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.

Oli Warns: Stop Speaking for Bidya Bhandari—or Face Disciplinary Action: CPN-UML Chairperson and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has issued a stern warning to party leaders, asking them not to speak in favor of former President Bidya Devi Bhandari or risk facing disciplinary action. Speaking at the ongoing Central Committee meeting of the party that began Sunday in Chyasal, Lalitpur, Oli made his position clear: any UML member aligning with or acting as a “spokesperson” for the former president would face consequences. According to a Central Committee member, Oli specifically pointed to certain leaders and accused them of walking around as if they were Bhandari’s representatives.

Former Minister Gupta Summoned by CIAA over Bribery Scandal: The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has summoned former Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister Rajkumar Gupta for a voice test in connection with a bribery scandal. Gupta resigned after an audio tape surfaced, allegedly capturing him involved in a bribery transaction of NPR 7.8 million, following instructions from Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. The CIAA began investigating after receiving a complaint along with the bribery audio evidence. Gupta has been asked to appear before the commission on Tuesday for a voice verification test. An official from the CIAA confirmed that Gupta is expected to attend the hearing.

Nepal, China Hold High-Level Talks on Development Cooperation: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel met with Chen Xiaodong, Chairman of China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), for discussions at the Ministry of Finance. The talks focused on bilateral relations, ongoing and upcoming development projects supported by China. Following the bilateral meeting, four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed. These include a project for bone marrow transplantation facility construction at BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital in Bharatpur, and a feasibility study on expanding the Civil Service Hospital.

Oli Government Decides Not to Appeal Siddhababa Rape Conviction at Supreme Court: The government led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has decided not to pursue an appeal at the Supreme Court in the rape case against controversial spiritual leader Siddhababa (Krishna Bahadur Giri). This move has effectively created a state-imposed barrier for the victim to seek justice through the higher court. The Office of the Attorney General, which serves as the prime minister’s legal advisor, issued a written directive to the Sunsari District Government Attorney’s Office, instructing them not to file an appeal in the case.

NC Former Office-Bearers Call to Start Constitution Amendment Process: Former office-bearers of Nepali Congress—including Bimalendra Nidhi, Bijay Kumar Gachhadar, Gopalman Shrestha, Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Prakashman Singh, Dr. Shashank Koirala, and Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat—have called on the government to begin the constitution amendment process as per the coalition agreement with CPN-UML. Meeting at Deputy PM Singh’s residence, they emphasized advancing the stalled process, urged better government performance, and pledged support for the coalition until the 2027 elections. Singh will convey these demands to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

No Consensus Yet Between Nepali Congress and UML on Land Bill Amendment: The dispute between the ruling Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML over the bill to amend some Nepal Acts related to land remains unresolved. A meeting held on Monday, which included two ministers from the Congress-UML side, ended without a conclusion. The meeting was held at the Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party office in Singha Durbar, and included Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Balram Adhikari and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak. However, consensus could not be reached among the lawmakers of the two parties.

11 SPs Recommended for Promotion to SSP: The Ministry of Home Affairs recommended promoting 11 Superintendents of Police (SP) to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) during Monday’s promotion committee meeting. Those promoted include Tul Bahadur Karki, Ramesh Singh, Rajiv Bahadur Basnet, Kamal Thapa, and others from various provincial and central police offices. On the same day, 11 Deputy Superintendents of Police (DSP) were also recommended for promotion to Superintendent of Police (SP), including Anil Khadka, Mahesh Thapa, Dipendra Panjiyar Tharu, and others.

Ruling UML Leads Effort to Remove ‘Cooling-Off Period’ Clause from Federal Civil Service Bill: The ruling CPN-UML is actively pushing to remove the ‘cooling-off period’ provision from the contentious Federal Civil Service Bill, which was controversially passed by the House of Representatives and is now under discussion in the National Assembly. The National Assembly began theoretical discussions on the bill on July 16. Currently, five UML members of the National Assembly, including Chief Whip Gopal Bhattarai, have submitted amendments. Other lawmakers proposing amendments include Sonam Geljen Sherpa, Indira Devi Gautam, Rukmini Koirala, and Sumitra BC.

Maoist Centre Not Planning to Topple Government, Says MP Mahendra Bahadur Shahi: CPN (Maoist Centre) leader and Member of Parliament Mahendra Bahadur Shahi has said that his party has no intention of toppling the current government. Speaking at a press event organized by Reporters Club Nepal, Shahi stated that the Maoist Centre is committed to maintaining political stability in the country. He remarked that although the government was formed through a coalition between the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, it has failed to meet public expectations. “The people had hoped for rapid development, economic prosperity, social justice, and good governance, but the current government has failed to deliver,” he said.

Rajkumar Timsina Arrested in Itahari Over Fake Audio Scandal: Rajkumar Timsina, accused in the creation of fake audio involving Supreme Court judges, legal professionals, and media entrepreneurs, was arrested in Itahari. Timsina, who was sentenced to six months imprisonment by the Supreme Court in the fake audio case, had been absconding since the verdict. According to DSP Laxmi Bhandari of Itahari Police, he was arrested in connection with a dispute involving a transaction between women in Pacharuki, Itahari-5. His true identity was revealed only after the arrest.

Elderly Woman Dies of COVID-19 in Pokhara: A 70-year-old woman undergoing treatment at Charak Hospital in Pokhara has died from COVID-19 after battling the infection for nearly a month. The woman was admitted to the hospital with respiratory complications and later tested positive for COVID-19. She passed away on Sunday after her condition worsened, confirmed Khim Bahadur Khadka, Director General of the Gandaki Province Health Directorate. According to the directorate, the deceased also had underlying health conditions, including high blood pressure and diabetes. Her PCR test had been conducted at the Public Health Laboratory, Gandaki.

NEPSE Surges by Over 21 Points, Turnover Crosses Rs 16 billion: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index rose by double digits on Monday, gaining 21.76 points to close at 2,892.72. The Sensitive Index, which tracks the performance of ‘A’ class companies, also climbed by 0.89%. A total of 311 companies saw transactions of 35.64 million shares worth Rs 16.32 billion. This follows Sunday’s turnover, which had hit an 11-month high at nearly Rs 21 billion. All 13 sub-indices of NEPSE closed in the green today. Development banks, microfinance institutions, non-life insurance, and the ‘Others’ group saw gains of over 1%, while the remaining sectors posted increases of less than 1%.

NRB Issues Dividend Distribution Guidelines for Payment Institutions: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has issued the “Dividend Distribution Guidelines, 2025” for institutions authorized to operate payment services. Executive Director Kiran Pandit stated that the guidelines aim to make dividend distribution more transparent and systematic by regulating the distribution of earned profits.

45 New Section Officers Deployed to TIA Immigration Office: As part of immigration reform, the Ministry of Home Affairs has deployed 45 newly appointed section officers to Tribhuvan International Airport’s Immigration Office starting Monday. Director General of the Immigration Department Govinda Rijal confirmed that Secretary Narhari Ghimire has assumed his role as Chief of the Immigration Office, and the 45 officers began duty after a three-day training.

Energy Ministry Proposes EIA Exemption for Projects up to 200 MW: The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has proposed that hydropower projects up to 200 MW be exempt from Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA). Spokesperson Sagar Raj Gautam said the proposal, previously made informally, has now been submitted in writing to the Ministry of Forest and Environment. A technical committee will be formed for further consultation.

NEA Invites Private Sector for Four High-Voltage Transmission Lines: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has called for Letters of Intent from the private sector to construct four high-voltage transmission lines under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. To strengthen the country’s power transmission system, NEA plans to build 322 kilometers of transmission lines under the Build, Own, Operate, and Transfer (BOOT) model. The total estimated cost of the four projects is 320 million USD (around Rs 42 billion).

Comedy Film ‘Kisne Kaha Chha’ Announced: A new comedy film titled ‘Kisne Kaha Chha’ has been announced for production. The film will be directed by Rajendra Basnet, who unveiled the theme poster along with the official announcement of the project. The story and dialogues are written by Binyaraj Paudel. The film will be produced under the banner of Green Parrots Films Production, with Hemant Basnet as the main investor. Ishwar Ballav Upreti will serve as the executive producer. According to director Basnet, filming will begin soon. However, the cast has not yet been finalized, and the casting process is currently underway, the production team confirmed.

‘Nepal Indigenous Film Festival 2025’ Concludes in Edinburgh, Scotland: The ‘Nepal Indigenous Film Festival 2025’ has successfully concluded in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The event was organized by the Nepal-Scotland Association. The festival awarded Nepali-language films that focus on indigenous communities and stories rooted in indigenous themes. In the Nepali language category, the film ‘Gaun Aayeko Bato’ (The Road That Came to the Village), directed by Nabin Subba, was declared the Best Film. In the indigenous category, the film ‘Sugup’ was recognized as the Best Indigenous Film.

Singer Anish Okili Releases New Song ‘Swarga Mero’: Singer Anish Okili released his new song ‘Swarga Mero’ on Sunday. The song features lyrics and music composed by Okili himself. Okili shared that it took nearly three months to complete the song. Falling under the pop/soft rock genre, the song explores the theme of love. This time, Okili has also appeared in the music video himself, alongside Arisha Shrestha, who stars as his co-performer. The music video was directed and produced by singer and composer James Pradhan.

Film Development Board Provides Financial Support to Veteran Choreographer Bhairav Thapa: The Film Development Board has provided Rs 100,000 in financial support to renowned choreographer Bhairav Bahadur Thapa. The assistance was granted through the Film Welfare Fund under the board. Board Chairman Dinesh DC shared the information via social media. Chairman Dinesh DC, fund patron Basundhara Bhusal, and Actors’ Association President Mohan Niraula, among others, visited Thapa’s residence to personally hand over the financial aid.

SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship: Bangladesh Clinches Title, Beats Nepal 4-0: Mosammat Sagorika led Bangladesh to a dominant 4–0 victory over Nepal in the final league match of the SAFF U-20 Women’s Championship, scoring all four goals after returning from a three-match suspension. The match took place on Monday at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka. With this win, Bangladesh successfully defended its title, winning all six matches and collecting a perfect 18 points.

Church Boys United Secures Third Win in ANFA U-16 Youth League: Church Boys United, the defending champions, claimed their third victory in the ANFA U-16 Youth League by defeating Shree Bhagwati Club 4-2 at the ANFA Complex in Satdobato. With this win, Church Boys United has accumulated 10 points from 6 matches and risen to sixth place in the standings. Shri Bhagwati remains in 11th place with 6 points. Apart from Apsan Gurung’s hat-trick, Sushan Thapa Magar also scored for Church Boys United, while Anil Pariyar and Suyog Shrestha netted consolation goals for Shree Bhagwati.

Nepali Defender Rohit Chand Joins Keisuke Honda’s Asia Warriors FC Initiative: Nepal’s renowned footballer and defender Rohit Chand has joined the newly launched Asia Warriors FC team, an initiative led by Japanese football star Keisuke Honda. Asia Warriors FC, which was established this year, aims to unite prominent football players from across Asia. The initiative is a joint project of Japan’s Keisuke Honda and Anton del Rosario of the Philippines. The project aspires to promote peace, hope, and collaboration through football.

Help Nepal SC Registers Third Win in CAVA Men’s Champions League: Help Nepal Sports Club secured its third victory in the CAVA Men’s Champions League. On Monday, at the Social Center in Malé, they earned a hard-fought 3–2 win over Kazakhstan’s Zhaik Volleyball Club. With this win, Help Nepal has collected 8 points from 4 matches. Zhaik Volleyball Club, currently at the top of the table, has 9 points from the same number of matches. Help Nepal had made an impressive start by defeating Maldives’ Dhivehi Sifainge Club 3–2 and HDC 3–1.

Israel Pounds Gaza as Palestinians Mourn 92 People Killed at Aid Site: Israeli forces continue to pound Gaza a day after killing at least 115 Palestinians, including 79 aid seekers at the Zikim crossing and 13 others at GHF-run sites. Gaza’s Health Ministry announces 19 deaths from starvation in the last 24 hours as the UN warns that the hunger crisis in the Palestinian enclave has reached “a new level of desperation”. Protesters across the Muslim world, including in Tunisia, Iraq, Turkiye, Morocco, Lebanon and the occupied West Bank’s Ramallah, have taken to the streets of their cities to denounce Israel’s siege of Gaza.

Monsoon Rains Claim 216 Lives in Pakistan: Monsoon rains have claimed the lives of 216 people and injured 580 in Pakistan since June 26, according to the country’s Disaster Management Authority, as reported by Geo TV. In the past 24 hours alone, at least 13 deaths have been recorded due to heavy rainfall and flooding. Continuous rain has caused widespread floods and waterlogging, resulting in significant human casualties. The majority of deaths occurred when houses collapsed or were submerged due to floods and landslides, while some fatalities were caused by lightning strikes and other seasonal hazards.

Japan’s PM Vows to Stay on Despite Bruising Election Loss: Japan’s ruling coalition has lost its majority in the country’s upper house, but Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has said he has no plans to quit. Voters went to the polls on Sunday for the tightly-contested election, being held at a time of frustration at the coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its junior partner Komeito over rising prices and the threat of US tariffs. Speaking after polls closed on Sunday, the prime minister said he “solemnly” accepts the “harsh result” but that his focus was on trade negotiations.

Russia Launches Deadly Missile, Drone Attack at Ukraine: Russian strikes on Ukraine’s capital Kyiv on Monday killed at least one person and left a shop and school on fire, according to city officials. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said rescuers and medics were working on sites across four districts of the capital. A subway station in central Kyiv, commercial property, shops, houses and a kindergarten were damaged, city officials said. In another tense and sleepless night for Kyiv residents, many rushed to take shelter in underground stations. Explosions were heard across the city as air defence units engaged in repelling the attack.