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Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba has left for Japan to participate in the international conference on social isolation in senior citizens, which is starting tomorrow in Tokyo. She left for Japan last night.

The conference theme is -“Addressing Social Isolation and Loneliness Among Older People.”

Minister Rana is scheduled to address the conference on behalf of Nepal.

The conference organised by the Foundation for the Welfare and Education of the Asian People will have the participation of ministers, senior government officials, and social activists from more than 12 countries.

Minister Rana, who has been working for a long time in the field of economic uplift and social protection of Nepali women through Rural Women and Development Centre and organizations like the Safe Motherhood Network, has been invited as the special guest of the programme.

While in Japan, the Foreign Minister is scheduled to hold important bilateral meetings. She is set to return home next Saturday.

The first international gathering of summiteers of Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) will be taking place in Nepal on May 27.

The event named ' Everest Summiteers Summit' aims to bring together the climbers, provide them a forum for sharing experiences with each other and promote adventurous tourism, according to organiser the Everest Alliance Nepal. 

Alliance Chair Sudarshan Nepal has said that so far 177 climbers from 16 countries have confirmed the registrations for participating in the Summit. A total of 500 climbers who have already reached the top of the world's tallest peak are expected to attend the event. 

They will represent India, China, the United States of America, Britain, Italy, Switzerland, Iran, Singapore, Australia, Lebanon, Morocco and the UAE. 

There will be the presence of those who climbed Mount Everest seven decades ago to share their experiences with the gathering. Those who have reached the peak, including individuals with different abilities, will also give presentations.

Kanchha Sherpa, the last surviving member of the historic 1953 expedition to Mount Everest, will be honored at the event. He was part of the team alongside Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, who made history as the first people to reach the summit.

The Summit will include extensive discussions on the impacts of climate change on mountain ecosystems, with panel discussions featuring representatives from organizations such as WWF, ICIMOD, IUCN, and others.

The event is supported by several prominent organizations, including the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents, the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), the Nepal Mountaineering Association, and the Hotel Association of Nepal, among others.

The gold is being traded at Rs 184, 800 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the silver is being traded at Rs 1, 940 per tola today. 

Farmers in Nuwakot are struggling as they remain unable to apply fertilizers to their crops—including maize, rice, and vegetables—even though it is the peak time to apply urea. They complain that the concerned authorities have failed to act responsibly.

“We were simply told there’s no fertilizer available and had to return home empty-handed,” said Ramchandra Agasti, a local farmer. “There’s a real concern that the maize crop will suffer. The optimal time to apply urea after irrigation is slipping away, and farmers can’t access fertilizer when they need it most.”

The shortage has occurred due to the failure of relevant agencies to ensure timely delivery of urea fertilizer.

Another farmer, Ram Prasad Paneru, echoed similar frustrations. The Agriculture Office has acknowledged that farmers are receiving only limited quantities of fertilizer, as supply falls far short of demand.

Despite high demand for urea fertilizer in Nuwakot, the supply has not met the requirement. Currently, rice is being cultivated on 12,000 hectares and maize on 15,000 hectares in the district. According to agricultural technicians, farmers need around 9,000 tons of chemical fertilizer per hectare.

The Agricultural Development Office in Nuwakot confirmed that fertilizer is not being supplied as per demand. Office Chief Keshav Khanal said there have been frequent complaints of farmers receiving insufficient amounts due to limited supply. The Trishuli branch of the Agricultural Materials Company Limited and the Salt Trading Corporation’s Nuwakot branch are responsible for distributing chemical fertilizers, but both are reportedly facing shortages in their warehouses.

Farmers further complain that, due to the unavailability of subsidized fertilizer, they are being forced to purchase it from the market at much higher prices.

Lumbini Province has unveiled its policies and programs for the fiscal year 2025-26. Province Chief Krishna Bahadur Gharti Magar presented the plan during the fifth meeting of the sixth session of the Provincial Assembly.

The document outlines the province’s vision for inclusive development, good governance, efficient service delivery and progress in sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure, education, health and environment. The government aims to uplift the living standards of its citizens, foster sustainable development and strengthen public trust through these initiatives.

The policy framework highlights priorities including the strengthening of physical infrastructure and human development, enhancing cooperation among the three tiers of government, formulating legal and human resource foundations for institutional development, and promoting balanced and specialized development across all districts.

The province plans to streamline coordination among all ministries and government bodies while emphasizing improved governance, citizen-friendly administration and efficient service delivery. Digital initiatives such as “Mobile Haatma, Pradesh Sarkarka Sewa Sathma” will be promoted to expand access to services.

In agriculture, the government plans to increase productivity, treat the sector as a backbone of prosperity, keep farmlands green year-round and deliver agricultural services at the doorstep. The province has also set an ambitious goal of becoming fully organic within 10 years and transforming into a hub for organic farming.

The policy further focuses on promoting domestic industries, entrepreneurship and local products to create employment opportunities. It also seeks to strengthen social security programs and collaborate with the media to reach the grassroots with government policies.

Several citizen-centered campaigns have been introduced, including “Nagarikko Yogdan, Mahinako Ek Din Sramdan,” “Mero Bidhyalaya Mero Dayitwo,” “Hariyali Sahitka Sadak Purbadhar,” and “Pratyek Ghar Ujwalo Abhiyan.”

Other plans include completing ongoing projects, introducing a project bank system, developing one model settlement in each district, and initiating the Rampur-Chapakot urban development plan. The province also aims to implement a master plan for the capital area and mandates the use of local timber in government building construction.

Programs addressing disaster preparedness, climate resilience and wildlife victim relief also form part of the policy document. The government will upgrade the Rapti Provincial Hospital to a 200-bed facility, launch a climate center in Deukhuri and integrate skill development with education.

Additional plans involve providing free services to underprivileged citizens in medical colleges and hospitals, expanding snakebite treatment facilities and extending health programs to schools and communities.

The policy prioritizes green energy promotion, including electric vehicles and solar energy. Based on this policy document, Lumbini Province is set to announce its budget on June 15.

The country is currently witnessing the impacts of the easterly and local winds. 

The winds with water vapor generated from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea also have partial impacts on Nepal, according to the Weather Forecasting Division. 

The Division stated that weather will remain partly to generally cloudy across the country today. 

The hilly regions of the country will witness light rain coupled with lightning and thunder.  

The Division said the hilly regions of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and other Provinces will be partly and generally cloudy while remaining places will receive light rain. 

Some places of Koshi and Gandaki Provinces and other hilly regions of the country are predicted to have light to moderate rain with thunder. Similarly, few places in the upper hilly and mountainous region will have light rain and snowfall. 

Chances of storm are likely in some places of Tarai region, the Division stated.    

Light rainfall is predicted in the upper hilly and mountainous region of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces, the weather service shared. 

One to two places in Bagmati, Gandaki and Koshi Provinces are forecasted to have light rainfall with thunder and lightning.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is scheduled to respond to the queries of lawmakers in the Parliament today.

The Federal Parliament Secretariat said that the Parliament meeting has been summoned for 11 am.

General Secretary of Federal Parliament Secretariat Padhma Prasad Pandey said that Infrastructure Development Committee Chair Dipak Bahadur Singh is also expected to table the Infrastructure Development Committee Annual Report, 2081 in the House.  

Likewise, Minister for Land Management and Poverty Alleviation Balaram Adhikari would table a proposal seeking considerations on "bill to amend certain Nepal Acts relating to land, 2082".

Leela Devi Gadtaula and Mahesh Thapa took the oath of office and secrecy as the Chair of the Commission on Investigation of Enforced Disappeared Persons, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, respectively. 

The newly appointed chairs of the  commissions on transitional justice took the oath before Chief Justice Prakash Man Singh Raut.  The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Supreme Court today. 

After taking the oath, both chairs administered the oath of office and secrecy to the members of the respective commissions.   

The CIEDP chaired by Gadtaula comprises Gopalnath Yogi, Agni Prasad Thapaliya, Sirjana Pokhrel and Binita Nepali as the members. 

Similarly, the TRC chaired by Thapa includes Achut Prasad Bhandari, Dr Tika Prasad Dhakal, Padam Bahadur Shahi and Kumari Kaushalya Ojha as the members. 

The Cabinet on May 15 made the appointments at the both commissions based on the recommendations made in accordance with the Disappeared Persons Enquiry, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act, 2071 BS (amended).