh today itself. It will start at 3 pm.

KALIKOT: Nepal Army has been deployed in search of cadres of Nepal Communist Party led by Netra Bikram Chand alias Biplav, a report in Annapurna daily has said.

A troop of Nepal  Army under the command of Major Amrit Thapa Magar from Ranasur Company was deployed to arrest Biplav cadres, thereby controlling their activities.

The team has been reinforced by Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, according to the report.

Kalikot is said to a stronghold of Biplav outfit. The joint troop left the district headquarters Manma for Sannitribeni Rural Municipality, Raskot Municipality and Naraharinath Municipality in search of Biplav cadres, said NA sources.

Security personnel and cadres of Nepal Communist Party led by Netra Bikram Chand (Biplav) exchanged fire at Falame Sanghu of Roshi Rural Municipality-2 in Kavre district on Tuesday evening, leading to the arrest of two Biplav cadres.

Police have been keeping close tabs on the Biplav activities after the government banned the latter’s activities. The government took a decision to ban Biplav-led NCP following a series of explosions at Ncell towers and other public places across the country.

KATHMANDU: The Holi, the festival of colors, is being observed with fanfare in hilly areas including the capital on Wednesday.

Popularly known as Fagu Poornima, the festival begins with a Holika dahan, or making a bonfire commemorating the death of Holika on the eve of Holi, the symbol of triumph of good over evil. The next day, people enjoy smearing one another with different colors including red vermilion powder.

KATHMANDU: Security personnel and cadres of Nepal Communist Party led by Netra Bikram Chand (Biplav) have exchanged fire at Falame Sanghu of Roshi Rural Municipality-2 in Kavre district on Tuesday evening.

A police team deployed by Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD), Teku exchanged fire with  Biplav cadres in Kavre, confirmed SP Kedar Dhakal, acting chief of MPCD.

Police have claimed that they have arrested two Biplav cadres. Police have been keeping close tabs on Biplav-led NCP’s activities following a ban imposed by the government.

The government had decided to ban the Biplav’s activities following a series of explosions that took pace at Ncell towers and other public places across the country.

Police on Saturday arrested NCP’s politburo member Mohan Karki during their ‘search and arrest’operation.

KATHMANDU: In its bid to promote Sowa Rigpa, a traditional treatment method, Sewa Rigpa Association Nepal handed over a memorandum to Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Minister for Health, Upendra Yadav, today.

DPM said that the government was positive in promoting Sowa Rigpa method of medical treatment as the main treatment system.

Sowa Rigpa method of treatment is believed to have propounded by the Gautam Buddha some 2,600 years ago. The delegation of the association was led by its president Amchi Dr Tenzing Dharke Gurung.

Receiving a memorandum DPM Yadav said that the government has made provisions in the Health Act 2075 and various health-related policies to give priority to Sowa Rigpa system of medical treatment as an alternative and supplementary treatment method.

Nepal government recognizes several alternative treatment methods like homeopathic, naturopathy, yoga and acupuncture treatment practices.

Among other issues, the memorandum calls for mentioning Sowa Rigpa treatment system specifically in Article 51 of the constitution during its amendment. It also calls for the government in setting up of an alternative or supplementary medical council, department, and hospital by incorporating Sowa Rigpa, homeopathic, naturopathy, yoga and acupuncture, among others.

Similarly, the memorandum calls for establishing Sowa Rigpa Service Centres in all 77 districts including in the mountainous region and for launching public awareness programs on this treatment practice across the country.

President Gurung said that Sowa Rigpa traditional medical treatment system is famous in the mountainous region and is now expanding to various cities, including Kathmandu.

KATHMANDU: The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) today clarified that there has been no change in the pricing of petroleum products now.

The decision has been made keeping in mind the interest of the people although the price of petroleum products has gone up in the international market.

NOC Spokesperson Birendra Goit said as per the new price list received on March 16 from the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), the price of petrol has increased by Rs 2 per liter.

NUWAKOT: Japan’s Ambassador to Nepal, Masamichi Saigo today inaugurated a care home in Samundra Devi Khola, Nuwakot for children in vulnerable conditions.

The children include unaccompanied street-living and being in extremely poor families, according to a press statement issued by the Embassy of Japan in Nepal.

The project for the construction of a children’s home in the district is funded under Japan government’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) at a total grant of approximately Rs. 8.9 million.

Unaccompanied children will be secured with basic needs such as food, accommodation and daily care at the children’s care home.

The Embassy has hoped that the project will contribute to the improvement of the children’s environment and ensure safe living conditions for them. “We also hope this project further enhances the bilateral friendship between Japan and Nepal,” the statement added.

KATHMANDU: Most parts of the country will witness brief rainfall with thunder on Wednesday and Thursday as part of the pre-monsoon rainfall, according to Meteorologist Bibhuti Pokharel at Meteorological Forecasting Division. However, heavy rainfall is not expected.

The Kathmandu Valley today recorded a minimum temperature of 11.7 degree Celsius and a maximum of 26 degree Celsius.

KATHMANDU: Student unions today padlocked the office of the Tribhuvan University (TU) vice-chancellor and the dean’s office of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) over arbitrary fee imposed by medical colleges.

All Nepal National Free Students Union and All Nepal National Independent Students Union (Revolutionary) affiliated with the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) padlocked the offices.

Students are enraged by the arbitrary collection of tuition fees by several medical colleges.

A students’ squad jointly headed by ANNISU(R) president Ranjit Tamang and ANNFSU secretary RC Lamichhane flocked the Kirtipur-based TU vice chancellor’s office and IOM dean’s office in Maharajgunj and padlocked them.

They have accused the TU of taking no response at all to the acts of the Gandaki Medical College and KIST Medical College which have overcharged the students on the one hand and exerted pressure to withdraw the case, creating psychological terror among students who decided to seek legal remedy for being deprived of filling up the exam firms.

SURKHET: Chairperson of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (United), Pashupati SJB Rana has alleged the government of involving in massive corruption.

Rana said that corruption has now spread to local levels as well. Speaking at a news conference at Surkhet today, Rana said that the culture of corruption has gripped the local levels.

On the occasion, Rana said people are facing problems since they are compelled to pay tax to local level, state and federal governments.