These are some of the best stories from The Kathmandu Post (March 11, 2020). A fallen pillar that marks Nepal’s border with India, in Kapilvastu. Post file photo: Manoj Poudel
A government team consisting of Army has been quietly measuring Nepal’s border with India
Ever since the release of India’s new political map that placed Kalapani within its borders, the Nepal government has taken a lot of flak for failing to do anything of substance to press India on its cartographic incursion.
The KP Sharma Oli government might not have said much publicly but the Post has learned that two teams, consisting of representatives from various ministries as well as the Nepal Army, have been quietly measuring Nepal’s border, paying special attention to disputed areas.
The government, a year ago, had already formed separate entities within the Nepal Army headquarters to monitor activities along the border. But after the release of India’s new political map in November, two separate teams were formed to inspect Nepal’s borders with India and China, said Nepal Army officials.
Domestic airfares hit rock bottom amidst coronavirus travel advisory
The price of a domestic airline ticket has hit a record low, having consistently fallen over the past two weeks amidst the government’s travel advisory triggered by the Covid-19 outbreak.
Domestic air passengers are laughing all the way to the airport, but the burgeoning domestic airline industry is now battling for survival.
For instance, the normal one-way airfare on a Kathmandu-Bhadrapur flight is Rs9,100, but on Tuesday, travellers were able to buy a ticket for as low as Rs2,800.
Similarly, the lowest airfare for Kathmandu-Dhangadhi, the country’s longest domestic route, was available at Rs4,400, against the normal one-way airfare of Rs12,650. The airfare on Kathmandu-Janakpur was priced at Rs2,200 on Tuesday, down from Rs4,300.
PM Oli to be discharged only after doctors become confident and comfortable
Doctors on Monday said that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was recuperating well after his second kidney transplant.
“The prime minister’s health is improving. He will be discharged after we are confident and comfortable,” Dr Dibya Singh Shah, the prime minister's personal physician and a member of the team that performed transplant surgery on Oli, said at a press meet on Tuesday.
Shah added that before discharging Oli from the hospital, it was imperative that all the required medical arrangements were made at the prime minster’s residence.
Nepal's remaining fixtures of World Cup Qualifiers postponed
Nepal's remaining three home fixtures of the FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup Preliminary Joint Qualification matches have been postponed owing to Covid-19 outbreak, as per a statement by the Asian Football Confederation on Tuesday.
Nepal was set to host the return leg of the tournament against Taiwan on March 26, Australia on March 31 and Jordan on June 4 at the Dashrath Stadium, Kathmandu.
9.89°C Kathmandu
