Nepal News Evening Briefing | Monday, April 28, 2025

KATHMANDU: Stay informed with Nepal News’ daily evening briefing, covering the most significant developments from Nepal and around the world. From politics and economy to sports, entertainment, and culture, we bring you a concise summary of the day’s top stories.

Former PM Bhattarai, Indian Defence Minister Singh discuss Nepal-India relations: Former Prime Minister of Nepal and Chairman of Nepal Samajwadi Party (Naya Shakti), Dr. Baburam Bhattarai held a meeting with senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh, today.

During the meeting, the two leaders engaged in a positive dialogue focused on further strengthening Nepal-India relations and elevating development and economic cooperation to new heights. Dr. Bhattarai also expressed deep sorrow over the recent terrorist attack on civilians in Pahalgam, Kashmir, and strongly condemned the incident. Dr. Bhattarai is currently on a visit to India to inaugurate the convention of the Progressive Nepali Society Committee, India.

Unified Socialist Leaders Face Teacher Protest Resistance: On Monday, leaders from the CPN (Unified Socialist), including party chair Madhav Kumar Nepal, senior leader Jhalanath Khanal, and senior vice-chair Rajendra Pandey, visited the protest site in New Baneshwor. However, instead of support, the protestors voiced their displeasure.

Teachers participating in the protest loudly rejected the leaders’ presence, urging them to leave and refrain from joining the movement. Chairman Nepal, as he exited the site, commented, “I have nothing more to say, but we express our solidarity with this movement.” Teachers have been protesting since Chaitra 20 (April 2), demanding the enactment of the Education Act.

Pokhara Airport Study Report Submitted to PAC Chair: A report on the study of Pokhara International Airport has been submitted to the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament. The report was handed over by the chairperson of the parliamentary subcommittee and chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Rajendra Lingden, to the committee’s chairman, Rishikesh Pokhrel. On 14th Ashad, 2081 B.S., the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives formed two separate subcommittees to conduct a study and investigation on the Bhairahawa and Pokhara international airports, with recommendations.

The subcommittee formed to investigate the Pokhara International Airport was chaired by Rajendra Lingden. Under his leadership, the subcommittee comprised members: Dahal, Arjun Narasingh KC, Gokul Prasad Banskota, Janardan Sharma, Prem Bahadur Ale, Tara Lama, Tejulal Chaudhary, Deepak Giri, Dev Prasad Timilsina, Ram Krishna Yadav, and Rukmini Rana.

Cooperative Victims Protest in Kathmandu: Victims of the cooperative scam staged a semi-nude protest in Kathmandu’s Maitighar Mandala. The protestors carried placards with slogans such as “Our movement is not by choice, but by compulsion” and “Do not mistake our patience for weakness.”

The victims, who have been protesting on the streets for months, are demanding the return of their savings, which were misappropriated by the cooperative institutions. Despite numerous attempts to engage in dialogue with the government, their demands remain unaddressed. The protestors are now calling for the seizure of assets belonging to the cooperative leaders to recover their lost funds.

Teachers Continue Protest for Education Act in Kathmandu: Teachers in Kathmandu have continued their protest today, demanding the enactment of the Education Act. The protests have been ongoing since Chaitra 20 (April 2) in the New Baneshwor-Babarmahal area. Yesterday, there was a brief clash between the police and teachers, with no major injuries reported.

Today’s protest has been comparatively peaceful, with teachers marching and holding placards and cultural demonstrations. The government has attempted several times to resolve the issue through dialogue, but these attempts have failed. In the parliament today, lawmakers urged the government to take the teachers’ demands seriously, and opposition parties have registered a public importance proposal.

RPP Chair Lingden Voices Support for Peaceful Movements Demanding Monarchy Restoration: Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chair Rajendra Lingden has expressed his party’s support for all peaceful movements demanding the restoration of the monarchy and the abolition of federalism. While participating in a protest organized by RPP Nepal on Monday, he emphasized the need for all nationalists to unite in the current situation.

“We will stand in solidarity with all programs aimed at restoring the monarchy, abolishing federalism, and promoting good governance,” said Lingden. “We will participate in all peaceful movements organized to establish these values.” He further stressed the importance of unity against what he described as the “oligarchy” under the name of democracy.

Private Residential Doctors to Receive Approved Living Allowance: The 19th meeting of the Medical Education Commission today has concluded that the private medical colleges should ensure living expenses to residential doctors as per the rate it was decided and since the decision came into effect. Similarly, residential doctors who are agitating should get back to their duties and studies, the meeting stressed.

It may be noted that 16th meeting of the Commission on February 8 warranted the private medical colleges to pay the residential doctors with living allowances on par with the government facilities. It has decided that private residential doctors shall be paid with Rs 48, 737 of living allowances per month. The meeting also entertained a report by the 11-member taskforce to review the number of seats and fees structures of the private medical colleges for MBBS and BDS programs.

21 Arrested in Rs 18 billion Illegal Transaction Case: Twenty-one money transfer operators have been arrested from various districts across the country on charges of involvement in customs evasion, illegal gold trading, and tax fraud. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) apprehended them in connection with illegal transactions amounting to Rs 17.86 billion. Issuing a press release on Monday, the Bureau announced the arrests. According to CIB spokesperson Superintendent of Police (SP) Sudhir Raj Shahi, the individuals are being investigated under the Nepal Rastra Bank Act, 2058 (2002).

SP Shahi stated that after the suspension of domestic remittance services, the arrested individuals obstructed the formal inflow of remittance money from abroad and conducted illegal financial transactions equivalent to the remittance amounts. Preliminary investigations revealed that the group primarily targeted migrant workers and students residing abroad. Those arrested hail from Morang, Mahottari, Saptari, Sarlahi, Parsa, Dhanusha, Nawalparasi, Birgunj, and Chitwan districts.

Opposition Parties Register Public Importance Proposal in Parliament: Opposition parties have submitted an urgent public importance proposal in Parliament to address the teachers’ demands. The proposal was introduced by the main opposition party, the CPN (Maoist Centre), with Chief Whip Hitraj Pandey leading the motion.

Support for the proposal has come from other political parties, including the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and the Unified Socialist Party’s Sher Bahadur Kunwar. The proposal has also received backing from the president of the Aam Janata Party, Prabhu Sah, and the president of the Rastriya Jana Morcha, Chitra Bahadur KC. The proposal has been registered in accordance with Rule 71 of the House of Representatives’ Rules of Procedure, 2079.

Residential Doctors Continue Protest for Demands: Residential doctors have continued their protests today, marching with placards demanding the fulfillment of their various demands, including government-level allowances. Previously, they had protested outside the Ministry of Health and various district administration offices across the country.

The Medical Education Commission’s 16th meeting in Magh (January 2025) had instructed private medical colleges to provide residential doctors with the same salary benefits as government employees. However, private colleges have disregarded this directive. The protesting doctors are demanding the enforcement of this decision by the Commission.

Maoist Center Leader Criticizes Government for Teacher Protest Repression: CPN (Maoist Centre) Deputy General Secretary and Member of Parliament, Barshaman Pun Ananta, criticized the government for responding to the teacher protests with repression rather than addressing their concerns.

Speaking during the zero hour in Parliament on Monday, Pun denounced the use of force against teachers, noting that more than 60 teachers were injured during clashes on Sunday, with police using water cannons and batons. He also highlighted those past agreements with the government had not been honored, further exacerbating the teachers’ grievances.

RSP Directs Lower Structure Conventions: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has directed its lower structures to conduct conventions as scheduled. Acting General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti issued a directive to the party’s subordinate units, urging them to organize conventions within the set timeline.

The party’s previously scheduled general convention, initially set for the end of Baisakh, has now been postponed to Falgun due to the delay in holding conventions at lower levels. The new dates for the general convention have been fixed for 7-9th Falgun, to be held in Chitwan.

Private Medical Colleges Agree to Increase Allowances for Residential Doctors: In response to the decision of the Medical Education Commission’s 16th meeting, private medical college administrators have agreed to increase the allowances for residential doctors to match government standards. The private medical colleges had previously opposed the decision, which mandated a salary of NPR 48,737 for residential doctors.

However, the Association of Private Medical and Dental Colleges of Nepal, led by Dr. Gyanendra Man Singh Karki, has now agreed to comply with the directive. The 19th meeting of the Commission will be held soon, but it is expected that the private colleges will implement the allowance increase as per the Commission’s decision.

Annual Report of Government Presented in Parliament: In accordance with Article 53 of the Constitution, the Government of Nepal has presented its annual report for the fiscal years 2079–80 and 2080–81. The report was tabled in the House of Representatives by Defense Minister Manbir Rai, on behalf of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

The Constitution mandates that the annual report includes information on the implementation of state policies, principles, and responsibilities, along with achievements. The report is first submitted to the President, who then forwards it to the Federal Parliament through the Prime Minister.

Three Killed Due to Lightning Strike: Three people have died and two others have sustained injuries after they were struck by lightning in separate incidents in Kaski and Gorkha districts. The incidents occurred on Sunday. Two workers were killed when lightning struck them while at work in course of construction of the Triveni Lake trekking route at Pode of Annapurna Rural Municipality-11 in Kaski district.

The deceased have been identified as Bharat Pubir Rai, 44, of Silichong rural municipality-2 and Mahesh Rai, 18, of the same area, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Basanta Kumar Sharma, information officer at the District Police Office, Kaski. Similarly, 42-year-old Raju Khanal of Bakrang, Sahid Lakhan Rural Municipality-1 died after being struck by lightning, said Police Inspector Dhruba Prasad Sharma, the Information Officer at the District Police Office, Gorkha.

Nepal Stock Market Falls, Turnover Declines Sharply on Monday: Nepal’s stock market index NEPSE (Nepal Stock Exchange) fell along with a drop in trading volume on Monday. The NEPSE index dropped by 14.5 points compared to the previous day, closing at 2,647 points. Although the market initially surged to 2,676 points within the first eight minutes of trading, it consistently declined throughout the rest of the day.

Trading volume also declined significantly. While the previous day’s turnover stood at Rs 10.87 billion, today’s trading amount shrank to Rs 8.91 billion. Among the listed companies, prices of 78 firms rose, while 167 companies witnessed a decline. Despite the overall market downturn, the finance sector showed notable strength. The Finance sub-index increased by 1.40 percent, marking its first significant rise after several consecutive days of losses. Similarly, the Trade sector gained 0.42 percent.

Nepal’s Economy Shows Signs of Improvement, Claims Ministry of Finance: Despite external factors such as remittances, international trade, and foreign currency reserves strengthening, the domestic economy of Nepal has been facing challenges. However, the Ministry of Finance has reported that there are signs of recovery within the economy.

Internal economic indicators, including improved government spending, higher revenue collection, and reduced inflation, point to positive growth. The government’s expenditure for the fiscal year 2081/82 has increased by 4.94%, reaching NPR 841 billion by the end of Magh.

Sher Bahadur Deuba Pledges Budget to Address Private Sector Concerns: Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has assured that the upcoming budget for the fiscal year 2082/83 will address the issues of the private sector. Speaking at an event organized by the Congress’s Department of Industry and Commerce in Kathmandu, Deuba emphasized that the budget would actively engage with the private sector to further boost the economy.

He acknowledged the private sector’s critical role in Nepal’s economic growth and reiterated that the Congress party is always committed to resolving issues related to private businesses. “If there is strengthened cooperation between the private sector and the government, the economy will become stronger,” Deuba stated.

Elon Musk’s Starlink Eyes Nepal for Satellite-Based Telecom Service: Elon Musk’s telecom service, Starlink, is eyeing Nepal to offer satellite-based communication services. Starlink has shown interest in providing satellite broadband services in Nepal and has already presented a business proposal to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, seeking a suitable investment environment.

As discussions around affordable and high-quality satellite internet services heat up, satellite phone services, which have been operating in Nepal for over two decades, remain relatively obscure. Companies like Constellation Pvt. Ltd. and IFOR Technology have been providing satellite phone services in Nepal with regulatory approval from the Nepal Telecommunications Authority.

Hostel 3 Completes 51 Days, Crosses Rs 50 million at Box Office: The film Hostel 3 has successfully completed 51 days of screening at Ranjana Cineplex, New Road. Featuring a cast of new actors, the movie released on Falgun 23 is considered one of the successful Nepali films of the year. Directed by Sasan Kandel, marking his debut directorial venture, the film stars Paras Bam Thakuri, Simran Pant, Ashish Ghimire, Padam Tamang, Hena Nagarkoti, Rihan Giri, and Sama Parajuli in lead roles.

The screenplay and dialogues were written by Madhav Sharma, while Suresh Kandel, Karna Karki, and Govinda Adhikari produced the movie. Reports suggest that Hostel 3 has grossed over Rs 5 crore at the box office.

Rekha Thapa to Make Theater Debut with ‘Meera’ Play: Renowned actress Rekha Thapa, known for her long-standing success on the silver screen, is set to debut in theater through the play Meera staged by Kantipur Theater. Rekha will perform in the lead role, and rehearsals and script readings have already begun. Recently, she shared a social media post captioned “Rekha or Meera,” hinting at her involvement.

The play, based on the novel Meera written by Deepak Sinjali, portrays a woman’s rebellion against family and society. It will be staged from Jestha 15 to Asar 7. Sundar Dhital is handling the adaptation and direction. Kantipur Theater has announced that details about the rest of the cast will be revealed soon.

T-Series Releases Hindi Version of Sushant KC’s Hit Nepali Song ‘Bardali‘: Indian music giant T-Series has released a Hindi version of Nepali singer Sushant KC’s popular song Bardali. The Hindi adaptation, titled Uff, was released via T-Series’ YouTube channel, which has over 29.2 million subscribers. Sushant KC and Swastima Khadka are featured in the music video, which maintains the same setting as the Nepali version, although other featured actors differ.

Interestingly, Indrakala Rai’s segment from the original Nepali version remains unchanged. Bardali had previously gained massive success and even appeared on YouTube’s global trending charts. This collaboration between Sushant KC and the prominent Indian label has been viewed as an important milestone for Nepali artists expanding into the Indian market. T-Series has previously collaborated with other Nepali musicians as well.

Santosh Rai Sets Guinness World Record Running London Marathon: Nepali runners made a remarkable impact at the London Marathon 2025, held on Sunday. Santosh Rai, founder of Nepal Run UK, achieved a Guinness World Record by completing the marathon dressed in traditional Nepali attire, “Daura Suruwal.” His distinctive appearance drew widespread attention throughout the race. Rai completed the marathon in 2 hours, 59 minutes, and 47 seconds — an impressive feat.

His record-breaking run is tied to a charitable cause — raising funds for the construction of a proposed High Altitude Training Camp in Jumla. By completing one of the world’s most prestigious marathons in traditional Nepali dress, Rai proudly elevated the recognition of Nepali culture internationally.

Nepal Wins Seven Medals at 21st World Kempo Championship in Portugal: Nepal secured a total of seven medals at the 21st World Kempo Championship 2025, held in Portugal. Bipesh Thapa led Nepal’s medal haul, winning four medals — one silver and three bronze.

Anjana Shahi added three more to Nepal’s tally, claiming one silver and two bronze medals.

Both Thapa and Shahi are fifth-dan black belts, a testament to their advanced skill levels. The championship was a major global event, with participation from athletes representing 108 countries. Nepal’s success at this prestigious competition reflects the country’s growing strength in martial arts on the world stage.

Nepal’s DRS Gaming and Tribe Aeromacy Qualify for PUBG Mobile Super League: Nepal’s esports teams, DRS Gaming and Tribe Aeromacy (AST), have qualified for the PUBG Mobile Super League (PMSL) Central and South Asia (CSA) after excelling in the PUBG Mobile NC South Asia competition. In the three-day online tournament, DRS secured first place with 125 points, while Tribe Aeromacy finished second with 114 points, securing their slots for the prestigious PMSL CSA event.

ROYAL GURKHAS narrowly missed out, finishing third with 110 points. The tournament featured 16 teams in total, with 12 teams representing Nepal. Their strong performance highlights Nepal’s growing prowess in the international esports arena.

Dozens Killed in US Strike on Yemen Migrant Centre: At least 68 people have been killed in a US air strike on a detention centre for African migrants in Houthi-controlled north-western Yemen, the armed group’s TV channel says. Al Masirah reported that 47 people were injured, most of them critically, when the centre in Saada province was bombed. It posted graphic footage showing multiple bodies covered in the rubble of a destroyed building. There was no immediate comment from the US military.

But it came hours after US Central Command announced that its forces had hit more than 800 targets since President Donald Trump ordered an intensification of the air campaign against the Houthis on 15 March. It said the strikes had “killed hundreds of Houthi fighters and numerous Houthi leaders”, including senior officials overseeing missile and drone programs.

BRICS Set to Meet Over Trump Trade Policies: Senior diplomats from BRICS countries will meet on Monday in Brazil to present a united front in the face of threats emerging from US President Donald Trump’s aggressive trade policies. The meeting comes at a critical moment for the world economy after the International Monetary Fund this week slashed growth forecasts over the impact of the American leader’s sweeping new tariffs.

Diplomats from the trading bloc that includes current president Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa will meet for two days in Rio de Janeiro, as a precursor to a leader’s summit in July. “The ministers are negotiating a declaration aimed at reaffirming the centrality and importance of the multilateral trading system,” Brazil’s BRICS representative Mauricio Lyrio told reporters Saturday.

North Korea Confirms for First Time Its Troops Fought War with Russia Against Ukraine: North Korea on Monday, for the first time, confirmed it had sent troops to fight for Russia against Ukraine, and the “sacred mission” was aimed at strengthening friendship with Moscow. The state news agency KCNA said, as per a report in Yonhap, the state media of South Korea, that Pyongyang’s military claimed its soldiers helped Russian forces “completely liberate” the Kursk border region, according to an order given by the North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

This admission comes days after Russian Chief of Staff Valery Gerasimov, in a video conference with RussianPresident Vladimir Putin on April 26, praised the role that North Korean troops played in the liberation of the Kursk border region. Putin has claimed that his country has regained control of Kursk, the border region where Ukraine launched a surprise offensive last year. Ukraine has denied the claim.