Submit your Article

Former Nepali Congress lawmaker Mohammad Aftab Alam, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in connection with an explosion and the subsequent murder of at least 23 persons in Rautahat at Fradahawa in Rajpur, Rautahat April 9, 2008, has been released from jail on Wednesday.

Jailer Bhimraj Koirala of Nakkhu prison said that Alam was released from the prison.

Earlier, the Rautahat District Court had found Alam guilty of the Rajpur bomb blast and the subsequent murder and sentenced him to life imprisonment.

The Janakpur High Court today acquitted Alam, overturning the District Court's decision,  the court's Registrar Deepak Bhandari shared.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of New Zealand Winston Peters paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

During the meeting held at the official residence of the Prime Minister in Baluwatar on Wednesday, matters of strengthening bilateral interests, mutual relations and multifaceted collaboration were discussed, while recognising that there is immense potential for cooperation in the sectors of agriculture, tourism, education and investment.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli briefed that the incumbent government had given priority to stability, development, good governance, social justice and social transformation along with the national ambition of 'Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali'.   

Similarly, the visiting Deputy Prime Minister Peters stressed the need of boosting the collaboration between the two countries even in the international forums for Nepal's development and prosperity. 

High-ranking officials of the Foreign Ministry were also present in the meeting.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 16. 55  points to close at 2,692. 18 points on Wednesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 3. 95 points to close at 460. 92 points.

A total of 20,759,547-unit shares of 323 companies were traded for Rs 8. 58 billion.

Meanwhile, Om Megashree Pharmaceuticals Limited (OMPL) was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise, Barahi Hydropower Public Limited (BHPL) was the top loser as its price fell by 6. 84 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 1. 51 trillion.

Opposition parties including the CPN (Maoist Centre) concluded that Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak should step down from the post for his alleged involvement in the 'visit visa' scam. 

A meeting of the opposition parties held at the Federal Parliament Building in New Baneshwor today accused the Home Minister of being responsible for the irregularities.  

Aam Janata Party Chair Prabhu Sah, who was also present in the meeting, said that the House proceedings will be halted until the Home Minister resigns. 

Meanwhile, Maoist Centre Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal  and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli held a telephonic conversation amidst the meeting. 

The Dhangadhi-Salyan road section along the Rapti Highway has been obstructed due to a landslide at  Chorkhola in Kapurkot Rural Municipality-3, Salyan. 

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police at the Salyan District Police Office Keshar Neupane, efforts are on to remove the landslide debris by using an excavator. 

Police have urged small vehicles to use alternative routes via Kapurkot-Lamidanda and Kapurkot-Pakchapani-Satbasa. 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand Winston Peters is arriving in Kathmandu this afternoon on a two-day official visit to Nepal. 

The Deputy Prime Minister will separately pay courtesy calls on President Ram Chandra Paudel and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed. 

Similarly, the Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand will hold a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba this evening. 

After the meeting, there will be a joint press conference, and in his honor, Foreign Minister  Rana will host a dinner. 

This is the first ever visit by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of New Zealand to Nepal. 

The country now is under the influence of western and local winds. 

Additionally, there is a partial influence of the vapour-rich winds coming from the Bay of Bengal, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. 

This afternoon, there will be partial to generally cloudy weather in the hilly areas of the Lumbini Province and other parts of the country, while remaining areas will have clear weather. 

In some places of the hilly region, there is a possibility of light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning. Light rain and snowfall is likely to occur in one or two places in the high mountainous and hilly regions of the country. 

According to the Department, the Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces, along with other hilly areas, will experience partial to generally cloudy weather, while other areas will have clear weather. 

Some places of the hilly areas of Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces have chances of light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning. There may be light rain with snowfall in one or two places in the high mountainous region. 

Both the Houses of Federal Parliament – House of Representatives (HoR) and National Assembly (NA)— are holding their meetings today. 

The HoR meeting is scheduled to take place at 11 am.

Due to the protests from opposition parties on Tuesday, the lower house meeting was postponed without entering into the regular agenda. 

The Federal Parliament Secretariat has prepared a tentative agenda for today's meeting. 

According to the agenda, Chairperson of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee Ramhari Khatiwada is scheduled to present the 'Report of the Federal Civil Service Bill, 2080' in today's meeting. 

Similarly, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel will present the Economic Survey of the fiscal year 2025/26.

According to the tentative agenda, a proposal will be presented seeking consideration on the amendment to Some Nepal Acts Related to Land Management, 2082 BS after holding clause-wise discussion today. 

Additionally, in the meeting of the HoR, Chairperson of the Agriculture, Cooperatives, and Natural Resources Committee Kusum Devi Thapa, will present the 'Annual Report of the Agriculture, Cooperatives, and Natural Resources Committee, 2082'. 

Secretary General of the Federal Parliament Secretariat Padma Prasad Pandey informed that the concerned ministers will respond to oral questions related to the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Health and Population. 

Likewise, the meeting of the National Assembly will be held at 1:15 pm today. 

In the NA meeting, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel is scheduled to present the Economic Survey for the fiscal year 2025/26.

Similarly, the Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya, will present a proposal to send the 'Some Nepal Laws Amendment Bill, 2080' received from the HoR with a message to the Legislative Management Committee for detailed discussion. 

Today, in the NA meeting, there is an agenda for the concerned ministers to respond to oral questions related to the Ministry of Urban Development, Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation, Health and Population, and Forest and Environment.