The band John and The Locals, which has built a unique identity in the Nepali music scene, is now moving toward new heights.

The year 2026 looks to be a special one for the band, with plans ranging from local performances to an international tour.

First, the band has announced a special live show on the occasion of the Nepali New Year. They are preparing to deliver an energetic performance for audiences and music lovers celebrating the new year. With their popular songs, fresh energy, and live entertainment, the event is expected to be even more memorable.

Following that, the band is also preparing for a U.S. tour in July and August 2026. They plan to perform in various cities across the United States. This tour is considered a major achievement for the band, as it will provide an opportunity to connect directly with the Nepali community abroad and bring their music to an international audience.

According to sources, the official announcement of the tour dates and cities is expected soon. This news has further increased excitement among the band’s supporters.

For John and The Locals, 2026 is shaping up to be not just a busy year, but a new chapter of success, expansion, and international recognition.

KATHMANDU: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dr Bikram Timilsina today visited the Security Printing Center at Panauti Municipality-5, Kavre and acquired information on the latest status of driver’s license printing.

During the inspection, Communications Minister Dr Timilsina said the government is currently prioritising the improvement of public service delivery and is working to end the situation where citizens had to wait for a long time to obtain the license even after passing the trial.

He stated that from today, the arrangement to print and hand over the licence within 24 hours of paying the revenue after passing the trial has been implemented.

The Communications Minister announced that the license printing process is being accelerated and there is a goal to have all remaining licenses printed by July 16.

“The tendency to sit on feasible work by calling it impossible will end. The problem of not receiving the licence for months after passing the trial will be resolved, and the process of printing, which can be completed within 24 hours of paying the revenue, will be implemented from today itself,” he said.

Minister Dr Timilsina emphasized that the Security Printing Center should be developed as a significant state asset and a promising institution.

He mentioned that making the Center effective has been his priority since the first day of taking charge of the ministry, and problems had become complicated in various agencies due to a lack of necessary willpower and readiness in the past.

He emphasized the need to increase institutional responsibility by resolving those issues.

He expressed dissatisfaction over equipment purchased with large investments lying unused for years, while instructing to make effective use of the Center’s available equipment.

The minister emphasized the need to use equipment worth around Rs  one billion, including generators.

He also questioned why work could not be done in the past, given that machines that had been idle for three years are now operational and printing work is possible.

In the course of the monitoring, Minister Timilsina instructed the bodies concerned to give high priority to citizen’s data security, clarifying that the government would perform in favour of the people.

“The government does not carry out activities in the interest of anyone. It will run for people’s welfare,” he mentioned.

The Communications Minister opined that the ministry is committed to keeping the service seekers in the center as well as to listen and address their problems.

He added that the issues of making mobile network and internet services accessible and improving the quality across the country is also on the Ministry’s priority.

Minister Timilsina underlined that a target has been set to bring all citizens of the country to the access of technology within a year by addressing the complaints about the quality of Nepal Telecom’s service.

Similarly, Executive Director of Security Printing Center, Devraj Dhungana, mentioned that they have been preparing a business plan to make this organization strong in a sustainable manner.

He viewed that important documents like passports, cheque books, smartcards, postage stamps and exercise duty stickers could be printed from this centre in future. The centre has submitted a detailed plan along with around Rs 8 billion budget before the government, he added.

Dhungana shared that the center has now been printing around 40,000 licenses every day, adding a target has been set to print 1.2 million licenses within April 25 and the remaining 1.7 million licenses within July 16.

Lawmakers– Madhu Kumar Chaulagain, Dr Ram Lama, Badan Kumar Bhandari, among others were present on the occasion.

Minister Timilsina also enquired about the Center’s status of physical infrastructures, machines and empty buildings.

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Balendra Shah has expressed his respect, gratitude and appreciation to all mothers on the occasion of today’s Matatirtha Aunsi.

On this occasion, PM Shah has stated that the mother and motherland are above heaven, and has stated the mother as a symbol of the nation, while wishing for Nepal’s bright future.

Taking to his social sites, the PM has described the mother’s lap as warm and her feet as pious like a pilgrimage site and stated that mothers as an unmatched example of love and sacrifice.

In his message, PM Shah has wished all mothers for their long life and has praised mothers as the first teacher in life.

PM Shah has emphasized that children of all mothers should create an environment to make their mothers feel proud through their deeds and should bring smiles to mothers’ faces.

KATHMANDU: There is a partial influence of westerly and local winds in the country and has led to partly cloudy weather conditions in most parts of the country today.

The weather is generally cloudy in the Himalayan region, partly cloudy in the hilly region and generally fair in the Tarai region.

The Weather Forecasting Division of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology shared that light rain and snowfall is taking place in one or two places of the hilly and Himalayan regions of the Koshi Province.

This afternoon, generally cloudy conditions are expected in the hills and Himalayan regions of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces.

There is a possibility of light rain and snowfall at one or two places in the hills and Himalayan regions of Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces.

Later tonight, generally cloudy conditions are expected in the hills and Himalayan regions of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces, and partly cloudy in the Tarai area of the Koshi Province and the hilly regions of the other remaining provinces.

KATHMANDU: Matatirtha Aunsi or Mother’s Day is being celebrated in honour of mothers with devotion across the country today.

This festival is considered a day of devotion, respect, and recognition of mothers, who are revered as greater than priests and fathers in the religious scriptures, and a day to seek blessings from them.

It is customary for children to get up early this morning, take a bath, dress their mother in beautiful clothes, and feed her with sweets to seek her blessings and recognize her contributions and very important roles in the family and society.

Those who have already lost their mother remember them and the great and difficult deeds she accomplished by making offerings to her soul and offering food to the needy in her remembrance.

Ancient Vedic scriptures highlight the importance of mother and the motherland in the noble saying, ‘Janani Janmabhoomischa Swargadapi Gariyasi’, meaning that the mother who gives birth and the motherland are greater and more loving than heaven, said Theologist and a Member of the Nepal Calendar Determination Committee, Prof. Dr Devmani Bhattarai.

He said it is mentioned in the scriptures that the importance of a mother is a thousand times greater than that of a father. Because of such importance, the living mother is honoured and served with sweet delicacies and gifts while offerings are made in the name of the deceased mother with devotion.

On this occasion, a fair is held today at Mata Tirtha in Chandragiri Municipality in Kathmandu while many visit temples and gather at river confluences and banks to pray for eternal peace for their late mothers.

Those with a living mother visit her with various gifts while seeking her blessings.