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.

Cheap Propaganda Claimed I Left People Behind in Spain, Says PM Oli: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli dismissed false rumors spread by some opposition parties that he left people behind during his visit to Spain, saying such claims do not deserve a response. He made these remarks while inaugurating the Madandangi–Tarabari–Depot Road improvement project in Damak Municipality, Jhapa, on Sunday. Supported by the World Bank, this road is considered a prestigious project for the municipality and is one of the 17 selected roads across Nepal.  The 4.86 km road, constructed at a cost of NPR 442.4 million, was completed on schedule and is regarded as a model project.

RSP, RPP Boycott Parliament Over Spain Visit Row, Bribery Allegations, and Visa Scandal: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) boycotted Sunday’s House meeting, protesting the government’s inaction on the visit visa scandal, bribery allegations against a minister, and the controversy surrounding Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s Spain visit. As the session began, lawmakers from both parties stood in protest. RSP’s Sumana Shrestha demanded a response from the Prime Minister over reports that some Nepalis did not return from Spain. RPP’s Gyan Bahadur Shahi renewed calls for a high-level probe into the visa scandal. After raising their concerns, both parties walked out of the chamber in protest.

Opposition Demands PM Oli’s Presence in Parliament Over Bribery Scandal and Spain Visit: Opposition parties in Parliament have demanded Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s presence and accountability over two key issues: the delayed return of Nepali delegates from Spain and a minister’s alleged involvement in a major bribery deal. Speaking during Sunday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, lawmakers questioned why the Prime Minister has remained absent, urging him to appear before Parliament with answers. Gyanu Basnet Subedi, a Member of Parliament from the CPN (Maoist Centre), questioned the Prime Minister’s silence, asking, “What is the Prime Minister doing?” She raised concerns over the growing scandal involving Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister Rajkumar Gupta.

RPP Dissidents Move to EC Against Chair Lingden: Internal conflict within the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has escalated, with senior leader Nawaraj Subedi filing a complaint at the Election Commission against party chairman Rajendra Lingden’s recent actions. Subedi, who was removed from the party’s disciplinary committee, claims the decision was illegitimate and that he remains an active member of the party. Subedi was accompanied by other dissatisfied leaders, including current General Secretary Dhawal Shamsher Rana and former party chair and directive committee head Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani.  They have collectively accused Chairman Lingden of violating the party’s statute and running the organization unilaterally.

Police Disrupt RSP Signature Campaign in Damak During PM Oli’s Visit: Police intervened in the ongoing signature campaign of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) in Damak, Jhapa, ahead of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit. The campaign, being held at a local chowk in Damak, was temporarily halted by police, who cited security and public order concerns. A team led by an Inspector from the Damak Area Police Office disrupted the event, which RSP claims is part of a political vendetta against its party president Rabi Lamichhane. The police instructed organizers not to use microphones, avoid large gatherings, and suspend the campaign temporarily. However, when the organizers refused to comply, police intervened and forcibly ended the program.

House Appoints Chairperson for Special Committee Probing Civil Service Bill Irregularities: The House of Representatives has officially appointed a chairperson for the special committee formed to investigate alleged irregularities during the passage of the Federal Civil Service Bill, 2080 through the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee and the House itself. In Sunday’s meeting of the House, Speaker Devraj Ghimire’s proposal to make the committee coordinator its chairperson was unanimously endorsed by the lawmakers. Following consultations with political parties, Speaker Ghimire had announced the formation of the special investigative committee on July 7 under Rule 180 of the House Regulations.

Supreme Court Orders RSP to Submit Original Copy of Action Against Mukul Dhakal: The Supreme Court has ordered the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) to submit the original copy of the disciplinary action taken against its suspended General Secretary Dr. Mukul Dhakal. The order was issued on Sunday by a single bench of Justice Nityananda Pandey, following a petition filed by Dr. Dhakal. He had moved the Supreme Court after the party removed him from his post as General Secretary.

Only 2 of 11 Bhotekoshi Flood Victims Identified So Far, Informs Home Minister: Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that out of the 11 people confirmed dead in the Bhotekoshi River flood in Rasuwa, only two have been identified so far. Speaking at a meeting of the National Assembly’s Committee on Public Policy and Delegated Legislation on Sunday, the minister said that 20 individuals from Nepal are missing, while 11 others went missing on the Chinese side, possibly swept into Nepal by the flood. He added that Chinese authorities shared this information with the Nepali side. Minister Lekhak also informed the committee that if missing persons are not found within 10 days of a disaster, they will be considered dead for the purpose of relief distribution.

MPs Urge Government to Declare Drought in Madhes Amid Delayed Monsoon: Lawmakers have drawn the government’s attention to the worsening drought in several Madhes districts, where the lack of rainfall until mid-July has severely affected paddy plantation. During Sunday’s session of the House of Representatives, MPs called for declaring the Tarai region a drought-affected zone and demanded urgent relief measures. Krishna Kumar Shrestha of the CPN (Unified Socialist) highlighted the acute shortage of drinking water in districts like Bara and Parsa. Similarly, independent MP Amresh Kumar Singh said areas stretching from Birgunj to Janakpur are facing a severe water and irrigation crisis due to the prolonged dry spell.

Election Commission to Update Voter List for Rupandehi-3 By-election: The Election Commission has decided to update the voter list for the upcoming by-election in Rupandehi District, House of Representatives Constituency No. 3. Commission’s Deputy Secretary and Spokesperson Neeta Pokharel Aryal informed through a press release about the decision to update the voter registry. The by-election in Rupandehi-3 is scheduled for Kartik 17, 2082 (November 3, 2025). Eligible voters must have turned 18 years old by Kartik 16, 2082 (November 2, 2025) to be eligible to cast their vote in this election.

Tilaurakot Fails to Make It to UNESCO World Heritage List: Tilaurakot, the ancient capital believed to be linked to Lord Buddha’s early life, has failed to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List this year. Speaking at a program held at Sheetal Niwas on Sunday, Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey confirmed the setback. He had led Nepal’s delegation to the 146th World Heritage Committee Meeting with a proposal to enlist Tilaurakot. However, the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) neither approved nor deferred the proposal, effectively leaving Tilaurakot in the ‘referral’ stage for now. This means the site will not be considered again until further revisions and clarifications are submitted as per UNESCO guidelines.

NEPSE Index Jumps After Monetary Policy Announcement, Surges by 29 Points : The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index witnessed a significant rise on Sunday, the first trading day after the monetary policy for the fiscal year 2082/83 (2025/26) was made public. Investor interest was notably high in the shares of banks and microfinance companies. The NEPSE index surged by 29 points to close at 2,760.80. A total of 32.59 million shares from 311 companies were traded in 105,415 transactions, generating a total turnover of Rs 11.41 billion. Banking and microfinance sectors posted the highest gains, rising by 3.37% and 3.50% respectively.

Kathmandu Metropolitan Unveils Rs 25.76 billion Budget for FY 2025/26: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) presented its budget for the upcoming fiscal year 2082/83 (2025/26) today (Sunday). During a municipal assembly session held at the Rastriya Sabha Griha, Deputy Mayor Sunita Dangol announced an estimated budget of Rs 25.76 billion. She stated that the total includes Rs 650 million allocated for external liabilities. According to Dangol, the city expects Rs 25.11 billion to be deposited in the consolidated fund. Of this, Rs 20.12 billion will be generated through KMC’s internal revenue and existing bank balances.

NRB Withdraws Additional Liquidity from Banking System: With liquidity increasing in the banking system, Nepal Rastra Bank has withdrawn Rs 5 billion more from the banking system on Sunday. The central bank had scheduled a three-hour auction starting at 3 PM today. The bidding amount was designed to be divisible by increments of Rs 100 million on the lower side and Rs 50 million on the upper side to ensure no residual amounts remain.

One-Time KYC Update Now Valid Across All Banks: Bank customers will no longer need to repeatedly update their Know Your Customer (KYC) information at every financial institution. The Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), in its monetary policy for the upcoming fiscal year 2082/83 (2025/26), has introduced a provision to simplify KYC updates. Banks, financial institutions, and other financial service providers will now be able to access customers’ KYC information through the National ID system. Previously, customers were required to submit separate KYC forms for each bank they had accounts with, leading to widespread complaints.

Federal Government Initiates Law to Clarify Mining Rights Among Three Levels of Government: The federal government has begun drafting a law to define the authority over mining and mineral resources among the federal, provincial, and local governments. Although the constitution clearly assigns rights — mining extraction to the federal government, exploration and management to provinces, and conservation to local bodies — lack of legislation has centralized all powers with the federal government. A decade since the constitution’s enactment, this law aims to clarify jurisdiction.

Actress Barsha Siwakoti Cast in Lead Role for Krisha Chaulagain’s Upcoming Film ‘Jahajaima’: Actress Barsha Siwakoti has been signed to play a lead role in director Krisha Chaulagain’s upcoming film ‘Jahajaima’. According to a press release, a written agreement was signed between the producer and Siwakoti on Saturday. Siwakoti stated that she agreed to work on the project because she liked the story and the team. Previously, actors Kedar Ghimire (famous as ‘Magne Budha’), Saugat Malla, Karma, and Filipino actress Ruzel Ichimiya, who has acted in several Japanese films, were signed for the movie. The screenplay is written by Abhimanyu Nirvani, with Pushottam Pradhan as the cinematographer. Produced by Ujjwal Guragain, the film is being made under the banner of UNA Production.

‘Jane Bhaye Jam Maya’ Breaks Multiple Records on YouTube: The song ‘Jane Bhaye Jam Maya’, a collaboration between Durgesh Thapa, Sisan Baniya, and Guras Nani, is setting new records on YouTube. It became the most-viewed Nepali song within 24 hours of its release. The song broke the previous record held by Bishnu Majhi within just 19 hours of its release. It is also the first Nepali song to enter YouTube trending charts in the United States within 24 hours. In just three days after its release, the song made it to the global trending list on YouTube Music — a feat no Nepali song has achieved in such a short time before.

Musician Shambhujit Baskota Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award at NMA 2025: Senior Nepali musician Shambhujit Baskota was honored with the Dirgha Sadhana Samman (Lifetime Achievement Award) at the National Music Award (NMA) 2025. The event, organized by Radio Kantipur on Saturday at the Godavari Sunrise Convention Center, featured award distribution in 14 categories followed by a concert. Shambhujit, who has composed music for over 375 films and more than 2,000 songs, was honored with the title ‘Sangeet Samrat’ (Music Maestro) along with a cash prize of NPR 100,000.

Machhindra Club Crushes Satdobato with 12–1 Win in ANFA U-16 Youth League: In a dominant display, Machhindra Club thrashed Satdobato Youth Club 12–1 in the ANFA U-16 Youth League match held on Sunday at the ANFA ground in Satdobato. This marks the biggest victory margin of the ongoing league and propels Machhindra to the top of the standings with 10 points from four matches. Bikash Thapa scored a hat-trick for Machhindra, while Govinda BK and Rahul Kumar Yonjan each netted twice. Konjok Lama, Saugat Magar, Janak BK, Suman Thakuri, and Karan Dhami contributed one goal apiece. Satdobato’s only consolation goal came from Yuvraj Budhathoki. Satdobato remains at the bottom of the table with zero points after four consecutive defeats.

Jawalakhel Youth Club Secures Comeback Win Against Shri Bhagwati Club in ANFA U-16 Youth League: Jawalakhel Youth Club achieved a comeback victory over Shri Bhagwati Club in the ANFA U-16 Youth League on Sunday. The match, held at the ANFA Complex in Satdobato, ended with Jawalakhel winning 2-1. This was Jawalakhel’s second win in the ongoing league. With this victory, Jawalakhel has accumulated 6 points from 4 matches and climbed to seventh place. Shri Bhagwati suffered their third loss and dropped to eighth place, having won only one out of four games so far. Jawalakhel’s goals were scored by Bishal Shahi and Sameer Lopchan, while Shri Bhagwati took an early lead through a goal from Suyog Shrestha.

Bangladesh Cancels Friendly Matches Against Nepal: Bangladesh has decided to cancel the two friendly football matches that were scheduled to be played against Nepal. The All-Nepal Football Association (ANFA) had earlier announced that Nepal and Bangladesh would play two international friendlies on September 6 and 9 at the Dasharath Stadium in Tripureshwar. However, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF), in a meeting held on Saturday, decided to play friendlies against teams outside of South Asia instead. According to BFF Media Committee Chairman Amirul Islam Babu, the new opponent team will be announced within three to four days.

Player Registration Opens for Second Edition of Nepal Premier League: Player registration has officially opened for the players’ auction of the second edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) cricket tournament. Issuing a press release on Saturday, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) announced the opening of the registration process. According to CAN spokesperson Chhumbi Lama, players can register themselves in one of three categories — ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘C’ — based on their preference. Lama stated that Nepali players who were released after the first edition or who wish to participate in the NPL can register through the designated website. The registration, which remains open until Shrawan 5 (July 21), requires a registration fee of NPR 1,000.

Israeli Forces Kill 110 Palestinians in Gaza as Truce Talks Falter: Israeli forces killed at least 110 Palestinians across Gaza on Saturday, including 34 waiting for food rations at the US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) site in southern Rafah, medical sources report. Witnesses in Rafah said Israeli forces fired directly on Palestinians at the al-Shakoush area near a GHF aid center, described by the UN and rights groups as “human slaughterhouses” and “death traps.” Survivors recounted chaotic scenes with victims killed by sniper fire while waiting for aid.

Trump Urges MAGA Base to Stop Attacking Administration Over Epstein Investigation: President Donald Trump urged his political base on Saturday to stop attacking his administration over files related to notorious sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a case that has become an obsession for conspiracy theorists. Trump’s Department of Justice and the FBI said in a memo made public last week there was no evidence that the disgraced financier kept a “client list” or was blackmailing powerful figures. They also dismissed the claim that Epstein was murdered in jail, confirming his death by suicide at a New York prison in 2019, and said they would not be releasing any more information on the probe.

Iranian President Slightly Injured in Israeli Strike on Security Council Meeting: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian suffered minor leg injuries during an Israeli missile strike targeting a high-level meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, according to a report by Fars News Agency. The attack reportedly took place on June 17 amid the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel. The strike occurred as senior Iranian officials, including the heads of the judiciary, executive, and legislative branches, were convening in a secure underground facility in western Tehran. Fars News stated that six missiles struck the entrances and exits of the building, mirroring tactics used in past assassination attempts, such as the one targeting Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

North Korea Reaffirms Support for Russia’s War in Ukraine: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un offered Moscow his “unconditional support” on the war in Ukraine, according to Pyongyang state media reports. In talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in North Korea, Kim said that Pyongyang stood by “all the measures taken by the Russian leadership” to tackle the “root cause of the Ukrainian crisis”. Western officials believe Pyongyang has sent an estimated 11,000 troops to Russia over the last year to fight against Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.