KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
Bhandari faction pushes for dissenting voice in UML
Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari, who has intensified a parallel line of struggle within the ruling CPN-UML, is preparing to formally register a dissenting opinion under the leadership of Senior Vice-Chair Ishwar Pokharel. At the upcoming Statute Convention scheduled for September 5–7 in Godavari, Lalitpur, the Bhandari camp aims to present its official dissenting document, escalating the internal dispute into an open two-line struggle.
High Court rejects bail plea of Rabi Lamichhane
The Butwal bench of the Dang High Court has rejected the bail plea of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane, who is currently held at Nakkhu Jail in connection with a cooperative fraud case. The court, presided over by Justice Sagar Bishta, ordered the submission of a report on the matter after hearing the petition filed by Lamichhane’s wife, Nikita Poudel Lamichhane, seeking his release.
SC moves forward on petition requiring PM Oli to prove majority
The Supreme Court has ordered the government to produce relevant documents in connection with a writ petition demanding that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli seek a vote of confidence in Parliament. A division bench of Justices Mahesh Sharma Poudel and Nripadhwaj Niraula issued the order on Wednesday during a preliminary hearing on the petition filed by advocate Birendra KC.
UML central member Mahar arrested, presented to court for remand
The Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police has taken into custody CPN-UML central committee member Ain Mahar. A woman from Bajhang had filed a complaint through the post office, based on which the Kathmandu District Court issued an arrest warrant on July 25, according to police.
Prachanda vows dismantling groupism in party
Chair of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has vowed to dismantle factionalism in the party. He also claimed that public trust was growing in the party. In an audiovisual message to the full meeting of the party’s Karnali Province, Dahal reminded that the standing committee meeting of the party had resolved to make the party strong and unified by ending groupism, anarchy and conflict in the party.
Ishwari Neupane to take oath as chair of State Affairs Committee
Newly elected chair of the House Committee on State Affairs and Good Governance, lawmaker Ishwari Neupane, is set to take the oath of office and secrecy on Wednesday. According to the Speaker’s Secretariat, Neupane will be sworn in by Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire at 4 pm at the meeting hall of the Agriculture, Cooperatives and Natural Resources Committee in Singha Durbar.
Teachers’ federation stages sit-in at Nepali Congress office
The Nepal Teachers’ Federation staged a sit-in protest at the Nepali Congress central office in Sanepa on Wednesday as part of the first phase of its protest program. According to the federation, the demonstration began at 11 am. The teachers also submitted a memorandum of demands to draw the party’s attention.
NRB to absorb Rs 45 billion in deposits amid excess liquidity
With investable funds piling up in the banking system and credit demand remaining low, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) is set to mop up excess liquidity once again. According to the central bank, it will conduct a deposit collection auction of Rs 45 billion on Wednesday. The bidding will take place at 3 p.m., and the collected funds will remain with NRB until September 21.
Petroleum import rises by 3.6%, revenue surges nearly 12%
Petroleum products worth Rs 1.513 billion were imported through the Kakadbhitta customs point in the first month of the current fiscal year. According to Ishwor Kumar Humagain, Information Officer at the Mechi Customs Office, imports rose by Rs 52.2 million—or 3.6 percent—compared to the same period last fiscal year (2024/25). Alongside the rise in imports, revenue from petroleum products also increased by 11.8 percent, amounting to Rs 79.153 million.
Paswan films confession after packing Sah in suitcase
A video confession by Laxman Paswan, the main accused in the murder of Ruby Kumari Sah, whose body was found packed in a suitcase, has gone viral. The 9-minute, 36-second video, recorded in Hindi, shows Paswan in a secluded location speaking to the camera before killing Ruby. The case took a new turn after this video was released, following an earlier viral selfie he took before setting himself on fire.
RSP lawmaker submits probe report on visit visa scam
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Dr. Chanda Karki has submitted the investigation report into allegations that a party leader was involved in the visit visa scandal. The report was handed over during a meeting of the party’s secretariat held at the central office in Baneshwor on Wednesday. Dr. Karki chaired the probe committee formed to look into the matter.
Nepal’s foreign exchange reserves at record high, but underutilized in development
Nepal’s foreign exchange reserves have surged to an all-time high, yet economists warn that the funds remain underutilized in driving the country’s broader economic development. According to the latest figures released by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the country’s foreign currency reserves increased by 31.2 percent in the last fiscal year (2024/25), reaching Rs 2.67 trillion. At this level, Nepal can finance up to 15.5 months of goods and services imports, far exceeding the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) guideline that countries should hold reserves sufficient for only three to four months of imports.
Gold price nears record high again
The price of gold in Nepal climbed close to its all-time high on Wednesday, according to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association. The federation fixed the price of gold at Rs 199,000 per tola, up by Rs 300 from Tuesday. The current surge has brought the price close to the record Rs 199,400 per tola set on August 7, less than three weeks ago.
No dispute over formation of Constitutional Bench: CJ Raut
Chief Justice Prakashman Singh Raut has clarified that there is no dispute or disagreement regarding the formation of the Constitutional Bench at the Supreme Court. The newly formed bench includes Chief Justice Raut along with senior-most justices Sapana Pradhan Malla, Dr. Nahkul Subedi, Til Prasad Shrestha, and Binod Sharma.
NEPSE up by 53 points as daily turnover nears Rs 8 billion
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) witnessed a sharp rise on Wednesday, with the benchmark index climbing 53.01 points compared to the previous day. The index closed at 2,819.10 points. Alongside the index gain, transaction volume also rose significantly. Compared to Tuesday’s Rs 4.18 billion, Wednesday’s turnover reached Rs 7.68 billion.
Passenger bus stuck in floodwater at Srijananagar
A passenger bus of Araniko Express was stuck on Wednesday along the Koteshwar–Bhaktapur road section at Srijananagar due to heavy rainfall. The bus became trapped in a roadside drain after the road was submerged by floodwater.
Over Rs 14 billion added to sovereign debt in first month of fiscal year
Nepal’s sovereign debt increased by more than Rs 14 billion in the first month of the current fiscal year 2025/26, according to the Public Debt Management Office. A report on the debt status as of August 16 shows that total public debt stood at Rs 2 trillion 669.57 billion at the beginning of the fiscal year. By the end of Saun, it had risen to Rs 2 trillion 683.60 billion, an increase of Rs 14.02 billion. The debt now accounts for 43.94 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Right policies can make Nepal a regional energy center: Kulman Ghising
Former Managing Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), Kulman Ghising, has said Nepal has a historic opportunity to establish itself as a regional energy hub, but emphasized that the right policies and leadership are crucial to realize this goal. Speaking at a policy discussion on “Challenges and Opportunities in Nepal’s Energy Sector” in South East London, Ghising recalled Nepal’s journey from crippling power shortages to surplus electricity.
NRCS responds to cholera outbreak in Birgunj
The Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) has launched an emergency response to a cholera outbreak that has spread to the community level in Birgunj, Parsa. The intervention, supported financially and technically by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) Disaster Response Emergency Fund, aims to prevent and contain the spread of the infection. According to NRCS, specialized staff from IFRC and the NRCS Health Service Department have been mobilized to assist the Parsa District Chapter in preparing a response plan.
Govt to conduct rhino and tiger census this year
After last year’s census was postponed due to lack of donor support, Nepal is set to carry out the much-anticipated rhino and tiger population surveys this fiscal year. The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) has allocated a portion of its budget to implement the program. According to Director General Dr. Ramchandra Kandel, tiger censuses are conducted every four years, and this year’s survey is scheduled to begin in November. The census is expected to take about three months to complete. Similarly, the one-horned rhino count, scheduled for March 2025, typically takes about a month.
New Siraha–Udayapur inter-provincial road set to open
A new inter-provincial road stretching approximately 22 kilometers from Golbazar in Siraha to Risku in Katari-6, Udayapur, is set to open, improving connectivity between the East-West Highway and the Madan Bhandari Highway via the Chure region. The road is being developed under the Intensive Urban and Building Construction Project, Saptari, with an initial allocation of Rs 30 million for the current fiscal year 2085/26.
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