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.

Government Makes Public Cabinet Decisions: Government Makes Cabinet Decisions PublicThe government has made public the decisions of the recent Cabinet meetings. At a press conference held on Sunday, government spokesperson and Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, announced the decisions taken during the Cabinet meetings held on Monday and Wednesday. According to Minister Gurung, the Cabinet made 15 decisions on Tuesday and 14 decisions on Wednesday. One of the key decisions from Wednesday’s meeting was the reformation of the Recommendation Committee for the vacant post of Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). The committee had been formed under the Cabinet’s decision dated Chaitra 11, 2081 (Bikram Sambat).

Garbuja Sworn in as Minister of State for Energy: Kham Bahadur Garbuja, the newly appointed Minister of State for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, took his oath of office and secrecy before Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Sunday. The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar, where Minister Garbuja formally assumed his duties. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, other ministers, and high-ranking officials of the Government of Nepal were also present at the event. President Ram Chandra Paudel had appointed Garbuja as minister of state on Baisakh 17 upon the recommendation of Prime Minister Oli.

Lawmakers Demand Ban on Sending Students to India’s KIIT: Members of Nepal’s National Assembly have strongly urged the government to stop issuing No Objection Certificates (NOC) for students planning to study at the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha, India. The lawmakers raised concerns during today’s emergency session, citing repeated incidents of Nepali female students dying under suspicious circumstances at the institute. During the session, lawmakers expressed grave concerns over the safety of Nepali students enrolled at KIIT. They emphasized that the deaths of multiple female students have created a climate of fear and insecurity, proving that the safety of Nepali students is not guaranteed at the institution.

Doctors Reject Alleged Agreement, to Continue Protest: Despite reports of a four-point agreement reached on Saturday, the residential doctors have decided to continue their protest. Discussions in Kathmandu, involving Health Minister Pradeep Poudel, the Nepal Medical Association, and some residential doctors, were initially thought to have led to an agreement. However, Dr. Sanjay Baral, spokesperson for the “Safe Work Environment for Healthcare Workers Struggle Committee”, rejected this claim. In a statement, Dr. Baral criticized the government for failing to take concrete actions, accusing them of merely issuing repeated directives without any real progress. “Our attention has been drawn to news reports claiming, ‘Agreement Between Protestors and Government.’ We wish to clarify that there has been no agreement with the government,” the statement emphasized.

Independent MP Singh Accuses PAC of Being a Govt Shadow: Independent lawmaker Amresh Kumar Singh has expressed strong criticism of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), accusing it of acting as a mere shadow of the government rather than serving its intended purpose as a check on governmental activities. Singh made these statements during a meeting of the committee held on Sunday. “The PAC should not be a shadow of the government. It should be a shadow of Parliament. Right now, it is just a reflection of the government,” Singh remarked, highlighting concerns about the committee’s independence. Singh also raised objections regarding the PAC’s failure to summon key government officials to the meeting, particularly the Prime Minister and the Chief Secretary. He questioned why, despite ongoing issues, these officials had not been called in for two years.

UML Secretariat Meeting Commences: The Secretariat meeting of the CPN (UML) has commenced. According to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, the meeting began earlier this afternoon at the party’s central office in Chyasal. The agenda of the meeting included discussions on current political affairs, upcoming policies and programs, and the forthcoming national budget.

Maoist Centre to Launch Mid-Hill Highway Awareness Campaign from May 16: The CPN (Maoist Centre) has decided to launch a new phase of its national outreach campaign focused on the Mid-Hill Highway, starting from Jestha 2 (May 16). This decision was made during the office-bearers’ meeting held on Sunday at the residence of party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ in Khumaltar. Party spokesperson Agni Prasad Sapkota informed that the specific starting point of the campaign has yet to be finalized, and a detailed program will be outlined in a future meeting. According to Sapkota, the recently completed first phase of the Terai-Madhesh-focused Hulaki Marga (Postal Highway) campaign was more successful than expected.

Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Toru calls on PM Oli: On Sunday, Japanese Ambassador to Nepal, Maeda Toru, paid a courtesy visit to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar. During the meeting, discussions centered around enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation between the two nations. The two leaders also spoke about mutual interests and the exchange of collaboration in various fields. In light of the upcoming 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Nepal next year, the conversation also touched upon the celebration of this significant milestone. The meeting was attended by officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other dignitaries.

Rabi Lamichhane Case Under Review by Parsa Government Attorney’s Office: The case against Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) president, Rabi Lamichhane, is currently under review by the Parsa government attorney’s office. The study of the case began over a week ago, as confirmed by the office. Last Friday, the Parsa District Police handed over the case to the government attorney’s office. Following the completion of statements and investigations, the police submitted a report to the office requesting action on charges related to fraud and organized crime. District Attorney Bhola Nath Niroula stated that the case is still under detailed study, and further analysis and documentation are underway despite the file being submitted a week ago.

Adverse Weather Disrupts Flights Across Nepal: Flights across Nepal have been disrupted due to adverse weather conditions. Continuous rainfall has reduced visibility, affecting operations at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) and several other airports around the country, according to airport authorities. Rinji Sherpa, spokesperson for TIA, confirmed that both domestic and international flights have been affected due to poor weather and low visibility. In the morning, a Jazeera Airways international flight was diverted to Varanasi, India, due to en-route weather conditions. Similarly, a mountain flight operated by Buddha Air had to be diverted. Three aircraft from Summit Air and Tara Air, scheduled to fly from Ramechhap to Lukla, were also diverted due to poor weather at Lukla airport.

NEB Urges Public to Disregard False Information on Social Media: The National Examination Board has urged the public not to trust misleading information circulating on social media. This request follows a false claim that the question paper for the Class 12 exams, which began on Sunday, had been leaked. In a statement released by the Board, it was clarified, “The information circulating on social media about a student from a certain school having received the compulsory English subject’s question paper before the exam began has been thoroughly investigated by officials from the District Examination Coordination Committee, Bhaktapur, the Chief District Officer of Bhaktapur, and the staff of the National Examination Board. It has been found to be false and misleading.”

Traffic Resumes on Kanti Lokpath Road Connecting Kathmandu and Hetauda: Vehicular movement has resumed on the Kanti Lokpath road, which connects Kathmandu and Hetauda. The road had been obstructed after floodwaters washed away a diversion built over the Bagmati River, linking Bhimphedi Rural Municipality-8 of Makwanpur and Bagmati Rural Municipality-2 of Lalitpur. According to Makwanpur police spokesperson Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Shyamu Aryal, transportation resumed from 1 PM on Sunday following repair and maintenance work. Upgrading work has been ongoing along sections of the Kanti Lokpath road in recent days.

Father and Daughter Killed in Rautahat Road Accident: A road accident in Rautahat claimed the lives of a father and daughter on Sunday morning. The incident occurred at Chandrapur Municipality Ward No. 4 along the East-West Highway when a car collided with a motorcycle. According to the District Traffic Police Office in Chandranigahapur, Rautahat, a car (Ba 6 Cha 3526) heading towards Chandranigahapur from Hetauda struck a motorcycle (Na 3 Pa 9512) coming from Chandranigahapur and heading toward Nijgadh. The collision resulted in the death of both motorcycle riders — a father and his daughter. Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Raj Kumar Rai of the Area Police Office, Chandranigahapur, confirmed that the deceased have been identified as 60-year-old motorcycle rider Baliram Sahani and his 40-year-old daughter Urmila Devi Sahani, residents of Malahi Tole, Ward No. 3, Garuda Municipality, Rautahat.

Stock Market Sees Slight Dip with Rs 9.24 billion Turnover: Despite a decrease in overall trading compared to the previous day, the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) recorded a turnover of Rs 9.24 billion on Sunday. The total transaction amount dropped by Rs 130 million from the earlier session. The NEPSE index declined by 3.44 points, settling at 2,620. Hydropower companies led the market in trading volume, accounting for nearly 59% of the total turnover. Shares worth Rs 5.44 billion were traded solely from this sector, making up 58.9% of the day’s transactions. Despite the massive trading volume, the hydropower sub-index dipped by 0.09%, likely due to profit booking and market sentiment. Several sectors saw a decline in their respective indices. The finance sector fell by 1.30%, followed by investment (-0.86%), life insurance (-0.28%), microfinance (-0.25%), trading (-0.84%), and others (-0.02%).

Mutual Funds Inject Nearly Rs 46 billion into Nepal Stock Market: Mutual funds have continued to play a major institutional role in Nepal’s stock market. Merchant banks have issued various mutual fund schemes and invested the proceeds into secondary market equities. By the end of Chaitra (mid-April 2025), mutual funds had invested approximately Rs 45.91 billion in the share market, up from Rs 43.62 billion in Magh (mid-February 2025), reflecting the launch of several new funds. Currently, 36 closed-end and 9 open-end schemes are in operation. Of the total mutual fund assets under management, 73.07% has been invested in the share market. According to fund manager disclosures, the total fund size stands at Rs 59.69 billion, of which Rs 4.74 billion (7.94%) has been deposited in fixed deposits.

Nepal Rastra Bank to Absorb Rs 50 billion Liquidity: On Sunday, the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) announced plans to withdraw Rs 50 billion in excess liquidity from the banking system through its deposit collection instrument. This liquidity absorption will take place over a 21-day period. The NRB cited excess loanable funds in financial institutions as the reason for the move. The central bank stated that online bidding for the liquidity mop-up would remain open until 3 PM Sunday. This marks a continuation of NRB’s biweekly liquidity management actions, conducted every Sunday and Wednesday.

Finance Group Hits Lowest Point in 10 Months on NEPSE: The once-popular finance group on NEPSE is now in a tightened situation. Among the 12 listed groups on the Nepal Stock Exchange, the finance group is currently the weakest and has dropped to its lowest point in the past 10 months. On the last trading day, Wednesday (Baisakh 17), the Finance Index stood at 2,397.79—its lowest since Asar 6, 2081, when it was 2,340.77. Although it had peaked at 3,975.49 on Bhadra 6, the index has since declined by 1,578 points. Despite a temporary rise by Kartik 28 to 3,765 points, the overall trend since Bhadra has been downward.

Nepali Film ‘Rangi’ to Be Released in 27 Cinemas Across London on May 9: The Nepali film Rangi, which was released in Nepal on Falgun 2 last year, is set to be screened in London. The film marks actor Salon Basnet’s debut as a producer and will hit 27 theaters across London on May 9. The UK screening is being managed by Vikram Joshi of Maharani Production. According to Joshi, the film has already passed the British censor board and received a PG (Parental Guidance) certificate for its UK release. Previously, Rangi had been screened in several cities across Australia. Produced under the banner of Sanvi Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., the film tells the story of a father-daughter relationship. It is the directorial debut of Suresh Neupane, who has worked as an assistant director in various other films. The cast includes Salon Basnet, Namrata Shrestha, Dilip Rayamajhi, Ayushi Dhakal, Uttam KC, Sumin Gurung, and Bishal Pahari.

Aryan Sigdel Joins Cast of Film ‘Maharajadhiraj’: The casting lineup for the upcoming film Maharajadhiraj continues to grow stronger with the inclusion of actor Aryan Sigdel. Directed by Parichhed Sen, the film had previously confirmed Ramesh Upreti and Paul Shah in key roles. According to the production team, Aryan has been signed for one of the lead roles. While the film’s poster has already been released, there is growing curiosity among fans about what kind of character Aryan will portray. Expressing happiness about being cast, Aryan said that Maharajadhiraj offers him a different character, which will also provide a fresh experience for the audience.

Kuma Sagar & Khwopa Band Conclude Australia Tour with Historic Performance: The Australia tour of singer Kuma Sagar and the Khwopa Band has concluded. The tour began in Sydney on March 24, 2025, and spanned major cities such as Brisbane, Canberra, Hobart, and Perth, concluding in Melbourne. The tour was organized by YNY Events. According to the managing director of the organizing company, Pragya Amatya Bhandari, the musical performances were grand and historic. She emphasized that the events promoted Nepali art and culture and confirmed that similar programs will be prioritized in the future. During the tour, Kuma Sagar also became the first Nepali singer to give a live recording performance at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, an international art museum operated by the New South Wales state government of Australia.

Coach Law Shortlists 25 Players for Second Phase of Cricket Training Camp: Nepal national cricket team head coach Stuart Law has announced 25 players for the second phase of the closed training camp. This follows the first phase, known as the “core camp,” from which 27 players were excluded. Notably, 13 of the released players have already represented the national team, including longtime squad member Kushal Malla, as well as Sandeep Jora, Abinash Bohora, and Sagar Dhakal. Others cut from the first phase include Dev Khanal, Ishan Pandey, Kamal Singh Airee, Bibek Kumar Yadav, and Binod Bhandari. Surya Tamang, Hemant Dhami, Pawan Sarraf, and Rashid Khan were also excluded. While Surya, Hemant, and Rashid have previously debuted for Nepal, they have struggled to secure long-term spots. Both Pawan and Kamal are still recovering from injuries.

Adish Khadka Wins Gold at Gold Coast Open Taekwondo Championship 2025: Nepali taekwondo player Adish Khadka has won a gold medal at the 2025 Gold Coast Open International Taekwondo Championship. On Sunday, Adish clinched gold in the Under-17 male individual Poomsae category, scoring 6.23 points to surpass an Australian athlete from the host country. Just a week ago, Adish had won a silver medal in the same age group at the Japan WATA Open Taekwondo Championship held in Osaka, Japan. He traveled to Australia directly from there. A third dan black belt, Adish is a Grade 11 student at NAMI College. This is his first international taekwondo participation.

Milan Tamang Wins Main Bout at Budhanilkantha Fight Night: Nepal’s Milan Tamang emerged victorious in the main event of the Budhanilkantha Fight Night held on Saturday at the Golfutar Football Ground, organized by the Budhanilkantha Hattigauda Sports Committee. Competing in the men’s 60 kg category, Milan defeated Thailand’s Asada Rokmit via knockout in the second round. As the winner, Milan received a cash prize of NPR 100,000, while Asada, despite the loss, earned USD 900, which was his pre-agreed fight fee. In other bouts, Nepal’s Yeoman Moktan defeated fellow Nepali fighter Kunjan Ghimire in the 52 kg category. In the 54 kg class, Nepal’s Puranjit Rai won against India’s Skhemborlang Marwein. Similarly, in the 70 kg division, Mahendra Gajmer beat fellow Nepali Ronish Subba.

At Least 57 Palestinians Starved to Death Under Israel’s Blockade of Gaza: At least 57 Palestinians have starved to death in Gaza as Israel’s punishing blockade of food, water, and other critical aid to the besieged enclave stretches into its third month amid relentless bombardment. Gaza’s Government Media Office said on Saturday that most of the victims were children, as well as the sick and elderly, condemning the “continued use of food by the Israeli occupation as a weapon of war” and urging the international community to exert pressure on Israel to reopen the borders and allow in aid. Gaza has been under total Israeli blockade since March 2, video obtained by Al Jazeera Arabic showing large numbers of trucks carrying vital supplies piling up on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip on Saturday, the queue extending south beyond the city of Arish, located approximately 45 kilometers (28 miles) from Rafah border crossing.

Houthi Missile Hits Near Israel’s Main Airport: A missile fired from Yemen landed near the main terminal of Israel’s Ben Gurion airport on Sunday morning, Israeli authorities said. Unverified footage posted online appeared to show drivers on a road nearby pulled over to take cover as a projectile land, creating a plume of black smoke near the airport, which is on the outskirts of Tel Aviv. Four people were injured due to the blast, with another two injured on their way to a shelter, Israeli media reported, citing emergency services. Israel’s defence minister, Israel Katz, said in a statement: “Anyone who hits us, we will hit them seven times stronger”. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said in a televised statement that the Israeli airport was “no longer safe for air travel”. The airport has now reopened to flights, after temporarily halting them.

Australia PM Albanese Makes Stunning Comeback with Landslide Win: Labor’s Anthony Albanese has defied the so-called “incumbency curse” to be re-elected Australia’s prime minister in a landslide. Official vote counting won’t finish for days, but Albanese’s centre-left government will dramatically increase its majority after the conservative Liberal-National coalition suffered a thumping defeat nationwide. “Today, the Australian people have voted for Australian values: for fairness, aspiration and opportunity for all; for the strength to show courage in adversity and kindness to those in need,” Albanese said. Coalition leader Peter Dutton, who lost his own seat of 24 years, said he accepted “full responsibility” for his party’s loss and apologised to his MPs. Following the result, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio both said they looked forward to deepening their bilateral relationships with Australia.

Two Million People Attend Free Lady Gaga Concert in Brazil: More than two million people have attended a free Lady Gaga concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, city officials say. The pop star’s biggest ever concert was paid for by the city in an attempt to revitalise Rio’s economy. They expect it could bring in $100m (£75m) to the local economy. Saturday’s performance was part of a promotional tour for Lady Gaga’s eighth album, Mayhem, whose songs include Abracadabra and Die With a Smile. She last performed in Brazil in 2012. Some fans – known as Gaga’s “Little Monsters” – began queuing early in the morning and waited in long lines to gain access to the beach. A massive security operation was in place, with 5,000 police officers on duty and attendees having to pass through metal detectors. The authorities also used drones and facial recognition cameras to help police the event.