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The monsoon is gradually getting weak with its low pressure line shifting to the south from the average position, the Meteorological Forecasting Division stated. 

This afternoon, the hilly areas of the country, including the Sudurpaschim Province are likely to have cloudy weather while the remaining areas will see partial cloud cover. 

The division forecasts moderate rainfall in some places of the hilly areas of Sudurpaschim Province and a couple of places in the Terai. 

Similarly, the hilly areas of the country, including the Koshi Province, will generally have cloudy weather, while other areas will see partial clouds tonight. 

As indicated, there is a chance of moderate rainfall in some places of the hilly areas of Gandaki Province, as well as in the Tarai, Bagmati, Lumbini, and Karnali Provinces. 

In view of the risk of landslides and an increase in water levels in large and small rivers and streams, and potential disruptions in transportation, the division has urged the general public to stay alert with preparedness. 

Newly appointed Vice Chancellors (VCs) of four health science academies took the oath of office and secrecy today before Prime Minister and Chancellor KP Sharma Oli on Thursday.

The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar where Prof Dr Bikram Prasad Shrestha (BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences), Associate Prof Dr Pujan Kumar Rokaya (Karnali Academy of Health Sciences),  Prof. Dr Buddhi Prasad Paudel (Patan Academy of Health Sciences) and Dr Bharat Khatri (Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences) took the oath of office and secrecy.

The Millennium Challenge Account-Nepal (MCA-Nepal) today signed two major contracts to advance the compact’s Electricity Transmission Project, jointly funded by the governments of Nepal and the United States.

In a press statement today, the MCA-Nepal said, "Following the successful completion of the foreign aid review, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Nepal Compact resumed work with renewed momentum and shared commitment from both governments."

The development underscores the shared commitment of both governments to delivering on one of Nepal’s most transformative infrastructure partnerships, it has been said.

After a competitive international bidding process, MCA-Nepal awarded the Lot 2 contract (Ratmate to New Damauli) to Angelique-Skipper JV and the Lot 3 contract (New Damauli to New Butwal) to WAIBA-SALASAR JV, according to the press release. 

Combined, these contracts are valued at approximately USD 154.5 million and will cover the design, installation, testing, and commissioning of 180 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines, the MCA-Nepal said. 

MCA-Nepal Executive Director Khadga Bahadur Bisht and company representatives signed the agreements in the presence of MCC’s Acting Deputy Vice President, representatives from the MCC Resident Country Mission, officials from the US Embassy, Nepal’s Ministry of Finance, and the Nepal Electricity Authority. 

“MCC reaffirms the United States’ investment in mutual priorities and Nepal’s development goals,” said Acting Deputy Vice President John Wingle. “We are honored to work alongside our Nepali counterparts to improve the availability and reliability of electricity in Nepal and enhance regional power trade and integration,” the statement adds.  

Ghanashyam Upadhyaya, Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Chairperson of the MCA-Nepal Board of Directors, appreciated the financial support from the US Government to materialize the Government of Nepal's plan to construct transmission lines and substations, and expressed continued government support for this program.

"This milestone is more than a construction contract; it’s a tangible symbol of the United States’ enduring commitment to Nepal’s growth and prosperity,” said US Embassy Nepal’s Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks. “Through this partnership, we are not only creating power lines and economic infrastructure but also accelerating Nepal’s long-term growth. The MCC compact is a cornerstone of cooperation between Nepal and the United States. We’re proud to be moving forward together to benefit all citizens of Nepal.”

MCA-Nepal Executive Director Bisht added, “We appreciate the US  Government’s unwavering support and final approval to move the compact forward. This milestone reflects the shared commitment of all stakeholders and the Government of Nepal to this National Pride Project. We remain focused on successful implementation through sustained collaboration.” 

The MCC Nepal Compact represents a landmark USD 697 million investment in Nepal’s long-term economic development, laying a foundation for increased private sector investment. 

Through its Electricity Transmission and Road Maintenance Projects, the compact is designed to boost connectivity and unlock economic growth by strengthening critical infrastructure, enhancing cross-border energy trade, and improving Nepal’s transportation network. 

The United States Department of State’s 2024 Country Report on Human Rights Practices for Nepal gives a bleak report of persisting human rights concerns, citing credible reports of arbitrary killings, torture, arbitrary detention, abridgment of press freedom, and human trafficking. While the government has prosecuted some abuses, it “did not consistently punish officials convicted of human rights abuses,” as per the report published on Aug 12.

While the 2023 report has a very lengthy introduction and numerous appendices and references, this new report only has a single introductory page which is strong on a desire to “decrease the volume of statistical data in the report.” The country reports by themselves are, overall, one-third the length of the previous year.

International media like AP, AFP, CNN and Reuters among others accused the report of having taken a stunning turn with references removed to sexual orientation abuses, and horrid conditions in ally countries played down as a shot at people who have gotten into trouble with US President Donald Trump.

The report has alleviated condemnation of a number of states that have proved to be staunch supporters of the Republican leader, such as El Salvador and Israel, which human rights activists assert have had established records of violations. Rather, the State Department issued an alarm of what it called a sliding trend of freedom of speech in Europe, including the UK, and stepped up its attacks on Brazil and South Africa, both nations with which Washington has been at loggerheads over a myriad of issues.

The report was published months later after Trump officials drastically rewrote an early draft to make it conform to the principles of ‘America First’, government officials said on condition of anonymity with Al Jazeera.

Coming back to Nepal, the report states while the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) documented no allegations of arbitrary deaths at the hands of security forces during 2024, there were four deaths in prison from January through mid-Aug 2024, reportedly caused by torture, denial of medical attention, and inhumane prison conditions.

One such incident was with Sunil Shahi, who died on 8 April 2024 in the Kailali prison when he was allegedly brutally attacked with an iron rod by prison officials and inmates after a failed attempt to escape. His body showed signs of utmost brutality, and the investigation continues.

The government went on paying the family of Padam Limbu, a protester who succumbed to police injuries in 2023. Limbu, who was declared a martyr, had already been awarded Rs 1.3m in the previous year and was awarded another Rs 500,000 in Feb 2024.

Even though Nepal’s constitution stands up for free expression, journalists have to deal with structural and situational barriers. Ambiguity of the criminal code, defamation legislation, and the Broadcasting and Working Journalist Acts allows selective prosecution and fosters self-censorship.

On 19 Feb 2024, photojournalists protested at Tundikhel when they were not allowed into Democracy Day events organized by the Nepali Army for a last-minute ‘special pass’ requirement.

The report also refers to threats to investigative journalists. Center for Investigative Journalism–Nepal reporter Gopal Dahal was threatened in Dec 2024 by Dharan Sub-metropolitan City Mayor Harka Sampang and his supporters following a critical report.

In July 2024, journalists reporting on a protest against ride-sharing were assaulted by public transit operators. The government took no action about it, the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) said. Death threats were also leveled against the then-general secretary of the FNJ on stories on smuggling.

The Labor Law of 2017 preserves the freedom to bargain collectively and unionize but is not strong in enforcement, particularly in the informal sector, where over 70 percent of the workers and over 90 percent of the women work. The State Department reports that the Ministry of Labor does not have sufficient inspectors to enforce minimum wage, hour, and occupational safety laws since some of the positions are unfilled.

Although there are fines, they are never imposed in the private sector. Occupational safety enforcement has been referred to as “the most neglected area,” and violations were found in agriculture, construction, mining, transport, and factories.

The study finds routine police practice of arresting individuals before interrogation and coercing them into confession. While the law requires suspects to be taken to court within 24 hours, the Advocacy Forum found that police violated this rule in eight percent of over 1,100 cases it followed.

In perhaps the most high-profile case, Kantipur Media Group chair Kailash Sirohiya was held in May 2024 for suspected misuse of an illegitimate citizenship number. The FNJ termed the arrest as retaliation for Kantipur Daily’s reportage on senior politicians.

Protracted pretrial detention is a concern due to court delay, whereby individuals are at times detained for years before their trial. Preventive detention, for as long as 12 months without being charged, was not used in 2024, according to the report. Although torture is criminalized, the statute of limitations stands at six months, and impunity is the norm. NGOs documented 16 allegations of torture in police detention through mid-Aug 2024, mostly affecting poor and vulnerable individuals. Police reluctance to investigate fellow officers, victim intimidation, and coercive extrajudicial settlements all facilitated impunity.

Marriage before age 20 is illegal, but child marriage remains common, especially among Dalits and Madhesis. Between mid-July and the end of the last fiscal year, the police documented 52 cases. Early marriage still restricts education for girls and exacerbates exposure to domestic violence and trafficking.

Only the pre-1990 Bhutanese and Tibetans are accepted as refugees by the government, whereas the majority of the other estimated 12,000 Tibetan refugees are not documented. Other state refugees like Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka are regarded as irregular migrants despite having been accepted by UNHCR. Exit permits for third-country resettlement charge refugees Rs 1,063 ($8) a day as a fine for ‘illegal stay’. The government has not been issuing Tibetans with new refugee cards since 1995.

Social stigma against unmarried pregnant women, including migrant workers, is also reported. There were no reports of enforced disappearances, though transitional justice under a newly amended Truth and Reconciliation law still has to be put into practice.

The State Department concludes that there has been no essential transformation in the general human rights situation in the country, while documenting ongoing abuses from arbitrary killings to restriction on press freedom and inadequate labor protections.

The report cites “credible reports” of illegal or arbitrary killings, torture, arbitrary detention, limitation of freedom of speech, and trafficking in people, including forced labor. While the government attempted to investigate some of the abuses, the State Department reports that punishment for convicted officials remained sporadic.

It says that while Nepal has a legal system for protecting rights, the enforcement is selective and uneven, and vulnerable groups like journalists, marginalized groups, refugees, and informal workers remain at risk of systemic threats.

Neighbors’ watch

About India, the report said, “The government took minimal credible steps or action to identify and punish officials who committed human rights abuses.” It says the same for Sri Lanka too. 

On Pakistan, it added, “The government rarely took credible steps to identify and punish officials who committed human rights abuses.”

The report flagged “significant human rights issues” in Bangladesh. It says that primarily under the previous government of Sheikh Hasina, there were credible reports of: arbitrary or unlawful killings; disappearances; torture or cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; arbitrary arrest or detention; transnational repression against individuals in another country by the previous government, serious restrictions on freedom of expression and media freedom, including violence or threats of violence against journalists, unjustified arrests or prosecutions of journalists, and censorship; significant restrictions on workers’ freedom of association; violence or threats against labor activists or union members; and significant presence of the worst forms of child labor. 

But the report says the interim government of Muhammad Yunus worked with the United Nations and used both its ordinary justice system and the Bangladeshi International Criminal Tribunal to hold the perpetrators accountable.

For China, the report says genocide and crimes against humanity occurred against predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and members of other ethnic and religious minority groups. However, the government did not take credible steps or action to identify or punish officials who committed human rights abuses, it says.