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A fire broke out at a garment shop in Satungal of Chandragiri Municipality-11, Kathmandu on Thursday.

Joint Spokesperson of the Armed Police Force, Nepal Shailendra Thapa said that Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police personnel with help of locals and fire engines are trying to extinguish the fire that broke at at 5:30 am today.

Fire engines of Nepal Army, Nepal Oil Corporation, Chandragiri Municipality, Lalitpur Metropolitan City and others are being used to take the fire under control.

China's Deputy Speaker and Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) Xiao Jie arrived in Kathmandu last night.  

Vice Chairman Xiao Jie is leading the Chinese delegation in the Sagarmatha Sambaad to be held in Kathmandu from May 16-18.  

Minister for Forest and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri welcomed Vice Chairman Xia Jie at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).

The sixth session of the Lumbini Province Assembly is beginning today.   

A meeting of the Council of Ministers of Lumbini Province Government held on May 8 had recommended the Province Assembly Chief, Krishna Bahadur Gharti, to summon the province assembly meeting from today as per the Article 183 (1) of the Constitution of Nepal.  

Province Assembly Secretary Durlav Kumar Pun informed that today's businesses of the Province Assembly include sharing the letters received from the Office of the Province Chief and deliberations on the contemporary issues.   

The Lumbini Province Government is preparing to table its policy and programs in the Province Assembly  next week.

The Nepal government should urgently heed the demands of conflict victims and amend the process for appointing commissioners to the country’s two transitional justice bodies, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists said today. To successfully implement the transitional justice law adopted by parliament in 2024, it is crucial to have a transparent and rigorous process that results in the appointment of credible and highly qualified commissioners, they said. 

In Aug 2024, Nepal’s parliament adopted a law that victims’ groups broadly accepted as a viable basis for the long delayed transitional justice process to address widespread human rights violations and abuses committed during the 1996-2006 conflict between Maoist insurgents and Nepali security forces. Under the legislation, there will be two bodies—a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons. However, survivors and victims’ representatives have rejected a short list of candidates published by a committee to appoint commissioners, a joint statement from the international organizations states. 

“The appointment of competent, impartial commissioners fully independent from any political party is crucial to the credibility and success of transitional justice in Nepal,” said Isabelle Lassée, deputy regional director for South Asia at Amnesty International. “The government should immediately allow a revision of the appointment process to include more candidates and strengthen procedures.”
Signed in 2006, the Comprehensive Peace Agreement included a commitment to reveal what happened to victims of enforced disappearance within 60 days, and to establish “a High-level Truth and Reconciliation Commission… to probe into those involved in serious violation of human rights and crimes against humanity.” For almost two decades, these commitments have been thwarted through political maneuvering, unnecessarily deepening the pain of thousands of victims and their families, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Commission of Jurists said.
Nepal has established similar commissions in the past, which have received over 60,000 complaints. However, the previous commissions failed to deliver on their mandate, partly due to political interference in appointments and overall lack of political will to ensure their independence and effectiveness.

In 2015, the Supreme Court determined that an earlier transitional justice law was unconstitutional and violated Nepal’s international human rights obligations. While the amended transitional justice law has some positive elements, it also contains some unacceptable provisions, including allowing for amnesty of those involved in war crimes and crimes against humanity. Therefore, the manner in which commissioners interpret and implement their mandates will be of critical importance to ensure that the commissions’ work does not violate relevant international law. The appointment of highly qualified, impartial and independent people is therefore crucial.

In a statement published on May 1, 38 groups of victims and survivors wrote that the short-listed candidates are “unlikely to carry forward the national responsibility of transitional justice,” leaving victims “once again denied justice” and suffering “a deep sense of betrayal and humiliation.”
They pointed out that the “list was developed through a non-transparent, superficial, and politically influenced process based on power-sharing and (political) access, rather than merit.” The appointments committee had failed to “publicly disclose the criteria, basis and transparent procedures used to prepare the shortlist.” According to the groups, the list “includes… individuals who have defended perpetrators, and many who lack knowledge, contribution or expertise in transitional justice."

Many survivors and the families of those subjected to violations and abuses have lived in hardship for years, often suffering lasting mental harm and physical injuries. They are struggling to learn the truth about their loved ones, are longing to see those responsible for abuses brought to justice in fair trials and remain in desperate need of reparations and official recognition. The lack of accountability for serious crimes under international law has contributed to ongoing rights violations and a wider crisis of impunity. The victims said that the appointments committee had “failed to consult them even once,” resulting in “a process controlled by the perpetrators’ side.”
“Conducting a successful transitional justice process is of importance to all Nepalis, but above all to conflict victims, who have struggled for decades to receive truth, justice and reparations,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “It has become routine for successive governments to promise that transitional justice will be ‘victim-centric,’ but these words have little meaning unless victims’ concerns are addressed and they are able to meaningfully engage in the process.”

In their statement, the victims and survivors groups have warned that they will “be compelled to initiate the formation of a parallel civil commission” to investigate conflict-era abuses if the authorities continue to ignore their concerns and pursue a “superficial process that further inflicts pain and despair on the victims.” They said that the United Nations and “the entire international community” should only support  “a credible transitional justice process.”

The government has formed a committee to facilitate the supply of medicines produced by Nepal Aushadhi Limited to the state-owned health facilities.

Minister for Health and Population Pradip Paudel formed the committee after complaints that some drugs including Citamol, Jivan Jal and other medicines produced by the Limited were not sold, Minister Paudel's secretary stated. 

Minister Paudel on Tuesday held a discussion with the officials of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, and the Limited to facilitate the smooth supply of the Limited's medicines in all three layers of government.  

After the meeting, a committee was formed under the leadership of the Joint Secretary of Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies comprising the representatives from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration and Limited.

Spokesperson of the Health Ministry, Dr Prakash Budhathoki, said that a concrete decision would be taken based on the recommendations from the committee. 

Earlier, Minister Paudel said the citizens should be provided with medicines at concessional price, for which the Limited should produce drugs regularly.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Devendra Dahal has urged South Korean investors to invest in Nepal's rail service development and expansion with full confidence.

At a meeting with the representatives of South Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) on Tuesday, Minister Dahal asked the South Korean delegation for their investment in Nepal's rail service adding that development of railway was also a key priority of the Nepal government.

Dahal asked the South Korean team to carry out study and research to expand rail service considering the religious, cultural and tourist destinations in Nepal. 

He argued that Nepal was creating an investment climate for rail service expansion and stated that the modalities for investment could be discussed too. 

Ministry's Secretary Keshab Kumar Sharma said that e-rail expansion could be useful in Nepal given immense potential for hydropower production. 

Likewise, CEO of Investment Board Sushil Gyawali said a task force comprising experts from both countries would be formed within some days and different modalities for the development and expansion of railway would be studied.

CEO of Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) Han Moon Hee shared about his company's 126-year-long history and experiences in railway development and expressed readiness to execute assignments for the same in Nepal too. 

The BP Highway has been closed for eight hours after the flooded Roshi stream swept away diversion on Monday night. 

The diversion at Mapti was eroded by the flooded river, resulting in the complete halt in vehicular movement, according to the District Police Office. 

Efforts are underway to resume the highway, the Office said.

Information Officer at the District Police Office Min Bahadur Ghale said that the road section towards Mangaltar from Roshi Rural Municipality-12 was damaged by the flood. 

The police team and locals have been working together to open the road for one-way traffic. A total of 17 passengers were stranded after the vehicular disruption. They were rescued by the local police.

Diversion was constructed at the place where the BP Highway had suffered severe damages in the last September floods.

Meanwhile, search for a woman missing in the flood since Monday afternoon is underway.  

Renuka Giri (33) of Subbagaon of Panauti Municipality-5 had gone missing at 6 pm Monday. She was swept away by the flooded Dhalmale rivulet while returning home from a festival.

The police had halted the search for the woman after midnight, which resumed early this morning. 

Deputy Superintendent of Police Ghale further informed that a joint team of Nepal Police, Nepal Army and the Armed Police Force was mobilized to search for the missing woman. 

The sudden rainfall in the Panauti Bus Park area had inundated the vicinity.

Both Houses of the Federal Parliament are holding meetings today to  discuss the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill.

The meeting of the House of Representatives is scheduled for 11 am while the meeting of the National Assembly will start at 11:15 am.

General Secretary of the Federal Parliament Secretariat Padma Prasad Pandeya informed that both Parliaments are scheduled to dwell on the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill (except tax) for the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26.

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel had presented the principles and priorities of the Appropriation Bill on Sunday.

The policies and programs of the government have been endorsed by the Parliament.