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.

Veteran Leftist Leader Pradeep Nepal Passes Away at 71: Senior leftist politician and former minister Pradeep Nepal has passed away. He died on Tuesday afternoon at Norvic Hospital, Kathmandu, at the age of 71. He had been suffering from Parkinson’s disease, which had left him increasingly frail in recent years and led to his withdrawal from active politics. He was admitted to the hospital a few days ago and was moved to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) on Monday after his condition worsened. Nepal served as Minister for Education and Minister for Information and Communications Technology during his political career. He was also a former Standing Committee member of the CPN-UML (Communist Party of Nepal – Unified Marxist-Leninist).

Speaker Directs Government to Address Concerns Presented in Parliament: Speaker Devraj Ghimire has issued a ruling to the government to respond to various concerns raised in the House of Representatives (HoR) over time. During today’s HoR meeting, lawmakers from the Janamat Party stood in protest over the recent detention of Resham Chaudhary, the party’s patron, by police for several hours without explanation. Janamat Party lawmaker Abdul Khan announced that the party would not allow the House to function until the government provides a convincing explanation regarding the incident. In response, Speaker Ghimire urged lawmakers to allow proceedings to continue, stating that Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak is scheduled to address the issue during a House session on May 8.

Lawmakers Draw Government’s Attention on Contemporary Issues: Lawmakers have drawn the attention of the government on contemporary issues. During an emergency hour in today’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Ranjita Shrestha demanded the government to carry out impartial investigation into the arrest of leader of Nagarik Unmukti Party, Resham Chaudhary, on April 30. Similarly, Kantika Sejuwal drew government’s attention to rescue Dipraj Bhandari, 26, of Sumli village in Chhayanath municipality-14 of Mugu district, who is stranded in the United Arab Emirates for the past three months. He is there for the past one year in course of overseas employment. Likewise, Thakur Prasad Gaire asked the government to complete the construction of federal parliament building which is under construction in Singha Durbar premises.

Deuba Says No Problem in Coalition or Governor Appointment Delay: Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has said there is no problem in appointing the new governor, clarifying that the delay is due to internal issues within Nepal Rastra Bank. Addressing a program held at the party headquarters on Tuesday, Deuba also asserted that there is no problem within the current ruling coalition. “There is no issue in the coalition. The delay in appointing the governor is due to internal problems within the central bank,” Deuba said. He also made it clear that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is not responsible for the delay. “It’s not because of Mr. Oli that the governor’s appointment has been delayed,” he added.

Attorney General’s Office to Prosecute 17 Individuals in Land Lease Scam: The Office of the Attorney General has decided to initiate legal proceedings in the case involving the financial misappropriation linked to the leasing of 28 ropani and 5 aana of land owned by the Nepal Children’s Organization (Nepal Bal Sangathan) in Naxal. Among those facing prosecution is Rita Singh Baidya, sister of Deputy Prime Minister and Nepali Congress leader Prakash Man Singh, along with 16 others, as confirmed by the Office of the Attorney General. Deputy Attorney General Suryaraj Dahal stated that the legal process has now begun following the decision to proceed with the case. Earlier, on the 15th of Magh, 2081 B.S., the District Government Attorney’s Office had decided to pursue the case and forwarded the file to the High Government Attorney’s Office for approval.

Major General Mahara Decorated with Rank Insignia by Chief of Army Staff Sigdel: Major General Man Bahadur Mahara was decorated with the rank insignia by Chief of Army Staff Ashok Raj Sigdel on Tuesday. According to the Directorate of Public Relations and Information of the Nepal Army, the insignia was presented during a special ceremony held at the Army Headquarters. Major General Mahara is currently serving as the Deputy Force Commander in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) mission. On the same occasion, Chief of Army Staff Sigdel also conferred rank insignia to newly promoted Brigadier Generals Manoj Thapa and Arjun Basnet, as well as to Lieutenant Colonel Brajesh Maharjan.

Average Rainfall Recorded During Pre-Monsoon Season This Year: This year’s pre-monsoon period has recorded average rainfall across Nepal, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. The pre-monsoon period, which includes March, April, and May, usually sees an average rainfall between 90 to 110 millimeters. As of now, Nepal has recorded 107.5 millimeters of rainfall. Meteorologist Sudarsan Humagain said, “This figure represents 107.5% of seasonal rainfall—very close to the normal range.” He noted that although there was little rain in March, good rainfall occurred in April and May, aligning with the department’s seasonal projection.

Home Minister to Address Parliament on Resham Chaudhary’s Arrest: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak is scheduled to inform Parliament about the arrest of Resham Chaudhary, patron of the Nagarik Unmukti Party. On Tuesday, lawmakers from the party disrupted the House of Representatives, demanding a ruling on Chaudhary’s arrest. In response, Speaker Devraj Ghimire announced that the Home Minister would provide a formal statement in Parliament on Thursday. Chaudhary was arrested on Baisakh 17 during an event at Pragya Bhawan, where the Nagarik Unmukti Party and Janamat Party were scheduled to announce their merger.

Five Injured in Clash at UML Dhanusha District Convention: A clash broke out between two rival factions of the CPN-UML during the party’s 8th district convention in Dhanusha, leaving five people injured. Among the injured were Satyanarayan Mahaseth and Ram Udgar Das, reportedly attacked by supporters of Saroj Yadav, leader of the UML Parliamentary Party in Madhes Province. The dispute involves two rival camps: one led by UML secretary Raghubir Mahaseth, politburo member Julie Mahato, and central member Harinarayan Mahato; and the other including Saroj Yadav, Speaker Ram Chandra Mandal, outgoing chair Rajkishor Yadav, and leaders Umashankar Argariya and Sanjeev Jha.

166 Armed Police Force Personnel Punished for Misusing Social Media: A total of 166 personnel from the Armed Police Force (APF) Nepal have faced disciplinary action for violating organizational rules by posting photos and videos on social media against official directives.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Shailendra Thapa, who serves as APF’s deputy spokesperson, the disciplinary actions were taken over the past two years. The personnel—ranging from Assistant Inspectors to regular officers—were found to have shared content in APF uniforms on platforms such as Facebook, Messenger, Twitter (X), Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, IMO, and WeChat, which the organization views as inappropriate.

Death Toll of Dhankuta Bus Accident Reaches Three: The death toll of a bus accident occurred at Dhankuta municipality-6 has reached three after Leela Bahadur Shrestha, 58, of Shadananda municipality-13 died this morning. Shrestha died in course of treatment at Dharan-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences at 4:00 am, said police. A bus (Ko 1 Kha 2177) heading towards Dhankuta from Dharan met with an accident on Monday. Similarly, Krishna Kumari Bhujel, 73, of Dhankuta municipality-6 and Rudra Tamang, 51, of Dharan sub-metropolis-13, the bus driver, died on Monday in course of treatjment at Dhankuta Hospital.

Wedding Bus Sinks in Udayapur River Due to Flood Sludge: A wedding bus returning from Saptari sank into the flood-laden slurry of the Triyuga River in Chaudandigadhi Municipality-5, Udayapur district, on Monday night. According to Deputy Mayor Manika Devi Dulal, the bus was swept into a mud-covered riverbed caused by flooding in the Triyuga River. “The bus returning after delivering wedding guests sank in a patch filled with flood sludge,” she informed. The vehicle, with registration number Ko 1 Kha 4753, was returning to Udayapur from Sivai, having completed its wedding duties in Saptari. While the bus sustained damage, no human casualties were reported, Dulal confirmed.

NEPSE Sees Slight Increase on Tuesday: On Tuesday, the third trading day of the week, the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) closed slightly higher. The index rose by 1.03 points to close at 2,611.43, reflecting a 0.03% increase. A total of 318 securities were traded through 80,054 transactions involving 20,542,765 shares. The total turnover stood at Rs 8.74 billion. Sectors such as hydropower, life insurance, manufacturing and processing, non-life insurance, and trade saw gains. Investors in the trade sub-group gained the most, while those in the finance sub-group incurred the biggest losses.

Finance Minister Paudel Consults Maoist Chair Prachanda Ahead of Budget: Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel visited Maoist Centre Chairperson and former PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ at his residence in Khumaltar on Tuesday morning. The meeting focused on discussions related to the upcoming national budget for fiscal year 2082/83. According to the constitution, the government must present the annual budget by Jestha 15. Paudel had already consulted Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba regarding the upcoming budget.

Binod Chaudhary Meets Bill Gates in Singapore: Binod Chaudhary, Chairman of Chaudhary Group and Member of Parliament, met Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates in Singapore. The two billionaires met during the Philanthropy Asia Alliance–2025 (PAA–2025) event on Tuesday. According to Chaudhary Group, the meeting involved serious discussions on Nepal’s major challenges in healthcare and employment. Chaudhary expressed gratitude to the Gates Foundation for its partnership through the “Strong Nepal” campaign since the 2015 earthquake and during the COVID–19 pandemic, as well as in the field of child nutrition.

Government to Transfer Only 91.76% of Allocated Fiscal Equalization Grants: For the current fiscal year 2081/82, only 91.76% of the government’s allocated fiscal equalization grants will be transferred. As of the end of Chaitra, only 82.72% of the annual revenue target had been achieved. Based on this, the Ministry of Finance’s Financial Federalism Coordination Division wrote to the Office of the Financial Comptroller General to transfer grants in proportion. As a result, provinces and local governments will receive only the fourth installment worth 20.68% of the total, meaning they will get 91.76% of the allocated grants in total.

‘Maitighar’ Movie Underway in Myagdi; Magne Budha’s New Look Revealed: The upcoming Nepali film Maitighar is currently being shot in Takam village of Myagdi district. The cast includes popular actors such as Kedar Ghimire (Magne Budha), Yuvraj Lama, Dhiraj Magar, Prakash Saput, Upasana Singh Thakuri, Shyamashree Sherpa, Buddhi Tamang, and Shishir Wangdel. A new look of actor Kedar Ghimire from the film set has been revealed, where he is seen sitting on a bed and looking at his phone. His appearance resembles that of a traditional village headman, although the production team has remained tight-lipped about his role. Directed by Milan Tamang, the film is centered around Tamang culture and is set to release on Phulpati during the Dashain festival.

New Song ‘Badmaas’ by Nhyoo Bajracharya and Menuka Poudel Creates Buzz on YouTube: A new Nepali song titled Badmaas, composed by Nhyoo Bajracharya and sung by Menuka Poudel, has been released on YouTube and is gaining popularity. The lyrics by Sundar Raj Bhandari explore deep romantic emotions, where the lover describes the heart, thoughts, eyes, and lips of the beloved using the metaphor badmaas (rogue/playful). The music video features performances by Sanisha Bhattarai and Biju Parki. It is directed by Bimlesh Adhikari, with Bikrantman Shrestha as executive producer, Prabin Manandhar handling editing and color grading, Gopal Rasaily as the arranger, Hari Humagain behind the camera, and choreography by Karan Shah and Rabita Magar. At the launch event, the venue was packed with audiences and included appearances by noted artists and media personalities such as Bikas Rana, Bipin Karki, Keki Adhikari, and Biplav Pratik.

‘Alias Dara Singh’ Play Staged at Mandala Theatre Kathmandu: The play Urf Dara Singh is currently being performed regularly at Mandala Theatre, located in Thapagaun, Kathmandu. Based on the life of Karnabahadur Kerung, the play is written by Suman Lingden and portrays how Kerung came to be known as Dara Singh. It reflects his involvement in the Jhoda Land Movement during the Panchayat era and how he was politically victimized by the land reform program introduced in 2037 B.S., which eventually led to his death. Directed by Chetan Angthupo and presented by Chulachuli Rangamanch, the play is scheduled to run until Jestha 11. The cast includes Akash Suhang, Anjana Rai, Prabin Magar, Lahana Rai, Man Kumar Yonghang, Dawa Sherpa, Mani K. Rai, Numa Rai, Sampada Thulung, Manik Shankar, Prabin Bhandari, Sanjit Thulung, Ajay Lama, Yugal Limbu, Pawan Gole, Yugal Shrestha, and Ujwal Rai.

PM Oli Expresses Serious Concern Over Delay in Kirtipur Cricket Stadium Project: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli held a serious discussion on Monday with officials and contractors regarding the failure to complete the installation of international-standard parapet seating and floodlights at the Kirtipur Cricket Ground within the stipulated deadline. During the meeting at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar, PM Oli expressed concern over the delay despite the start of construction. Attendees included Gopal Prasad Sigdel, Secretary at the Ministry of Urban Development, and Chakravarti Kant Sasi, head of the Federal Secretariat and Management Office, which is overseeing the implementation.

Nepali Judo Team Leaves for Bhutan to Compete in South Asian Youth Championship: An 11-member Nepali delegation, including six athletes, departed for Thimphu, Bhutan on Tuesday to participate in the first South Asian Youth Judo Development Championship and Camp. The competition, scheduled from May 7 to 12, will see participation from six players of the Multi-purpose Martial Arts Center (MMAC), including four men and two women. In the men’s category: Bisaj Maharjan and Sadin Tamang will compete in the under-40 kg category, Juvin Maharjan in under-50 kg, and Saiman Tamang in under-36 kg. In the women’s category: Shrestha Napit (under-57 kg) and Jenisha Waiba (under-36 kg) will represent Nepal.

Nepali Women’s Cricket Team Registers Consolation Win in India Warm-Up Series: Nepal’s national women’s cricket team, currently in its final preparations for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier, secured a consolation victory during their practice series in India. In the second match held Tuesday in Delhi, Nepal defeated the RPCA Girls by four runs. Chasing a target of 130, RPCA managed only 125 runs for six wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Despite an unbeaten 47 from Najma Khan, the host team fell short. Nepal’s Kabita Kunwar held her nerve in the final over, conceding only six runs when 11 were needed. Earlier, Nepal posted 129/8 in 20 overs, with Rajmati Airee top-scoring with 29 runs. Ruby Poddar contributed 20, and Kabita Joshi remained unbeaten on 19.

US President Trump and Canada’s Carney Set for High-stakes Meeting: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney meets Donald Trump on Tuesday for the first time since he won reelection on a pledge to stand up to the US president’s tariffs and threats to annex the United States’ northern neighbor. The 60-year-old Liberal Party leader has said that things cannot be the same with the United States under Trump, and warned not to expect any immediate agreements from the meeting at the White House. Trump has sparked a major trade war with Canada, which counts the United States as its main ally and trading partner, while repeatedly making extraordinary calls for Canada to become the 51st US state.

More than 16,000 children killed in Gaza since war started: More than 16,000 children have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the onset of Israel’s military offensive on Oct. 7, 2023, at a rate of one child every 40 minutes, Gaza-based health authorities reported on Monday. Marwan al-Hams, director of field hospitals with Gaza’s health authorities, said the toll included 16,278 children, among them 908 infants and 311 newborns who died after birth. Al-Hams made the statement during a press briefing at the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. He highlighted that the humanitarian situation had significantly worsened since Israel closed the crossings in early March, disrupting essential healthcare services.

Judge Orders Trump to Admit 12,000 Refugees into US: A judge on Monday ordered President Donald Trump’s administration to admit around 12,000 refugees into the United States, a blow to the government’s efforts to re-shape America’s immigration policy. The order clarifies the limits imposed by an appeals court ruling which allowed the Trump administration to suspend the refugee admissions system, but said it must admit people already granted refugee status with travel plans to the United States. The Trump administration argued at a hearing last week that it should only have to admit 160 refugees who were scheduled to travel within two weeks of an executive order in January halting the system.