KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
Renowned Mountaineer Nirmal Purja confirmed dead after Broad Peak avalanche
Renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja has been confirmed dead after going missing in an avalanche during an expedition on Broad Peak in Pakistan. The confirmation came through a statement posted by Elite Exped on its official Instagram account. Purja had been leading a 10-member international climbing team when the avalanche struck on Thursday while the group was ascending from Camp II to Camp III. Contact with the team had been lost immediately after the incident. According to the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the expedition included five Nepali climbers, along with one climber each from Pakistan, Oman, the United States and China, as well as another international team member.
PM Shah pays tribute to Nirmal Purja and fellow climbers killed on Broad Peak
Prime Minister Balen Shah has paid tribute to world-renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja (Nims dai) and other climbers who lost their lives in an avalanche on Pakistan’s 8,051-metre Broad Peak. In a message shared on social media on Saturday, Shah expressed his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, relatives and well-wishers of the deceased climbers. The Prime Minister said mountaineering is more than reaching a summit, describing it as the highest expression of courage, discipline, sacrifice and the determination to push the limits of human endurance. He noted that while the mountains grant many climbers the glory of reaching their peaks, they sometimes embrace them forever. Despite their tragic deaths, he said, the climbers would remain immortal through their courage and dedication.
Passport Department extends service hours to manage surge in applications
The Department of Passports has introduced two-shift operations and weekend services to manage the growing number of passport applicants. The department, based in Tripureshwor, has also been providing services on Saturday. According to the department, two-shift services have been in operation since July 30, with 1,500 application slots opened each day. The extended service is aimed at facilitating Nepali applicants seeking passports for South Korea’s Employment Permit System (EPS). The department said the special arrangement will remain in effect until August 7. Under the schedule, the first shift operates from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm, while the second shift runs from 2:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
NC dissident faction forms 551-member committee for national convention
The dissident faction of the Nepali Congress has formed a 551-member National Convention Organising Committee under the coordination of Dr. Shashanka Koirala, as preparations gather pace for its planned national convention later this month. The announcement was made during a press conference held at the faction’s contact office in Chundevi on Saturday. Alongside the main organising committee, the group has also constituted 16 subcommittees to oversee various aspects of the event, Koirala said. According to Koirala, the national convention aims to strengthen the Nepali Congress ideologically, organisationally and at the policy level. He said discussions will focus on the party’s current state as well as key political, economic, social and religious-cultural issues facing the country, in addition to matters directly affecting citizens’ lives.
Four arrested in Parsa for allegedly disrupting communal harmony
Four people have been arrested in Parsa on charges of attempting to disrupt communal harmony. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Raju Karki at the District Police Office, the four were arrested from Ranighat in Ward No. 11 of Birgunj Metropolitan City after allegedly burning tyres in the area. Police have urged the public not to engage in activities that could disturb communal harmony, warning that anyone involved in such acts will face strict legal action. The District Police Office has also reminded the public to comply with the Children Act, 2018, which prohibits the use of children in strikes, shutdowns, sit-ins or protest rallies.
Curfew lifted in Dhanusha and Siraha’s Lahan, prohibitory orders remain
District administrations of Dhanusha and Siraha have lifted curfew orders in the affected areas while continuing prohibitory orders to maintain peace, security and social harmony. The District Administration Office, Dhanusha, lifted the curfew from 10:00 am on Saturday following a decision by the District Security Committee. The curfew had been imposed from 3:30 pm on July 30. However, the administration has banned gatherings of more than five people at a single location, along with assemblies, rallies and demonstrations, under Section 6(3) of the Local Administration Act. The prohibitory order applies to designated areas covering parts of Janakpur and surrounding locations, including areas from Laxminiya Hatbazar Chowk through Siurjoda Chowk to Laxmipur Bobas in the north, areas around Belauni Road and the National Primary School in the east, Nagarain Municipality to Nagarain Chowk in the south, and Siurjoda-Mohini-Manimandap-Nepal Nursery-IRCON Janakpur-Duhmati Bridge-Bela-Kadri Mosque areas in the west.
Nepal Oil Corporation begins LPG sales from Teku office amid supply shortage
The Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has started selling liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders from its Teku office following a shortage of cooking gas in the market. The state-owned corporation began selling 14.2-kg LPG cylinders from Saturday as demand for cylinders supplied by several gas companies serving the Kathmandu Valley surged, prompting the corporation to introduce the measure to ease supply. According to the NOC, LPG cylinders of Nepal Gas, Everest Gas, Sugam Gas and Shriram Gas are now available for sale at its Teku office. Following the start of sales, consumers have begun arriving at the Teku office to purchase LPG cylinders.
Curfew remains in Siraha despite agreement with Ganesh Yadav’s family
Curfew remains in force in Siraha despite a seven-point agreement reached between the government and the family of 15-year-old Ganesh Yadav, who was killed during a protest in Golbazar following the Sunsari incident. Movement of the general public remains restricted under the curfew, with security personnel allowing only those travelling for essential purposes after verification. Public activity on the streets remains minimal, while security has been further tightened with Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and other security agencies deployed across the area. According to Siraha Assistant Chief District Officer Chet Raj Baral, the administration will soon hold a meeting to decide whether to lift the curfew or extend it further.
Ganesh Yadav’s family to receive Rs 1 million relief
The family of Ganesh Yadav, who was killed during last Thursday’s incident in Golbazar, Siraha, will receive Rs 1 million in relief assistance. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the process of declaring Yadav a martyr will be initiated without delay. The ministry also said a memorial garden featuring Yadav’s statue will be constructed at a suitable location in coordination with the concerned rural municipality and the local government.
Curfew lifted in Lahan, remains in force in Golbazar
The curfew imposed in Lahan, Siraha, has been lifted, while restrictions remain in place in Golbazar. The curfew in Golbazar was imposed after 15-year-old Ganesh Yadav of Tulsiyahi, Aurahi Rural Municipality-2, was killed during a protest following the death of a youth in Sunsari, who was fatally shot by police while they were trying to control a clash between two groups. Although the authorities have reached an agreement with Yadav’s family, the curfew in Golbazar will remain in force. Assistant Chief District Officer Chet Raj Baral said the curfew would not be lifted until Ganesh Yadav’s body is brought back to Golbazar.
Sunsari lifts curfew and imposes prohibitory order
The District Administration Office, Sunsari, has lifted the curfew imposed in various parts of the district and enforced a prohibitory order to maintain peace and public order. According to an order issued by the Chief District Officer, the curfew, which had been in effect since 9:00 pm on July 28 until further notice, was lifted from 5:30 am on Saturday. Under the prohibitory order, gatherings of more than five people at one place, as well as rallies, demonstrations, public meetings and sit-ins, have been banned until further notice. The administration said the decision was taken to maintain law and order and public security, urging residents to fully comply with the order.
Curfew lifted in Birgunj after situation returns to normal
The Parsa District Administration Office has lifted the curfew imposed in Birgunj following an improvement in the security situation. Chief District Officer Bhola Dahal said the curfew, which had been in effect daily from 5:00 pm to 6:00 am since Thursday (Shrawan 14), was withdrawn from Saturday. According to Dahal, the decision was taken after protest rallies and incidents of unrest in Birgunj gradually subsided. The move comes after the government and the family of the victim in the Golbazar incident in Siraha reached an eight-point agreement, allowing the victim’s funeral rites to proceed.
Landslides and floods disrupt highways across Nepal
Vehicular movement has been disrupted on several major highways and road sections across the country due to continuous rainfall, landslides, flooding, and road erosion. In a traffic update issued today morning, Nepal Police said that some roads have been completely blocked, while nighttime vehicle operations have been suspended on several vulnerable sections. As a precaution against possible flooding, all types of vehicles have been prohibited from operating between 6:00 pm and 4:00 am on the Khurkot–Nepalthok–Katunjebesi section of the BP Highway connecting Kavrepalanchok and Sindhuli. Similarly, vehicle movement has been banned from 5:00 pm to 5:00 am on the Kanti Lokpath. Traffic has come to a complete halt on the Mechi Highway at Ilam Municipality-9 after rainfall turned the road muddy.
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