Biman Bangladesh Airlines cancelled its BG372 flight from Kathmandu, Nepal, to Dhaka after a technical fault was detected before takeoff. The flight was scheduled to depart for Dhaka at 4pm on Sunday. The aircraft had left the terminal with passengers aboard and was moving toward the runway when the problem was identified. It was returned to the terminal, passengers were disembarked and kept waiting, causing hardship for about 127 travellers.

Passengers told media outlets that, even after waiting for nearly two hours, they initially received no clear information on when the flight would leave or what alternative arrangements would be made. The delay raised concerns for elderly passengers, children and people who were ill.

Babul Akhtar, Biman Bangladesh's Kathmandu country manager, told media that it was not immediately possible to say how long repairs would take. Business-class passengers were given access to a lounge, while other passengers were being provided facilities under applicable rules. The airline was preparing to send a larger aircraft to Kathmandu to carry all passengers from the cancelled flight to Dhaka together.

Nepal has decided to retain the political map of “Greater Nepal” on a new one-rupee coin, despite an earlier decision to remove it. Nepal Rastra Bank said Saturday that the coin will keep the existing map showing Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani as Nepalese territory, although its size and metal composition will change. The three areas are also claimed by India and remain at the centre of a longstanding border dispute.

On July 20, the Balendra government had approved a plan to replace the disputed map with an image of the historic Lo Ghyakar monastery in Marang village, Mustang district. While the government described that move as part of routine coin reform, some observers viewed it as a diplomatic effort to improve India-Nepal relations. The plan drew strong criticism from opposition parties and public opinion, prompting the government to reverse course.

The dispute concerns about 370 square kilometres near the India-Nepal-China tri-junction and stems from differing interpretations of the 1816 Sugauli Treaty. Nepal says the Mahakali River originates at Limpiyadhura, while India says its source is a spring near Kalapani. NRB spokesperson Guru Prasad Paudel said the bank was certain the previous map would remain, although the new design had not yet formally reached it.

Three people were killed in repeated clashes between Hindu and Muslim communities in southern Nepal, prompting newly appointed Prime Minister Balendra Shah to appeal for calm. Officials said the violence began last Sunday in a village in Sunsari district near the Indian border. In his first major address to the nation on Thursday, Shah urged citizens to act responsibly and preserve peace, harmony, brotherhood and national unity.

According to government officials, a heated dispute began after loud music was played and religious flags were displayed during a Hindu religious procession. The argument with local Muslims escalated into deadly violence. Nepal Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle said two people were killed when police opened fire to bring the situation under control.

A third person died on Thursday while protesting after defying a curfew in neighboring Siraha district. Local authorities imposed strict curfews in Sunsari and surrounding districts to prevent further deterioration. Shah promised a full, fair and transparent investigation and said those responsible would face justice. Kafle said all police personnel had been placed on maximum alert, with the aim of protecting lives and property while using minimum force.

The Bangladesh Embassy in Nepal organized a display and festival of Bangladeshi mango varieties and mango-based processed products in Kathmandu. The event, titled “Bangladesh Mango Delicacy,” was held Saturday at the Utsav Kunj Banquet Hall beside the embassy. It highlighted Bangladesh’s quality mangoes, agricultural heritage and potential for agricultural-product exports. About 250 guests attended.

SAARC Secretary General Ambassador Md. Golam Sarwar, the chief guest, said South Asia has major potential for mango production but exports of mangoes and related products from the region have not reached the expected level. Nepal’s Foreign Ministry Joint Secretary Gahendra Rajbhandari said the event reflected Bangladesh’s warmth and hospitality and would strengthen ties between the peoples of Bangladesh and Nepal. He praised Ambassador Md. Shafiqur Rahman’s “mango diplomacy” initiative.

The exhibition featured fresh Fazli, Amrapali, Bari-4, Katimon, Gourmati and Ashwina mangoes, alongside juice, pickles, fruit bars, dried mango, chutney, jam and jelly. Mango grower Rafiqul Islam presented methods for safe, quality production using Good Agricultural Practices. Organizers said the initiative could increase interest in Bangladeshi mango products in Nepal and create opportunities for bilateral agricultural and food trade.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra ‘Balen’ Shah is set to meet the ambassadors of India and China separately in Kathmandu this week, marking a shift in his diplomatic approach. Since taking office, Shah had avoided holding one-on-one meetings with foreign envoys, but he now plans to sit down individually with Indian Ambassador Naveen Srivastava and Chinese Ambassador Zhang Maoming. The meetings are expected to take place on the same day to signal equal importance to both neighboring countries.

According to The Kathmandu, Shah’s decision follows consultations with business and professional groups, after which he opted to increase direct engagement with foreign diplomats. The Prime Minister’s Office stated that the process is being initiated with India and China due to their significance in Nepal’s foreign policy.

The move reflects Shah’s effort to balance relations between India and China while adjusting his earlier stance of avoiding exclusive diplomatic meetings.

The Third International Mother Language Journalism Conference 2026 will take place in Kathmandu, Nepal, from August 9 to 12. The event is organized by the Federation of Nepalese Indigenous Nationalities Journalists (FONIJ) in coordination with the Newa National Forum of Journalists and the SAARC Journalists Forum. A preparatory meeting in Kathmandu’s Nayabazar announced the initial plans and programs, with FONIJ General Secretary Samir Balami presenting the detailed work plan.

According to the organizers, journalists, media professionals, and researchers from around 40 countries involved in mother language journalism will participate. The four-day conference will feature panel discussions, research paper presentations, and working paper sessions focusing on the global status, challenges, and future directions of mother language journalism. A colorful cultural parade with representatives from participating countries will also be held.

The program includes visits to Nepal’s historical and tourist sites and opportunities to experience traditional local cuisine. Organizers stated that the conference aims to professionalize mother language journalism, highlight its policy importance, and showcase Nepal’s achievements in this field while promoting cultural preservation and research.

Nepal has been gripped by renewed unrest as economic hardship, unemployment, and uncertainty over young people’s futures spark widespread protests. Over the past three days, three young men attempted self-immolation, resulting in two deaths and one person critically injured. Demonstrations have spread across the country, with protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Balendra Shah. The main opposition Nepali Congress accused the government of failing to restore youth confidence or take effective action for their future.

Youth organization Gen-Z Nepal alleged that the government is running the country with an authoritarian mindset, ignoring public welfare. The group said there are no realistic measures in the budget or policies to create jobs, raise incomes, or ensure economic security for young people. The 2023 self-immolation of Prem Acharya has resurfaced in public discussion, as Shah, then Kathmandu mayor, had called it a symbol of state failure. His current silence has drawn criticism from opposition parties and protesters.

Analysts warned that the crisis has deepened concerns over youth mental health, unemployment, and policy effectiveness, urging swift government action to prevent further deterioration.

Nepal has imposed a ban on the import of Indian mangoes after detecting excessive levels of chemical pesticides in imported consignments. The decision was announced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development in Kathmandu, following a similar move by Japan in May. The ministry stated that the measure aims to ensure food safety and protect consumers.

Officials from Nepal’s Madhesh Province said the ban would help expand the market for locally grown fruits. Ministry spokesperson Manish Kumar Pal told The Rising Nepal that the decision would encourage domestic fruit production and allow citizens access to healthier and safer produce.

However, mango traders in Nepal expressed concern that the ban could lead to shortages, price increases, and financial losses. Although Nepal produces and exports mangoes, domestic production is insufficient to meet local demand, and the mango season lasts only two months each year.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah told parliament on Sunday that both Nepal and India have occupied each other’s territories. Responding to a question, he said that after assuming office he learned Nepal also holds parts of Indian land, just as India occupies Nepali land. Shah emphasized that both sides should engage in dialogue to examine the issue and resolve it through diplomatic means.

He added that Nepal has also communicated with China and the United Kingdom regarding the border dispute. According to Shah, the UK should show interest because the problem dates back to the period when Britain left the region. Citing a report by The Kathmandu Post, the article said Nepal has already sent an official diplomatic note to India.

Shah stated that India replied by agreeing to form a joint committee of historians, surveyors, and regional experts from both governments to seek a negotiated solution.

A new world record was set on Mount Everest as 274 climbers successfully reached the summit within 24 hours. Nepalese authorities confirmed the achievement on Thursday, May 21, 2026, citing favorable weather conditions that allowed a large number of climbers to ascend simultaneously via the southern route. Officials from the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal said such a high number of summits in one day had never been seen before.

Everest is typically climbed through two main routes: the southern route from Nepal and the northern route from Tibet, China. In 2019, 223 climbers summited via Nepal and 113 via China in a single day. This year, with China’s route closed, most climbers concentrated on the Nepal side. The season began slowly due to a large ice block hanging dangerously over the main route, but conditions later improved, allowing expeditions to resume.

Authorities said the climbing season will continue through the end of May, with about 494 foreign climbers and an equal number of Sherpa guides aiming to reach the 8,848.86-meter peak.

Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah has cancelled scheduled meetings with several senior foreign diplomats, including India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and the US Special Representative, sparking new discussions in South Asian diplomatic circles. Misri’s planned visit to Kathmandu on May 11–12, intended to discuss bilateral relations and the Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrimage route, was called off at the last moment by the Prime Minister’s Office.

Indian media reported that Shah prefers to meet counterparts of equal rank, such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, rather than senior officials. Analysts suggest the cancellations reflect both a nationalist stance and pressure from ongoing border disputes, particularly over the Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani regions. Nepal’s 2020 map revision claiming these areas as its own intensified tensions with India.

Kathmandu stated that Shah is currently focused on administrative reforms and will meet only heads of state or foreign ministers. The government also emphasized a “balanced diplomacy” approach among India, the United States, and China, though observers are debating whether China’s growing influence in Nepal is shaping this policy direction.

A Turkish Airlines aircraft caught fire while landing at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, Nepal, on May 11, 2026. Authorities confirmed that all 277 passengers and 11 crew members were safe. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the fire is believed to have started from a spark in the right landing gear during touchdown. Rescue operations were completed, and an investigation into the cause of the incident is underway.

Following the incident, the airport’s only runway was closed for about two hours before resuming operations. Kathmandu’s airports are considered among the world’s most challenging due to their mountainous surroundings and complex terrain, which increase risks for pilots.

A similar Turkish Airlines incident occurred at the same airport in 2015 when a plane skidded off the runway, though no injuries were reported. Nepal has faced multiple aviation safety issues in the past, prompting plans to improve safety standards amid European Union restrictions on its airlines.

Nepal has lodged a formal protest against India’s announcement to resume a pilgrimage route through the disputed Lipulekh pass in the Himalayas. The Indian government said on Thursday that pilgrimages to Tibet’s Kailash Mansarovar would restart this year via the Lipulekh corridor, which connects India, China, and Nepal. The route had been closed since 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement issued Sunday, Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs asserted that the Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura, and Kalapani regions fall within Nepal’s territory under the 1816 Sugauli Treaty signed with the British colonial rulers. Kathmandu expressed strong objection to India’s decision, calling it a violation of Nepal’s sovereignty.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs responded that the Lipulekh route has been used by Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Bon pilgrims since 1954 and dismissed Nepal’s claim as baseless and historically unfounded. According to India’s plan, 500 Hindu pilgrims will travel through Uttarakhand to Tibet this year, while others will use a separate route via Sikkim.

A large ice block above Mount Everest Base Camp has forced hundreds of climbers and local guides to suspend their ascent toward the summit. Nepal’s Department of Mountaineering official Himlal Gautam said on Friday that the ice barrier, or serac, between Base Camp and Camp One was unstable and unsafe for passage. Climbers are currently waiting at the base camp while authorities monitor the situation.

According to government data, 410 foreign climbers have been granted permits to attempt Everest this spring season, which typically ends in late May. Experienced Sherpas, known as “Icefall Doctors,” usually complete rope and ladder installations across the Khumbu Icefall by mid-April, but this year the work has been delayed due to the unstable serac. The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee plans to conduct an aerial survey to assess the risk, with its chairman Lama Kaji Sherpa warning that avalanche danger remains until the ice melts to a safer level.

The Khumbu Icefall is one of the most perilous sections of the Everest route, and a similar ice collapse in 2014 killed 16 Sherpa guides, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the mountain’s history.

Nepal has undergone a dramatic political transformation following a youth-led uprising that toppled the government last September. The movement, spearheaded by 28-year-old Bablu Gupta and other Gen Z activists, culminated in a March election where the youth-driven Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) achieved a sweeping victory. Nearly 10 percent of the newly elected lawmakers are aged 30 or younger, a sharp rise from less than 2 percent in the previous parliament. The new Prime Minister, 35-year-old rapper and former Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, took office on March 27, symbolizing a generational shift in leadership.

The uprising was fueled by frustration over corruption, nepotism, unemployment, and restrictions on social media. Nepal’s transformation stands out amid fading youth movements elsewhere, such as in Bangladesh and Madagascar. The new government has pledged to create 1.2 million jobs, ensure universal health insurance, and build a digital governance system. However, questions remain about the durability of these reforms and the risk of populism.

Nepal’s political renewal has inspired optimism among young people worldwide, though challenges of accountability, inclusion, and economic opportunity continue to test the new leadership’s promises.