KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
Preparations begin for oath-taking of newly elected MPs as parliament session nears
Preparations have begun for the oath-taking ceremony of newly elected members of the House of Representatives as vote counting in the parliamentary elections approaches its final stage. According to constitutional provisions, a session of the federal parliament must be convened within 30 days after the final election results are officially announced. However, a permanent hall to conduct the upcoming parliament meetings and oath-taking ceremony has not yet been fully prepared.
Khadka urges unity in Nepali Congress after poll setback; leader Kiran Giri opposes call for Gagan Thapa’s resignation
Nepali Congress leader Purna Bahadur Khadka has urged party members to move forward with broader unity, free from excessive ambition, emotion, and personal insistence, following the recent House of Representatives election results. Referring to the outcome of the March 5 parliamentary elections, Khadka said the results have delivered a serious message to the party leadership and members at all levels. Writing on social media after the election results, Khadka stated that the verdict of voters should serve as an important lesson for the party.
Balen thanks Indian PM Modi for phone call following Nepal elections
Senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Balendra Shah on Tuesday thanked Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a telephone conversation held a day earlier following Nepal’s recent House of Representatives elections. Shah expressed his gratitude nearly 20 hours after the call, posting a message on social media on Tuesday evening acknowledging Modi’s congratulations. “Thank you for your good wishes, Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Shah wrote, expressing confidence that Nepal and India would work together to further strengthen their historic, close and multidimensional relations in the coming days.
Finance Minister Rameshore Khanal returns diplomatic passport
Finance Minister Rameshore Khanal has returned his diplomatic passport to the Department of Passports under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Khanal shared the information through a post on social media, stating that the diplomatic passport issued to him in his capacity as finance minister has been returned as its purpose has ended. In his Facebook post, he wrote that the diplomatic passport (No. DA0002710) provided to him for official use as finance minister has been handed back to the Department of Passports since its use is no longer required.
Bhutan PM Tshering Tobgay congratulates Rabi Lamichhane, Balen Shah on election victory
Bhutan’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay has congratulated Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane and senior leader Balen Shah for securing a strong public mandate in Nepal’s March 5 parliamentary elections. Sharing a message on social media, the Bhutanese prime minister also extended congratulations to the people of Nepal for the successful conduct of the elections. “Congratulations to Mr. Balen Shah and Mr. Rabi Lamichhane on your landslide victory in Nepal’s general elections,” Tobgay wrote. “I also congratulate the people of Nepal for a successful election.”
Pakistan congratulates Nepal on successful general elections
Pakistan has congratulated the Government and people of Nepal for successfully conducting the general elections. According to the Pakistani Embassy in Kathmandu, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar extended his heartfelt congratulations through a message addressed to the Government of Nepal and the Nepali people. In the message, Dar said Pakistan attaches great importance to its fraternal relations with Nepal and expressed confidence that the long-standing friendship between the two countries will continue to strengthen.
Preparations begin for chariot construction for Bhaktapur’s historic Biska Jatra
Preparations have begun for the construction of the chariots of Bhairav and Bhadrakali for the historic Biska Jatra, a nine-day, eight-night festival celebrated in Bhaktapur. The initial work for building the chariots has started at the premises of the five-storied Nyatapola Temple in Taumadhi Square, Bhaktapur. Organizers said many of the wooden components of the chariots, including the wheels, have become old and worn out. As a result, new timber has been brought in to construct the chariots for this year’s festival.
RSP crosses 5 million votes in PR tally; counting continues
The vote count under the proportional representation (PR) electoral system has reached 10,424,527 so far, according to the latest data provided by the Election Commission. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has crossed the five million vote mark, securing the highest number of votes at 5,003,168. The Nepali Congress (NC) has received 1,693,091 votes, while the CPN-UML has secured 1,411,863 votes.
Pokhara–Jomsom flights resume after three months
Flights on the Pokhara–Jomsom route have resumed after a three-month suspension caused by unfavorable winter weather and the off-season for tourism. According to the Civil Aviation Office Jomsom, preparations had been made to restart flights on Monday. However, despite scheduled flights by Tara Air on Monday and by both Tara Air and Summit Air on Tuesday, the services could not operate due to adverse weather conditions. Earlier, Tara Air had decided to suspend Pokhara–Jomsom flights from December 4 to March 1. Similarly, Summit Air had halted its operations on the route from December 1 to February 1.
Chinese ambassador thanks Nepal government for successfully holding elections
Chinese ambassador Zhang Maoming paid a courtesy call on Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal at his office on Tuesday. During the meeting, the two discussed various matters related to bilateral relations between Nepal and China, as well as areas of mutual cooperation. Home Minister Aryal wished Ambassador Zhang a successful tenure and expressed confidence that relations between the two countries would reach new heights.
Nepali Embassy urges nationals in UAE to keep passports safe
The Embassy of Nepal in Abu Dhabi has urged Nepali nationals living in the United Arab Emirates to keep their important documents safe. Issuing a notice on Tuesday, the embassy requested around 700,000 Nepalis residing and working in the UAE to ensure the safety of their documents. The embassy advised Nepalis to regularly check the validity of their passports and keep digital copies of important documents such as passports, citizenship certificates and Emirates ID cards.
Few lawmakers above 70 in new House of Representatives
The number of lawmakers above 70 years of age in the upcoming House of Representatives appears to be very limited, with only a handful elected through the first-past-the-post system. According to the Election Commission Nepal, only four leaders aged 70 or above have secured victories in the 165 constituencies elected under the direct voting system. Among them, Tek Bahadur Gurung of the Nepali Congress is currently the oldest elected lawmaker at 71. Independent candidate Mahabir Pun is also 71, while Pushpa Kamal Dahal of the Nepali Communist Party and Nepali Congress leader Bharat Kumar Swar are 70.
Miraj Dhungana reminds RSP’s Amresh Singh of Nepali Congress’ past support
Gen Z activist Miraj Dhungana has reminded Rastriya Swatantra Party lawmaker Amresh Kumar Singh that the Nepali Congress had treated him with respect at a time when Madhesi leaders often faced insults in national politics. In a message shared on social media, Dhungana said history shows that when many people used to label Madhesi leaders as Indian agents and demean them, it was the Nepali Congress that treated Singh with dignity as a Nepali citizen. Dhungana also referred to Singh’s political trajectory, noting that while serving as an independent lawmaker he had challenged Balen Shah from Parliament. After joining the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Singh has been offering suggestions to Nepali Congress leader Gagan Kumar Thapa, he added.
Bhandari advises Thapa to fulfil responsibility instead of resigning
Nepali Congress leader Chandra Bhandari has suggested that party President Gagan Kumar Thapa focus on fulfilling his responsibilities rather than considering resignation. Bhandari made the remark after reports surfaced that Thapa was contemplating stepping down following the defeat of all Nepali Congress office-bearers in the March 5 election. In a Facebook post, Bhandari wrote that the time now calls for responsibility, not resignation.
Leopard rescued from school store in Lalitpur
A technical team from the Central Zoo in Jawalakhel, Lalitpur rescued a leopard from a storage room of Machhapuchhre School in Kusunti Heights, Lalitpur, on Tuesday morning. The rescue operation was carried out by tranquilizing the animal using a dart with the joint support of personnel from the Satdobato Police, the District Forest Office Lalitpur, and the Lalitpur Metropolitan Police. According to Central Zoo Chief Satyanarayan Sah, the rescued leopard is estimated to be around 10 years old and weighs approximately 60 kilograms.
AMC urges government to immediately release Karki Commission report
The Accountability Monitoring Committee (AMC) has demanded that the government promptly make public the findings of the Probe Commission established to investigate the incidents of September 8 and 9. The committee emphasized that the release of the report is essential to respect the rights of the affected communities, civil society, the general public, and the media to access information. In a press release issued today, AMC Coordinator Raju Prasad Chapagain stated, “It is not a matter of the government’s discretion whether to release the report. Citizens have a constitutional right to be informed, and the government is responsible for making the report public as soon as possible.”
Air pollution levels rise across Nepal; public urged to take precautions
Air pollution levels have been rising in various parts of Nepal in recent days due to unfavorable weather conditions, authorities said. According to officials, concentrations of PM2.5 — fine particulate matter considered harmful to human health — have increased in several areas, particularly in major cities including Kathmandu and Pokhara, as well as in most locations across the Tarai region. The Department of Environment under the Ministry of Forests and Environment has urged the public to adopt precautionary measures to minimize the health impacts of air pollution.
Four minors arrested for rape and murder of teenage girl in Surkhet
Police have arrested four individuals in connection with the rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in Birendranagar, Surkhet. According to the District Police Office (DPO), Surkhet, the suspects—all residents of Birendranagar—were taken into custody following a preliminary investigation into the incident. Authorities confirmed that all four suspects are under the age of 18. Further investigation into the case is currently underway, police added.
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