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At this time of a fiscal year, Nepal witnesses a kind of development frenzy hardly seen at other times. Earth-movers operate longer than usual and youths from different political parties and their myriad sister organizations sweat it out even in the rains, building motorable roads, canals, rural roads and what not with a sense of urgency and commitment that’s rarely seen in the life of this laid-back nation.

One wonders as to how long will it actually take for this country to take giant leaps on the path of (sustainable?) development if our energetic actors were to dedicate themselves to the cause of national development—and not individual development marked by ever-swelling bank accounts and personal as well as family fortunes, notable changes in what used to be a modest lifestyle, etc—like this round the year.
Those familiar with the ‘developments’ in Nepal know well that the development frenzy mentioned above lays bare an ugly face of development—that of a rigged development at play.

More often than not, the idea behind the frenzied work is to gobble up budget allocated for development/maintenance of infrastructure like roads, canals toward the fag end of a fiscal year when rains, floods and landslides wreak havoc throughout the country, making it clear that the hurried works won’t last long.There is every reason to suspect a food chain at work with monies small and big going to every actor involved in such projects based on their prominence. 

That the state agencies tasked with cleansing the system by launching a crackdown on such practices have hardly done so should be a matter of serious concern, especially for the taxpayer.

While irregularities in development works are a matter of serious concern, equally concerning is a very limited capacity of our state apparatuses to spend the budget earmarked for development. 

Data speak for themselves.
The government has not been able to spend even half of the development budget allocated for the fiscal year 2024-25, which comes to a close in mid-July. Of the Rs 3.52trn allotted for development works, the government has managed to spend a paltry Rs 1.64trn (46.59 percent) as of July 2 and one needs no expert to speculate about the quality of work conducted with the taxpayer’s hard-earned money. 

What’s more, the worrisome trend over the years is that an increasing share of the budget is going toward meeting administrative expenses like pay and perks for government employees, and repayment of foreign loans, at the expense of development. 

One more thing: Over the years in Nepal, development has become synonymous with road construction and maintenance, often undermining the fact that development brings destruction and displacement also.  

This calls for an increased focus on sustainable development, a serious and continuous development audit, and stringent action against big and small fish involved in corrupt ‘development practices’. 

Time to steer Nepal in that direction has indeed come.

A fast-moving wildfire in central California’s San Luis Obispo County has forced evacuations and partially shut down Highway 166, according to Xinhua.

Known as the Madre Fire, it broke out Wednesday afternoon and has since scorched over 52,000 acres, with containment at just 5 percent, according to Cal Fire.

Officials say the fire is spreading rapidly, especially across ridge tops and drainages, and remains highly active overnight. It is now the state’s largest wildfire of the year.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation, Xinhua reported.

Hamas is seeking firm guarantees that a proposed US-backed ceasefire would lead to a permanent end to the war, amid intensified Israeli strikes that killed at least 73 people on Thursday, according to Gaza’s civil defence.

US President Donald Trump, preparing to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu next week, said he wants “safety” for Gaza’s civilians and aims to push for a ceasefire, according to Al Jazeera.

Netanyahu vowed to secure the release of all hostages still held by Hamas. The October 7, 2023, attacks killed 1,139 people in Israel, with over 200 taken captive. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 57,000 dead and 134,000 wounded since the war began.

Operations at Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport in Canada were disrupted following a reported security incident. Airport authorities advised passengers to check their flight status due to possible delays.

NAV Canada stated it received bomb threats affecting several of its facilities. Staff at those locations were safely evacuated as a precaution, according to Firstpost.

The Ottawa Police Service also confirmed it is investigating the incident. Further details have not been provided.

UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese on Thursday called for a global arms embargo and suspension of trade and investment ties with Israel, citing its actions in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Addressing the 59th session of the UN Human Rights Council, Albanese described Israel’s conduct as “one of the cruellest genocides in modern history.” In her report, she highlighted the role of corporate entities in facilitating settlement expansion and urged accountability for violations of international law, UN News reported.

Israel’s diplomatic mission in Geneva dismissed the report as “legally groundless” and accused Albanese of abusing her position.

US President Donald Trump will host leaders from Gabon, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mauritania, and Senegal at the White House on July 9 to explore commercial opportunities, a White House official confirmed.

The meeting, which will include a discussion and a working lunch, is part of the administration's broader push to prioritize trade and investment above traditional foreign aid. According to the official, Trump sees Africa as a region having "incredible commercial opportunities" that will benefit both parties, Reuters reported.

The summit, scheduled for July 9-11, aligns with the administration's shift away from charity-based aid models. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized this approach, stating that support will favor nations showing “ability and willingness to help themselves.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin told US President Donald Trump that Russia remains committed to its objectives in Ukraine but is willing to continue peace talks, according to Russian officials.

In their nearly hour-long phone call, Trump called for a swift end to the war, while Putin emphasized the need to address what he described as the root causes of the conflict, Reuters reported.

Putin also informed Trump about recent agreements between Russia and Ukraine on exchanging prisoners and fallen soldiers.

The two leaders discussed broader Middle East tensions, including the situation in Iran, and agreed to keep communication open.

Russia stressed that all conflicts should be settled through political and diplomatic means. The pause in US arms deliveries to Ukraine was not discussed, according to Reuters.

Northern and western China remain under red alerts as torrential rains threaten more flash floods and landslides. In Taiping, Henan province, five people died and three are missing after a river overflowed, prompting the deployment of over 1,000 rescue workers. In Gansu, two people were killed by a landslide at a construction site, according to Al Jazeera.

Xianfeng in Hubei province recorded over a month’s rainfall in just 12 hours, forcing the evacuation of 18,000 people and the suspension of schools and public transport.

Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing, during a visit to Hebei, urged officials to expand evacuation efforts. While China has a national weather monitoring system, experts warn that predicting extreme weather in rural areas remains difficult due to climate change and complex terrain, Al Jazeera reported.