Today's Top 20 News: From Finance Minister's India Visit to ANFA's FIFA Suspension
Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle held bilateral talks with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Nepali Congress leader Purnabahadur Khadka suggested party President Gagan Thapa to postpone the 15th General Convention's schedule. ANFA urged the government to lift the FIFA suspension.
Kathmandu. The top 20 news of the day related to political activities inside and outside the country, economy, society, sports, international events, and other important topics are as follows.
1. Bilateral Meeting Between Finance Minister Wagle and Indian Finance Minister Sitharaman
Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle, who is on a visit to India, held bilateral talks with Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The Nepali Embassy in Delhi informed that during the meeting held on Thursday evening, extensive discussions were held on various aspects of Nepal-India development cooperation.
The meeting particularly discussed post-flood reconstruction, trade, investment, energy, connectivity, and other mutual interests. The embassy also stated that both ministers discussed further strengthening and expanding the long-standing Nepal-India economic partnership. Finance Minister Wagle, who arrived in Delhi today on a three-day official visit to India, is also scheduled to meet Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.
2. Congress Leader Khadka Suggests Postponing General Convention Schedule
Nepali Congress leader Purnabahadur Khadka has suggested party President Gagan Thapa to postpone the schedule of the 15th General Convention for some time and attempt to build consensus within the party. Khadka, through social media, openly urged Thapa to postpone the convention schedule and immediately start dialogue with former party President Sher Bahadur Deuba and senior leaders. He said that complete unity of the party is still possible.
Warning that if the situation of two separate general conventions cannot be stopped, the Congress could split, he claimed that party division could also lead to divisions in other political parties, increasing the risk of ethnic, regional, and religious conflict in the country. He said: 'Why, oh why, my conscience tells me – an unimaginable battle of ethnic, regional, and religious conflict will rage in the country, and our beloved country seems headed towards a strong possibility of turning into a terrible battlefield, making us forget even Bhadra 24. Then what will happen to our country's nationality, geographical integrity, sovereignty, and dignity?' Khadka urged Thapa to seriously self-reflect on past events and the suggestions he has received and take decisive steps. Stating that there would be no problem due to law, court decisions, or party statutes, he urged Thapa to take initiatives to unify the entire Congress. Khadka also said that he is free from any ambition and ready to make any sacrifice for party unity.
3. ANFA Urges Government to Lift FIFA Suspension
The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has urged the government to create an environment to lift the suspension as per FIFA's directive and to conduct regular activities of Nepali football while maintaining the autonomy of the football association. In a press conference held on Thursday, ANFA urged an immediate resolution of the problem, stating that Nepal has lost participation in various international competitions due to the suspension by FIFA caused by government interference.
According to the details published by ANFA, following the FIFA suspension, Nepal's participation in the following international competitions has been lost:
- FIFA Women's Series 2026 Thailand
- Women's Nepal and Hong Kong International Tournament
- AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers
- AFC U-20 Women's Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers
- AFC U-20 Asian Cup 2027 Men's Qualifiers
Similarly, ANFA stated that the participation of the Nepali team in the AFC Women's Champions League has also been affected. ANFA said that due to the FIFA suspension, along with international participation, the preparation, training, and various competition-related activities of the national team have been directly affected. According to ANFA, after the suspension, domestic activities including training of women's and men's national teams, women's league, national league, youth and school-level football competitions, coach and referee training, etc., have also been affected. The association stated that the suspension has also created problems in financial, administrative, and technical activities. ANFA also mentioned the decision made by the National Sports Council on March 25 and urged for efforts to resolve the problem as per FIFA's directive. ANFA clarified that FIFA has set the condition of fully lifting the ban without any conditions and that ANFA should be allowed to complete the election process as soon as possible according to its own statutes and rules.
4. Deadline for Flood Victims in Rasuwa-Bhote Koshi to Submit Property Details
Due to the flood in the Rasuwa-Bhote Koshi area, those who could not submit property details on time...