- Thursday, 7 May 2026
Kathmandu, May 7: The newly elected central executive committee of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has assumed office today.
Anjan Shrestha, the senior-vice president in the previous committee, assumed the presidency and took office in accordance with the FNCCI statute.
The newly elected office-bearers, along with Shrestha, assumed office.
On the occasion, President Shrestha said that the new leadership would continue discussions and collaborations with the government to create an environment that boosts the morale of the private sector.
At a programme organised here today, outgoing President Chandra Prasad Dhakal handed over the post to newly elected President Shrestha.
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11- SAARC Secretary General pays courtesy call on Minister Khanal
Kathmandu, May 7: Secretary-General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Md. Golam Sarwar paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal.
During the meeting held at Foreign Minister Khanal’s office today, they discussed the issues of strengthening regional cooperation, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
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13- Two Indian trekkers rescued
Mustang, May 7: Two Indian trekkers, who were stuck due to snowfall in course of trekking to Mustang, have been safely rescued. A joint team of Nepal Army and Nepal Police rescued them on Wednesday night. They were heading towards Mustang from Manang.
A heavy snowfall had taken place at Muktinath and Thorang La Pass area on Wednesday. Phanik Tony, 29 and Mitra Bindu, 30, of Kerala in India, were stranded after they were unable to locate trail at Chisapani of Baragung Muktichhetra-2.
A trekker Mitra Bindu had informed the District Police Office, Mustang, about their condition. The joint team had safely rescued the Indian trekkers from Drum Camp in lower area of Thorang Pass, said Lieutenant Colonel at the Indra Baks Battalion, Gaurav Dhoj Khand.
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14- Earthquake recorded in Dhading
Kathmandu, May 7: An earthquake measuring 4.1 on the Richter scale was recorded at 11:14 am with an epicenter at Charangephedi in Dhading, the Department of Mines and Geology confirmed.
The tremor was felt in Dhading and adjoining districts as well, said Dr Lok Bijay Adhikari, Chief of National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, Dr Lok Bijay Adhikari.
No damage or casualties have been reported from the quake.
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15- 2nd South Asia Trade Fair kicks off
Kathmandu, May 7: The Second South Asia Trade Fair 2026 BS kicked off today at local Bhrikutimandap based in Exhibition Road.
The fair has the participation of business groups representing Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The business expo, which will run until May 11, aims to provide a common platform for exploring industrial, trade and service related opportunities in the South Asia.
The event was jointly inaugurated by ambassadors of various nations to Nepal and the business community.
Managed by the Introduction Trade Shows Nepal, the fair has been organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Commence, and the Export Promotion Bureau in Bangladesh, with the support from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment, Bhutan.
The regional fair features pavilions from various nations. It is expected to attract over 5,000 people from the business community and over 100,000 locals, promoting the exportable goods and encouraging business communities.
Cottage and handicraft items, indigenous foods, ready-made garments, beauty products, furniture, agricultural products, IT related goods and services, domestic appliances and electrical vehicles are available at the fair, according to fair coordinator Suman Maharjan.
The expo is expected to help promote products and services, asses market potential, expand buyer-supplier collaboration and strengthen regional and trans-national trade relations among the participating countries.
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16- Lumbini province secretaries given responsibilities
Lumbini, May 7: The Lumbini Province Government has assigned responsibilities to various secretaries.
A meeting of the province Council of Ministers today designated Ram Parajuli to take charge of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure, while Januka Pandit has been assigned to look after the Ministry of Agriculture, Land Management and Cooperatives.
As told by Health Minister Khem Bahadur Saru, Anil Marasini has been given the responsibility of Director of Province Transport Infrastructure Directorate.
The meeting also recommended to the federal government that Chaapatari of Ward number – 5 of Isma rural municipality in Gulmi be designated as the centre of the rural municipality.
Likewise, the meeting endorsed the ‘ Procedure on Study Pre- Approval and Study Leave Endorsement 2083 BS’.
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17- Former administrators welcome government preparations towards reforms, good governance
Kathmandu, May 7: Former administrators and public administration experts have welcomed the government’s recent measures aimed at improving the administrative system and strengthening good governance.
They said the initiatives taken by the government are positive and could help enhance public trust in the administration.
Former Chief Secretary Bimal Koirala said such measures are capable of increasing public trust towards administrative institutions.
He added that reforms in service delivery, particularly in the distribution of driving licences, citizenship certificates and passport, indicate efforts towards building a more effective system in the relevant sectors. “Such initiatives will make the government more accountable to citizens, leaving a positive impact on the good governance measures.”
The administration expert Koirala further welcomed the government’s preparations for downsizing the number of federal ministries from the existing 22 to 17.
He advised the federal government to focus on dealing with policy formulation, quality standards and monetary policies. As he said, the federal structure is required to be smart and effective, devolving rights to the province and local governments.
“Countries with federal systems have adopted measures to make the federal government smaller, and it is indeed appreciable that Nepal is trying to move towards that direction,” he opined.
He added that good governance is not just the concern of civil service administration. Instead, it has a broader scope. The reforms in administrative structures will bring positive impacts on employees’ management, transparency and accountability, according to him.
Former Chairperson of Public Service Commission, Umesh Mainali, said it is clear that the government intends to deliver in the areas of administrative reform and good governance.
“Efforts are being made to make the administration additional responsive through a shock-treatment approach,” he said.
According to former Secretary Mainali, efforts aimed at depoliticizing institutions and structures are positive. The decisions to scrap various trade unions, invalidate political appointments and reduce the influence of organisations close to party in civil service are significant steps towards administrative reforms.
Saying that a plan of making educational institutions free from political influence has been seen, he pointed out the need of decreasing political intervention in bureaucracy.
However, Mainali has some reservation on some issues related with student union. He described the preparation for reducing the number of ministries as a gesture towards the structural reforms.
Stating that the number of ministries was increased unnecessarily due to power sharing and coalition management in the past, he lauded the government’s preparations towards that end.
“There are 12 ministries in the USA and 11 in Japan. So, 22-25 ministries are not necessary in Nepal. The number of ministries should be less but more and vibrantly functional,” argued the former Secretary Mainali.
The federal government should be focused in policy making and activities enlisted in federal list, he expressed the view, adding the ministries should be functional in a long-term manner.
Describing the administration as a ‘delivery wing’, he underlined that any government could not be successful unless the bureaucracy becomes efficient and responsible.
He echoed the need for the implementation of a ‘reward and punishment system’ within the bureaucracy. He was of the view that both internal and external management reforms are necessary to motivate employees.
The former Secretary expressed the belief that the government would be successful if it creates working environment, promotion based on performance and administrative culture responsible to the people.
Expressing gratitude towards the incumbent government, Foreign Affairs Expert and Professor Jay Raj Acharya lauded the government’s efforts towards the reduction of the number of ministries, making public and educational institutions free from politics.
As he said, he had been advocating for the dissolution of student unions and the downsizing number of ministers for years and the government has now moved towards addressing these issues.
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18- IMF Board extends timeline of ECF for Nepal
Kathmandu, May 7: The International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s Executive Board has decided to extend timeline of the Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement implemented for Nepal by additional two months.
According to the press release issued by IMF on Wednesday, the programme would continue up to 11 July 2026 with the extension.
The timeline has been extended to allow sufficient time for the completion of seventh and final review of ECF arrangement, the IMF informed.
The 38-month IMF arrangement for Nepal was approved on 12 January 2022. Under this programme, Nepal obtained access equal to 180 percent of its ‘Special Drawing Rights’ (SDR) quota, amounting to 282,42 million US dollars. According to the IMF, two additional months were added to provide sufficient time for the seventh and final review under the IMF programme.
Nepal has committed, through the IMF program, to maintaining financial stability, strengthening foreign exchange reserves, improving public financial management, and advancing economic reform programmes.
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19- Nepal maintains progress in Open Budget Survey Index; Scores 52 in latest OBS 2025
Kathmandu, May 7: Nepal has demonstrated steady performance in fiscal transparency, achieving a score (52) out of 100 in the International Budget Partnership’s (IBP) Open Budget Survey (OBS) 2025 published on Wednesday.
This score reflects a slight improvement from the 50 points recorded in 2023, reflecting a sustained effort to provide the public with access to central government budget information.
“Government budget decisions—what taxes to levy, what services to provide, and how much debt to take on—have important consequences for all people in society,” the biennial survey report notes, emphasizing that meaningful public engagement ensures public money is spent on public interests.
The OBS 2025 survey tells snapshot of Nepal’s current practices related to budget disclosure, opportunities for public engagement in the budget cycle, and effective checks and balances.
Nepal’s OBS score: Leads South Asian neighbours
With a transparency score of 52, Nepal leads its South Asian neighbors, surpassing Pakistan (45), India (44), Sri Lanka (43), Bangladesh (37), and Afghanistan (0).
However, despite this regional leadership, Nepal remains below the score of 61, which is considered the minimum threshold for “sufficient” transparency to support the informed public debate.
Nepal’s score in public participation remains low at 28, reflecting “few” formal opportunities for the public to engage in the budget process.
While the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) provides adequate opportunities for engagement (67), the executive and legislature lag significantly behind.
The composite oversight score indicates “limited” effectiveness at 52. While Audit Oversight is considered “adequate” with a score of 78, Legislative Oversight is ranked as “weak” at 39, remaining a persistent challenge across survey cycles.
Despite continuous advocacy efforts from CSOs and media, Nepal has not produced and made publicly available the pre-budget statement (PBS) and Citizen Budget, Freedom Forum’s Executive Chief and budget researcher Taranath Dahal commented.
“The recommendations based on the survey data are highly relevant and crucial for the overall improvement of the financial sector. Relevant authorities must pay serious attention to their implementation”, he noted.
Recommended measures for further reforms
The survey has outlined various recommendations to improve Nepal’s transparency score.
To reach a “sufficient” transparency level and restore public trust, the OBS 2025 recommends that Nepal should timely publish the Pre-Budget Statement and Citizens Budget online.
The Executive’s Budget Proposal should include more comprehensive multi-year projections and a glossary of terms to improve budget literacy.
Furthermore, the Year-End Report must disclose fiscal risks and performance outcomes, while the Audit Report should strengthen disclosures regarding extra-budgetary funds and the executive’s progress in addressing past recommendations.
The survey also recommends that Nepal strengthen public participation by sustaining provincial consultations and informing citizens how their inputs influence policy.
The report emphasizes that effectively implementing the Third National PFM Reform Strategy with a focus on inclusivity will be vital to increasing legislative oversight and accountability as well as engaging underrepresented communities, and allowing public testimony during parliamentary hearings on budget proposals and audit reports.
To bolster oversight, the report recommends that Nepal’s Federal Parliament require the Executive’s Budget Proposal be submitted at least two months before the budget year starts.
Legislative committees should proactively monitor debt, examine budget implementation, and publish analysis reports online.
Additionally, the executive should consult the legislature before shifting funds, and committees such as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) must ensure timely follow-up on audit recommendations.
The Open Budget Survey is the world’s only independent, comparative, and fact-based research instrument to assess public access to central government budget information. The 10th edition of the OBS covers 82 countries.
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20- Responsible press will further strengthen democratic republic: President
Kathmandu, May 7: President Ramchandra Paudel has said the responsible press will further strengthen democratic republic.
The Head of the State expressed his belief that Nepali press will additionally deliver towards addressing the aspirations of Nepali citizens expressed through various movements and struggles for good governance, development, progress and economic prosperity.
During his address to a programme organized a the President’s Office today by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology to hand over journalism awards, the President said the Nepali press had played a remarkable role in each political, social and cultural transformations in the nation.
“Our Constitution has guaranteed the right to press freedom and freedom of expression. It is the responsibility of the State to create an atmosphere favourable for exercising the free press as per the spirit and sentiments of the constitution. It is the duty of the responsible press to educate the citizens with the disseminations of fact -based news contents. I believe that the Nepali press will also remain vigilant and aware towards that end,” the President said.
Describing journalism as a powerful and effective means of transformations and nation-building, the Head of the State was of the view that democracy is the necessary condition for practicing and thriving of independent, impartial and balanced journalism. “Establishment of democracy is unachievable in the absence of free and impartial journalism.”
Stating that a condition forcing journalist to be unsafe just for the journalism profession be ended, the President urged all stakeholders concerned to pay attention towards the creation of atmosphere enabling journalists to report and disseminate the news contents in a secured and risk-free environment.
The President further stressed that both the government and private sector should act in a coordinated way for the interests of working journalists and financial sustainability of media house.
The risk of citizens getting mislead has increased with the expansion of IT sector, the dissemination of baseless, and fake information through social sites, he said, adding that this is a challenge for mass communications at present time. He also hoped that Nepali media will be able to address this challenge.
On the occasion, the Head of the State honoured Chandra Kishor Jha and Namrata Sharma with the ‘Senior Journalist Award’ and Bhola Paswan, Umesh Shrestha and Rupa Gahatraj with the ‘National Journalism Award’.
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21- Empowering democracy thru press freedom and technology: Communications Minister
Kathmandu, May 7: Minister of Communications and Information Technology Dr Bikram Timilsina has emphasized that press freedom, professional journalism, and technology-oriented communication practices are imperative to strengthen democracy.
While addressing the National Journalism Day 2083 and the award distribution ceremony held today at the Office of President, Sheetal Niwas, Minister Timilsina articulated the government’s policy of protecting freedom and dignity of press. He highlighted that the government acknowledges journalism as the fourth pillar of the state and asserted that free, fair, and dignified journalism is essential to democracy.
“The government does not endorse any actions that would restrict press freedom,” he said while adding that alongside freedom, responsibility and accountability are imperative. Journalism based on facts and truth can steer society in a positive direction.
Referring to this year’s National Journalism Day theme, ‘Foundation of Good Governance: Technology-Friendly Responsible Journalists,’ he pointed out the increasing necessity for technology-driven and responsible journalism in our digital era. “As the flow of information has increased with advancements in global information technology, the emergence of ‘fake news’ and the misuse of social media present considerable challenges,”
Developing fact-checking as a crucial element of journalism is vital to address these concerns, he added. The government prioritizes the professionalism and sustainability of the media, while measures are being implemented to create policy frameworks that support the media sector, particularly through the formulation of the Advertising Policy 2083.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the full enforcement of the Working Journalists Act, assuring that more effective initiatives will be introduced towards that end.
On this occasion, Secretary of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Laxmi Kumari Basnet, stated that responsible and technology-oriented journalism forms the foundation of good governance. She emphasized the necessity of educating citizens responsibly by maximizing the use of technology, asserting that technology is merely a tool, and its application determines the quality of governance.
During the event, senior journalists Chandra Kishore Jha and Namrata Sharma were honoured with Senior Journalist Award. Additionally, the National Journalism Award was presented to Umesh Shrestha, Bhola Kumar Paswan, and Rupa Gahatraj.
On this occasion, Deepak Acharya, the Acting President of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, highlighted the necessity for the new government to act responsibly in pursuit of good governance, transparency, and meeting the citizens’ expectations. He conveyed his belief that the role of responsible, unbiased, and fact-based journalism will be crucial in societal transformation and urged the government to establish media-friendly laws.
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22- Constitutional Council meeting underway
Kathmandu, May 7: The Constitutional Council is meeting to move forward the process of appointing the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
The meeting began at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Singha Durbar, under the chair of Prime Minister and Constitutional Council Chairperson Balendra Shah.
According to the Council Secretariat, the main agenda of the meeting is to recommend the name for the appointment of the next Chief Justice. The Council is likely to recommend the name today to end the long-standing leadership vacancy in the Supreme Court.
As members of the Constitutional Council, Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal, Chair of the National Assembly Narayan Prasad Dahal, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam, Leader of the Main Opposition in the House of Representatives Vishma Raj Angdembey and Deputy Speaker Ruby Kumari are participating in the meeting.
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23- Corruption case filed against 14 individuals including former Minister Karki
Kathmandu, May 7: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a case against 14 individuals including the then Finance Minister Gyanendra Bahadur Karki at the Special Court on charges of corruption during the construction of the Pokhara Regional International Airport.
The CIAA has filed the case alleging financial irregularities by giving tax exemptions to the contractor company during the construction of the airport, contrary to the provisions of the original agreement, shared the Commission’s Assistant Spokesperson Ganesh Bahadur Adhikari.
In the case, the Commission has sought recovery of Rs 3.62 billion from those accused. Others named in the chargesheet include then Finance Minister Karki, Finance Secretary Shankar Prasad Adhikari, then Tourism Secretary Maheshwor Neupane, then Joint Secretaries Suresh Acharya and Dunduraj Ghimire, former Secretary (then Joint Secretary) Kewal Bhandari, then Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority Sanjeev Gautam and outgoing Director General Pradeep Adhikari, Deputy Secretary Yubaraj Pandey, Section Officer Urmila Bhandari, and Engineer Yogesh Aryal.
Also named as accused in the case are the contractor Chinese company CAMC, its chair, project manager, and the company manager.
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24- UNICEF Regional Director Wijesekera calls on Foreign Minister Khanal
Kathmandu, May 7: UNICEF Regional Director for South Asia, Sanjay Wijesekera, paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal.
During the meeting held at the ministry today, matters related to ongoing cooperation between Nepal and the UNICEF in various sectors including child welfare, health, education, and drinking water and sanitation were discussed, the ministry said.
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25- Labour permit from all local levels, says Labour Minister Yadav
Kathmandu, May 7: Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security Ramji Yadav has said that arrangements are being made to issue labour permits at all local levels.
He said that this arrangement will be implemented within next week.
Speaking at the meeting today of the Parliamentary Industry and Commerce and Labour and Consumer Welfare Committee, he said the government has initiated the digitalization process to control fraud in the foreign employment sector.
Of the 40,000 cases filed with the Department of Foreign Employment Department, 13,000 cases are in the process of being addressed. For this, the ministry has demanded 10 investigation officers.
Minister Yadav said that the ministry has also been collecting information from migrant workers at the arrival and departure points of the airport to inquire about the situation of the sector.
Similarly, based on complaints related to foreign employment from Hello Sarkar and WhatsApp, the ministry has rescued 178 people within 25 days.
In the meeting, committee chair Rahbar Ansari stressed on legal reforms to improve the foreign employment sector.
In the meeting, MPs Buddhi Prasad Pant, Prakash Singh Karki, Prakash Pathak, Ranju Darshana, Tek Bahadur Shakya, Prabha Karki and others made suggestions on issues such as making foreign employment systematic, creating an environment where workers can work with respect in the country, and introducing a policy plan to create a balance between workers and entrepreneurs.
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26- Nepal ‘A’ defeats Scotland
Kathmandu, May 7: Nepal ‘A’ triumphed over Scotland in the triangular one-day practice match that commenced today. Nepal ‘A’ defeated the visitors, Scotland by 45 runs at Mulpani Cricket Ground.
In pursuit of the target of 278 runs set by Nepal ‘A’, Scotland was bowled out for 232 runs in 48.2 overs.
Opener Finley McCrath was the top scorer for Scotland, contributing 52 runs. He scored a half-century off 73 balls, including 6 fours and 1 six. Additionally, Jack Jarvis scored 45 runs, Mark Watt contributed 37, Brendan McMullan added 21, Matthew Cross scored 22, and Oliver Davidson was dismissed for 17 runs.
For the bowling side, Nepal ‘A’, Rashid Khan claimed 3 wickets, while Shahab Alam, Yuvraj Khatri, and Basir Ahmed each took 2 wickets.
Earlier, winning the toss, Nepal ‘A’ batted first, accumulating a total of 277 runs at the loss of 8 wickets in the allotted 50 overs. Dev Khanal was the standout performer for Nepal ‘A’, scoring 63 runs off 65 balls, which included 6 fours and 1 six. Opener Mayan Yadav contributed 45 runs, while captain Anil Kumar Sah added 18 runs.
Sandeep Zora scored 34, Pawan Sarraf made 31, and Narayan Joshi managed 8 runs before being dismissed. Deepak Dumre remained unbeaten with 23 runs.
For Scotland, Brendley Curry and Sufian Sharif each took 2 wickets, while Oliver Davidson, Brandon McMullan, Jack Jarvis, and Mark Watt each took 1 wicket.
Nepal ‘A’ is set to face the USA in their second practice match tomorrow.
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27- Kirtipur murder case: Three individuals apprehended
Kathmandu, May 7: Police have taken into custody three suspects in connection with the murder of 22-year-old Bipin Ghimire from Gulmi. The incident was taken place near Chiya Sagar in Kirtipur Municipality-10 Pode Tole on Wednesday.
The arrested individuals are Mahendra Shah, 25, from Sanfebagar Municipality-4, Achham Rabindra Dhami, 23, from Kailali, and Roshan Bista, 22, from Ghodaghodi, Kailali.
They are presently residing in Kirtipur, Kathmandu. The police unit dispatched from the Kirtipur police circle apprehended them and presented them in court today, facing charges related to their involvement in the crime.
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28- RSP to hold discussion on national disaster management policy
Kathmandu, May 7: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is going to hold a national policy discussion on disaster risk reduction and disaster management.
The party’s ‘Party-Parliament-Government Coordination Committee’ is to hold a national policy discussion program on disaster risk reduction and disaster management on May 10, shared Bhupdev Shah, general secretary of the party and coordinator of the Party-Parliament-Government Coordination Committee.
Coordinator Shah said that the program is being organized with the objective of reducing the damage caused by the disasters held annually in Nepal and contributing to national policymaking for effective management.
The RSP has requested the heads and representatives of all central departments of the party to participate in the program to be held at the Nepal Tourism Board’s conference hall, Bhrikutimanda, from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM on May 10.
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