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.

2,662 Convention Delegates Register in Support of Nepali Congress Special Convention at Bhrikutimandap

A total of 2,662 convention delegates have registered their names in support of the Nepali Congress special convention currently taking place at Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu. The convention, organized by the faction supporting the special convention, began today. On the first day, the name registration process was conducted through eight registration stalls. According to Yubaraj Pandey, Coordinator of the Special Convention District Area and Focal Person Coordination Committee, registration by convention delegates started at 9:00 AM today. As per the details provided, 425 delegates registered from Koshi Province, 446 from Madhes Province, 432 from Bagmati Province, 296 from Gandaki Province, 398 from Lumbini Province, 134 from Karnali Province, and 148 from Sudurpaschim Province. Additionally, 178 delegates registered from the Kathmandu Valley (Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Lalitpur), while 195 delegates registered from sister organizations, well-wishers, and public relations committees. Coordinator Pandey informed that the registration process will resume on Monday from 8:00 AM. The closed session of the special convention is scheduled to begin on Monday at 8:00 AM at the Bhrikutimandap assembly hall.

Questions Should Count in NC: General Secretary Thapa

General Secretary of the Nepali Congress (NC), Gagan Kumar Thapa, has said questions should count in NC. The NC is not a party of servile cadres but a political force of dynamic cadres and followers, General Secretary Thapa asserted during his address to the special general convention (SGC) that kicked off in the federal capital, Kathmandu on Sunday. He reminded the party leadership, especially the faction led by party President Sher Bahadur Deuba, of the initiatives of General Secretaries duo for the leadership handover in view of different context emerged in the wake of Gen Z movement in the country. Thapa blamed that although the NC President had announced to handover the leadership through a general convention before the House of Representatives election, those picketing President Deuba had the role behind postponement of the party’s general convention. Election is not a mere game of win and loss but an opportunity to earn public trust, he said, adding that it is urgent to protect system and constitution. Advocating the bottom-up approach to run the party, Thapa said, “All are equal in NC. Those keeping silence and encouraging others to keep silence deserve no worth to respond to questions either.” Thapa, along with another General Secretary Bishwo Prakash Sharma, who staunchly advocated for SGC in view of the changed political context, encouraged the party leaders and cadres to keep on questioning leadership and the way the party is run.

NC Advances for Social Harmony, Good Governance and Nation’s Prosperity, Bishwa Prakash Sharma Says

Nepali Congress (NC) General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma has said that charting a course for social harmony, good governance and the nation’s prosperity is the NC’s commitment. Addressing the Second Special General Convention of the NC in Kathmandu this evening, Sharma said the special general convention will take a conscientious decision for the greater interests of the nation and the party since the representatives are disciplined, adding that the general convention will not take any decision at haste. He added that the NC will not be divided rather will be further robust by making the party a powerful force to lead the nation.  Likewise, he shared his views for the graceful exit of NC’s existing leadership and vowed to own the past acts and correct the weaknesses. Similarly, he said that the NC should move ahead with reforms in the wake of the Gen-Z Movement and added that the NC leadership should have the strength to ensure the call for good governance sought by the new generation in the movement. Sharma was of the view that the achievements of the Gen-Z Movement should not be belittled and called for a fair probe of the incidents that happened on September 8 and 9. Regarding the NC’s Special General Convention, General Secretary Sharma viewed that the issue of transformation in the party was raised after the party leadership turned a deaf ear to this call. “Each and every issue of the party and people’s livelihood will be discussed in the closed session of the ongoing special general convention,” Sharma promised.

Trustworthy Security Situation to be Ensured for Polls, EC Says

The Election Commission (EC) has stated that a trustworthy security environment for the upcoming House of Representatives (HoR) polls will be created for the political parties, candidates, and voters alike. EC Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai said that a robust security situation would be ensured for the political parties and candidates to visit the voters for the election campaigns and for the voters to cast their votes. Spokesperson Bhattarai made it clear that all four security agencies were working in a coordinated fashion as per the integrated security planning and the government was also providing resources for the polls. The political parties, candidates, and campaigners enjoy the situation to visit the voters and take their views to the people in a fearless manner, he added.

Dr Shekhar Koirala Says He is Aware of Need to Prevent Party Split

Nepali Congress leader Dr Shekhar Koirala has said that he is in favour of party unity and is cautious about preventing the party from splitting. In the context of the inauguration of the Special General Convention called by the supporters of Congress’s special convention, he clarified in a video message released today that he has not stuck himself in any personal interest politically. “I did not want to move forward in the Congress’ transformation campaign out of anger or impatience. I want to make it clear here that I have no personal ambition. In the past, I was never tempted by the lure of becoming a minister or general secretary. Such opportunities had come my way, but I did not show interest. Similarly, the idea of becoming party president or prime minister does not tempt me,” he said. Leader Koirala stated that he is raising his voice peacefully in favour of the overall unity of the Congress, inspired by his family’s life philosophy. He stated that he has submitted his opinion in writing to the central committee while the campaign for the party’s special convention is ongoing.

Bus Wreckage Found in Trishuli; Suspected to be the Bus Missing from Simaltal

Bus wreckage has been found on the bank of the Trishuli River at Dwandrang Bensi, Aanbukhaireni Rural Municipality-5, Tanahun. It is suspected that it could be one of the two buses that went missing in Simaltal, Bharatpur Metropolitan City-29, last year. The wreckage was found about 200 meters closer to Tanahun side from the place where the bus went missing. According to Prateek Singh, Inspector of Muglin Area Police Office, locals reported seeing something like a bus after discovering a fishing net stuck while fishing. Immediately, upon noticing the bus buried in sand, digging work started. According to him, the blue-colored one seen matches the color of the Ganapati bus that disappeared in Simaltal, so it is possible that it is the same bus. However, he informed that certainty could only be given after the bus is fully retrieved.  On 12 July 2024, two buses went missing along with a landslide from Simaltal on the Narayangadh–Muglin road section into the Trishuli River.

One Held with More Than One Million Cash of Undisclosed Source

The Armed Police Force, Siraha, have arrested a person with more than one million rupees of undisclosed source.
A team deployed from the Armed Police Force Nepal, Border Security Company Headquarters, Inarwa, today held one Devnath Yadav, 24, of Bhagawanpur rural municipality-3, at the main border pillar no 246 in course of police checking. Yadav was coming from India to Nepal, added the APF Nepal. The team confiscated Rs 1 million three thousand and 990 (the source of which could not be identified) as well as a mobile set and a motorcycle, he was using. A process has been forwarded to submit the impounded cash, mobile set and motorcycle at the Customs Office for necessary action, said Chief of APF Nepal, Siraha, Superintendent of Police, Naresh Bhandari.

Poverty Rate above National Average in More than Half of Local Units

Significant disparities continue to exist in degree of poverty across Nepal’s local units and districts, according to the Small Area Estimation of Poverty, 2023 released by the National Statistics Office (NSO) on Friday. The report shows that out of 753 local levels, 309 have poverty rates lower than the national average of 20.27 per cent, while 444 local levels have poverty levels above the national figure. The NSO estimated poverty at the micro level by analyzing data from the Nepal Living Standards Survey (NLSS) and the national population census using the Small Area Estimation (SAE) method. The latest NLSS, its fourth edition, was conducted in 2022/23 and published in 2023/24. According to the survey, 20.27 per cent of Nepal’s population currently lives below the poverty line, marking a significant improvement compared to previous report made public in 2011.

Nepal Records Rs 1.53 Trillion Life-cycle Deficit, NTA Study Finds 

Nepal faces a significant imbalance between labour income and consumption, with the country recording a total life-cycle deficit of Rs 1,527,219 million in Fiscal Year 2021/22, according to the country’s first National Transfer Account (NTA) estimates. The National Transfer Accounts estimates for fiscal year 2021/22 focusing on lifetime deficit analysis made public by National Statistics Office (NSO) on Friday clearly demonstrate the economic implications of demographic change. An examination of age-specific consumption and labour income indicates that from birth to age 26, consumption exceeds labour income, resulting in a life-cycle deficit.

Nepal Records Rs 1.53 Trillion Life-cycle Deficit, NTA Study Finds 

Nepal faces a significant imbalance between labour income and consumption, with the country recording a total life-cycle deficit of Rs 1,527,219 million in Fiscal Year 2021/22, according to the country’s first National Transfer Account (NTA) estimates. The National Transfer Accounts estimates for fiscal year 2021/22 focusing on lifetime deficit analysis made public by National Statistics Office (NSO) on Friday clearly demonstrate the economic implications of demographic change. An examination of age-specific consumption and labour income indicates that from birth to age 26, consumption exceeds labour income, resulting in a life-cycle deficit.

Nigeria Defeat Algeria 2–0 to Reach AFCON Semifinals

Nigeria have progressed to the semifinals of the Africa Cup of Nations after a 2–0 victory over Algeria, with Victor Osimhen scoring one goal and providing one assist. After wasting chances in the first half, Nigeria took control of the match in the second half. Osimhen opened the scoring with a header and later created a goal-scoring opportunity for Akor Adams. Adams made no mistake, finishing into an empty net to secure Nigeria’s win. Nigeria will face host nation Morocco in the semifinal on Wednesday in Rabat. Three-time champions Nigeria are aiming to win the title for the first time since 2013. Earlier, Morocco and Senegal had already booked their places in the semifinals by defeating Cameroon and Mali respectively.

Rishabh Pant Ruled Out of ODI Series Against New Zealand Due to Injury

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has once again been sidelined due to injury and has been ruled out of the three-match One Day International (ODI) series against New Zealand at the last moment. Dhruv Jurel has been included in the squad as his replacement. Pant felt discomfort while batting during a practice session at the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium. An MRI scan later confirmed that he is suffering from a side strain, according to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Following consultations with doctors and specialists, the decision was made to keep Pant out of the entire ODI series. The setback comes at a time when Pant was in good form. He recently captained Delhi in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and scored two half-centuries in six innings.

Singer Prashant Tamang Passes Away

Singer Prashant Tamang, the winner of the third season of the Indian reality show Indian Idol, has passed away. The 43-year-old singer died of a heart attack on Sunday morning at his own residence in Delhi, according to close associate, music composer, and film producer Rajesh Ghatani. Tamang, an Indian singer of Nepali origin, was also active in acting. He played leading roles in Nepali films such as Gorkha Paltan and Pardeshi, and more recently appeared in the web series Paatal Lok 2. A film titled Battle of Galwan, in which he shared screen space with Salman Khan, is yet to be released. Songs sung by Tamang, including Man Sainli, Gorkha Paltan, and Asarai Mahinama, are widely popular. Various artists are expressing their grief over Tamang’s death and paying tribute through social media.

Rani Mukerji’s ‘Mardaani 3’ to Release on January 30

Bollywood’s popular female-led police franchise, Mardaani, is all set to make a powerful return to the big screen. Yash Raj Films has moved forward the release date of Rani Mukerji’s Mardaani 3 from February 27 to January 30, 2026. The first poster, released alongside the new date, hints that this installment will be the darkest, most violent, and intense yet. For over a decade, Mardaani has carved a strong identity as one of Hindi cinema’s most successful and rare female-led police franchises. Rani Mukerji reprises her role as the fearless, uncompromising cop Shivani Shivaji Roy, who is said to be even more powerful and intense in this chapter. Directed by Abhiraj Minawala and produced by Aditya Chopra, Mardaani 3 is expected to continue the franchise’s tradition of fearlessly exposing uncomfortable social realities. The first film tackled human trafficking, while Mardaani 2 explored the chilling psyche of a mentally disturbed serial killer. The third installment promises to shed light on yet another dark and brutal facet of society.

Bride and Groom Among 8 Killed in Gas Cylinder Blast at Wedding in Pakistan’s Capital

A gas cylinder explosion early Sunday after a wedding reception at a home in Pakistan’s capital killed at least eight people, including the bride and groom, police and officials said. The blast occurred as guests who had gathered to celebrate the couple were sleeping at the house, causing part of the house to collapse, according to the Islamabad police. Seven people were injured. In a statement, police said the explosion occurred in a residential area in the heart of the city. A government administrator, Sahibzada Yousaf, said authorities were alerted about the blast early Sunday and officers are still investigating. He said some nearby homes were also damaged. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed grief over the loss of lives and offered condolences to the victims’ families, according to a statement from his office. He directed health authorities to ensure the injured receive the best possible treatment and ordered a full investigation. Many Pakistani households rely on liquefied petroleum gas cylinders because of low natural gas pressure, and such cylinders have been linked to deadly accidents caused by gas leaks. Police said investigations were ongoing.

US Launches New Retaliatory Strikes Against ISIS in Syria After Deadly Ambush

The U.S. has launched another round of retaliatory strikes against the Islamic State in Syria following last month’s ambush that killed two U.S. soldiers and one American civilian interpreter in the country. The large-scale strikes, conducted by the U.S. alongside partner forces, occurred around 12:30 p.m. ET, according to U.S. Central Command. The strikes hit multiple Islamic State targets across Syria. The Jordanian military later announced it had taken part in the strikes. Saturday’s strikes are part of a broader operation that is part of President Donald Trump’s response to the deadly ISIS attack that killed Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar, Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, and Ayad Mansoor Sakat, the civilian interpreter, in Palmyra last month. “Our message remains strong: if you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement Saturday. A day earlier, Syrian officials said their security forces had arrested the military leader of IS’s operations in the Levant.

Death Toll in 2-Week-Old Protests Challenging Iran’s Theocracy Reaches 116, Activists Say

Nationwide protests challenging Iran’s theocracy saw protesters flood the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city into Sunday, crossing the two-week mark as violence surrounding the demonstrations has killed at least 116 people, activists said. With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. But the death toll in the protests has grown, while 2,600 others have been detained, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. Those abroad fear the information blackout will embolden hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown, despite warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump he’s willing to strike the Islamic Republic to protect peaceful demonstrators. Trump offered support for the protesters, saying on social media that “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!” The New York Times and Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous U.S. officials, said on Saturday night that Trump had been given military options for a strike on Iran, but hadn’t made a final decision. The State Department separately warned: “Do not play games with President Trump. When he says he’ll do something, he means it.”