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 Skips NHRC’s Silver Jubilee Amid Objection Over His Remarks: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was conspicuously absent from the 25th (Silver Jubilee) anniversary celebration of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Tuesday. His absence followed a public objection by the NHRC to his recent remarks regarding planned political gatherings, which the constitutional body found concerning. The commission had issued a statement expressing serious concern over Oli’s comments, which were viewed as targeting freedoms of opinion, expression, and peaceful assembly. NHRC spokesperson Dr. Tikaram Pokharel had said in the statement: “In such a context, remarks made by the honorable Prime Minister against the rights to opinion, expression, and protest are troubling.”

National Vigilance Center Submits Annual Report to PM Oli: The National Vigilance Center (NVC) submitted its annual report for the fiscal year 2080/081 (2023/24) to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday.  The report was presented by NVC Secretary Saraju Kumar Baidya during a program held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar. On the occasion, Prime Minister Oli emphasized that his government was formed with the primary objective of ensuring good governance and development. He directed the Center to work more effectively in these areas.

Opposition Pushes for High-Level Probe, Demands Home Minister’s Resignation: The House of Representatives meeting today was marked by opposition disruption as lawmakers demanded the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak amid a growing scandal involving human trafficking under the guise of visit visas. As Speaker Devraj Ghimire announced the start of the session, opposition MPs immediately rose to obstruct the proceedings, forcing the Speaker to grant time to CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Barsaman Pun to address the House. Pun highlighted that the issue of large-scale human trafficking at Tribhuvan International Airport, facilitated through visit visas, has become a pressing national concern widely discussed across Nepal.

Shekhar Koirala Questions Silence of NC on PM’s Provocative Remarks: Nepali Congress leader Dr. Shekhar Koirala has expressed surprise upon hearing that the office-bearers’ meeting held at the party president’s residence on Monday morning was focused entirely on him. Speaking at the inauguration of the national council of the Nepali Congress-affiliated Nepal Barbers’ Union held in Biratnagar, Koirala said, “I had thought the meeting at the party president’s residence would discuss national issues, or the Prime Minister’s directive to party cadres to ‘capture Kathmandu’ on Jestha 15 (May 29). But it turns out the meeting was only about me.”

PSC postpones May 29 exams amid security concerns in Kathmandu: The Public Service Commission (PSC) has postponed its scheduled examinations for Jestha 15 (May 29) in Kathmandu, citing possible security risks due to planned demonstrations by two opposing political forces. According to the Commission, the decision was taken in light of rallies announced by both the ruling CPN-UML and royalist groups on the same day..The PSC had planned to conduct examinations to fill vacant posts at the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA).

Kshitiz Thebe ,Re-elected as Chair of UML’s youth wing: Kshitij Thebe has been re-elected as the Chairperson of the National Youth Association, the youth wing of CPN (UML). He defeated his sole contender, outgoing General Secretary Suman Puri, by a margin of 188 votes during the organization’s 10th General Convention.Thebe received 796 votes, while Puri managed 608.

Ruling-Opposition Rift Postpones House Until Wednesday: The House of Representatives has been postponed until 11 a.m. on Wednesday after repeated disruptions by opposition lawmakers demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and the formation of a high-level investigation committee into the growing visit visa scandal. Tuesday’s session, which began at 11 a.m., was marred by immediate protests from opposition benches. Lawmakers from the CPN (Maoist Centre), Rastriya Swatantra Party, and other opposition groups stood in protest, blocking proceedings and declaring they would not allow the House to function unless an independent investigative panel was formed and Lekhak stepped down.

 Traffic Resumes on Prithvi Highway in Dhading After Bridge Collapse: Traffic has resumed after the bridge over the Sotang River in Thakre Rural Municipality-7 of Dhading collapsed, causing a halt in movement. Nareshraj Subedi, Chief of Bagmati Province Traffic Office and Superintendent of Police (SP), informed that a diversion under the bridge was created and an alternative route was prepared to restart traffic. The Prithvi Highway was completely closed after the bridge developed a crack. Passengers heading towards their destinations were stranded. SP Subedi stated that traffic is now operating intermittently from both sides. Initially, emergency vehicles, including ambulances, were allowed to pass.

Royalist Leaders Accuse PM Oli of Inciting Confrontation: Leaders of royalist and pro-Hindu factions have accused Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli of attempting to disrupt a mass rally scheduled for Jestha 15 (May 29) warning that government interference could lead to unrest similar to the violence that occurred on Chaitra 15 (March 28). Speaking at a discussion with editors in Kathmandu on Tuesday, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairperson Rajendra Lingden alleged that Prime Minister Oli was deliberately trying to provoke confrontation by mobilizing his party cadres near Ratnapark, where royalist forces plan to stage a peaceful rally calling for the restoration of the monarchy and Sanatan Hindu religion.

Protest Demands Resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak Over Visit Visa Scandal: The All Nepal National Free Student Union (Revolutionary) and other student organizations staged a joint protest demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak over the visit visa controversy. On Tuesday, the protest took place at Maitighar Mandal, with activists from ANNFSU (R), ANNFSU (Socialist), Youth Association Nepal, Young Communist League, and other youth organizations participating. Protesters shouted slogans such as “Incompetent Home Minister, resign now,” “Corrupt Home Minister, step down,” “Down with the brokerage government,” and called for a fair investigation into the visit visa scandal.

Three Killed in Jeep Accident in Bajura: A jeep accident in Kandakot, Jagannath Rural Municipality–2 of Bajura district has claimed the lives of three individuals. The vehicle, belonging to Nepal Telecom Bajura Office, veered off the road and fell approximately 80 meters down the hillside. The accident occurred while the jeep was en route from the district headquarters to carry out maintenance work on a telecom tower.  All three deceased died at the scene, while two others sustained injuries. The injured individuals were rescued and are undergoing treatment.

Government Spokesperson Gurung Announces Cabinet Decisions: Government spokesperson and Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung, has announced the decisions made by the recent cabinet meeting.

The 28 decisions made during Monday’s cabinet meeting were made public on Tuesday through a press conference held at the Ministry. The government has decided to accept grant assistance of 572 million Japanese Yen (approximately NPR 537.6 million) from the Government of Japan for a scholarship project. Similarly, the cabinet approved the acquisition of 3.278 hectares of land for the Bafikot–Khungri 132 kV transmission line project.

Prachanda Vows to Create Pressure for Home Minister’s Resignation: On Tuesday in Chitwan, CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ stated that the visit visa scandal is not just linked to the Home Minister but also involves the government. He asserted that the opposition will create a situation forcing the Home Minister to resign.Prachanda also dismissed any disputes regarding the unity with Nepal Socialist Party, mentioning that Mahendra Rai Yadav is expected to join the Maoist Party during its general convention. Regarding Baburam Bhattarai, Prachanda accused him of frequently criticizing him and claimed Baburam’s primary agenda is opposing the Maoist Party.

Bajgain Hits out at Shashank Over Alleged Gifts: Internal tensions within the Nepali Congress have intensified after Gorkha MP Rajendra Bajgain took a veiled swipe at senior leader Dr. Shashank Koirala, hinting at questionable gifts allegedly received by him. The post follows heated exchanges within the party over the ongoing visit visa scandal. In a post shared Monday on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Bajgain published a photo of Koirala with three luxury SUVs one Kia and two Mahindras subtly implying that the vehicles were “gifts” meant to curry political favor. The caption, laden with sarcasm, questioned the source and intention behind such lavish offerings.

Kami Rita Sherpa Sets New Record with 31st Everest Ascent: Climber Kami Rita Sherpa surpassed his own previous record by successfully reaching the summit of Mount Everest for the 31st time early Tuesday morning at 4 AM. Last year, Sherpa made his 29th and 30th ascents, becoming the world record holder for the most successful climbs of the world’s highest peak, Mount Everest. Breaking his own record again, Sherpa has now set a new benchmark. Born in the village of Thame near the Everest Base Camp in Solukhumbu, Sherpa’s primary profession is mountaineering.

NEPSE Index Edges Up by 0.85 Points Amid Mixed Weekly Trends: The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index rose modestly by 0.85 points on Tuesday, closing at 2,675.62, following a decline of 2.97 points on Monday when it had dropped to 2,677 points. Similarly, the Sensitive Index increased by 0.87 points, while the Float Index dipped slightly by 0.1 points. The Sensitive Float Index, however, rose by 0.30 points. Tuesday’s trading session recorded a turnover of approximately 143 million shares across 318 companies, with a total transaction value of about NPR 6.53 billion, slightly lower than Monday’s turnover of NPR 7.58 billion.

Government to Continue Subsidized Loan Program in FY 2082/83 Budget: The government has decided to continue the subsidized loan program with certain refinements in the upcoming fiscal year 2082/83 budget. Originally launched with the goals of increasing production, promoting domestic employment, and fostering entrepreneurship, the subsidized loan program still has a large amount of unpaid interest payments. Despite this, the government plans to maintain the initiative. The interest subsidy program, started in 2075 BS, has been unofficially halted for the past two years.

Electricity Bill to Pass Within a Month, Says Minister Deepak Khadka: Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation Minister Deepak Khadka has said that the electricity bill will be passed by Parliament within a month. Speaking at the ‘IPPAN Developers Meet 2025’ in Kathmandu, Khadka noted that despite budget constraints, the ministry is working hard to get the bill passed. He acknowledged that the bill has been presented and withdrawn multiple times in the past but said the ministry is now working around the clock to finalize it.

NEA Pays NPR 80 million to India for Electricity Imports: Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has paid NPR 80 million to India for electricity imported through the Nepal-India Power Exchange Committee (PEC). However, the unit rate for import/export decided at the 16th PEC meeting has not been approved by NEA’s board or the regulatory commission. According to NEA sources, NPR 80 million has already been paid, and another NPR 190 million is in the process of being settled.

Over 95,000 Taxpayers Suspended for Not Filing VAT Returns: The Inland Revenue Department has urged businesses not to transact with over 95,000 taxpayers who failed to submit their Value Added Tax (VAT) returns. A notice published on Sunday listed 95,349 suspended taxpayers. Another notice on Monday warned all concerned parties to avoid transactions with them. Earlier on Baisakh 11, the department had publicized a list of 102,232 taxpayers who had not filed returns.

List of Films to be Screened at Nepal–America International Film Festival 2025 in Maryland, USA Announced: The list of films to be screened at the ‘Nepal–America International Film Festival 2025’, held in Maryland, USA, has been announced. Among the films to be featured are Shambala directed by Meen Bahadur Bham, which was in the main competition at last year’s Berlin Film Festival; Pooja Sir (Rajaganj) directed by Deepak Rauniyar, which premiered at last year’s Venice Film Festival; and Bhuthan: World Happiest Man directed by Binod Paudel, made by the Nepali diaspora in the United States.

Trailer Released for ‘Jante Bakhro’ Directed by Simos Sunuwar: The trailer for the film Jante Bakhro, directed by Simos Sunuwar, has been released. The production unit unveiled the trailer during an event held in the capital on Monday. The trailer revolves around actors Saugat Malla, Ashif Shah, and actress Garima Sharma. It also shows the struggles of Saugat and Ashif’s characters as they get married and try to arrange the ‘Jantebakhro’ feast (a traditional feast in Nepali marriage). Alongside Saugat, Ashif, and Garima, the film features performances by Rama Thapaliya, Lokendra Lekhak, Kamal Devkota, Vishal Pahadi, Rusha Nyaupane, Kusum Sharma, Sneha Joshi, Samapika Gautam, and Kushal Gajmer.

Play ‘Lost and Found’ Running at Shilpi Theater in Battisputali: The play Lost and Found is being staged at Shilpi Theater in Battisputali. The performance started on Jestha 3 and will continue until Jestha 17. The playwright and director is Ghimire Yubaraj, with acting by Pavitra Khadka, Sumit Bhandari, Suhana Acharya, and Govind Oli. The play’s story revolves around the inner conflict between Yashodhara and Siddhartha, the pain of statelessness, and the discrimination the state imposes on children of a single mother. The play begins in a café, where the main characters Bhumi and Sagar have conversations. They discuss past events and try to find answers to the questions lost in each other’s lives, wandering imaginatively and metaphorically.

New Diamond Enters Final of PM Cup Women’s Volleyball with Straight-Set Win Over APF: Tip Top New Diamond Sports Club has advanced to the final of the 9th Prime Minister (PM) NVF Cup Women’s Volleyball Championship after defeating APF Club in straight sets on Tuesday. In the match held at the covered hall of Pokhara Stadium, New Diamond dominated APF with a 3–0 win, securing their spot in the final. The set scores were 25–18, 25–22, and 25–16. With this fourth consecutive win, New Diamond tops the standings with 12 points. Nepal Police Club, the defending champion, is in second place with 11 points and has also qualified for the final. On Wednesday, New Diamond will face Nepal Police in a group-stage clash, while APF will play against Everest Club.

Nepal Wins 10 Medals Including Five Gold Medal in Bangladesh: Nepali players have secured a total of 10 medals including five gold medals in the Bangladesh Krira Shikhha Protisthan (BKSP) Cup Invitational International Judo Championship. Nepal also won a silver medal and four bronze medals, finishing second in the championship. The teams claiming the highest tally in the Competition was from the Nepal’s Prisoners Assistance Mission (PAM) with four gold medals and a bronze. All five PAM players participating in the Championship brought home medals. A total of 12 players had vied in the Championship representing Nepal. Among them, Nisha Shrestha, Binita Nepali, Pemba Yangji Sherpa, Samita Nepali and Sabin Kumar Diyali represented the PAM.

Tokha Municipality Announces Rs. 10 million Support and Practice Ground for Bhagwati Club Promoted to Top Division: Tokha Municipality has announced a financial grant of Rs. 10 million and provision of the Bhootkhel ground for practice to Shri Tokha Bhagwati Club, which has been promoted to the top division (A Division). Bhagwati earned promotion after finishing as runners-up in last week’s Shaheed Memorial ‘B’ Division League. At a special honor ceremony organized by the municipality on Monday, Mayor Prakash Adhikari felicitated the club’s players, coaches, and officials and announced the financial support.

 Israel Kills 81 in Gaza as ‘Different Messages’ Emerge on Truce Talks:  Medical sources confirm that at least 81 people have been killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza since early Monday, including 53 in Gaza City. Different messages are emerging from Hamas and United States officials amid reports that the Palestinian group has agreed to a US ceasefire proposal for Gaza. A World Health Organization spokesperson says that “everyone is suffering” in Gaza as hospitals run out of medical supplies to treat the sick and “horrific” injuries as Israel blocks aid, intensifies attacks.

Tragedy Mars Liverpool FC’s PL Title Parade as Car Rams into Fans; 47 Injured: The celebration during Liverpool FC’s 20th top-flight English League title win took a tragic turn on Monday (local time) when a car drove into fans during their open-top bus parade on Water Street in Liverpool’s city centre, injuring 47 people, including four children, as reported by the New York Times. The incident took place close to the end of the 10-mile-long parade route. According to the NYT, citing emergency services, 27 of the injured 47 have been hospitalised, with two, one of them a child, seriously injured. The remaining 20 others were treated at the scene.

North Korea Says US ‘Golden Dome’ Risks ‘Space Nuclear War’: North Korea has criticised the US’s plan for a futuristic “Golden Dome” missile shield, saying it could “turn outer space into a potential nuclear war field”. The defence system, which President Donald Trump plans to unveil by the end of his term, is aimed at countering “next-generation” aerial threats to the US, including ballistic and cruise missiles. Pyongyang’s foreign ministry slammed the plan as “the height of self-righteousness [and] arrogance”, state media reported.