Election won’t hamper development works: DPM Paudel

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel has said that the elections neither hamper the execution of the budget nor kill the development spirit. "Development projects won't be affected by the election activities. The government is set to expedite the development work, both will move ahead together," he said while speaking at an interaction on the challenges and the way out for the implementation of budget of the coming Fiscal Year 2021/22 organised virtually by Nepalese Association...

House dissolution hearing put off due to CJ's illness

Hearing on cases concerning the dissolution of the House of Representatives (HoR) in the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court was postponed on Monday owing to the health problem of Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana.

Chairman Oli calls for party unity

Chairman of the ruling CPN (UML) and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has agreed to resurrect the party in the condition it was before May 16, 2018. In a statement issued Sunday night, Oli forwarded a six-point unity proposal, expressing his commitment to revive all the party committees and structures that existed before May 16, 2018 for party unity. Chairman Oli in his proposal said, “The signatures of the former lawmakers the CPN-UML, used in the writ petition filed in the Supreme Court demanding...

Monsoon expected this week, heat affects life in Terai

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM) Monday said that monsoon in Nepal was likely to begin a few days earlier than the normal date this time. "We are expecting that monsoon for this season is more likely to begin from this week (before June 13) from the eastern Nepal," meteorologist Shanti Kandel at the Meteorological Forecasting Division under the DHM, said. Monsoon in India's eastern states of Odisha and Assam began three days ago, and it is slowly moving towards the eastern Nepal,...

Govt to manage free of cost health services to all: Health Minister

Minister for Health and Population Sher Bahadur Tamang has said that he was effortful to ensure free of cost health services to the public. In a virtual press meet at the Ministry today, Minister Tamang said the health insurance policy will be restructured to manage free of cost health services to all.

3,370 new cases of COVID-19, 6,951 recoveries, 92 fatalities in 24 hours

In 12,002 Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests done in the past 24 hours, a total of 3,370 persons were found infected with SARS-CoV-2, informed the Ministry of Health and Population in its daily update.

AstraZeneca vaccine to be provided as alternative to Covishield

According to Director of Family Welfare Division, Department of Health Services, Dr Taranath Pokhrel when the import of Covishield vaccine is presently not possible, AstraZeneca will be given to the recipients of the first dose of Covishield as both vaccines were developed by the same company being based on the same formula and methodology and it would make no difference in giving the AstraZeneca as an alternative to the Covishield.

Electronic pension payment to save Rs. 600 million

The Financial Comptroller General Office (FCGO) has executed a system to directly deposit the monthly pension of the retired government employees which is expected to save about Rs. 600 million of the government.

Senior citizens await second dose of vaccine anxiously

The government’s drive to inoculate the senior citizens aged above 65 years began on March 7. ‘Covishield’ vaccine, which is developed by AstraZeneca, University of Oxford and produced by Serum Institute of India, was administered to the senior citizens.

3,024 new cases of COVID-19, 6,636 recoveries, 99 deaths in 24 hours

In 10,471 Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests done in the past 24 hours, a total of 3,024 persons were found infected with SARS-CoV-2, informed Dr. Krishna Prasad Poudel, spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population in the regular press briefing.

PM Oli holding discussions, Cabinet likely to expanded this evening

Bishal Bhattarai, Chief Whip of the CPN-UML, the main ruling party, said that the final list has yet not been prepared although the Prime Minister has been making preparations for expanding the Cabinet.

Karnali CM Shahi reshuffles cabinet, two NC leaders appointed as ministers

CM Shahi has appointed two ministers from Nepali Congress to his cabinet. Yagya Bahadur GC has been appointed as Minister for Social Development and Din Bandhu Shrestha as Minister for Energy Development.

Third wave of COVID-19 likely to hit Nepal within six months after second wave weakens : Experts

Virologists have predicted that the third wave of the COVID-19 is likely to hit Nepal within six months after the weakening of the second wave. They have warned that children will be the most vulnerable if the third wave breaks out.

Constitutional bench formed to hear HoR dissolution case

The newly formed constitutional bench comprises Chief Justice Rana and justices Deepak Kumar Karki, Meera Khadka, Ishwar Prasad Khatiwada, and Dr. Aananda Mohan Bhattarai.

Scrapped programmes to yield resources for development, employment

The scrapping of the two major national programmes for infrastructure building and poverty reduction is expected to have positive impact on local development and poverty alleviation. The government has tossed out the Local Infrastructure Partnership Development Programme (LIPDP) and Poverty Alleviation Fund (PAF) through the budget of the coming Fiscal Year 2021/22 which is touted as a bold decision of the government.

Vaccination to citizens aged between 60 to 64 years from Tuesday

Nepal recorded more recoveries than new cases of COVID-19 on Saturday. The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) recorded 3,450 new cases of COVID-19 and 8,243 recoveries in the past 24 hours. With this, national tally of the pandemic has reached 585,100 and recovery tally 484,373. Similarly, the ministry added 68 more COVID-19-related fatalities in its update. With this, the nation’s COVID-19 death toll has climbed to 7,799, with death rate standing at 1.6 per cent.

Early diagnosis vital to stay safe from black fungus in COVID patients

Nepal has been witnessing a sharp rise in the cases of Mucormycosis, or black fungus, in COVID-19 patients during treatment in hospitals or after discharge. Dr. Krishna Prasad Poudel, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), stressed awareness, early diagnosis and referral, sugar control, cutting down steroids and reviewing the infection control practices to get rid of the fungus. The disease is a severe fungal disorder, and in some cases the patients’ eyes and jaw bones...

3,540 new cases of COVID-19, 8,243 recoveries and 68 fatalities in 24 hours

n 11,471 Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests done in the past 24 hours, a total of 3,540 persons were found infected with SARS-CoV-2, informed the Ministry of Health and Population in its daily update.

South Korea provides RT-PCR test kits worth USD 200,000

The Government of the Republic of Korea has granted complete sets of RT-PCR test kits worth USD 200,000 through Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to Nepal. Ambassador Park Chong-suk of South Korea handed over the kits to Dr. Roshan Pokhrel, Chief Specialist, Health Co-ordination Division, Ministry of Health and Population, at the Tribhuvan International Airport on Friday. The PCR test kits are complete sets, composed of three different types of kits required for collection, transfer...

Ecosystem degradation: A burning environmental issue

With the aim of spreading knowledge and awareness for the protection of the environment as well to take action against the degradation of ecosystem, the World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated every year on June 5.