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Speaker of the House of Representatives Devraj Ghimire today called on President Ram Chandra Paudel on Friday.

During the meeting took place at the Office of the President, Shital Niwas, Speaker Ghimire briefed President Paudel about the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament scheduled to be held in Geneva, Switzerland, from July 29 to 31, according to the President's Secretariat.

It is said that Speaker Ghimire will depart for Geneva on July 27 to attend the Conference.

An emergency cabinet meeting held on Wednesday declared Madhes province a disaster crisis zone, following an unprecedented drought that has gripped the nation's agricultural heartland. The unusual lack of rainfall during mid-monsoon in the southern plains has pushed the region into crisis.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli informed parliament that the cabinet had taken the decision in response to the worsening situation in the Terai region. “A cabinet meeting today declared Madhesh Province a disaster crisis zone. This means funds designated for disaster response can now be mobilized urgently,” Oli said.

The decision was made based on a proposal submitted by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The drought has affected all eight districts along Nepal’s fertile Terai belt. “The groundwater level is receding. Hand-pumps and wells have dried up. There is an acute shortage of drinking water—even water for cleaning is unavailable. In light of this situation, the government has held high-level discussions and deployed teams to address the crisis,” Oli added.

The declaration was made under Section 32, Subsection 1 of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act 2017, which authorizes the government to designate any area as a disaster-threatened zone via a notice in the Nepal Gazette.

A prolonged dry spell during the peak monsoon season has brought much of the Tarai region to the brink of an agricultural disaster. Farmers have been unable to transplant paddy due to severe water shortages. Seedbeds have dried up, and paddy saplings are withering, raising fears of an impending food crisis in Nepal’s primary rice-producing zone.

A few days prior, the Madhes provincial government had also declared the province a drought-hit zone. Though fire trucks and water tankers were mobilized to distribute drinking water, these efforts fell short of addressing the region’s irrigation needs. The lack of water during the crucial monsoon period poses a major threat not only to farmers’ livelihoods but also to the national economy.

Madhes Province, known as the breadbasket of Nepal, still depends heavily on rainwater for farming. According to the Nepal Rastra Bank’s 2024 report on the Economic Status of Madhes Province, any rise in the province’s GDP would be driven by agricultural growth. The report projected Madhes’s GDP at Rs 707bn, accounting for 13.13 percent of the national GDP (Rs 5.381trn). Agriculture alone contributes 35.2 percent of the province’s GDP, with major outputs including food grains, vegetables, fruits, and spices.

But this year’s dry and arid monsoon has heightened worries among farmers, who now fear for their future. Meanwhile, across Nepal, monsoon-related disasters have already claimed nearly two dozen lives due to landslides and floods. Several others remain injured or missing. Infrastructure and properties worth billions of rupees have been destroyed.

In the mountainous regions, erratic rainfall patterns mean even short bursts of rain trigger flash floods. Glacial and supraglacial lakes, swollen due to rising temperatures and melting ice, pose constant threats. In one such incident, a previously unnoticed supraglacial lake in Tibet above Rasuwagadhi burst, triggering floods in Bhotekoshi that killed at least 11 people, with 17 still missing.

Studies show Nepal is experiencing changes in temperature and precipitation at a rate faster than the global average. The country’s maximum temperature is rising by 0.05°C per year, while the minimum temperature increases by 0.03°C annually.

Ironically, the current drought in Madhes comes despite predictions of above-normal rainfall this monsoon. Nepal annually suffers monsoon-related disasters like floods, landslides, and inundation, causing extensive loss of life and property. Last year, continuous rainfall over just three days resulted in around 200 deaths and massive damage across the country.

As Nepal braces for heavier-than-average rains this year, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has projected that nearly 2m people from over 457,000 households could be affected by monsoon-related disasters. According to NDRRMA projections, Lumbini Province is expected to be the worst-hit, with 523,656 people from 119,830 households at risk. 

This is followed by Bagmati, where 327,376 people from 74,914 households are projected to be affected. In Gandaki, 287,107 people from 65,699 households could face monsoon-related disasters. Koshi is expected to see 275,867 people from 63,127 households impacted, while in Madhes, 228,687 people from 52,331 households are at risk. Similarly, Sudurpaschim may see 227,730 people from 52,112 households affected, and Karnali is projected to have 127,308 people from 29,132 households at risk. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly criticized French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state. He warned the move rewards terrorism and endangers Israel’s security, Xinhua reported.

Macron announced the decision on social media, saying it reflects France’s historic commitment to peace and will be formally declared at the upcoming UN General Assembly.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar also condemned the move, saying it risks creating a Hamas-controlled state, similar to what happened in Gaza, according to Xinhua.

US President Donald Trump visited the Federal Reserve headquarters in Washington on Thursday, calling for lower interest rates to ease housing costs and support economic growth, Xinhua reported.

Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, Trump said interest rates were too high, making home ownership difficult despite strong economic performance.

“We have no inflation and strong cash flow. We should have the lowest interest rates globally,” he said, expressing confidence that Powell would eventually take appropriate action, according to Xinhua.

Local media viewed the visit as part of the administration’s effort to increase pressure on the Fed to reduce borrowing costs.

At least 14 Thai nationals were killed and 46 injured in military clashes near the Thailand-Cambodia border by Thursday night, according to Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health. Cambodia has not yet reported its casualties.

The violence, which erupted Thursday morning, saw both sides accusing each other of breaching international law. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has called on the UN Security Council to hold an urgent meeting to address the escalating situation, according to Xinhua.

The UN says one in five children in Gaza City is malnourished, with cases rising daily. Aid groups warn of mass starvation and urge urgent international action, BBC reported.

Despite Israeli claims of allowing humanitarian aid, the UN reports only limited access, with severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel. Over 100 people, mostly children, have reportedly died from hunger.

Residents describe extreme hardship, soaring prices, and unsafe access to aid. Many families are going to bed hungry, and children are searching through garbage for food.

The World Health Organization calls the situation “mass starvation” and says Gaza is already experiencing famine, according to BBC.

Ukraine and Russia launched fresh airstrikes along the Black Sea early Thursday, shortly after peace talks in Istanbul failed to yield progress.

Russian drones hit Odesa, injuring four and damaging the city’s historic center, including the Pryvoz market. In Russia’s Sochi region, falling drone debris killed one woman and injured another, and briefly shut down the airport after a strike on an oil facility, according to Reuters.

Ukraine’s Cherkasy region was also hit, with seven injured, including a child. Ukrainian President Zelensky said Russia responded to ceasefire proposals with more drone and missile attacks, targeting civilian and transport sites.

An Antonov An-24 passenger plane carrying around 50 people crashed in Russia’s Far East on Thursday, with all on board feared dead, according to Reuters.

The aircraft, operated by Siberia-based airline Angara, was flying from Blagoveshchensk to Tynda when it disappeared from radar near its destination. Its burning wreckage was later spotted by a helicopter in a forested area roughly 15 km from Tynda in the Amur region.

Preliminary reports said there were 43 passengers—including five children—and six crew members. The aircraft, built in 1976, was nearing 50 years old.

Emergency services confirmed debris had been located and that rescue teams were en route. Authorities have launched an investigation into the crash, Reuters reported.