KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
Finance Minister seeks stronger coordination between Finance Ministry, NRB and banking sector
Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle on Tuesday held discussions with chief executive officers of commercial banks, focusing on ways to strengthen coordination between the Ministry of Finance, Nepal Rastra Bank and the banking sector. The meeting was held in the absence of Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Dr. Bishwo Poudel, the country’s chief banking regulator. During the discussion, Wagle asked bank CEOs what structural reforms were needed to increase credit flow to productive sectors, what new approaches should be adopted in monetary policy, regulation and supervision, and how coordination among the Finance Ministry, the central bank and commercial banks could be made more effective. The finance minister said the government had set a clear direction for Nepal’s economic transformation through the national budget and was now focused on its implementation. He added that the meeting was intended to gather suggestions on addressing the challenges facing the economy.
Special Court grants bail to Former CAAN Chief Pradeep Adhikari, but he remains in custody
The Special Court has ordered the release of former Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Pradeep Adhikari, on bail in a corruption case related to tax exemptions granted to the contractor of Pokhara International Airport. A bench comprising Special Court Chair Basudev Acharya and members Hemanta Rawal and Bidur Koirala on Tuesday ordered Adhikari’s release upon posting bail of Rs 300,000 in the case filed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). The CIAA has accused Adhikari of abusing his authority by granting customs and tax exemptions to the airport’s contractor despite the construction agreement requiring the company to bear those costs. However, Adhikari will remain in judicial custody despite securing bail in this case, as he has already been remanded in separate corruption cases, including one related to the construction of a helipad in Nalinchok, Bhaktapur. He is currently being held at Dillibazar Prison.
MP Rajunath Pandey acknowledges brief dispute with Nepal Army during road expansion
Kathmandu Constituency No. 3 lawmaker Rajunath Pandey has acknowledged that a brief misunderstanding occurred with the Nepal Army during a road expansion project in Gokarneshwar Municipality-4. In a statement issued on Tuesday, Pandey said the incident took place while removing a wall on land owned by the Nepal Trust to widen the road from Makkalbari Bus Stand to Deshe. He said the clarification was issued following reports circulated in the media and on social media. According to Pandey, the situation became temporarily uncomfortable because of a short delay in providing necessary information to the Nepal Army personnel present at the site. He said the issue was resolved through coordination and discussions with the commanding officer, after which the road expansion work was completed with the army’s full cooperation.
CIAA files corruption charges against five over alleged revenue embezzlement
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case at the Special Court against five individuals, including former Gadhawa Rural Municipality Chairperson Sahaj Ram Ahir, on charges of embezzling public revenue. The anti-graft body also named Sagun Construction and Engineering Pvt. Ltd. of Butwal as a defendant in the case. According to CIAA spokesperson Suresh Neupane, the case relates to the collection and extraction of riverbed materials from various locations in Wards 1 and 2 of Gadhawa Rural Municipality during the 2019/20 fiscal year. The CIAA alleges that after inviting bids for the contract, municipal officials negotiated directly with the contractor and issued official cash receipts bearing the municipality’s seal and signature without signing a formal agreement, resulting in the misappropriation of a significant amount of government revenue.
Home Minister Gurung holds talks with family of deceased Sunsari victim
Home Minister Sudan Gurung has begun talks with the family of Rabindra Mehta, who died while undergoing treatment following injuries sustained in the recent violence in Sunsari. The meeting is taking place at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj. Mehta, 22, had been receiving treatment after being injured in an incident that occurred in Kaptanganj of Dewanganj Rural Municipality-3, Sunsari, on July 25. He died during treatment on Tuesday. Earlier in the day, Home Minister Gurung held separate meetings with leaders from the Hindu and Muslim communities at the Ministry of Home Affairs. According to the minister’s secretariat, the discussions focused on the recent situation in different parts of the country, ongoing disputes, public security, peace and efforts to maintain communal harmony.
Govt. to import over 50,000 metric tons of LPG monthly to ease supply shortage
The government has decided to import more than 50,000 metric tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) each month over the next three months to address the recent cooking gas shortage and ensure adequate supplies during the upcoming festive season. The decision was made during a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Gobinda Bahadur Karki at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting reviewed the causes of the gas shortage and discussed the roles of relevant ministries, government agencies, gas industries and distributors in resolving the issue. During the meeting, gas entrepreneurs said there was no actual shortage of LPG despite widespread public concern. They argued that demand had surged after the government resumed the distribution of standard 14.2-kilogram cylinders, replacing the temporary 7.1-kilogram half-cylinder system introduced following supply disruptions linked to the conflict in West Asia.
Koshi Police seek clarification from Morang SP, launch outreach to business community after raid row
The Koshi Province Police have sought a written explanation from Morang Police Chief SP Kabit Katuwal while simultaneously launching an outreach effort to rebuild trust with the business community following controversy over recent police raids on the homes and offices of industrialists in Biratnagar. The Koshi Province Police Office on Tuesday directed SP Katuwal to submit a written clarification within 24 hours. At the same time, Koshi Province Police Chief DIG Shekhar Khanal met with industrialists and business representatives to discuss industrial security, emerging security challenges, and ways to strengthen coordination between the police and the private sector. The interaction, held at the provincial police headquarters, was attended by office-bearers of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Koshi Province) and other business leaders. The meeting was aimed at addressing concerns and easing anxiety among the business community following the controversial operation.
UML Bagmati leader Jagannath Thapaliya admitted to Bir Hospital after collapsing during meeting
Jagannath Thapaliya, the parliamentary party leader of the CPN-UML in the Bagmati Provincial Assembly, has been admitted to Bir Hospital for treatment after collapsing during a party meeting. According to family sources, Thapaliya lost consciousness while speaking during a discussion at UML Chair KP Sharma Oli’s residence in Gundu on Monday, where disagreements reportedly arose over the party’s leadership in Bagmati Province. He was initially rushed to Madhyapur Thimi Hospital, where he received treatment before being discharged to rest. On Tuesday, he was admitted to Bir Hospital after his condition required further medical attention. Family members said Thapaliya was hospitalized due to high blood pressure and elevated blood sugar levels.
Gokarna corridor dispute sparks tension between RSP lawmaker and Army officer
A dispute between Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Rajunath Pandey and a Nepal Army officer during the expansion of a long-delayed corridor in Kathmandu’s Gokarna area has drawn attention after a video of the incident went viral. Pandey, who previously served as chief of Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s police force, was seen in the video refusing an Army officer’s request to halt construction work until official approval was presented. The incident has reportedly caused dissatisfaction within the Nepal Army, with Chief of Army Staff Ashok Raj Sigdel raising concerns with Prime Minister Balendra Shah. The dispute occurred on Monday while demolishing a boundary wall belonging to the Gokarna Forest Resort area under Nepal Trust during the expansion of the road from Boudha Makalbari to Gokarneshwor Temple.
Harka Sampang objects to Home Minister’s talks with ‘Hindu Samrat Sena’-like groups
Shram Sanskriti Party Chairperson Harka Sampang has objected to Home Minister Sudan Gurung holding talks with groups such as the ‘Hindu Samrat Sena’, saying such organizations should not exist in a sovereign country. Speaking during Tuesday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Sampang said Nepal can have no other army-like organizations apart from the Nepal Army. He criticized the government for engaging in dialogue with groups carrying names associated with “armies” and said such organizations should be banned and prohibited rather than negotiated with. Sampang also raised concerns over an alleged attempt by a group to block and prevent him from traveling to Janakpur.
PM Balen Shah holds meeting with Sudurpaschim lawmakers
Prime Minister Balendra Shah is holding discussions with lawmakers from Sudurpaschim Province on Tuesday amid ongoing political consultations following the recent violence in Sunsari. The meeting began at 11:00 am at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, where participants are discussing contemporary political issues. Lawmakers attending the meeting include Tara Prasad Joshi, Khem Raj Koirala, Hari Mohan Bhandari, Janak Singh Dhami, Gyanendra Mahata, Jagat Joshi, Komal Gyawali and KP Khanal. Prime Minister Shah has intensified political consultations following the Dewanganj incident in Sunsari. In recent days, he has also held talks with Madhesh-based political parties and, four months after assuming office, met President Ram Chandra Paudel.
Govt provides free air rescue to 103 pregnant and postpartum women in FY 2025/26
The government provided free air rescue services to 103 pregnant and postpartum women under the President Women Upliftment Programme during the last fiscal year. The Ministry of Women, Children, Gender and Sexual Minorities, and Social Security said the rescues were carried out by the Nepal Army for pregnant and postpartum women in life-threatening conditions from remote areas. The ministry has implemented the Air Rescue Procedure, 2020 to facilitate emergency evacuations for women facing serious pregnancy- and childbirth-related complications. Under the procedure, women eligible for air rescue include those experiencing prolonged labor lasting more than 18 hours, obstructed delivery due to abnormal fetal presentation, failure to deliver the placenta within 30 minutes after childbirth, stillbirth, severe swelling during pregnancy associated with complications, excessive bleeding before or after delivery, uterine rupture, and suspected ectopic pregnancy, among other life-threatening obstetric emergencies.
All three missing after Sindhuli car plunge into Sunkoshi River identified
Authorities have identified all three people who went missing after a car plunged into the Sunkoshi River following a collision with a bus along the Mid-Hill Highway in Sindhuli on Monday. According to the District Police Office, Sindhuli, the third missing person has been identified as 17-year-old Sujan Balampaki Magar of Tinpatan Rural Municipality-9, Dadakhark. The other occupants of the car were former ward chair Dil Kumar Lama, 39, of Jugal Rural Municipality-7 in Sindhupalchok, and Ganesh Thapa, 28, of Golanjor Rural Municipality-1 in Sindhuli. Police said Lama, a local leader of the CPN-UML and a construction entrepreneur, was driving the car at the time of the accident.
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