NA meeting today

Kathmandu, Aug. 13: A meeting of the National Assembly (NA) is taking place at 1:15 this afternoon in Singhadurbar. 

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Khadak Raj Paudel is scheduled to table the Bill on Domestic Air Carrier Liability, 2083 seeking its consideration from the NA, according to the Federal Parliament Secretariat. 

Likewise, meetings of five parliamentary committees are also scheduled for today. 

The meetings of Finance Committee; International Relations and Tourism Committee; Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee; Infrastructure Development Committee, and Women and Social Development Committee are taking places today to hold discussions on concerned committee’s businesses.

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02- Generally cloudy weather conditions predicted 

Kathmandu, Aug. 13: Generally cloudy weather condition has been predicted in most parts of the country today. 

The Weather Forecasting Division of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology stated that some hilly and mountainous parts of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumibini provinces, and one to two places in Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces will receive light to moderate rainfall today. 

The weather bulletin issued by the Division mentioned that some places in mountainous region will witness light to moderate rainfall coupled with thunder and lightning. 

Currently, the country has the nationwide impact of the monsoon winds. The monsoon trough is located around its normal position, according to the Division.

The division has cautioned that heavy rainfall could lead to an increased risk of floods, landslides, and erosion, urging residents in affected areas to take necessary precautions. The potential impact on daily life, agriculture, health services, tourism, and transportation is significant, prompting a call for vigilance among the populace.

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03- Two dead as landslide buries house in Rolpa

Rolpa, Aug. 13: Two people were killed and two others were injured as a landslide buried a house and a cowshed last night at Botalbara village in Thwang Rural Municipality-5, Rolpa. 

According to the District Police Office, Shanti Pun Magar, 18, and Kamal Bahadur Pun Magar, 60, died in the incident, while Himal Pun Magar, 22, and Sanjya Ghartimagar, 25, got injured. The health condition of Himal and Sanjya is learned to be critical. 

The house and cowshed collapsed in the landslide following the torrential rain happened since Wednesday afternoon.   

A team of police personnel and local residents rescued the injured ones and rushed to a health care facility. 

The details of the incident are awaited.

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04- ‘Youths want technology, entrepreneurship and opportunity’

Chitwan, Aug. 13: Youths in Chitwan district got engaged in a dialogue programme on the occasion of the International Youth Day on Wednesday. The speakers viewed that entrepreneurship should be linked to politics. 

During the programme organized by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chitwan district committee, the youths took part in discussions on ‘Politics of My Generation’, ‘Agriculture Entrepreneurship and Youth’ and ‘Youth Dialogue with Parliamentarian’. 

Most of the youths sharing their views argued that politics sans entrepreneurship will not contribute to the nation’s drive for prosperity. 

The youths taking part in the eloquence stated that they were looking for result-oriented performance, technology-friendly and enterprise-based political culture, not merely the political talks.   

They added that massive reliance on remittance should be ended and entrepreneurship development and employment generation should be created within the country. 

Likewise, journalist Bibek Pokharel moderated a panel discussion among agriculturist Dr Bhaneshwor Pokhrel and entrepreneurs Subas Paudel and Sujata Devkota.

In the panel discussion, the speakers stressed the need for modern technology, research and market management for advancement of agriculture as a business, while attracting educated and skilled human resources to the agriculture enterprises. 

Chairperson of State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives (HoR) Hari Dhakal said that the youths should move ahead by learning from their mistakes while working. 

Likewise, lawmaker Prava Dhakal said that the local levels should be hold accountable for the agricultural development.

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05- Rolpa landslide update: Search for 10 missing people underway

Lilaraj Budha/RSS

Rolpa, Aug. 13: Two people died and ten others have gone missing after a landslide occurred in Botalbara village of Thawang Rural Municipality-5 in Rolpa last evening.

The District Police Office shared that a search for those missing people is ongoing.

The police confirmed the death of Shanti Pun Magar, 18, and Kamal Bahadur Pun Magar, 60, after their house and cowshed collapsed in the landslide following the torrential rain happened since Wednesday afternoon. 

Chief District Officer of Rolpa, Ganga Bahadur Chhetri, said police personnel and local residents were searching for those missing in the landslide.

Botalbara village is located about 42 kilometres far from the Rolpa district headquarters and lies near the border between Rolpa and Baglung districts.

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06- Chief Minister Shah taking vote of confidence 

Sudurpaschim, Aug. 13: Chief Minister of Sudurpaschim Province Government Kamal Bahadur Shah is taking the province assembly’s vote of confidence today. 

Information Officer of Province Assembly Secretariat Tara Kumari Joshi said that Chief Minister Shah is scheduled to take the vote of confidence at today’s province assembly meeting. 

Shah is seeking the vote of confidence after the CPN (UML), a coalition partner in the province government, withdrew its support to the Shah-led government on July 15.

As per the constitutional provision, the province government should either take a vote of confidence or resign within 30 days after a coalition partner withdraws its support.

Chief Minister Shah had written to the Province Assembly Speaker, Bhim Bahadur Bhandari, on Wednesday requesting him to summon the province assembly meeting for the purpose of taking vote of confidence.  

In the 53-member province assembly, the Nepali Congress has 18 members, the Nepali Communist Party has 22 members, including the Speaker, and the CPN (UML) has 11 members. The Rastriya Prajatantra Party has one lawmaker in the Sudurpaschim Province Assembly.

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07- Rolpa landslide death toll reaches three

Rolpa, Aug 13: A body of a person, out of 10 who went missing after being buried in landslide at Kotalbara of Thabang rural municipality-5 in Rolpa on Wednesday night, has been recovered.

According to the District Police Office, the body of a local Manarakhi Pun Magar, 71, has been retrieved from the incident site. 

With this, number of people died in the landslide has reached three, added police. Jun Kumari Pun Magar, 40, Ashim Pun Magar, nine, six-year-old Ashok Pun Magar, Dal Bahadur Pun Magar, 75, Ajambar Pun Magar, 80, Bal Bahadur Pun Magar, 78, Lil Bahadur Pun Magar, 72, Mani Pun Magar, 71, and Hastakala Roka Magar, 67, have gone missing in the landslide. 

A team comprising the Chief District Officer and chiefs of security bodies has reached the incident site and search for the missing ones is underway.

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08- Woman arrested with banned ‘red wild mushroom’

Karnali, Aug 13: The District Police Office Surkhet has arrested a person with five sacks of banned red wild mushrooms. The person arrested is Chandrakali Budha, originally from Sinja Rural Municipality-5, Jumla, and currently living in Surkhet.

She was arrested by the police on Wednesday. The sacks stuffed with red wild mushrooms were found while carrying out a checking on a bus going from Surkhet to Nepalgunj at the local Subbakuna checkpoint, according to police.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Kabindra Singh Bohora of the District Police Office, five sacks of red wild mushrooms were found hidden in the bus’s luggage trunk.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Bohora informed that the mushroom weighed 74 kg. The District Police Office said that further investigation is ongoing against Budha.

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09- Revenue collection sharply declines in Ilam in FY 2025/26 

Ilam, Aug 13: Revenue collection has sharply decreased in Ilam in the last fiscal year as compared to previous fiscal year.

Total Rs 528.65 million revenue was collected in the fiscal year 2025/26. Such amount of revenue was collected by the district-based federal and Koshi province offices, according to the District Treasury Controller Office, Ilam.

The revenue collected in the fiscal year 2025/26 was less by Rs 5.067 million (48.94 per cent) as compared to fiscal year 2024/25.

A total of Rs 3.417 million revenue was collected by federal government offices in the district in fiscal year 2025/26 while the revenue collection from federal offices was Rs 8.482 million in fiscal year 2024/25.

Similarly, Koshi province offices had collected Rs 1.869 million revenue in the last fiscal year 2025/26 against Rs 1.871 million revenue in the fiscal year 2024/25.

According to the Office, amount of conditional, equalization and special grants that the local levels failed to spend in last fiscal year was returned on time.

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10- Shrestha, Bal and Chaudhary bag FONIJ Journalism Award  

Kathmandu, Aug 13: This year’s the FONIJ National Journalism Award–2083 has been awarded to Sarita Shrestha, Tirtha Man Bal, and Avinash Chaudhary.

Acting Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Sunita Dangol, presented Rs 25,000 to each of the award winners. 

The Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Nationalities Journalists (FONIJ) said that the cash amount was given to them for their significant contribution in the field of journalism.

Similarly, the FONIJ National Journalism Award was given to the former presidents of the organization, Danda Gurung, and Bimala Tumkhewa. The prize amount is Rs 31,000 each. Likewise, the FONIJ National Indigenous Language Journalism Award carrying a purse of Rs 31,000 was given to Lahna–Nepalbhasa language weekly.

The cash prizes were given to the journalists at the closing ceremony of the Third International Indigenous Language Journalism Conference.

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11- FNJ demands immediate release of journalist Shrestha 

Kathmandu, Aug 13: The Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) has demanded immediate release of senior journalist and chief editor of ‘Jana Aastha’ weekly, Kishor Shrestha. 

Protesting the arrest of former Acting Chairperson of Press Council Nepal, Shrestha, from his Kusunti-based residence on Wednesday night by a team of Kathmandu Police Range, the FNJ demanded Shrestha’s immediate release. 

A press release issued today by FNJ General-Secretary, Ram Prasad Dahal, condemned Shrestha’s arrest, stating that it is against press freedom and freedom of expression, journalist code of conduct and constitution. 

Demanding Shrestha’s release, journalists have been staging sit-in in front of Kathmandu District Police Range, Bhadrakali, from today morning at the call of the FNJ.

Different organisations related to mass communication have also requested to release journalist Shrestha, protesting his arrest. 

Meanwhile, Nepal Police have clarified that Shrestha was arrested after acquiring permission from court based on the complaint related to personal privacy. 

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12- Government is committed to fulfill people’s basic needs, Finance Minister asserts 

Damauli (Tanahu), Aug 13: Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle has said that the government is committed to meeting the basic needs of the people. 

During a meeting with voters today in Dumsi, Ward 10 of Byas Municipality, Tanahu, he shared that the government is actively working to meet people’s expectations despite limited resources.

“There are limits to the budget, the amount of money is small. The expectations of the people are many. In every settlement, people demand drinking water, roads, schools, health posts, embankments, and playgrounds, and the government is trying its best to address them,” said the Finance Minister.

He stated that he is committed to the development of Tanahu and informed that efforts have been made to ensure fairness in this year’s budget distribution. 

Recalling that the people of Tanahu have voted him twice as a member of the House of Representatives, Finance Minister Wagle said that he will never forget their favour to him and he felt greatly indebted for this.

According to him, discussions would be held with the relevant ministry about drinking water and embankments in Dumsi and work would move forward accordingly. 

On the occasion, local residents informed Minister Wagle that 500 households in Dumsi were facing drinking water shortage.

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