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The decision to raise senior citizen allowances from 68 to 70 years will save the government approximately Rs 10bn annually, finance ministry officials say. The government, through the budget for fiscal year 2022/23 presented by Janardan Sharma of CPN (Maoist Center) had lowered the age limit for senior citizen allowances to 68 from 70. As the growing elderly population was putting additional financial burden, the government raised the age limit to 70 from the coming fiscal year.

It was one of the recommendations made by the High-level Economic Reforms Advisory Committee led by former Finance Secretary Rameshore Khanal.

Currently, all senior citizens aged 68 and above receive a monthly allowance of Rs 4,000. The age threshold, however, will remain unchanged for targeted groups such as elderly Dalits, residents of remote areas and others qualifying under special categories. According to finance ministry spokesperson Shyam Prasad Bhandari, raising the age limit is expected to save the state Rs 10bn annually. “This measure is aimed at easing fiscal pressure and making the system more sustainable and efficient,” he told ApEx. 

The government has also barred provincial and local bodies from duplicating social security programs, to avoid overlapping benefits and excessive spending. A total of Rs 109bn, roughly 5.55 percent of the national budget of Rs 1,964bn, has been allocated for all social security programs in the upcoming fiscal year. This represents a decline from previous years when social security expenses comprised over eight percent of the budget.

Khanal said limiting allowances to citizens above 70 years will help redirect funds toward capital formation. “It is not a permanent saving, but it provides temporary relief,” he said. The government also plans to integrate all social security payments with the national ID system to prevent duplication.

Economist Ramesh Paudel said the decision aligns with Nepal’s rising life expectancy, currently at 71.3 years. However, he criticized the move as symbolic rather than transformative. “Increasing the age limit might free up some funds, but it won’t significantly boost economic growth,” he said. Paudel called for a shift toward a single-window social security system focused on free education and healthcare, rather than multiple allowance categories. “Such investments have more long-term economic impact than scattered cash distributions,” he added.

According to the National Statistics Office, Nepal is on track to become an aging society by (2054/55), as the birth rate declines and the elderly population, which has already tripled since 1991/92, continues to rise.

Finance Ministry Joint-secretary Krishna Prasad Sharma called for a review of the pension system and a redesigned model for social support. “Expanding social security without systemic reforms could make it unsustainable,” he added. The number of beneficiaries is expected to increase from 3.75m this year to 3.78m next year, even with the higher age requirement, according to finance ministry officials.

The Madhes province government is set to present its annual policies and programs for the upcoming fiscal year at the Province Assembly today.

As per the schedule, Province Chief Sumitra Bhandari will present the policies and programs at the province assembly.

Vice Chairperson of the Madhes Policy Commission, Sohan Prasad Sah informed that their annual policies and programs will be presented placing high emphasis on agriculture.

He further shared that other priority sectors incorporated in the policies and programs are education, health, agriculture and employment.

North Korea has relaunched a 5,000-tonne destroyer two weeks after it tipped over during an earlier launch attempt. The warship has been stabilized and is now moored, with full restoration expected before a key ruling party meeting this month, according to BBC.

Leader Kim Jong Un, who witnessed the incident, condemned the failure as a "criminal act" that "severely damaged the country's dignity and pride." He blamed the mishap on "absolute carelessness, irresponsibility, and unscientific empiricism."

At least four officials were arrested, including Ri Hyong-son from the ruling party's Munitions Industry Department. Analysts believe Kim's severe response demonstrates North Korea's determination to upgrade its navy, BBC reported.

A group of dacoits robbed a house in Surunga Municipality-8, Saptari and subsequently murdered the house owner on Thursday.  

The group barged into Kantalal Chaudhary’s house and murdered him before decamping with properties last night, the police informed.

Chaudhary's younger brother, Ramakanta sustained injuries in the lethal attack.

According to the police, the dacoits had robbed the gold and silver jewelries and cash from the house of Chaudhary.

Search for the robbers is underway, the police said.

The gold is being traded at Rs 193, 700 per tola in the domestic market on Friday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the price of silver, however, has increased by Rs 75 and is being traded at Rs 2, 150 per tola today.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed 420 cases of measles in England since January 2025, with a notable increase in April and May. The majority of cases—roughly two-thirds—involve youngsters aged ten and younger. London has seen the largest number of infections this year, according to Xinhua.

Health experts are afraid that foreign travel during the summer holidays will lead to additional spread, particularly since measles is still prevalent in parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa.

UKHSA is urging parents to check that their children have received both doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. Vaccination is the best way to protect families and communities during the holiday season, Xinhua reported.

For more than 20 years, the only Living Planet found thus far in a vast universe has been celebrating the World Environment Day on June 5 to draw the attention of humanity toward pressing environmental concerns. This time, the world is celebrating the big day under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Program with a very relevant theme: #BeatPlasticPollution. The Republic of Korea (RoK) is hosting the global celebrations geared toward ending plastic pollution, not an easy undertaking (to say the least), given a pervasive use of plastics in our lives.

The World Environment Day 2025 states in its homepage: For decades, plastic pollution has seeped into every corner of the world, leaching into the water we drink, into the food we eat, and our bodies. While plastic pollution is a major concern, it is also one of the most fixable of today’s environmental challenges, with some obvious solutions at hand.

Together with the UNEP, this year’s celebrations will spotlight the growing scientific evidence on the impacts of plastic pollution and drive momentum to refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink (4Rs) plastics use, apart from reinforcing the global commitment made in 2022 to end plastic pollution through a global plastic pollution treaty.

Plastic pollution is a key factor behind three major crises facing life on Earth: the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature, land and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste. An estimated 11m tonnes of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems each year, while microplastics accumulate in the soil from sewage and landfills, due to the use of plastics in agricultural products. The annual social and environmental cost of plastic pollution ranges from $300-$600bn.

While Nepal has a very nominal pollution footprint compared to global economic powerhouses, plastic pollution is becoming increasingly visible in our daily lives. As our water bodies, sewage systems, forests and even our streets show, plastic pollution is emerging as an all-pervasive problem, contaminating the air we breathe, the water we drink and the food we partake, with severe consequences not only for us but for the entire living planet.   

As a famous quote goes: If you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem. While celebrating the big day with the rest of humanity, let us not forget that the onus is also on us to end plastic pollution. Together, we can beat plastic pollution—and all other forms of pollution—and we must, for there’s no other living planet in this vast universe. 

Ukraine reported early Friday that Russian drones and missiles targeted its territory, causing multiple explosions and fires. Officials said debris from intercepted projectiles injured four people, two of whom were hospitalized, BBC reported.

Air raid alerts have been lifted in some parts of Ukraine, but they are still in effect in places like Kharkiv, Sumy, and Luhansk.

Earlier this week, US President Donald Trump stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed a strong response to Ukraine’s recent drone attacks on Russian airbases.