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The unrest began with a controversial social media ban that has since been withdrawn.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.
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck southwest of Greece’s island of Crete on Saturday, with no immediate reports of damage....
At least 10 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, Beirut's state news agency has said. The wave of attacks come despite a ceasefire ...
One person died after two freight trains collided on a bridge in Munich in the early hours of Saturday, causing two carriages to derail and crash onto...
At least seven people were killed and several others injured after two roadside bombs exploded in quick succession in northwest Pakistan on Saturday ...
Paraguay kept their World Cup hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Türkiye, but the celebrations were tempered by a costly red card for ve...
One person died after two freight trains collided on a bridge in Munich in the early hours of Saturday, causing two carriages to derail and crash onto the street below, police said.
At least seven people were killed and several others injured after two roadside bombs exploded in quick succession in northwest Pakistan on Saturday (20 June), according to local police.
Paraguay kept their World Cup hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Türkiye, but the celebrations were tempered by a costly red card for veteran forward Miguel Almirón.
Türkiye's World Cup campaign came to a painful end on Friday as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Paraguay despite dominating large parts of their Group D clash.
One person was killed and dozens injured after two passenger trains collided near Bedford in central England on Friday, prompting a major emergency response, British Transport Police said.
Morocco captain and PSG defender Achraf Hakimi will face trial in France after an appeals court ruled there was enough evidence for the case to proceed.
Israel and Hezbollah have agreed to a ceasefire, a senior U.S. official has said. Hezbollah has released a statement saying Israel must leave southern Lebanon. Israel has said it agrees to the ceasefire, but has said its armed forces won't leave Lebanon and will resume hostilities if attacked.
U.S. President Donald Trump sought a deal with Iran "out of deperation," Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has said, in a statement on social media. Khamenei added that he himself "held a different view," to Trump, but allowed the agreement after receiving assurances from Iran's President.
Russia's defence ministry says its forces have captured the village of Yurkivka in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, according to the Interfax news agency. The claim could not be independently verified.
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck southwest of Greece’s island of Crete on Saturday, with no immediate reports of damage.
One person died after two freight trains collided on a bridge in Munich in the early hours of Saturday, causing two carriages to derail and crash onto the street below, police said.
A senior aide to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he will return a Polish state honour in protest, after Poland’s president stripped Zelenskyy of the country’s highest award over a historical dispute.
Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz declared a state of emergency early on Saturday, escalating a blockade crisis that has paralysed parts of the country and placed growing pressure on his government.
Morocco captain and PSG defender Achraf Hakimi will face trial in France after an appeals court ruled there was enough evidence for the case to proceed.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment