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.

President Paudel Expands Roles of Ambassadors to Australia, Malaysia: President Ram Chandra Paudel has granted additional responsibilities to the Nepali ambassadors to Australia and Malaysia. On the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, President Paudel appointed Chitra Lekha Yadav, the current Nepali Ambassador to Australia, as the non-residential ambassador to New Zealand as well. Similarly, Dr. Netra Prasad Timilsina, the Nepali Ambassador to Malaysia, has been appointed as the non-residential ambassador to Brunei Darussalam, according to a statement issued by the Office of the President on Thursday.

NC-UML Top Brass Meet Amid Deadlock Over Governor Appointment: Prime Minister KP Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba met in Baluwatar on Thursday, seeking to resolve the ongoing deadlock over the appointment of the Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank.The high-level meeting, which also included Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel, Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana, and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, took place ahead of a scheduled cabinet session, signaling its political significance.

BJP Leader Koshiyari Meets Prachanda: Chairman of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda,’ held a meeting today with Bhagat Singh Koshiyari, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Koshyari visited Prachanda at his residence in Khumaltar. Koshiyari, a RSS veteran served as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand from 2001 to 2002. He also served as the governor of Maharashtra from 2019 to 2023.

PM Oli Blames Excessive Painkiller Use for His Kidney Failure: In his speech at the inauguration of the International Leprosy Conference in Kathmandu on Thursday, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli spoke about his personal health struggles and the current status of leprosy control in Nepal. Oli revealed that his kidney failure was a result of excessive painkiller use. He explained that his health began to decline due to tuberculosis and ulcers, which were aggravated by poor nutrition and a lack of proper medication. I had tuberculosis and ulcers. The pain was unbearable, my stomach was full of wounds, burning constantly. Blood would ooze from the wounds, and I was given painkillers. What else would happen if you keep taking painkillers? My kidney failure was caused by painkillers,” he shared.

Pro-monarchy Forces Announce Monarchy Restoration Movement: In a major political development, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal, and the Nawaraj Subedi-led Joint People’s Movement Committee have announced an indefinite mass movement demanding the restoration of the monarchy and the protection of Sanatan Hindu religion. The declaration was made during a joint press conference held at Nawadurga Party Palace in Sukedhara, Kathmandu, on Thursday. Speaking at the event, Nawaraj Subedi, coordinator of the committee, stated that the movement would begin from Jestha 15 (May 29) and would be conducted peacefully.

Home Minister Lekhak Claims Govt Stability: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has stated that the government will continue to function as per the agreement between the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML. Speaking at an event titled “Progress So Far and Future Directions in Implementing the Second National Action Plan,” organized by the National Human Rights Commission, the National Network of Conflict-Affected Women, and The Story Kitchen in Lalitpur on Thursday, Lekhak emphasized the government’s commitment to stability. He noted that he has been a minister for ten months and acknowledged that ten months is not a long time. Reflecting on past political instability, he mentioned that government changes were frequent within ten months, making it seem like a full term.

MP Modi Demands Investigation into Jagdulla Hydropower Contract Process: The main opposition party, CPN (Maoist Center), has called for an investigation into alleged collusion in the contract process of the Jagdulla Hydropower Project in Dolpa. Raising the issue during an emergency session of the House of Representatives on Thursday, Maoist Center MP Amanlal Modi accused Energy Minister Deepak Khadka and the project’s executive director of manipulating the tender process for personal gain. Modi claimed that the project’s cost estimate had been leaked prior to the tender, a clear violation of public procurement regulations. He further stated that the matter had already been reported to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).

Police Acted Impartially in Resham Chaudhary’s Arrest, Claims Home Minister: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak on Thursday addressed the House of Representatives to clarify the events surrounding the arrest of Nagarik Unmukti Party (NUP) patron Resham Chaudhary. He stated that Nepal Police acted purely in accordance with the law and without any bias. “I want to assure the esteemed House that, just as Nepal Police has always followed the directives of the court without prejudice, this incident also reflects only the intent to implement the law faithfully,” said Minister Lekhak during his parliamentary address. Minister Lekhak apologized for the inconvenience caused to Resham Chaudhary and his family, assuring that police actions were based on genuine legal intent. He emphasized that necessary precautions would be taken to prevent such incidents in the future, urging all stakeholders to remain vigilant to avoid repetition of such events.

Lingden Asserts Monarchy Movement Will Not End Without Restoration: Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) President Rajendra Lingden has claimed that the movement for the restoration of the monarchy and Hindu nation will not end, nor will pro-monarchy groups split until their goal is achieved. Speaking at an event organized by the Joint People’s Movement Committee for Monarchy Restoration on Thursday, Lingden declared, “We call this our movement, but it is the movement of the entire nation. We will not separate until it reaches its conclusion.” He emphasized that the movement is not tied to any specific party or individual but is aimed at securing the nation’s future. “This is not for any party or group, nor is it to fulfill anyone’s political ambitions. This is for building the country’s future,” Lingden stated.

Maoist Leaders Divided Over India-Pakistan Tensions: Leaders of the CPN (Maoist Centre) are divided over the recent tensions between India and Pakistan. General Secretary Dev Gurung and Deputy General Secretary Janardan Sharma expressed their differing stances through separate social media posts. Gurung criticized India’s military action against Pakistan following the Pahalgam attack in Kashmir, stating that it was unjustified without independent verification. Meanwhile, former Minister and Deputy General Secretary Janardan Sharma stated that fighting terrorism is the duty of every nation, indirectly supporting India’s stance against terrorism. His remarks came amid India’s Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, highlighting the need for collective efforts to defeat terrorism.

Deuba Pays Tribute to Dangol’s Legacy in Democratic Movement: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba expressed deep sorrow over the passing of former Kathmandu Congress President Tirtha Ram Dangol, calling it an irreparable loss to the party. Speaking at a memorial ceremony held in Kathmandu on Thursday, Deuba praised Dangol’s leadership role in party organization building and the democratic movement of Nepal as unforgettable. Deuba also suggested that a book should be published about the late leader to inform future generations about his significant contributions. The event, organized by the Kathmandu District Committee of the Nepali Congress, was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Urban Development Minister Prakash Man Singh, Health and Population Minister Pradeep Paudel, leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula, and other party members.

Six Found Dead in Separate Locations Across Nepal: Six individuals have been found dead in various locations across Nepal, according to the Central News Desk of Nepal Police. In Ilam Municipality-9, 54-year-old Maya Baraili was discovered dead inside her own home. Similarly, a man estimated to be around 32 years old was found dead in a hut in Pokhara Metropolitan City-14, Kaski. In Siraha, 45-year-old Ram Udgar Mukhiya of Kalyanpur Municipality-2 was found lifeless along a roadside in Kalyanpur-3. Further reports indicate that 40-year-old Ramraj Mahato of Rajpur Municipality-4, Rautahat, was found dead on a roadside in Madhav Narayan Municipality-1. In Kapilvastu, 55-year-old Bachan Loniya was discovered dead in a field in Maharajganj Municipality-10, Hardauna. In Kanchanpur, 60-year-old Ghumman Rana of Shuklaphanta Municipality-12 was found dead on a playground in Krishna Municipality-3, Chitrapur.

APF Sets Up 312 Patrols, 1,844 Checkpoints Along Border: The Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal has established 312 patrol units and 1,844 checkpoints along the border areas in the past 48 hours, considering recent regional security developments, according to APF DSP and Deputy Spokesperson Shailendra Thapa. From Baisakh 23 to 25, APF, in coordination with India’s Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), conducted 84 joint patrols and 228 solo patrols across the border. Additionally, 1,844 checkpoints were set up during the same period to monitor movement and prevent illegal activities. More than 10,000 APF personnel from various units have been deployed. The APF is also coordinating with Nepal Police, the National Investigation Department, local representatives, and civilians to enhance surveillance while ensuring smooth traditional cross-border movement.

NEPSE Drops by Double Digits, Trading Volume Increases: On the last trading day of the week, the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index fell by 12.60 points, closing at 2,661.08. This decline follows a 62.25-point rise on Wednesday when the index reached 2,673 points. Despite the drop in the index, Thursday saw an increase in total trading volume. The total transaction amount reached Rs. 11.65 billion on Thursday, compared to Rs. 10.33 billion on Wednesday. Among the traded stocks, 96 companies saw an increase in their share prices, while 150 companies experienced a decline. Notably, Nepal Micro Insurance Company, Crest Micro Life Insurance Company, Chhyangdi Hydropower, and Om Megashree Company hit the positive circuit limit, marking the maximum permissible rise in their share prices for the day.

Nepal Yet to Receive Official Confirmation on Continuation of MCC Projects in Nepal: Despite reports that Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) projects will continue in four countries, including Nepal, the government has yet to receive any official confirmation. According to international media, the United States decided to shut down all MCC projects worldwide following a recommendation from the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DoGE), but projects in four countries—Nepal, Mongolia, Senegal, and Ivory Coast—will continue. However, Nepali government officials stated they have not received any such information to date. The American government had previously decided to close down all MCC projects globally. However, Reuters reported that the projects in Nepal, Mongolia, Senegal, and Ivory Coast would not be halted.

SEBON Chair Meets IPPAN President After CIAA Raid Amidst IPO Commission Scandal: On Wednesday afternoon, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) seized necessary documents from the Securities Board of Nepal in Khumaltar, Lalitpur, suspecting the demand for commissions during IPO issuances. The Board’s Chairman Santosh Narayan Shrestha reportedly demanded a commission of five to seven percent for IPO issuances of hydropower companies. Following accusations by Ganesh Karki, President of the Independent Power Producers’ Association of Nepal (IPPAN), CIAA raided the Board’s office, seized related documents, and took statements from senior officials for four hours. After the CIAA raid, Chairman Shrestha, visibly disheartened, met with IPPAN President Karki and hydropower promoters on Wednesday evening.

Unusual Surge in Share Prices of Hydropower Companies Promoted as Holdings: In recent weeks, the share prices of listed hydropower companies promoted as holding companies have surged unusually. Some hydropower companies listed in the secondary market have been found to manipulate prices and transactions by marketing themselves as holding companies. These companies have investments in subsidiary companies. Citing market value and the nearing expiration of lock-in periods, the parent companies have increased their share prices by promoting the sale of shares of their subsidiaries to generate large profits. Following these activities, the share transactions of certain hydropower companies have seen abnormal growth. The hydropower companies discussed as holding companies include Ngadi Group Power, Sanima Mai Hydropower, Radhi Vidyut Company, Butwal Power Company, and Arun Valley Hydropower, among others.

Deadlock Continues Over NRB Governor Appointment: The political agreement between the main ruling parties, CPN-UML and Nepali Congress, over the appointment of the Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has hit a roadblock. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had agreed to Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba’s proposal to appoint Dr. Gunakar Bhatt as the Governor. Oli even promised Deuba during their meeting to finalize the Governor’s appointment by Thursday. However, the acting Governor, Dr. Neelam Dhungana Timsina, who maintains her claim to the position, has not accepted Bhatt’s resignation as of Wednesday. A senior official at NRB close to Acting Governor Timsina confirmed that Bhatt’s resignation had not yet been approved. “She has strategically refused to approve his resignation,” the official stated.

Shilpa Maskey Cast as Lead in the Movie ‘Jalaki’: Actress Shilpa Maskey has joined the cast of the film ‘Jalaki’ as its main lead. However, her specific role in the film has not yet been revealed. Shilpa was last seen in the film ‘Devi,’ which was released in Bhadra of last year (around August-September). Despite high expectations, the movie did not perform well at the box office. ‘Jalaki’ is directed by Ashok Thapa Magar, who had previously directed ‘Khusma.’ The first phase of the film’s shooting was completed with Upasana Singh Thakuri and Sonam Topden in key roles. For the second phase of shooting, actor Dhiraj Magar also joined the cast. Other cast members include Aakriti Rajbhandari, Mao Tse Gurung, Buddhi Tamang, Astitwa Bhattachan, Sangita Thapa Magar, and Khadka Bahadur Pun.

Advance Ticket Bookings Open for ‘Unko Sweater’ and ‘Jar‘: Advance ticket bookings have opened for the two films ‘Unko Sweater’ and ‘Jar,’ which are set to be released this Friday. Most multiplex cinemas across the country have started offering advance bookings with scheduled showtimes. Both films are releasing nationwide, but they differ in terms of cast and storyline, which seems to have influenced the allocation of showtimes. Among the two, ‘Unko Sweater’ is leading in terms of the number of shows. The largest multiplex chain in the country, QFX, has scheduled 21 shows in Kathmandu Valley and 26 shows outside the Valley, making a total of 47 shows. Nationwide, the film has secured around 100 shows for its first day. Some theaters are yet to open bookings, so the number of shows may increase.

Pramod Kharel to Return as Coach in ‘The Voice Kids’: Singer Pramod Kharel, who had been a coach on ‘The Voice of Nepal’ since its inception, was notably absent in its sixth season. At that time, he mentioned that he was taking a break for one season. Even in his absence, fans continued to look for him and expressed their desire for his return. The sixth season of ‘The Voice of Nepal’ recently concluded, and the producers are now preparing to launch the Kids Edition. The blind auditions for the fourth season of ‘The Voice Kids’ are set to begin filming from May 20. During this time, there is good news for the audience—Pramod Kharel will be returning as a coach on ‘The Voice Kids.’ Show director Laxman Paudyal confirmed that Pramod will be continuing as a coach. He said, “As of now, his role as a coach is confirmed.”

Nepal Hopes to Advance to Next Stage in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifiers: The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifiers are set to begin in Thailand from Friday. The Nepali team has already reached Thailand to participate in the qualifiers. In this tournament, nine teams will compete, and the top two teams will secure spots in the Global Qualifier stage. The nine teams will be divided into three groups, with three teams in each group playing a double round-robin league. After the league stage, the top team from each group will advance to the Super 3 round. From the Super 3, the top two teams will qualify for the Global Qualifier stage. The participating teams include the host Thailand, Nepal, Hong Kong, UAE, Malaysia, Bahrain, Qatar, Bhutan, and Kuwait. Nepal is placed in Group C alongside Hong Kong and Bahrain. Before heading to Thailand, the Nepali team played practice matches in India and also had home-and-away series.

Nepal’s National Women’s Football Team to Begin Camp for AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers: The National Women’s Football Team of Nepal is preparing to begin its closed training camp for the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers and two friendly matches against Thailand. For this purpose, the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has decided to continue with Rajendra Tamang as the head coach. Although ANFA had announced plans to recruit a foreign coach, Tamang will remain in charge. Similarly, ANFA has appointed Bhagwati Thapa as the assistant coach, Suraj Lama as the goalkeeper coach, Brinda Dewan as the manager, and Laxmi Bhattarai as the physiotherapist.

Nepal Army Club Wins National Men’s Hockey Championship: Nepal Army Club won the National Men’s Hockey Championship by defeating Gandaki Province 2–0. Just two days earlier, the Army Club had also won the Women’s Hockey Championship. In the final held at Chyasal Ground, Rajendra Karki scored in the 22nd minute, and Amber Bahadur Gurung scored in the 43rd minute for the Army. Rajendra, who scored the first goal, was also named the best player of the final. To reach the final, Nepal Army defeated the newly entered APF (Armed Police Force) 6–0, while Gandaki defeated Nepal Police in a penalty shootout. In the third-place match, Nepal Police Club beat APF 3–0, with Shankar Gharti scoring two goals and Milan Tamang scoring one.

LoC Heats Up After Pahalgam Attack and Indian Air Strikes: Tensions between India and Pakistan have sharply escalated following last month’s Pahalgam attack that killed 26 people and India’s retaliatory air strikes on Wednesday morning. Over the past 14 consecutive nights, India says Pakistani troops have repeatedly violated the 2021 ceasefire agreement, targeting Indian positions along the 740-km-long Line of Control (LoC), the de-facto border dividing India and Pakistan. Fifteen people, including women, children and one Indian soldier, were killed, with 51 injured, as heavy Pakistani shelling hit villages along the LoC in four Jammu and Kashmir districts on Wednesday, Indian officials said. India says its army has responded proportionately to unprovoked small-arms fire across key sectors including Kupwara, Baramulla, Poonch, Rajouri, Mendhar, Naushera, Sunderbani and Akhnoor. Pakistan has not commented on these claims.

Bangladesh’s Ex-premier Khaleda Zia Returns, Adding Pressure for Elections: Bangladesh’s ailing former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia returned to the country from London on Tuesday after four months of medical treatment, adding to pressure for its interim leaders to hold elections. The South Asian country has been under a government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus since former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted in a student’s-led mass uprising in August last year. Zia, Hasina’s archrival, and her Bangladesh Nationalist Party have been pushing Yunus’ government to hold a national election in December to return the country to democratic rule. Under Hasina, many opposition political parties including Zia’s BNP had either boycotted the polls or accused the authorities of rigging them.

Putin’s Order for Three-day Truce with Ukraine Enters Force: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s order for a three-day truce with Ukraine took effect Thursday, a move the Kremlin said would test Kyiv’s readiness for peace but that Ukraine has slammed as a farce. It was not clear whether either side was observing the ceasefire, even with world leaders — including China’s Xi Jinping, Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Serbia’s Aleksandar Vucic — in Moscow for commemorations of the end of World War II. It appeared relatively quiet overnight, though Ukraine’s military said early Thursday that Russian forces had launched air strikes in the eastern Sumy region. Kyiv did not report any damage or casualties. Putin unilaterally ordered the temporary truce to coincide with Moscow’s Victory Day parade on Friday.