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 Preparing to Visit Turkmenistan for LLDC Conference: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is preparing to visit Turkmenistan for the Third Conference of Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC 3) from August 5–8. Arrangements are underway, though the exact travel dates are yet to be finalized. Earlier, Oli returned from Spain after attending a UN development finance conference. Plans for an India visit in mid-July were set aside following the Turkmenistan trip announcement. The LLDC group includes 32 countries, with 12 from Asia such as Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan.

PM Oli Highlights Steady Progress and Multigenerational Friendship in Nepal-China Relations: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli emphasized Nepal’s steady advancement in development and the deepening of ties with China during the inauguration of the Nepal-China Cultural Summit 2025 in Kathmandu, held to mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Oli stated that Nepal is progressing with development projects according to its own capacity and pace, underscoring that friendship does not require haste but steady, mutual growth.

Bamdev Gautam Leads Merger with Unified Socialist, Declares Restart of Socialist Journey: On Friday, a ceremony at the Rastriya Sabha Griha marked the official merger of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist) and the Communist Party of Nepal (Unity National Campaign) led by Bamdev Gautam. Gautam, who has been working toward this unification for four years, announced that his faction had formally joined the Unified Socialist party, signaling a new chapter in Nepali leftist politics. Expressing deep emotion, Gautam reflected on his lifelong commitment to communism. “I am not just a little happy—I am very happy today,” he said, recounting that his journey began at the age of seven when he first hoisted the communist flag in second grade.

Prachanda Signals Willingness for Street Protests to Uphold Public Demands: Chairman of CPN (Maoist Centre), Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, stated that it may be necessary to take to the streets to establish the people’s demands and issues. On Friday, while receiving a memorandum from the Nepal Voters’ Rights Forum—suggesting amendments and integration in the election law bill—at Paris Danda, Prachanda remarked, “Change is not possible by merely submitting such demands and suggestions to the leaders.” He added, “If needed to establish the people’s demands and issues, we are ready to take to the streets for the struggle. You all should also be prepared for that. Please be ready for it.”

Govt Appeals to Supreme Court Against Acquittal of Former NC Lawmaker Aftab Alam: The government has approached the Supreme Court to challenge the High Court’s decision acquitting former Nepali Congress lawmaker Mohammad Aftab Alam in a murder case. The appeal was filed following the verdict by the Birgunj bench of the Janakpur High Court. The Office of the Attorney General submitted the appeal, expressing disagreement with the acquittal. Concerns over serious procedural irregularities and improper evaluation of evidence in the High Court’s verdict prompted the appeal. The Attorney General’s Office demands that all accused, including Alam, who were acquitted by the High Court be held guilty.

UML Faces Internal Rift Over Statute Amendments and Leadership: A dispute has erupted within the CPN-UML over recent party statute changes and leadership reforms. General Secretary Shankar Pokhrel announced the end of uncertainty and strong leadership for “Mission 84” after a Secretariat meeting approved removing age and term limits and expanding the Central Committee. Senior leaders, including Ishwar Pokharel and Karna Thapa, disagreed, saying discussions are ongoing and criticized presenting unresolved issues as final. They also warned against misuse of positions and called for leadership neutrality.

CIB Requests Spanish Embassy in Delhi for Details of Nepalis Traveling to Spain Amid Visa Scam Probe: The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has contacted the Spanish Embassy in Delhi to obtain details on Nepalese nationals traveling to Spain with visit visas. A six-member committee, led by SSP Hobindra Bogati and formed on July 15, 2025, is investigating allegations that unrelated individuals traveled to Seville, Spain, using forged documents, falsely claiming to attend a UN conference. Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli attended the UN conference in June, but criticism arose after claims some people used fake documents to join the trip. The Home Ministry set up the committee following parliamentary pressure.

Shekhar Koirala Meets Bidya Bhandari, Assures Support for UML Re-Entry: Senior Nepali Congress leader Shekhar Koirala and former President Bidya Devi Bhandari held a meeting on Friday morning at Bhandari’s residence. The two leaders discussed contemporary political issues for about an hour. During the talks, Bhandari is learned to have expressed her expectation of Koirala’s support in her reentry into UML politics. In response, Koirala assured her of his readiness to support her. Koirala also urged Bhandari to advocate for good governance and raise her voice against corruption.

UML Politburo Meeting Held at Central Office, Focused on Upcoming Statute Convention: The Politburo meeting of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) was held today at the party’s central office in Chyasal. Dr. Bhishma Adhikari, chief secretary of the UML central office, confirmed that the meeting was chaired by party chairman and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. During the meeting, major discussions centered around the upcoming Statute Convention scheduled from Bhadra 20 to 22 (early September). Dr. Adhikari stated that the main focus of the meeting was the Statute Convention and related preparations.

RPP Submits Anti-Corruption Memorandum to CIAA: On Friday, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) submitted a memorandum to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), urging thorough investigation and strict action against corruption. The letter, addressed to the CIAA chief, is signed by party chairman Rajendra Lingden. The memorandum states that corruption is spreading like a pandemic in Nepal, citing the commission’s annual report which shows a rising number of complaints, cases, and claimed amounts as evidence of the growing problem.

Teachers’ Federation Issues Ultimatum to Govt; Demands School Education Act by August 5: The Teachers’ Federation has given the government a 20-day ultimatum to enact the School Education Act. Organizing a press conference in Kathmandu on Friday, the federation announced that the act must be issued by the 21st of Shrawan (August 6, 2025). “We draw the serious attention of the concerned stakeholders to promptly conclude the ongoing discussions in the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee of the Parliament and submit a progressive School Education Bill—incorporating past agreements—to the House of Representatives for passage no later than Shrawan 21, 2082,” the federation stated in a press release issued after the conference.

Schools Shut Nationwide Amid Student-Led Education Strike: Schools across Nepal remained closed today due to a nationwide strike called by the All-Nepal National Free Students’ Union (Revolutionary), linked to the Communist Party of Nepal (Majority) led by Dharmendra Bastola. Most private schools notified parents about the closure via SMS on Thursday evening, but some did not, resulting in children being sent home after arriving at school. Public schools mostly remained closed because of ongoing monsoon holidays.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party Removes Vice Chairman Mukunda Shyam Giri: The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has relieved its Vice Chairman Mukunda Shyam Giri from his position. According to the party’s publicity department chief and spokesperson Mohan Kumar Shrestha, party chairman Rajendra Lingden has dismissed Giri from both the roles of vice chairman and central committee member.

Two Brothers Drown in Kailali’s Likma River: Two brothers drowned in the Likma River in Gauriganga Municipality-11, Kailali. According to Area Police Office Masuriya, 25-year-old Umesh Dhami and 20-year-old Prakash Dhami, sons of Lalu Dhami of Aitha, died after drowning. Police rescued them from the river around 3 PM on Thursday and rushed them to Seti Provincial Hospital, where doctors pronounced both dead.

NEPSE Records Rs 2.12 trillion in Transactions in FY 2024/25: While several sectors of Nepal’s economy remained sluggish, the secondary securities market saw a historic surge in trading volume during the fiscal year 2024/25. Other stock market indicators also experienced notable improvements during the same period. According to data from the Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE), securities transactions in FY 2024/25 totaled RS 2.124 trillion, a significant rise from RS 734.68 billion in FY 2023/24. This marks a 189.23% increase year-on-year. Previously, the highest record was in FY 2020/21, with transactions worth RS 1.454 trillion.

Minimum Wage Raised to Rs 19,550; PM Oli Hails Decision: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that progress is not possible without labor and prosperity cannot be achieved without respecting workers. Expressing happiness over the increase in the minimum wage for workers effective from Shrawan 1 (July 17), Prime Minister Oli made the statement through Facebook. “Earlier, we had initiated a contribution-based social security program to secure the future of workers. So far, around 2.1 million workers have been enrolled in it,” he wrote. The monthly minimum wage has been increased from Rs 17,300 to Rs 19,550.

Land Revenue Offices Collect Rs 51.42 billion in Revenue in FY 2024/25: The Land Revenue offices across the country collected Rs 51.42 billion in revenue in the last fiscal year 2024/25. This is the huge amount collected from the land revenue offices that maintain the entire details of the nation’s land administration. Minister for Land Reform, Cooperative and Poverty Alleviation Balaram Adhikari claimed that the ministry and its line agencies carried out impressive performance in the fiscal year 2024/25.

Nepal Airlines Corporation Has Paid Off Aircraft Loans Until Mid-July 2025: Nepal Airlines Corporation has cleared its aircraft loan payments up to July 16. The corporation announced through a press release that it has fully paid off the installments for two narrow-body aircraft until July 16 and partially paid Rs. 53.995 million towards the loans for two wide-body aircraft by the same date.

Ministry of Finance Issues Detailed Guidelines for Implementation of FY 2025/26 Budget: The Ministry of Finance has issued detailed guidance to implement the budget of the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26. The guidelines emphasize strict financial discipline in agricultural sector budget spending and timely completion of development projects. According to point number 45 of the guidelines, for large projects such as irrigation, canals, and dams costing over Rs. 50 million, the construction contractors will be responsible for maintenance for at least five years after project completion.

Film ‘Jadau’ to Depict Pain of Inter-Caste Couples: A new Nepali film titled ‘Jadau’ has been announced, based on the struggles faced by inter-caste couples due to caste-based discrimination in society. The announcement was made during an event held in Kathmandu. The film will feature performances by Mukun Bhusal, Niti Shah, Prabhatpal Thakuri, and Binod Neupane. It will be co-directed by Kazi Limbu and Anjan Sharma, with filming set to begin in the first week of Bhadra (late August). Produced jointly by Silver Screen Entertainment and Samishran Movies & Entertainment, ‘Jadau’ will also mark the debut of new actress Sandhya.

60-Foot Poster of Film ‘Balidan’ Unveiled: A 60-foot-long poster of the upcoming film ‘Balidan’ has been released, drawing public attention. The production team installed the massive poster on the outer wall of Lhotse Mall in Gongabu. Previously, the film ‘Narsinmha: Avatar’ had also launched a similarly large poster. In the poster, actor Samir Bhatt appears fierce and blood-soaked, wielding a sharp weapon resembling a spear over a human figure. His expression reflects intense rage and aggression.

Filming of Nepali Movie ‘Pariwar’ Begins: The shooting of the Nepali film ‘Pariwar’ has officially begun. The production team commenced filming with a formal inauguration ceremony held in Kathmandu on Friday. Directed by Madan Thapa, most of the scenes will be shot in Kathmandu, with a few sequences planned outside the valley. Thapa previously directed the film ‘Bato: Road to Death’. The cast of the film remains undisclosed for now, according to the production team.

Singer Anand Karki Releases New Song ‘Musukka Haansi Lajaaune’: Singer Anand Karki has released the music video of his new song ‘Musukka Haansi Lajaaune’. The lyrics and melody were composed in collaboration with Anil from Myanmar. The song’s arrangement was done by Bhakub Tamang, with mixing and mastering completed at Horizon Studio. The music video was directed by Biren Titung, who also conceptualized the video.

Machhindra FC Misses Chance to Extend Lead, Draws 1–1 with Church Boys United: Machhindra Football Club failed to maintain their early lead, resulting in a 1–1 draw against second-placed Nepal Police Club’s close competitor, Church Boys United, at the ANFA Complex in Satdobato on Friday. With this result, Machhindra has accumulated 14 points from six matches, while Church Boys United climbed to seventh place with 7 points from the same number of games. The draw also meant Machhindra missed the opportunity to increase their lead over Nepal Police Club to 3 points.

Help Nepal Sports Club Makes Strong Start in CAVA Champions League: Help Nepal Sports Club began their CAVA Champions League campaign with a hard-fought victory. On Thursday night, Help Nepal defeated Maldives’ Dhivehi Sifainge Club 3–2 in a thrilling match. The game kicked off with an intense first set, which Help Nepal narrowly won 33–31. The second set also saw fierce competition, but Help Nepal secured it 25–20, taking a 2–0 lead. Dhivehi Sifainge fought back strongly by winning the next two sets 25–22 and 25–20, leveling the match. The deciding fifth set saw Help Nepal regain control, winning comfortably 15–8 to seal the match.

Bangladesh National Football Team to Play Two FIFA Friendly Matches in Nepal: The Bangladesh National Football Team is confirmed to play two FIFA international friendly matches in Nepal this September. In an emergency meeting held on Thursday, the National Team Committee of the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) decided to reject Vietnam’s proposal and prioritize matches against Nepal. The matches are scheduled for September 6 and 9, 2025, at the Dashrath Stadium in Tripureshwor, Kathmandu.

594 Killed in Sectarian Clashes in Southern Syria: A total of 594 people have been killed in the recent outbreak of sectarian violence in Suweida province, southern Syria, according to a monitoring group. The violence began on Sunday and has intensified through the week. Among the dead are 300 members of the Druze community, including 146 fighters and 154 civilians. Of these, 83 civilians were reportedly executed by government forces. At least 257 government personnel and 18 Bedouin fighters were also killed. In addition, three Bedouin civilians were executed by Druze fighters.

Israel Levelling Thousands of Gaza Civilian Buildings in Controlled Demolitions: Israel has demolished thousands of buildings across Gaza since it withdrew from a ceasefire with Hamas in March, with entire towns and suburbs – once home to tens of thousands of people – levelled in the past few weeks. Satellite images show massive amounts of destruction in several areas which Israel’s military command claims to have under “operational control”. Large swathes of it has been caused by planned demolitions, both to already damaged buildings and ones that appeared largely intact.

Trump Orders DOJ to Seek Release of Epstein Grand Jury Testimony: U.S. President Donald Trump has directed the Department of Justice to produce “all pertinent” grand jury testimony related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated, “Based on the ridiculous amount of publicity given to Jeffrey Epstein, I have asked Attorney General Pam Bondi to produce any and all pertinent Grand Jury testimony, subject to Court approval.” Minutes later, Attorney General Pam Bondi confirmed the move, posting that the department is prepared to ask the court on Friday to unseal the transcripts.

India Scoffs at Nato Chief’s Warning over Russian Oil Import: India on Thursday dismissed Nato chief Mark Rutte’s threat of “100 per cent secondary sanctions” on countries trading with Russia, particularly in gas and oil, and warned the West against adopting any “double standards.” Reacting to Mr Rutte’s comments, foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said securing the country’s energy needs remains an overriding priority, guided by what is available in the markets and the prevailing global circumstances.