KATHMANDU: Stay informed with Nepal News’ daily evening briefing, covering the most significant developments from Nepal and around the world. From politics and economy to sports, entertainment, and culture, we bring you a concise summary of the day’s top stories.
Nagarjun Mayor Basnet Convicted In Money Laundering Case: Kathmandu’s Nagarjun Municipality Mayor Mohan Bahadur Basnet has been found guilty in a money laundering case. The Special Court delivered the verdict in response to a case filed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on 14 Poush 2081 (December 29, 2024). A bench comprising Judges Tek Narayan Kunwar and Ram Bahadur Thapa convicted Basnet on Friday.
PM Oli Unveils Plaque, SSP Adhikari Inaugurates Gwarko Overpass: The long-delayed overpass in Gwarko, Lalitpur, officially came into operation on Friday after 39 months of construction. SSP Nawaraj Adhikari, chief of the Valley Traffic Police Office, inaugurated the overpass by cutting the ribbon Friday afternoon. Meanwhile, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli unveiled the commemorative plaque of the project. With the opening, motorists traveling along the Ring Road can now use the new overpass. Originally scheduled for completion much earlier, the overpass took significantly longer than planned.
Top Leaders of Three Major Parties Hold Talks at Singha Durbar: Nepal’s top leaders from the three major political parties gathered at Singha Durbar for high-level discussions on transitional justice. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is holding discussions with Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba and CPN (Maoist Centre) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’. Also present at the meeting were senior leaders including Nepali Congress leader and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, CPN (Maoist Centre) Deputy General Secretary Barshaman Pun, Maoist leader Khim Lal Devkota, and Prime Minister Oli’s advisor Agni Kharel, among others.
RSP, RPP Exit House After Demands Ignored: Opposition parties Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) walked out of the House of Representatives on Friday, expressing strong discontent over the government’s failure to address key demands. The protest began immediately after the session started, with lawmakers from both parties rising from their seats in protest. Speaker Devraj Ghimire urged them to return to their seats, but they refused.
RSP, RPP Block PM’s Session; Oli Walks Out Smiling: A direct question-and-answer session with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was scheduled in the House of Representatives on Friday. However, the session could not take place due to obstruction by the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP). As a result, Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire removed the Q&A session from the day’s agenda. Following the removal of the item, Prime Minister Oli left the parliamentary chamber. Outside, as journalists asked, “You didn’t get to speak in the House today, did you?” Oli responded with a counter-question: “Did you enjoy that?”
RSP lawmakers obstruct Parliament again; PM Q&A session dropped: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmakers once again disrupted proceedings in the House of Representatives on Friday, intensifying their ongoing protest against the government. The obstruction began moments after Speaker Devraj Ghimire opened the session, with RSP MPs standing up from their seats in defiance. The disruption coincided with a scheduled question-answer session with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, which was later dropped from the agenda following the protest.
Maoist Centre Accuses Government of Disrespecting Parliament: The main opposition party, CPN (Maoist Centre), has accused the government of repeatedly undermining Parliament. Speaking during Friday’s House session, Chief Whip Hit Raj Pandey criticized the government for frequently altering the parliamentary agenda and holding budget discussions without concerned ministers present. “This is a blatant violation of House rules,” he said, questioning why the government is not held to the same standards.
Monsoon Fully Active Across Nepal from Today: The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has announced that the monsoon has now spread across the entire country as of today, Asar 6 (June 20, 2025). Issuing its Monsoon Bulletin-3, the Meteorological Forecasting Division confirmed the nationwide arrival of the monsoon system. The bulletin states: “This year’s monsoon system has spread throughout the country as of 2082/03/06 (June 20, 2025).”
Nepal Preparing to Evacuate Citizens from Israel and Iran, Says Foreign Minister Rana: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has said that the Government of Nepal is preparing to take all possible measures for the safety and evacuation of Nepali citizens currently residing in Israel and Iran in light of the escalating conflict between the two countries. Speaking at a joint meeting held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with officials from the Ministries of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, and Home Affairs, Minister Rana stated that the government is ready to repatriate any Nepalis who wish to return home due to the ongoing war.
RSP MPs Defy Congress, Attend Parliament in Black and Blue Scarves Again: Opposition Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmakers appeared again in the House of Representatives on Friday dressed in black clothing and wearing blue scarves. This comes despite objections raised by the ruling Nepali Congress during Tuesday’s session over the blue scarves. RSP male MPs wore black coats and trousers complemented by blue ribbons, while female MPs donned black or black-patterned sarees.
Tribhuvan University to Launch 10 Online Services from June 29: Tribhuvan University’s Examination Controller Office in Balkhu is set to provide 10 of its services online starting Asar 15 (June 29, 2025). According to TU sources, the move aims to make services more accessible and convenient for students. “From Asar 15 onward, services will be available online. Students won’t need to visit the office anymore,” one official at the Controller’s Office stated. The decision comes amid long-standing criticism of the office’s inefficiency, with students frequently complaining about having to stand in queues for hours just to access basic exam-related services.
Nighttime Vehicle Ban on BP Highway for 15 Days: Authorities have announced an immediate 15-day nighttime ban on vehicle movement along the BP Highway. The decision was made during a joint meeting of the inter-district security coordination committees of Kavre, Sindhuli, and Ramechhap districts on Friday. According to the decision, all vehicles—except freight trucks—will be prohibited from operating on the highway from 6:30 PM to 5:00 AM during the restriction period.
Election Commission Consults PM Oli on By-Elections for Vacant Seats: Officials from the Election Commission of Nepal held consultations with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli today regarding upcoming by-elections. The discussion focused on filling two vacant seats in the House of Representatives and Provincial Assembly, as well as 18 seats set to become vacant in the National Assembly on Falgun 20 (March 4, 2026), along with other vacant local-level positions. The meeting took place at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar.
Leading Hydropower Companies Drive Surge in Market Trading Volumes This Week: Sanima Mai Hydropower led the market this week in terms of trading value, recording transactions worth NPR 3.73 billion. Following Sanima Mai were Ngadi Group, Butwal Power, Radhi Bidyut, Singati Hydro Energy, Universal Power, Chilime Hydropower, Synergy Power, Soaltee Hotel, and Union Hydropower in descending order of value traded. When ranked by the number of transactions, Peoples Power took the lead, followed by Pure Energy, Ngadi Group, Singati Hydro Energy, Sanima Mai Hydropower, Butwal Power, Union Hydropower, Arun Kabeli Power, Synergy Power, and Universal Power.
Surge in US Dollar Value Increases Nepal’s Public Debt Burden: As the exchange rate of the US dollar continues to rise compared to the Nepali rupee, Nepal’s public debt burden has increased accordingly. The monthly report from the Public Debt Management Office shows that the government’s liability grows every month due to the rising cost of foreign debt repayments.
Govt Awaits Social Media Bill as Platforms Defy Listing Requirements: Despite repeated reminders, major social media platforms have failed to register with the Nepal government, leaving the Ministry of Communication unable to enforce regulation. As the use of social media surges, the government awaits the passage of the ‘Social Media Bill’ for effective oversight. Earlier, the Ministry had issued a directive on December 1, 2023, for the management of social media usage.
Nepal Pays Rs 62.94 billion in Interest on Public Debt This Fiscal Year: By June 14 in the current fiscal year, the government paid Rs 62.94 billion just in interest on public debt. According to the Public Debt Management Office, Nepal’s total public debt has reached Rs 2.654 trillion.
IPPAN Protests as Finance Minister Fails to Scrap ‘Take and Pay’ Provision: IPPAN (Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal) has announced protest programs after Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel refused to remove the controversial ‘Take and Pay’ provision in power purchase agreements. With Nepal’s electricity generation capacity reaching 3,600 MW and over 80% contributed by the private sector, IPPAN warned that banks are now unwilling to finance 350+ proposed projects totaling 17,000 MW — risking Rs 66 billion in investment.
Popular Music Video Model Anjali Adhikari to Debut in Films: Popular music video model Anjali Adhikari is set to make her debut in the Nepali film industry. She will be seen in the second installment of the film Ahuti, which is being produced by Bhawani Sangraula. Last week, the Film Development Board granted permission for the production of this movie. Anjali’s name is also mentioned in the official approval letter. The shooting of the first installment of Ahuti was completed in mid-June in Panchthar, eastern Nepal.
Actress Rekha Thapa Launches Talk Show ‘Dosro Adhyaya’: Actress Rekha Thapa has launched a new program titled Dosro Adhyaya (Second Chapter). She introduced the show through her official YouTube channel. Thapa stated that the show is conversation-based in format. According to her, the program is centered on topics related to health and education. The first episode of Dosro Adhyaya was aired on Thursday.
Short Film ‘Khali Sisi, Naya Kagaz’ Released: The short film Khali Sisi, Naya Kagaz, written and directed by Shailendra Bajracharya, has been officially released. The film presents, through its narrative, the emotional and mental struggles faced by elderly people in Nepal due to the younger generation’s obsession with going abroad and settling overseas. Featuring performances by Mukunda Shrestha, Rachana Singh, Afshan Panthi, Rabindra Nepal, Suman Thapa, Binod Lama, and Manila Rana, the film aims to deliver a strong message to the youth.
Nepal Announces Final Squad for AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Nepal has announced its final squad for the qualification round of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup 2026. The announcement was made by Nepal’s head coach Patrick De Wilde. According to the All-Nepal Football Association (ANFA), defender Pratiksha Chaudhary has made it into the national team for the first time. Nepal is in Group F of the qualifiers, which will be held in Uzbekistan. Other teams in the group include hosts Uzbekistan, Laos, and Sri Lanka.
Vatsalya Everest Women’s League to be held from September 5: The dates for the second edition of the Vatsalya Everest Women’s Volleyball League have been announced. The organizer, Infinity Dreams Pvt. Ltd., issued a press release on Friday stating that the tournament will take place from Bhadra 20 to 28 (September 5 to 13). According to the organizers, the Nepal Volleyball Association has already given official approval for the competition dates, and preparations are moving forward at a rapid pace.
Nepal Makes Historic Ministerial-Level Debut at Anti-Doping Summit in Dubai: In a historic first, Nepal participated at the ministerial level in the 20th Asia–Oceania Intergovernmental Ministerial Conference held in Dubai, aimed at strengthening the shared commitment against doping in global sports. A delegation led by Nepal’s Minister for Youth and Sports, Tejulal Chaudhary, attended the event, marking the country’s most high-level involvement in such a global anti-doping forum to date.
Israel Attacks Dozens of Military Targets in Iran: The Israeli military said on Friday it carried out strikes on dozens of military targets in Iran overnight, including the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research that it said is involved in Iran’s nuclear weapons development. An industrial plant in northern Iran was damaged in an attack, Iranian media reported on Friday, hours after Israel issued a warning for residents to move away from nearby areas.
Trump to Decide in Two Weeks on US Involvement in Israel-Iran Conflict: US President Donald Trump will decide within the next two weeks whether the United States will join Israel in its ongoing war with Iran, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday (local time), citing a continued possibility of diplomatic engagement with Tehran. Addressing a briefing at the White House, Leavitt read out a statement from President Trump, who acknowledged the potential for diplomatic negotiations despite the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
China Criticises UK Warship’s Patrol in Taiwan Strait: China’s military has called a British warship’s recent passage through the Taiwan Strait a disruptive act of “intentional provocation” that “undermines peace and stability”. The British Royal Navy says HMS Spey’s patrol on Wednesday was part of a long-planned deployment and was in accordance with international law. The patrol – the first by a British naval vessel in four years – comes as a UK carrier strike group arrives in the region for a deployment that will last several months.
