KATHMANDU: Stay updated with Nepal News’ evening briefing, bringing you the day’s most important developments from Nepal and across the globe. From politics and economy to sports, entertainment, and culture, we deliver a concise roundup of the top news you need to know.

Nepali Congress Central Working Committee Meeting Scheduled for Monday

The Central Working Committee of the Nepali Congress is set to meet on Monday. Acting Chief Secretary Krishna Prasad Dulal issued a statement today informing that the meeting will take place at 11:00 AM at the party’s central office in Sanepa. Office bearers and committee members have been requested to attend the meeting as per instructions. Meanwhile, the party’s Central Disciplinary Committee meeting has also been called for the same day. According to Secretary Dinesh Thapa Magar, the meeting will be held at 2:00 PM at the party’s central office.

NA Chair Dahal Terms SMEs as Pillar of Economy

National Assembly (NA) Chair Narayan Prasad Dahal has said that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the pillar of the country’s economy. Addressing the eight annual general meeting of the small and medium entrepreneurs’ umbrella organization Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs here today, the NA Chair said that time has come to show result through best performance. Dahal stated that he would seriously hold discussions with the Finance Minister regarding the issues of the entrepreneurs before the budget preparation. He also argued that the business community has suffered due to administrative hassles, lack of policy clarity and prevalence of intermediaries in the market. The NA Chair also pledged to develop laws and amend them for the interests of the business community. He added that the tax system should be simplified and made business-friendly and the state mechanisms should remain proactive to encourage youth entrepreneurs and maintain transparency in the market.

Demolition Campaign Begins on Bank of Gandak Canal

The Narayani Irrigation Management Office has launched a campaign to demolish huts and other structures built illegally along the bank of the Gandak Canal. The campaign began this morning and targets the stretch from Janaki Tole to Gandak Chowk. According to the Office, preparations are in place to demolish more than 300 structures, including huts, sheds and fish ponds. The demolition drive is being carried out with the assistance of the Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and other agencies. Office Chief Manoj Prasad Patel said they started clearing approximately 26 kilometres of encroached land on the canal bank. Four excavators have been mobilized to raze the structures. Nepal and India had signed the Gandak Irrigation and Hydropower Project agreement on December 4, 1956. Under the agreement, the Government of India developed an irrigation system by constructing a barrage in the Narayani River. The project aims to provide irrigation facilities to both countries. The Government of India later handed over the Gandak Canal to Nepal in 1975–76. The canal has a capacity of 850 cusecs of water, intended to irrigate 37,400 hectares of land in the southern parts of Parsa, Bara and Rautahat districts. Canal water enters Nepal through Janaki Tole, located along the Nepal-India border.

Removal of Illegal Structures Begins in Butwal City Too

Authorities began removing huts built illegally in the public space of Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City-4 today. The structures set up at a public land belonging to High Court, Butwal are being flattened. After disbanding the office of then Lumbini Zonal Officer, the land it occupied was transferred to the ownership of High Court, Butwal. It is however occupied by huts running tea shops. Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City informed the illegal dwellers were informed on Saturday evening to remove their chattels so that it would be easier to dismantle the huts. Chair of ward no 4 in the Sub-Metropolis, Narishwar Sharma Paudel, however, informed RSS that the local government was investigating whether the offices of various organizations including Butwal Bar Association and Office of the Province Chief were also in the encroached land (plot nos 4, 7, 8, 12, 13, and 61). The area of the land is nearly 2 bighs and 5 kattha. Efforts were made to clear the public land 12 years back, but failed.

Acting Mayor Inspects Building Constructed for Squatters

Acting Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Sunita Dangol, has inspected a government building located in Nagarjun Municipality–1 that is being prepared to provide temporary housing for squatters. The government is currently demolishing informal settlements in areas such as Thapathali, Sinamangal, and Manohara in Kathmandu. As the displaced residents from these locations will be relocated to the government building, cleaning and maintenance work at the site is currently underway.

7,642 Tourists Enter Nepal Through Kakarbhitta Border Point Last Month

Nepal received altogether 7,642 tourists from third countries in the past nine months through the eastern border in Kakarbhitta, Jhapa. Chief of the Immigration Office in Kakarbhitta, Tulsi Bhattarai, shared that tourists from 81 countries across the world visited Nepal in the first nine months of the current fiscal year. The number of Bhutanese nationals coming to Nepal stood at the top of the rank during the period followed by the USA, Thailand, Australia and the UK. The Immigration Office stated that a total of 4,154 tourists entered Nepal during the period.  Chief of Office Bhattarai said that 1,612 Americans arrived in Nepal, 525 from Thailand, 229 from Australia and 182 from the UK entered Nepal through the eastern border point in Kakarbhitta. He added that most of the tourists visiting Nepal shared that they would visit Lumbini, Pokhara, Kathmandu, Chitwan, Gorkha and other major tourist destinations in Nepal. The Immigration Office shared that 9,942 tourists from third countries left Nepal from the same border point during the same period.  Likewise, more than 3,000 Nepalis, who were in foreign countries for study and other purposes, arrived home through the Kakarbhitta point from different countries during the review period.

Travel Ban Imposed on Suspended ANFA Officials Amid Financial Probe

Officials of the All-Nepal Football Association (ANFA), who have been suspended by the National Sports Council (NSC), have been barred from traveling abroad. According to sources at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the restriction has been imposed on all officials as part of an ongoing investigation into financial matters. The NSC had formed a three-member investigation subcommittee under the coordination of its executive member Kamal Bhattarai to probe ANFA’s financial activities. Member Secretary Ram Chandra Mehta stated that the committee was established following a directive from the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, conveyed through the Ministry of Sports. During the investigation, the NSC requested the Ministry of Sports to prevent ANFA officials from traveling abroad. Subsequently, the Department of Immigration enforced the restriction by holding their passports after receiving instructions through the Ministry of Home Affairs. Earlier, the NSC had suspended ANFA for three months starting March 25 (Chaitra 11) due to a dispute over early elections.

Nepal Enters Semi-Final of Nepal Asian Beach Games

Nepal has advanced to the semi-finals of the Sixth Asian Beach Games 2026, currently being held in Sanya, Hainan, China. Nepal secured its place in the semi-finals after defeating Bangladesh 38–36 in its final Group ‘B’ match, remaining unbeaten throughout the group stage. Nepal led the first half 19–17 and maintained its advantage in the second half to clinch the victory. Earlier in the tournament, Nepal registered a 48–32 win against Chinese Taipei and followed it up with a 49–33 victory over Thailand. Nepal will now face Sri Lanka in the semi-final match.

‘Paralko Aago’ Crosses Rs 10 Million in Two Days

The film Paralko Aago, directed by Laxman Sunar, has surpassed Rs 10 million in nationwide earnings within just two days of its release. As of Sunday noon, the film’s gross collection has reached Rs 10.685 million. During the same period, more than 32,000 tickets have been sold. Producer Sushil Pokharel also shared the two-day box office figures via Facebook. The film is based on a well-known story by Guru Prasad Mainali and features lead performances by Suhana Thapa, Prakash Saput, Srijana Adhikari, and Saugat Malla. Based on a social theme, the filmmakers claim the story is highly relevant to contemporary Nepali society.

Priyanka Karki’s Debut Production ‘Masterni’ to Release in Eight Languages

The film Masterni, the debut production venture of actress Priyanka Karki, is set to be released in eight languages. According to Karki, the film is being prepared for release in Nepali, Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bhojpuri, and Punjabi. The release date in Nepal has been scheduled for August 28. Karki is currently in India for the film’s post-production work. During her stay, her meeting with Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor has gained attention on social media. The film is produced under her home banner Ayanka Films. It is directed by Indian filmmaker Subhendu Ghosh. The cast includes Saroj Khanal, Richa Sharma, Aryan Sigdel, Pramod Agrahari, Anup Bikram Shahi, and Simran Khadka, among others. The film is produced by Priyanka Karki, Ayushman Joshi, Cabinet Shrestha, and Pranit Karki. The story is written by Karki herself, while the screenplay is by Shan Basnet. Both Karki and Basnet have contributed to the film’s dialogues.

7 dead, More than 20 Injured in Colombian Bomb Attack

Seven people were killed and more than 20 others injured after a bomb attack struck the Colombian municipality of Cajibío, Cauca department, on Saturday, according to local authorities. Local media reports said a bomb fell onto a bus on the El Túnel section of the Pan-American Highway linking Cali and Popayan. Online images show severe damage to the bus roof and windows, as well as to the highway. Multiple drivers testified that armed individuals hijacked a truck and a bus to block the road before the bombing, and sprayed graffiti related to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia on the vehicles. Cauca Governor Octavio Guzman condemned the “indiscriminate attack against the civilian population” on social media. He said that public security forces are responding to the attack, urging the Colombian national government to take decisive action to ensure the safety and protect the lives of residents in conflict-affected regions.

US Says it’s Hunting for Explosive Mines in Latest Push to Open the Strait of Hormuz

President Donald Trump says the U.S. Navy is clearing Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz, a vital sea route for oil shipments whose disruption is increasingly threatening the global economy. Sweeping for underwater explosives could take months despite a tenuous ceasefire between the United States and Iran in the weekslong war, experts say. Any future claims that the U.S. cleared the waterway where 20% of the world’s oil typically passes might fail to convince commercial freighters and their insurers that it is finally safe. “You don’t even have to have lain mines — you just have to make people believe that you’ve laid mines,” said Emma Salisbury, a scholar at the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s National Security Program. “And even if the U.S. sweeps the strait and says everything’s clear, all the Iranians have to do is say, ‘Well, actually, you haven’t found them all yet,’” said Salisbury, who is also a fellow at the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre. “There’s only so much the U.S. can do to give that confidence back to commercial shipping.” Seeking out mines is one of the latest tactics announced by the Trump administration to get traffic moving again through the strait as rising energy prices and wider economic effects pose a political risk. The U.S. also has blockaded Iran’s ports and seized ships tied to Tehran, but the president said Saturday he had instructed his envoys not to travel to Pakistan for the latest ceasefire talks after Iran’s top diplomat left Islamabad.

Iraq’s Kurdistan Region Reports Over 800 Attacks Since Late February

Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdistan region was hit by 809 drone and missile attacks between Feb. 28 and April 20, leaving 20 civilians dead and 123 others wounded, local authorities said Saturday. In a statement, the media and information department of the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) said most of the attacks targeted civilian areas despite the region’s declared neutrality in ongoing regional conflicts. It said civilians and the private sector suffered the heaviest human and material losses. Erbil province recorded the highest number of incidents, with 477 attacks, including 419 drone strikes and 58 missile strikes, according to the statement. The attacks killed 10 civilians and wounded 83 others. The KRG said the attacks were carried out against civilian areas under various “unfounded pretexts.” The attacks came amid heightened regional tensions following joint U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran beginning Feb. 28. Iran and its regional allies responded with attacks targeting Israeli and U.S. interests across the Middle East.