Communities in towns that line Nepal’s main highways are better able to deal with the severe water and sanitation issues that result from sudden and massive urbanization.

Birtamod, Jhapa—Every drop of fresh water from the tap in Durga Ratna Darjini’s home reminds her of the days, not so long ago, when she had to pump unclean ground water up by hand.

Access to safe drinking water has made the widow’s life easier in a multitude of ways, she says.

At least seven persons belonging to two families were killed and four others went missing in a landslide that hit a remote village of Thukimba-6 of Taplejung district Wednesday night.

The victims have been identified as Salman Siwa, 40, his wife Manamaya Siwa, 36, their sons Nasiram Siwa and Khagendra Siwa including Naina Siwa, 10, daughter of Tejman Siwa. Two people who were also killed in the incident are yet to be identified. The bodies of the victims were recovered from a huge pile of debris.

What are possible models for Nepal’s education system in the future federal state structure? This question is at the center of the new two year project “Planning effective delivery of education in a federal state” that UNESCO will present at a meeting on 30 May 2013.

Funded with a budget of USD 378,000 by the United Nations Peace Fund for Nepal (UNPFN), the project contributes to Nepal’s peace and development process by fostering constructive dialogue and planning leading to progress in constitution making.

JHIRPU PHULPINGKATT, Nepal , Jun 2 2013 (IPS) - Residents of Jhirpu Phulpingkatt, a village nestled in the foothills of the Himalayas, about 110 km from Nepal’s capital Kathmandu, are on red alert.

As the impacts of climate change batter the towering mountains above them, these villagers on the banks of the Bhote Koshi river have started to dread the sound of incoming text messages, which may carry evacuation warnings.

KAPILBASTU, 30 May 2013 (IRIN) - "Before my house had a toilet, I would have to ask my grandsons to help me out into a field, hold me up, and stay with me until I was done," Krishna Devi, a 59-year-old woman with a physical disability in Nepal's southern Kapilbastu District along the border with India, told IRIN.

"It was humiliating," she said, "but now with a toilet I have independence and control over my own life."

Kathmandu is the most at-risk city in the world to a major earthquake. Current assessments suggest that a magnitude 8.0 earthquake in the Kathmandu Valley would result in at least 100,000 deaths, 300,000 injured, and over 1 million persons displaced. In addition, major bridges and critical infrastructure, such as the only international airport, would be severely affected which could isolate the Valley from outside assistance. This poses significant challenges for an immediate and effective response.

Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation - Wed, 22 May 2013 10:45 AM
Author: Saleem Shaikh and Sughra Tunio

JHIRPU PHULPINGKATTI, Nepal (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – For years, Deepa Newar and her neighbours lived with the fear that their livelihoods – and even their lives – might be swept away without warning.

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Forest fire has adverse ecological and economic effects and is a major concern in many countries. A reliable and timely fire detection and monitoring system is an important part of forest fire management. In view of their large-area repetitive coverage, satellite data are useful for near real-time fire detection, monitoring, and burnt area assessment.

KATHMANDU - The Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction (MoPR) together with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and German development agency Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), today inaugurated a new road that connects remote villages of Baitadi district in far-western Nepal, providing communities with better access to markets, health centres, schools and other key facilities.