KATHMANDU: Stay informed with Nepal News’ daily evening briefing, delivering the day’s most significant updates from Nepal and beyond. From politics and the economy to sports, entertainment, and culture, we bring you a quick summary of the top stories shaping the news. Here are today’s key news highlights:

Holi Celebrated in Hilly Regions, Tarai to Mark Festival Tomorrow: Holi, one of Nepal’s most vibrant festivals, is being celebrated today in hilly regions, including Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, and Pokhara, while the Tarai will observe it tomorrow. People mark the festival by smearing colors, throwing water, and dancing together in celebration of goodwill and harmony. President Ram Chandra Paudel extended best wishes, emphasizing Holi’s role in strengthening social harmony and national unity. Vice-President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, Speaker Devraj Ghimire, and other leaders also conveyed greetings, highlighting the festival’s significance in promoting love, equality, and cultural unity across Nepal’s diverse communities.

Maoist Center to Resume Terai-Madhes Awakening Campaign: The CPN (Maoist Center) is set to restart its Terai-Madhes Awakening Campaign after the Free Student Union (FSU) elections. The campaign was paused following reports of a royalist protest on March 9. According to party General Secretary Dev Gurung, it will now resume from Rautahat and continue toward Kanchanpur. The campaign aims to strengthen the party’s presence ahead of the 2084 BS elections. After its completion, the Maoist Center plans to launch another campaign in April 2025, focusing on the Mid-Hill Highway and east-west corridor.

Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba Arrives in New Delhi for Raisina Dialogue: Nepal’s Foreign Minister, Arzu Rana Deuba, arrived in New Delhi this afternoon after visiting Baba Baidyanath Dham in Jharkhand for prayers. She was welcomed at Indira Gandhi International Airport by India’s Additional Secretary for External Affairs, Manu Mahawar, and Nepal’s Ambassador to India, Shankar Sharma. Minister Rana will participate in the Raisina Dialogue, organized by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in collaboration with India’s Ministry of External Affairs from March 17-19. She is scheduled to speak on climate change, regional priorities, and digital public infrastructure while holding bilateral meetings with Indian Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar and other dignitaries.

Madhesh CM Vows to Continue Health Reforms Amid SEE Focus: Madhesh Province Chief Minister Satish Kumar Singh reaffirmed his commitment to health sector reforms while shifting focus to ensuring discipline in the upcoming Secondary Education Examination (SEE). Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony for a new Transport Management Office in Janakpurdham, he emphasized the importance of a dedicated office building. He urged employees to provide transparent services, free from corruption. Meanwhile, Provincial Minister for Labour and Transport, Kaushal Kishor Raya, announced plans for an automatic trial center to curb middlemen in the sector. The building’s construction was made possible through a land donation by Sitakunda’s priest, Ram Naresh Das.

17 Candidates File Nominations for TU Central College FSU Presidential Race: A total of 17 candidates have filed nominations for the presidential post in the Free Students Union (FSU) elections at Tribhuvan University (TU) Central College. According to Campus Election Officer Prof. Dr. Krishna Prasad Neupane, candidates include Deepak Raj Joshi (NSU), Siddhant Bhatta (ANNFSU), Prabin Dahal (ANNISU-R), and independent contenders. The campus has 6,146 registered voters, and the final candidate list will be published at 7:00 PM today. The FSU elections are set for March 18 across TU’s central and constituent campuses to elect new student representatives.

Kathmandu Police Detain 24 for Unruly Holi Activities, Seize 143 Vehicles: Kathmandu Police have detained 24 individuals for engaging in unruly activities during Holi celebrations in the capital. Additionally, authorities seized 138 two-wheelers and five four-wheelers for violating traffic rules. According to SP Apil Raj Bohora, spokesperson for Kathmandu District Police Range, 42 two-wheelers and one four-wheeler have been released, while 100 vehicles remain in custody. Holi, the festival of colors, was celebrated in the hilly region today, while celebrations in the Terai region are set for Friday.

Two Released in Mukkumlung Protection Movement Case, Warrants Canceled for Six Others: Two leaders arrested over the Mukkumlung protection movement, Bishnu Thamden and Suman Chemjong, have been released, while arrest warrants for six others have been canceled. Sunsari District Police had detained three individuals, but only one, Sirjana Begha, remains in custody. The dispute arose from a February 18 incident where Chemjong and others smeared black soot on a supporter of the Pathibhara cable car project. Following a complaint, arrest warrants were issued under the Public Offense Act. Chemjong claims he acted to prevent further violence.

Teenager Killed in Kaliikot, Five Suspects Detained: A 17-year-old boy, Rajesh Shahi from Tilagufa Municipality-7, was killed in a knife attack during a dispute at a housewarming ceremony in Khadachakra Municipality-10, Kalikot. The altercation broke out among youths gathered for the event on Wednesday night. Another teenager, 16-year-old Bhupendra Shahi, was injured in the fight. A police team led by DSP Tek Bahadur Rawat reached the remote village, 35 km from the district headquarters, on Thursday morning and detained five suspects, all under 18. The victim’s body has been sent for post-mortem, and further investigations are underway.

Arjun Kumar Bhattarai Elected President Of NGO Federation: The two-day National Civil Society Conference-2081 BS, organized by the NGO Federation of Nepal, concluded on March 12, electing Arjun Kumar Bhattarai as its new President. The event, attended by 900 representatives, also marked the Federation’s 11th General Convention and 30th AGM. The new 51-member executive committee includes Nani Maya Thapa as Senior Vice President and other key office-bearers. Bhattarai vowed to strengthen civic rights, explore funding alternatives, and support Sustainable Development Goals. Thapa emphasized greater gender inclusivity, advocating for women’s representation beyond the mandatory 33% in civil society organizations.

Janamat and Unmukti Parties Near Merger to Strengthen Ethnic Politics: The Janamat Party and the Nagarik Unmukti Party, both emerging from the 2022 elections, are in the final stages of unification. Leaders confirm that discussions on political documents, party name, and election symbol are nearing completion. The merger aims to strengthen ethnic identity-based politics in the Tarai-Madhesh region and increase parliamentary influence. The two parties currently hold a combined 10 seats in the House of Representatives.

Weather Disrupts Flights at Kathmandu Airport: Bad weather has disrupted flights at Tribhuvan International Airport, causing missed approaches and holding patterns. An Air Arabia flight aborted landing due to wind shear, while Air India and Thai Lion Air flights circled before landing. Poor visibility and erratic winds, linked to active pre-monsoon conditions, have affected flights for a week. More afternoon thunderstorms and rain are forecasted in Koshi, Bagmati, and Gandaki provinces.

‘Dubo’ Font Developed to Unify Writing System for 125 Languages in Nepal: A new font, ‘Dubo,’ has been developed to create a common writing system for Nepal’s 125 spoken languages. Designed by artist Ramesh Poudel under an agreement between Nepal Academy and Awaran Publications, the font consists of 224 characters and differs from Devanagari and Unicode. Experts, including linguist Prof. Dr. Madhav Pokharel, believe it will help languages without scripts. Nepal Academy Chancellor Bhupal Rai and Language Commission Chair Dr. Gopal Thakur emphasized its role in standardizing written communication. The font was officially handed over to the Academy during a discussion program on language preservation.

Kathmandu Rescues 74 Children, Pursues Legal Action Against Abusers: Kathmandu Metropolitan City rescued 74 children between April 2024 and March 2025, including 41 boys and 33 girls. Of them, 38 were placed in child protection homes, while 34 were reunited with their families. Seven cases have been filed, involving sexual assault, child abuse, and forced labor. The metropolis has taken legal action using psychosocial reports and monitoring findings. Officials continue to monitor the rescued children while ensuring legal measures against perpetrators.

Governor Recommendation Committee Finalized: The Governor Recommendation Committee for Nepal Rastra Bank has been finalized, moving the new governor appointment process forward. Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel leads the committee, with Bijayanath Bhattarai and Dr. Bishwo Paudel as members. The committee will recommend three candidates for the position. Current Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari’s term ends on April 5, and he is set to go on leave soon.

Banks Announce Interest Rates for Chaitra: Commercial banks have published interest rates for Chaitra, with most continuing Fagun’s rates. Himalayan and Citizens Bank have reduced rates, setting 5.5% and 5.65% for personal fixed deposits, respectively. Kumari Bank increased rates to 6.01% (personal) and 5.01% (institutional). NMB and NIC Asia retained 6.6% (personal) and 5.6% (institutional). Global IME, Machhapuchchhre, Siddhartha, Everest, and RBB set 6% for personal deposits, while institutional rates vary. Agricultural Development Bank, Nepal SBI, and Nepal Bank maintained previous rates.

Nepal’s Credit Card Boom: Borrowing Surges Beyond NPR 6 Billion: The use of credit cards, which allow payments even without funds in the account, is gaining popularity in Nepal. According to Nepal Rastra Bank, Nepalese consumers took over NPR 6.12 billion in loans via credit cards in the first seven months of the current fiscal year, up from NPR 5.35 billion in the same period last year. In just January, cardholders made 251,000 transactions worth NPR 1.85 billion. With banks offering these cards under specific conditions, users can spend now and repay later with interest. The convenience of cashless transactions has driven the growing adoption of credit cards in Nepal.

Tourism Sector Loans Surge to Over NPR 216 Billion: By Magh of the current fiscal year, commercial banks have disbursed over NPR 216.74 billion in loans to the tourism sector, reflecting a 12.09% increase from last year. Nepal Investment Mega Bank leads with NPR 22.98 billion, followed by Prabhu Bank (NPR 21.57 billion) and Global IME Bank (NPR 19.11 billion). Other major lenders include Prime Commercial, Kumari, and Rastriya Banijya Bank. While most banks increased lending, Nabil and Standard Chartered saw slight declines.

‘Rajaganj’ Premieres After Censorship Cuts: After facing censorship issues over Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s ‘Jhateko Aap’ remark, the film ‘Rajaganj’ finally passed with some cuts. The premiere at Big Movies, Kathmandu, saw notable figures from politics and cinema. Baburam Bhattarai criticized the censorship, calling it a violation of free speech. Keki Adhikari and Luniva Tuladhar praised the film’s unique storytelling and strong female characters. Directed by Deepak Rauniyar, ‘Rajaganj’ releases this Friday, depicting a police operation to rescue kidnapped children during the Madhesh movement. Anurag Kashyap is the executive producer.

‘Hostel 3’ Nears Rs 3 Crore Mark, Expands Overseas: The third installment of the hit ‘Hostel’ franchise is proving to be a commercial success. Strong word-of-mouth has helped it maintain a solid hold at the box office, collecting Rs 2.2 crore in six days. It is the second Nepali film after Laaz Sharanam to surpass Rs 2 crore post-Tihar. With growing youth interest, Hostel 3 is expected to cross Rs 3 crore. Released in UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain, its overseas reception looks promising. Directed by Sushant Kandel, the film stars Paras Bam Thakuri, Simran Pant, and Padam Tamang, capturing the fun and struggles of hostel life.

Prakash Saput Joins ‘Paralko Aago’ Film Project: Singer and actor Prakash Saput has been signed for the upcoming film ‘Paralko Aago’, based on Guru Prasad Mainali’s renowned literary work. The film is being produced by Hari Om Cine Makers, with Sushil Pokharel as the producer. The film features Sushil Devkota’s screenplay, Sankalpa Bhujel’s cinematography, Ramji Lamichhane’s choreography, and music by Satya-Swarupraj Acharya. Nagendra Ghimire will oversee production, and the film is set to release in 2082 BS.

Nepal Out of Women’s T20I Final After 40-Run Loss to Uganda: Nepal suffered a 40-run defeat against hosts Uganda in the Women’s T20 International Tournament, ending its chances of reaching the final. With just two points from five matches, Nepal sits at the bottom of the table.

Chasing 92 runs at Entebbe Cricket Oval, Nepal collapsed for 51 runs in 17.1 overs. Only Kavita Kunwar (12) and captain Indu Barma (11) reached double figures. Earlier, Uganda posted 91/5 in 20 overs, with Rita Musamali scoring 38. Nepal’s Riya Sharma took two wickets, while three others claimed one each. This was Nepal’s fourth defeat in the tournament.

Army Secures Third Consecutive Win in PM Cup National ODI Cricket Tournament: Tribhuvan Army Club registered its third consecutive win in the PM Cup National ODI Cricket Tournament, defeating Karnali by 127 runs at the Mulpani Cricket Ground on Thursday. Chasing 263, Karnali was bowled out for 135 in 37.1 overs. Prakash Jaisi (50), Bipin Rawat (23), and Dinesh Adhikari (22)* were the top scorers. Earlier, Army posted 262/9 in 50 overs, with Trit Raj Das (69), Vinod Bhandari (56), and Bhim Sharki (40) leading the charge. Shahab Alam took three wickets for Army.

Lumbini Secures Second Consecutive Win in PM Cup Cricket: Lumbini Province registered its second straight victory in the PM Cup National ODI Cricket Tournament, defeating Gandaki by 14 runs at the Siddhartha Cricket Ground on Thursday.

Chasing 218, Gandaki managed 203/9 in 50 overs. Arjun Kamal (62), Subash Bhandari (30), and Amrit Gurung (24) led the scoring.

Earlier, Lumbini posted 217 in 49.5 overs, with Prajwal Thapa (72), Mrinal Gurung (38), and captain Dev Khanal (33) contributing. Nirmal Gurung took three wickets for Lumbini, while Amrit Gurung claimed three for Gandaki.

Church Boys United Stun Machhindra to Reach Mechinagar Gold Cup Final: Church Boys United staged a remarkable comeback to defeat Machhindra FC 4-3, securing a spot in the Mechinagar Gold Cup final. Machhindra led 3-0 at halftime, with Yusuf Malik (2) and Andres Nia (1) scoring. However, Church Boys turned the game around as Abayomi Fakunle netted a hat-trick and Richard Wilson added one to seal the win.

Trump Threatens 200% Tariffs on EU Wine and Spirits: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened 200% tariffs on European wine, champagne, and spirits in response to the EU’s 50% tariff on American whiskey. This follows escalating trade tensions, with Trump recently imposing 25% tariffs on EU steel and aluminum, prompting retaliatory tariffs on $28 billion worth of U.S. goods. The dispute has rattled markets, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent downplayed concerns, while U.S. spirits producers urged an end to the tariff war.

Trump Says U.S. Negotiators Heading for Ukraine Ceasefire Talks: U.S. President Donald Trump claimed on Wednesday that American negotiators were on their way for ceasefire talks with Russia, after Ukraine agreed to a 30-day truce. Reports suggest special envoy Steve Witkoff will visit Russia. Meanwhile, Trump warned of “devastating” economic measures if Moscow rejects the deal. Russian state media says operations in Kursk are in their final stage, while Ukraine’s army is repositioning to minimize losses. The Kremlin stated it is open to talks but has not confirmed support for the ceasefire.

Suicide Attack in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Days After Train Siege; PM Sharif Calls for National Unity to Counter Terrorism: A suicide bombing near a Frontier Corps camp in South Waziristan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, killed 10 militants linked to Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), the Pakistan Army claimed on Thursday. The attack targeted the Jandola checkpost with a suicide bomber detonating a vehicle. This comes days after Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) militants ambushed the Jaffar Express, killing 21 passengers and four Frontier Corps personnel. PM Shehbaz Sharif urged political and military leaders to unite against the growing terrorist threat.