KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
PM Oli briefs President on formation of constitutional amendment task force
Prime Minister (PM) KP Oli met with President Ram Chandra Poudel on Friday afternoon at Sheetal Niwas.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Oli informed President Poudel that he is forming a task force to move forward with the constitutional amendment process.
According to a source, the collaboration between the two ruling parties is focused on advancing the constitutional amendment agenda, and the task force is being formed to facilitate this process.
Rabi Lamichhane to remain suspended from parliament despite bail
Rabi Lamichhane, the Chair of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, remains suspended as a Member of Parliament following his involvement in a cooperative fraud and money laundering case.
Lamichhane was first suspended on December 23 after the Kaski District Court registered a case against him.
The suspension was reinforced when Kaski Police informed the Parliament Secretariat about the case, which includes allegations of cooperative fraud, organized crime, and money laundering.
11-year-old girl dies after being hit by JCB
An 11-year-old girl lost her life after being struck by a JCB in Nagarjuna Municipality-6 on Friday.
The victim, identified as Anusa Tamang, daughter of Panchakumari Tamang, was hit by a JCB (Ba 2 Ka 6088) near White Gumba on Friday afternoon.
She sustained critical injuries and was rushed to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
Police have confirmed that the JCB driver has been taken into custody as part of the ongoing investigation.
NRB makes national ID mandatory to open microfinance accounts
Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has mandated the use of national identity cards for opening accounts in microfinance financial institutions starting January 14.
The move is aimed at bolstering customer identification and verification processes to align with anti-money laundering regulations.
In a recent directive, the central bank instructed microfinance institutions to verify national identity card details using electronic records before approving account openings.
This requirement is in accordance with the Money Laundering Prevention Act, 2008, and the Money Laundering Prevention Regulations, 2017, which emphasize stricter customer identification standards.
Gold prices rise for third consecutive day
The price of gold in Nepal has seen a steady increase for three consecutive days, with a notable rise of Rs 800 per tola on Friday, bringing the price to Rs 154,100.
This follows previous increases of Rs 500 on Wednesday and Rs 800 on Thursday.
Alongside gold, silver prices also rose on Friday, increasing by Rs 5 per tola to Rs 1,845. The price of silver was Rs 1,840 per tola on Thursday.
In the international market, gold is currently being traded at USD 2,673 per ounce, while silver is priced at USD 30.21 per ounce.
Plummeting temperatures and fog leave Tarai vulnerable to cold wave disaster
As temperatures plummet and fog blankets the Tarai for the fifth consecutive day, residents face the looming threat of a cold wave.
However, inadequate preparations to mitigate the impact of this natural disaster have left communities vulnerable.
Government data reveals that cold waves have claimed 116 lives over the past 11 years, highlighting the urgency for effective response mechanisms.
Statistics from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority indicate that the cold wave’s deadliest impact has been in Rautahat, which recorded 63 fatalities.
Department of Drug Administration warns against sale of unapproved medicine
The Department of Drug Administration (DDA) has issued a stern warning against the sale and distribution of pharmaceutical supplements containing banned vitamins and minerals.
The department has threatened legal action against those found selling such unapproved drugs.
In a public notice, the department urged retailers and distributors to halt the sale of these supplements immediately.
According to Director General Narayan Prasad Dhakal, the safety, quality, and value of unapproved drugs cannot be guaranteed, posing potential health risks to the public.
PM Oli and RPP Nepal Chair Kamal Thapa discuss constitutional amendment
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Nepal Chair Kamal Thapa met this morning to exchange views on pressing national issues.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Oli reiterated the government’s commitment to amending the constitution through consensus.
Addressing recent remarks regarding a possible amendment timeline, Oli clarified that achieving consensus among all parliamentary parties would take time.
He indicated that while some parties are opposed to the amendment, delaying the process might become necessary under the current circumstances.
SC upholds Rs 226 million fine against Bhatbhateni for tax evasion
The Supreme Court of Nepal has made public the full text of its judgment regarding the tax evasion case involving Bhatbhateni Super Market and Departmental Store Pvt. Ltd.
The judgment, delivered by the full bench of the court, upholds the decision of the Inland Revenue Department, confirming that Bhatbhateni evaded taxes by submitting false and fake invoices for goods purchased between August 2007 and February 2011.
Comment