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The unrest began with a controversial social media ban that has since been withdrawn.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.
British paratroopers and military medics have been deployed to Tristan da Cunha after a suspected hantavirus case was confirmed, as first evacuatio...
Iran has sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at ending the war through mediator Pakistan, according to IRNA, as Qatar’s Prime Minister...
Iran said on Sunday (10 May) that it had sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at launching peace talks to end the war, as signs of tentative ...
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has cited Azerbaijan as an example of what he described as a sovereign foreign policy, recalling rem...
China’s exports grew faster than expected in April, as overseas buyers moved quickly to secure supplies a...
British paratroopers and military medics have been deployed to Tristan da Cunha after a suspected hantavirus case was confirmed, as first evacuation flights carrying passengers from the stricken MV Hondius cruise ship left Tenerife for Madrid and Paris.
Iran said on Sunday (10 May) that it had sent its response to a U.S. proposal aimed at launching peace talks to end the war, as signs of tentative movement emerged around the Strait of Hormuz despite renewed security incidents across the Gulf.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has cited Azerbaijan as an example of what he described as a sovereign foreign policy, recalling remarks made by President Ilham Aliyev during talks in Yerevan, where he sharply criticised resolutions adopted against his country by the European Parliament.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
British paratroopers and military medics have been deployed to Tristan da Cunha after a suspected hantavirus case was confirmed, as first evacuation flights carrying passengers from the stricken MV Hondius cruise ship left Tenerife for Madrid and Paris.
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing war in Ukraine, now in its fourth year.
Indonesian rescue teams have located two Singaporeans who went missing after Mount Dukono erupted on Friday (8 May) on the island of Halmahera, though authorities say it remains unclear whether they are alive.
The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified files on unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) on Friday (8 May), following an order from President Donald Trump. U.S. officials described as a push for “unprecedented transparency”.
China’s leading chipmakers are funnelling unprecedented sums into research and development as Beijing accelerates efforts to reduce reliance on foreign technology amid intensifying U.S. export restrictions.
Centre-right leader Péter Magyar was sworn in as Hungary’s prime minister on Saturday, propelled into office on promises of change after years of economic stagnation and strained ties with key allies under his predecessor Viktor Orbán.
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has warned that France risks undermining the self-determination rights of the Kanak Indigenous People in New Caledonia amid proposed political and constitutional reforms.
Somalia is facing a severe malnutrition crisis and urgently needs additional humanitarian funding to prevent conditions deteriorating further, the World Food Programme has warned.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to carry on as leader on Friday (8 May) after his ruling Labour Party suffered heavy losses in local elections. Labour lost hundreds of councillors across the country, as some figures in the party said he should stand down.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment