- Friday, 20 June 2025
Govt for linking journalists with SSF: Minister Gurung
Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has said government would take initiative for linking journalists to contribution-based social security fund (SSF).
Budget bolsters national economy: Finance Minister
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has expressed belief that the budget for the fiscal year, 2082/83 will help bolster national economy.
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Younger population seeing high rates of infection amid COVID surge in India
As India confronts a fresh surge in Covid-19 cases, doctors suggest that the virus is disproportionately affecting younger age groups, with the 18 to 45 age bracket facing the brunt of infections. According to data available on the Union Health Ministry’s Covid dashboard, India has 5,976 active cases from 29 states and union territories as of 19 June. Of these, Kerala has the highest caseload at 1,309, followed by Gujarat and Delhi at 1,046 and 632 cases, respectively. While the government does not provide an age- or gender-wise breakdown of cases, doctors are seeing a noticeable increase in COVID-19 cases among young adults, specifically those aged between 18 and 45.
HoR session: Government's attention drawn to various contemporary issues, including Civil Service Bill
At the start of the session, Hari Dhakal of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) demanded legal action against those involved in the assault on RSP leader Megh Ale in Waling, Syangja. According to Dhakal, Ale was attacked by the Ward Chair of Waling-10 for speaking out against the exploitation of river resources.
Nation
Nepal gifted with natural beauty: Ambassador Ansari
Ambassador of Qatar to Nepal, Mishal M. Al Ansari, has said that Nepal is a very beautiful country, gifted with nature.
Budget bolsters national economy: Finance Minister
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has expressed belief that the budget for the fiscal year, 2082/83 will help bolster national economy.
HoR meeting: Committee report on Citizenship Bill presented
A report of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee regarding the Nepal Citizenship (second amendment) Bill has been presented in the House of Representatives (HoR).
Now it's confirmed, Jaljale in Dailekh has large reserve of methane
The technicians estimate that there are petrol and gas reserves at six to seven places in Dailekh. The present project is a pilot project operated with full grant assistance provided by China. It is operational at financial and technical support of the CGS of the Chinese government. A total of Rs 2.50 billion was the preliminary estimated cost for it. The investment had increased due to delay in implementation owing to various reasons including COVID-19 pandemic.
World
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Israel threatens Iran’s top leader after missiles damage hospital and wound more than 200
Israel’s defence minister overtly threatened Iran’s supreme leader on Thursday after the latest missile barrage from Iran damaged the main hospital in southern Israel and hit several other residential buildings near Tel Aviv. Israel, meanwhile, struck a heavy water reactor that is part of Iran’s nuclear program. At least 240 people were wounded by the Iranian missiles, four of them seriously, according to Israel’s Health Ministry. The vast majority were lightly wounded, including more than 70 people from the Soroka Medical Centre in the southern city of Beersheba, where smoke rose as emergency teams evacuated patients. In the aftermath of the strikes, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz blamed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and said the military “has been instructed and knows that in order to achieve all of its goals, this man absolutely should not continue to exist.”
Business
Budget bolsters national economy: Finance Minister
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has expressed belief that the budget for the fiscal year, 2082/83 will help bolster national economy.
Now it's confirmed, Jaljale in Dailekh has large reserve of methane
Jaljale of Dailekh has shown signs of hope for a bright future for Nepal in terms of mineral fuel.
13th Nepal-China's Xizang Economic and Trade Facilitation Committee Meeting concludes
The 13th Meeting of the Nepal-China's Xizang Economic and Trade Facilitation Committee (NXTFC) was held in Lhasa on June 17-18, 2025, ushering in a new era in the long-standing trade relationship between the Xizang Autonomous Region (XAR) of China and Nepal.
NA meeting: Lawmakers ask government not to stop subsidy for sugarcane farmers
National Assembly members have demanded to withdraw the government's decision of stopping the subsidy being provided to sugarcane farmers.
Sports
National U-16 Cricket Team announced
The national cricket team has been announced today for the ACC Men's U-16 East Zone Cup Cricket Tournament to be held in Malaysia. The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has announced a 14-member team led by Bipin Prasad Sharma for the tournament to be held in Malaysia from June 22 to July 5.
Interview
Budget focused on giving impetus to economy: Finance Minister Poudel
Kathmandu, May 31: The government has presented its budget (income and expenditure) estimates for the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26 in the parliament. The government was expected to bring the budget with various reform plans to improve the overall economic situation of the country and achieve the expected pace of development. But an average and status quo budget was presented, which has raised questions about what role it can play in improving the economy. In this context, RSS correspondent Hemant Joshi talked to Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel. The excerpts of the interview are as follows: What are the focus and priorities of the upcoming fiscal year's budget including the aspects of reforms?A realistic and disciplined budget has been presented in terms of resource and expenditure management. We have emphasized the optimal use of resources and also tried to be realistic in terms of internal revenue and external debt mobilization. The allocation for capital expenditure has been increased while funds going to the provincial and local levels through financial transfers have been increased. This budget has particularly emphasized on two to three things in the process of giving an impetus to the economy. It has set the path for favorable policy reforms for investment growth. It adopts a policy to attract domestic and foreign investment. It also set a favorable ground for production growth and job creation.Experts have described this as an average budget, did you not try to intervene or were not able to do?There is no question of blindly interfering in the name of reforms. The budget has already taken the necessary steps to determine and adopt the right policy. Various policy reforms have been made. A policy of using alternative development finance has been adopted. Improvements have been made in project management and procurement processes. Instead of waiting for the next fiscal year, we have made arrangements to start the procurement process from Jestha 16. We expect the policy of austerity and spending cuts to balance current expenditure. In terms of taxes, many suggestions were received about the kind of revenue policy to be adopted and we listened to all of them. But I think that the decision that has been made now regarding taxes has increased the trust of taxpayers over the state.What kind of political pressure did you face during preparation of this budget? Is your budget politically biased?All the comments and feedback on the budget are welcome. While preparing the budget, my focus was on making the budget realistic and disciplined. Budget preparation is not a matter of pressure but something that is done based on justification. I did not feel any kind of pressure. However, the budget cannot be separated from politics out rightly. The government's policies and programs should be followed and the budget is based accordingly. Therefore, one cannot say that it is a completely technical manner away from politics. But this budget has come within the limits of the fundamentals norms of a budget.The private sector seems excited over the budget but there are concerns that the general public was not given due consideration…We were in a situation where we had to prioritize the needs of the nation more than that of its people. The budget has been introduced keeping this in mind. We were guided more by the need to increase production and productivity, adding impetus to the economy, increasing the economic growth rate and making it sustainable than going for cheap popularity. The budget ensures that economic activities will expand, private sector investment will increase, employment opportunities will rise and infrastructure projects will be completed on time. I am also optimistic that the targeted economic growth will be achieved through this budget.How is the prioritization and selection of projects different from previous years?We have always been mindful of the fact that the federal government should present plans and programs that should be approved by the federal parliament. The budget was prepared with a focus on important federal responsibilities. Furthermore, the functions of the provinces and local levels do not fall within the scope of the federal government's budget. Hence, federal projects costing less than Rs. 30 million were not included in the budget. The message we have put out is that not only the federal government but the provinces and local levels should also come up with a balanced budget.Furthermore, implementing of the budget should begin immediately. In fact, we should start implementing the budget from today itself. Accordingly, we will immediately proceed with projects the contracts of which can be handed out within the current fiscal year. (RSS)
Our approach to responding to loss and damage is a country-led and bottom-up one: Diong
Ibrahima Cheikh Diong is the Executive Director of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD). Indira Aryal, a reporter with this daily, spoke with Mr Diong about the mandate and mission of the Fund, and how developing countries like Nepal can access it more easily. Excerpts:
Society
HoR session: Government's attention drawn to various contemporary issues, including Civil Service Bill
At the start of the session, Hari Dhakal of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) demanded legal action against those involved in the assault on RSP leader Megh Ale in Waling, Syangja. According to Dhakal, Ale was attacked by the Ward Chair of Waling-10 for speaking out against the exploitation of river resources.