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.

Home Minister Defends Coalition With UML, Cautions Against Instability: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said it is appropriate to continue with the current coalition government involving the CPN-UML. Speaking at the ongoing Central Committee meeting of the Nepali Congress on Tuesday, Lekhak emphasized that the current government, in which the Congress is a partner, should be continued. “For the benefit of the Nepali Congress, we must create an environment where this coalition can sustain, bringing other political forces together and maintaining the current alliance-led government,” he said.

Foreign Minister Rana Urges Global Firms To Invest Directly In Nepal’s Agriculture Sector:  Foreign Minister Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba has called on multinational companies around the world to make direct foreign investment in Nepal’s agricultural sector. Addressing a high-level session on agriculture and food systems organized as part of the 44th General Conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Minister Rana emphasized the potential for global markets to benefit from Nepal’s unique and indigenous agricultural products.

PM Oli Chairs High-Level LDC Meeting at Financing for Development Conference in Spain: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli officially inaugurated and chaired a high-level meeting of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) on Tuesday at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville. In his opening remarks, PM Oli highlighted the unique financial challenges faced by LDCs and stressed the importance of sustained international cooperation to support their development goals. The meeting centered on key issues such as mobilizing financial resources, ensuring debt sustainability, and promoting inclusive growth for UN-designated least developed countries.

Cooling-Off Clause Sparks Political Storm: Maoist Centre and UML Demand Action: The Federal Civil Service Bill has sparked controversy after a hidden change weakened the agreed-upon “cooling-off period” without committee consensus. Both Maoist Centre and UML demanded the resignation of Committee Chair Ramhari Khatiwada and a full investigation. Clause 82(4) mandates a two-year bar on post-retirement appointments, but Clause 82(5)(a) — inserted secretly — exempts key positions, undermining the rule. Maoist MP Madhav Sapkota and UML leader Padam Giri condemned the act as unethical and conspiratorial, urging resignations and parliamentary accountability.

Prachanda Alleges Conspiracy in Civil Service Bill, Calls for Investigation and Action: Chairperson of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, has alleged a serious conspiracy during the process of passing the Federal Civil Service Bill. Addressing the central office bearers’ meeting of the Young Communist League (YCL), Nepal, held today at Paris Danda, Prachanda stated that tampering and manipulation within the bill cannot be tolerated and stressed the need for a thorough investigation and action against those involved. “There has been a consistent attempt to reverse the achievements of the revolution. A conspiracy has taken place within the Federal Civil Service Bill,” he said.

Khatiwada Acknowledges Clause Inserted After Committee Approval, Demands Investigation: Chairperson of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee, Ramhari Khatiwada, has revealed that an entirely new clause was added to the Federal Civil Service Bill after it was unanimously passed by the committee. He emphasized the need to bring the responsible party under legal scrutiny. Speaking to journalists at Singha Durbar today, Khatiwada said, “We discovered that a new clause had been added just below the part we passed. This version was later sent to the House. Whoever is responsible must be brought within the purview of the law.”

Shekhar Koirala Slams Unauthorized Change in Civil Service Bill as Assault on Parliament: Senior Nepali Congress leader Dr. Shekhar Koirala has stated that the unauthorized alteration of the Civil Service Bill constitutes a grave crime against the country and its citizens. Through a Facebook post today, Koirala said the unauthorized changes made to the Civil Service Bill—despite it being tabled in Parliament through consensus—are not a mere administrative incident but a serious offense against the people and a blatant insult to the sovereign Parliament. He stressed that those involved in the incident, regardless of who they are, must be subject to the harshest possible action immediately.

674 Monsoon-Related Disasters Recorded in a Month; 31 Dead, over 100 Injured: Between Jestha 15 and Asar 16 (May 29 to June 30), Nepal recorded 674 monsoon-related disaster incidents, resulting in 31 deaths and 112 injuries, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA). Among these, 87 landslide incidents led to partial damage to 25 houses and complete destruction of 11 houses. One bridge, seven sheds, and 14 livestock were also lost. Landslides caused an estimated financial loss of Rs 22.1 million. Additionally, 64 flood incidents resulted in four deaths and four injuries, highlighting the growing human and material toll of early monsoon impacts in Nepal.

NA Meeting: HoR Message on Citizenship Bill Tabled: A message obtained from the House of Representatives regarding the Nepal Citizenship (second amendment) Bill, 2081 BS has been tabled before the National Assembly (NA). Secretary Dr Surendra Aryal tabled the document before the upper house. Similarly, NA Chairperson Narayan Prasad Dahal read out a letter about the temporary designation of duties and responsibilities for members in the Council of Ministers. The NA Chair apprised the upper house that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development is to look after the daily administrative affairs undertaken by the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in absence of the latter who left here on June 28 for Spain.

Supreme Court Hearing on Mukul Dhakal’s Petition Postponed: The Supreme Court will not hear today the petition filed by Mukul Dhakal seeking reinstatement as General Secretary of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). The case was scheduled for a hearing on Tuesday before a bench of Justices Hariprasad Phuyal and Tek Prasad Dhungana. However, the court informed that it will be unable to hear the petition listed at number 18 on the docket. Earlier, after a preliminary hearing last Thursday before Justice Kumar Regmi’s bench, both parties were ordered to appear for a detailed hearing today. Following that, the court was expected to decide whether to reinstate Dhakal as General Secretary through an interim order.

Binod Chaudhary Accuses Shekhar Koirala Faction of Supporting Rival Candidate in Election: Binod Chaudhary has alleged that leaders close to Shekhar Koirala actively supported Hridayesh Tripathi against him during the election, despite him being the official candidate of the party. Speaking at the Nepali Congress Central Committee meeting today Chaudhary claimed, “People were stationed at various locations and booths in support of Hridayesh Tripathi, opposing the party’s official candidate.” He questioned Koirala’s leadership intentions, stating, “Can someone who sides with a person actively trying to defeat me—and holds the post of general secretary in Lumbini Province—lead this party in the future?”

Chief Secretary Aryal Inspects Key Government Departments, Cites Need for Service Reforms: Chief Secretary of the Government of Nepal, Ek Narayan Aryal, conducted inspections of several major government departments on Tuesday, including the Department of Foreign Employment, Department of Passports, and Department of Industry. During his visits, Aryal reviewed the state of service delivery in these institutions and gathered first-hand information on the public service experience. Speaking to the media after the inspections, Chief Secretary Aryal acknowledged that service recipients are still facing difficulties in accessing services. He noted that several aspects of service delivery require urgent improvement.

Nepal Ranked 7th Among World’s Top Solo Adventure Travel Destinations for 2025: Nepal has secured the 7th position in the global list of top solo adventure travel destinations for 2025, published by UK-based adventure travel company Much Better Adventures. The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has been actively showcasing the country’s adventurous, natural, and cultural richness to the global community. Its promotion of responsible tourism, improved accessibility, use of local guides, and emphasis on community-based tourism has made Nepal a safer, more reliable, and attractive destination for solo travelers. Nepal was highly rated in the list for its unique landscapes, rich culture, budget-friendly services, and wide range of adventure activities.

Jhapa Reports Eight New Cases of Covid-19: Jhapa has reported eight new COVID-19 cases. Of these, five are residents of Jhapa, while the remaining cases include one each from Morang, Ilam, and Dolakha. Jhapa, a district in Koshi Province, has received 15,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19, according to Ramesh Barakoti, Chief of the Health Office, Jhapa. As per the newly implemented vaccination schedule, priority groups include individuals with weakened immune systems, children above the age of five, expectant mothers, and those in direct contact with healthcare workers or infected people.

NEPSE Index Rises for Third Consecutive Day, Surpasses 2660 Points: The stock market has been on a continuous upward trend for the past three days. On Tuesday, the NEPSE index surged by 28.91 points. Earlier, the market had risen by 26 points on Sunday and 9 points on Monday. With Tuesday’s increase, the NEPSE index has reached 2660. Alongside the rise in the index, the trading volume also climbed. While the total transaction amount was Rs 6.38 billion on the previous day, it increased to Rs 7.03 billion today. Out of the listed companies, share prices of 217 went up, while 31 saw a decline. Most sectoral indices posted gains. The Investment group witnessed the highest growth, up by 2.38 percent.

Nepal Airlines Enters 67th Year Amid Financial Struggles and Limited Fleet: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC), the national flag carrier, has entered its 67th year of service, having evolved from operating a 28-seat Douglas DC-3 Dakota in 1958 to flying Airbus A330 and A320 aircraft on major international routes across Asia and the Gulf. Despite continuing domestic flights to remote areas with two Twin Otter planes, NAC’s local market presence has weakened due to a limited fleet, while mounting debt—now around Rs 50 billion from loans taken for wide-body aircraft—remains a major hurdle to financial recovery and growth.

Ministry of Finance Directs SEBON to Approve IPOs Only After Thorough Financial and Managerial Study of Companies: The Ministry of Finance has instructed the Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) to approve Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) only after a comprehensive study of all financial and managerial aspects of the issuing companies. This directive comes about one and a half years after the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) recommended such measures. Recently, controversies regarding IPO approvals have been increasing. On June 23, the Ministry of Finance sent a letter to the SEBON directing it to also ensure effective rating and premium price determination of companies issuing IPOs.

Concerns Grow Over NAC Losing Passenger and Cargo Ground Handling Services: Concerns are increasing that Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) may lose the passenger and cargo ground handling services it has provided for international flights since its establishment. The issue of making this service competitive has become a subject of intense debate and policy preparation recently. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has repeatedly expressed the desire to end NAC’s monopoly and introduce competition in providing ground handling services. The latest draft of the government’s aviation policy includes provisions to introduce competition in the ground handling services currently held exclusively by NAC, causing anxiety within the corporation.

Singers Elina Chauhan and Samikshya Adhikari Meet Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, Seek Support on Cybercrime Case: Popular singers Elina Chauhan and Samikshya Adhikari have met with Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak to seek his support in advancing a cybercrime case. During the meeting, the singers reportedly urged the minister to help push the case forward. Sharing a photo with Minister Lekhak on Facebook, Chauhan wrote that the minister assured them of his cooperation and support. She posted: “Heartfelt thanks to Honorable Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak for extending support in the effort to protect our right to dignity and existence.” She further added: “I’ve reached here because of your love and support. Your encouragement is my inner strength. But it’s unrealistic to expect everyone to always think positively. Still, when things cross the line into personal harm—such as verbal abuse and character assassination—it becomes intolerable.”

Nepali Film ‘Aankha’ Wins Two Awards at Italy’s International Polis Art Film Festival: The Nepali film Aankha has won two awards at the International Polis Art Film Festival in Italy. Director John Yonjan confirmed that the film was honored with awards in two categories: Best Drama and Best Actress. The festival, which is held annually, is in its 29th edition this year. The award distribution ceremony is scheduled for September. Actress Smita Lamichhane won the Best Actress award for her performance in the film. Aankha had also received awards at several film festivals in Nepal. However, its public release was impacted by natural disasters at the time, resulting in limited success at the box office.

‘Balchi Dhurbe’ to Debut as Director with Film ‘Gobar Ganesh’: Marichman Shrestha, widely known by his small-screen persona ‘Balchhi Dhurbe,’ is set to make his directorial debut with the upcoming film Gobar Ganesh.Shrestha, who recently announced the production of the film, will also take on the role of director. He received formal production approval from the Film Development Board a few days ago. The film will feature actors Sita Devi Timilsina and Poojan Ghimire in key roles. Poojan is known for playing the character ‘Puku’ in the popular TV serial Halka Ramailo, where he has long acted alongside Shrestha. In addition to Sita Devi and Poojan, the film will also star Barsha Siwakoti, Padam Tamang, Santosh Baniya, and Mao Tse Gurung, among others.

Nepal Crushes Bhutan by 298 Runs, Storms into Semifinal of U-16 East Zone Cup: Raunak Srivastav scored a brilliant century as Nepal defeated Bhutan by a massive margin of 298 runs in the ACC Men’s U-16 East Zone Cup cricket tournament in Malaysia. With this dominant win in Tuesday’s group-stage match, Nepal has secured a place in the semifinals of the tournament. Batting first after winning the toss, Nepal posted a formidable total of 358 runs for the loss of five wickets in the allotted 50 overs. Chasing the target, Bhutan crumbled to just 60 runs in 32.4 overs. As their last batter did not come to the crease, Nepal was declared the winner by default.

APF to Play in AFC Women’s Champions League 2025/26 Qualifiers: The departmental team Armed Police Force (APF) will compete in the preliminary round of the AFC Women’s Champions League 2025/26. According to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), APF has been placed in Pot 3 in the draw for group division, made public on Tuesday. APF is also the champion of the ANFA Women’s League. The team had also participated in the preliminary round in the previous edition of the tournament. As per the AFC, the group stage draw will take place this Saturday. A total of 19 lower-seeded teams will compete in the preliminary qualifiers this time. These 19 teams will be divided into five groups — four groups will have four teams each, while one group will consist of three teams. Only the winner of each group will advance to the main tournament.

Nepali Midfielder Santosh Khatri Joins Bhutanese Club Transport United: Nepali defensive midfielder Santosh Khatri is set to play in the Bhutan Premier League. He has been signed by Transport United, a top-tier Bhutanese club. Khatri has already passed his medical and is currently training with the team. According to Khatri, the club has signed him on a six-month contract. “For now, it’s a six-month deal. The league has already completed five matches,” he said. This marks his first stint in a foreign league. Previously, he played in Nepal’s A-Division League for Friends Club and Church Boys United. He also featured in the Nepal Super League (NSL), representing Sporting Ilam de Mechi FC and Lalitpur City FC. In the third season of the NSL, he was named the Emerging Player.

Shree Bhagawati Club to Face Manang Marshyangdi in ANFA U-16 Youth League Opener: Shree Bhagawati Club and Manang Marshyangdi Club will face each other in the opening match of the ANFA U-16 Youth League. The match schedule was made public at the ANFA Complex in Satdobato. The tournament is set to begin on Asar 20 (July 4). All 14 A-Division clubs will participate in this edition of the league. In contrast, only 11 teams had taken part in the previous edition.

Israeli Forces Kill Nearly 100 in Gaza: At least 95 Palestinians were killed in Israeli attacks throughout Gaza, including more than a dozen desperate people seeking food at US-Israel-backed aid distribution sites. In the deadliest single strike of the day, Israeli fighter jets bombed an internet café with a children’s birthday party under way, killing at least 39 people. A senior Hamas official told reporters, “we are determined to seek a ceasefire that will save our people”, and accused Israel of “sabotaging the negotiations”. Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 56,531 people and wounded 133,642, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7 attacks and more than 200 taken captives.

Death Toll Rises to 37 in India Pharma Factory Blast, Rescue Ops Continue: The death toll in the Sigachi Pharma Industries explosion in Telangana’s Sangareddy district rose to 37, officials confirmed on Tuesday, as rescue operations continued at the site of the blast. According to officials, on Monday, over a dozen workers sustained injuries in an explosion at a chemical factory in Pasamailaram Phase 1 area of Telangana’s Sangareddy district. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in the explosion at the Sigachi Pharma chemical factory in Telangana’s Sangareddy district.

Court Suspends Thailand’s PM Pending Case Over Leaked Phone Call: Thailand’s Constitutional Court has suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra from office pending an ethics investigation over a leaked phone call with a senior Cambodian official, heaping pressure on Thailand’s governing political dynasty. The court said in a statement that it had accepted a petition from 36 senators, which accuses Paetongtarn of dishonesty and breaching ethical standards, in violation of the constitution, over a leaked telephone conversation with Cambodia’s influential former leader, Hun Sen. Deputy Prime Minister Suriya Juangroongruangkit will assume a caretaker role while the court decides the case against Paetongtarn, who has 15 days to respond.

Trump Global Aid Cuts Risk 14 million Deaths in Five Years, Report Says: Donald Trump’s move to cut most of the US funding towards foreign humanitarian aid could cause more than 14 million additional deaths by 2030, according to research published in The Lancet medical journal. A third of those at risk of premature deaths are children, the research finds. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in March that President Trump’s administration had cancelled over 80% of all programmes at the US Agency for International Development, or USAID. “For many low- and middle-income countries, the resulting shock would be comparable in scale to a global pandemic or a major armed conflict,” Davide Rasella, who co-authored the Lancet report, said in a statement.