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Shram Sanskriti Party Chairman Harka Sampang said that he has lodged a complaint at the Cyber Bureau of the Nepal Police against an individual for allegedly issuing death threats via social media. 

Sampang, also Member of Parliament in the incumbent government, mentioned that a TikTok account named 'Sunita Khadka' sent him messages threatening to kill him and his family and set his house on fire.

Posting a message in his social media account, he also complained that the account holder individual also used abusive language and spread misleading information across social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok. 

"Threats have been made to kill me and my family as well as to burn down my house. Abusive language has been used on social media, spreading misleading information in the society. I urge strict legal action under the prevailing laws of Nepal," he said in a statement shared on social media.

The government has decided to recommend to President Ram Chandra Paudel to convene a session of the Federal Parliament on April 2.

A Cabinet meeting held on Monday made the decision to this effect, government spokesperson and Minister for Education Sasmit Pokharel said 

The Supreme Court has sought a written response from the government over the reasons behind the arrest of Nepali Congress leader and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.

Issuing a show cause order in response to a writ petition filed against his arrest, a single bench of Justice Kumar Regmi today asked the concerned authorities to submit a written response through the Attorney General's Office within three days of receiving the notice. 

The court has issued a notice to the defendants, also seeking a report submitted to the Government by the commission formed to investigate the incidents that took place during the protests on Bhadra 23 and 24, 2082 BS and the original file prepared during the investigation.

Leader Lekhak's wife Yashoda had filed a writ petition in the Apex Court on Sunday, stating that her husband was being illegally detained. 

It may be noted that the NC Lekhak was arrested last Saturday after the new government decided to implement the recommendations made by the commission headed by former judge Gauri Bahadur Karki. The Commission had recommended prosecution over criminal charges against Lekhak and former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli.

Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle has expressed commitment to end administrative and legal hindrances as well as corruption to a great relief to the private sector. 

During the meeting with representatives of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry today, Minister Dr Wagle argued that a policy has been adopted to take the private sector ahead as the government's partner.

"The suffering of the private sector will end. We are your partner," he underlined. Stating that the role of the private sector is crucial in investment expansion and employment creation, the Finance Minister opined that attention should be focused in employment creation with investment growth.  

FM Wagle mentioned that he was determined to clean out corruption. 

Sharing that he was committed to making the country's economy vibrant, he underlined that a policy related to financial crime would be changed with the priority to fines rather than imprisonment in general financial irregularities. 

"We will bring a policy of monetary penalties in financial irregularities. Industrialists and entrepreneurs will not have to be imprisoned", the Finance Minister added, clarifying that the state has expected honesty from the private sector as well.

Home Minister Sudhan Gurung today visited the Nepal Police Headquarters, Naxal. 

Upon his arrival, he was welcomed by Inspector General of Nepal Police, Dan Bahadur Karki, among others.

On the occasion, the Home Minister thanked the Nepal Police for performing at their best despite limited resources. 

Urging the police administration to carry out their responsibilities with confidence, he assured them that there would be no unnecessary interference from any level in the discharge of their duties in the coming days.

Minister Gurung stressed that the police should work to change public perception and highlighted the need to bridge the gap between the police and citizens. 

He urged police personnel to treat citizens politely and present themselves in a cordial manner, making every effort to address public concerns.

"Nepal Police should take a leading role in disaster management efforts. Necessary training would be provided to Nepal Police for it," he said, promising career advancement opportunities for police personnel based on performance and through a scientific approach.

 The government is committed to making the police institution more technology-friendly and resourceful by further strengthening it, according to him.

Home Secretary Raj Kumar Shrestha applauded the role played by each police employee in successfully conducting the recent elections to the House of Representatives despite various challenges. 

He added that the competence and efficiency demonstrated by the Nepal Police during the elections proved their ability to perform effectively in any context.

IGP Karki stated that the Nepal Police is carrying out its duties with dedication and integrity while remaining within the jurisdictions defined by the nation’s Constitution, laws, and national and international human rights standards. 

He added that the professionalism of the police will further enhance their effectiveness and help meet citizens’ expectations in a timely manner.

The Home Minister also observed a data center at the Nepal Police Headquarters.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 47. 71 points to close at 2, 831. 39 points on Wednesday. 

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 7. 90 points to close at 481. 58 points.

A total of 31,606,717-unit shares of 341 companies were traded for Rs 1. 62 billion.

Meanwhile, Reliance Spinning Mills Limited (RSML), Bhujung Hydropower Limited (BJHL), Ridge Line Energy Limited (RLEL) and Hotel Forest Inn Limited (HFIN) were the top gainers today with their price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise,  Solu Hydropower Limited (SOHL) was the top loser as their price fell by 7. 79 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 81 trillion.

A massive fire broke out at a plastic factory in Wanaherang, Gunung Putri, Bogor Regency, West Java, on Sunday evening at around 3:30pm local time and blazed for about seven hours, sending thick black smoke into the sky.

The blaze, which began around dusk, was first reported by local residents, later fire fighters were deployed to the scene and worked through the night to bring the fire under control, international media reported.

The Regency fire service deployed more than 50 personnel, which was supported by police, locals and military units. A total of ten fire trucks, two rescue teams and ambulances were rushed to the scene. Many firefighters needed medical support on site, including oxygen support.

The government has directed all public offices to prepare objective performance indicators along with terms of references (ToR) within one and half months.

Arguing that the underperforming employees were rewarded because of poor evaluation of performance, the government has forwarded a plan on accountability and review of performance in 90 days.

It was mentioned in the 100-point governance reform scheme the new government unveiled on Friday. 

The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration will be preparing a quality verification standard to the public services to be provided by the local level.

It is aimed to promote best performing local levels. Within a month, the number of ministries will be reduced so that operational cost would be minimized. 

The existing Nepal Government (Work Division) Regulation has stipulated a number of federal ministries to be at 17. 

The governance reform plan has also proposed a revision of employees' quota while resizing the ministry numbers. 

Dual works, duplication, slow and plodding trend in public officials would be wiped out. For it to happen, drafting new laws or amendments to the existing ones will begin, the government shared in the reform plan. The public administration would be fully liberated from political interference so that it would be neutral and accountable to citizens and help clean out corruption and slow public service delivery.  The bureaucracy would be made accountable, service-oriented and exemplary. 

Middlemen and brokering would be wiped out to make public service prompt and hassle-free.

The national standard of the organization and management survey of federal, provincial and local levels would be formulated and endorsed within two weeks. 

A related ministry in the province will be responsible to carry out the teachers' registration, sheet roll and retirement service from the coming fiscal year. 

Digital mode for hassle-free service    

In order to ensure hassle-free and middlemen disturbance, entire services relating to citizenship, passport, national ID card would be provided by the District Administration Offices through digital mode and integrated system. 

A round-the-clock grievance handling facility would be in place. Complaints can be lodged via phone, mobile App, portal or social media as well.

Agencification modality is another feature in the scheme to be introduced for by the government offices, especially for the works requiring more time and cost.

The postal service would be modernized as a 'government courier service' through which the citizen's essential documents like passport, citizenship copy and license are delivered at home. This plan will be enforced within 100 days.