KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
All Nepalis in Iran and Israel are safe: Foreign Ministry
The Government of Nepal has confirmed that all Nepali nationals currently residing in Iran and Israel are safe.
Issuing a statement on Sunday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said there are approximately 5,500 Nepalis in Israel and 12 in Iran. According to the latest information, none of them have been harmed amid the recent tensions between the two countries.
In light of developments over the past three days, Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has been in regular contact with Nepali ambassadors based in Israel and Qatar. The Nepali embassy in Doha, Qatar, also oversees matters related to Iran.
Gyanendra Shahi boycotts House, accuses Speaker of siding with middlemen
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) chief whip Gyanendra Shahi has accused the Speaker and the Parliament of siding with middlemen in the controversial visit visa case.
Speaking to the media at the Parliament building in New Baneshwor on Sunday, Shahi said they chose to boycott the House because the session was being forced despite strong opposition from several parties. He claimed the Speaker and the Parliament had aligned themselves with those allegedly involved in the visit visa scam.
He argued that there is no point in participating in parliamentary proceedings if lawmakers’ voices are ignored. Shahi also said that if the Speaker continues to act against parliamentary regulations, the relevance of the Parliament itself is called into question.
Report on Federal Civil Service Bill tabled in House of Representatives
The report on the Federal Civil Service Bill, 2082 B.S, prepared by the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, has been tabled in the House of Representatives.
The committee’s chair, Ramhari Khatiwada, presented the report on Sunday. The House had earlier decided, during its meeting on 15 Jestha 2081, to send the 2080 bill—related to the formation, operation, and terms of service of the federal civil service—for clause-wise discussion and amendment in the committee.
During clause-wise deliberations, on 20 Bhadra 2081 B.S., the concerned minister briefed the committee on the purpose and justification for introducing the bill on behalf of the government.
Maoist leader urges RSP to join budget debate, says visit visa demands have been addressed
CPN (Maoist Centre) deputy general secretary Barshaman Pun on Sunday called on the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) to participate in the ongoing budget discussions in the House of Representatives, stating that their demands regarding the visit visa scandal have already been addressed.
Speaking during the budget debate, Pun said the two-point agreement reached with the ruling coalition and CPN-UML to end the parliamentary deadlock did not involve any political trade-offs. He emphasized that the government had committed to a fair investigation into the visa scam and that the demand for an impartial probe remains unchanged.
Pun noted that the government had agreed to complete the investigation within 30 days, as per the opposition’s demand, and suggested that this should be enough for the RSP to rejoin the parliamentary process. He also encouraged the RSP—describing it as a new party—to continue learning from parliamentary procedures and work alongside other parties.
Maoist party defends deal with ruling coalition on visit visa scandal
Nepal’s main opposition party, CPN (Maoist Centre), is facing intense criticism after reaching a controversial agreement with the ruling coalition over the recent high-profile ‘visit visa scandal,’ in which top officials have been accused of involvement. The party, however, defended its move during a parliamentary session on Sunday.
Speaking during discussions on the appropriation bill for the upcoming fiscal year, Maoist deputy general secretary and former finance minister Barshaman Pun referred to ‘the people’ four times in an apparent attempt to justify the two-point agreement reached with the Nepali Congress and the ruling CPN-UML.
The Maoists had previously been obstructing parliamentary proceedings since June 3, demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and a parliamentary investigation into the visa scam. But on June 13, the party unexpectedly signed an agreement with the ruling coalition that made no mention of either demand.
Lumbini provincial government presents Rs 38.91 billion budget for FY 2082/83
The Lumbini provincial government has unveiled a budget of Rs 38.91 billion for the upcoming fiscal year 2082/83. Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning Dhanendra Karki presented the budget at the Provincial Assembly on Sunday.
Of the total allocation, Rs 12.01 billion (30.88%) has been earmarked for recurrent expenditure, while Rs 23.47 billion (60.32%) has been set aside for capital expenditure. An additional Rs 3.42 billion (8.8%) has been allocated for fiscal transfers.
The government aims to finance the budget through multiple sources. Internal revenue is projected at Rs 7.78 billion, revenue sharing from the federal government at Rs 11.86 billion, royalties at Rs 415 million, and shared revenue from local levels at Rs 2.83 billion.
Cooperative fraud case filed against Rabi Lamichhane and 28 others in Parsa
A case has been filed at the Parsa District Court against former Home Minister and Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chair Rabi Lamichhane along with 28 others in connection with the misappropriation of funds from Sano Paila Savings and Credit Cooperative based in Birgunj.
The District Government Attorney’s Office registered the case after completing a detailed review of the police investigation report submitted about a month ago.
Lamichhane has been accused of financial irregularities amounting to Rs 57.4 million.
Karnali Province assembly meeting halted due to dispute between ruling and opposition parties
The scheduled Karnali Province Assembly meeting, meant for tabling the provincial budget for fiscal year 2082/83, could not convene on Sunday due to disagreements between the ruling coalition and the opposition.
Chief Whip of the main opposition party, CPN (Maoist Centre), Krishna Bahadur GC, said the dispute arose because the government failed to make the project bank public before bringing the budget. He alleged that the budget included projects from outside the ministers’ own constituencies without transparency.
“The government has brought the budget unilaterally, without consultation,” GC stated. “The so-called project bank lacks transparency, and we have no idea what projects it includes.”
Madhesh Province increases budget by 6.13%, totals over Rs 46.58 billion
The size of Madhesh Province’s budget for the fiscal year 2082/83 has increased by 6.13% compared to the previous year.
According to Finance Minister Sunil Kumar Yadav, the total budget has reached Rs 46.58 billion.
Out of this, Rs 16.72 billion (35.89%) has been allocated for recurrent expenditure, while Rs 30.26 billion (64.11%) is allocated for capital expenditure.
Gandaki Province unveils Rs 31.98 billion budget for upcoming fiscal year
The Gandaki Province Government has announced a budget of Rs 31.98 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. said that Rs 12.63 billion (39.5%) has been allocated for recurrent expenditure, while Rs 19.09 billion (59.7%) is earmarked for capital expenditure.
Additionally, Rs 250 million has been allocated for financial management.
The government expects to receive Rs 7.73 billion through fiscal equalization and Rs 9.29 billion from revenue sharing. Internal revenue is projected to reach Rs 5.45 billion, while Rs 1.75 billion will be raised through internal loans.
1,717 people donate blood at single location, setting national record
A total of 1,717 people donated blood at a blood donation festival organized in Bharatpur, setting a new national record for the highest number of donations collected at a single location in one day.
Blood donors from all seven municipalities of Chitwan district participated in the event, which was organized on Saturday by the Chitwan branch of Blood Donors Society Nepal.
Of the total blood collected, 1,536 units were stored by the Nepal Red Cross Society’s Provincial Blood Transfusion Center in Bharatpur, and 181 units were stored at the Bharatpur Hospital Blood Bank.
Budget discussion held in near-empty parliament
Amid protests and sloganeering, the general discussion on the fiscal budget began in the House of Representatives (HoR), with most seats lying empty due to opposition disruptions.
Lawmakers from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) surrounded the well of the House and chanted slogans, while Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) members boycotted the meeting and walked out. As a result, the opposition benches were largely vacant.
Even ruling party lawmakers showed limited presence, contributing to the subdued atmosphere.
Tourism Minister emphasizes promotion of religious tourism
Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Badri Prasad Pandey, has stressed the need to promote Nepal’s religious tourism to attract more visitors from neighboring countries, particularly China and India.
Speaking at the inauguration of a five-day program on ‘Mountainous Buddhist Religion and Traditions’ organized by the Bouddhanath Area Development Committee on Saturday, Minister Pandey said several religious sites in Nepal are shared centers of faith for both Chinese and Indian devotees.
Highlighting the deep-rooted cultural and spiritual ties between the nations, he remarked, “Our shared religious heritage makes both the Buddha and Vedic traditions sacred to people in China and India alike.”
Public trust in Public Service Commission’s impartiality remains strong: PM Oli
Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli has said that the Public Service Commission (PSC) continues to enjoy strong public trust for its impartial role in civil service recruitment.
Speaking at a program held to mark the Commission’s diamond jubilee, Prime Minister Oli praised its contribution in maintaining competence, integrity, and neutrality while selecting personnel for the civil service, security agencies, and other organized institutions.
“I’m pleased to learn that the Commission has improved its examination system by making it more technology-friendly and timely to meet the aspirations of Nepal and the Nepali people,” said Oli.
RPP boycotts House, accuses ruling coalition of arrogance
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) lawmakers boycotted Sunday’s meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR), demanding an investigation into Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak over the visit visa scandal.
The party said that the ruling coalition pushed ahead with the budget discussion despite opposition protests.
According to RPP, the boycott followed lawmakers standing in protest, surrounding the well of the House, and chanting slogans as the meeting agenda was introduced.
Land ownership certificates distributed to unorganized settlers of Kohalpur
Land ownership certificates (Lalpurja) have been handed over to 86 unorganized settlers of Ward No. 1 in Kohalpur Municipality, who have been living there for years, according to Ghanath Khanal, Chairman of the Land Problem Resolution Commission District Committee.
“We are committed to making unorganized settlers and squatters rightful landowners,” said Chairman Khanal. “We are working diligently to meet the hopes and expectations entrusted to us.”
The Commission has announced plans to distribute Lalpurja to an additional 774 unorganized settlers of Kohalpur-1 starting from 16 Asad.
Indian Embassy gifts ambulance to Simkot Rural Municipality
The Embassy of India in Kathmandu has donated an ambulance to Simkot Rural Municipality in Humla district under the Nepal-India Development Partnership Programme.
Rural Municipality Chair Bijay Bhandari said the ambulance, handed over on Saturday, will be used to transport patients from all eight wards of Simkot.
He noted that the new vehicle will make it easier to take patients to the hospital, as the municipality previously lacked such a facility.
Maoist Center betrayed us: RSP
Santosh Pariyar, Chief Whip of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has accused the main opposition, Maoist Centre, of betraying other opposition parties under the pretext of a two-point agreement.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of chief whips called by Speaker Devraj Ghimire, Pariyar said the RSP has been protesting over issues related to visit visas and immigration, but the Maoist Centre’s agreement on behalf of the opposition was insincere.
He criticized the government for failing to take the issue of human trafficking seriously. “The RSP has been raising concerns about visit visas and immigration. We’ve held prolonged dialogues, but the government hasn’t taken the matter seriously. When we asked for action in the name of good governance, there was no response,” he said.
Gold hits Rs 197,500 per tola, silver remains stable
The price of gold has continued to climb, approaching the Rs 200,000 mark per tola. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers, gold rose by Rs 400 per tola today, following a sharp increase of Rs 4,200 on Friday.
With today’s rise, gold is being traded at Rs 197,500 per tola, up from Rs 197,100 on Friday.
Meanwhile, the price of silver remains unchanged at Rs 2,165 per tola, the Federation said.
Landslides obstruct Kanti Lokpath and Araniko Highway
Landslides triggered by continuous rainfall have blocked at least six major roads across the country, including Kanti Lokpath and Araniko Highway.
According to police, Kanti Lokpath has been completely obstructed since Sunday morning due to a landslide at Bhairangdanda in Bhimphedi Rural Municipality-8, Makawanpur.
Similarly, Araniko Highway has been blocked by a landslide in Kodari, Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality-2, Sindhupalchowk.
Two youths arrested for making and circulating obscene videos of women
Police have arrested two youths on charges of criminal profiteering and cybercrime for allegedly producing and distributing obscene videos of young women.
The accused have been identified as Sujan Bhujel, 29, and Bipal Rai, 22, both residents of Shadananda Municipality-1, Bhojpur.
According to Police Inspector Abhishek Kumar Shrestha, who also serves as the Information Officer at the District Police Office in Sankhuwasabha, the arrest was made following a complaint filed by a young woman from the district.
Birgunj schools closed for 6 more days due to ongoing heatwave
Birgunj Metropolitan City has extended school closures for an additional six days as extreme heat conditions persist.
Earlier, the city had declared a two-day summer break on June 12 and 13. However, with no significant drop in temperature, authorities have now decided to close all schools from today to June 20.
Ananda Lamichhane, Head of the Educational Administration Division at the Metropolitan City, stated that due to the continued heat over recent days, teaching and learning activities in both community and institutional schools will be suspended from June 15 to 20 to protect children’s health from possible heat-related effects.
Bhume festival being celebrated today
The Magar community in Lumbini Province is celebrating the Bhume festival today.
Bhume is one of the most important festivals of the Magar community, during which they worship the earth and nature, praying for a good harvest and protection from natural disasters.
The Bhume dance, a major highlight of the celebration, is especially observed by the Kham Magar community.
Helicopter carrying 7 people crashes near Gaurikund in Uttarakhand
A helicopter carrying seven people on board and which was on its way to Gaurikund in Uttarakhand crashed on Sunday morning, Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) said.
The incident took place at around 5:20 am when the chopper, with six passengers- five adults and one child and the pilot, which was going from Shri Kedarnath Dham to Guptkashi, crashed near Gaurikund.
Inspector General (Garhwal Range) Rajiv Swaroop said that the site of the crash was a very remote area Police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams have rushed to the spot, he said.
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