KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
Ramhari Khatiwada resigns as chair of State Affairs and Good Governance Committee
Nepali Congress lawmaker Ramhari Khatiwada has resigned from his position as chairperson of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee following growing pressure over ethical concerns. Khatiwada faced criticism for alleged manipulation related to the cooling-off period provision in the Federal Civil Service Bill. The controversy intensified after the parliamentary committee, chaired by Khatiwada, passed amendments that were seen as weakening constitutional safeguards on the cooling-off period.
NEPSE falls by 26.22 points
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) dropped 26.22 points on Tuesday, closing at 2,796.24, down 0.92 percent from the previous day. By the end of trading, a total of 17,671,675 shares worth Rs 6.91 billion had changed hands. Out of 323 listed companies that saw activity, 24 posted gains, 225 declined, and one remained unchanged.
Youth wasting time on TikTok: Arzu Rana Deuba
Foreign Minister Dr. Arju Rana Deuba has expressed concern over the growing addiction of Nepali youth to social media platforms such as TikTok. Speaking at an event organized by Nepal Youth Foundation on International Youth Day, she urged young people to use these platforms responsibly and focus on expanding their knowledge and skills. “Many youths are getting trapped in social media addictions. I encourage you to use these platforms only to enhance your learning and abilities,” Minister Rana said.
Bill on Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection presented in National Assembly
The government has introduced the Intangible Cultural Heritage Protection Bill, 2024 in the National Assembly to establish legal provisions for safeguarding Nepal’s intangible cultural heritage. The bill was tabled on Tuesday by Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Badri Pandey. Speaking during the presentation, Minister Pandey said, “Nepal is a state party to the 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. As a party to this convention, it is necessary to implement its provisions effectively, which is why this bill has been introduced.”
Lama faction of Nepali Congress threatens to withhold confidence vote
Fourteen Bagmati Provincial Assembly members from the Bahadur Singh Lama faction of the Nepali Congress have decided not to support newly appointed Chief Minister Indra Bahadur Baniya in his confidence vote unless a prior gentleman’s agreement, made in the presence of party president Sher Bahadur Deuba, is implemented. The provincial assembly is scheduled to meet at 4 pm on Tuesday, when CM Baniya will table his proposal to secure the assembly’s trust. However, Lama’s supporters are currently holding internal discussions in Kathmandu and are firm in their stance that they will not back Baniya until ministers appointed by former CM Lama on July 29 are reinstated.
Tarai bears brunt of Nepal’s human–elephant conflict
Nepal joined the global community in marking World Elephant Day on Tuesday with awareness programs, even as human–elephant conflict intensifies, particularly in the eastern Tarai region. Experts warn that habitat loss, encroachment on elephant corridors, and infrastructure development have forced wild elephants into human settlements, resulting in deaths, crop destruction, and damage to homes. In some cases, elephants have died from electric fencing installed to protect communities.
KMC honours MMA champion Rabindra Dhant
The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has honored Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Rabindra Dhant for winning the Matrix Fight Night (MFN) bantamweight title. Dhant, who claimed the championship at MFN 17 in Noida, India, was awarded a cash prize of Rs 200,000 along with the felicitation. The ceremony, held at the KMC office on Tuesday, was attended by Mayor Balen Shah, Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol, and Chief Administrative Officer Saroj Guragain.
Govt to roll out ‘Digital Nepal Framework–2’ this year: Minister Gurung
Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has announced that the second phase of the Digital Nepal Framework (DNF–2) will be implemented later this year. Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly’s Development, Economic Affairs, and Good Governance Committee on Tuesday, Minister Gurung said the draft of DNF–2 has been completed and will soon be submitted to the Cabinet for approval.
Finance Ministry releases report identifying 11 fiscal risks with 21 strategies for mitigation
The Ministry of Finance has published a comprehensive report titled “Fiscal Risk and Strategy” outlining potential financial risks facing Nepal and proposing strategies to mitigate them. The report identifies 11 key financial risks grouped into three major categories: macroeconomic risks, specific risks, and institutional risks. It also presents 21 targeted strategies aimed at reducing these risks and strengthening Nepal’s fiscal stability.
SC rejects Mukul Dhakal’s petition to reinstate him as RSP General Secretary
The Supreme Court has dismissed the petition filed by Mukul Dhakal, founding General Secretary of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), seeking reinstatement to his former post. The decision was issued on Tuesday by a bench comprising Justices Nahakul Subedi and Sunil Kumar Pokharel, who concluded the hearing and ordered the petition’s dismissal. Along with the dismissal, the Court issued a directive order, the full text of which has not yet been released.
NC didn’t push me to step down: Ramhari Khatiwada
Nepali Congress lawmaker Ramhari Khatiwada has clarified that he resigned from the chairmanship of the State Affairs Committee on his own accord, with no pressure from the party. Speaking to journalists at the Parliament building after announcing his resignation during Tuesday’s House meeting, Khatiwada said the party president had urged him to continue in the position, but he stepped down because his conscience did not allow him to stay.
Nepal reports 169 new dengue cases; total infections reach 2,886
In the past week, 169 new cases of dengue fever have been reported across Nepal, bringing the total number of infections to 2,886, according to data from the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD). Gandaki Province has recorded the highest number of cases, with 867 infections. This is followed by Bagmati Province with 603 cases, Koshi Province with 499, Lumbini Province with 447, Sudurpaschim Province with 344, Karnali Province with 75, and Madhesh Province with 51 confirmed dengue cases.
India approves additional 200 MW electricity import from Nepal
India has approved Nepal’s request to export an additional 200 megawatts of electricity, the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) announced. This approval covers power generated from five hydropower projects. Previously, India had permitted the import of 810.9 MW from Nepal, bringing the total export capacity to 1,011 MW.
Despite economic growth, revenue collection remains slow
While Nepal’s economy shows steady growth across most indicators in recent years, the country’s revenue collection has failed to keep pace, raising concerns about tax leakage and informal economic activities. According to the Ministry of Finance, except for a few years, Nepal’s GDP has consistently risen over the past decade. Key indicators such as foreign trade, new industrial registrations, remittance inflows, credit flow, government expenditure, social security payments, and pensions have all increased steadily.
Speaker holds talks on implementing parliamentary probe report on Civil Service Bill errors
Speaker Devraj Ghimire is holding consultations with political party leaders on the implementation of a parliamentary probe committee’s report regarding errors in the Federal Civil Service Bill. This morning at 11 am, the Speaker convened a joint meeting with the chief whips of parliamentary parties to seek their opinions. Ghimire had previously held discussions with party leaders as well as officials from the Parliament Secretariat.
Unified Socialist bars leaders, cadres from publicly criticizing party
The CPN (Unified Socialist) has instructed its leaders and cadres not to make comments that go against party rules and procedures. The party issued the directive today, prohibiting expressions that violate party discipline and the posting of such remarks on social media. Chair of the party’s Central Disciplinary Commission, Shiva Bahadur Deuja, said members have been urged not to make statements that could harm the party’s image and to refrain from writing such comments on social platforms.
Gold prices continues downward trend
Gold prices have decreased by Rs 1,300 per tola on Tuesday. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the price of gold has been set at Rs 196,800 per tola. The price of silver has also gone down by Rs 10 and is being sold at Rs 2,305 per tola.
Rice plantation reaches 91% nationwide
Nepal has completed rice plantation on 91 percent of its cultivable paddy fields, eight percentage points higher than the same period last year, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. So far, around 1.254 million hectares of land have been planted with paddy out of the total 1.4 million hectares suitable for cultivation.
Illegal sand mining rampant in Kaligandaki River despite monsoon ban
Despite a legal provision prohibiting the extraction of riverbed materials during the monsoon season, large-scale illegal sand mining is underway in the Kaligandaki River along the Baglung and Parbat sections. The law bans extraction from June to August 31, yet over a dozen locations on both sides of the river are witnessing unchecked exploitation.
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