- Sunday, 3 May 2026
Kathmandu, May 3: There is possibility of moderate to heavy rain and snowfall with thunder and lightning at some places in the hilly and mountainous regions of the country today. Rainfall is also likely at a few places in the Tarai of Koshi and Madhesh Provinces and at one or two places in the remaining Tarai region.
Later tonight, the weather will remain generally cloudy throughout the country. There is possibility of moderate to heavy rain and snowfall with thunder and lightning, windstorm, hail at some places in Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini provinces and at a few places in Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces.
There is also a possibility of heavy rain and snowfall with thunder and lightning at one or two places in the hilly region of Lumbini Province.
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02- President, Vice-President extends best wishes on World Press Freedom Day
Kathmandu, May 3: President Ramchandra Paudel has said that press freedom is the cornerstone of democracy and is equally important in implementing the constitutional right of citizens to be informed. “The more impartial, independent and strong the press is the stronger the democratic system will be.”
In a message today on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, the President has said press freedom should be ensured, allowing journalists to have a safe environment to carry out their duties to inform the people. “Our constitution has guaranteed full freedom of the press and expression.”
On the occasion, he has also wished may the Nepali media community always be successful in fully utilizing and protecting the constitutionally granted rights and in conveying fact-based and true information to the general public.
Stating that the increasing use of social media and the false and misleading information that may be disseminated through it are a challenge before us, President Paudel has expressed his hope that this day would give more energy, encouragement and motivation to the Nepali press sector to disseminate truth, facts and reliable information to the people while addressing such challenges.
In a similar message, Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav has said press freedom, as guaranteed by the Constitution, is not only the right of journalists or media personnel, but also the common right of all citizens to know the truth, express their opinion, and make prudent decisions.
Stating that the Constitution of Nepal ensures press freedom as a fundamental right, Vice President Yadav said that a free press is the backbone of democracy. He has also expressed his best wishes that journalism may move forward fearlessly by exercising and protecting the right granted by the Constitution.
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03- RSP secretariat meeting to be held
Kathmandu, May 3: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Secretariat is scheduled to meet today to discuss various contemporary issues.
According to the party’s spokesperson, Manish Jha, the meeting is scheduled to be held at 11:00 am today at the party’s central office, Ghantighar, Banasthali.
The party secretariat meeting is scheduled to also discuss the local level candidate selection framework-2083, general convention procedure-2083, amendment of the parliamentary party’s statute, among other issues.
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04- Landslide in Tuin khola
Chitwan, May 3: Road traffic has been partially disrupted after a landslide fell in the Tuin Khola of the Narayangadh-Muglin road section. Only one-way traffic is operation on the road after the landslide at 5:45 am this morning.
According to Police Inspector Pratik Singh of the Area Police Office, Muglin, a dozer has been requested from the Division Road Office, Bharatpur to clear the landslide debris. The landslide site is five kilometers from Muglin towards Narayangadh.
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05- Political appointees to be relieved of their posts as various ordinances are issued
Kathmandu, May 3: President Ramchandra Poudel has, on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, issued the ‘Ordinance on Special Provisions related to the termination of Public Office-bearers, 2083’ on Friday.
With this step taken by the Prime Minister Balendra Shah-led government with the aim of strengthening the administration and giving new momentum to state bodies, a total of 1,594 officials who received political appointments under various acts and structures will be relieved of their posts.
Those affected include office-bearers of Nepal Airlines Corporation, , Gorkhapatra Corporation, Film Censorship Board, Telecommunications Authority, Press Council and Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
Information Technology Tribunal and Appellate Tribunal, Information Commission, Advertisement Board, Public Service Broadcasting will also see political appointees relieved from this posts.
In the Education and University Sector, office-bearers of Teachers Service Commission, Nepal Sanskrit University, Technical Education and Vocational Training Council, National Youth Council, Kathmandu University, the Tribhuvan University, University Grants Commission and Purbanchal University will be removed.
Similarly, political appointees of Pokhara University, Lumbini Buddhist University, Sudurpaschim University, Madhyapaschim University, Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal Open University, Rajarshee Janak University and the Madan Bhandari University will be relieved of their duties.
In the Health, Medicine and Science Sector, appointees in Ayurveda Medical Council, Nepal Health Research Council, Animal Health and Animal Service Practitioners Council, BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal Nursing Council, Nepal Health Practitioners Council, BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, Shahid Gangalal National Heart Center, Nepal Pharmacy Council and National Academy of Medical Sciences will be affected by the new decision.
Similarly, officials of Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences, Rapti Academy of Health Sciences, Health Insurance Board, Nepal Medical Council, National Medical Education Council, Vidushi Yogmaya Himalayan Ayurveda University and Shahid Dashrath Chand University of Health Sciences will be removed.
Furthermore, appointees of Nepal Electricity Authority, Kathmandu Valley Development Authority, Nepal Drinking Water Corporation, Municipal Development Fund, Road Board, Electricity Regulatory Commission, Nepal Railways will be terminated.
In the financial sector, Employees Provident Fund, Citizens Investment Fund, Nepal Chartered Accountants, Industrial Business Development Corporation, Securities Board, Competition Promotion and Market Protection Agency and the Review Committee under the Public Procurement Act will see their office-bearers relieved.
Office-bearers at Deposit and Credit Guarantee Fund, the Special Economic Zones Committee, the Public-Private Partnership and Investment Board, Industrial Business, Insurance and Accreditation Board are to be removed.
In the Agriculture, Environment, Academy and Social Sector, those going to see termination are at the Nepal Agricultural Research Council, the National Dairy Development Board, National Tea and Coffee Development Board, Nepal Veterinary Council, the Plant Quarantine and Protection Board, Pesticide Management Board, Environment Protection Board and Food Hygiene and Standards Agency.
Office-bearers appointed by the previous government under the Nepali Language Publication Corporation Act, the Guthi Corporation Act, Lumbini Development Fund Act and the Pashupati Area Development Trust Act, 2044 are going to be relieved of their posts.
Similarly, the Nepal Academy of Science and Technology, the Nepal Scouts, Greater Janakpur Area Development Council, the National Foundation for the Upliftment of Indigenous Peoples, the Indigenous Peoples Council, Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, Nepal Academy of Music and Drama and Nepal Academy of Fine Arts will see office-bearers being relieved of their posts.
In the administrative and social sector, officials of Nepal Administrative Training Academy, Local Development Training Academy, Social Welfare Council, Nepal Engineering Council, Foreign Employment Board, Nepal Trust, Commission for the Investigation, Truth and Reconciliation of Enforced Disappearances will be removed.
Ten office-bearers appointed under the Labor Act, 2074 BS and seven officials appointed under the Contribution-Based Social Security Act, 2074 BS, Four officials appointed under the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, 2074 BS and 17 officials appointed under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2074 BS will be relieved of their posts.
Similarly, four officials appointed under the Land Use Act, 2076 BS, three officials appointed under the Radioactive Substances (Use and Regulation) Act, 2077 BS and 27 officials appointed under the National Sports Development Act, 2077 BS will be relieved of their posts.
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06- Landslide blocks major highways and road sections
Kathmandu, May 3: Various major highways and road sections across the country have been blocked for traffic due to landslides triggered by pre-monsoon rains for the past few days.
The Kanti highway was obstructed after a landslide at Pangdur in Bagmati Rural Municipality-3, Lalitpur and the Mid-Hill Highway due to landslide at Bimire Bhanjyang in Madhya Nepal Municipality-10, Lamjung.
Also disrupted are the Bhaluwang-Pyuthan road section at Khare Khola in Pyuthan Sarumarani Rural Municipality-4 and the Kanti Lokpath road section at Bhayangdanda in Bhimphedi Rural Municipality-8, have been completely blocked, according to Central Police Spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General of Police Abinarayan Kafle.
Due to the landslide on April 29, the Araniko Highway in Kodari, Bhotekoshi-2, Sindhupalchowk has been completely blocked and has not been operational yet.
The Mid-Hill Highway in Bokhim, Bhojpur Municipality-5, which was blocked due to floods on April 25, and the Beni-Jomsom road section in Jalathale, Annapurna Rural Municipality-3, Myagdi, are operational for one-way traffic only, according to the police.
Since the risk of floods and landslides is higher during the rainy season, the police have urged people to travel safely and cautiously, especially along on the blocked and one-way operational highways.
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07- FNJ marks World Press Freedom Day, argues free press a fundamental human rights
Kathmandu, May 3: The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) organised a rally, marking the World Press Freedom Day today.
The rally themed ‘Shaping a Future at Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development and Safety’ was originated from the local Maitighar Mandal and converged into a corner meeting upon reaching New Baneshwor area.
National Human Rights Commission member Manoj Duwadi unveiled an annual report, reflecting the status of press freedom in the country. Describing press freedom and freedom of expression as a vital part of the human rights, he said that the NHRC always stands for protection and promotion of human rights.
FNJ Chair Nirmala Sharma said, “Press freedom and the freedom of expression are the constitutional rights, thus not to be hindered.”
Nepal Bar Association Chair Pro Dr Bijay Prasad Mishra assured of a moral support in the legal remedy for any hindrance or obstruction regarding the freedom of expression and opinion.
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08- Blossoming gurans add attraction to Mundum Trail
Khotang, May 3: Mundum Trail, one among the list of 100 tourist destinations in the country, has been decorated with varieties of blossoming gurans (rhododendron). It has added attraction to the vicinity.
The hills along the Mundum Trail of Khotang district are embellished with the rhododendrons flowered in different colours, which evidently bewitch the visitors, getting them stuck to have a sight and relish natural beauty.
Thanks to the country’s diverse climates and geographies, the Spring Season is featured with verdant hills and blossoming flowers. White, red and pink coloured rhododendrons paint the trekking route, beginning from Tawabhanjyang of Khimida in Sakela Rural Municipality-3, Khotang. It is one of the frequented destinations for domestic and foreign tourists, the locals said.
A team of trekkers led by Ojan Babu Acharya from Diktel bazaar of Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi Rural Municipality, was found in the trail lately. He said the ambience was in deed mesmerizing.
The visit of the trekking route is further publicized through the digital platforms, giving wider visibility of the natural vista. Posting photos and videos on Facebook and Instagram thus seems mandatory to the visitors. Nature lovers from in the country and abroad have ardently described the Mundum Trail, posting photos and images taken during the visits. The season of rhododendron has increased internal tourists in the trail.
Acharya further observed that in addition to the flowering plants, huge meadows found during the travel are of no less enticement. “Relishing such natural beauty gives a heavenly bliss,” he said, exuding awe.
Natural beauty, biodiversity, cultural heritage and adventurous trekking compound the experience of bliss along the Mundum Trail. The researchers have informed that 18 varieties of rhododendron are found around the Maiyung meadow.
“Once I get time, I love visiting this trail which relieves me quickly of fatigue and energizes the body,” another visitor LB Magar said, adding that even the taste of locally produced things is a unique experience here. Eating dairy products including Yak milk while trekking on these hills is unforgettable moment, he added.
Practice of transhumance
The locals herd their cattle- sheep, Yak and horse- in the meadows for grazing during this season. Maiyung, Merung and Dhodre grasslands are famous for pasture. The traditional practice of transhumance is still found here. A sheep herder Laxman Sampang ‘Samip’ from Phedi of Kopilasgadhi Rural Municipality-1 informed that dozens of households were practicing nomadic movement of cattle, raising sheep and Yaks.
The Mundum Trail is not only associated with tourism, livestock and forest but also the historic Kirat community settled in the borders of Khotang, Bhojpur, Solukhumbu and Sankhuwasabha districts in the eastern hills of Nepal. The trail stretching on the border of Khotang and Bhojpur districts is given further prominence by major locations like Temke Maiyung (at altitude of 3,165metre), Salpapokhari (at altitude of 3,750 metre) and Silichung (at altitude of 4,165metre).
It takes nearly 13 days for foreigners to cover the trekking route connecting various hilly ridges and ranges, while 10 days for the Nepalis.
Chairman of Maiyung-Temke-Salpa-Silichung Tourism Promotion Centre, Ramesh Rai, informed that irrespective of trekking up the hills, the footfall is not a fatigue but the occasion to load off.
Horse riding is another sports and adventure to the tourism in the high hill meadows as part of trail visit.
For any keen observer and researcher, the Rai community and their culture are matters of study. The Mundum Trail is named after Kirat culture. The Mundum (or Mundhum) is a sacred text/scripture of Kirat community- Yakkha, Limbu, Rai and Sunuwar. It also spans the myths and rituals that shape values among Kirat people.
Sight of the birds, red panda, Himalayan tahr and wild bee gives a boost to make the travel memorable. The local cuisines made of indigenous products like Yak milk, buckwheat and millet are also in list to welcome visitors. The connoisseurs of local indigenous foods find taste in the dhindo made up wheat flour and chicken soup.
Rayo leaves, potato and beans are prioritized by the locals in the guests’ plates during goth-stay, a variant of homestay, where visitor/trekkers enjoy meals with herders that practice transhumance. Goth is a Nepali term for cowshed where even the herders stay to rear the cattle during pasture.
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09- Land screening begins for squatters
Kathmandu, May 3: The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation has started land screening for the squatters. The process is assisted by the Soil-Archiving Management System (SAMS).
It aims to find out whether those presenting them as landless quarters own land in any parts of the country. Ministry Joint-Secretary and Spokesperson Ganesh Prasad Bhatta said the examination is based on various policies, rules and procedures and the government is committed to making it transparent and effective.
Now, the Ministry is collecting the names of squatters in the Kathmandu Valley and it is in the process of identifying the genuine landless squatters. The identification would pave way to sustainable management of landless squatters, it is said. A total of 110 land revenue, 21 land reform and revenue offices function under the Ministry.
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10- Free press for good governance, transparency: Minister Dr Timilsina
Kathmandu, May 3: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Dr Bikram Timilsina, is of the view that strengthening good governance, transparency and public trust is not possible in the absence of a free press.
In his message of best wishes on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day today, the Minister described a free, impartial and responsible press as a foundational pillar of democracy, highlighting its vital role in ensuring public accountability.
He noted that the media do not merely serve as a means of disseminating information; rather, they are key institutions that hold politics, administration, the private sector and society accountable. Dr Timilsina stressed that the exercise of press freedom must go hand in hand with a strong sense of responsibility.
“The government is fully committed to the freedom of press and expression as enshrined in the Constitution,” he reminded, adding that only a free press can ensure sustainable good governance and transparency. He also urged the media to prioritize adherence to facts, professional ethics and responsibility toward public welfare. According to him, the credibility of the press strengthens the credibility of democracy itself.
The Minister stressed the need for the media to remain vigilant against fake information, misleading content and the misuse of social media in today’s rapidly evolving digital era. In such a context, journalism grounded in facts, credibility and public interest is more important than ever. He also expressed his respect for all journalists and media professionals committed to credible, public-interest journalism.
This year, the World Press Freedom Day is being observed under the theme: “Shaping a Future at Peace: Promoting Press Freedom for Human Rights, Development and Security.”
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