Submit your Article

Around 10,000 Russian soldiers are fighting in Russia's Kursk region, about 90 square kilometers (35 square miles) of which is controlled by Ukraine, Ukraine's top military commander said, Reuters reported.

"We control about 90 square kilometers of territory in the Hlushkov district of the Kursk region of the Russian Federation, and these are our preemptive actions in response to a possible enemy attack," Oleksandr Syrskyi said without elaborating, in remarks released by his office for publication on Sunday.

The Ukrainian military said the activity in this area prevented Russia from sending a significant number of its forces to Ukraine's eastern region of Donetsk, where some of the heaviest fighting has taken place in the more than three-year-old full-scale invasion.

Syrskyi's troops are repelling Russian forces along the frontline, which stretches for about 1,200 km, where the situation remains difficult, the Ukrainian military said, according to Reuters.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 32. 16 points to close at 2, 596.74 points on Sunday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 4. 87 points to close at 444. 60 points.

A total of 21,547,055-unit shares of 310 companies were traded for Rs 9. 14 billion.

Meanwhile, Joshi Hydropower Development Company Ltd (JOSHI) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9. 98 percent. Likewise, Pure Energy Limited (PURE) was the top loser as its price fell by 10. 00 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 32 trillion.

Rastriya Swatantra Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party lawmakers continued obstructing the Parliament demanding investigation into the visit visa scam.

Soon after the commencement of the Parliament meeting on Sunday, RSP and RPP lawmakers stood from their seats to obstruct the House proceedings.

They have been obstructing Parliament business for the past few days demanding formation of a high-level investigation committee to look into the visit visa scandal.

After the lawmakers from the RSP and RPP stood from their seats in protest, Speaker Devraj Ghimire gave time to RSP lawmaker Asim Sah.

Saying that the visit visa scam is a case of human trafficking, he said that it should be investigated impartially.

Similarly, RPP lawmaker Dhawal Shumsher Rana said that the government should try to address the demands of the opposition parties.

Reiterating that the government should take the responsibility of the March 28 incident, he said that the incident should also be investigated.

The husband of Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has been unexpectedly released from prison in Belarus, along with 13 other political prisoners, BBC reported.

Sergei Tikhanovsky - an opposition activist himself - has been moved to Lithuania and reunited with his wife, who is living in exile in capital Vilnius, after five years in prison.

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya announced her husband's release by posting a 10-second video of their first hug since 2020. She said it was "hard to describe" the joy in her heart.

The sudden release came as US special envoy Keith Kellogg visited Minsk, Belarus' capital, on Saturday and held a meeting with the country's authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko, according to BBC.

Speaker Devraj Ghimire has issued a directive to withdraw the statement made by lawmaker Amaresh Kumar Singh during today’s session of the House of Representatives.

While participating in deliberations on the Appropriation Bill for the fiscal year 2025/26, Singh controversially proposed that all districts except five be "leased to other countries," alleging that only five districts were being prioritized in the upcoming budget.

CPN-UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula objected to the remark, citing Rules 20, 21, and 23 of the House of Representatives Regulations (2079 BS). He asserted that Singh’s statement was against the national interest.

Earlier during Singh’s address, the Speaker had repeatedly directed him to use appropriate parliamentary language while presenting his views.

Lawmakers of the thematic committees of the House of Representatives (HoR), the lower house of the Federal Parliament, have been reshuffled.

In today's meeting of the House of Representatives, Speaker Devraj Ghimire has made changes to the names of members in the thematic committees in accordance with the HoR rules.

Lawmaker Shyam Kumar Ghimire has been placed in the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee from the Public Accounts Committee, Chandra Chaudhary in the Public Accounts Committee from the Agriculture Cooperatives and Natural Resources Committee, and Shanti BK in the Agriculture Cooperatives and Natural Resources Committee from the Women and Social Affairs Committee.

During the meeting, Speaker Ghimire informed the House regarding the contents of the letter received from the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has identified several economic challenges Madhes Province has been facing and also proposed reforms aimed at addressing these issues.

Unveiling a study report focused on the region, the central bank emphasized the need to formalize economic activities in Madhes and enhance revenue collection mechanisms.

One of the key findings of the report highlighted that Province citizens along the Nepal-India border are compelled to cross into India to access healthcare services due to the lack of quality health facilities locally. This situation has significantly increased the demand for Indian currency in the province, presenting a notable economic challenge.

Other critical issues identified include the need to improve government and community-run schools, prioritize vocational and technical education, and strengthen rural health centers by providing adequate resources.

The report further recommended developing cities like Janakpur and Birgunj into educational hubs, with a strong focus on improving the quality of education. Additionally, it has stressed the need for effective waste management and maintaining clean streets to enhance the overall appeal of the province as a beautiful and pleasant region.

Agriculture-related concerns were also highlighted. Due to limited market access, many farmers are forced to rely on intermediaries to sell their produce. The report stressed the urgent need to connect farmers directly to fair agricultural markets and ensure they receive just prices for their products.

Similarly, a study by the central bank has shown that it is necessary to enhance fish production capacity in areas such as Janakpur and Parwanipur, which are known for fish farming.

It is essential to modernize and commercialize the traditional subsistence agriculture, provide easy access to fertilizers to make the agricultural sector competitive, ensure fair pricing and management of produced crops, as well as manage the market to attract youth to agricultural activities.

As the trend of skilled human resources from the province migrating abroad has increased, creating an environment for employment by arranging for technicians, health workers, teachers, and IT experts for the operation of the service sector also appears to be challenging, the NRB report stated.

It is essential to invest the remittances received from youths working in foreign employment into the productive sector in coordination with the local authorities.

The central bank has emphasized the need to enhance economic activities by properly conserving and promoting geographical and religious heritages, biological diversity, and developing areas such as Janaki Temple, Parsa Wildlife Reserve, the nearby Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, the Sindhuli War Museum, and Bharat Tal (Lake).

The study concludes that it is challenging to complete nationally significant projects such as the Postal Highway, the Kathmandu–Nijgadh Fast-track, the President Chure Terai Madhes Conservation Programme, and Nijgadh International Airport which have been started in the Madhes Province within the determined cost and schedule while maintaining coordination among various stakeholders and sectors.

The study has shown that it is essential to enhance financial literacy in the region, increase financial access for marginalized groups, and encourage the formalization of economic activities to expand the revenue base.

Israel says it has killed a senior Iranian commander who helped plan the Hamas 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel, in a strike on Saturday on the city of Qom.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the killing of Saeed Izadi marked a key point in the conflict. He was "one of the orchestrators" of the attack, which killed about 1,200 people and saw many others taken to Gaza as hostages, said IDF chief Eyal Zamir.

"The blood of thousands of Israelis is on his hands," he said on Saturday, calling it a "tremendous intelligence and operational achievement."

Iran did not report Mr Izadi's killing and has previously denied involvement in Hamas's attack.