Nepal’s President Ramchandra Paudel has dissolved parliament and called fresh elections for 5 March, following a week of deadly unrest that ended with the country appointing its first woman prime minister.
The president’s office issued the announcement late on Friday, only hours after Paudel named former Chief Justice Sushila Karki to lead an interim government. Her appointment came in the wake of violent youth-led anti-corruption protests that forced Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to step down.
In his statement, Paudel confirmed that he had “dissolved the House of Representatives” and fixed the election date for next year. Karki was chosen after two days of intense talks between the president, army chief Ashok Raj Sigdel and protest leaders. At least 51 people were killed and more than 1,300 injured in Nepal’s worst upheaval in years.
India, Nepal’s southern neighbour, welcomed the move. “Heartfelt congratulations to the Honourable Sushila Karki Ji on assuming the office of Prime Minister of Nepal’s interim government. India remains fully committed to the peace, progress, and prosperity of Nepal’s brothers and sisters,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi wrote on X.
The unrest began with a controversial social media ban that has since been withdrawn. Violence eased after Oli’s resignation on Tuesday, and by Saturday, daily life was gradually returning in the capital Kathmandu, with shops reopening and vehicles back on the roads after curfews were lifted.
Immediate challenges
Relatives of those killed gathered outside the prime minister’s official residence, demanding recognition of the deceased as martyrs — a status that carries both honour and compensation. Some families refused to collect the bodies of their loved ones until their demands were met.
“My brother should be declared a martyr as he died for the country, and the government should provide compensation to my parents,” said Sumitra Mahat, whose 21-year-old brother Umesh was among the dead. She and other bereaved families held banners displaying photographs of those killed, most of whom, they said, had been shot during the protests.
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom ...
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to res...
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint militar...
The collective-defence agreement between Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signals that regional powers no longer want to rely solely on external security guarantees. Whether it becomes a stabilising deterrent or another axis of rivalry remains unresolved.
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has slowed, according to the latest data, as uncertainty over the waterway’s reopening kept most shipowners away. Six commodity vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, down from nine the day before and below the 10-day daily average of 11.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 19th of August, covering the latest developments.
Australia on Thursday condemned Israel’s decision to close its criminal investigation into the deaths of Australian aid worker Zomi Frankcom and six World Central Kitchen colleagues killed in Gaza in April 2024.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited on Thursday, with no increase in vessel crossings as U.S.-Iran talks to resolve the conflict remained stalled. Nine commodity vessels transited the key waterway on Wednesday, unchanged from the previous day, according to Kpler data.
North Korea has fired more than 10 short-range ballistic missiles after U.S. President Donald Trump reduced American participation in joint military exercises with South Korea in an effort to revive dialogue with Pyongyang.
Georgia’s foreign trade data for January-July 2026 shows Kyrgyzstan, China and Russia as its top three export markets, highlighting its Middle Corridor ambitions and complex economic ties with Moscow.
Kazakhstan will vote on 23 August in its first parliamentary election under the new Constitution, choosing 145 members of the new Kurultai under a fundamentally changed electoral system based entirely on party lists.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment