KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
Teenage girl’s death in Surkhet confirmed to be due to ‘rape’; CIB team begins probe
The death of 16-year-old Inisha B.K. from Gurbhakot Municipality in Birendranagar has been confirmed to have resulted from injuries linked to sexual assault, according to a preliminary post-mortem report. A team of specialist doctors stated that the cause of death was excessive bleeding from severe internal injuries, as noted in the report submitted to the police. Forensic expert Arbin Shakya, who conducted the post-mortem at Bheri Hospital, said the victim had signs of abrasion on her back, indicating that she had been dragged. The examination also found serious injuries to both the external and internal genital area, he said.
Supreme Court issues interim order against blacklisting of RSP candidate in Dhanusha-1
The Supreme Court of Nepal has issued an interim order against the decision to blacklist Kishori Sah Kamal, a candidate of the Rastriya Swatantra Party from Dhanusha-1, whose candidacy had earlier been rejected by the Election Commission Nepal. A single bench of Justice Sharanga Subedi on Thursday ordered authorities not to enforce the decision to remove Sah from the list of candidates, issuing a show-cause notice along with the interim order. Sah’s name had been placed on a blacklist by the Credit Information Bureau of Nepal, which led the Election Commission to cancel his candidacy. The court has now ordered both the Credit Information Bureau of Nepal and the Nepal Rastra Bank not to keep Sah’s name on the blacklist.
Cooking gas to be distributed in half cylinders amid shortage
The Nepal Oil Corporation has decided to distribute only half cylinders of cooking gas to consumers in a bid to manage the ongoing supply shortage in the market. The decision was taken during a meeting of the corporation’s board of directors held on Thursday, considering the growing scarcity of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the domestic market. According to the corporation’s Executive Director Chandika Prasad Bhatta, the move was introduced after consumers began stockpiling more gas cylinders than necessary, creating further imbalance in supply.
India congratulates RSP on electoral success in Nepal
The government of India has welcomed the successful completion of the 2026 Nepal federal parliament election in Nepal. During a regular media briefing on Thursday, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs India, said the Indian government welcomes the successful conduct of the election in Nepal. According to Jaiswal, Narendra Modi held telephone conversations with Rabi Lamichhane, chair of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, and senior leader Balen Shah, congratulating them on their success in the election.
RSP’s pledge to appoint ‘expert ministers’ sparks debate on constitutional limits
The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) had pledged in its election manifesto to reduce the number of federal ministries and appoint ‘expert ministers’, a proposal that has drawn public attention following the party’s strong electoral performance. After securing nearly a two-thirds majority in the recent House of Representatives election held on March 5, questions have emerged over how the party plans to implement the commitment outlined in its manifesto. In point 17 of its election manifesto, the RSP has proposed limiting the number of federal ministries to 18 and establishing a new administrative standard based on “expert ministers” and specialization-driven civil service management.
Eight candidates under 30 win direct seats in House of Representatives
The recently concluded House of Representatives election has signaled the rise of young faces in Nepali politics, with eight candidates under the age of 30 winning direct seats in the parliament. The youngest among them is Prashant Upreti, who was elected from Makwanpur-2 at the age of 25. Upreti secured 30,505 votes, defeating Mahesh Kumar Bartaula of the CPN-UML, who received 18,846 votes. Buddha Lama of the Nepali Congress garnered 15,056 votes, while Lav Sher Bista of the Nepali Communist Party received 12,492 votes. Similarly, KP Khanal, aged 26, was elected from Kailali-2 with 19,057 votes. His closest rival, Patiram Chaudhary of the Nagarik Unmukti Party, secured 11,949 votes.
Finance Minister Khanal holds talks with private sector leaders on economic reforms
Finance Minister Rameshore Khanal held discussions with representatives of the private sector on current economic issues during a meeting at the Ministry of Finance on Thursday. The meeting was attended by Chandra Prasad Dhakal, president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Kamlesh Kumar Agrawal, president of the Nepal Chambers of Commerce; Birendra Raj Pandey, president of the Confederation of Nepalese Industries; and Khem Raj Bhandari, president of the Nepal Industry Commerce Federation, among others.
Nepal reaffirms support for UNIFIL, calls for protection of peacekeepers
Nepal has reaffirmed its strong support for the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and stressed the need to ensure the safety and security of UN peacekeepers serving in Lebanon amid challenging circumstances. According to Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations, Nepal joined other countries on Wednesday in expressing solidarity with the UN peacekeeping mission and emphasizing the importance of protecting personnel deployed in the field. Nepal stated that peacekeepers must never be targeted under any circumstances and strongly condemned attacks against UN personnel. The government also wished injured peacekeepers a speedy and full recovery.
Fitch says RSP’s majority victory may reduce Nepal’s political uncertainty
International credit rating agency Fitch Ratings has said that the clear majority secured by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in Nepal’s latest election could reduce short-term political uncertainty and contribute to greater policy stability. In an analysis released Wednesday, Fitch Director George Xu noted that the election results present an important opportunity to implement governance reforms and advance economic policy changes. According to the agency, the decisive outcome comes after a period of political turbulence last year marked by frequent changes in government. The clear mandate is expected to lower the risks associated with prolonged coalition politics and political instability.
Two arrested for raping minor in Kanchanpur
Police have arrested two men on charges of raping a minor in Kanchanpur district. The suspects, identified as 40-year-old Heera Nath of Bhimdatta Municipality-9 and 47-year-old Naresh Nath of Bhimdatta Municipality-10, were taken into custody for their alleged involvement in the crime. According to Police Inspector Birendra Thapa of the District Police Office, Kanchanpur, the duo allegedly took the girl to the Baijanath Community Forest in Bhimdatta Municipality-10 and raped her.
Over 65,000 Nepalis register on govt portal amid West Asia conflict
A total of 65,886 Nepali citizens have registered their personal details on an online portal launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nepal amid growing tensions and conflict in West Asia. The online registration system, introduced by the Department of Consular Services Nepal on March 2, aims to collect information on Nepali nationals residing in the region to facilitate assistance if required. According to the ministry, the submitted details are currently being assessed and processed for further necessary action.
Oil prices surge past $100 as Iran launches fresh attacks in Gulf
Global energy markets have become increasingly volatile after Iran launched a new wave of drone and missile attacks targeting energy infrastructure and shipping in the Gulf region amid the ongoing West Asia war. International crude prices climbed above 100 dollars per barrel on Thursday after two oil tankers were attacked within hours earlier in the day, intensifying concerns over disruptions to global energy supply. Regional tensions have escalated further after Tehran launched additional attacks toward neighboring Gulf states and Israel. Iranian authorities warned that the conflict could continue for a prolonged period and claimed it could potentially “devastate” the global economy.
Election Commission updates Dhanusha-1 results on website
The Election Commission Nepal has updated the vote details of Dhanusha Constituency-1 under the first-past-the-post system on its official website. The results had not previously been published online despite the vote count being completed, after Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) candidate Kishori Sah was blacklisted shortly before the election. During vote counting, Sah reportedly secured the highest number of votes, prompting the commission to delay announcing the result due to the controversy surrounding his candidacy.
Cooking gas shortage hits Kathmandu as West Asia tensions disrupt supply
Growing tensions in West Asia have begun affecting the supply of cooking gas in Nepal, with several gas depots shutting down and long queues forming at those that remain open. Long lines of consumers carrying empty cylinders were seen early Thursday morning in the Balaju Industrial Area, where people waited for hours hoping to refill their gas cylinders. While some managed to purchase filled cylinders, many others returned empty-handed as supplies remained limited. The disruption follows the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, which has heightened tensions across the Gulf region.
UML General Secretary Pokharel warns of impact of Gulf war on Nepali workers
Shankar Pokharel, General Secretary of the CPN-UML, has said Nepali migrant workers in the Gulf region are facing serious fear and uncertainty due to the ongoing conflict there. Expressing his views through social media, Pokharel warned that the escalating tension could have serious consequences for people’s lives and the economy. He said the conflict in the Gulf is likely to lead to shortages of oil and gas and trigger price hikes in the market. “Possible shortages and rising prices may affect the overall market system and make daily life more difficult,” he said.\
Gen-Z Martyrs Memorial Park construction begins at Satdobato
Construction of the Gen-Z Martyrs Memorial Park has begun at the International Sports Complex Satdobato, featuring statues of 42 martyrs who lost their lives during the Gen‑Z Movement in Nepal. A total of 45 people were killed during the protests held on September 8 and 9, according to organizers of the memorial project. The construction moved forward after the 124th board meeting of the National Sports Council Nepal, chaired by then Minister for Youth and Sports Bablu Gupta, decided to allocate land for the park.
Oli concedes defeat, vows to respect people’s decision
fter an unexpected election setback, CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli said he accepts the people’s mandate with full respect, acknowledging that both he and his party did not achieve the results they had hoped for. On Thursday, Oli wrote on social media that he accepts the people’s verdict with full respect. “I could not get the results I expected in this election. Our party also could not achieve the results we had hoped for,” said Oli, who was defeated by senior Balendra Shah (Balen) in Jhapa-5.
Emergency response team reviews situation of Nepalis in West Asia
The second meeting of the emergency response team formed under the coordination of Amrit Bahadur Rai was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nepal on Wednesday. The meeting reviewed the efforts made so far by the government to ensure the safety and protection of Nepali citizens residing in West Asian countries. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nepal, the meeting decided to continue necessary coordination and initiatives to ensure the safety of Nepali nationals, study the possibility of operating flights if needed, and provide assistance to those who have contacted Nepal’s diplomatic missions through the emergency control room.
Representation of marginalized groups in House of Representatives remains weak
The results of the March 5 election to the House of Representatives have been announced under both the first-past-the-post (FPTP) and proportional representation (PR) electoral systems. According to the results, the Rastriya Swatantra Party emerged as the largest party, followed by the Nepali Congress in second place, the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) in third, and the Nepali Communist Party in fourth. However, the results indicate weak representation of marginalized communities in the directly elected seats. Out of the 165 constituencies under the FPTP system, only 14 candidates from marginalized groups were elected, accounting for just 8.48 percent.
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