KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
RPP leaders freed following detention for demonstration in restricted area
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chair Rajendra Lingden and several other party leaders, who were detained for protesting inside Singha Durbar, have been released.
SP Apilraj Bohora of the District Police Range, Kathmandu, confirmed that all individuals taken into custody have now been freed.
Lingden, along with Vice Chair and Deputy Parliamentary Party Leader Buddhiman Tamang and Chief Whip Gyan Bahadur Shahi, was arrested on Sunday during a demonstration inside the government complex.
Habeas Corpus Petition Filed in Supreme Court on Behalf of Rabi Lamichhane
A habeas corpus petition has been filed at the Supreme Court on behalf of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chair Rabi Lamichhane, who is currently in custody over a cooperative fraud case.
Lamichhane, who is being held at the Bhairahawa prison as per the decision of the Butwal bench of the High Court Tulsipur on Chaitra 22, claims his detention is unlawful. The petition seeks his immediate release.
The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing on the petition for Monday.
RPP calls government authoritarian and repressive after arrest of chair and leaders from Singha Durbar
The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has strongly condemned the arrest of its chair Rajendra Lingden and senior leaders from within the Singha Durbar premises during a protest on Sunday.
An emergency meeting of the party’s Central Executive Committee held after the arrests denounced the government’s actions.
According to the party’s publicity chief Mohan Kumar Shrestha, Lingden, Vice Chair Buddhi Man Tamang, and spokesperson Gyanendra Shahi were detained by authorities while walking to a pre-scheduled protest venue at Bijuli Bazaar from the RPP’s parliamentary office.
Commercial banks earn Rs 41.25 billion in third quarter, profit rises by 1.4%
All 20 commercial banks in Nepal have published their third-quarter financial reports, revealing a modest increase in profits compared to the same period last year.
According to the publicly available data, commercial banks collectively earned a net profit of Rs 41.25 billion from Shrawan to mid-Chaitra of the current fiscal year. This marks a 1.4% increase from the Rs 40.68 billion profit recorded during the same period in the previous fiscal year.
Out of the 20 commercial banks, 11 banks posted profit growth, while 9 banks saw a decline in their earnings.
No restriction on former presidents, vice presidents returning to politics: Prachanda
Maoist Center Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has stated that there is no legal or constitutional restriction preventing former President and Vice President from re-entering politics.
Speaking to journalists at Biratnagar Airport on Sunday, Dahal highlighted that both national laws and international democratic traditions support the political participation of former high office bearers.
“There is nothing in the constitution that stops them from being active in politics,” Dahal said, in response to recent discussions regarding former Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun’s political re-engagement.
Buddhist International Travel Mart to be held on May 24-25
The third edition of the Buddhist International Travel Mart is set to take place on May 24–25, aiming to boost Nepal’s appeal as a hub for spiritual and Buddhist tourism.
Organized by the Nepal Association of Tour and Travel Agents (NATTA), the event will kick off in Kathmandu with an opening ceremony, international conference, and exhibition. The program will then move to Lumbini on May 26, where business-to-business (B2B) sessions, a familiarization trip, networking dinner, and the closing ceremony will be held.
More than 150 international hosted buyers and over 60 national and international sellers specializing in Buddhist tourism are expected to take part in the mart. Additionally, over 1,100 visitors from key Buddhist countries—including India, China, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka—are anticipated to attend.
No threat to republic: Prachanda
Maoist Center Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said there is no immediate threat to the republic, downplaying recent calls for political parties to unite in its defense.
Speaking to reporters at Biratnagar Airport on Sunday, Dahal clarified that the country’s republican system is not under any serious danger.
“There is no need to assume the republic is at risk right now,” he said, adding, “there are no differences between parties regarding the issue of the republic.”
71 leaders and supports quit UML in Bhim Rawal’s home district
In a major political shift, 71 leaders and activists have resigned from the CPN (UML) in Achham, the home district of expelled leader Dr. Bhim Rawal, ahead of the party’s long-delayed district convention scheduled for April 26–28.
Among those who left are UML Sudurpaschim Province Accounts Committee member Balagiri Kunwar and district committee members Jhank Kunwar and Nrip Danuwar. They have now joined Dr. Rawal’s Matrubhumi Jagran Abhiyan.
The group has issued a joint statement criticizing the leadership of Chair KP Sharma Oli, accusing him of undermining internal democracy, promoting factional politics, and protecting leaders facing corruption allegations.
12 arrested in connection with banned drugs
Police have arrested twelve individuals from various districts across the country on charges of possessing banned drugs, including brown heroin, tramadol, marijuana, and suspected opium.
According to the Narcotics Control Bureau, arrests were made in districts including Makawanpur, Chitwan, Morang, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Surkhet, and Sankhuwasabha.
In Morang, 19-year-old Bishal Sarki of Hetauda-4 and 31-year-old Saran Dangi of Sundarharaincha-2 were arrested from Bank Road, Biratnagar with brown heroin.
Teachers cut short protest amid fears of royalist infiltration
Public school teachers on Sunday ended their 19th consecutive day of protest earlier than scheduled, citing fears of royalist infiltration due to a demonstration by the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) in the same area.
The teachers, who have been staging daily protests at Maitighar Mandala demanding the prompt issuance of the School Education Act, dispersed before 11 am on Sunday after learning that the RPP had planned a separate rally at the site.
According to the protest organizers, there was concern that elements from the royalist demonstration could mix with the teachers’ protest, potentially disrupting their movement. As a precaution, the teachers called off their protest earlier than planned.
Traffic congestion worsens in Naya Baneshwor and Thapagaun
Traffic has increased in the Naya Baneshwor–Thapagaun area due to a demonstration being held today by the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and the ongoing teachers’ protest, which has entered its 19th day.
The Maitighar Mandala–Naya Baneshwor road has been completely occupied by demonstrators, causing significant congestion along the Naya Baneshwor–Thapagaun stretch.
Tourist arrival in Manang rises sharply
Foreign tourist arrivals in Manang have seen a strong resurgence following the downturn caused by the Covid pandemic and recent natural disasters.
According to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), a total of 33,648 foreign tourists visited Manang in the Nepali calendar year 2081 BS.
Renowned for its breathtaking landscapes and rich local culture, Manang continues to attract travelers, especially during the peak seasons.
Govt begins damage assessment in Kavre seven months after deadly floods
Seven months after devastating floods and landslides swept through Kavrepalanchok in Bagmati Province, the government has finally initiated a detailed damage assessment of private homes in the hardest-hit area—Roshi Rural Municipality.
Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak launched the assessment process on Wednesday from Roshi-2, Narayantar, by distributing damage assessment certificates to three affected residents: Dhansingh Lama, Rajan Bohora Chhetri, and Subhadra Senchuri.
Before the distribution, Minister Lekhak visited the flood-affected area to observe the scale of the destruction. Acknowledging delays in the reconstruction process, he pledged faster support moving forward.
Two dead, three injured in separate accidents in Sunsari and Surkhet
Two people were killed and three others injured in separate road accidents in Sunsari and Surkhet districts on Saturday.
In Sunsari, one person lost his life and three others sustained injuries when a car lost control and crashed in the Charkose forest area between Dharan and Itahari. The accident occurred late Saturday night as the car (Bagmati Province 01-030Cha 4618) was heading from Dharan to Itahari.
According to District Police Spokesperson Deputy Superintendent of Police Yograj Khatiwada, the vehicle was carrying four passengers. Bishnu Raut, 40, of Itahari-1, who sustained critical injuries, died during treatment at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan.
Rajendra Lingden slams ‘autocratic’ govt ahead of RPP’s peaceful protest
As tensions rise in the capital, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chair Rajendra Lingden has called on the government to not fear the party’s planned demonstration today, asserting that the protest will be both symbolic and peaceful, aimed at opposing what he calls the government’s autocratic tendencies.
Taking to Facebook, Lingden wrote, “It is a symbolic and peaceful protest against the government’s autocracy that says, ‘You say democracy, democracy, republic, but you only tell the people this’.”
He criticized efforts to limit public gatherings in the name of democracy, saying that restricting citizens from entering certain areas goes against the very principles the government claims to uphold.
Nepal Teachers Federation calls for nationwide school shutdown
The Nepal Teachers Federation has called for a nationwide shutdown of institutional schools, intensifying its ongoing educational strike campaign and urging full participation from teachers and school staff across the country.
In a press release issued today, the federation urged all educational stakeholders to support the movement aimed at pressuring the government to immediately enact the Quality School Education, Student and Teacher-Employee Friendly School Education Act, incorporating all previous agreements made with the teaching community.
“The Kathmandu-centered educational street movement is at its peak. At such a time, it is key for all teachers and school employees to join the movement to make this final and decisive,” the statement reads.
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