loki

Summary:

• A new aviation fuel depot with a capacity of 3.6 million liters has been constructed near Pokhara International Airport.
• The project was completed by Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) with an investment of around NPR 68 crore.
• The depot includes three tanks, each with a capacity of 1.2 million liters, built with modern infrastructure and safety features.
• Construction started in the first week of Ashad 2080 (mid-June 2023) and is expected to be operational from the second week of Shrawan 2082 (late July 2025).
• This depot is the first fully domestically-built aviation fuel depot, developed in collaboration with an Indian company.
• Previously, the old Pokhara airport had only 64,000 liters storage capacity, and fuel had to be transported by tankers from the old site to the new airport.
• The new depot includes safety features like two water tanks of 1,200 kiloliters each for fire prevention.
• The facility is fully automated and meets international standards.
• Daily fuel consumption in Pokhara during peak season ranges between 18,000 to 22,000 liters.
• NOC has several other fuel depots across Nepal but many smaller airports still lack aviation fuel depots.
• With this new depot, NOC can manage increasing demand for aviation fuel due to growing domestic and international flights at Pokhara Airport more efficiently.

This development is significant for improving aviation fuel supply and service quality at Pokhara International Airport.

Archive: https://archive.md/yvQ5s

Summary:

• The Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Multipurpose Project, a Rs 49 billion initiative aimed at transforming agriculture by providing year-round irrigation to five Tarai districts (Bara, Rautahat, Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusha) and generating 31.07 MW electricity, is progressing very slowly.
• Even though half of the contract period has passed, only about 7% of the dam construction is complete.
• The project involves diverting water from the Sunkoshi river in Sindhuli district to the Marin river in Kamalamai Municipality through a 13.3 km tunnel.
• The tunnel portion, constructed by China Overseas Engineering (COVEC), was completed ahead of schedule in May 2024.
• However, dam construction contracted to Patel-Raman JV is lagging behind with only 7% physical progress despite 29 months since work began (expected 30% progress by now).
• Seasonal challenges like monsoon floods have damaged structures and delayed work. The dam foundation needs to be laid 12 meters deep in the riverbed, with the structure rising 18 meters above river level.
• Discrepancies exist in reported progress figures: project chief states 7%, contractor claims 14%.
• Madhesh Province Chief Minister Satish Kumar Singh criticized the slow progress and warned of contract termination if improvements aren't made.
• The project will inundate 312 hectares affecting 3,026 households.
• Officials say delays are criminal and warn they will cancel contracts if work doesn't speed up. The Department of Water Resources has issued warnings and threatened termination.
• So far Rs 16 billion has been spent, with an estimated 35% overall physical progress including tunnel and other works.
• The deadline for completion is March 2028, but meeting it is uncertain unless construction accelerates significantly.

Archive: https://archive.is/LPXb1

Summary:

• Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal was granted bail by the Special Court in Kathmandu on June 25, 2025, in connection with the Patanjali land scam case.
• The court set bail at Rs 3.5 million after a nearly three-hour detention hearing.
• The case involves allegations that Nepal, during his tenure as prime minister (May 25, 2009 – February 6, 2011), facilitated the illegal sale of government-exempt land to Patanjali Yogpeeth Ayurveda Company Nepal.
• The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) accused Nepal and sought a prison sentence of 10 to 14 years along with recovery of Rs 185.85 million in damages and fines.
• Senior Advocate Sushil Pant represented CIAA and argued that the Cabinet decision enabling the land transaction was corrupt and not exempting Nepal from accountability.
• The defense, led by Senior Advocate Shambhu Thapa, challenged the CIAA’s legal standing, calling the charges politically motivated and legally baseless.
• The court considered Nepal's role and position before granting bail.
• The bench comprised judges Tej Narayan Singh Rai, Ram Bahadur Thapa, and Bidur Koirala.
• Nepal appeared in court, gave his statement, and was released on bail as ordered by the court.

This case has been one of the high-profile corruption-related investigations involving a former prime minister in Nepal.

Archive: https://archive.is/X28wa

Summary:
The Supreme Court of Nepal has issued an interim order allowing Gandaki Province to continue implementing its "Ride-Hailing (Regulation Management) Rules 2025," despite protests and legal disputes. The court rejected calls to suspend the regulation amid nationwide transport unrest caused by opposition from transport entrepreneurs.

Key points:

• The regulation was introduced by Gandaki Province on May 15, 2025, to bring app-based ride services under legal oversight, ensure safety standards, and allow private vehicles to operate commercially under specific conditions.
• Transport entrepreneurs opposed the regulation, arguing it contradicts the federal Motor Vehicle Transport Management Act, especially Section 8(2), which restricts commercial use of private vehicles.
• In protest, public transport operators staged strikes across major cities, causing severe disruption.
• The Supreme Court ruled the regulation serves public interest and should not be suspended.
• The court directed federal authorities not to interfere in provincial matters and urged stakeholders not to obstruct essential services.
• The decision followed a writ petition claiming unlawful federal interference and disruption of services.
• The ruling supports provincial jurisdiction over transport regulation and aims to modernize Nepal’s transport sector, challenging the entrenched transport syndicate system.

Overall, the court's order reinforces Gandaki Province's authority to regulate ride-hailing services and discourages federal interference during the ongoing disputes.

Archive: https://archive.md/XwCa3

Summary:

• Nepal Rastra Bank (the central bank) has amended the Foreign Investment Foreign Loan Management Bylaw, 2021, to allow Nepali IT companies to access foreign currency for making foreign investments in IT-related sectors abroad.
• This change supports the government’s move to globalize domestic enterprises, as announced in the fiscal year 2025-26 budget.
• Nepali IT firms that have earned foreign currency by exporting IT services in the past three fiscal years can now reinvest up to 50% of their average annual export earnings (with a cap of US$1 million) in foreign countries.
• Companies can establish sales branches or processing units overseas for semi-processed goods.
• 25% of annual income generated through exports can be reinvested abroad, but 50% of profits earned from these foreign ventures must be repatriated to Nepal.
• The amendment also introduces legal provisions recognizing “sweat equity” for Nepali professionals contributing technology, knowledge, or unique services to foreign companies.
• IT companies must submit relevant documents (registration, tax certificates, financial reports, board decisions) when applying for foreign currency and await approval within 15 working days.
• Companies investing abroad have to submit audited financial reports annually; if auditing is not mandatory in the investment country, unaudited reports suffice.
• The bylaw requires repatriation of earnings via banking channels and mandates strict legal action if foreign currency is misused.
• The definition of “technology transfer” is broadened to include agreements involving patents, trademarks, know-how, technical services, outsourcing, digital data processing, and more.
• This move is seen as crucial for expanding Nepal’s IT sector internationally and capitalizing on its growing IT service exports.

In short, the central bank is facilitating Nepali IT firms to invest overseas by easing access to foreign currency while ensuring transparency and repatriation of profits.

Archive: https://archive.md/9uIeB

Summary:
The Kathmandu District Court has overturned a previous order that had directed two online news portals, Nepalkhabar and Bizmandu, to remove articles about Santosh Narayan Shrestha, chairperson of the Securities Board Nepal (Sebon). The court dismissed Shrestha's petition seeking an injunction to prevent further reporting and to remove existing content. This ruling nullifies the earlier June 11 order that had required the websites to take down the news articles immediately and stop publishing related reports.

The initial order faced strong criticism from civil society and media groups, who saw it as a violation of press freedom guaranteed by the constitution. The Federation of Nepali Journalists also condemned the ruling for undermining free expression and journalism's role in holding public officials accountable.

Shrestha’s complaint claimed the articles contained unverified information causing reputational harm. However, with the recent decision, the news portals no longer have a legal obligation to remove the contested content, at least until further legal developments occur.

Archive: https://archive.md/YnFnH

Summary:
The Patan High Court has upheld an interim order preventing the arrest of senior journalist Dil Bhusan Pathak in connection with a video published on the YouTube channel "Tough Talk." The court ruled that there are no sufficient grounds to justify his immediate arrest based on the complaint filed by Jaiveer Singh Deuba, son of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba. The complaint concerns a video titled “Jaiveer Deuba’s Money Hilton!” in which Pathak questioned Jaiveer’s alleged involvement in share transactions linked to Hilton Kathmandu.

Earlier, a single bench judge had issued an interim order instructing police not to detain Pathak. Despite this, the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police requested Pathak to present himself at the nearest police office, alleging that his video violated the Electronic Transactions Act. Pathak and his legal counsel argued that the arrest warrant was issued without sufficient legal basis, leading the High Court to maintain its order against his arrest until a final verdict is reached.

Archive: https://archive.md/YQDIM

Summary:
A preliminary geological survey has found an estimated 1.12 billion cubic metres of natural gas in Dailekh district, western Nepal. The survey was conducted by the China Geological Survey and CNPC Xibu Drilling Engineering Company through exploratory drilling at the Jaljale site. The initial findings suggest a large presence of methane gas that could potentially meet Nepal's gas demand for the next 50 years.

Drilling reached a depth of 4,013 metres, with core samples sent for laboratory testing. Chinese experts have taken rock samples back to China for further analysis to confirm the volume and quality of the gas. The final, detailed report is expected by December 2025.

Officials said this discovery opens the possibility for commercial testing and development, and further steps require intergovernmental agreements between Nepal and China. This could be a significant step towards Nepal securing domestic energy sources.

Archive: https://archive.md/VrOII

Match Summary:

• Teams: Scotland vs Nepal

• Venue: Glasgow (Clydesdale)

• Result: Nepal won by 2 wickets

• Scores:- Scotland: 97 all out (19.4 overs)- Top scorers: Michael Leask 46, Matthew Cross 15

• Best bowling: Sandeep Lamichhane 4/11

• Nepal: 98/8 (19.5 overs)- Top scorers: Kushal Bhurtel 30, Dipendra Singh Airee 14

• Best bowling: Safyaan Sharif 2/13

Key Moments:

• Scotland batted first but struggled early, losing Mark Watt in the fifth ball and five wickets by the end of the powerplay.
• Michael Leask and Matthew Cross tried to hold the innings together but couldn’t lift the total beyond 97.
• Sandeep Lamichhane was outstanding with the ball, taking 4 wickets for just 11 runs.
• Nepal’s chase was tense; despite early wickets, they kept close to the target.
• Safyaan Sharif took two important wickets near the end, including Kiran Thagunna in the final over.
• Nepal needed just one run from the last two balls and got it on the penultimate delivery, scored by Lamichhane himself.

Player Highlights:

• Michael Leask (Scotland): Anchored a low-scoring innings with 46 runs.
• Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal): The star bowler with 4 wickets; also scored the winning run.
• Kushal Bhurtel (Nepal): Solid start with 30 runs.
• Safyaan Sharif (Scotland): Key bowler taking 2 wickets and keeping pressure on Nepal in the final overs.

Captain's Comments (Matthew Cross):

• Acknowledged a poor batting performance.
• Proud of the team’s fight-back effort despite the early collapse.
• Mentioned the challenging pitch and conditions but expected better from the team.

What's next:

• Scotland face the Netherlands on Wednesday.
• Final match of the series is Scotland vs Nepal on Friday.
• Both teams are preparing for next month's T20 World Cup qualifiers.

Archive: https://archive.md/9wAg8

Summary:
Context:

• The conflict between Israel and Iran is escalating, raising safety concerns for Nepali migrant workers in the Middle East.
• There are approximately 5,500 Nepali workers in Israel and at least a dozen in Iran.

Government Actions:

• The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security held an emergency meeting chaired by Labour Secretary Krishna Hari Pushkar.
• Officials from multiple ministries (foreign affairs, home, tourism, law) and parliamentary committees assessed risks and outlined response strategies.

Key Measures:

1. Safety and Evacuation Plan:

• The government is ready to ensure safety and evacuate Nepali workers if needed.
• Diplomatic communications have been initiated with third countries like Egypt and border nations of Israel and Iran to facilitate transit and visa arrangements.
• Nepal will formally request India and China to include Nepali nationals in their evacuation efforts.

2. Travel Advisory:

• Non-essential travel to the Middle East is discouraged.
• Recruitment agencies are urged to hold off deploying new workers to high-risk areas.
• Airlines are requested to waive ticket rescheduling fees for affected workers.

3. Mental Health Support:

• The Foreign Employment Board and Social Security Fund will provide counseling services to affected workers.

4. Monitoring and Communication:

• Nepali embassies in Tel Aviv, Doha (which also covers Iran), and other diplomatic channels are actively monitoring the situation.
• The Foreign Minister is in constant contact with Nepali envoys.

Current Situation:

• No large-scale evacuation has been initiated yet.
• Most Nepali workers in Israel work in caregiving and agriculture, living in accommodations with or without bunkers.
• Many rely on public shelters when missile alerts occur.
• Nepali Ambassador in Israel confirmed that workers are following emergency protocols.

Nepal is prepared with a multi-agency approach to protect its citizens abroad and will act swiftly if the situation worsens.

Archive: https://archive.md/H1EzF

Summary:

• Context: Hitendra Dev Shakya was appointed Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) on March 24, 2025, replacing Kulman Ghising. Despite receiving clear orders from the Energy Minister and the Electricity Regulatory Commission to recover billions of rupees in unpaid electricity dues from industrialists using dedicated trunk lines, Shakya has yet to take any significant action nearly three months later.

• Background: Kulman Ghising had pushed for recovery of dues and sought permission from the Electricity Regulatory Commission to disconnect power supply to factories that defaulted on payments. The commission formally instructed NEA on April 10 to start legal action against defaulters. However, by mid-June, no action had been taken according to NEA officials.

• Government Involvement: Minister Deepak Khadka directed Shakya to recover the outstanding dues immediately after his appointment. Despite this, progress remains minimal.

• Regulatory Changes: On April 11, NEA amended regulations allowing industrialists to apply for re-evaluation of their dues by depositing only 5% of outstanding dues as security (reduced from the statutory 25%). A Review Commission was formed to evaluate these applications; 46 industrialists applied, but the commission has yet to meet or make decisions.

• Disputes and Investigations: Earlier efforts to resolve tariff disputes involved forming committees and commissions, but some were annulled by the Supreme Court or delayed. The commission under Girish Chandra Lal recommended calculating tariffs based on electricity supply standards and timing.

• Financial Impact: Industrialists owe roughly Rs 8.25 billion (Rs 6.65 billion principal plus penalties), down from an initial estimate of Rs 22 billion due to adjustments based on recommendations.

• Current Status: Despite informal reports of partial payments by industrialists, no official written confirmation has been made by NEA or the Electricity Regulatory Commission.

Archive: https://archive.md/Do4Pn

Summary:

• Shrinarayan Singh Rajput, 84, father of a victim injured in a blast in Rautahat in 2008, is demanding justice for his son.
• On the eve of Nepal’s first Constituent Assembly elections in April 2008, a blast injured several individuals in Rajpur Municipality (formerly Rajpur Phardawa VDC).
• Nepali Congress leader and former minister Mohammad Aftab Alam and 10 others were accused in 2019 of masterminding the attack, which included attempts to kill the injured by burning them alive in a brick kiln.
• Despite complaints and a Supreme Court directive to arrest and investigate Alam and his associates, successive governments failed to act promptly.
• In 2019, Alam was arrested and later sentenced to life imprisonment by Rautahat District Court in April 2024.
• However, the Janakpur High Court overturned the verdict in May 2025, acquitting Alam due to lack of evidence and even denying that the blast occurred.
• Rajput is shocked by the High Court’s ruling and has filed a complaint with the Judicial Council demanding action against the judges who passed the verdict.
• Supporters believe the Attorney General’s Office will appeal the High Court decision to the Supreme Court.
• Rajput remains determined to fight till his last breath to get justice for his son.

Archive: https://archive.md/WYrUo