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National Assembly member Bhagwati Neupane has been appointed as the new Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration.

President Ram Chandra Paudel has, on the recommendation of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, appointed Neupane to the post today. 

She was appointed to the vacant post after outgoing Minister Raj Kumar Gupta resigned today following charges of corruption.

The Office of the President has stated that President Paudel appointed lawmaker Neupane to the post on the recommendation of the Prime Minister in accordance with Article 76 (9) of the Constitution.

The Home Ministry has transferred four joint secretaries.

The Ministry on Tuesday appointed Joint Secretary Ram Chandra Tiwari, who is also the spokesperson of Home Ministry, as the Director General of the Immigration Department.

Similarly, Govinda Prasad Rijal, Director General of the Immigration Department, has been transferred to the Home Ministry.

According to a source, Bishnu Prasad Koirala, Head of the Immigration Office at the Tribhuvan International Airport, has been recalled to the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Koirala has been accused of failing to stop human trafficking through the airport.

Chief District Officer of Khotang Narahari Ghimire has been appointed as the Head of the Immigration Office at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

The 41st senate meeting of the Purbanchal University has approved a budget of Rs 1.70 billion for fiscal year 2025-26. 

The budget presented by Registrar Prof Dr Kalyani Mishra was approved during the meeting held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister and Chancellor of the University, KP Sharma Oli, at his official residence in Baluwatar today.

Similarly, the meeting passed a policy and program of the University for the fiscal year presented by Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Biju Kumar Thapaliya.

The University has included the MBBS program along with upgrading of teaching hospital in priority.

Lawmakers have demanded an investigation into the 'visit visa' scam and the audio tape case involving a minister, and called for action against those responsible.

As soon as Speaker Devraj Ghimire began the proceedings of today's meeting of the House of Representatives, the MPs of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) stood up from their seats and protested.

After this, the Speaker granted time to Shiva Nepali, an MP from the RSP, to speak on behalf of his party. 

Nepali demanded the implementation of the report released on January 25, 2022, by a team led by then Home Minister Balkrishna Khand, which called for an investigation into human trafficking from the immigration department.

RPP lawmaker Gyan Bahadur Shahi stated that if the ministers involved in various cases do not resign, the problem will not be solved. He emphasized that the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority should initiate action against the guilty in the wake of an audio tape of some ministers' involvement in the bribery case.

While he was speaking, MP Sunita Baral from the CPN-UML demanded to remove the accusations against the Prime Minister's leadership spoken by lawmaker Shahi from the records of the Parliament.

Speaker Ghimire informed the House that he had taken note of the issues raised by the lawmakers.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 36. 86 points to close at 2,762. 57 points on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 7. 49 points to close at 481. 85 points.

A total of 26,517,209-unit shares of 317 companies were traded for Rs 9. 41 billion.

Meanwhile, Super Madi Hydropower Limited (SMHL) was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 8. 08 percent. Likewise, Bhagawati Hydropower Development Company Limited (BGWT) was the top loser as its price fell by 4. 64 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 1. 57 trillion.

The heat is becoming unbearable, so much so that fans won’t just cut it. The sales of coolers and air conditioners have shot up. Kathmandu has never felt so hot and oppressing. Even the random rains, and there have been plenty, don’t do much to bring down the temperature. Many people the ApEx spoke to confessed of taking multiple showers in a day or having the cooler or AC on all day which dries out their skin. According to experts, the hot weather is only set to get worse so it’s best to be prepared. Here, we have a list of things you can do to summer proof your home that have been tried and approved by our readers. 

Don’t underestimate the power of cross ventilation 

Cross breeze can really cool at home, but most of us underestimate its power and don’t open enough or the right windows. In the morning, open the curtains and the windows, making sure windows that are opposite each other aren’t shut. This helps bring fresh air in and push stale air out. Cross ventilation can significantly cool a room and reduce the need of fans or air conditioning. The only thing to keep in mind is that the outlet opening should be equal in size or larger than the inlet opening. This facilitates efficient airflow.

Strategically close the curtains

Most of us open the curtains after we wake up in the morning and close them when it gets dark at night. But did you know that closing the south facing and the west facing curtains during the hottest part of the day can help keep the heat out? You can also install blinds in the windows in these directions to keep sunlight out during hot afternoons. Close your curtains or blinds from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. If you are going out, close the curtains to keep the rooms from heating up. This simple trick can help you lower your electricity bills. 

Use natural and light fabrics

Have you ever sat on the leather sofa during the summer? Do you recall how sticky and uncomfortable the experience was? Materials like leather, suede, silk, and polyester tend to trap heat thus making for uncomfortable summer upholstery. We’re not suggesting that you change your couch if you have a leather or a PU one. You can simply put a throw, one that is made of linen or cotton, over it. Switch out your cushion covers from thick velvet ones to those made from hemp, linen, or cotton. Light fabrics are more breathable and allow for better airflow. Experience better sleep during the summer simply by switching to lighter bedsheets and pillow covers. 

Use fans efficiently

Fans help cool a space by moving air around but most of us use it to cool down by blowing it directly on our faces and bodies when we feel hot. This usually dries out our nasal passages, throats, and skin as well. It’s a good idea to set up fans in places where air seems to be stagnant or use them to draw outside air to warm areas of the house by placing them in the direction of the breeze. Make sure the blades run in counterclockwise direction. You must also use exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms to keep hot air from mixing with indoor air and leading to overheating. Turn them on without fail when cooking or taking showers. 

Treat your roof

One of our readers used large tarps to cover the rooftop of our house. This, she says, made the bedrooms at least a few degrees cooler. You can opt for a UV reflective paint that can help bring the temperature down of the entire house. There are many options available in the market these days. Roof guard coatings help reflect harmful UV rays and limit heat absorption. Alternatively, you can also set up large umbrellas to cover major areas or install shades to keep sunlight from directly shining on the roof. Choose your options considering your budget but term solutions are usually one-time investments. 

Avoid heat-producing appliances whenever possible

If your house is feeling impossibly warm during the summers, try giving your heat producing appliances a miss whenever possible. The stove, oven, and even the clothes dryer generate a lot of heat when used. Go back to the traditional way of hanging your clothes to dry in the sunlight. Try to have simple meals that don’t require much cooking. Limit the use of the oven. You can even opt to use an outdoor grill to barbecue meat and vegetables. Switch up your cooking routine by choosing meals that don’t require heating like salads and sandwiches. Avoid extended uses of small appliances like toasters, sandwich presses, and even microwaves. 

Outdoor changes for indoor cooling

We tend to focus on cooling our houses from the inside, but we forget that there are a few important things we can do to keep the heat from coming in. One of the easiest ways to prevent outdoor heat from moving indoors is to plant trees and large shrubs in your garden or in large planters by your windows and doors. Consider planting trees and shrubs in the south and west directions of your home. If you have a cemented patio or an outdoor area, consider updating it with some porous material as this will allow rainwater to absorb into the ground and lower temperature through evaporative cooling effect. Install an awning or pergola to shield the west windows from hot afternoon rays. 

The 13th Senate meeting of the Far Western University has approved the budget of Rs 1.54 billion for the upcoming fiscal year. 

During the meeting held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister and Chancellor of the University, KP Sharma Oli, at his official residence, Baluwatar, today, the budget and program presented by the Registrar of the University, Prof Dr Binod Lekhak, was passed with amendment.  

Urging the University to maintain its financial condition, Chancellor Oli directed the University officials to present a realistic budget.  

He also asked the University to have audits as per the rule of 2081/82.

The landslides occurred at three places along BP Highway obstructed vehicular movement on Monday night. 

The District Police Office informed that efforts were on since early this morning to clear debris and repair the damaged road stretch to resume the vehicular movement..

The landslides occurred at Mamti of Roshi Rural Municipality-11, Khahare Khola and Biruwadanda of Roshi-9, according to the Information Officer at District Police Office Min Bahadur Ghale.

He informed that efforts were on to resume vehicular movement by clearing debris with the coordination of local people's representatives.