Here are some of the top stories from The Kathmandu Post (December 8, 2019).

Reconstruction of two temples in Basantapur in limbo after UN cultural agency forced to pull out of project

A decision of the United Nations cultural agency in July this year to pull out of a heritage restoration project in Basantapur has raised concerns among conservation campaigners whether future monument rebuilding projects will take a beating.

On July 9, UNESCO said in a statement that it was pulling out of Shree Krishna Mahavishnu (also known as Gopinath) and Jagannath temple restoration project due to continued interference from “some local groups”. The groups reportedly wanted an exclusive right to restore the temples, said to be from the Malla era, without any international assistance.

The two temples are among 140 monuments damaged within Kathmandu Valley World Heritage.

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First inter-caste couple to have an arranged marriage in Bajhang

Dipak Bohara, 22, and Rupa BK, 21, were tying the knot according to Hindu tradition. For a society where discrimination based on caste is rampant, this marriage was an unusual one. The groom was from a so-called higher caste family compared to the bride who was a dalit, one of the lowest rungs of the caste hierarchy.

The caste system prohibits people from the high caste to drink or eat anything touched by the dalits and doesn’t allow a marital liaison between the two. Inter-caste couples often face ostracisation by society. Many are abused and victimised.

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Dhami claims first wrestling gold for Nepal

Sangita Dhami claimed her first-ever wrestling gold for Nepal at the South Asian Games after she defeated Bangladesh's Rimi Sarkar in the final at Janakpur on Saturday.

In the women's 55kg gold medal clash, the 19-year-old Dhami edged Sarkar 6-1, by putting pressure on her opponent in the first round itself.

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Swimming sensation Singh becomes one of Nepal’s most decorated athletes

Photojournalists from local news outlets were jostling for the best angles even as journalists scrambled for the best vantage points. It was a scene to behold just before the women's 100m backstroke final at the Satdobato Swimming Complex on Saturday. Their eyes and lens were trained at one swimmer: Gaurika Singh.

They were all expecting to capture Singh’s winning moment—of a third individual gold. But it was not to be. She missed it by a whisker as India’s Manna Rajiv Patel won the women’s 100m backstroke in 1 minute 02:36 seconds. She settled for a silver after completing the race at 1:03:15.

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Continued political interference is weakening crucial constitutional bodies

The government in March formed a committee to recommend officials for two transitional justice commissions. The committee is yet to recommend names. Led by a former Supreme Court chief justice, the committee was supposed to function independently. However, the way political parties have interfered in the selection process, its independence appears to be nothing but a sham.

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