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The government has implemented an Act related to the production and sale of iodized salt after 26 years of its enactment. The Act was formulated in 2000.

The Act came into implementation after a meeting of the Council of Ministers on April 15 passed a proposal presented by Minister for Health and Population Pradip Paudel to this effect.

With the implementation of the Act, the legal way has been opened to work on solving the health problems found in children due to the excess intake of iodine which was pointed out to by a research conducted by the Ministry of Health before this.

It was stated that the Act would come into effect after a notification on the issuance of the Act is published in the government Gazette. The notification on the issuance of the Act was published in the Gazette on January 15, 1999.

However, the Act could not come into implementation so far, as the successive governments since 1999 failed to publish in the Gazette a notification on the implementation of the Act. As a result, regulations and guidelines could not be formulated for the implementation and regulation of the Act.

Now, with the implementation of the Act after two and a half decades, the legal process has been opened for the Ministry to proceed ahead with the work in this regard.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Tuesday decided to publish the notification with effect from July 17.

Chief of the Nutrition Section under the Department of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, Lila Bikram Thapa, said that the research carried out a decade ago by the Ministry of Health had shown serious health problems due to the excessive intake of iodine in children as it was based on the past standards regarding iodine content in salt.

In a micronutrient assessment survey conducted by the Ministry of Health and Population in 2016, iodine content in the urine samples collected from children aged six to nine years was found to be 314 micrograms per liter whereas the accepted iodine content was 300 micrograms per liter.

Doctors say that due to this, high blood pressure, thyroid and other problems are seen.

"Now with the publication of the latest Gazette notification related to implementation of the Act, it will be easier for the Ministry of Health, Agriculture and related bodies to enact the related regulation and revise the standards or carry out other necessary works," said Dr Prakash Budhathoki, the Spokesperson of the Ministry of Health and Population.

Former Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has stressed the need of amending the Constitution for political stability.

Addressing a press conference organized by Press Centre Nepal, Rupandehi in Bhairahawa today, Chair Dahal, who arrived in Rupandehi as part of the party's awareness campaign, expressed concern that the CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress had brought the issue of Constitution amendment during the formation of the government but failed to proceed ahead with it.

"The Constitution amendment is necessary for stability and it should be reviewed and amended within 10 years," he said, adding that the Constitution amendment is not to restrict the rights of the people but to enhance their rights.

Stating that his party has no interest in toppling down the government, he said the awareness campaign has been launched to establish the rights of the people and to understand the sufferings and even to defeat all kinds of efforts launched against the republican system in the name of restoration of monarchy or any others.

With the onset of summer, watermelons have begun appearing in fruit shops across the market. As demand rises, farmers are busy harvesting melons planted along the banks of the Mechi River, which flows through the Nepal-India border. In Bhadrapur Municipality-3 farmers have successfully cultivated watermelons weighing between two to 10 kg after three months of dedicated work.

Manoj Kumar Rai, a resident of Bhadrapur-3, has been growing melons in the sandy soil of the Mechi River for the past 5–6 years. This season, he planted around 9,000 seedlings across approximately six bighas of land. Despite struggling to secure investment last season due to unfavorable weather, he is now optimistic. “This year’s production is better than expected,” said Rai. “There should be over 18 tons of melons in the field, with individual melons weighing between four to eight kilograms.” He added that the Bhadrapur Municipality has provided a subsidy of Rs 40,000 to first-time melon cultivators, which has eased the financial burden.

Another farmer, Anay Rajbanshi, has been cultivating melons on 30 kattas of land. “Last year, I made Rs 180,000 after expenses,” he said. “This season too looks promising in terms of production and income.” Rajbanshi appreciated the municipality’s support, saying it has encouraged farmers who previously relied solely on their own investment. A group of young farmers has collectively cultivated melons across eight to 10 bighas. “At a time when many youths are going abroad for work, melon farming has shown us we can build a future here as well,” said one of the youths. “With hard work, success is possible not just in soil, but even in sand.” He urged the municipality to continue supporting the program, which has provided subsidies for the first time.

Melons grown on the Mechi Riverbanks are being transported to Jhapa, other eastern districts, and even to cities like Lahan, Kathmandu, and Pokhara. Traders now arrive at the riverbank with vehicles to buy directly from farmers, offering Rs 28 per kilogram. Under its melon farming promotion program, Bhadrapur Municipality has provided Rs 40,000 each to 12 farmers. Suman Bimli from the municipality’s agriculture department said the initiative was introduced this year to support local farmers.

Mayor Ganesh Pokharel stated that subsidies were provided to those cultivating melons on at least 30 kattas of land. “This year’s harvest is impressive, and the municipality will continue this program,” he said. Pokharel added that Mechi melons have even reached five-star hotels in Kathmandu and Pokhara, highlighting the potential of local produce.

Japan recorded a trade deficit in its March-April fiscal year but racked up a surplus with the US, the Finance Ministry reported Thursday.

Japan’s global trade deficit totaled 5.2 tn yen (USD 37 bn) for the fiscal year through March, for the fourth straight year of deficits, according to the provisional statistics. The surplus with the US ballooned to 9 tn yen (USD 63 bn), Firstpost reported.

Exports to the United States are a contentious issue for US President Trump, and Japanese negotiators are in Washington to press their case against increased US tariffs.

Japan is a long-standing US ally and major investor in the US, employing hundreds of thousands of Americans.

Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and top diplomat Marco Rubio will hold talks with European counterparts in Paris later on Thursday to discuss efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

The talks are the most significant transatlantic dialogue on the war since February and involve UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy and French President Emmanuel Macron, according to BBC.

The US Secretary of State will attend conversations with Lammy, his French and German counterparts, and European national security advisers.The top priority is finding a way to end the war in Ukraine and understanding the consequences of Witkoff's discussions with Moscow.

European leaders are also urging the US to be more aggressive towards Russia, urging for a ceasefire without conditions, BBC reported.

These meetings are seen as significant for their message of renewed diplomatic cooperation between the US and its European allies.

More than 10 houses have been swept away by the floods triggered by incessant rains in Humla on Thursday.  

DSP Shankar Pokharel of the District Police Office, Humla confirmed that more than 10 houses were washed away by the floods.

Similarly, twenty-six goats have perished after mudslide triggered by heavy rain buried a goat shed at Adanchuli Rural Municipality-3 in Humla district today.

Of the 70 goats inside the shed of Aite Budha of Adanchuli-3, 26 were buried by flood and landslide. Budha said that 26 goats were killed as the goat shed collapsed due to the mudslide.

He said that 29 goats inside the shed were rescued with the help of locals. The remaining goats are missing and a search is on for the missing goats.

The torrential rain this morning has wreaked havoc at various places of the Adanchuli Rural Municipality.

Officials from the Trump administration could face criminal contempt charges for ignoring the orders of the judges to stop the deportation of alleged members of a Venezuelan gang, the judge said on Wednesday.

In a written ruling, US District Judge James Boasberg said there is "probable cause" to punish the officers. He accused them of demonstrating a "willful disregard" for his March 15 order that banned the deportations to El Salvador under the 1798 Alien Enemies Act., according to BBC.

Lawyers and family members of the deported migrants has pleaded that they are not gang members and were never given a chance to challenge the US government’s claims.

The Justice Department is appealing the decision to the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Boasberg stated that the administration can still avoid contempt by executing his order—specifically, by giving the migrants the opportunity to contest their deportation in court.

He gave the administration until April 23 to explain its next steps or name the officials responsible for ignoring the order, who could then face prosecution, BBC reported.

The price of gold has set a new record in the domestic market on Tuesday.

According to the Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the price of precious yellow metal has increased by Rs 3, 600 per tola and is being traded at Rs 190, 600 per tola. It was traded at Rs 187, 000 per tola on Wednesday.

Likewise, the price of silver has increased by Rs 5 and is being traded at Rs 1, 955 per tola.