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.
Former Prez Bhandari: I Don’t Need to Seek Permission from UML for District Visits: Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari has asserted that she does not need to seek permission from the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) — UML — when visiting districts, emphasizing her independent engagement with the public and grassroots party committees. Speaking to reporters at Biratnagar Airport on Tuesday, Bhandari addressed questions regarding her recent visits, political future, and her views on Nepal’s development and internal party dynamics. On her trip to eastern Nepal, Bhandari attended two major events: a national program for deputy mayors and vice-chairpersons of local governments, and a science exhibition held by high school students.
PM Oli Confers Degrees to 86 Graduates at Rajarshi Janak University: Eighty-six students graduated from Rajarshi Janak University in a convocation ceremony presided over by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who also serves as the university’s Chancellor. The event was held Tuesday at the Mahendranarayan Nidhi Cultural Center in Janakpurdham. Among the 114 eligible graduates who completed bachelor’s and master’s programs, 86 participated in the ceremony. The university recognized academic excellence by awarding gold medals to four top-performing students and ten outstanding graduates from each faculty. This convocation marks another milestone for the relatively young university in Nepal’s Terai region, demonstrating its growing academic stature under the leadership of PM Oli as Chancellor.
CIAA Summons Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shah Over Cannes Trip Expenses: The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has summoned Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah to clarify expenses from his trip to the 2024 Cannes Film Festival in France. The summons follows a complaint and concerns raised by the Office of the Auditor General, which flagged irregularities in the expenditure. According to the Auditor General’s report, over Rs 2.25 million was spent on the trip, paid through multiple vouchers under Shah’s name and those of his two aides—Sunil Lamsal and Kumar Byanjankar.
Three Names Recommended For Supreme Court Justice: The Judicial Council has recommended three individuals for appointment as Supreme Court justices. During a meeting held on Tuesday, the Council recommended one senior advocate and two High Court chief judges for the position of Supreme Court justice. The Judicial Council has recommended senior advocate Megharaj Pokharel, Janakpur High Court Chief Judge Srikanta Paudel, and Dipayal High Court Chief Judge Shantisingh Thapa for the Supreme Court justiceship.
NC President Deuba Expresses Discontent Over Budget: Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has voiced dissatisfaction with key provisions of the government’s newly unveiled budget. Speaking at an event organized by the party’s Central Department of Supply and Consumer Affairs, Deuba stated that neither he nor his party was fully pleased with several aspects of the financial plan. Highlighting Nepal’s current challenges, Deuba stressed the need for tighter controls along the Nepal-India open border to prevent smuggling. He also suggested that fully legalizing gold imports could help eliminate illegal trade.
Madhesh Lawmaker Dipendra Thakur, 14 Others Face Graft Charge: A corruption case has been registered against Madhesh Provincial Assembly member Dipendra Kumar Thakur and 14 others over alleged irregularities in a hospital construction project. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) stated that the case involves the ‘Integrated Health Infrastructure Development Program’ under the Ministry of Health and Population in fiscal year 2077/78 (2020/21). The project involved constructing a 15-bed hospital in Deuri Parwah, Ward No. 2 of Aurahi Rural Municipality, Dhanusha, with an estimated cost of Rs. 244.35 million.
Maoist Center Chair Prachanda Claims Discussions on Unity with Socialist Front: Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda,’ chairperson of CPN (Maoist Center), has claimed that discussions are ongoing regarding unity with parties affiliated with the Socialist Front. Speaking at a program in Khumaltar on Tuesday to welcome leaders and cadres who left Ashok Rai-led Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) and joined the Maoists, Prachanda stated that talks on unification are progressing. “The party led by Netra Bikram Chand (Communist Party of Nepal) and the Unified Socialist Party led by Madhav Kumar Nepal are already part of the front. Discussions on party unity are underway,”Prachanda said.
ANNFSU Publishes Election Schedule for 24th National Convention: An election schedule has been published for the 24th national convention of the All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) after efforts for consensus leadership failed. The election committee has released the schedule, with voting set from 10 AM to 5 PM on Wednesday. The closed session was adjourned earlier after protests and demands for elections. Chairman of the panel, Bhanubhakta Dhakal, had proposed Dr. Sujan Kadariya for chairman, Prakash Paudel and Anjana Shiwakoti for vice-chairs, and Deepak Dhami for general secretary in a bid for unanimous selection.
NC Lawmaker Sharma Stresses Citizenship as Birthright: Nepali Congress lawmaker Bishwaprakash Sharma has stated that citizenship is a birthright and should be granted based on the identification of either parent. Speaking at a meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee on Tuesday, Sharma said the proposed amendment to the Nepal Citizenship Act, 2063, respects maternal identity, which was previously overlooked. “Earlier, our law easily recognized the father but not the mother, which was problematic. The new bill ensures that no one is deprived of citizenship rights based on parental recognition. This law must guarantee birthright citizenship,” Sharma said.
Home Minister Lekhak Announces Reform Efforts in Ministry: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has stated that he is actively working on reforms within the Ministry of Home Affairs. Responding to queries during a meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee under the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Lekhak highlighted that policy-level improvements have already been initiated since he assumed office. With his tenure as Home Minister nearing 11 months, Lekhak emphasized that significant policy, legal, and structural reforms have been carried out under his leadership.
Committee Submits Report on Medicine Price Adjustment to Health Minister: A committee formed to recommend adjustments in medicine prices has submitted its report to Health and Population Minister Pradip Paudel. During a program at the ministry on Tuesday, committee coordinator Dr. Posharaj Pandey handed over the report. Minister Paudel stated that the committee was formed after observing that some drug prices had increased disproportionately over time without proper study. “Even issues not covered in this report will be collected and implemented later. This will help improve medicine quality, management, and governance,” he said.
Police Shoot Two Drug Smugglers Near Grande Hospital in Tokha: A police operation to apprehend drug smugglers near Grande Hospital in Tokha turned violent today, resulting in a shooting. Two suspected drug smugglers were shot by police while trying to evade arrest. Both smugglers were found in possession of over 150 grams of brown sugar, a highly addictive narcotic. During the clash, two police personnel also sustained injuries and were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. Authorities confirmed that the injured officers are currently stable.
Monsoon Shifts to East Asia from Koshi Province: The monsoon had entered Nepal from Koshi Province on May 29 which was 15 days before the usual onset date. But the monsoon has now returned to East Asia from Koshi province. A meteorologist at the Meteorological Forecasting Division said the monsoon wind has shifted to East Asia from Koshi province of Nepal due to formation of a strong low-pressure area there. Meteorologist Govinda Jha shared, “The monsoon has shifted to East Asia mainly towards the Philippines. There is still no possibility of the monsoon spreading in Nepal for few more days.”
NEPSE Gains 25 Points; All Sectors Up: Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) witnessed a bullish trend on Tuesday with all sectoral indices closing in positive territory. The NEPSE index gained 25.07 points compared to the previous trading session, closing at 2,678 points. Market activity also picked up significantly, with the total turnover rising to Rs 10.16 billion from Rs 8.68 billion in the previous session. The finance sector emerged as the top performer, surging by 5.12 percent, followed by non-life insurance (1.26%), hotel and tourism (1.28%), and life insurance (1.08%). Other sectors also posted gains, including banking (0.93%), development banks (0.71%), hydropower (0.46%), investment (0.68%), microfinance (0.61%), manufacturing and processing (0.25%), and trading (1.07%). The “others” category recorded the second-highest growth at 1.51 percent.
Finance Minister Poudel Denies Rift Between Fiscal and Monetary Policies: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel has dismissed claims of discord between fiscal and monetary policy. Speaking at an event in Kathmandu, he said those looking to find divisions between the Finance Ministry and Nepal Rastra Bank—or between the Finance Minister and the NRB Governor—will be disappointed. He expressed concern that such speculations had become a topic of public discourse, and emphasized that the state system does not envision any misunderstanding between these institutions.
Historic Surge in Remittance Inflows: Rs 165 billion in a Month: Nepal has set a new record in remittance inflows. In Baisakh alone, Rs 165 billion was received in remittances, according to Nepal Rastra Bank. This figure surpasses the previous record set last year. By the end of Chaitra, the cumulative remittance inflow had reached Rs 1.191 trillion, which rose to Rs 1.356 trillion by the end of Baisakh. Compared to the same period last fiscal year, this is a 16.9% increase.
Minister Bhandari Reaffirms Nepal’s Commitment to Decent Work Agenda: Minister for Labor, Employment and Social Security, Sharatsingh Bhandari, reaffirmed Nepal’s full commitment to the Decent Work Agenda. He made these remarks while addressing the plenary session of the International Labor Conference 2025, organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva, Switzerland. In his address, Minister Bhandari said that Nepal is preparing a workforce for both domestic and foreign employment through collaboration with the private sector, civil society, and development partners.
Inflation Rate Continues to Decline, Drops to 2.77% in Baisakh: The inflation rate in Nepal continues to decline, reaching 2.77% in Baisakh 2082 BS. In the previous month (Chaitra), the year-on-year point-to-point consumer inflation stood at 3.39%, while it was 4.40% in the same month last year. This ongoing downward trend in inflation has been sustained for several months. According to Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), inflation in the food and beverage group was 1.52%, and 3.45% in the non-food and services group during the review period. In the same period last year, these rates were significantly higher at 6.41% and 3.09%, respectively.
Actor Prakash Saput Joins the Film ‘Mirmire’: After actor Dayahang Rai, Prakash Saput has been signed on for the film ‘Mirmire.’ This film marks the first collaboration between Prakash and Dayahang. So far, the team has not revealed information about other actors. Director Yam Sherpa said, “We are still in the process of signing actors. Discussions are ongoing with some. We plan to work with actors who are currently popular in the market and have strong acting skills.” It is not yet disclosed whether Prakash will participate only as an actor or also contribute to the musical aspect of the film.
Pradeep Bhattarai Replaces Manoj Gajurel as Maharaja in Comedy Darbar: Pradeep Bhattarai has stepped in as the Maharaja in Comedy Darbar, replacing Manoj Gajurel. Manoj Gajurel is currently on a one-month tour of Europe, so Pradeep Bhattarai will play the Maharaja for the duration of his absence. Pradeep Bhattarai will appear as the Maharaja starting from the 10th episode of Comedy Darbar Season 2. He expressed gratitude to the team for inviting him as a guest Maharaja in this highly popular show.
Film Directed by Krisha Chaulagain Announces Its Title: A few days ago, Krisha Chaulagain arrived in Japan and signed on to a film project under the banner of UNA Production. The film has been titled “Jahajaima” (On the plane). The official theme poster of the film shows a man carrying luggage at the airport, heading to board a plane. The film tells the story of young people who dream of going to Japan. Produced by Ujwal Guragain, the cast lineup of the film has not yet been announced. It has been confirmed that Purushottam Pradhan will handle the cinematography.
Gulsan Jha and Sompal Kami Injured, Ruled Out of Remaining Matches in Scotland Tour: Nepal’s national cricket team has been dealt a significant blow as two of its key players, Gulsan Jha and Sompal Kami, have been ruled out of the remainder of the ICC World Cup League 2 fixtures in Scotland, as well as the upcoming T20 International Triangular Series involving the Netherlands. Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) spokesperson Chhumbi Lama confirmed that both players were injured during a training session ahead of Nepal’s League 2 match against the Netherlands. Fast bowler Sompal Kami hurt his right hand, while young all-rounder Gulsan Jha sustained a knee injury. Following medical assessment, team doctors have advised both players to rest and refrain from participating in the upcoming matches to prevent aggravation of their respective injuries.
Nepali National Women’s Team to Have Two Assistant Coaches: The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has appointed Rajendra Tamang and Bhagwati Thapa as assistant coaches for the Nepali national women’s football team on Tuesday. Previously, the team usually had only one assistant coach. With Belgian national Patrick De Wilde appointed as the head coach, Tamang expressed his willingness to remain in the team as an assistant coach. De Wilde has replaced Tamang in the head coach position. Under Tamang’s coaching, Nepal reached the finals of the Nepal WAF Women’s Championship, SAFF Women’s Championship, and the Four Nations Cup. However, Nepal ended as runners-up in all these decisive matches after losing the finals.
Four Players from Taplejung Selected for President’s Running Shield: Four players from Taplejung have been selected for the national competition through the Koshi Province-level President’s Running Shield tournament. The event, held in Biratnagar, saw selections made in athletics for the 3000-meter and 800-meter races, as well as in kabaddi and volleyball competitions. According to Narendra Mabo Ganesh, chairman of the District Sports Development Committee of Taplejung, two players are from Maiwakhola Rural Municipality, and one each from Phungling Municipality and Meringden Rural Municipality. He further informed that Samir from Maiwakhola won the gold medal in the 3000-meter race at the Koshi Province-level competition.
Austrian School Gunman Kills Nine, Takes Own Life: Ten people have died following a shooting at a secondary school in the Austrian city of Graz, police say. Six females and three males are among the dead, the interior minister says, plus the suspect who police believe killed himself in a school bathroom. The suspected gunman was a 21-year-old former pupil from Graz who did not finish school and who used two legal firearms, authorities say.
Hundreds of U.S. Marines Deployed to LA Amid Immigration Protests: The Pentagon has confirmed the deployment of 700 U.S. Marines to the Los Angeles area to support federal response efforts amid intensifying protests against immigration raids. President Donald Trump has defended his decision to deploy the National Guard, even as California Governor Gavin Newsom has filed a lawsuit against the administration’s actions. Governor Newsom claims he has been informed that an additional 2,000 National Guard troops may soon be sent to Los Angeles, signaling a possible escalation in the federal response.
Greta Thunberg Deported, Israel Says, After Gaza Aid Boat Intercepted: Israel says it has deported Swedish campaigner Greta Thunberg, a day after the Gaza-bound aid boat she and 11 other people were on was intercepted by Israeli forces in the Mediterranean. Thunberg departed Tel Aviv on Tuesday morning on a flight to France after she agreed to be deported, the Israeli foreign ministry said.
