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.
PM Oli Dares Accusers to Prove Claims of Brokers Reaching His Bedroom: Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has challenged those accusing him of allowing brokers to gain access even to his bedroom to prove their claims. Inaugurating the fourth national convention of the Madan Bhandari Foundation on Sunday, Prime Minister Oli said that tricksters, conspirators, and deceitful players in politics were shamelessly making such allegations.
On April 15, Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa alleged that middlemen had gained access to the Prime Minister’s bedroom. PM Oli also stated that the formation of a government with the participation of UML and Nepali Congress was a necessity of the time, and as stability, development, and good governance had begun to gain momentum, false accusations were being leveled against the government and leadership.
Resident Doctors Continue Protest: Resident doctors, who have been demanding the implementation of the proposed living allowance for over a month, intensified their protest on Sunday by marching through the streets in heavy rain. Starting from Maitighar Mandala, the rally proceeded towards Bijuli Bazar Bridge, with doctors braving the weather to press for their rights.
The protest, organized by the Safe Workplace Struggle Committee for Healthcare Workers, led by Dr. Sheshraj Ghimire, is a part of their ongoing campaign to compel the government to enforce a decision made by the Medical Education Commission. The rally saw participation from resident doctors of both private medical colleges and government institutions across the country, as well as senior doctors and officials from the Nepal Medical Association. Doctors have been engaging in street protests for three weeks, demanding the fulfillment of the promised allowance.
Clash Erupts Between Police and Teachers at New Baneshwor: A peaceful teachers’ protest at New Baneshwor turned violent on Sunday after clashes erupted between demonstrators and police. The confrontation broke out when teachers tried to forcefully enter a restricted zone, leading police to use water cannons and physical force to disperse them. In response, enraged protesters began pelting stones at security forces, escalating the situation.
The Nepal Teachers’ Federation has been staging a Kathmandu-focused education movement since Chaitra 20 (April 2), and Sunday marked the 25th day of continuous agitation. Signs of brewing unrest had already appeared a day earlier when protesters attempted to breach the restricted area on Saturday as well. However, Sunday’s events marked a sharp departure from the generally peaceful nature of the movement until now. The police crackdown came only after protesters defied the security perimeter and made a determined push into prohibited zones, according to eyewitness accounts.
Clash Between Teachers and Police in Baneshwor Leaves 62 Teachers Injured: A clash between teachers and police in Baneshwor has left 62 teachers injured, according to the Nepal Teachers’ Federation. The teachers, who have been protesting for 25 days, had previously carried out peaceful demonstrations, but today’s protest turned violent.
Laxmi Kishor Subedi, the President of the Federation, stated that the injured teachers are receiving treatment at Trauma Center, Everest Hospital, and Civil Hospital. Subedi condemned the government’s actions, accusing it of cowardice. He said, “We condemn the cowardice shown by the government; teachers were attacked while conducting a peaceful protest.” He added, “62 teachers have been injured, and we are with them in the hospital.”
Contempt of Court Petition Filed Against Gagan Thapa: A contempt of court petition has been filed at Supreme Court against Nepali Congress General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa, alleging that his recent public remarks undermined the dignity of the judiciary. Supreme Court source confirmed that advocates Ananta Raj Luintel and others registered the petition, which accuses Thapa of making comments intended to influence an ongoing case related to the appointment of 52 constitutional officials. The court has scheduled the preliminary hearing for Tuesday.
Thapa, speaking at a Loktantra Day event a few days ago, had criticized the judiciary, claiming the Supreme Court was “dealing” with the matter of constitutional appointments and that it had been delaying decisions for years. His remarks included comments that the court was swinging between “looking into it” and “postponing” decisions, which, according to the petitioners, calls into question the credibility of the judiciary.
RSP Lawmaker Shrestha Urges Teachers to Quit Party Politics: Sumana Shrestha, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker and former education minister, has called on teachers to resign from political parties. Appealing to teachers to recall the attack on their dignity, she urged them to sever party ties. “Despite your prolonged agitation, the parties neither engaged in meaningful dialogue with you nor addressed your grievances with factual discussions. Remember the blow to your self-respect and reflect. Reject this authoritarian behavior and character. If you still stand on the side of truth and justice, resign from party membership,” Shrestha wrote on Facebook.
She further commented that teachers have been oppressed by the very political parties they supported. “Those leaders whom you carried on your shoulders and elevated to power have now exposed their morality and character through their oppression against you,” Shrestha said. Her appeal came on Sunday after police used water cannons and batons to disperse protesting teachers.
MPs Raise Concerns on Protests, Budget, and Meta Registration: In today’s session of the House of Representatives, lawmakers drew the government’s attention to various ongoing protests in the capital, the upcoming fiscal year’s policy and program, budget preparation, and legal issues surrounding the registration of social media. During the zero hour of the meeting, MPs called for the government to address the protests by teachers, doctors, microfinance workers, and cooperatives. They also suggested special provisions in the upcoming budget to resolve the water scarcity issue in hilly areas, and the removal of legal barriers in the social media registration process.
MP Arjun Narsingh KC emphasized the need to implement agreements made with teachers and urged the government to seriously address the issues of protesting teachers, residential doctors, local employees, and microfinance victims. MP Ammar Bahadur Thapa also drew the government’s attention to engage in immediate talks with teachers to address their demands. MP Kantika Sejuwal urged the government to implement agreements made with teachers and ensure the right to free and quality education for students. She also requested that 20% of the total budget be allocated to the education sector in the coming fiscal year.
Court Approves 3-day Custody for NC Lawmaker Rai: Nepali Congress lawmaker Maya Rai has been placed under three-day custody for investigation, following a Kathmandu District Court decision on Sunday. Rai, who had long been absconding despite an arrest warrant, was apprehended on Saturday evening and immediately taken to the custody of Kathmandu District Police Range at Bhadrakali. She was presented before the court the next day.
The case relates to the embezzlement of funds from Swarnalaxmi Savings and Credit Cooperative at Kalimati, where Rai served as the deputy secretary on the management committee. She faces allegations, alongside others, of misappropriating a staggering Rs 1.19 billion belonging to 690 depositors. Earlier, Kathmandu District Court had filed a case against 39 individuals over cooperative fraud and organized crime charges, while controversially granting immunity to five people, including Rai — a move that had drawn sharp criticism.
Parsa Police Sends RSP Chair Lamichhane’s Report to Government Attorney’s Office: Parsa police have forwarded the case filed against Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) president Rabi Lamichhane to the District Government Attorney’s Office for further legal proceedings. After completing the investigation and gathering statements, Parsa police requested action against Lamichhane for fraud and organized crime, submitting the report to the Government Attorney’s Office on Friday.
In the report, the police have named 41 individuals as defendants. According to Parsa Police spokesperson Kishor Lamsal, after concluding the investigation into two separate cases, the report was forwarded with recommendations for action against several companies and individuals involved. The report includes 30 individuals, three cooperatives, and eight companies as defendants. The total amount claimed in damages is NPR 2.30 billion, according to the police. The report has now been sent to the Government Attorney’s Office for legal action.
Maoist Centre Condemns Police Repression on Teachers’ Protest: The main opposition party, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre), has condemned the police repression against teachers’ protests, accusing the government of ignoring the teachers’ demands. Speaking at the House of Representatives meeting on Sunday, Maoist Centre MP Gyanu Basnet condemned the police intervention, stating, “Teachers have faced police repression. I strongly condemn this.” She also wished for the quick recovery of the injured teachers.
Basnet warned that the government would have to pay a heavy price for its intervention in the teachers’ movement. “The government has committed such acts of repression, and it will have to bear the consequences. I urge the government to take notice of this,” she said. The teachers have been protesting in Kathmandu for over a month, demanding changes to the education law. On Sunday, a clash broke out between teachers and police in Baneshwor, during which the police used water cannons. According to the Teachers’ Federation, more than 60 teachers were injured in the incident.
Foreign Minister Rana Highlights Need for Strategic Development in Sudurpaschim: Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba emphasized the urgent need for a significant improvement in the Human Development Index (HDI) of the Sudurpaschim Province, currently ranked at the bottom of the national scale. During a discussion on the federal budget and priorities for the Sudurpaschim Province for the fiscal year 2082-083, organized by the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers’ office in Kathmandu, she expressed that the upcoming budget and programs should be designed to address these disparities.
Dr. Rana stated, “In comparison to other regions, Sudurpaschim Province is currently at a very low position in terms of HDI. I believe it is possible to bring about significant improvements by planning future projects and programs accordingly, and ensuring that the budget aligns with these priorities.” She emphasized that the budget should not merely allocate funds across various sectors in a haphazard manner but should instead focus on specific communities and sectors that would benefit directly or indirectly. Moreover, Dr. Rana called for clear plans and actionable programs to be devised, with a commitment to completing them within specified timelines.
Three Killed, 22 Injured in Bus Accident in Saptari: A tragic bus accident occurred in Saptari, where three people lost their lives and 22 others were injured. The incident took place when a passenger bus lost control and overturned on the East-West Highway. The deceased have been identified as 75-year-old Ratna Bahadur Magarati from Saptari’s Saptakoshi Municipality-1. The identity of other two victims remain unknown.
The accident occurred at around 12 noon on Sunday, when the bus (registration number Pr 1-01-001 Kh 3420), which was traveling from Udaypur to Biratnagar, overturned near Badgama, Kanchanrup Municipality-10 in Saptari, according to DSP Madhav Prasad Kafle from the Kanchanpur Area Police Office.
4.1-Magnitude Quake Hits Drachula: A tremor was felt in the Darchula district of Sudurpashchim Province on Sunday afternoon. At 3:49 PM, the earthquake shook areas including the district headquarters, Khalanga. According to Technical Assistant Yuvraj Subedi from the Seismic Measurement Center in Surkhet, the earthquake had a magnitude of 4.1 on the Richter scale, with its epicenter located in the Suva area of Uttarakhand province, near the Nepal-India border. Authorities have not reported any damage or casualties from the earthquake.
Stock Market Sees Significant Increase in Trading Volume on First Day of the Week: The stock market experienced a notable surge in trading volume on the first day of the week. Compared to the previous day, the trading volume increased by NPR 3 billion. On the previous day, the market saw a turnover of NPR 7.87 billion, whereas today, the turnover reached NPR 10.87 billion. Amidst high trading activity, the market index, NEPSE, saw a modest increase. The NEPSE index rose by 3.58 points, settling at 2661 points.
During the trading session, it even reached 2684 points at 12:25 PM. Among the sectors, the investment sector saw the highest increase, while the finance sector experienced the largest decline. In terms of sector performance, the banking sector rose by 0.39%, development banks by 0.02%, while the finance sector dropped by 1.05%. Similarly, life insurance increased by 0.11%, microfinance by 0.94%, non-life insurance by 0.33%, and others by 0.57%. On the other hand, the hotel and tourism sector grew by 0.38%, hydropower by 1.06%, investment by 1.77%, production by 0.41%, and the trade sector saw a rise of 1.18%.
Long-Term Reforms and Management in the Cooperative Sector Begins, Says Minister Adhikari: The National Cooperative Regulatory Authority has begun its work to address long-term reforms and management issues in the cooperative sector. At an interaction program held on Friday, Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation, Balram Adhikari, highlighted that the government is serious about resolving problems within the cooperative sector.
The authority, formed on 14th Poush 2081, has already prepared its regulations. Minister Adhikari stated that the authority would soon appoint a chairperson and accelerate its efforts. He assured that the legitimate demands of the cooperative sector will be addressed in due course.
Maya Rai, Congress MP, Arrested for Misappropriation at Co-operative: Maya Rai, a Member of Parliament from the Nepali Congress, has been arrested on charges of misappropriating funds from the Swarnalaxmi Savings and Credit Co-operative in Kalimati. Rai was arrested from her residence in Kapan on Saturday evening by the police. The Kathmandu District Police Range informed the Federal Parliament Secretariat on the same day that Rai was being held for investigation.
Rai, along with others, is accused of embezzling 1.19 billion rupees from 690 depositors. A recommendation was made to file a case against her for the misappropriation of funds at the Swarnalaxmi Savings and Credit Co-operative. Despite an arrest warrant being issued by the Kathmandu District Court for charges of co-operative fraud and organized crime, she had been absconding for a long time.
Over NPR 5 billion Budget Returned by Various Agencies Due to Unused Allocations: More than NPR 5 billion in budget allocated for the current fiscal year has been returned due to non-utilization, according to various government bodies. According to the Ministry of Finance, the majority of the returned budget falls under the capital expenditure category. The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, along with the Millennium Challenge Account Nepal Development Committee (MCA-Nepal), has returned the highest amounts of budget.
As per the Ministry of Finance’s information officer, Ambika Prasad Khanal, a total of NPR 534 million has been returned from operational budgets, and NPR 5.03 billion has been returned from capital expenditure. The Ministry of Communication and Information Technology returned NPR 9.5 million, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation returned NPR 3.9 million, the Election Commission returned NPR 24.2 million, and the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation returned NPR 15.8 million.
‘Anjila’ Continues to Perform Strong at the Box Office: Despite struggling to stay in theaters for more than a week, Anjila, a film currently running, has shown impressive performance at the box office. In its seventh week of release, the movie is still being shown in over 40 theaters. As of last week, the film’s earnings have surpassed NPR 80 million, with projections suggesting lifetime collections will reach around NPR 100 million.
The filmmakers are preparing to celebrate the 51st day of the movie’s release this Friday. The film Anjila has been screened for the fourth time in Bhojpur Municipality. The screening was held in the municipal hall, equipped with a digital screen and sound system, with 500 audience members in attendance. Director Milan Chams expressed his happiness at the event, stating, “It is a historic achievement to have a screening in a place without a movie hall, and I am extremely pleased to be part of this program.”
Actress Diya Pun’s Character Look from Nepali Film ‘Eklo’ Revealed: The character look of actress Diya Pun from the upcoming Nepali feature film Eklo has been revealed. On Sunday, the film’s production unit unveiled a poster of Diya’s character in celebration of the occasion of Mata Tirtha Aunsi (Mother’s Day) – a day to honor mothers. The film, directed by Pradeep Shahi, features Diya in the role of a dedicated and loving mother, which aligns with the theme of Mata Tirtha Aunsi, as per the director.
This film marks the third directorial venture of Pradeep Shahi. The Eklo movie, based on science fiction, features Diya Pun’s character named “Astronaut Pun” in the poster. Currently, the post-production of the film is taking place in London. Recently, director Pradeep Shahi was selected for the prestigious Cannes Producers Network, which has further boosted the film’s visibility and popularity.
Sushant KC’s Hit Song ‘Bardali’ to Be Released in Hindi: The popular Nepali song Bardali by Sushant KC is set to be released in Hindi. India’s well-known music production company, T-Series, will be launching the Hindi version of the song titled Uff. The teaser for the Hindi version was released by T-Series, announcing that the song will be available on April 28, Monday. The teaser features Sushant KC and Swastima Khadka.
T-Series wrote in the teaser: “From the moments on a small balcony to the world filled with emotions, we are back with feelings that will overflow in your hearts.” However, further details about the Hindi song have not been disclosed yet. The Nepali version of Bardali has amassed an impressive 72 million views on YouTube.
National Men’s and Women’s Hockey Tournaments to Begin This Week: The Nepal Hockey Association announced that the National Men’s Hockey Championship will be held from Baisakh 17 to 26, and the National Women’s Hockey Championship will take place from Baisakh 18 to 26. Both tournaments will be organized at the Chyasal Football Ground in Lalitpur. General Secretary Subarna Shrestha informed that eight teams will compete in the men’s tournament and four teams in the women’s category.
In the men’s section, teams from Madhesh Province, Karnali Province, Nepal Army, Gandaki Province, Koshi Province, Bagmati Province, Nepal Police Club, and APF Club will compete. APF Club is participating in hockey as a new team this year. The men’s teams will be divided into two groups and the matches will be played in a league-cum-knockout format.
APF Club Registers First Win in Manamohan Memorial One-Day Cricket: On the second day of the ongoing third edition of the Manamohan Cup One-Day National Tournament in Biratnagar, the departmental team Armed Police Force (APF) Club claimed victory. In the match held at the Baijanathpur Cricket Ground, APF defeated Bagmati Province by 8 wickets. Chasing a target of 81 runs set by Bagmati Province, APF reached the target in just 9.4 overs, losing only 2 wickets.
During the chase, APF opener Deepak Bohara scored the highest with an unbeaten 48 runs. He struck 5 fours and 3 sixes off 35 balls. In Bagmati’s bowling attack, Ashim Shrestha took 2 wickets. Earlier, having lost the toss and opted to bat first, Bagmati Province were bowled out for 80 runs in 19.3 overs. Captain Rit Gautam was the top scorer for Bagmati with 31 runs, while Bibek Rana Magar added 13 runs and Uttam Thapa Magar contributed 10 runs.
Nakhkhipot and Sankata Win Pilmo Family Coffee Club Charity Futsal Titles: Nakhkhipot Youth Club (men’s) and Sankata Club (women’s) claimed the titles at the 3rd Family Coffee Club Charity Futsal Tournament. In the men’s final, held at Baakhat Futsal in Sunakothi, Nakhkhipot defeated Waiba FC in a dramatic sudden death (7–6) after a 1–1 draw during regulation time.
In the women’s final, Sankata beat Halesi Club by 2–1, with goals from Abhani Singh and Sobinya Dhakal. Sabina Tamang scored the consolation goal for Halesi. Both winning teams received a cash prize of Rs 25,000, while the runners-up were awarded Rs 12,000. Nakhkhipot’s goalkeeper Shailendra Magar was named Best Player in the men’s category, and Sankata’s Abhani Singh earned the Best Player award in the women’s division.
Eighteen Killed in Huge Iran Port Blast: Fires were blazing Sunday a day after a massive explosion tore through Iran’s largest commercial port, killing at least 18 people and wounding 800 others, according to state media. The blast occurred Saturday at Shahid Rajaee Port in southern Iran, near the Strait of Hormuz through which a fifth of world oil output passes.
The port’s customs office said in a statement carried by state television that the explosion probably resulted from a fire that broke out at the hazardous and chemical materials storage depot. The New York Times quoted a person with ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss security matters, saying that what exploded was sodium perchlorate — a major ingredient in solid fuel for missiles.
India and Pakistan Troops Exchange Fire in Kashmir: Troops from Pakistan and India exchanged fire in disputed Kashmir for a third night in a row, officials said Sunday, as relations between the nuclear-armed rivals plunged to their lowest level in years. India has accused Pakistan of supporting “cross-border terrorism” after gunmen carried out the worst attack on civilians in contested Muslim-majority Kashmir for a quarter of a century.
Islamabad has denied any involvement, calling attempts to link Pakistan to the attack “frivolous” and vowed to respond to any Indian action. Indian security forces have launched a giant manhunt for those responsible for killing 26 men at a tourist hotspot in Pahalgam on April 22, with police naming two Pakistani nationals among the fugitive gunmen.
After Meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump Questions Putin’s Willingness to Stop Ukraine War: US President Donald Trump has questioned his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin’s willingness to stop the war and criticised recent missile strikes in Ukraine, CNN reported. Trump said after his meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Vatican on the sidelines of Pope Francis’ funeral, on Saturday. It was the first meeting between the two leaders since their meeting in the White House, when Zelenskyy faced criticism from Trump and Vice President JD Vance over what they saw as a lack of gratitude for American support.
In a post shared on his social media platform, Truth Social, as he was heading back to the US from Rome, Trump hinted at imposing sanctions against Moscow after Russia’s latest missile attack on Ukraine and questioned whether Putin wants to stop the war. Donald Trump even criticised former US President Barack Obama and suggested that he “made it possible for Russia to steal Crimea from Ukraine without even a shot being fired.
