KATHMANDU: Stay updated with Nepal News’ evening briefing, bringing you the day’s most important developments from Nepal and across the globe. From politics and economy to sports, entertainment, and culture, we deliver a concise roundup of the top news you need to know.
15 Killed And One Missing In Himlung Avalanche In Manang
Fifteen people have died and one remains missing after a massive avalanche struck the Himlung Himal area of Narphabhumi Rural Municipality-5 in Manang. A 27-member Nepali team had travelled from Kathmandu on September 18 to establish a base camp for Himalayan trekking and mountaineering operations. The team consisted of 21 members from Himalayan Holiday Company and six from Imaging Nepal. The avalanche struck at around 12:45 a.m. on September 27, burying workers in the area. Eleven of the 27 people were rescued alive, while 16 initially remained unaccounted for. Search and rescue operations have so far recovered 15 bodies, including those of people from Sankhuwasabha, Gorkha, Khotang, Rukum East, Kavrepalanchok, Sindhupalchok, Okhaldhunga and Dolakha. Among those identified are Chhewi Bhote, Pasang Bhote, Birendra Gurung, Ghanshyam Rai, Lak Kumar Gurung, Suraj Rai, Kalam Budha, Birkh Dhwaj Tamang, Jagat Tamang, Urkh Dhwaj Bohora, Prem Tamang, Aash Gurung and Kriti Bahadur Tamang. The bodies of Ngima Dorje Tamang and Santabir Tamang have also been recovered, although their ages and permanent addresses were not established. Pasang Nuri Sherpa, a 38-year-old from Okhaldhunga, remains missing and the search for him is continuing.
PM Balen Shah Government Releases 15 Key Achievements From Past Six Weeks
The government has released a list of 15 major activities and achievements recorded during the past six weeks under Prime Minister Balen Shah, covering disaster response, administrative reform, digital governance, infrastructure, foreign affairs and public service delivery. The progress report, made public on Friday, covers work since September 21. Shah addressed the 81st United Nations General Assembly, drawing international attention to climate change and the impact of the Bhote Koshi floods. The government has also taken decisions aimed at keeping road transport operating smoothly during the monsoon and festival season and strengthening market monitoring. Administrative measures include performance agreements with secretaries and division chiefs at the Prime Minister’s Office and approval of rules aimed at simplifying and digitising government decision-making. The government says Rs 16.2831 billion has been collected in the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund, of which Rs 1 billion has been released to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. A post-disaster needs assessment is underway in flood-hit Rasuwa. Of 17,397 complaints received through Hello Sarkar, 6,837 have been settled. The Public Procurement Monitoring Office has blacklisted 15 firms, while work on government data mapping and the Nepal Enterprise Architecture Framework has also moved forward. The Policy Research Institute has prepared 19 research reports on climate change. Shah has also held discussions with private-sector federations and expressed commitment to facilitating development projects.
New Five Bills Registered In Parliament On Civil Aviation, Governance And Road Safety
The government has registered five bills in the House of Representatives covering civil aviation, governance, infrastructure and road safety, opening the way for them to move through the parliamentary process. The bills were formally registered at the Federal Parliament Secretariat on Friday. Two separate bills concerning civil aviation have been submitted by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, namely the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority Bill and the Nepal Air Service Authority Bill. The proposed legislation seeks to separate regulatory functions from service operations in the aviation sector. The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers has registered the first amendment bill to the Good Governance Management and Operation Act, with the stated objective of strengthening transparency and accountability in government functioning. The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has submitted two additional bills, the Building Second Amendment Bill and the National Road Safety Bill. The bills will now proceed to discussion and other stages of parliamentary consideration. The legislation covers areas ranging from the institutional structure of civil aviation and government administration to building regulation, transport safety and road-related governance.
Foreign Policy Should Serve Nepal’s Economic Interests, Foreign Minister Says
Nepal needs to connect its foreign policy more directly with national economic interests and the goal of prosperity, with diplomacy playing a larger role in trade, investment, tourism, technology transfer and employment generation. Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal outlined this approach during a programme on economic diplomacy organised by the Asian Institute of Diplomacy and International Affairs on Friday. Economic diplomacy, according to the policy direction presented at the event, should become an integral part of Nepal’s overall development strategy rather than remaining limited to expanding political and diplomatic relations. Nepal’s foreign policy should focus on economic transformation, increasing production and improving access to international markets. The changing global economy, regional competition and geopolitical environment also require Nepal to turn diplomatic relationships into concrete economic opportunities. Nepal’s missions abroad are expected to play a more active role in promoting trade, investment and economic cooperation. Economic diplomacy would also require coordination among government agencies, the private sector, entrepreneurs, businesses and the Nepali diaspora. Clear national priorities, institutional coordination and a results-oriented approach have been identified as necessary for making economic diplomacy more effective.
Speaker Aryal Says Federal Parliament Is Not Weak, New Buildings Expected Next Session
Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal has said the Federal Parliament remains strong and is functioning effectively, rejecting the impression that the legislature has become weak. Speaking at a press conference in Singha Durbar on Friday, Aryal said Parliament was continuing to perform its responsibilities while lawmakers remained engaged with issues concerning the public. He said the matters raised by members of Parliament should be addressed through the legislative process and that the institution would continue working according to its mandate and established working style. He also stressed that lawmakers, citizens and journalists have a role in holding the executive accountable. Looking ahead, Aryal expressed confidence that both the National Assembly and House of Representatives would conduct their next session from their new buildings. The Speaker’s remarks come amid wider discussions about the effectiveness of the legislature and its ability to respond to public concerns. He maintained that Parliament had not become ineffective and that elected representatives remained engaged in carrying out responsibilities on behalf of the country’s population.
Nepali Congress To Register Central Committee Election Nominations On Monday
The Nepali Congress will accept nominations for candidates contesting the election of its central working committee under the party’s upcoming 15th General Convention on Monday. Candidates and eligible central general convention representatives will be able to submit nomination papers at Rastriya Sabha Griha in Kathmandu between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on October 5. The party’s central office has issued a notice asking eligible candidates to complete the nomination process within the designated period. The election committee has set the nomination schedule as part of preparations for the central working committee election, while other detailed aspects of the electoral programme will be announced later. The nomination process is a key stage in the party’s preparations for its 15th General Convention and will determine the field of candidates seeking positions in the central working committee. The Congress has not yet released all other details of the election schedule, with further information expected to be made public by the election committee as the convention process advances.
Oli Administers Oath To Newly Nominated UML Central Committee Members
Newly nominated central members of the CPN-UML have taken the oath of office and secrecy in the presence of party chairman KP Sharma Oli at the party’s central office in Chyasal. The oath-taking ceremony followed the UML Central Committee’s third full meeting, held from September 21 to 24, which decided to nominate new members to the central committee. A total of 33 newly nominated members took the oath, including Kashinath Adhikari, Devraj Ghimire, Hari Rijal, Pasang Sherpa, Narendra Bhattarai, Nandaram Devkota, Dharma Giri, Narayan Gharti, Bidya Sundar Shakya, Palden Chhopang, Bimala Ghimire, Dr Shivamaya Tumbahamphe, Januka Shimkhada, Bina Bastola, Shantilal Mahat, Binod Pandey, Dr Prem Dangol, Pushparaj Shrestha, Mohammad Ishtiaq Rai, Kaushila Khatri, Surendra Udas, Shri Prasad Sharma, Deepak Saud, Jai Gole Tamang, Dharmaraj Niraula, Pradeep Yadav, Dr Abdul Hussain Ansari, DB Karki, Bhawani Khapung, Babi Chamling, Binod Pahadi, Ramprit Ram and Dhruva Bista. The appointments expand the party’s central committee following the decisions of its recent full meeting.
25 Police Personnel Still Missing After Bhote Koshi Flood In Rasuwa
Twenty-five police personnel remain missing after the Bhote Koshi flood swept away several police facilities in Rasuwa, while the bodies of three missing officers have been recovered. The missing personnel include a police assistant sub-inspector from the Area Police Office in Timure. The bodies recovered so far are those of Police Assistant Sub-Inspector Ramhari Khadka and Police Assistant Head Constable Dipendra Bista from the Timure Area Police Office, and Police Assistant Sub-Inspector Ramkaji Paudel from Betrabati Police Post. The flood caused extensive destruction at the Area Police Office in Timure and police posts in Rasuwagadhi, Syafrubesi and Betrabati, as well as the temporary police post at Mailung. Several police facilities were completely destroyed, while other structures suffered severe damage. The disaster occurred at around 8:45 a.m. while police personnel were engaged in arranging and registering container trucks at Syafrubesi market. Search and recovery efforts are continuing for the personnel who remain unaccounted for following the devastating flood.
RSP Lawmaker Calls For Government And Parliament To Change Working Style
Rastriya Swatantra Party General Secretary and lawmaker Bipin Acharya has called for changes in the working styles of both the government and Parliament to bridge the widening gap between citizens’ expectations for rapid change and the relatively slow functioning of state institutions. Addressing the House of Representatives on Friday, Acharya said the public was seeking quick results while government procedures and institutional processes continued to move slowly. He warned that failure to respond to public expectations in time could increase questions about the political leadership. At the same time, he argued that the government should be assessed with the understanding that the new leadership inherited decades of accumulated problems, stalled development projects and a conventional state bureaucracy. He said judging the government’s overall performance before it had completed six months would be premature. Acharya also urged opposition parties to move away from criticism simply for the sake of opposing the government and instead focus on evidence-based and constructive criticism. He said issues raised in Parliament should be properly recorded, categorised, prioritised and followed through toward solutions.
Lawmakers Demand Mandatory Insurance For Government Buildings And Infrastructure
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