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Only five percent of the total financial equalization budget allocated by the federal government to local governments actually reaches the municipalities. Despite the limited budget, municipal representatives remain optimistic, as the program has earned their trust. Since citizens directly participate in budget planning, municipalities do not receive arbitrary allocations. Local representatives argue that if the budget size is increased—especially in municipalities closely tied to the daily lives of people—development will no longer be a distant goal. The Federation of Rural Municipalities and Municipalities has also urged the federal government to increase the financial equalization budget allocated to the local level.

Devdaha Municipality in Rupandehi has introduced its annual policy, programs, and budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26, which includes a plan to provide land ownership certificates to 14,300 landless individuals. Mayor Dhruv Prasad Kharel emphasized that land ownership is crucial to identity and human dignity. “We have appointed 34 employees, and work is underway across the Rupandehi district,” Kharel said. “We’ve prioritized this program, and all landless individuals will receive land titles by the end of the next fiscal year.”

Madhukrishna Paudyal, the municipality’s Chief Administrative Officer, said a budget of Rs 20 million has been allocated for the program—double the amount allocated in the previous fiscal year. “This land title distribution program is our main priority,” Paudyal noted. Currently, land surveys are ongoing in wards 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and 10.

Out of 1,400 individuals who received public notices, 834 have already paid the necessary fees to receive land ownership certificates. The municipality plans to distribute the certificates to them in the coming days and aims to complete all surveying work by September.

Meanwhile, Jhimruk Rural Municipality in Pyuthan has launched a “One Ward, One Product” initiative. Each of the municipality’s eight wards has been designated for the cultivation of specific agricultural products. Ward 1 focuses on turmeric and soybeans; Ward 2 on turmeric, soybeans, and millet; Ward 3 on seed production; Ward 4 on oranges; Ward 5 on commercial vegetables; Ward 6 again on seed production; and Wards 7 and 8 on commercial orange farming.

“We’ve linked each ward with a product through our policies and programs,” said Pramod Pokharel, Vice-chairperson of the rural municipality. “A municipality cannot progress without commercial agriculture.” He added that subsidies are being provided to farmers who are eager to engage in productive farming. To help market the products, the municipality has constructed a new marketplace in Machhibazar, its administrative center, which will be operational at the beginning of the next fiscal year.

“Local municipalities are the true engines of grassroots development,” Pokharel said. “National prosperity lies in the hands of local governments. But the subsidies we receive from the federal and provincial governments are not scientific. This must change. If resources are allocated appropriately, these local Singha Durbars can truly deliver transformative results.” He emphasized that financial equalization subsidies should be determined not only by geography and population but also by revenue generation capacity.

Tilottama Municipality in Rupandehi has introduced a popular policy: “One Ward, One Kilometer of Blacktopped Road.” Now in its third year of a five-year plan, the initiative ensures that each ward gets one kilometer of road blacktopped annually. Additional roadworks are also being carried out under regular municipal planning.

The United Kingdom, France and Germany have agreed to restore tough U.N. sanctions on Iran by the end of August if there has been no concrete progress on a nuclear deal, two European diplomats said Tuesday, Associated Press reported.

The three countries’ ambassadors to the United Nations met Tuesday at Germany’s U.N. Mission to discuss a possible Iranian deal and reimposing the sanctions. The matter also came up in a phone call Monday between U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the foreign ministers of the three countries, according to two U.S. officials.

The State Department said after the call that the four had spoken about “ensuring Iran does not develop or obtain a nuclear weapon.”

The officials and diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations, according to Associated Press.

Malnutrition rates among children in the Gaza Strip have doubled since Israel sharply restricted the entry of food in March, the U.N. said Tuesday. New Israeli strikes killed more than 90 Palestinians, including dozens of women and children, according to health officials, Associated Press reported.

Hunger has been rising among Gaza’s more than 2 million Palestinians since Israel broke a ceasefire in March to resume the war and banned all food and other supplies from entering Gaza, saying it aimed to pressure Hamas to release hostages. It slightly eased the blockade in late May, allowing in a trickle of aid.

UNRWA, the main U.N. agency caring for Palestinians in Gaza, said it had screened nearly 16,000 children under age 5 at its clinics in June and found 10.2% of them were acutely malnourished. By comparison, in March, 5.5% of the nearly 15,000 children it screened were malnourished, according to Associated Press.

Seventeen immigration court judges have been fired in recent days, according to the union that represents them, as the Trump administration pushes forward with its mass deportations of immigrants in the country, Associated Press reported.

The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, which represents immigration court judges as well as other professionals, said in a news release that 15 judges were fired “without cause” on Friday and another two on Monday. The union said they were working in courts in 10 different states across the country — California, Illinois, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Texas, Utah and Virginia.

“It’s outrageous and against the public interest that at the same time Congress has authorized 800 immigration judges, we are firing large numbers of immigration judges without cause,” said the union’s President Matt Biggs. “This is nonsensical. The answer is to stop firing and start hiring.”

Fauja Singh, an Indian-born runner nicknamed the Turbaned Torpedo who was believed to be the world’s oldest marathon runner, has died after being hit by a car. He was 114, Associated Press reported.

Local media in India reported that Singh sustained severe head injuries in a hit-and-run accident on Monday while he was crossing the road at his native village near Jalandhar in Punjab. He was taken to the hospital where he later died. His London-based running club and charity, Sikhs In The City, confirmed his death.

India’s Prime minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Singh, saying he was “extraordinary because of his unique persona and the manner in which he inspired the youth of India on a very important topic of fitness.”

Singh became the oldest man to run a full marathon in 2011 at the age of 100 in Toronto. His accomplishment was not recognized by Guinness World Records because he did not have a birth certificate to prove his age. Singh had a British passport that showed his date of birth as April 1, 1911, while a letter from Indian government officials stated that birth records were not kept in 1911, according to Associated Press.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the US is making real progress in opening up India’s markets, crediting his tariff policies for breaking long-standing trade barriers.

“We’re going to have access into India,” he said, linking the shift to his tougher trade stance, according to Firstpost.

While no formal deal has been announced, talks are underway in Washington with an Indian delegation led by top negotiator Rajesh Agrawal. Trump said a deal is close, though some issues remain — particularly around India’s agriculture and dairy sectors.

Unlike other major partners, India has not received a formal tariff warning, adding weight to hopes for an agreement soon, Firstpost reported.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday condemned the United States’ new 17.09 percent tariff on Mexican tomatoes, calling it “unjust” and harmful to both Mexican producers and US consumers, Xinhua reported.

Speaking at her daily press briefing, Sheinbaum said Mexico would continue negotiations with Washington and work on domestic measures to support local growers. “Mexican tomatoes will still be exported because there is no substitute,” she stated.

Sheinbaum added that her government would soon announce new initiatives under its “Plan Mexico” to assist tomato producers and defend their interests in the US market, according to Xinhua.

The US Department of Commerce confirmed the tariff would take effect on July 14.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced a 19 percent tariff on imports from Indonesia, stating that the United States would not bear any cost under the new arrangement. He also claimed the deal grants the US full access to the Indonesian market, according to Xinhua.

Earlier, Trump praised the agreement on Truth Social, calling it a “great deal for everybody” and noting he negotiated it directly with Indonesia’s president.