Kathmandu: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed Sona Shrestha, a Nepali citizen, as the Director General of its South Asia Department. According to a statement issued by the ADB headquarters in Manila on Wednesday, Shrestha will lead the ADB’s strategy and program operations in Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. Following her appointment, Shrestha expressed that she is honored to lead the South Asia region. She committed to working closely with the region's member countries to deepen ADB’s engagement for inclusive and sustainable development. Professional Background Shrestha is an experienced leader in the development sector with over...

WASHINGTON, February 9, 2026 – The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved $50 million in financing to boost Nepal’s digital public infrastructure and digitize public services, fundamentally changing how services are delivered to the people. The Nepal Digital Transformation Project will invest in digital platforms including an integrated online citizen service portal and an integrated social registry; a secure government-wide data exchange; and a digital locker to manage verifiable credentials and digital wallet. The project will also help digitize high-impact services including land administration with other services being added in a phased approach. The project aims to boost private...

The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai felt more like Kathmandu yesterday as thousands of passionate Nepali fans witnessed a near-miracle. In their opening match of the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Nepal came agonizingly close to an upset for the ages, falling just 4 runs short against the two-time champions, England. Match Summary: A Fight to the Last Ball England set a formidable target of 185 runs, powered by half-centuries from Jacob Bethell (55) and captain Harry Brook (53). Nepal's bowlers, however, showed they belonged on the big stage: Early Breakthroughs: Debutant Sher Malla stunned the crowd by dismissing Phil...

KATHMANDU – Nepal’s tourism sector has kicked off 2026 with a powerful surge, recording 92,573 international arrivals in January alone. This marks a 15.7% increase compared to the same period last year and, more significantly, a 14% jump over the pre-pandemic benchmark of January 2019. The data, released by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), signals a robust recovery and a "turbocharged" start to the year, placing Nepal alongside other Asian leaders like Thailand and Sri Lanka in a regional travel resurgence. Key Market Trends The "January Jump" was largely driven by regional proximity and a growing interest from high-spending Western...