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.

PM Oli Claims He Is ‘Ready to Hand Over Power to Deuba Before Term Ends’: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed readiness to transfer the premiership to Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba earlier than the agreed two-year timeline. Speaking at an event with Non-Resident Nepali Forum leaders in Madrid, Oli emphasized that the coalition government was formed for political stability. “I am willing to hand over power 10 to 15 days earlier if needed,” he said. Oli encouraged Nepalis struggling abroad to return and explore opportunities in modern agriculture, highlighting prospects on barren lands in Nepal. He reaffirmed the Congress-UML alliance will continue until the next elections and acknowledged potential future challenges but said the current situation remains stable.

PM Oli Visits Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Receives Club Jersey as Gift: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli visited the world-renowned Santiago Bernabéu Stadium of Spanish football club Real Madrid in Madrid today. He was welcomed and guided on a tour of the stadium by the club’s International Director, Pedro Martín de Miguel. Expressing his admiration, Prime Minister Oli mentioned that he is a fan of Real Madrid and was delighted to witness the modern, well-equipped stadium. As a gesture of goodwill, Director Miguel presented PM Oli with an official Real Madrid jersey. Miguel also encouraged Nepali students to participate in the club’s training and recruitment programs.

Speaker Holds Talks with Parties on Cooling-Off Period Violation Inquiry: Speaker Devaraj Ghimire held discussions with key party leaders regarding the formation of an investigation committee over alleged violations of the cooling-off period provisions in the Federal Civil Service Bill. The talks took place Thursday afternoon at the Speaker’s office in Singha Durbar, with UML Chief Whip Mahesh Kumar Bartola, Congress Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire, and Maoist Centre Chief Whip Hitaraj Pandey. Deputy Speaker Indira Rana also participated. Following Rule 180 of the House of Representatives Rules, 2022, the Speaker proposed forming a committee and sought proposals from parties on the committee’s mandate, tenure, and membership.

Brigadier General Khadka And Major Karki Dismissed Over Rs 22.1 Million Embezzlement: The Military Special Court has dismissed Brigadier General Roshan Khadka and Major Bodhraj Karki from service after finding them guilty of embezzling funds from the Nepal Army Welfare Fund. They were dismissed under Section 101 of the Military Act, 2063, but will not be disqualified from future government service. The court also ordered both officers to repay the misused amount. Khadka and Karki were found to have created fake names to illegally withdraw Rs 22.18 million in housing and insurance payments from the Nepal Army’s Welfare Directorate’s Housing and Insurance Branch. They were held in military police custody during the investigation and trial.

Journalist Dil Bhushan Pathak Released On Rs 25,000 Bail: Journalist Dil Bhushan Pathak has been released on Rs 25,000 bail following a court order by the Kathmandu District Court. The order came after he testified before Judge Khemraj Bhatta’s bench in a case filed against him under cybercrime laws. Pathak appeared in court today after the District Government Attorney’s Office in Kathmandu filed a case against him last Monday.

Attempts Are Being Made to Reverse Key Constitutional Provisions: Prachanda: Chairperson of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, has claimed that efforts are underway to reverse important provisions enshrined in Nepal’s Constitution. Speaking at the launch of the book “Samajwadi Darshan Ko Ruprekha” by Durga Narayan Dhakal, organized by Nepal Academy in Kathmandu on Thursday, Prachanda said such attempts are being made to suit reactionary forces. He recalled that during the phase of revolutionary campaigning, the parliamentary system was mocked as a system where “a goat’s head is displayed while dog meat is sold” — a metaphor he said still applies to the present state of Parliament.

Unified Socialist Leader Ram Kumari Jhakri Accuses Party Officials of Violent ‘Body Shaming’: Ram Kumari Jhakri, a leader of the CPN Unified Socialist, has accused responsible party officials of speaking against her in a violent manner through “body shaming.” On Thursday, Jhakri wrote a letter to party chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal, stating that since her speech at the Youth Union Lumbini Province meeting on June 28, officials have been using violent language against her. In the letter titled “Regarding My Clarification,” submitted to the party office, she said, “Responsible officials of our party, along with media, social media, and virtual platforms, have been attacking me with political revenge, personally defaming me, targeting my personal health, and body shaming me in a violent manner, which has also drawn my attention.”

New Bridge Over Binayi Khola Opens, Eases Traffic on East-West Highway in Nawalpur: A new bridge over Binayi Khola in East Nawalparasi (Nawalpur), along the East-West Highway, has officially opened for traffic starting today, bringing much-needed relief to a critical transportation route. The old iron bridge at Dumkibas on the Butwal–Narayangadh section was destroyed by an Indian truck on Poush 26 (January 10), forcing vehicles to use a temporary diversion. However, this diversion was frequently washed away by floods, causing prolonged travel disruptions and forcing local authorities to stop vehicle movement at times. Shiva Khanal, Information Officer confirmed that the new bridge began operations today, easing traffic flow on the highway, which had been severely affected due to the absence of a permanent crossing.

Brigadier General Roshan Khadka and Major Bodhraj Karki Dismissed Over Corruption: Brigadier General Roshan Khadka and Major Bodhraj Karki have been dismissed from service following a verdict by the military special court. On Thursday, the court found them guilty of corruption in the Military Welfare Fund and ordered their dismissal. According to a senior military source, “Under Section 101 of the Military Act, 2063, they have been dismissed without eligibility for future government service due to violations of military discipline, conduct, and property-related offenses.” The court also ruled that the misappropriated funds be recovered from the accused officers.

Ministry of Urban Development Clarifies No Plans to Widen Chobar Gorge: The Ministry of Urban Development has clarified that there is no intention to widen the Chobar Gorge or remove the ancient rocks dating back to prehistoric times. In a statement issued Thursday, the ministry emphasized preserving the religious, cultural, and ancient identity of the Chobar Gorge, which is the water drainage point of the Kathmandu Valley. The ministry stated it will focus on reducing potential flooding around the gorge by removing previously accumulated waste above the gorge, identifying landslide-prone areas for prevention, and conducting necessary technical studies to formulate a long-term action plan.

I Will Ensure Ride-Sharing Is Implemented in Gandaki, Says CM Surendra Pandey: Chief Minister of Gandaki Province, Surendra Pandey, has reaffirmed his commitment to implementing the provincial government’s and assembly’s decision to introduce ride-sharing services in the province. Speaking at the Nepali Congress Central Committee meeting on Thursday, CM Pandey stated, “I am firm on the provincial government’s decision to implement ride-sharing. I will make sure it is enforced. In fact, the Supreme Court’s decision has made it even easier for me to implement it.” He argued that without ride-sharing, passengers are forced to pay excessively high taxi fares — up to Rs 1,500 for a route that could cost just Rs 300 with ride-sharing.

RSP Sets Criteria Including Clean Image and Local Ties for Rupandehi-3 By-Election Candidate: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has formulated candidate selection criteria for the by-election scheduled on November 3 in Rupandehi-3 constituency. At the Secretariat meeting held on Thursday, the party proposed three key criteria: candidates must have a clean image, be local to the area, and preferably be established at both local and national levels, according to a party leader. The final decision on the criteria is expected by Sunday, with Deputy General Secretary Bipin Acharya, who also serves as the Lumbini Province In-Charge, tasked with finalizing the standards.

Minister Gurung Positive on UAE Cooperation in Security Printing Technology: The representatives of the UAE Government’s Oumolat Security Printing Press called on Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, on Wednesday. In a meeting held at the Ministry on Wednesday, Minister Gurung briefed about the status and future plans relating to Nepal’s Security Printing Centre. He said that the Security Printing Centre, which had no head of the office for three years, got an executive director after he became the Minister and initiated the printing process. Minister Gurung further said the government had planned to print passports, citizenship certificates and bank notes from the center with the allocation of a Rs 6 billion budget.

Home Minister Lekhak Reviews Security and Disaster Management in Baitadi: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak visited Baitadi on Thursday to assess the district’s security and disaster management preparedness. At the District Administration Office, Minister Lekhak was briefed on the overall security situation and disaster readiness in the area. He also issued necessary instructions to concerned local officials. Chief District Officer of Baitadi, Punyabikram Paudel, informed that the Home Minister was briefed in detail about both peace and disaster management efforts in the district. “We briefed the Home Minister on overall security and disaster preparedness,” said Paudel.

NEPSE Gains 9.14 Points, Transactions Cross Rs 9.64 billion: On the final trading day of the week, the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index closed with a rise. The index increased by 9.14 points with a total share transaction amounting to Rs 9.64 billion and 55 lakh 50 thousand. In today’s trading, share prices of 122 companies rose, while 125 companies saw a decline in their stock value. Except for the hotel and tourism, hydropower, investment, microfinance, and trading groups, all other sectoral indices witnessed an upward trend. Among the stocks traded today, investors in Nepal Finance earned the highest profits, while shareholders of Saptakoshi Development Bank incurred the highest losses.

NRB Governor Poudel Says Access to Bank Loans Should Be a ‘Natural Right’: Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Dr. Biswo Nath Poudel has stated that every citizen’s right to obtain loans from banks should be established as a “natural right.” He made this remark on Thursday while responding to questions raised by lawmakers during the discussion on the amendment bill to the Bank and Financial Institution Act (BAFIA) in the House of Representatives’ Finance Committee. Governor Poudel emphasized the need for a fundamental debate on the traditional definition and practices of the banking system.

Government Expands Tax Net Significantly This Year: The government has significantly expanded the tax net this year. In the first nine months of the current fiscal year 2024/25, a total of 573,682 new taxpayers have been added. According to the latest data released by the Ministry of Finance, the total number of taxpayers in Nepal who have obtained a Permanent Account Number (PAN) has reached 6,799,895. This number accounts for approximately 23 percent of the country’s total population.

Foreign Aid Commitment Rises by 117% This Fiscal Year: One of the major sources of Nepal’s budget, foreign aid commitment, has increased by 117.3 percent. According to a bulletin published by the Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, by the end of Chaitra in the current fiscal year 2024/25, Nepal had received foreign aid commitments totaling NPR 221 billion. In the same period last year, the commitment was NPR 102 billion. Such commitments are generally categorized as foreign loans and grants. Of the current year’s total, 74.3 percent consists of loans and 25.7 percent of grants.

Nepal Proposes Labor Agreements with 13 New European Countries: The government is preparing to sign labor agreements with 13 new European countries. This move aligns with the national policy of identifying attractive foreign employment destinations. According to Minister for Labor, Employment, and Social Security Sharatsingh Bhandari, consultancy and interest groups are currently exploiting Nepalis seeking jobs in destinations like Japan and Europe. The government has initiated official processes to legally send workers to those countries.

Daya Hang Rai to Star in Mao Tse Gurung’s Upcoming Film ‘Pensionpatta’: Actor Daya Hang Rai has been confirmed as the lead in the upcoming film Pensionpatta (Pension Card), which will be directed by filmmaker Mao Tse Gurung. Director Gurung shared that Rai has been finalized for the role, stating, “Pensionpatta is being made with the aim of offering audiences an outstanding film.” This will mark the second collaboration between Mao Tse Gurung and Daya Hang Rai. Rai had previously acted in Gurung’s debut directorial film Dayarani. The film is scheduled to begin shooting in the third week of Kartik (late October). According to the director, Pensionpatta will tell the story of how a greedy man transforms into a generous person.

Play Haraaeko Kukur to Be Staged at Mandala Theatre from July 5: The play Haraaeko Kukur (The Lost Dog) is set to be staged at Mandala Theatre starting July 5 to July 19. Directed by Mani Kulung Rai, the play is based on his own story and concept, with the theatrical adaptation done by Rabin Tamang. The cast includes Kiran Nepali as Kabi Prahar, Smriti Kalmar as Tara, Rejmi Rai as Radhika, Indreni Kulung as Indreni, Rama Kulung as Sukmaya, Avinash D.M. as Birkhaman, Mina Shrestha as Susare, Mani Kulung as Mausam, and Sunil Wahing Rai as Prakash.

Curriculum Development Centre Extends Best Wishes to Film ‘Yo Man Ta Mero Nepali Ho’: The Curriculum Development Centre under the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology has sent a message of best wishes to the production team of the Nepali film Yo Man Ta Mero Nepali Ho, recognizing its contribution to the promotion and enrichment of the Nepali language and culture. The letter was issued by the Equivalence and Evaluation Section of the Centre, located in Sanothimi, Bhaktapur, and addressed to the film’s production house, Shree Padma Ishwar Entertainment, Bagbazar. The letter states: “The film produced by Padma Ishwar Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. is purely based on the Nepali language and culture.” The message extends best wishes for the film’s success and acknowledges its cultural significance.

Nepal reaches final of U-16 ACC East Zone Cup, thrashes Malaysia by 9 wickets: Nepal has entered the final of the Under-16 ACC East Zone Cup Cricket Tournament. In the match held today in Malaysia, Nepal defeated the host team Malaysia by 9 wickets to secure a spot in the final. Chasing a modest target of 91 runs set by Malaysia, Nepal reached the goal in just 11.4 overs, losing only one wicket. Parimarjan Yadav starred with a brilliant half-century, scoring 59 runs — the highest in the match. Shiwansh Bajgain contributed 23 runs. Malaysia’s Naginishwaram took one wicket. Earlier, having lost the toss and invited to bat first, Malaysia was bowled out for just 90 runs in 43.1 overs.

Defending Champion Nepal to Face Singapore in Final of ACC U-16 East Zone Cup: Defending champion Nepal will face Singapore to defend their title in the ACC Men’s U-16 East Zone Cup. Singapore secured their spot in the final by defeating Hong Kong by 6 wickets in the second semifinal held on Thursday. Nepal and Singapore had already met in the group stage, where Nepal defeated Singapore by 6 wickets. Nepal reached the semifinal from Group A with a perfect winning record. In the semifinal, Nepal defeated Malaysia by 9 wickets to advance to the final. Singapore qualified for the semifinal as the runner-up of Group A.

APF Placed in Group B of AFC Women’s Champions League Preliminary Round: The departmental team APF (Armed Police Force) has been placed in Group B for the preliminary round of the AFC Women’s Champions League. The group allocation was announced by the South Asian Football Federation (AFC) on Thursday. Group B includes APF alongside BGC-College of Asian Scholars from Thailand, PFC Nasaf from Uzbekistan, and Al-Nassr from Saudi Arabia. The matches for this group will be held in Uzbekistan. APF also participated in the preliminary qualifiers in the previous edition. They drew 0-0 against Sabah FC of Malaysia in their first match but were eliminated after losing 1-0 to Nasaf in their second match. This time, 19 teams ranked lower in the seeding will compete in the preliminary qualifiers.

City Indoor Cricket Championship to be Held from July 13: Nexova Sports Pvt. Ltd. is organizing the City Indoor Cricket Championship from July 13 to 16. The tournament will be held at Royal Sports in Chunikhel, featuring participation from 16 clubs, according to the organizers. The teams will be divided into four groups, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the quarterfinals. The winner of the tournament will receive a cash prize of Rs. 100,000 along with the trophy, while the runner-up will get Rs. 50,000. Special awards will be given for individual categories as well as the ‘Player of the Match’ in each game.

Israel Kills More Than 300 in Gaza in 48 Hours as Possible Truce in Balance: More than 300 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces in the last 48 hours, according to the Gaza Government Media Office, which says Israel has “committed 26 bloody massacres” in that period. At least 73 people have been killed by Israel since dawn on Thursday, including 33 desperate aid seekers at the controversial Israeli and United States-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) aid sites. Thirteen people were killed when Israeli forces attacked a tent in al-Mawasi in the south, while 11 were killed and many wounded in an attack on Mustafa Hafez School, sheltering displaced people west of Gaza City, medical sources told Al Jazeera.

Four Confirmed Dead, Dozens Missing After Ferry Sinks off Bali: At least four people have died and dozens are missing after a ferry sank off Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali, rescuers said. The boat was carrying 53 passengers and 12 crew members when it sank at 23:20 local time (15:35 GMT) on Wednesday while on its way to Bali from Banyuwangi on the eastern coast of Java Island, the Surabaya office of the National Search and Rescue Agency said. Thirty-one survivors have been rescued, the agency says, as the search continues. Authorities are investigating the cause of the sinking. The ferry operator had reported engine trouble shortly before it sank, while an official said the cause was “bad weather”, according to local media.

Trump Urges Hamas to Accept Truce Deal: US President Donald Trump has urged Palestinian militant group Hamas to agree to his final proposal of a ceasefire that “Israel has agreed to” ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington next week. In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump said his representatives had a “long and productive” meeting with Israeli officials about Gaza and that Qatar and Egypt would deliver the “final proposal” to Hamas. “Israel has agreed to necessary conditions to finalize the 60-day ceasefire during which time we will work with all parties to end the war,” he said.

Heatwaves, Drought Grip Europe, Fueling Calls for Global Action: Extreme heat and worsening drought conditions are gripping large parts of Europe, fueling wildfires and prompting urgent weather alerts across multiple countries. Scientists and international agencies warn that this crisis is part of a broader “new era of drought,” driven by climate change and posing escalating threats to food security, ecosystems, and national economies. Germany is experiencing what may be its hottest day of the year on Wednesday, with temperatures forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius, according to the German Weather Service, which has issued extreme heat warnings across much of the country and highlighted a rising risk of wildfires, especially in the southeast.