- Saturday, 23 May 2026
Kathmandu, May 23: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha on Saturday evening conducted an on-site inspection of the Load Dispatch Center of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) in Syuchatar, Kathmandu.
During the inspection, Minister Shrestha took stock of the overall operation of the country’s electricity system and management of the power supply.
He also reviewed the current status of cross-border electricity trade with neighbouring countries.
Following the inspection, Minister Shrestha emphasized the importance of strengthening the electricity system to ensure Nepal’s energy security and reliable electricity supply.
On the occasion, Minister Shrestha directed the Centre’s authorities to work towards increasing domestic electricity consumption while exporting surplus power to take economic leverage.
He also instructed to efficiently manage the higher electricity demand during the winter season. The Minister pledged that the Ministry would provide necessary support to modernize the electricity system.
He also assured to make it more technology-friendly while reducing potential technical risks. Centre’s Chief Chandan Ghosh briefed Minister Shrestha on a wide range of issues such as balancing electricity supply and demand, technical challenges within the system and the technical aspects of power trade with India.
Accompanying Minister Shrestha during the inspection was Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha, the Officiating Executive Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority.
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09- Home delivery of passports in Banke
Nepalgunj, May 23: Passports have been delivered by post to the concerned in three local levels of Banke district.
The District Post Office has stated that so far, five service recipients have been received their passports at their respective residence in Khajura Rural Municipality, Narainapur Rural Municipality, and Duduwa Rural Municipality.
“Earlier, it was a hassle to get a passport. Now, it has started to arrive at home. This has saved time and expenses of the service recipients,” said Kamal Kumar Verma of Duduwa Rural Municipality, who expressed excitement at the government’s latest initiative of delivering passports to service recipients at their doorsteps.
District Post Office Chief and Postal Officer Gajendra Prakash Tharu said that five service recipients have been provided with passports at their homes in the district in the past few weeks, and that passports for some others will be distributed as soon as they arrive at the post office.
The passports are delivered to where the service recipient has notified to get it during the filing of the application for a new passport. The passports are distributed as soon as the local administration delivers them to the post office within a maximum of two days depending on the distance, said Tharu. Although this service is free for service recipients, a postal fee of Rs. 65 has been fixed.
The home delivery service was included in the 100-day agenda of the new government during its installation.
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10- Tiptala checkpoint in Taplejung resumes service
Taplejung, May 23: The Tiptala checkpoint in Taplejung has resumed operations, marking the reopening of Olangchungola, as one of the shortest trade route with China.
This development follows the appointment of Pradeep Dhital as the head of the customs office, which had been closed since the COVID-19 pandemic. Chheten Lama, the ward chair of Paktanglung rural municipality-7, said that Olangchungola serves as the shortest commercial centre connected to Tibet, located just 24 kms from the Nepal-China border.
Meanwhile, local representatives have expressed concern over the condition of the original customs office building, which is approximately 40 years old and in a dilapidated condition.
They have requested funding from the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Customs in the upcoming fiscal year 2083/84 BS to facilitate the construction of a new building and ensure the effective operation of the customs office, and thereby bilateral trade with neigbouring China.
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11- Provincial Youth Summit begins in Dhangadi
Kailali, May 23: A two-day ‘Sudurpaschim Province Youth Summit 2026’ began here today. Youths from all nine districts of the Province are participating in the Summit.
Inaugurating the Summit, Sudurpaschim Province Chief Minister Kamal Bahadur Shah expressed the commitment to include the voices of youth in the policies and programs of the upcoming fiscal year 2083/84 BS. He emphasized that in the digital age, youth need awareness along with opportunities.
President of the NGO Federation Nepal Sudurpaschim Province Devi Prasad Khanal, Central Deputy General Secretaries Kiran Thapa and Bhavaraj Regmi, President of the Youth Campaign Yogendra Kafle, and Executive Member of the Sudurpaschim Province Youth Council Prithvi Bahadur Shah expressed their views at the programme.
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12- Public optimistic towards govt performances: Minister Timilsina
Nuwakot, May 23: Minister for Information and Communications Dr BikramTimilsina has said that the government’s recent initiatives have instilled hope among the people at large.
Speaking at the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP)’s Likhu Rural Municipality gathering here today, he highlighted the government’s commitment to reforming public services and promoting social justice, emphasizing a people-centered approach in governance.
Dr Timilsina assured that citizens would witness significant changes over the next five years as the government works diligently to address past injustices and improve public service delivery. He noted that the government is focused on alleviating the challenges faced by citizens, particularly the youth, and is actively engaged in enhancing services through entities like Nepal Telecom and the Post Office.
The upcoming budget is expected to introduce new policies aimed at directly benefiting the people. Dr. Timilsina also criticized the historical misuse of politics for personal gains, asserting that the RSP views politics as a means to serve the public and improve the nation.
He urged party members to prioritize public service in their roles, reinforcing the idea that political responsibility should be centered on the welfare of the people.
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13- Nepal’s presence at Cannes Film Festival a matter of pride, says Mayor Dangol
Kathmandu, May 23: Acting Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Sunita Dangol has said that Nepal’s presence at the Cannes Film Festival this year was a proud moment for the nation.
Speaking to media persons at Tribhuvan International Airport today upon returning home after participating in the festival, she said that the Nepali film ‘Elephant in the Fog (Tiniharu)’ directed by Avinash Bikram Shah won the Jury Prize in the ‘Un Certain Regard’ category at the festival, which further elevated the stature of the Nepali film and creative industry and arts sector.
The film received a standing ovation for seven minutes and all the audience was quite emotional following the screening of the film,” she said.
The acting Mayor also said it was a good opportunity to introduce the film festival organized by KMC as the international stage through the Cannes Festival. “We want to use international knowledge, skills and experience and bring about balanced development of the sector related to the creative industry through the film festival.”
Dangol, who left for France on Sunday at the invitation of David Lisnard, Mayor of Cannes, France, has invited Lisnard to participate in the Kathmandu Film Festival.
It may be noted that both Cannes and Kathmandu are member cities of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ‘Creative Cities’ film category.
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14- RSS correspondent Khadka awarded with Development Journalism Award
Dolakha, May 23: correspondent Kalika Khadka has been honoured with the ‘Development Journalism Award’ established by Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Dolakha chapter.
On the occasion of the chapter’s 13th annual general meeting held today at Charikot in Dolakha, member of the National Assembly Ghanshyam Rijal presented the award to Khadka, including a cash prize of Rs 10,000.
Khadka, who was born in Dolkha, has been making significant contributions for development through journalism. FNJ, Dolakha chapter said that the award was given as an appreciation for her contribution in the field.
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15- Health Minister Mehta holds discussions with high-level team of Gavi
Kathmandu, May 23: Minister for Health and Food Hygiene Nisha Mehta held discussions with a high-level team of the Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance on matters regarding the effective availability of vaccines in Nepal.
In her discussions with a high-level team of Gavi on the sidelines of the 79th World Health Assembly of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland earlier today, she said that continued cooperation and collaboration with Gavi is indispensable to prevent any adverse impact on the vaccination program during the transition period.
She said that continuous cooperation and close coordination with Gavi is indispensable as Nepal’s public health expenditure is still limited to around five percent of the gross domestic production, according to Dr Sameer Kumar Adhikari, Joint Spokesperson of the Health Ministry.
Minister Mehta however stressed that Nepal should gradually increase its own domestic investment in vaccine procurement and eventually become self-sufficient.
During the meeting, both sides expressed commitment to ensuring equitable access to life-saving health services including vaccination for all citizens even during the period of transition and to further expand the partnership between Nepal and Gavi.
Gavi has been a key partner in Nepal’s national immunization program since 2000. Minister Mehta mentioned that Gavi has played a significant technical and financial role in the successful expansion of HPV and other life-saving vaccines, including ‘rubella elimination’, which Nepal achieved by 2025.
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that helps vaccinate more than half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases.
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16- Two arrested with SLR magazine and 45 rounds of ammunition
Kathmandu, May 23: Police here have arrested two men with SLR magazine and 45 rounds of ammunition from Gongabu, Kathmandu. Those arrested are 27-year-old Khagendra Sharma and 22-year-old Omshankar Gupta of Rajbiraj Municipality-13, Saptari, according to District Police Range Kathmandu Spokesperson and Superintendent of Police Pawan Kumar Bhattarai. They were arrested with 45 rounds of ammunition, one magazine used in SLR rifle and one metal knocker during a search operation at Kabeli Guesthouse in Gongabu, Shiva Mandir, Tokha Municipality-9, Kathmandu. Spokesperson Bhattarai said that further investigation to this end is underway.
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17- Lumbini Chief Minister Acharya meets UK Minister Malhotra
Bhairahawa, May 23: UK Minister for Indo-Pacific Affairs Seema Malhotra, who is on a visit to Nepal, held a meeting with Chief Minister of Lumbini Province Chetnarayan Acharya in Rupandehi today.
During the meeting, the historical and friendly ties between Nepal and the United Kingdom, the bilateral development partnership and the development priorities of Lumbini Province were discussed.
On the occasion, Chief Minister Acharya shared that the Lumbini Province Government was focused on sustainable, inclusive and employment-focused economic growth of the province.
He added that province government has planned to ensure economic transformation of the province through investment promotion, modernization in agriculture, tourism development, industrial expansion, infrastructure development and digital innovation.
Likewise, Chief Minister Acharya expressed confidence that collaboration between Nepal and the UK will be to further expand in areas of sustainable development, investment promotion, tourism development and human capital, the Chief Minister’s Secretariat mentioned.
Similarly, the British Embassy in Nepal shared in its X account (formerly known as Twitter) that the courtesy meeting with provincial government was held to understand how the UK is working with Nepal at all levels of government and opportunities in Lumbini on provincial development and tourism.
Present at the meeting were the principal secretary of Lumbini Province, Krishna Prasad Kapri, vice chairman of Lumbini Provincial Commission Dr Dilliraj Aryal and others.
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18- Health insurance renewals on the wane in Jumla
Jumla, May 23: The number of people renewing their health insurance in Jumla district has been declining in recent years, according to the Health Insurance Board in the district.
According to Tirtharaj Joshi, Registration Officer at the Board, shared the number of health insurers in the district stands at over 103,000 individuals from 14,885 households.
However, only 44,479 policies remain active while nearly 56,000 people did not renew their insurance, added Joshi.
Among the insurers, 3,923 are senior citizens while 98 are people with severe disabilities and 306 are from the families of female community health volunteers, he said.
The data show that 17,312 people from extremely poor households did not renew their insurance, contributing significantly to the decline in renewal.
The number of insurers from such a background increased after the government discontinued its free renewal policy for extremely poor families, explained Joshi.
The government still provides free health insurance for people with disabilities, leprosy patients, people living with HIV and senior citizens.
Others can avail health insurance coverage worth Rs 100,000 by paying a premium fee, according to the Board.
The Board has made an arrangement for registration officials to make door-to-door visits to encourage massive participation of the beneficiaries into the programme.
Local residents opine that a number of factors have played roles for lower renewals including lack of medicines in designated hospitals, long waiting lines in healthcare facilities, delays and complaints from hospitals over unpaid insurance claims for insured patients, among others.
The health insurance programme was introduced in Jumla in 2074 BS.
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19- Mahottari issues 209 citizenship on mothers’ lineage in four months
Jaleshwor (Mahottari), May 23: Over the past four months, the District Administration Office, Mahottari, issued 209 citizenship certificates based on mothers’ lineage.
A Cabinet meeting held on December 26, 2025 had decided to grant citizenship to children whose fathers’ identities remain unknown. The decision was published in the Nepal Gazette on January 5, 2026, and circulars were subsequently sent to all DAOs across the country directing them to implement the provision.
According to Chief District Officer Indra Dev Yadav, such children reaching the eligible age of acquiring citizenship are getting citizenship by descent after completing the required processes. He said that a total of 209 people received citizenship certificates from January 20 to May 23 under this provision in the district.
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20- Western Cricket Club wins title of Panchakanya Rupandehi Super League
Lumbini, May 23: Defending champion Western Cricket Club of Butwal won the title of the Panchakanya Rupandehi Super League.
In the final match held today at the Siddhartha Cricket Stadium, the Western Cricket Club clinched the title by defeating Lumbini Khukuri Club of Bhairahawa by 45 runs.
With this win, the Western Cricket Club lifted the trophy of the tournament for the fourth time.
Winning the tournament, the Western Cricket Club received Rs 100,000 and the runner up Siddhartha Cricket Stadium received Rs 50,000.
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21- ANFTU, Gandaki returns structures built on public land
Kaski, May 23: The All Nepal Federation of Trade Unions (ANFTU), Gandaki Province on Saturday returned the public land it had been using for a long time to the Pokhara Valley Town Development Committee.
The Federation has constructed cemented structures on four ropani of land (one ropani is equivalent to 5,476 square feet) owned by the Committee. According to the Federation, the structures were developed on the land at Prithvi Chowk after obtaining permission from the Committee.
The Federation returned the land to the Committee a day before ending the 35-day deadline issued by the authority to vacate structures built either with or without permission.
Federation, Gandaki Province Rudra Gautam said the 13-room cemented building was constructed in 2067 BS at a cost of around Rs 15.3 million, and its key was handed to Committee Chair and Metropolis mayor Dhanraj Acharya.
The Federation returned the land to the Committee a day before the expiry of the 35-day deadline issued to vacate structures built either with or without permission.
Acharya said the local government has launched a campaign to reclaim and protect public property, including land.
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22- Nepal defeats Kyrgyzstan in CAVA Women’s Volleyball Championship
Kathmandu, May 23: The Nepali national volleyball team defeated Kyrgyzstan in the ongoing Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA) Women’s Volleyball Championship, which is being held in Kathmandu from Friday.
In the game played on Saturday at the covered hall of the National Sports Council in Tripureshwor, Nepal registered its first game by defeating Kyrgyzstan 3-0.
With today’s victory, chances are there for Nepal to enter the semifinals. Earlier, Nepal was defeated by India on Friday.
In the match played on Saturday, Nepali player Sumitra Regmi was declared the ‘player of the match’.
Nepal has gathered four points from the two matches played so far and has remained in the second position, while Kyrgyzstan has managed three points.
Nepal is scheduled to play against the Maldives on Sunday as part of the last game of the Group A.
The Championship is being attended by players from Nepal, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, the Maldives and Kazakhstan.
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23- Exhibition of 19th century European paintings kicks off in Kathmandu
Kathmandu, May 23: A week-long exhibition featuring 19th-century European artworks commenced on Saturday at Arupan Art Gallery in Lazimpat, Kathmandu.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Kiran Manandhar, the founding Chancellor of the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA).
Speaking at the inauguration of the exhibition, Manandhar asserted that the exhibition offers the Nepali audience a rare opportunity to view artworks that would otherwise require expensive visits to foreign museums.
Emphasizing the global importance of arts and artists, he lamented that Nepal still has progress to make in fully recognizing their value.
Recollecting how he forayed into arts, he recalled that he once secretly took money from his father to travel to Vanarasi in India for art studies at a time when families often discouraged artistic careers.
He observed that the public perception towards arts has gradually improved over the years.
Likewise, senior artist Radheshyam Mulmi noted that art commands high regard internationally and exuberantly said that reverence towards it was also growing in the country lately.
Encouraging aspiring artists to dedicate themselves seriously to artistic pursuits, he argued that the value of painting never diminishes.
Similarly, Rameshnath Khanal, senior artist as well as the Proprietor of Arupan Art Gallery, mentioned that the exhibition features 30 works by renowned European artists, each representing distinct artistic movements and styles.
Stating that it is a significant achievement to bring such works to Nepal, he divulged, that the collection was gathered during his family’s visit to the United States.
The exhibition also displays artworks from artists and traditions associated with countries such as France, Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Spain, the Netherlands and Norway.
Featured artists include Vincent van Gogh, Francisco Goya, J. M. W. Turner and Jean-Léon Gérôme among others.
The gallery had previously showed works associated with Pablo Picasso and Frida Kahlo, it was shared.
Executive Director at the gallery, Rita Khanal, unveiled the gallery’s plans to organize more international-standard exhibitions in the future.
She reminisced that it is during her visit to major galleries in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia she realized that Nepal still has much to achieve in the field of art presentation and preservation.
She informed that altogether 30 paintings by 19 internationally renowned artists are put at display in the exhibition.
She disclosed that the artworks are part of collections held at J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the US and were collected and brought to Nepal by her.
“These paintings may be small in size but they are historically and artistically significant,” she remarked.
“Not everyone can visit major international galleries, so we brought these works together in one place to help audiences understand the artistic movements of 19th-century Europe,” she said, shedding light on the objective of the exhibition.
The exhibition will run through May 30.
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24- Over 200 sheep missing as landslide buries sheepfold in northern Sankhuwasabha
Kimathanka (Sankhuwasabha), May 23: Over 200 animals have gone missing after a landslide buried a sheep pen at Mangsima of Makalu Rural Municipality-5 in Sankhuwasabha on Saturday.
The incident occurred in the morning when a mudslide buried the sheepfold owned by a local resident, Dal Bahadur Gurung, according to the District Police Office, Sankhuwasabha.
It is said the landslide struck the sheep pen suddenly while it was housing a total of 250 animals. Only 32 sheep were rescued alive.
Local sheep herder local Jhalak Gurung, 20, was injured in the incident, while another Kamal Gurung, 30, remained unharmed.
The Deputy Superintendent of Police of the district, Kumar Prasad Mainali, said the area lies in a geographically remote zone, posing challenges to undertake rescue and search works. The site is located around 40 kilometers away from the nearby Num Police Beat, and it takes around 10 hours on foot to reach there from the nearby police post.
Until filing of this report, a security squad has already left for the area for rescue efforts.
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25- Minister Yadav shares about government preparations to revive Hetauda Textile
Makawanpur, May 23: Federal Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies, Gauri Kumari Yadav, said the government is preparing to manage resources for reviving the Hetauda Textile Industry in a sustainable way.
The Minister said this during her visit to the Industry on Saturday. During the inspection, she observed the industry’s administrative building, spinning production room, and other production units, while also reviewing the machinery and the equipment.
Hetauda Corridor Management Office Manager Sangita Kunwar briefed the Minister on the current status of the industry.
Ministry’s Secretary Krishna Bahadur Raut, senior government officials, and Makawanpur-1 lawmaker Prakash Gautam accompanied the Minister during the inspection.
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26- ‘Madan Bhandari was a farsighted leader’
Kathmandu, May 23: Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari has said that late Madan Bhandari was a farsighted politician who offered a clear ideological base for Nepal’s political movement.
At a dialogue on late Bhandari organized by the Madan Bhandari Diamond Jubilee Celebration Committee in Kathmandu on Saturday, the former President said Madan Bhandari was a distinguished ideologue who could institutionalize people’s aspirations, democratic values and national needs through the political programmes.
He offered a new political direction to Nepal’s communist movement, the former President added.
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27- Two Indian nationals arrested on human trafficking charge
Kathmandu, May 23: The Nepal Police on Saturday unveiled two Indian nationals who were arrested on charges of alleged involvement in human trafficking.
The arrested are Chhotulal Jangid, 24, and Devender Kumar Harijan, 21, from Rajasthan, India, according to Nepal Police central police spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General Abhi Narayan Kafle.
Police said the two were allegedly attempting to take a girl from Khumaltar of Lalitpur Metropolitan City-14 to India. They reportedly tempted the girl to follow them and were apprehended while purchasing bus tickets to New Delhi. The girl was rescued before being taken to India. Further investigation into the case is underway.
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29- UML’s secretariat meeting continues
Kathmandu, May 23: The top leaders of the CPN (UML) shared their views at the party’s secretariat meeting.
UML General Secretary, three assistant general secretaries and five secretaries shared their views at the meeting held at party Chairman KP Sharma Oli’s residence in Gundu, Bhaktapur, UML leader Lekhraj Bhatta added. The next meeting will continue on Sunday as well and the decision process on the proposed agendas will be advanced after the leaders’ deliberations, Bhatta stated.
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30- Myagdi section of Beni-Jomsom road blocked
Myagdi, May 23: The traffic along the Myagdi section of the Beni-Jomsom-Korala road has been completely disrupted since Saturday evening after trees fell onto the roadway at Begkhola in Raghuganga Rural Municipality-1, Myagdi.
Vehicles traveling to Mustang from Beni and heading towards Beni from Jomsom are halted on the road following the disruption on the Myagdi section, according to the District Police Office, Myagdi.
The disruption has affected local residents as well as tourists and pilgrims traveling to Muktinath Temple in Mustang. Sagar Timilsina, the Information Officer at the DPO, Myagdi, informed that efforts are underway to reopen the blocked road using equipment of the Department of Roads and security personnel and labourers.
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31- 70 people killed by disaster-related incidents in 40 days
Kathmandu, May 23: The disaster-related incidents totaling 1,342 resulted in 70 deaths in the past 40 days.
According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, a total of 333 individuals were injured in these incidents, data covering April to May up to the present.
According to Authority Spokesperson Shanti Mahat, the highest number of deaths was caused by altitude sickness (16), followed by lightning strikes (14) and fires (11). Similarly, nine people died due to storms, eight from animal attacks, five from snakebites, two from landslides, two from boat capsizing, and one each from forest fire, another landslide, and an avalanche.
A total of 1,621 families have been affected by these disasters, including 488 families affected by fires, the highest, followed by 230 by storms, 139 by lightning strikes, and 105 by snakebites.
In the past 24 hours alone, three people were killed in disaster-related incidents. As the monsoon season nears, the risks of landslides and heat waves have further increased. Significant flooding in various districts of eastern Nepal has already affected large areas.
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