Author: space4knews

The task force formed to draft a discussion paper for constitutional amendments has initiated talks with leaders of various political parties. The task force, coordinated by Asim Shah, political advisor to Prime Minister Balen Shah, held discussions at the Prime Minister’s Office to gather suggestions.

The discussions included leaders such as Kabindra Burlakoti, General Secretary of Rastriya Swatantra Party (Raswap), Madhav Sapkota of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), CK Raut, Chairperson of Janamat Party, and Keshav Jhaal of the Rastriya Mukti Party. Today, on 7th Jestha in Kathmandu, the task force convened at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers with the participation of political party leaders to discuss the draft for constitutional amendment.

Due to the outbreak of the Ebola virus in the eastern region of the country, the Democratic Republic of Congo has postponed the training sessions for its national football team, which is set to participate in the FIFA World Cup 2026, originally scheduled to take place in the capital, Kinshasa. So far, the virus has infected approximately 600 individuals, with 139 confirmed deaths among those affected.

DR Congo plans to send the national team to Belgium for training sessions. The country is making its first World Cup appearance since 1974. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that the virus infection has not yet reached pandemic levels.

According to Jerry Kalemoka, spokesperson for DR Congo’s national team, international media have been informed that the matches scheduled in Europe before the World Cup will proceed as originally planned. DR Congo is set to play friendly matches in Liège, Belgium, against Denmark on June 3 and in Marbella against Chile on June 9.

The current outbreak is caused by a rare strain of Ebola virus known as ‘Bundibugyo.’ Government agencies are actively working to contain this outbreak. At present, there is no available vaccine for this virus. The WHO estimates that it could take approximately nine months to develop an effective vaccine. Additionally, the United States has imposed entry restrictions on non-American travelers who have visited DR Congo, Uganda, or South Sudan in the past 21 days.

During the House of Representatives session, MPs urged the government not to increase taxes on the public and to offer concessions when taxes are paid. They also raised various demands to improve roads, bridges, airports, and waste management, aiming to remove existing obstacles. Kathmandu, 7 Jestha.

In today’s meeting, MP Sulabh Kharel emphasized the need to establish a system that grants benefits to taxpayers. MP Sushant Vaidik alerted relevant authorities to expedite road construction delayed in Pyuthan and requested the construction of lightning-resistant towers to prevent damage from lightning strikes. MP Sushil Khadka highlighted that instead of promoting proper waste management, obstacles have increased, and called for the cancellation of the scrap tax.

MP Sushma Swarnakar called for uninterrupted electricity supply, citing the authority over electrical services. MP Suhang Nembang demanded repairs to roads in Ilam that have been deteriorating since the monsoon season began. MP Som Sharma drew the government’s attention to conduct a factual and thorough investigation into the shooting incident on Bhadra 23, urging action against those responsible. MP Smriti Chaudhary claimed that the future of the youth is at risk and called for policies to prevent youth migration abroad.

Nirudevi Pal, a central committee member of the CPN-UML, has been assigned the responsibility of managing the secretariat of party chairman KP Sharma Oli. According to a proposal passed in the secretariat meeting, Pal has been appointed to oversee Oli’s secretariat. In addition to this role, Pal has also been entrusted with the position of chief of the National Volunteers Force. Kathmandu, 7 Jestha.

Pal, who is a former president of the Youth Association, had been managing Oli’s secretariat for some time prior to this official appointment. Along with the chairman’s secretariat, she has been tasked with leading the National Volunteers Force as well.

The Cockroach Janata Party’s X (formerly Twitter) account has been blocked in India just hours after surpassing 11.7 million followers on Instagram, overtaking the official account of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The party’s founder, Abhijeet Deepak, confirmed the account blockage in India, stating, “As expected, the Cockroach Janata Party’s account has been blocked in India.”

This satirical campaign emerged from youth frustration over controversial statements by Chief Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud and evolved into a digital movement focusing on issues such as unemployment, leaked exam papers, and institutional accountability. On 7th May in Kathmandu, the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) crossed 11.7 million followers on Instagram, surpassing the BJP’s official Instagram account, which currently has approximately 8.7 million followers.

The X account of this satirical political movement was blocked in India on Thursday, further amplifying the meme-based campaign initiated by Jenzee. Abhijeet Deepak shared a screenshot confirming the account’s blockage in India. Reacting to the development, Deepak wrote, “As expected, the Cockroach Janata Party’s account has been blocked in India.”

This action came amid unprecedented growth of the Cockroach Janata Party across social media platforms. Having started as an online satire movement just days ago, the campaign quickly transformed into a major digital initiative driven by youth disgruntlement with unemployment, exam paper leaks, political rhetoric, and institutional non-responsiveness. Combining humor, memes, and political messaging, the movement rapidly amassed massive online participation.

The name “Cockroach Janata Party” itself arose as a satirical response to controversial remarks made by India’s Chief Justice Dhananjaya Y. Chandrachud during court proceedings last week. The Chief Justice referred to some unemployed youth and online activists as “cockroaches” and “parasites,” which triggered widespread outrage online.

Dr. Tosima Karki, Member of Parliament from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, has urged the government to promptly develop a National Trauma Policy to prevent road accidents. She emphasized the urgent need to address the suffering caused by the loss of many lives in traffic incidents by formulating and swiftly implementing this policy. Dr. Karki also highlighted that the government, while constructing roads, has failed both morally and policy-wise to protect its citizens from accidents.

May 20, Kathmandu – Speaking during the special session of the House of Representatives on Thursday, Dr. Tosima Karki called on the government to take immediate action in drafting a National Trauma Policy. She stressed that the policy must address the anguish caused by numerous fatalities due to road accidents and be implemented without delay.

“The state collects taxes and builds roads. Yet, an inability to safeguard its citizens from road accidents is not merely an administrative weakness but also a moral and policy failure of the state,” she said. “We are surprised about what previous governments have done, how they did it, and where the shortcomings exist. However, the Nepalese people have placed great hope in this government. Delays due to pending files or guidelines are no longer acceptable.”

She further added, “Building roads is feasible, but a government that cannot protect its citizens from accidents fails both morally and policy-wise. We need to tell the people of Nepal that while you received vaccinations against COVID-19, the government must also provide a policy-level vaccination against the unannounced epidemic of road accidents. We are ready to contribute. Therefore, I request that the government start formulating the National Trauma Policy immediately, which can prevent major accidents and save lives in the future.”

Independent MP Mahaveer Pun stated in a parliamentary session that taxing alone will not reduce the monkey menace and emphasized the need for research. He revealed that he has been trying for seven years to develop technology to mitigate the monkey problem but hasn’t succeeded. He also mentioned that the National Innovation Center has spent 5–6 million rupees on research and has requested local municipalities for additional support.

Kathmandu, 21 May — Independent MP Mahaveer Pun clarified during the House of Representatives meeting that imposing taxes alone will not solve the problem of monkey-induced disturbances. Speaking on Thursday, he shared his perspective and noted that despite working on this issue for seven years, no success has been achieved. He further explained that no scientist worldwide has been able to develop technology to reduce monkey interruptions, stating that making rockets is easier than inventing such a solution.

“You are raising the issue of monkey menace now, but I have been concerned about it since seven years ago. The National Innovation Center has invested 5–6 million rupees in related research,” he said, adding, “I have urged every rural municipality to raise one million rupees to enable thorough research in this area. This cannot be addressed through taxation alone in Parliament.”

Additionally, MP Pun stressed the necessity of allocating targeted funding to advance research on controlling the monkey menace. “Many parliamentarians have imposed taxes. Building rockets is easier and the technology is available. However, I have searched worldwide for technology to deter monkeys, and none exists. Adequate budget must be allocated for this research,” he emphasized.

Member of Parliament Lima Officer Acharya of the National Independent Party has urged the government to establish a legal framework ensuring that farmers receive payment for their agricultural products within 15 days. She highlighted that over 140 million Nepalese rupees remain unpaid to milk-producing farmers in Makwanpur and expressed concern that youth across the country are forced to seek employment in Gulf countries due to delayed payments for their produce. Officer stated, ‘Not just grain but food self-sufficiency is essential, and without timely payments to farmers, prosperity in the country is impossible.’

On 7 Jestha in Kathmandu, MP Lima Officer Acharya appealed to the government during the zero hour session of the House of Representatives on Thursday to enact legal provisions guaranteeing immediate payment to farmers for their agricultural products. She demanded the establishment of a law mandating that farmers receive payment for their produce within 15 days. She said, ‘I urge the government to legally guarantee mandatory payment to farmers within 15 days.’

According to Officer, failure to pay for products such as milk, sugarcane, and rice compels young people to seek employment opportunities in Gulf countries. She added, ‘More than 140 million rupees in payments are pending to milk-producing farmers in Makwanpur alone. This is not just a Makwanpur issue, but a common situation for many farmers across the country producing sugarcane, milk, rice, and other products.’

She questioned, ‘When farmers have to wait months or even years to receive the value of their hard work, how do they manage to pay for cattle feed or their children’s school fees on time? Because of this, today’s energetic youth are forced to leave fertile lands barren and migrate to the Gulf deserts for employment. Emptying the farmers’ pockets makes national prosperity unattainable.’

Officer emphasized the need not only for grain production but also for food self-reliance in the country.