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.
RSP, RPP Continue Obstruction; Unified Socialist MP Tears Budget in Parliament: Tensions in House of Representatives escalated further as lawmakers from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) continued obstructing parliamentary proceedings, while CPN (Unified Socialist) lawmaker Ammar Bahadur Thapa tore a copy of the budget document in protest. As soon as Speaker Devraj Ghimire announced the beginning of Thursday’s session, RSP and RPP lawmakers stood up in dissent. Amid the uproar in Parliament, CPN (Unified Socialist) lawmaker Ammar Bahadur Thapa tore up the government’s budget document for the upcoming fiscal year in protest.
Judges Who Acquitted NC’s Aftab Alam in Murder Case Pulled into Judicial Council: The two judges—Dr. Khusi Prasad Tharu and Arjun Maharjan—who acquitted former Nepali Congress lawmaker Aftab Alam in a high-profile murder case have been summoned to the Judicial Council. In a meeting held on Thursday, the Judicial Council decided to relieve them of their current responsibilities and bring them under its purview. Aftab Alam had been accused of orchestrating a bomb explosion and killing individuals in connection with the incident. However, on Jestha 14 (May 28), a division bench of the Janakpur High Court’s Birgunj bench, comprising Judges Khusi Prasad Tharu and Arjun Maharjan, acquitted him of all charges.
Gyanendra Shahi Demands Probe into 14 Home Ministers Over Visit Visa Scandal: Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chief Whip Gyandendra Shahi has called for an investigation into 14 current and former Home Ministers in connection with the controversial visit visa scandal. Speaking at Thursday’s House of Representatives meeting, Shahi named former Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula and incumbent Ramesh Lekhak among the 14 who, he said, should be brought under the purview of a probe. Shahi emphasized that the visit visa issue is not the concern of any single political party but a matter of national importance.
RSP Observing Third Founding Day on June 21: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is going to celebrate its Third Founding Day on June 21. The RSP Secretariat meeting has decided to celebrate its Third Founding Day anniversary by conducting a nationwide campaign under the main slogan ‘Hitting the Street and Parliament for the Abolition of Kleptocracy and the Promotion of Cultured Politics.’ The party secretariat meeting held on Wednesday has made various nine-point decisions, including holding a central committee meeting at the party’s central office in the morning on the day of the foundation anniversary.
Parliamentary Committee Chair Expresses Frustration Over Stalled Civil Service Bill: The chairperson of the parliamentary committee has expressed dissatisfaction over the Civil Service Bill being stuck in Parliament. Ramhari Khatiwada, Chair of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee under the House of Representatives, has urged the government to move the bill forward without further delay. Speaker Devraj Ghimire had allotted time for Chairperson Khatiwada to present the report on the amendment to the Citizenship Act. Taking the rostrum to submit the report, Khatiwada reminded the House that even the report on the Citizenship Act amendment bill has remained pending.
Meeting of Top Three Parties Postponed; No New Date Confirmed: The scheduled meeting of the top three parties—Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, and CPN (Maoist Centre)—for Thursday has been postponed. Govinda Acharya, chief personal secretary to Maoist Centre Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, informed that the decision to postpone was made through mutual consultation. “It was mutually agreed to postpone the meeting. The Prime Minister’s Office has conveyed that it may be held tomorrow. But as of now, there is no certainty about when it will take place,” Acharya said.
Complaint Filed Against Unified Socialist MP Metmani Chaudhary Over Rs 50 million Claim: A complaint has been filed via postal service against Metmani Chaudhary, Member of Parliament and Chief Whip of the CPN (Unified Socialist). The complaint reached the District Police Office in Dang through the postal system. However, it has not been officially registered yet, as it is still under review. Although the complaint against MP Metmani Chaudhary includes a claim of more than Rs 50 million, the police have not disclosed who filed it. The identity of the person or party that submitted the complaint remains unknown, as authorities at the Dang District Police Office have declined to reveal that information.
CIB Arrests Fugitive Jyoti Bahadur Bhandari from Cambodia Over Multi-Million Scam: The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has initiated legal proceedings against Jyoti Bahadur Bhandari, who had been absconding after embezzling millions of rupees from Miteri Savings and Credit Cooperative Limited. A police team deployed from the Nepal Police Headquarters arrested the 42-year-old Bhandari in Cambodia and brought him back to Nepal on Wednesday night.
Balen Shah Reverses Decision on Removal of Ward Chairs’ Committee Responsibilities: Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Sah has withdrawn his earlier decision to remove committee responsibilities from four ward chairpersons. Some time ago, the mayor had taken away specific committee duties from four ward chairs and assigned those roles to others. The ward chairs—Asharam Sangat, Maharaja Maharjan, Khyamraj Tiwari, and Naveen Manandhar—protested, saying the decision was arbitrary and imposed without proper consultation.
KMC Police Chief Pandey Returns to Duty Following Interim Court Order: Rajunath Pandey, Chief of the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Force, has resumed his duties. The Patan High Court issued an interim order instructing that the suspension against him should not be enforced, allowing him to return to work starting Thursday. After taking charge again, Pandey expressed his desire to leave past issues behind and focus on his responsibilities moving forward.
Poisonous Snakes Including King Cobras Spotted in Kathmandu Valley as Temperature Rises: As temperatures rise in the Kathmandu Valley, poisonous snakes typically seen in extremely hot areas have begun to appear. Venomous species such as king cobras, monocled cobras, green pit vipers, banded kraits, and monocled kraits are now being reported in different parts of Kathmandu. Recently, on Tuesday, Asar 3 (June 17), a king cobra was found inside the toilet commode of Shree Kankali Secondary School in Ward No. 13 of Chandragiri Municipality. The next day, on Wednesday, Asar 4 (June 18), another king cobra was discovered near the porch of a house in Ward No. 7 of Dakshinkali Municipality.
Police Sub-Inspector Arrested in Connection with Death of Prisoner in Kailali Jail: A police sub-inspector has been arrested in connection with the death of a prisoner in Kailali Jail. Harjit Nath, a 28-year-old sub-inspector serving at the District Police Office in Dadeldhura, has been taken into custody. The deceased prisoner, Haris Singh Pali, was from Bhageshwar Rural Municipality-5 in Dadeldhura. Police confirmed that based on a formal complaint lodged by the victim’s family, Harjit Nath was arrested and is currently under investigation.
Nepalis Crossing into China’s Taklakot Soars After Passport-Free Border Movement Allowed: Following the government’s new provision allowing residents of 15 Nepali districts bordering China to cross the border without passports, the number of Nepalis entering Taklakot, China, has surged dramatically. At Humla’s Hilsa border checkpoint, more than 8,000 Nepalis have crossed into Taklakot. In the past two months alone, approximately 2,700 people have obtained border passes at the Hilsa Police Post, according to official records.
NEPSE Falls by 24.76 Points; All Sectoral Indices in Red: On the last trading day of the week, all indices in the share market declined. The NEPSE index dropped by 24.76 points compared to the previous day, settling at 2,628 points. Despite the drop in the index, the total transaction volume increased. Compared to the previous day’s turnover of Rs 9.08 billion, today’s transaction reached Rs 11.23 billion. While the prices of 47 companies rose, 201 saw a decline. All sectoral sub-indices ended in negative territory. The trade sector saw the sharpest fall at 2.47 percent.
Finance Minister Paudel Highlights Green Economy as Key to Nepal’s Economic Growth: At an event in Kathmandu, Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel emphasized that promoting a green economy is essential for Nepal to overcome challenges in economic growth. He outlined that sustainable growth, job creation, quality human capital development, social inclusion, and boosting investment and trade will help the country advance economically.
Hydropower Sector Records Highest Growth in Share Market Over Past Month: The hydropower sector has shown the highest increase in the share market in the last month. While the overall NEPSE index increased by only 1.68 percent, the hydropower group rose by 7.89 percent. Despite some sectors declining, hydropower experienced good growth. Some companies in this group saw their share prices rise as much as 92 percent during the one-month period.
NRB Facilitates Easier Investment in Stock Market for Non-Resident Nepalese: The central bank amended the Foreign Investment and Foreign Loan Management Regulation to simplify the process for non-resident Nepali to apply for shares in investment companies. The amended regulation states that non-resident Nepali, for the purpose of applying to shares of joint investment companies, can bring the amount into the foreign investor’s account even before receiving foreign investment approval.
Public Debt Rises by NPR 220.58 billion in 11 Months of Current Fiscal Year: Public debt has increased by NPR 220.58 billion up to June 14 in the current fiscal year. According to the Public Debt Management Office, government debt stood at NPR 2.43 trillion as of the end of Ashad (mid-July) of fiscal year 2023/24 but reached NPR 2.65 trillion by the 11th month of the fiscal year 2024/25, amounting to 43.47% of the Gross Domestic Product.
Japanese Actress Razel Ichimiya to Star in Nepali Film ‘Jahaajai Maa’: Japanese actress Razel Ichimiya is set to appear in the upcoming Nepali film Jahaajai Maa, directed by Krisha Chaulagain. The production team made the announcement official by releasing a poster featuring Ichimiya. Earlier, director Chaulagain had shared a photo with Ichimiya during her visit to Japan, sparking speculation about the actress’s involvement. The latest announcement has now confirmed her role in the film.
Singer Deep Shrestha to Receive ‘Dirgha Sadhana Samman’: Veteran singer Deep Shrestha will be honored with the Dirgha Sadhana Samman (Lifetime Contribution Award) by the Nepal Academy of Music and Drama. The award includes a cash prize of NPR 200,000 and a copper plaque. Shrestha, who has been active in Nepal’s music scene for over five decades, began his musical journey at the age of 18 with the recording of his iconic song “Ma Pattharko Dewata Hoina” (“I am not a stone idol”).
Lyricist Tek Tamang to Host His First Solo Musical Evening: Lyricist Tek Tamang is set to hold his first-ever solo musical evening. Titled “Geetkaar Tek Tamang Sangeetik Saajh 2082”, the event will take place on Saturday, Ashar 14 (June 28), at the auditorium of the Nepal Academy (Pragya Pratisthan) in Kamaladi, Kathmandu. Organized by the Lyricists’ Association, the evening will feature performances of 17 selected songs written by Tamang—both new and classic hits. Tamang has penned hundreds of songs over the years, many of which have become beloved staples in the Nepali music scene.
None of Nepal’s Six Listed Players Selected in 15th BBL Draft: In the 15th edition of the Big Bash League (BBL) draft held on Thursday, none of the six Nepalese cricketers registered were picked by any of the eight participating teams. While 15 players secured contracts across the teams, Nepal’s six players—Sandeep Lamichhane, Dev Khanal, Sher Malla, Arjun Saud, Bipin Sharma, and Arif Sheikh—were left out. So far, only Sandeep Lamichhane has had the opportunity to play in the BBL, representing Melbourne Stars and Hobart Hurricanes in two editions each.
Date for 10th National Games Still Uncertain After Three Postponements: The 10th edition of the National Games, Nepal’s biggest sporting event, has been postponed three times, and a new date has yet to be announced. Uncertainty continues to loom over whether the games will even take place. The National Games bring together athletes, coaches, and officials from across the country, encompassing both individual and team sports. As the event approaches, it typically sparks a surge of excitement and enthusiasm in Nepal’s sporting community. However, the repeated delays have cast doubt and frustration over this highly anticipated festival of athletics.
Chitwan District Football Association to Host Competition Promoted by Bharatpur Metropolitan City: The Chitwan District Football Association, with promotion from Bharatpur Metropolitan City, is set to organize a football competition starting Friday. The tournament will be inaugurated by Bharatpur Metropolitan City Mayor Renu Dahal, according to Shrikrishna Karki, president of the District Football Association. A total of 24 community and institutional schools within Bharatpur Metropolitan City will participate in the competition. The opening match will be played between Nepal Police School and Chitwan High School.
Thai PM Faces Calls to Quit After Leaked Phone Call: Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra’s coalition government is on the brink of collapse after her phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen about a festering border dispute was leaked. The leak provoked public anger and prompted a key coalition partner of the 38-year-old Paetongtarn’s Peu Thai party to quit. In the call, she addressed Hun Sen, a family friend and senior politician in the South East Asian region, as “uncle” and appeared to dismiss a Thai military commander.
Trump Approves Iran Attack Plan but Has Not Made Final Decision, Reports Say: Donald Trump has approved plans to attack Iran, but has not made a final decision on whether to strike the country, the BBC’s US partner CBS reports. The US president held off from initiating strikes in case Iran agreed to abandon its nuclear program, a senior intelligence source told CBS. Trump is reportedly considering a US strike on Fordo, an underground uranium enrichment facility in Iran.
Iranian Missiles Strike Israel as Nuclear Reactor Attacked in Iran: Iranian missiles caused serious damage at four sites in central and southern Israel, including at the Soroka hospital, while Israeli forces are reported to have attacked Iran’s Arak heavy water nuclear reactor. US President Donald Trump says he’s still weighing his options on United States military intervention in the escalating hostilities. Earlier, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned the US that any strikes on its territory would have “serious irreparable consequences”.
