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.

Transport Operators Call Off Nationwide Strike: Transport operators have decided to call off their nationwide strike, which had been ongoing for two days. The decision was finalized during a meeting held Tuesday evening. The move came after the Gandaki Province government suspended the ride-sharing regulations for one month, prompting the operators to hold internal discussions.

PM Oli Unveils Memorials and Museum to Honor Annapurna Climbers: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli arrived today in Narachyang, Annapurna Rural Municipality-4, Myagdi district. He came to participate in the program organized by the Annapurna Rural Municipality to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the first ascent of Annapurna Mountain.According to Bharat Kumar Pun, chairperson of Annapurna Rural Municipality, the diamond jubilee festival is being held to mark 75 years since the French climber Maurice Herzog first ascended the 8,091-meter-high Annapurna on June 3, 1950.

House of Representatives Meeting Postponed Until Tomorrow: The scheduled meeting of the House of Representatives has been postponed. The meeting has been rescheduled to convene tomorrow (Wednesday) at 1 PM. Originally, the meeting was set to take place on Tuesday at 11 AM, but it was first deferred to 2 PM before being postponed for tomorrow. The House of Representatives was scheduled to begin discussions on the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, which was presented on Jestha 15 (May 29). However, the session was postponed without meeting, as opposition parties failed to reach an agreement.

PM Must Address House on Visa Scandal, Says Opposition: The main opposition parties have concluded the first round of talks ahead of today’s parliamentary session, reaching a unified three-point understanding on how to address the escalating controversy over the alleged misuse of visit visas. The meeting, held at the office of opposition leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ inside the Federal Parliament Building in New Baneshwor, was convened by the CPN (Maoist Centre) and included other opposition parties. According to sources, the opposition alliance agreed to press for the formation of a high-level investigation committee to probe the so-called “visit visa scandal.”

Rabi Lamichhane Requests Transfer to Dillibazar Jail, Awaiting Approval: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane, currently in judicial custody over the Supreme Cooperative fraud case, has formally requested a prison transfer from Rupandehi District Jail to Dillibazar Jail in Kathmandu. Lamichhane submitted a petition to the Rupandehi District Court, which subsequently forwarded the request to the prison administration for necessary processing. Following this, Rupandehi prison officials sent a letter to the Department of Prison Management in Kathmandu, seeking a decision on the matter. The transfer has not yet been approved and is currently awaiting a final decision from the department.

Hearing on Writ Against NRB Governor Poudel Postponed: The Supreme Court on Tuesday could not proceed with a scheduled hearing on the writ petition challenging the appointment of Dr. Biswo Nath Paudel as Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank. The writ had been scheduled before a joint bench comprising Chief Justice Prakashman Singh Raut and Justice Tek Prasad Dhungana. The petitioners—advocates Bishal Thapa, Prativa Upreti, and Anantaraj Luintel—had filed the writ on Jestha 12 (May 26) arguing that the appointment was unlawful.

Home Minister Lekhak Briefed on Disaster Preparedness at Nepal Police Headquarters: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak visited the Nepal Police Headquarters in Naxal to receive a briefing on disaster management preparedness ahead of the monsoon season, which has arrived a week earlier than usual. Earlier, he had also visited the Armed Police Force Headquarters for a similar briefing. During the visit, Minister Lekhak discussed ongoing disaster readiness efforts with Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deepak Thapa and other senior officials.

Lawmakers Slam Deal with Transport Operators as Syndicate Revival: Lawmakers have strongly criticized the recent late-night agreement between the government and transport entrepreneurs, calling it a step back toward reviving the banned syndicate system in Nepal’s public transportation sector. Speaking at the Infrastructure Development Committee on Tuesday, MPs Prakash Jwala and Madhav Sapkota questioned both the content and the process of the agreement. Jwala denounced the move, saying, “We dismantled the syndicate earlier, but it’s being brought back again. This is a major setback.”

Petition Filed at Supreme Court Demanding End to Public Transport Strike: A writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court demanding the removal of the ongoing strike that has halted public transportation. Advocate Bimal Pokharel claims the strike violates citizens’ basic and fundamental rights and urges the court to issue an immediate order to end the strike. The Supreme Court is set to hold an initial hearing on the petition on Wednesday.

Public Transport Still Off the Roads, Commuters Face Another Day of Disruption: General commuters continued to face hardship today due to the ongoing halt of public transportation services enforced by transport entrepreneurs. The shutdown, called in protest of ride-sharing services, has caused significant disruption to daily life for those dependent on public vehicles. In contrast, ride-sharing platforms such as Pathao and InDrive have seen increased demand. Normally overcrowded bus stops now show a notable presence of these services as people turn to alternatives to reach their destinations. Some vehicles, including Mayur Yatayat buses, Thankot-bound vehicles, and a limited number of rental taxis, were seen operating.

Transport Strike ‘Unjustified,’ says Minister Dahal: Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Devendra Dahal has criticized transport operators for continuing their strike despite an agreement with the federal government. Speaking at a House committee meeting in Singha Durbar, Dahal said the Gandaki Province was asked to suspend new ride-sharing rules, with the issue now under federal law. He questioned why vehicles remain off the road, calling the strike “inappropriate” since ride-sharing serves the public and needs regulation.

KMC Police Chief Pandey Suspended, Joshi Appointed Successor: The Chief of the Municipal Police of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), Rajunath Pandey, has been suspended. Saroj Guragain, the Chief Administrative Officer of the Metropolitan City, suspended Pandey for a period of six months. Pandey was asked for a clarification by Guragain on Jestha 6 (May 20), giving him a one-week deadline. Pandey submitted his explanation to Guragain on Jestha 12 (May 26), in which he presented a seven-point clarification, stating that he had acted on the orders of Mayor Balen Shah. On Chaitra 21, 2081 (April 3, 2025), while Guragain was entering the office at Kathmandu Plaza, the municipal police team under Pandey’s leadership attempted to block his entry.

RSP to Hold Policy Convention: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has decided to organize a policy convention to mark the establishment day of the party. The secretariat meeting of the party held on Monday took a decision on it, according to spokesperson (acting) Manish Jha. Joint General Secretary of the party, Bipin Kumar Acharya, has been assigned the coordinator of for the convention. Even the province, district and local chapters of the party will organize the programmes to observe the party establishment day.

Energy Minister Khadka, Non-resident Ambassador of Uruguay, Guani, Meet: Non-Resident Ambassador of Uruguay to Nepal, Alberto A. Guani, has paid a courtesy call on Minister for Energy, Water Resources and irrigation, Deepak Khadka. During the meeting held at the Energy Ministry in Singha Durbar today, they discussed the various issues including collaboration in energy and irrigation sectors between the two countries. On the occasion, Energy Minister Khadka pointed out the need of support and cooperation of donor agencies to meet the government’s target of producing 28,500-megawatt electricity by 2035.

Monarchist Rally Held in Sifal Amid Restrictions on Protests in Kathmandu: Monarchist parties and groups have been intensifying Kathmandu-centered protests demanding the restoration of the monarchy. On Tuesday, the United People’s Movement Committee, led by Nabaraj Subedi, organized a demonstration in Sifal in support of the royal institution. The rally saw the participation of Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal (RPP-N) Chairman Kamal Thapa, a vocal pro-monarchy leader. The protest was held in Sifal after the Kathmandu District Administration Office imposed a ban on public demonstrations in several key areas, including Balkhu and Koteshwor, leaving Sifal as one of the few unrestricted zones.

NEPSE Index Drops by 35 Points as Market Suffers Broad-Based Decline: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index plunged by 35.07 points on Tuesday, closing at 2,659.59 points. This marks a reversal from Monday, when the index had risen by 1.60%, and last Wednesday’s gain of 17.44 points. Tuesday’s total transaction volume amounted to Rs 6.67 billion, significantly lower than Monday’s turnover of Rs 8.87 billion, reflecting reduced market activity. Out of the traded companies, share prices of 34 firms increased while a staggering 214 declined. Despite the overall dip, shares of Om Megashree and Pure Energy hit positive circuit limits. However, most sectoral indices ended the day in negative territory.

Govt Allocates NPR 846 million Budget for MCC Project in FY 2025/26: The government has allocated NPR 846 million for the MCC project under the Millennium Challenge Account Nepal for fiscal year 2025/26. Out of this, NPR 277 million will be spent by the government, while NPR 568 million will be raised through foreign grants. The MCC project had been suspended by the US government during the Trump administration, but now the government has revived the plan to proceed independently.

Reshuffle of Executive Directors at Nepal Rastra Bank: Nepal Rastra Bank has undergone an internal reshuffle of its executive directors. According to Assistant Information Officer Dr. Bhagwat Acharya, Governor Biswo Paudel transferred two executive directors and appointed one to a new position. Dirgha Rawal, who was recently promoted from director to executive director, has been appointed head of the Bank and Financial Institutions Supervision Department. Meanwhile, former head of bank supervision, Ramu Paudel, has been transferred to the Currency Management Department.

Debate Begins on Proposed Amendment to Allow Bankers to Also Run Businesses:  Parliament’s Finance Committee has begun discussion on the first amendment bill to the Bank and Financial Institutions Act (BAFIA), which includes a proposal to allow the same individual to run a bank and a business. Although this issue has long been discussed, it remains controversial. During Monday’s committee meeting, lawmakers debated how to proceed. Given the complexity of this issue in the Nepali context, the committee decided to seek an official opinion from Nepal Rastra Bank on the matter.

Government Allocates NPR 16.92 million for Poverty-Targeted Programs in FY 2025/26: The government plans to spend NPR 16.92 million on poverty-focused programs, including identity card distribution for poor households, in fiscal year 2025/26. Last fiscal year (2023/24), NPR 0.83 million was spent on these programs, and NPR 2.59 million is estimated for fiscal year 2024/25. The budget for 2025/26 is more than six times higher than the current year.

Filming of Nepali Movie ‘The Blue Light’ Kicks Off with Auspicious Ceremony in Kathmandu: The official inauguration of the film The Blue Light took place with a traditional puja at Ganesh Temple in Kamaladi, Kathmandu. Attended by cast and crew, the ceremony marked the beginning of the production, which is scheduled to start shooting on Thursday. The film will be shot over 20 days in various locations within the Kathmandu Valley. Directed by Baliram Chauhan in his debut venture, the movie stars Arpan Thapa, Mahesh Tripathi, Aayushman Desraj Joshi, Benisha Hamal, Shristi Shrestha, and Suraksha Itani, among others.

Samragyee RL Shah Signed as Lead Actress in New Year’s Film ‘Jadau’: On the occasion of Nepali New Year 2082, the romantic social drama Jadau was announced with title design, confirming actress Samragyee Rajya Laxmi Shah in the lead role. Jointly produced by Silver Screen Entertainment and Sammishran Movies & Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., the film is conceptualized and written by Kazi Limbu. The director has yet to be revealed, but cinematography will be handled by Shyam Tamang, with Buddhi Majhi managing production. Music for the film’s songs is composed by Babul Giri. Shooting is set to begin in Bhadra.

Nepal Music and Fashion Awards 2024 Concludes, Mira Rana Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award: The fifth edition of the Nepal Music and Fashion Awards concluded in Kathmandu with honors in 27 categories spanning fashion, modeling, and music. Veteran singer Mira Rana was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award, although she could not attend due to health reasons. Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal presented the Decade’s Music Honor to composer Deepak Sharma and also recognized several other contributors, including film producer Raunak Bikram Kandel, photojournalists Kuber Dangol and Badri Thapa, singer David Shankar, choreographer Pradeep Kumar Rasailee, and young entrepreneurs Nawaraj Pandey and Kapur Saud.

Arika Gurung Wins Historic Bronze in Karate-1 Premier League, Returns Home with Glory: Karate player Arika Gurung has returned to Nepal after winning a historic bronze medal in the prestigious Karate-1 Premier League — considered one of the toughest events in world karate. In her debut appearance at the league, Arika defeated France’s Pia Clemence in the bronze medal bout in the women’s above 68 kg weight category on Sunday. With this victory, she secured Nepal’s first-ever medal in the Karate Premier League, marking a milestone achievement for the country in international karate.

Karan KC’s Maiden ODI Fifty Leads Nepal to Historic Win Over Scotland: Karan KC’s brilliant unbeaten half-century guided Nepal to a record-breaking victory against hosts Scotland in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2. Batting at number nine, Karan scored an unbeaten 65 runs, helping Nepal defeat Scotland by one wicket in the first match of the League 2 series. Chasing a formidable target of 297 runs set by Scotland, Nepal reached the total with just one ball to spare, losing nine wickets in the process. Karan played a match-winning knock, facing 41 balls and hitting 3 fours and 4 sixes. This victory marks Nepal’s highest successful run chase in One Day International (ODI) cricket, setting a new national record.

Bipin Sharma’s Five-Wicket Haul Powers Karnali Province to Victory Over Sudurpaschim: Karnali Province registered a dominant win over Sudurpaschim Province, thanks to a stunning bowling performance by captain Bipin Prasad Sharma, who took 5 wickets for just 2 runs in 4 overs. Supported by Bijay Bohara with 3 wickets and Nabin Neupane with 2, Karnali bowled out Sudurpaschim for a mere 55 runs in 16 overs. Bikram Bohara top-scored for Sudurpaschim with 21 runs, while no other batter managed to reach double digits. Chasing a modest target of 56, Karnali reached the total in 18.3 overs, losing 5 wickets. Netra Bikram Khatri scored 15 runs, and Naman Singh Thapa remained unbeaten on 9.

Israel Kills 27 Palestinians at Aid Site in Southern Gaza’s Rafah: At least 27 Palestinians have been killed and dozens injured in an Israeli attack on people waiting for aid in southern Gaza’s Rafah governorate at an aid distribution site run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), which is backed by Israel and the US, according to the enclave’s Health Ministry. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for an independent investigation into the mass shooting of Gaza’s aid seekers that have been reported every day since May 27, when the GHF started its operations.

South Korea Votes for New President After Yoon’s Ouster Over Martial Law: Millions of South Koreans are voting Tuesday for a new president in a snap election triggered by the ouster of Yoon Suk Yeol, a conservative who now faces an explosive trial on rebellion charges over his short-lived imposition of martial law in December. Pre-election surveys suggested Yoon’s liberal archrival, Lee Jae-myung, appeared headed for an easy win, riding on deep public frustration over the conservatives in the wake of Yoon’s martial law debacle. The main conservative candidate, Kim Moon Soo, has struggled to win over moderate and swing voters.

US President Trump, Chinese Counterpart Xi Likely to Hold Talks This Week, Claims White House: US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are “likely” to hold talks this week, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday (local time), ABC News reported. While speaking to reporters, Leavitt said that the readout of the call would be provided if the two leaders hold talks. Earlier on Sunday, the White House National Economic Council Director, Kevin Hassett, had said that there was an expectation for Trump and Xi to hold talks this week. Responding to the reporter’s query, Leavitt said, “I can confirm that the two leaders will likely talk this week.”