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.
RPP Leader Rabindra Mishra Released On Bail: Rabindra Mishra, Senior Vice-Chairperson of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), has been released on bail. The Kathmandu District Court, under the bench of Judge Tara Devi Maharjan, issued an order on Tuesday allowing his release on a bail amount of Rs 300,000.
HoR Adjourned for Thursday Amid Deadlock Over Visit Visa Scandal Probe: The House of Representatives has been adjourned until 11 a.m. Thursday after Speaker Devraj Ghimire’s attempts to break the ongoing deadlock through talks with chief whips of major parties yielded no progress. The opposition Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has repeatedly demanded the formation of a high-level or judicial investigation committee to probe the visit visa scandal. At the start of Tuesday’s House session, RSP lawmaker Chanda Bhandari Karki strongly urged the House to establish such a committee.
RSP MPs Wear Blue Scarfs to Demand Investigation into Visit Visa Case: Opposition lawmakers from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) arrived at the Federal Parliament building wearing blue ribbons to demand an investigation into the visit visa scandal and the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak. These MPs, who have been staging a protest sit-in in the parliament premises, wore the blue scarfs to the session held on Tuesday at the Federal Parliament in New Baneshwor. They also took a group photograph inside the parliament building.
Cabinet Discusses Removing Cooling-Off Period from Civil Service Bill: The Cabinet has discussed the possibility of removing the proposed “cooling-off period” provision from the Federal Civil Service Bill. Although the bill was being advanced with a clause mandating a two-year cooling-off period, the latest Cabinet meeting held a discussion on scrapping it. “The bill is being pushed forward with the cooling-off requirement, but yesterday’s Cabinet meeting discussed removing it altogether,” a minister said.
Prachanda Says Visit Visa Scam Not New, Calls for Policy Reform: Chairman of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, has stated that the controversy surrounding visit visas is not a new issue. Speaking at a press conference organized by the Press Center Chitwan on Tuesday at his residence in Shivanagar, Dahal said the problem dates back to 2064 B.S. (2008). He emphasized the need for investigation and policy-level reforms to address the issue, adding that it will not be overlooked.
Complaint Filed at JC Demanding Action Against Judges Who Acquitted Aftab Alam: A complaint has been filed at the Judicial Council demanding action against the judges who acquitted Mohammad Aftab Alam, accused in the Rautahat bombing case. On Monday, Shrinarayan Singh Rajput, father of Trilok Pratap Singh (Pintu), who was killed in the bombing, filed the complaint at the Judicial Council. He questioned the performance and conduct of Birgunj High Court judges Dr. Khusi Prasad Tharu and Arjun Maharjan, demanding disciplinary action against them. Trilok Pratap Singh was also killed in the 2008 bomb explosion incident.
Expelled UML Leader Bhim Rawal Accuses PM Oli of Authoritarianism: Former UML Vice Chairperson Bhim Rawal, who was expelled from the party a few months ago by UML Chair and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, launched a scathing attack against Oli on Tuesday through a post on social media platform X. In his lengthy note, Rawal responded to recent remarks made by Oli during a student program, where Oli allegedly mocked Rawal’s political stances and questioned his loyalty to the party. Oli had used terms like “confused,” “traitor,” and “search for a position” to belittle Rawal’s dissent, accusing him of weakening the party from within.
Nepali Congress Calls Emergency Central Committee Meeting for Wednesday Morning: The ruling Nepali Congress has called an emergency meeting of its Central Working Committee. According to General Secretary Krishna Prasad Paudel, the meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday morning at 8:30 AM. Although the meeting was originally set for Asar 15 (June 29), it has now been brought forward to tomorrow, which is why it is being termed “emergency.” The main agenda of the meeting includes adopting a condolence resolution on the passing of former NC lawmaker Dhundiraj Shastri Paudel, along with other internal discussions.
Home Ministry Transfers 21 Officials, Appoints New CDOs in 10 Districts: The Ministry of Home Affairs has transferred a total of 21 officials, including Under Secretaries and Joint secretaries. As part of this reshuffle, new Chief District Officers (CDOs) have been appointed in 10 districts. Ramuraj Kadariya has been posted to Gorkha, while Suresh Panthi has been assigned to Bhojpur. Janardan Gautam will serve in Dadeldhura, Sunita Nepal in Ilam, Netra Prasad Subedi in Salyan, Kedarnath Sharma in Jumla, and Basudev Dahal in Rolpa. Additionally, Punya Bikram Paudel, Dinesh Sagar Bhusal, and Buddha Bahadur Gurung have been posted to Baitadi, Sindhuli, and Doti respectively.
High Court Judge Appointment Process Temporarily Halted: The process of appointing High Court judges has been temporarily suspended. This pause comes after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli recommended Mahesh Kumar Nepal’s name for the position of Judicial Council member. A parliamentary hearing on Nepal’s appointment has already begun. Until the hearing concludes, the judge appointment process remains on hold.
Ganesh Thada Magar Promoted to AIG of Armed Police Force: Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Ganesh Bahadur Thada Magar of the Armed Police Force has been promoted to the rank of Additional Inspector General (AIG). The Cabinet meeting held on Monday evening approved his promotion. Earlier, on May 29, a promotion committee led by the Ministry of Home Affairs had recommended Thada Magar’s promotion from DIG to AIG. The AIG position became vacant after AIG Chandra Prakash Gautam retired compulsorily at midnight on April 15.
Suspended KMC Police Chief Pandey Files Petition Against Chief Officer Guragain: Suspended Chief of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Police, Rajunath Pandey, has approached the court. Pandey has filed a petition at the Patan High Court against KMC’s Chief Administrative Officer Saroj Guragain. Pandey said he had no comment to offer on the matter. However, according to court sources, the petition was officially registered today.
Mayor-Deputy Mayor Dispute Sparks Tension in Dharan: Tensions have escalated in Dharan amid an ongoing dispute between Mayor Hark Sampang and Deputy Mayor Aindra Bikram Begha. The conflict intensified after Mayor Sampang’s supporters confronted Deputy Mayor Beghabi for allegedly stopping payments by forming a consumer committee over labor donation bills. This move angered Maoist activists. On Tuesday, when both sides confronted each other, the Armed Police Force (APF) and Nepal Police were deployed in large numbers to maintain order.
NEPSE Falls by 3.90 Points as Trading Volume Shrinks Sharply: On Tuesday, the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index declined along with a significant drop in total trading volume. Compared to the previous day, the NEPSE index dropped by 3.90 points, settling at 2,654 points. The daily trading volume also saw a notable contraction—falling from NPR 13.18 billion on the previous day to NPR 7.65 billion today. Despite the overall decline, the share prices of 99 companies rose, while 148 companies saw a drop. The microfinance sector stood out, registering a 1.10% gain. Similarly, the hydropower and trading sectors increased by 0.27% and 0.11%, respectively.
Gold and Silver Traders Urge PM Oli to Reconsider 2% Luxury Tax in Budget: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has been urged by the leadership of organizations associated with the gold and silver trade to reconsider the proposed 2% luxury tax on gold and silver transactions included in the upcoming fiscal year’s budget. During a meeting held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, a delegation comprising presidents of various gold trading associations, requested the government to reconsider the luxury tax provision, warning that its implementation would severely damage their business.
IPPAN Accuses Finance Minister of Undermining Energy Sector via Backdoor PPA Clause: Independent Power Producers Association, Nepal (IPPAN) have accused Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel of attempting to undermine the energy sector by including a “take-and-pay” Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) provision in the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26 budget without any recommendation from the Ministry of Energy. They allege that by inserting the take-and-pay PPA clause through a backdoor in the budget announcement, Minister Paudel has acted against his official responsibilities and violated the fundamental principles of the budget process.
Government Decides to Privatize Failing and Closed Public Enterprises: After years of public and political debate, the government has finally reached a conclusion regarding the future of failing and closed public enterprises. Acknowledging its inability to operate seven major state-owned enterprises under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies, the government has decided to manage their investments. This decision paves the way for either public-private partnerships or full privatization of these decades-old loss-making or shuttered industries.
NRB Governor Warns of Immediate Action Against Banks Involved in Fraud: Dr. Biswo Nath Poudel, Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, has issued a stern warning that any bank found cheating customers will face immediate punishment. Speaking at a discussion organized by Nepal Rastra Bank’s Janakpur office today, with representatives from the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry and various banks and financial institutions, he emphasized the central bank’s focus on protecting the public’s assets and ensuring that banking funds reach a wider population.
Filming of Poet Upendra Subba’s Movie ‘Jaari 2’ Completed; Set to Release This Dashain: The shooting of the film Jaari 2, directed by poet Upendra Subba, has been completed. The filming wrapped up on the 36th day, with all shooting done in Panchthar district. The production company, Bansuri Films, has announced that the movie is scheduled to release during the upcoming Dashain festival. Along with the completion of shooting, the production team unveiled the character looks of the lead actors, Dayahang Rai and Miruna Magar.
Film ‘Yo Man Ta Mero Nepali Ho’ Holds Special Screenings Across US Cities Ahead of Release: The movie Yo Man Ta Mero Nepali Ho, set to release from July 11, has been specially screened in several cities across the United States. Special shows were held in Columbus, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh, where audiences warmly praised the film. Viewers attending the special screening in Pittsburgh on Monday night expressed appreciation, saying that Nepalis living across the world are gradually losing connection with their art, culture, and traditions. They commended the film for beautifully portraying the importance, charm, and history of the Nepali language.
Singer Sugam Pokharel Releases New Song ‘Yo Katha Ho Mero’: Singer Sugam Pokharel has released his new song titled Yo Katha Ho Mero, for which he is the lyricist, composer, and vocalist. The music video aims to depict stories spanning from youth to adulthood. It stars Anju Rizal, Milan Karki, Sneha Joshi, Santosh Giri, Safar Pokharel, Noor Khanal, among others. Sugam himself arranged the music for the song. The video is directed by Sushant Gautam, with cinematography and editing by Yogesh Dahal. Sugam stated that the song and video represent stories of some representatives from our own society.
ANFA Beats Journalists’ Forum 10-2 in Friendly Match with Kirin Rai’s Hat-Trick: General Secretary Kiran Rai and Central Committee Member Tika Lama starred as the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) defeated the Journalists’ Forum 10-2 in a friendly match held Tuesday at ANFA’s headquarters ground in Satdobato. ANFA’s victory was powered by a hat-trick from Kiran Rai. Central members Pankaj Shahi, Binod Dangol, Jayoj Narasingh Shrestha, and Rajesh Shahi each contributed a goal. For jourmalists, Anish Shrestha and executive committee member Abhinav Joshi managed to score consolation goals.
Bridge International’s 10th Anniversary Celebrated with Friendly Cricket Match: On Ashad 7 (June 21), Bridge International will host a friendly cricket tournament called the Bridge Decade Cup at the Davis Cricket Ground in the UK. The competition will be led by cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane, who is also the brand ambassador of Bridge International Consultancy. The proceeds from the friendly match will be used to support orphaned children in Nepal, according to the organizers. Bhuvan Giri, founder and CEO of Bridge International, said the cricket event is being organized to mark the company’s successful decade while promoting a message of social responsibility.
Melamchi and Panchpokhari Cricket Club Share Title in Panchpokhari T20 Cricket Tournament: The seventh district-level Panchpokhari T20 Cricket Tournament, jointly organized by Panchpokhari Thangpal Rural Municipality and the Sindhupalchok District Cricket Association, concluded with Melamchi Municipality and Panchpokhari Cricket Club declared as joint champions. The final match, held at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground in the capital Kathmandu, was affected by rain. Due to the weather interruption, both teams were announced as winners by the organizers.
G7 Leaders Urge ‘De-escalation’ but Stop Short of Calling for Israel-Iran Ceasefire: The leaders of G7 nations have urged a “de-escalation of hostilities in the Middle East, including a ceasefire in Gaza” – but stopped short of calling for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, during their summit in Canada. The joint statement was signed by US President Donald Trump – who then left the meeting early, his intentions unclear. His press secretary said this was because of events in the Middle East.
At Least 15 Killed and Dozens Injured in Russian Strike on Kyiv: At least 15 people have been killed and dozens more wounded in Russian strikes on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, officials say. The attack overnight into Tuesday was one of the largest bombardments on Kyiv since the beginning of the full-scale invasion more than three years ago. Ukraine’s interior minister, Ihor Klymenko, said a total of 440 drones and 32 missiles had been launched at the country.
Blasts Shake Tehran, Air Raid Sirens Sound in Tel Aviv Amid Fifth Day of Israel-Iran Conflict: Tehran was rocked by multiple blasts while air raid sirens echoed through Tel Aviv as Israel and Iran continued exchanging missile and drone attacks for the fifth consecutive day. The escalating conflict has brought the region to the brink of wider hostilities. Amid the growing crisis, US President Donald Trump took to social media to warn all residents of Tehran to flee immediately. The death toll from Israeli attacks on Iran has risen above 220. Iranian retaliatory strikes on Israel have resulted in more than 20 fatalities.
