KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
PM Oli stresses government stability, rejects calls for protests
Prime Minister KP Oli has stated that there is no need for any movement to compel the government to fulfill its responsibilities. While addressing the 55th Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and Industry and Commerce Day-2081 after its inauguration, Prime Minister Oli highlighted his government’s focus on stability and good governance.
“There is no need to continue any movement to force the government,” said Prime Minister Oli. “The current government was formed with the aim of ensuring stability and good governance. This is our main agenda. Stability does not mean rigidity; it is dynamic.”
Durga Prasai arrested in India, being brought back to Nepal
Durga Prasai, the main figure behind the violent protest in Kathmandu’s Tinkune on March 28, has been arrested in India.
According to police sources, he was taken into custody in the Indian state of Assam and is currently being brought back to Nepal via Kakarbhitta.
Salaries released in Kathmandu Metropolis after Guragain’s return; Mayor Balen returns to office after 9 days
Salaries for all elected representatives and staff of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City have finally been disbursed following the return of Chief Administrative Officer Saroj Guragain.
For over three months, employee payments had been stalled due to the absence of a chief administrative officer.
With Guragain now reinstated, payments have resumed, including for Mayor Balen Shah, Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol, lward chairs, and around 3,500 municipal staff.
Education Minister, Teachers’ Federation officials hold ongoing talks in bid to end strike
A meeting is underway between Education Minister Bidya Bhattarai and senior officials of the Nepal Teachers’ Federation at the Ministry of Education.
According to the minister’s secretariat, the talks began at 5 PM and include Secretary Deepak Kafle and two other ministry officials.
Representing the federation are Vice Chair Nanumaya Parajuli and three other officials.
Under Secretary Neelkantha Dhakal, the ministry’s grievance officer, said the meeting has focused on exploring various options to address the teachers’ demands.
Gagan Thapa frustrated with PM Oli’s inaction
Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa has expressed strong dissatisfaction with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s leadership, stating that despite support from within a working mechanism, the government has failed to deliver as per public expectations.
Speaking at the second provincial conference of Constituency 2 in Kathmandu on Thursday, Thapa said that while the government appears active, it has not been able to produce meaningful results because the top leadership remains unmotivated.
“We hoped the government would work 18 to 20 hours a day to people’s concerns. But if the pot (the PM) doesn’t boil, there’s no use heating the stove,” he remarked, referring to Oli.
China Southern Airlines optimizes flight layout to promote China-Nepal cooperation
With the arrival of the summer-autumn flight season in 2025, China Southern Airlines has optimized its flight layout starting from April 10, further enhancing the capacity of the China-Nepal route and promoting economic, cultural, and tourism cooperation between the two countries to new heights, the Airlines announced through a press release today.
According to the latest flight schedule, China Southern will resume its night flight from Kathmandu to Guangzhou from April to October.
The planned departure time from Kathmandu is 23:30, with one flight per day.
Foreign Minister Rana acknowledges decline in int’l grants
Foreign Minister Dr. Arju Rana has acknowledged that international grants are shrinking, and this trend is expected to continue due to geopolitical factors.
Speaking at the 59th Annual General Meeting of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Deuba emphasized that foreign grants are likely to decrease in the future.
“All Nepalis aspire for economic development and progress. These aspirations can only be achieved through the active involvement of the private sector. To elevate Nepal to the status of a developing nation, we must fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals,” she said.
Ninth day of teachers’ protest: Umbrellas replace placards
Teachers and school employees across the country have been protesting for the ninth consecutive day in Kathmandu. On Thursday, they gathered in the streets, demanding the implementation of the Education Act and the fulfillment of previous agreements.
Despite the rain, protesters took to the streets, blocking the main road as they demonstrated with umbrellas, marching from Maitighar to Naya Baneshwor.
Nepal Bar Association elects new leadership
Senior advocate Dr. Vijay Prasad Mishra has been elected as the President, and Kedar Prasad Koirala has been elected as the General Secretary in the recent election for the central executive committee of the Nepal Bar Association.
Mishra secured 2,431 votes, defeating Raman Kumar Shrestha, while Koirala won with 2,367 votes, defeating Yagya Mani Neupane.
‘Secularism’ was a compromise in Constitution drafting: Gagan Thapa
Nepali Congress (NC) General Secretary Gagan Thapa has revealed that, during the Constitution drafting process, he was of the opinion that the term ‘secularism’ should not be explicitly included in the Constitution.
Speaking at a program in Kathmandu on Thursday, Thapa stated that certain compromises were made during the drafting process.
“While drafting the Constitution, my view was that the word ‘secularism’ should not be included; instead, the Constitution should enshrine religious freedom,” Thapa said.
Rain and landslides obstruct several highways across the country
Landslides triggered by overnight rainfall have blocked several highways across the country. According to police reports, landslides have occurred on 13 roads, while some areas have also been affected by flooding.
While traffic has resumed on a few of the blocked roads, six major routes remain completely closed. As per police updates, the Rapti Highway, Surkhet-Humla Road, Surkhet Road, Karnali Highway, and Jajarkot Road are still fully obstructed.
Gold price soars by Rs 5,700 per tola
The price of gold in Nepal surged significantly on Thursday, rising by Rs 5,700 per tola in a single day. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers Association, gold is now being traded at Rs 181,100 per tola, up from Rs 175,400 on Wednesday. Likewise, the price of silver has also seen an increase of Rs 65 and is now being traded at Rs 1,900 per tola.
NEPSE declines by 5.57 points, manufacturing sector takes biggest hit
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index fell by 5.57 points on Thursday, marking a 0.20% decline from Wednesday’s close. The total turnover stood at Rs 5.63 billion, with 11,384,725 shares traded throughout the trading day.
Out of the traded companies, 113 saw an increase in share prices, 131 declined, and one remained unchanged. The Manufacturing and Processing sub-index recorded the steepest decline, dropping 62.33 points, followed by Life Insurance (-43.28), Hotel and Tourism (-26.51), Non-Life Insurance (-24.82), and Others (-22.27).
Nepal beat Kuwait by six wickets
Nepal registered a commanding six-wicket victory over Kuwait in the ongoing T20I quadrangular-series in Hong Kong, moving a step closer to securing a spot in the final.
After winning the toss, Nepal opted to bowl first. Kuwait got off to a solid start with openers Ravija Sandaruwan and Clinto Anto putting up a 43-run stand. Anto anchored the innings with a steady 41, while Meet Bhavsar added a fluent 35 to take Kuwait to a competitive total of 185 runs at the end of their 20 overs.
Kathmandu witnesses long-awaited rainfall
Kathmandu experienced rain accompanied by thunderstorms since Thursday morning. According to the Weather Forecasting Division under the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, various parts of the country, including the Kathmandu Valley, are witnessing rainfall. The Division reported that heavy rain, along with thunder and lightning, has been recorded in several areas of the Valley, including Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur.
Kathmandu’s air quality improves, drops from world’s most polluted to 10th place
Kathmandu’s air pollution levels have decreased significantly, with the city dropping from the most polluted in the world to tenth place.
This improvement is attributed to sporadic rainfall and moderate winds across the Kathmandu Valley since Wednesday afternoon. The Valley experienced rain on Wednesday night and again on Thursday morning, accompanied by moderate winds.
Germany’s Charge d’affaires meets Energy Minister Khadka
Benjamin Seidel, Chargé d’Affaires at the German Embassy in Kathmandu, paid a courtesy visit to Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Dipak Khadka at his office in Singha Durbar today.
The meeting focused on enhancing cooperation in Nepal’s energy and irrigation sectors. According to the Energy Minister’s Secretariat, discussions were held on how to make Germany’s assistance to Nepal more effective.
Karnali Highway blocked due to landslide
The Surkhet-Humla road section of the Karnali Highway was blocked following a rain-triggered landslide at Bhattadi, Raskot Municipality-8 in Kalikot.
According to the District Police Office, a landslide that occurred at Sisne, Sanni Triveni Rural Municipality-3, has been cleared, and traffic has resumed in the area after police, locals, and passengers actively worked together to remove the debris.
Nepali Army’s Gorkha-Jitgadhi Unification March begins
The Nepali Army (NA) has commenced the third historic Gorkha-Jitgadhi Unification March starting today.
The march aims to promote the historic route once used by King Prithvi Narayan Shah during the unification of Nepal, according to Major General Ashok Kumar Chhetri, Commander of the Nepal Army’s Ripumardan Battalion in Gorkha.
“The objective of the march is to preserve history by protecting, enhancing, and promoting forts and other sites of historical importance,” said Major General Chhetri.
Butwal-Narayangadh road obstructed
The Butwal-Narayangadh section of the East-West Highway has been blocked due to adverse weather conditions.
Rain has turned the road in Daunne muddy and slippery, making it difficult for vehicles to pass. The road in Daunne, located in Binayi Triveni Rural Municipality-2, has been obstructed due to continuous rainfall, according to Yadav Dhakal, Superintendent of Police at the Nawalparasi (East) District Police Office.
Nepal sends 27 tons of earthquake relief materials to Myanmar
Nepal dispatched approximately 27 tons of relief materials to Myanmar in response to the devastating 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck the country on March 28, claiming over 3,000 lives. A 16-member delegation, including senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and journalists, departed for Myanmar on Wednesday to deliver the aid.
BIMSTEC Agriculture Ministers’ meeting concludes in Kathmandu
The third meeting of Agriculture Ministers under the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) concluded in Kathmandu on Wednesday, with member countries agreeing to strengthen regional collaboration in the fields of agriculture, livestock, and fisheries.
The meeting was chaired by Nepal’s Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Ramnath Adhikari, and was attended physically by ministers from India and Bhutan, while ministers from Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka joined virtually.
Brokers warn of market contraction, urge SEBON to delay capital deadline
The Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) has paved the way for mergers among securities brokerage companies by issuing the Directive on Mergers/Acquisitions of Securities Dealers, 2025. While banks and insurance companies have merged in recent years, this is the first official policy that allows brokerage firms to follow suit.
The directive comes just three months before the deadline requiring all brokerage companies to raise their paid-up capital to Rs 200 million — a regulation set to take effect from the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26.
With FATF watching, Nepal yet to name new NRB Governor
Despite facing international scrutiny over financial transparency, Nepal’s coalition government led by Sher Bahadur Deuba and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has failed to appoint a new Governor for Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) on time.
The delay raises questions about the government’s commitment to financial reform, especially as the country remains on the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) ‘grey list.’
Outgoing Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari’s term ended on April 6, but no permanent replacement has been named. In the interim, Senior Deputy Governor Neelam Dhungana has been appointed acting governor, a move critics say reflects the government’s lack of urgency and seriousness.
Mahavir Jayanti: President emphasizes on national unity
President Ram Chandra Paudel has extended his best wishes for happiness, peace, and prosperity to all Nepali Jain sisters and brothers, both at home and abroad, on the occasion of the 2624th birth anniversary of Mahavir, the founder of Jainism.
President Paudel noted that Mahavir practiced the highest form of restraint and non-violence. He emphasized that national unity could be strengthened by fostering tolerance and goodwill among Nepal’s religious, social, and cultural diversity if the guiding principles of Mahavir are followed.
Sewa Lamsal presents credentials to Belgian King
Nepal’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium, Sewa Lamsal, presented her credentials to King Philippe of Belgium during a special ceremony held at the Royal Palace in Brussels on Wednesday.
Following the presentation, Ambassador Lamsal conveyed best wishes on behalf of President Ram Chandra Paudel, expressing hopes for the King’s happiness, good health, and the continued prosperity of the Belgian people, according to the Embassy of Nepal in Brussels.
DPM Singh emphasizes development that public can experience
Minister for Urban Development Prakash Man Singh emphasized the need for development work that the public can directly feel and experience.
Speaking at the 31st anniversary celebration of the High Powered Bagmati Integrated Civilization today, Minister Singh stated that it is time to move beyond publicity and focus on executing projects that visibly impact the people.
“We have completed many projects, but it’s important that the general public is properly informed about them. The ongoing works should also be communicated to the people,” he said.
Employee organizations demand action against KMC Police Chief and Mayor Balen’s secretary
Various professional organizations active at the local level have demanded immediate action against Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Police Chief Rajunath Pandey and Mayor Balen Shah’s personal secretary Bhupdev Shah.
The organizations have submitted a memorandum to KMC Chief Administrative Officer Sarog Guragai, demanding an investigation into the events of April 3 at the KMC Office. They have accused Pandey and Shah of obstructing administrative work and called for accountability.
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