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The members in the thematic committees under the National Assembly (NA) have been reshuffled.

NA Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal announced the changes in today's meeting of the Upper House of the Federal Parliament.

NA Member Krishna Bahadur Rokaya of the Federal Strengthening and National Concerns Committee has been transferred to the Legislation Management Committee.

Similarly, Narayan Dutta Mishra of the Legislation Management Committee has been moved to the Federal Strengthening and National Concern Committee.

The proposal seeking reshuffle of the members was unanimously agreed upon by the NA meeting, it was shared. 

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said the government is seriously and sensitively working to ensure peace, order and security for the citizens with maximum utilization of available resources towards that end.

In his replies to lawmakers' queries in a session of the National Assembly today, the Minister reiterated the government compulsion to work amidst limited resources.

He also claimed that following his assumption on the post, various efforts have been launched for policy and legal reforms.

"Your feedback, submissions and concerns are always the guidelines for me," he told the lawmakers, arguing that his work speed and spirit matched with the concerns of lawmakers for peace and security, service delivery, disaster management and so on.

He apprised the House that Nepal Police Bill, Armed Police Force Bill, Nepal Citizenship (Second Amendment) Bill are already the properties of the Parliament and discussions with stakeholders concerned are underway regarding the need and relevance of other policy and legal reforms.

"The reconstruction of structures damaged by monsoon-related disasters and the earthquake is progressing, and the mechanisms under the Home Ministry are actively working to implement laws that promote civic freedom, the rule of law, human rights, and the democratic values guaranteed by Nepal’s Constitution," he added.

Meanwhile, during the zero hour, Suresh Kumar Ale Magar demanded the continuity of citizenship by descent for ex British Gurkhas. There are rumors that citizenship by descent for them will be discontinued, he said.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the government is committed to providing every possible support for the all-round development of youths.

He said so while addressing the National Cadet Corps (NCC)'s SN 19 Senior Division Pass-out Parade at the Army Pavilion in Tundikhel today.

The PM reiterated that NCC's this program is in the government's high priority as the nation is always in need of youths, who are disciplined, have allegiance to the National Flag by internalizing the maxim 'Janani Janmabhumishcha Swargadapi Gariyesi' or 'the Motherland is Greater than Heaven.'

"The hopes and dreams of not only your parents but also of your instructors, relatives and society are vested in you. Therefore, in order to build the best society, you should enhance your morale and develop efficient leadership, in your youth, follow moral conduct and discipline, understand your duty towards your society and the nation and start becoming an able citizen to fulfilling it," the Prime Minister, who is also the NCC's Chief Patron, said on the occasion.

He further said: "As a true Nepali citizen, you will play an important leadership role by dedicating yourself with selfless service when the nation needs it. I am confident that the knowledge gained in this training will motivate and support you in this work."

Extending best wishes to the passed-out students for patriotism, dutifulness and superiority, PM Oli urged them to dedicate themselves to the development of the country on the basis of fair competition and not by playing foul against others.

First Lady Radhika Shakya, Defense Minister Manbir Rai, National Planning Commission (NPC) Vice-Chairman Prof Dr Shiva Raj Adhikari, Chief of the Army Staff Ashok Raj Sigdel, Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Sunita Dangol and the chiefs of the security bodies attended the programme.

The delegations of the National Cadet Corps of India and the Maldives, and Bhutan Scouts were also present on the occasion.

 The NCC, having the motto 'Discipline is the Main Foundation of Nation Service', was established in 2022 BS with the objective of developing the personality of the youths. It has been making the youth disciplined, dignified, dedicated to the country and cultured citizens who respect the institutions of the state, who are well-trained and can be mobilized as volunteers during times of disasters.

NCC has enrolled 7,704 students in this fiscal year and aims to increase the number of enrolled students to 11,550 next year. So far, 82,184 people have graduated from NCC.

An angry White House clash between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Donald Trump divided the US president’s fellow Republicans and dimmed prospects that Congress will approve any further aid for Kyiv in its war with Russia. On Saturday, Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski said there were “whispers from the White House that they may try to end all US support for Ukraine... I am sick to my stomach as the administration appears to be walking away from our allies and embracing Putin, a threat to democracy and US values around the world.”

Other Republicans who had long supported Ukraine lashed out at Zelenskyy after Friday’s exchange, in which Trump and Vice-president JD Vance berated the Ukrainian leader before the world’s media, accusing him of disrespect. Senator Lindsey Graham called for Zelenskyy to change his tune or resign, just hours after attending a friendly meeting between Zelenskyy and a dozen senators.olo

“What I saw in the Oval Office was disrespectful, and I don’t know if we can ever do business with Zelenskyy again,” Graham, a close Trump ally, told reporters as he left the White House after the clash, which drove relations with Kyiv’s most important wartime ally to a new low. “He either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change,” the South Carolina senator said.

Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee, who was ambassador to Japan during Trump’s first term, posted on X: “The United States of America will no longer be taken for granted.” But even as most Republicans rallied behind Trump and Vance, some joined Democrats in defending Ukraine.

New York Representative Mike Lawler, in a post on X, called the Oval Office meeting “a missed opportunity for both the United States and Ukraine—an agreement that would undoubtedly result in stronger economic and security cooperation.”

Representative Don Bacon, a moderate Republican from Nebraska, threw his support behind Kyiv. “A bad day for America’s foreign policy. Ukraine wants independence, free markets and rule of law. It wants to be part of the West. Russia hates us and our Western values. We should be clear that we stand for freedom,” he said in a statement.

Neither of the Republican lawmakers criticized Trump or Vance.

Minerals deal

Zelenskyy was in Washington to sign an agreement to jointly develop Ukraine’s rich natural resources with the United States. The Ukrainian leader had seen the meeting with Trump and Vance as an opportunity to persuade the US not to side with Russian President Vladimir Putin in his war with Moscow’s smaller neighbor. Instead, Zelenskyy was told to leave and the agreement was left unsigned.

Kyiv’s backers had hoped the deal would help win more support from Trump’s Republicans—who hold slim majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives—for future aid. Congress has approved $175bn in assistance since Putin launched his full-scale invasion three years ago, but the last measure passed in April, when Democrats controlled the Senate and Democrat Joe Biden was in the White House.

Even then, congressional Republicans slow-walked the bill under pressure from candidate Trump, who has been skeptical of further military aid to Ukraine, leading to delays in delivering weapons that put Ukrainian troops on the back foot in the battlefield. If Trump, the party leader, had skin in the game and was promoting a “very big” minerals deal he had negotiated, analysts said, it would likely have rallied Republican support for Ukraine aid.

Some Republicans who have advocated for assisting Ukraine said they hoped relations could be rebuilt. Representative Michael McCaul, chairperson emeritus of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he still hoped for a real and lasting peace that ensures Ukraine would be free from further Russian aggression.

“I also urge President Zelenskyy to sign the mineral deal immediately,” the Texas lawmaker posted on X. “It will create an economic partnership between the United States and Ukraine. It is in both of our interests to get this deal done.”

Reuters