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.

Korala Border Point in Mustang to Be Fully Operational Soon, Says PM Oli: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that preparations are underway to bring the Korala border point in Mustang into full operation with the construction of necessary infrastructure and facilities. PM Oli shared this information during a discussion held at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar on Monday night with federal lawmaker representing Mustang and local elected representatives from the region. During the meeting, PM Oli recalled that he had initiated the construction of the Kagbeni–Korala road, facilitated Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Muktinath, advanced the process to operate the Muktinath cable car, prioritized the development of an apple super zone, and promoted mountain goat farming.

Minister Rajkumar Gupta Resigns Following Bribery Allegations: Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister Rajkumar Gupta has resigned from his post following a major bribery scandal that sparked widespread public and political outrage. Gupta announced his resignation on Tuesday through a Facebook post. His resignation comes days after an audio recording surfaced allegedly capturing him demanding a bribe in exchange for influencing appointments and land-related decisions. The leaked audio, reportedly recorded between late December and January, implicates Gupta in a monetary deal linked to the appointment of the Land Commission Chair in Kaski district.

RSP and RPP MPs Protest Bribery Scandal, Boycott House Demanding Visit Visa Investigation: On Tuesday, members of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) staged a protest and boycotted the House of Representatives session. RSP MP Shiva Nepali criticized the government for not forming the investigation committee demanded by the parties and vowed to continue their protest until the committee was established. Following Nepali’s speech, RPP’s Chief Whip Gyan Bahadur Shahi echoed similar demands and insisted that their protest would persist until the investigation committee on the visit visa case was formed. After their addresses, MPs from both RSP and RPP exited the parliamentary hall, boycotting the session.

Former President Bhandari Defends House Dissolution During Her Tenure As Constitutional: Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari has defended her decision to dissolve the House of Representatives during her tenure, stating that it was done as per the constitutional process and based on the Cabinet’s recommendation, not under any external pressure. Speaking at an event organized by the Madan Bhandari Foundation in Kathmandu, Bhandari said, “There is a history of House dissolution in Nepal. I acted in line with the constitutional system and on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers.” The House was dissolved twice during her presidency—first on December 20, 2020, and again in May 22, 2021.

Lawmakers Call for Timely Projects, End to Chhaupadi: Members of the House of Representatives have called on the government to address a range of pressing issues, including expediting tunnel construction, ensuring adequate drinking water, irrigation, and fertilizer supply, and eliminating the harmful practice of Chhaupadi—a tradition that forces women and girls to stay in isolated huts or sheds during menstruation. During today’s zero-hour session of the House, lawmakers demanded the development of a system to ensure that infrastructure projects are completed within the fiscal year.  They also stressed the need to make the national health insurance program more accessible and effective, and to take concrete steps to demolish Chhaugoths (menstrual huts) across the country in a bid to eradicate Chhaupadi.

Shekhar Koirala Slams Cabinet for Letting Bribery-Tainted Minister Join Meeting: Nepali Congress leader Dr. Shekhar Koirala has expressed surprise that a minister who should have been dismissed was instead allowed to participate in the Cabinet meeting. Through a Facebook post on Tuesday morning, Koirala indirectly pointed to Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Rajkumar Gupta, expressing astonishment that despite clear evidence in the bribery scandal, the minister was attending Cabinet meetings by sweet-talking the Prime Minister instead of being removed from office. He also criticized his own party, the Nepali Congress, for being a silent spectator in the matter, and said the opposition has limited itself to ritualistic demands for resignation in Parliament.

Heated Exchange Between Minister Khadka and Maoist Leader Sharma Over Energy Policy: A tense exchange unfolded at the 23rd AGM of the Independent Power Producers’ Association of Nepal (IPPAN) between Energy Minister Deepak Khadka and former Energy Minister Janardan Sharma. Sharma accused the government of inaction in expediting Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and failing to prevent license hoarding in the hydropower sector. Pointing at Minister Khadka, who was on his phone, Sharma urged him to listen instead of appearing disinterested. In a sharp rebuttal, Minister Khadka questioned what the Maoist-led ministry achieved during its 12-year tenure, asserting that stalled projects are now progressing.

CIB Forms Probe Committee to Investigate Spain UN Conference Travel Scam: The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has formed a committee to investigate a racket involved in taking unrelated individuals to a UN conference in Seville, Spain under false pretenses. The committee is led by SSP Hobindra Bogati, with SP Rugam Kunwar from the Anti-Human Trafficking Investigation Bureau among the six appointed members. The probe aims to uncover how unauthorized persons were taken abroad disguised as delegates. According to CIB Chief AIG Chandra Kuber Khapung, the committee was formed to deploy a joint team from the CIB and the Anti-Human Trafficking Investigation Bureau to investigate the details made public regarding the incident.

CPN-UML to Launch ‘Two Generations Together’ Campaign to Engage Youth: The CPN-UML has decided to run a campaign called ‘Two Generations Together’ to better involve the youth in party-building efforts. This decision was made during a meeting of the party’s Central Organization Department. According to department member Bishal Bhattarai, the campaign will establish party committees in approximately 17,000 local wards across the country and expand affiliated organizations to the grassroots level. The meeting also decided that all district parties will prepare organizational profiles. The party concluded that relations between the party and the public, as well as between leaders and party workers, have been improving.

Department of Foreign Employment Warns Against Job Scams on Social Media: The Department of Foreign Employment has raised serious concern over growing cases of fraud committed through social media platforms by luring people with promises of attractive foreign jobs. In a public notice signed by spokesperson Chandra Bahadur Siwakoti, the department warned that illegal activities—especially those claiming to send workers to South Korea—have increased recently through platforms like Facebook, TikTok, WhatsApp, Viber, and YouTube. “Reports have emerged of individuals advertising foreign employment opportunities with false promises of high-paying jobs in attractive destinations, collecting money and passports, and causing hardship to victims,” the statement read.

Traffic Resumes on BP Highway After Landslide Debris Cleared: The BP Highway, which had been blocked due to continuous rainfall-triggered floods and landslides, has now been reopened. The road was cleared and brought back into operation after removing debris from eight locations where floods and landslides had occurred. The blockage had been caused by heavy rainfall on Monday night, affecting areas including Pinthali Besi of Roshi Rural Municipality-9, Phedikhola and Sangkhola in Biruwadanda of Mangaltar, Kaldhunga in Roshi Rural Municipality-11, and Mamti Khola at the border of Roshi-11 and 12.

Two Nepali Students Killed in Louisiana Car Crash: Two Nepali students studying at Louisiana Tech University died in a fatal car accident on Saturday night (local time), while two others were injured. The victims have been identified as Rajan Yadav (22) and Rojin Oli (20), both from Nepal. According to the Louisiana State Police (LSP), the accident occurred around 9 p.m. on U.S. Highway 80 during a heavy rainstorm. Yadav was reportedly driving a Honda Accord with Oli and two other passengers when the vehicle veered off the road and crashed into a tree, subsequently bursting into flames. Authorities confirmed that Yadav and Oli died at the scene, though it remains unclear whether they were wearing seatbelts at the time.

Nearly 18,000 Students Apply for KMC Scholarship Program for Grades 11 and 12: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has received nearly 18,000 applications for its scholarship program targeting students enrolling in Grades 11 and 12. According to KMC, applications were submitted by students from all 77 districts across the country. For the past two years, KMC has mandated that 10% of total admissions in private schools within its jurisdiction be allocated to scholarship students. The city conducts its own competitive exam and recommends students based on merit. This year, applications were open from Ashar 18 to 27 (July 2 to 11), during which a total of 17,929 students applied.

All Indices Rise in Tuesday’s Stock Market; NEPSE Surges by 34.46 Points: All indicators of the stock market rose on Tuesday, with the NEPSE index climbing by 34.46 points (1.26%) to reach 2,760 points. The transaction amount also increased compared to the previous day. While Monday saw a turnover of Rs 8.17 billion, it rose to Rs 9.41 billion on Tuesday. The value of 209 companies went up, while only 39 saw a decline. All sectoral indices registered gains. The banking sector led the surge with a 1.81% rise. Development banks increased by 1.22%, finance companies by 1.79%, hotels and tourism by 0.93%, hydropower by 1.71%, investment by 1.08%, life insurance by 0.68%, manufacturing and processing by 0.88%, microfinance by 1.28%, non-life insurance by 0.76%, others by 0.52%, and trading by 0.85%.

Government Spends 32% of Capital Budget in Final 29 Days of Fiscal Year: The government has spent a significant portion of its capital budget on the final 29 days of the fiscal year. According to the Office of the Comptroller General, 32% of the total capital expenditure for FY 2081/82 (2024/25) was made in the last 29 days. As of Asar 29 (July 13), the capital expenditure reached Rs. 211.35 billion, compared to just Rs. 143.38 billion as of Jestha 31 (June 14). Of this, Rs. 67.96 billion was spent in Asar alone.

Banking Sector Reform Taskforce Submits Final Report: A taskforce led by Rewat Bahadur Karki has submitted its final report to NRB Governor Biswo Poudel. The report includes recommendations to make banking policies more liberal and flexible, revise directed lending rules, classify banks based on capital and performance, and make working capital loan guidelines more flexible.

Faceless System Misused for Bribes at Office of Company Registrar: A faceless online service system was implemented at the Office of the Company Registrar to provide services without requiring physical presence. However, service seekers allege that staff shut down the system to negotiate bribes. “Depending on the company’s paid-up capital, bribes range from 0.3% to 1%,” say service recipients, adding that even to receive a 90% fee waiver mandated by law, a 10% bribe must be paid.

Hydropower IPO Ban Was a Mistake, Says Deuba: Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has criticized the suspension of IPOs for hydropower projects, calling the move inappropriate. He expressed hope that the Securities Board of Nepal (SEBON) would soon resume approvals. Speaking at the 23rd Annual General Meeting of IPPAN in Kathmandu, Deuba urged the government to ensure a secure and hassle-free investment environment for both domestic and foreign investors.

Actress Barsha Siwakoti Criticizes Film Board for Ignoring Female Artists in National Awards: Actress Barsha Siwakoti has accused the Film Development Board of sidelining female artists in this year’s National Film Awards, distributed on Monday. Taking to social media, she questioned the board and its chairman Dinesh DC for only recognizing male actors with special encouragement awards. Reacting to actor Pradeep Khadka being the sole recipient of the special encouragement prize, Siwakoti wrote: “Go ahead, only encourage male actors. When will we female artists get a chairman who supports and motivates us?”

Teaser of ‘Janai Harayeko Manchhe: Sambandhaka Dhagaharu’ Released: The teaser of the upcoming film ‘Janai Harayeko Manchhe: Sambandhaka Dhagaharu’ has been released, highlighting themes of dreams, struggles, love, and betrayal. The central character, played by Bijay Baral, is shown pursuing a dream to go to Korea. The teaser revolves around his arguments with his father over going abroad and the betrayal he faces from a fellow villager in Kathmandu. It portrays how his ambition to go to Korea is derailed as he becomes lost in the city’s chaos, with his dreams slowly losing direction. The story suggests how a young man’s dream to uplift his family’s life traps him in a cycle of hardship instead. Alongside Baral, the teaser features actors Keki Adhikari, Miruna Magar, Sushank Mainali, and Bholaraj Sapkota.

Eight Finalists to Compete in ‘The Face Nepal Volume 5’ Grand Finale: The grand finale of the modeling reality show ‘The Face Nepal Volume 5’ will feature a showdown among eight finalists. Organized by ‘You Can Fly Modeling Agency,’ the event aims to provide a strong platform for aspiring models in Nepal. The finalists are: Elina Chaudhary, Allen Thapa, Ganesh Kshetri, Irfanveer Singh Kansakar, Prashna Shrestha, Pratishtha Rijal, Trisha Chemjong, and Josh Garrett. According to managing director Swikriti Pyakurel, the show was launched to give models the exposure they often lack in Nepal’s fashion scene. Pyakurel herself has been active in the modeling industry for over a decade.

ANFA Seeks Clarification from Coach De Wilde After AFC Qualifier Controversy: Following Nepal’s penalty shootout loss to Uzbekistan in the AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifiers, the All-Nepal Football Association (ANFA) has sought a formal explanation from head coach Patrick de Wilde over confusion surrounding team management and captaincy. Coach De Wilde has yet to respond to ANFA’s letter, which requests a detailed account of events during the tournament. The controversy began when regular captain Anjila Tumbapo Subba was benched, and confusion followed as Sabitra Bhandari wore the armband instead of the officially appointed Renuka Nagarkote. After returning from Uzbekistan, team officials publicly blamed De Wilde for mismanagement.

Young Nepali Midfielder Laken Limbu Signs with Cambodian Top Division Club Kirivong Sok Sen Chey FC:  Nepal national team’s young midfielder Laken Limbu has signed with Kirivong Sok Sen Chey FC, a top division club in Cambodia. The 22-year-old’s signing was officially announced by the club on Monday. Born and raised in Singapore, Limbu developed through their youth football system before returning to Nepal to start his professional career. He quickly earned a place in the Nepal national team and has been regularly representing the country in international football over the past two years.

Help Nepal Sports Club to Kick Off CAVA Champions League Against Maldives’ Dhivehi Sifainge: Help Nepal Sports Club will start their campaign in the CAVA Champions League by facing Maldives’ club Dhivehi Sifainge. According to the schedule released by CAVA on Tuesday, Help Nepal’s first match is set for Thursday against Dhivehi. The tournament features six clubs from five Central Asian countries, including Help Nepal. The competition follows a single round-robin format. Help Nepal’s second match will be against another Maldives club, HDC. Their third game is scheduled against Bishkek-Kyrgyzstan from Kyrgyzstan, followed by a fourth match versus Zhayik VC from Kazakhstan.

European Championship Medalists Bhupendra and Suden Gurung Return Home: Nepali WUMA Kung Fu players Bhupendra Gurung and Suden Gurung, medalists at the European Championship, returned to Nepal on Tuesday. They were warmly welcomed at a program in Samakhusi by Nepal WUMA Kung Fu Association officials including President Sanjit Kumar Rai, Vice President Ramesh Maharjan, member Sher Bahadur Gurung, and player Manang Gurung. At the competition held on June 29 in Cheltenham, UK, Bhupendra won three gold medals, while Suden secured one silver medal. Bhupendra earned gold with scores of 26.7 in Traditional Chinese Form, 27 in Traditional Weapon, and 26.8 in Traditional Creative Form, bringing pride to Nepal.

Israel Bombs Gaza Refugee Camp; Settlers Attack West Bank Village: Israeli forces continue to pound Gaza, a day after killing at least 78 Palestinians across Gaza. Israeli army says three of its soldiers have been killed and one injured during fighting in Jabalia in northern Gaza. Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank have set fire to Palestinian land and vehicles in the village of Burqa, hours after church leaders and diplomats from more than 20 countries gathered in the town of Taybeh to call for an end to the violence. Israel’s war on Gaza has killed at least 58,386 people and wounded 139,077, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. An estimated 1,139 people were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023, attacks.

Trump Threatens Russia with ‘Severe’ Tariffs: United States President Donald Trump has announced a deal to supply more weapons to Ukraine and has threatened to impose steep tariffs on Russia unless a peace deal is reached within 50 days. The announcements on Monday marked a dramatic U-turn for US policy, as it comes weeks after the Pentagon announced it would be pausing weapons shipments to Ukraine. But Trump has become increasingly frustrated with Russian President Vladimir Putin and hopes the weapons will help bring a swift end to Russia’s more than three-year invasion of Ukraine.

Syrian Forces Enter Druze City After Deadly Clashes: Syrian government forces entered the majority Druze city of Sweida on Tuesday, the interior ministry said, aiming to end clashes with Bedouin tribes that have killed nearly 100 people. The southern city had been under the control of armed factions from the Druze minority, whose religious leaders said they had approved the deployment of Damascus’s troops and called on fighters to hand over their weapons. A curfew was to be imposed on the southern city in a bid to halt the violence, which erupted at the weekend and has since spread across Sweida governorate.

Ex-Nigerian President Buhari to Be Buried at Home: Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari will be buried in the compound of his house in the northern state of Katsina on Tuesday, the state’s Governor Dikko Radda told BBC Hausa. Radda was with Buhari’s family in London, where he died in a clinic on Sunday aged 82. According to the schedule announced by the governor, the former president’s remains will be flown directly from London to the state before being moved to their final resting place in his hometown of Daura, 50 miles (80km) from Katsina city. Buhari’s home is already filled with mourners as friends, family and well-wishers await the arrival of his corpse which is due after midday local time (11:00 GMT).