- Thursday, 4 December 2025
The Rising Nepal
Deepika leaves for Cannes Film Festival
Deepika Padukone left for Cannes earlier today and is all set to take her place as one of the jury members at the 75th Cannes Film Festival. The actor, who has been a regular attendee of the festival since 2017, was spotted at Mumbai’s airport on Tuesday. Deepika is the only Indian artiste on the panel. The festival will kick off on May 16 and will end on May 28. The Gehraiyaan actor is expected to walk the red carpet on all 10 days.
Tagore’s birth anniversary marked
Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), Embassy of India, Kathmandu together with Kendriya Vidyalaya, Kathmandu celebrated the 161st Birth Anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore on May 09, at Vivekananda Hall, Embassy of India, Kathmandu. The event was organised as part of the ongoing celebrations of India @75 Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
NEPSE increases to 2,313 points again
The benchmark of capital market index, NEPSE, has been increasing for three consecutive days since Sunday. The NEPSE index increased by 44.16 points (1.95 per cent) and closed at 2,313 points on Tuesday, the third trading day of the week. The index had increased by 74.38 points in the last three transaction days. NEPSE increased by 17.95 points on Sunday and by 12.27 points on Monday.
Nepali rupee falls to record low against USD
Nepali currency plunged to a record low against US dollar on Tuesday as Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) fixed the selling exchange rate at Rs. 124.25 per dollar. Earlier on March 8, 2022, the US dollar appreciated at its highest level against the Nepali rupee at Rs. 123.44 per dollar. Then after, with the fluctuation, the exchange rate of a US dollar dropped to Rs. 120.88 on April 6, 2022.
NTB to operate paid shuttle bus service on election day
Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is operating shuttle bus service for the tourists on the election day on 13 May, with the help of Tourist Police and Nepal Tourist Vehicle Association (NTVA) and Tourist Bus Association of Nepal (TBAN). Considering the inconvenience of air transport between the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) and hotels in Kathmandu on the day of local level election which is going to be held across the country on Friday, the NTB ha arranged a paid shuttle bus service, it said in a statement. Tourists have to pay Rs. 300 to get the service. The facility is available for three routes.
CNI requests ambassador to attract Australian investors to Nepal
The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) has urged the Australian Ambassador to Nepal, Felicity Volk, to facilitate the attraction of Australian investors to invest in the field of comparative advantage of Nepal. The Confederation urged to take initiatives to attract Australian investors in Nepal as there is potential for high returns on businesses related to green energy, mines and mineral industries, information technology and agro-processing.
Crucial Local Polls
Nepal is at the last preparatory stage of holding its local level elections slated for May 13, Friday. The silence period of 48 hours prior to the start of voting is in effect from Tuesday midnight. Political parties, cadres and candidates have conducted their election campaigns largely peacefully across the country. As many as 17,733,723 voters will exercise their adult franchise in this crucial democratic event. They will be in the polling stations to cast their votes to pick the candidates of their choice. They have this democratic opportunity to give mandate to their local level representatives for the coming five years.
Boosting Capital Expenditure
Nepal’s annual budget often hits a snag as the government continues to struggle to spend the capital outlay and promote capital formation. Despite public criticism and government’s commitment to address this issue, the cycle continues. Capital expenditure is essential to enhance the quality and quantity of public service delivery. Large amount of such expenditure is concentrated in the investment of infrastructure especially in the sector of transport, health, education, and research as well. Such expenditure has the potential to positively impact economic growth and development. At a macro-level, it intends to uplift the national economy in an effective manner.
Media Must Be Real Watchdog
According to the World Press Freedom Index of 180 nations released by Reporters without Borders on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day, 3rd May, India ranks 150th position out of 180 countries. It has actually slid down 8 places from its ranking of 142nd in last year. The same report places Nepal in the 76th position and shows that Nepal has actually climbed 30 steps up the ladder from its position of 106th.
Ubiquitous Smartphones
As an electronic device that can be used for communication, management of work and study, delegation of tasks and provision of entertainment, smartphone is a far cry from landlines. From the alarm tunes in the morning to a ubiquitous scrolling in the social media during bedtime, smartphones have become an indelible part of human life. It is portable and can be carried in hand. It can connect to the internet and make use of countless apps. It is further a source of entertainment as one can watch videos and access social media which can be used to connect and communicate with the world.
Conference hall construction completes in Lumbini
Construction of a meeting hall and meditation centre for 5,000 people has been completed in Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha. According to the Lumbini Development Trust, the completed meditation centre will be inaugurated on May 16, on the occasion of Buddha Jayanti. The meeting hall with state-of-the-art facilities has been constructed under the Lumbini Development Master Plan of National Pride. The hall, which was planned to be completed in three years, was delayed by one year due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Atletico edge past weakened Madrid
Atletico Madrid won a La Liga derby against Real Madrid for the first time in six years on Sunday as a 1-0 victory left Diego Simeone’s side on the cusp of securing Champions League qualification. Yannick Carrasco’s first-half penalty proved enough at the Wanda Metropolitano against a heavily weakened Real Madrid, who took the chance to rotate after their incredible Champions League comeback against Manchester City on Wednesday.
City move closer to EPL title
Manchester City took advantage of Liverpool’s stumble in the Premier League title race as the champions moved a step closer to retaining their crown with a 5-0 demolition of Newcastle on Sunday. Elsewhere on a dramatic day at both ends of the table, Arsenal beat relegation-threatened Leeds 2-1 to boost their bid for a top-four finish. Pep Guardiola’s side took control before half-time at the Etihad Stadium thanks to goals from Raheem Sterling and Aymeric Laporte. Rodri got City’s third after the break before Phil Foden and Sterling struck in stoppage time as they stormed back to the top of the table.
Foreign films flourish, local ones fail to earn
Nepali film industry has resumed its business after the end of third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in terms of collection there is no place to be satisfied. Although South Indian movies and Hollywood movies have been continuously luring local audience to the halls, Nepali movies have not been able to draw the crowd in the movie theatres.
7 Chepangs including a woman in fray
By Murari Adhikari Dhading, May 10: Seven people coming from the marginalised Chepang community in Dhading district are contesting the upcoming local polls for the post of the chairperson of their respective wards. One woman and six men from the community are running from various political parties for a chance to chair their wards. All seven claim their candidacy is for the upliftment of the Chepang community of the district.Rajendra Chepang has filed his candidacy for the chairman of Ward No. 9 of Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality from the Nepali Congress (NC) party. Around 42 per cent of the ward’s residents are Chepangs. “This Chepang population has so far only been used as a vote bank,” Rajendra said. “That is why we have now stepped forward to take charge of our fate,” he added. Rajendra said that he was entering the electoral field with a five-year strategy for the development of the ward and the community.Bikas Chepang is also standing for the position of ward chair of Benighat Rorang Ward No. 10 from the NC. He said that Chepangs needed to reach leadership positions to take the community forward. “Chepangs have always been left behind due to a lack of awareness and financial disadvantages,” he said. “Thus, I have taken this step into politics to develop and promote Chepang art, culture and civilisation.”In Benighat Rorang-8, two Chepangs are competing against each other. Aakash Chepang and Bhim Bahadur Chepang are standing from the CPN (UML) and the NC in the ward where 60 per cent of the residents are Chepangs. Both of them promise to work for their community and fulfil the needs of the locals if they win.In Gajuri Rural Municipality Ward 4 too, two Chepangs Surendra Praja from Congress and Harka Bahadur Chepang from the Unified Socialist are standing against each other. Praja was elected the chairman of the ward in 2017 and is now seeking a second term. Meanwhile, Harka Bahadur said that Chepangs needed to reach leading positions to end their backwardness.In Gajuri-3, Shobha Chepang is standing from the CPN (Unified Socialist). She said her candidacy stemmed from a lack of food, shelter, education, health, security and employment which has been plaguing the residents of the rural municipality for years. “I believe that I can change the ward residents’ lives by modernising agriculture,” she said.
