KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
UML issues whip to support Sudurpaschim CM Shah in confidence vote
The CPN-UML has issued a whip to its provincial assembly members in Sudurpaschim Province to support Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah in an upcoming vote of confidence.
The decision was made during the UML’s provincial parliamentary party meeting held on Wednesday. UML parliamentary party leader Rajendra Singh Rawal stated that all party members have been instructed to be present and vote in favor of the Chief Minister during the assembly session scheduled for Thursday at 5 PM.
CM Shah is seeking a vote of confidence after dismissing Ramashwar Chaudhary, the Minister for Industry, Tourism, Forests and Environment, who represented the Nagarik Unmukti Party (NUP). Following the dismissal, the NUP withdrew its support from the government, prompting the Chief Minister to seek a renewed mandate.
Former Madhesh Province Chief Jha sent to jail in rape case
The Kathmandu District Court has ordered former Chief of Madhesh Province, Rajesh Jha (Ahiraj), to be remanded in custody for trial in connection with a rape case.
A single bench of Judge Pitambar Sharma issued the remand order on Wednesday following a hearing on the case registered a day earlier.
Jha has been accused of repeatedly raping a young woman who worked as his assistant, allegedly summoning her to his house when she was alone.
Maoist Centre finalizes agenda for upcoming Standing Committee meeting
The CPN (Maoist Centre) has finalized the agenda for its upcoming Standing Committee meeting.
According to party spokesperson Agni Sapkota, a meeting of the party’s office bearers held on Wednesday at the central office in Parisdanda set the agenda for the Standing Committee meeting scheduled to begin on Friday, August 1.
He informed that party chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ will brief the committee on the current political situation during the meeting.
UML in Bagmati awaits Congress’ official decision on provincial government
The CPN-UML, a coalition partner in Bagmati Province, has decided to move forward based on the institutional decision of the Nepali Congress regarding the provincial government.
A meeting of the UML’s Bagmati Province Parliamentary Party held on Wednesday concluded that it would support whichever side is endorsed by the Congress leadership.
“We won’t follow any individual or rumors. We will proceed according to the institutional decision made by the Congress,” said UML provincial assembly member Keshav Prasad Pokharel in a statement to Khabarhub.
Indra Bahadur Baniya elected leader of Nepali Congress Bagmati Province Parliamentary Party
Nepali Congress leader Indra Bahadur Baniya has been elected as the leader of the party’s Bagmati Province Parliamentary Party.
He defeated incumbent Chief Minister Bahadur Singh Lama in the election held on Wednesday in Hetauda, the provincial capital.
Out of the 37 Congress members in the provincial assembly, Baniya secured 22 votes while Lama received 14. One vote was declared invalid.
Maoist Centre holds meeting at Parisdanda, discusses key political agendas
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) has begun its office-bearers’ meeting at the party’s central office in Parisdanda on Wednesday.
Out of the 24 office-bearers, 22 are reportedly attending the meeting.
According to party secretary Dinanath Sharma, discussions are being held on four main agendas.
RSP holds parliamentary meeting near Bhairahawa jail
The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) convened a crucial parliamentary party meeting in Bhairahawa on Wednesday afternoon, holding the gathering near the district prison where party Chair Rabi Lamichhane is currently in custody.
According to party spokesperson Manish Jha, the meeting was scheduled between 1 PM and 4 PM at a local hotel not far from the jail, in a move widely seen as symbolic support for Lamichhane, who is detained in connection with a high-profile cooperative fraud case.
Several RSP lawmakers, including party vice presidents D.P. Aryal and Dr. Swarnim Wagle, general secretary Kabindra Burlakoti, and spokesperson Jha, had arrived in Bhairahawa on Tuesday. Prior to the meeting, they held discussions with locals in Rupandehi Constituency-3, where a by-election is scheduled for November 3.
97 killed, 41 elephants dead in two decades of human-elephant conflict in Koshi Province
Over the past two decades, 97 people have lost their lives and 41 elephants have died due to human-elephant conflict in Koshi Province, according to the Provincial Forest Directorate in Dharan.
Directorate Chief Dr. Indra Prasad Sapkota said the fatalities occurred between fiscal year 2005/06 and the current fiscal year in the districts of Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Udayapur, and Ilam. In the same period, 87 people were seriously injured and 15 sustained minor injuries in elephant attacks.
Among the five districts, Jhapa recorded the highest number of human casualties, with 72 deaths, followed by Morang with 17, Sunsari with seven, and Ilam with one. Dr. Sapkota attributed the high toll in Jhapa to its proximity to India, where wild elephants frequently cross into Nepal.
Protest erupts at Blue Diamond Society office in Kathmandu over corruption allegations
Members of the LGBTQIA+ community have staged a protest at the Dhumbarahi-based office of Blue Diamond Society (BDS), accusing the organization’s leadership of corruption and misusing funds in the name of sexual and gender minorities.
Protesters allege that BDS has promoted fake identities while sidelining genuine members, leading to exploitation and misrepresentation of the community.
They also raised concerns over alleged irregularities in land ownership and use, including properties in Dhumbarahi, Lazimpat, and Taudaha, demanding that these assets be made accessible for community use.
Ranjita Shrestha removed as Chair of Nagarik Unmukti Party
Nagarik Unmukti Party has officially removed Ranjita Shrestha from her position as party chair, citing disciplinary violations and unauthorized decisions that allegedly contravened party statutes.
The decision was formally communicated to the Election Commission by party officials earlier this week.
According to party sources, Shrestha was ousted after she bypassed internal procedures and unilaterally appointed Shiva Prasad Bastola as acting chair.
Lahan residents protest in Kathmandu against loan sharks
Two residents of Lahan Municipality in Siraha district have staged a protest demanding action against loan sharks for allegedly refusing to return mortgaged land despite full repayment of loans.
Sita Kumari Mandal of Ward 3 and Shyam Bishwakarma Sah of Ward 7 began a sit-in protest, accusing moneylenders Ramlochan Gupta (Ward 3) and Ram Kumar Mahato alias Rambabu (Ward 7) of exploitation.
According to the protesters, they had each mortgaged land in exchange for loans of Rs 500,000. However, despite repaying Rs 2.1 million over time, the land has not been returned to them. They are now demanding legal action and intervention from the municipal authorities to retrieve their property.
Heavy rains in Tibet trigger major flooding in Trishuli River
Heavy rainfall in China’s Tibet region has caused significant flooding in the Trishuli River, raising water levels in areas around Uttar Gaya in Rasuwa and the Trishuli 3B Hub in Kispang.
Authorities have issued warnings as water flow continues to rise in the Rasuwagadhi area. A previous flood in July 8 had already washed away the Miteri Bridge in Rasuwagadhi, resulting in considerable human and material losses.
Rasuwa’s Assistant Chief District Officer Dhruba Prasad Adhikari has urged residents living in low-lying areas to remain vigilant, citing the ongoing flood originating from the Rasuwagadhi region near the Nepal–China border.
Floods in Lhende River cause damage in Rasuwa
Heavy rainfall in Tibet has triggered flooding in the Lhende River, causing significant damage in various parts of Rasuwa.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA), the flood in Gosaikunda Rural Municipality-2 has swept away the Dharmakata (weighbridge) at the customs yard in Timure.
“Around 2 a.m., the water flow from China surged into the Lhende River in Gosaikunda Rural Municipality-2, leading to flooding that washed away the weighbridge at the customs yard in Timure,” the authority stated.
Flooding cuts off road to Rasuwagadhi
Continuous rainfall since last night has triggered flooding in Rasuwa district, disrupting road access to Rasuwagadhi and causing significant damage to infrastructure.
Floodwaters from the Bhotekoshi River have blocked the Rasuwagadhi–Syafrubesi road section. According to local authorities, rising water levels have swept away parts of the road, including small bridges and temporary camps. Immediate deployment of police teams helped evacuate riverside residents to safer areas.
Rasuwa Chief District Officer Arjun Paudel confirmed that water levels in the Bhotekoshi River suddenly surged late Monday night, prompting emergency alerts to nearby communities.
Over 68,000 vehicles entered Nepal via Birgunj in FY 2024/25
A total of 68,743 vehicles were imported into Nepal through the Birgunj Customs Office during the last fiscal year, according to Chief Customs Administrator Dipak Lamichhane. The imports included everything from unassembled fuel-powered motorcycles to heavy machinery such as cranes and lorries.
Vehicle imports continue to be the second-largest source of revenue for the customs office. In the last fiscal year alone, imports of fuel-run vehicles generated over Rs 17.31 billion in revenue. Among these, unassembled motorcycles dominated the numbers, with 50,291 units worth Rs 6.6 billion entering the country. These alone brought in Rs 6.31 billion in customs revenue.
In the same period, 1,454 bus and truck chassis worth Rs 2.94 billion were imported. The customs office also recorded the arrival of 912 fuel-powered jeeps, cars, and vans with a total value of Rs 2.01 billion. Additionally, 5,735 tractors and trailers worth Rs 1.37 billion were brought into the country.
PM Oli to address National Assembly on LDC graduation
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is addressing the National Assembly today on Nepal’s graduation from the least developed country (LDC) to the status of a developing country.
PM Oli is addressing the upper House of the federal parliament in response to the queries to be raised by lawmakers on the report being submitted by Chairperson of the Development, Economic Affairs and Good Governance Committee, Kamala Panta, on Nepal’s graduation to the status of a developing country from LDC, 2081.
Information on it was shared by the PM’s personal secretariat.
Bagmati CM appoints three ministers a day after losing confidence vote
Bagmati Province Chief Minister Bahadur Singh Lama appointed three new ministers on Wednesday, just a day after losing a vote of confidence as leader of the Nepali Congress parliamentary party.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, Congress provincial assembly member Govinda Lamsal has been appointed Minister for Internal Affairs and Law, Maya Shrestha as Minister for Youth and Sports, and Geeta Gurung as Minister for Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation.
The appointments come after five ministers resigned last week in support of Indra Bahadur Baniya, the provincial party president of the Nepali Congress and Lama’s rival within the party.
Gold prices up by Rs 1,400
The price of gold in Nepal rose by Rs 1,400 per tola on Wednesday, according to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association.
With this increase, fine gold is now being traded at Rs 194,400 per tola, up from Rs 193,000 on Tuesday.
Silver also saw a slight uptick, increasing by Rs 10 per tola. It is now priced at Rs 2,310 per tola, compared to Rs 2,300 the previous day, the federation said.
New Administration Office building constructed at Rs 83.2 million
A 30-room Area Administration Office building has been completed in Dingla, Shadananda Municipality in Bhojpur, at a cost of Rs 83.2 million.
Chief of the Area Administration Office, Binod Adhikari, said that the municipality has constructed its own three-storey building after 28 years.
Service delivery has officially begun from the new facility as of Tuesday. Previously, services were being provided from a rented building.
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