KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
HoR endorses govt’s policies and programs by majority
The policy and program introduced by the government has been passed by a majority. Speaker Devraj Ghimire announced that the policies and programs was approved after a majority of MPs supported it during the House of Representatives (HoR) meeting on Sunday. The policies and programs, which was presented at the joint session of the Federal Parliament on May 2, received backing from the ruling parties, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, while opposition parties voiced their opposition.
PM Oli pledges ‘game-changing’ development policies
Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli has expressed his commitment to radically improving the style, pace, and culture of the country’s development, announcing the end of the trend of ‘always working but never finishing.’ Responding to questions raised in the House of Representatives (HoR) today, Prime Minister Oli reiterated his concerns about the ‘work in progress’ trend mentioned last year, emphasizing that the country’s development cannot move forward without changing this approach.
PM Oli urges swift passage of key bills for policy implementation
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has called on the House of Representatives to expedite the passage of crucial bills necessary to implement the government’s policies and programs.
Responding to lawmakers during Sunday’s House session, the Prime Minister emphasized the urgency of passing several long-pending bills, including the Federal Civil Service Bill, the Nepal Police Bill, the Armed Police Force Nepal Bill, and the Alternative Development Finance Mobilization Bill.
Civil Servants submit signature campaign demanding inclusion in Federal Act
The Nepal Civil Servants Union has submitted a collection of signatures to the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, demanding that their concerns be addressed in the proposed Federal Civil Service Act.
Union Central Secretary Prakash Bhattarai handed over the signatures to the committee’s chairperson, Ramhari Khatiwada, highlighting the need to ensure career development, service security, and professional welfare for all civil servants. He stated that the signature campaign was initiated in collaboration with the Non-Gazetted Employees Protection Campaign and reflected the common concerns of employees working across similar levels.
MPs push to retain two-year ‘cooling period’ in Civil Service Bill
Members of the State Affairs Committee of the Federal Parliament have insisted on keeping a two-year “cooling period” provision in the Civil Service Bill. In a meeting held on Friday, lawmakers stressed that a civil servant or any government employee should not be eligible for appointment to constitutional or public posts until two years after their retirement.
During the discussion, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak urged committee members to endorse the “Bill to Make Provisions Regarding the Formation, Operation, and Conditions of Service of the Federal Civil Service, 2023.”
PM Oli urges peaceful dissent, rejects royalist call for Jestha 15 protest
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has strongly dismissed the royalist campaign set to begin on May 29 (Jestha 15), calling it a “retrograde dream” that has no future in Nepal.
Speaking in the House of Representatives on Sunday while responding to lawmakers’ questions on the government’s policies and programs, PM Oli said, “Let this Jestha 15 come and go—no retrograde dream will be revived on any Jestha 15 from now on. Let us abandon such fantasies and focus on developing the country.”
Home Minister seeks time to build consensus on Civil Service Bill
Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has requested five to six days to discuss and resolve the remaining points of disagreement in the Civil Service Bill. The request was made during a meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee under the House of Representatives, held at Singha Durbar on Sunday.
The bill, which aims to make provisions regarding the formation, operation, and conditions of service of the Federal Civil Service, remains under debate due to differing views on key issues such as the age limit for retirement and the proposed two-year cooling period.
PM Oli blames previous govt for grey list inclusion
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has blamed the previous administration for Nepal’s placement on the international ‘grey list’ for money laundering, calling it a consequence of weak governance.
Responding to lawmakers’ queries during the House of Representatives’ discussion on the government’s policies and programs on Sunday, Oli said, “This result has come about due to the weaknesses of the previous government.”
He said his administration is committed to addressing the lapses that led to Nepal’s increased scrutiny in international financial monitoring.
All infrastructure sector projects have been re-prioritized: PM Oli
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said the government’s policies and programmes for the fiscal year 2025-26 are neither old nor the same and that all projects in the infrastructure sector have been re-prioritized.
Responding to the questions raised during the discussion on the government’s policies and programmes at today’s meeting of the House of Representatives, he reiterated that the nation cannot move ahead without changing the modality of development and construction, the slow pace, and the ‘work in progress’ culture. He emphasized that we need to be clear about where to invest our limited resources and what results we aim to achieve from it.
Lawmakers call for pro-people budget and address urgent local issues in house meeting
Lawmakers in Sunday’s House of Representatives meeting urged the government to prioritize pressing national and local concerns in the upcoming fiscal year’s budget.
Speaking during zero hour, they drew the government’s attention to issues ranging from landlessness, infrastructure gaps, and disaster preparedness to agriculture, employment, and public services.
Govt committed to addressing private sector concerns: Finance Minister Paudel
Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has assured that the government is committed to resolving the challenges faced by industrialists and entrepreneurs in the country.
Speaking at a pre-budget discussion organized by the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) in Kathmandu on Sunday, Minister Paudel said that the government is well aware of the difficulties facing the private sector and is working in collaboration with it to find practical solutions.
Shiv Sena Nepal chair arrested over Tinkune incident
Police have arrested Anil Baba Basnet, Chairman of Shiv Sena Nepal, in connection with the recent Tinkune incident that took place on March 28. Basnet was taken into custody from the meeting venue of the royalist joint people’s movement struggle committee. According to royalist activist Rama Singh, police arrived at the Navadurga Party Palace in Sukedhara with a court-issued arrest warrant and arrested Basnet.
Sagarmatha Sambaad aiming to forge common perspective on climate change crisis: Forest Minister
Minister for Forests and Environment, Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri, has said that the upcoming ‘Sagarmatha Sambaad’ aims to draw global attention to the impacts Nepal has faced due to climate change and to build a shared understanding toward solutions.
Highlighting Nepal’s commitment to conservation and environmental dialogue, Minister Shahi said the event will not only showcase Nepal’s successful practices but also serve as a platform to learn from global experiences. The first edition of Sagarmatha Sambaad will be held in Kathmandu from May 16 to 18 and will continue as a biennial event.
Gold price drops by Rs 300, silver remains stable
The price of gold in the domestic market saw a slight decline on Sunday, according to the Nepal Gold and Silver Merchants Federation. The federation reported that gold is being traded at Rs 190,500 per tola today, a drop of Rs 300 from the previous trading day, when it was priced at Rs 190,800 per tola.
Lawmakers call for budget reforms amid growing public debt
In Sunday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, lawmakers from various parties raised concerns about economic management, urging the government to prioritize cost-cutting, boost domestic employment, and ensure efficient resource utilization in its upcoming budget and policies.
Nepali Congress MP Ramhari Khatiwada suggested merging the staff of the Office of the President and the Office of the Vice President to reduce administrative expenses.
Writ against Rabi Lamichhane deferred by Supreme Court due to judicial conflict
The Supreme Court has deferred the hearing of a habeas corpus writ filed against Rastriya Swatantra Party Chair Rabi Lamichhane, citing potential judicial conflict of interest.
The case was listed for hearing on Sunday before a joint bench of Justices Sunil Kumar Pokharel and Bal Krishna Dhakal. However, both justices had previously been involved in cases related to Lamichhane, prompting the court to place the matter on the deferred list.
Pokharel criticizes Prachanda’s remarks as ‘frustrated,’ highlights govt’s achievements
CPN-UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel has accused Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ of being increasingly frustrated after losing power, claiming that his recent remarks are driven more by emotion than fact. In a post on Facebook today, Pokharel said Prachanda’s statements no longer carry substance, but reflect political bitterness. His comments came in response to Prachanda’s recent criticism of the current government during an address in Phidim, Panchthar.
SC resumes hearing on writ against 52 constitutional bodies appointments
The Supreme Court has resumed hearing on the writ petition filed against the appointment of 52 officials to various constitutional bodies during the tenure of the KP Sharma Oli-led government. The case, which has remained undecided for the past four years, is now being re-heard by the Constitutional Bench from today.
RPP MP Shahi criticizes Labor Ministry for failing to address youth unemployment
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) MP Gyanendra Shahi has stated that nearly 8 million Nepali youths are currently abroad in search of employment. Shahi criticized the Labor Ministry for its failure to address their welfare. Speaking at a House of Representatives meeting on Sunday, he said, “Around 8 million youths are forced to seek work abroad, yet the Labor Ministry and the Foreign Ministry have remained silent.”
India gifts EVs for Sagarmatha Sambaad
The Government of India has provided 15 electric vehicles to Nepal in support of the first edition of the Sagarmatha Sambaad. The vehicles were handed over under the Nepal-India Cooperation Program during a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.
At the event, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava formally presented the vehicles to Foreign Minister Dr. Arju Rana Deuba.
India and Pakistan trade blame for ceasefire violations hours after truce announcement
India and Pakistan have blamed each other for breaching a ceasefire agreement just hours after both countries publicly committed to halting cross-border attacks, following four days of intense military confrontation, according to BBC. Explosions were reported in Indian-administered Kashmir, prompting India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri to allege “repeated violations” of the freshly agreed ceasefire. Shortly afterward, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that while it remained committed to the truce, India was carrying out breaches in certain areas.
Indian PM Modi chairs high-level security meeting amid border tensions
Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi chaired a high-level security meeting at his official residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, amid heightened tensions along the India–Pakistan border.
The meeting was attended by key members of the national security and defense establishment, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), and the Chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
Mitch Hutchcraft completes longest Everest ascent
Mitch Hutchcraft, a former Royal Marine, reached the summit of Mount Everest at on Sunday, completing what is being described as the longest recorded ascent of the world’s highest peak.
According to sources at Everest Base Camp, Hutchcraft reached the summit alongside his guide, Gelje Sherpa of AGA Adventures at 9 am. The British adventurer set off from his home in Dover around eight months ago, embarking on an extraordinary journey of over 13,000 kilometers.
124 vultures recorded in Surkhet’s Chaukune
The number of vultures in Chaukune Rural Municipality, Surkhet, has increased following local government efforts to conserve biodiversity through the introduction of a Forest and Environment Act. Chairman of the rural municipality, Khadak BK, said that a total of 124 vultures were recently recorded in the area. As part of the conservation drive, 12 monitoring groups have been formed, and two officials have been assigned specifically to oversee vulture conservation efforts.
First-ever hand tractor arrives in Chepang settlement, carried for two hours
A hand tractor has yet to reach Kanda in Chitwan, where the Chepang community resides. The residents are forced to walk for over two hours from the nearest vehicle-accessible point. However, for the first time, the Chepang community has managed to bring a hand tractor to the village. The arrival of the hand tractor, meant for plowing fields, has astonished the locals. Sita Bahadur Chepang, president of the Miteri Farmers’ Group, expressed that the whole community was overjoyed with the tractor’s arrival.
Unilever Nepal posts steady Rs. 48.22 crore profit in Q3 despite revenue decline
Unilever Nepal Limited (UNL) reported a net profit of Rs. 48.22 crores for the third quarter of fiscal year 2081/82, marking a slight decrease of 0.80% compared to Rs. 486.1 million in the same quarter last year. The company’s annualized earnings per share (EPS) dipped slightly to Rs. 698.08 from Rs. 703.73.
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