Kathmandu

Ex-Nepal ministers, Chinese firm charged with graft in Pokhara airport case

Former Nepali ministers, officials and a Chinese company were charged with corruption over financial irregularities during the construction of an international airport. The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority filed on Sunday cases against 55 people and the China CAMC Engineering Company Limited, one of the biggest such cases in the Himalayan nation, accusing them of inflating construction expenses by more than USD 74 million. It remains unclear when the hearing will begin. Two officials of the Chinese company have been named in the charges filed at the Special Court in Kathmandu, which handles corruption cases related to government dealings. The bidding agreed on with the government in 2012 was set at USD 169.6 million, but Nepali officials increased the amount to a little over USD 244 million "in collusion with the Chinese company," the commission said. The airport, at the resort city of Pokhara, 200 kilometres west of Kathmandu, was built with a loan from China Exi

4.4 magnitude earthquake strikes western Nepal province, no damage reported

Nepal's Bajhang district of Sudur Paschim province was hit by a 4.4. magnitude earthquake on Sunday. There were no immediate reports of any damage caused by the earthquake, officials said. The epicentre of the quake that struck at 12:09 pm (local time) was Saipal mountain in Bajhang district, according to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre (NEMRC). The tremors were also felt by people living in the neighbouring districts, including Bajura, in the westernmost province, NEMRC said. Nepal lies in one of the most active tectonic zones (Seismic zones IV and V), making it extremely vulnerable to earthquakes, and experiences multiple quakes in any given year.

Nepal restricts vehicle movement around Kathmandu due to heavy rainfall

Nepalese authorities on Saturday have restricted the entry and exit of vehicles from Kathmandu due to incessant rainfall and the possibility of landslides for the next three days. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority issued a notice saying restrictions have been put on vehicles entering and exiting Kathmandu valley from Saturday to Monday. The authorities have also asked people not to operate long route vehicles for the next three days unless in an emergency. A red alert has been issued for areas around the Bagmati and East Rapti rivers. Continuous downpour has been reported in Kathmandu and other parts of the country since Friday night, as the Monsoon has become active, the authorities said. Meanwhile, domestic flights from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) have been halted due to bad weather. Hansa Raj Pande, general manager at TIA, Kathmandu, said that domestic flights from Kathmandu, Bharatpur, Janakpur, Bhadrapur, Pokhara and Tumlingtar have been

Three ministers inducted by Nepal's new caretaker PM Karki sworn in

Nepal President Ramchandra Paudel on Monday administered the oath of office to three ministers inducted by newly appointed caretaker Prime Minister Sushila Karki into her cabinet. Karki, 73, the Himalayan nation's first woman prime minister, assumed office on Sunday. She inducted Kulman Ghising, Rameshwor Khanal, and Om Prakash Aryal as ministers later in the day. The swearing-in ceremony of the three ministers took place at the President's Office, Sheetal Niwas, Maharjgunj, here. Former finance secretary Khanal has been sworn in as Finance Minister, while former Nepal Electricity Authority managing director Ghising has taken charge of three portfolios: energy, water resources and irrigation; physical infrastructure and transport; and urban development. Aryal, an advocate, has been sworn in as Minister for Home Affairs and for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs. Soon after the swearing-in ceremony, they assumed their respective offices. Former chief justice Karki was appointe

Nepal eases visa, exit rules for stranded foreign nationals amid unrest

Nepal authorities have announced temporary measures to facilitate foreign nationals stranded in the country due to the ongoing curfew in the Kathmandu Valley. According to Immigration officials, international travellers whose visas were valid through September 8 can now obtain exit permits and regularise their visas without paying additional fees, The Himalayan Times reported on Friday. The facility will be available both at immigration offices and at departure points. Authorities have also put in place arrangements for visa transfers in cases where visitors lost their passports during the disturbances. Travellers carrying emergency passports or other travel documents issued by their respective embassies will have their visas transferred to the new documents under existing rules, ensuring a smooth departure from Nepal, the officials said. A prohibitory order is in place in Kathmandu from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. A curfew order will come into effect from 7:00 pm Friday to 6:00 am Satur

SpiceJet Kathmandu flight faces suspected tailpipe fire at Delhi airport

SpiceJet's Kathmandu-bound plane faced a suspected tailpipe fire at the Delhi airport on Thursday and returned to the bay. The airline said the aircraft underwent detailed engineering checks and no abnormalities were found. The flight SG041 was being operated with a Boeing 737-8 aircraft, as per information available on flight tracking website Flightradar24.com. Sources said the flight, which was scheduled to depart in the morning, was delayed by more than four hours. "On September 11, 2025, a SpiceJet aircraft scheduled to operate from Delhi to Kathmandu returned to bay after another aircraft on the ground reported a suspected tailpipe fire. No warnings or indications were observed in the cockpit, but the pilots decided to return as a precautionary safety measure," the airline said in a statement. In broad terms, a tailpipe is the exhaust pipe of an engine. The aircraft underwent detailed engineering checks, and no abnormalities were found. The aircraft has since been cleared fo

Nepal Army extends curfew in Kathmandu, other districts amid ongoing unrest

In a statement on Thursday, the Army said that essential service vehicles and institutions would be allowed to operate

Indian airlines to start flights for Kathmandu int'l airport on Sep 11

Indian airlines will resume normal services to Kathmandu from Thursday, with Air India and IndiGo will also be operating additional flights to bring back people stranded in the Nepalese capital amid the unrest in the neighbouring nation. Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu reopened on Wednesday evening after it was shut for operations on Tuesday. Airlines cancelled their flights to Kathmandu on Tuesday and Wednesday. Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Wednesday said Air India and IndiGo will operate additional flights to Kathmandu to bring back people stranded there. The minister also said airlines have been advised to keep their fares within reasonable levels. Air India said it is operating special flights today and tomorrow from Delhi to Kathmandu and back to help passengers who have been stranded due to the recent developments in Nepal. "Our scheduled operations will also resume from tomorrow. "We thank the government and other agencies for the quick coordin

Nepal airport resumes ops, Centre steps up to evacuate stranded Indians

Several states in India launched special cells to assist their residents stranded in the violence-hit country

India advises citizens to defer Nepal travel, airlines suspend operations

As anti-corruption protests take over the streets of Nepal, many Indian airlines, including IndiGo and Air India, have suspended their flights to and from Kathmandu

Air India cancels Delhi-Kathmandu flights amid Gen Z protest in Nepal

The affected flights include AI2231/2232, AI2219/2220, AI217/218, and AI211/212, which will not operate today

GenZs lead protest in Nepal against govt's ban on all social media apps

Army deployed in Kathmandu after Gen-Z demonstrators stormed Parliament, leaving over 80 injured in clashes with police

Nepal authorities lift restrictions on organising protests in Kathmandu

Nepal authorities have lifted the restrictions imposed on organising protests in most parts of the national capital, according to an official notice. The order issued on May 31 prohibiting sit-ins, hunger strikes, protests, public gatherings and demonstrations within the Ring Road areas of Kathmandu has been withdrawn effective from June 19, said the notice issued by the Kathmandu District Administrative Office on Thursday. The pro-monarchy protesters, demanding the reinstatement of the monarchy and the establishment of a Hindu state in Nepal, were organising protest programmes before the restrictions were imposed. The protests were disrupting business activities and transportation services, the local administration had said. Pro-monarchist groups, including the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and supporters of former king Gyanendra Shah, had earlier said they would continue the protest until the monarchy was restored. However, they have withdrawn protest programmes due to the onset of

Mountain Dialogue: India, Nepal pledge deeper climate, biodiversity ties

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav met Nepal PM KP Sharma Oli to discuss cooperation on clean energy, biodiversity, and climate action during the Sagarmatha Sambaad in Kathmandu

India, Nepal to boost border infra, data sharing to curb smuggling

Recognising that effective border management is important in fight against smuggling, discussions also included upgrade of border infrastructure and automation and digitisation of transit processes

SpiceJet, Air India Express gets approved to operate flights from Kathmandu

Two Indian airlines have been allowed to operate regular flights to and from Nepal, according to the Himalayan nation's civil aviation authority. SpiceJet, which had regular flights to Nepal before the COVID-19 pandemic, and Air India Express, making its debut in the country, have received scheduled approval and slots from Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), according to Hansa Raj Pandey, spokesperson at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN). SpiceJet, which mainly flew from Delhi to Kathmandu before its hiatus, will operate daily flights, while Air India Express has received approval for two flights per day. Currently, Air India and Indigo conduct flights between Nepal and India. With the addition of SpiceJet and Air India Express, there will be four Indian airlines operating regular flights between the two countries. Meanwhile, maintenance work on the taxiway at TIA, which previously required flight suspensions, continued its service without halting flights

Nepal crackdowns on pro-king activities; 51 monarchist leaders held

The chief coordinator of a pro-royalist movement, Nawaraj Subedi has been put under house arrest, and security agencies in Nepal

Curfew lifted in east Kathmandu, over 100 pro-king protestors arrested

Authorities in Nepal on Saturday lifted a curfew imposed in the eastern part of Kathmandu following violent clashes between the security personnel and the pro-monarchy protesters, as tensions eased in the area. Parts of Kathmandu on Friday witnessed a tense situation after pro-monarchy protesters pelted stones, attacked the office of a political party, set fire to vehicles and looted shops in the Tinkune area of the capital. Two persons, including a TV cameraman, were killed in the clashes between the security personnel and the pro-monarchy protesters. The Army was later called out to control the situation. The curfew imposed since 4.25 pm on Friday has been lifted from 7 am on Saturday, according to a notice issued by Kathmandu District Administration Office. Police have arrested 105 agitators who were involved in burning houses and vandalising vehicles during Friday's violent demonstration. The protesting monarchists were demanding the reinstatement of the monarchy and a Hindu

Army called as Kathmandu's pro-monarchy protests turns violent, killing one

The Army was called out and a curfew was imposed on parts of Kathmandu Friday after one person was killed and 30 injured as pro-monarchy protesters pelted stones, attacked the office of a political party, set fire to vehicles, and looted shops. District authorities said the curfew will be in force for about five hours, up to 10 pm. Nobody was to be allowed to move about in certain areas. About half of the people injured were police personnel, authorities said, as they tried to disperse protesters who pelted stones and tried to break through security barriers. Around the same time, in another part of the Nepal capital, people opposing any return of monarchy to the nation held a separate rally. Monarchy supporters carried Nepal flags and pictures of former king Gyanendra Shah in Kathmandu's Tinkune area. During the clash, the protesters burnt a house, torched eight vehicles, attacked the office of CPN-Unified Socialists in Baneshwor, looted the Bhatbhateni Supermarket in Chabahil an

Nepal's PM warns against forgetting monarchy's past 'autocratic rule'

Speaking at an event in the capital, Oli urged everyone to focus on strengthening the republican system while referring to the recent protests demanding the restoration of the monarchy