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.

NC General Secretary Duo Advocate for Special General Convention

General Secretaries of the Nepali Congress, Gagan Kumar Thapa and Bishwa Prakash Sharma, have issued a call inviting delegates to come for the special central general convention. In a joint statement released today, they underscored the provisions outlined in the Congress statute, indicating that with 54 per cent of the representatives for the general convention having registered the special general convention set for January 11 and 12 has become both legally and politically necessary and obligatory. In this regard, the statement refers to Section 17, (2) of the party statute, which stipulates that when 2,488 (54.58 percent) representatives of the general convention submit a petition citing special reasons for convening a special general convention, it is the duty of the central committee to organize the special general convention within a three-month timeframe. They have asserted that the central working committee made every effort to convene a special general convention, but it was not feasible through that committee. “We stand in solidarity with the demand for a special general convention put forth by the majority of convention delegates. The initiative taken by the convention delegates to hold a special convention by January 12 is their legitimate right,” the statement said.

New Regulation Incorporated into Election Code of Conduct

The Election Commission has introduced a new regulation concerning communications within the election code of conduct. The Commission declared today during an event here that throughout the election campaign prohibition period, no form of discussion, interaction, assembly, convention, workshop, or seminar is permitted, and it is forbidden to solicit votes or campaign through any method, process, or medium. According to the newly established regulation, details of campaign expenditures via online media must also be accounted for in election expenses. Political parties, candidates, and party-affiliated organizations are required to conduct their campaigns through online media and report such expenses in the election expense documentation. Furthermore, the new regulation emphasizes the internalization of the complete press freedom guaranteed by the Constitution along with its self-regulation. The definition of social media has been broadened to encompass specific social media platforms, while the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI) to contravene the code of conduct in evolving times has also been addressed. Provisions have been established to permit promotional materials to be published in any newspaper as part of newspaper promotions, and arrangements have been made to facilitate election campaigns through online media utilizing roadblocks, content blocks, homepage banners, detailed page banners, and box advertisements (within the news).

NA Elections: Four Candidates Register Nominations in Karnali

Four candidates from Karnali have registered their nominations for the National Assembly election scheduled to be held on coming January 25. The nominations were registered in four NA members vacant in the Karnali province in ‘other’ and ‘women’ clusters. Lalit Jung Shahi of the Nepali Congress from Jumla and Buddhi Prasad Sharma of the Nepali Communist Party from Rukum-West registered nominations towards ‘other’ cluster, Information Officer at the Karnali Province Election Office, Surkhet, Nandaram Chaulugain shared. Likewise, in the women cluster, Anju Mahatara of the Nepali Communist Party from Dolpa and Meena Singh Rakhal of the CPN (UML) from Dailekh filed their nominations towards ‘women’ cluster, informed Chaulagain. Meanwhile in Lumbini, Rastriya Janamorcha has registered its candidacy for the National Assembly election. Bom Bahadur Khatry and Padma Pandit of the party from Pyuthan have registered their nominations for NA member.

Shahi Gets Responsibility of UML Publicity Department Head

The CPN (UML) has assigned the responsibility of the Head of the party’s Central Publicity and Publication Department to Central Member Meen Bahadur Shahi. The party’s secretariat meeting on Tuesday assigned him this responsibility. Shahi is a former member of the National Planning Commission and a former president of the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters Nepal (ACORAB).

Birgunj Regaining Normalcy After Lifting of Curfew

The normal life in Birgunj, Parsa district is gradually regaining normalcy from today after an all-party and all-sides meeting settled the dispute erupted involving two communities of differing social and religious faith. The District Administration Office (DAO), Parsa had imposed a curfew in Birgunj Metropolitan City for the last two consecutive days after the tensions had flared up following a protest demonstration in Birgunj on Sunday. The curfew was lifted on Tuesday at 3:00 pm onwards after which shops were gradually reopened while schools, markets and factories are in full operation from today. According to Bhola Dahal, Chief District Officer (CDO) of Parsa, the situation is returning to normal in Birgunj following a consensus reached in an all-party and all-sides meeting on Tuesday. CDO Dahal shared that the district administration had imposed a curfew since last Monday amid concerns that communal tension could escalate. He said the measure was taken to maintain peace and security in view of the prospects of communal dispute further flaring up. CDO Dahal further explained that the curfew was ordered to avert untoward incidents and to restore normalcy.

Former Chief Administrative Officer at KMC Pariyar Acquitted

The Special Court has acquitted the employees including then Chief Administrative Officer at Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), Pradeep Pariyar, on a case relating to sewerage construction. A division bench comprising judges Narayan Prasad Paudel, Hemant Rawal and Umesh Koirala issued a verdict that all defendants- Pariyar, Rabin Man Shrestha, Shivaraj Adhikari, Basanta Acharya, Namaraj Dhakal, Uttam Dahal and Janardan Giri- had no involvement in the corruption, thereby deserving acquittal. The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed a case against seven persons, including Pariyar, at Special Court, accusing them of financial irregularities over a contract relating to sewerage management from Bashundhara to Mhempi along Samakhusi corridor.

Imports and Exports Through Korala Decline After Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi Checkpoints Reopen

Import and export activities through the northern Korala border point between Nepal and China have declined in recent weeks. According to the Mustang Customs Office, trade through Korala has slowed significantly following the reopening of the Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi border checkpoints. Customs officials report a sharp drop in the number of cargo containers entering Nepal via the Chinese side of Korala. Information Officer Nimendra Singh said only eight to ten containers are currently pending customs clearance, and no new containers have recently arrived. Previously, when Tatopani and Rasuwagadhi were closed, 15 to 20 cargo containers were cleared daily through Korala, a figure that has now nearly dropped to zero. Since Korala became fully operational on Bhadra 31, customs clearance has generated more than NPR 5.5 billion in revenue. During this period, goods worth over NPR 11 billion have been imported, while Nepali handicrafts and other domestic products valued at more than NPR 190 million have been exported to China. More than 2,100 electric vehicles have so far entered Nepal through the Korala border, Singh added. Most recently, BYD imported nearly 500 electric vehicles via this route.

Baglung Festival Records Rs 80 Million in Transactions

The Baglung Festival organized by the Baglung Chamber of Industry and Commerce recorded business transactions worth approximately Rs 80 million. According to the organizers, around 400,000 visitors attended the festival. The festival was held from 26 Dec to 6 Jan at the Bangechaur Playground in Baglung Municipality–1. Alongside various commercial stalls, special priority was given to local products under the theme “Made in Baglung,” showcasing and selling goods produced within the district. Local products such as woolen blankets made from sheep wool from Nisikhola, allo fabric, gundruk, bhango, maize flour, millet flour, nettle powder, roasted maize, timur, potatoes, sil-timur, oranges, kiwi, and other indigenous items received strong market response during the festival. The event also featured stalls related to automobiles, hotels and restaurants, and a wide range of other commercial businesses. Chamber President Rajan Kumar Shakya stated that significant trade was conducted across these stalls. In addition to the trade fair, various entertainment and sports activities were organized, including a fun fair, Gandaki Province–level men’s and women’s volleyball tournaments, dohori song competitions, tug-of-war for women, pot-breaking competitions, cock-catching events, and several other contests.

Expansion of Nepal-UAE Economic Cooperation Discussed

President of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Chandra Prasad Dhakal, on Wednesday, held a meeting with Abdulla Ahmed Al Saleh, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Economy of the United Arab Emirates, in Dubai, UAE. During the meeting, the two sides discussed expanding trade and investment cooperation, with emphasis on attracting UAE investments in key sectors of Nepal’s economy, including hydropower, tourism, agro-processing, large-scale infrastructure projects, and the information technology sector, the FNCCI stated in a press release. President Dhakal highlighted Nepal’s growing potential and the opportunities available for UAE investors. The FNCCI President also underscored the importance of establishing a direct Emirates Airways flight to Kathmandu, stating that enhanced air connectivity would play a vital role in boosting tourism, trade, and business-to-business engagement between the two countries. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to further deepen economic collaboration and strengthen partnership between Nepal and the UAE in the days ahead. Nepal’s Ambassador to the UAE, Tej Bahadur Chhetri, was also present on the occasion.

‘Samba’ Sidelined for Up to a Year After ACL Injury

Nepal national women’s team star striker Sabitra ‘Samba’ Bhandari will be out of action for nearly a year following a serious knee injury. Wellington Phoenix, her Australian A-League club, confirmed that she will miss the remainder of the season. Samba suffered a torn right knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft during the second half of last week’s Round 11 match against Brisbane Roar, after colliding with goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln. An MRI scan later confirmed that the 28-year-old striker has re-injured the same ACL she had surgery on in 2021. The club expects Samba to be sidelined for 9 to 12 months. Wellington Phoenix head coach Bev Priestman expressed the team’s disappointment, saying, “She is not only an outstanding player but also an extraordinary person. Samba is one of the most popular members of our squad. We are deeply saddened by this injury, but she is determined to return to the pitch as soon as possible.” Samba is the third Phoenix player to miss this season due to ACL injuries, following Dutch midfielder Tessel Middag and Alyssa Whinhyam. With the league’s registration window closed, the club can only sign free agents to fill the gap, though they have already signed American forward Makala Woods ahead of the December 29 deadline.

Ranveer Singh’s ‘Dhurandhar’ Breaks All-Time Highest Grossing Hindi Movie Record

Ranveer Singh’s ‘Dhurandhar’ has smashed every Bollywood record within a month of its release, setting new milestones day after day. Yet one record remained—the highest-grossing Hindi film, previously held by the Hindi version of the Telugu blockbuster ‘Pushpa 2’. That record has now been claimed by ‘Dhurandhar’. The Hindi version of ‘Pushpa 2’ had earned ₹830 crore net, but on its 33rd day, ‘Dhurandhar’ earned ₹5.7 crore, pushing its total past ₹830 crore. By the 32nd day, the film had already collected ₹825.7 crore net. With this achievement, ‘Dhurandhar’ officially becomes the highest-grossing Hindi film. Its strong box office run suggests it could surpass ₹850 crore in India. Globally, the film has earned over ₹1,200 crore, while in Nepal alone, it has grossed more than NPR 9.77 crore. Since 2017, Bollywood had struggled to top the highest-grossing Hindi film charts. Between 2017 and 2023, ‘Jawan’ held the title, overtaking the Hindi version of ‘Baahubali 2: The Conclusion’. Last year, ‘Pushpa 2’ briefly claimed the record, but now, ‘Dhurandhar’ has restored Bollywood’s supremacy at the box office.

Snow Forces 140 Paris Flight Cancellations

Around 100 flights were cancelled at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle airport on Wednesday morning because of snowfall and fierce cold, and a further 40 at the French capital’s Orly airport, France’s transport minister said. The disruption had been predicted late Tuesday, with Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot telling CNews television he was “hoping the situation returns to normal this afternoon”. All public bus services in Paris and the surrounding suburbs were also suspended due to icy roads, though the vast majority of metro and suburban rail systems were working, transport officials said. The Meteo France weather service said 38 of the country’s 96 mainland departments were on alert for heavy snow and black ice, with three to seven centimetres (around one to three inches) of snow already accumulated. It said the cold snap was of “rare intensity for the season”, and authorities had already warned people in the Paris region to avoid unnecessary travel and work at home if possible on Wednesday. Six people have died in weather-related accidents in France during Europe’s bitterest cold snap this winter so far.

Trump Says US to Get 30 Million to 50 Million Barrels of Oil From Venezuela at Market Price

President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Venezuela would be providing 30 million to 50 million barrels of oil to the U.S., and he pledged to use proceeds from the sale of this oil “to benefit the people” of both countries. The White House is organizing a meeting Friday with U.S. oil company executives to discuss Venezuela, which the Trump administration has been pressuring to open its vast-but-struggling oil industry more widely to American investment and know-how. Representatives of Exxon, Chevron and ConocoPhillips are expected to attend the White House meeting, according to a person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity to discuss the plans. Earlier Tuesday, officials in Caracas announced that at least 24 Venezuelan security officers were killed in the dead-of-night U.S. military operation to capture Nicolás Maduro and spirit him to the United States to face drug charges. And the country’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, pushed back on Trump, who earlier this week warned she’d face an outcome worse than Maduro’s if she does not “do what’s right” and overhaul Venezuela into a country that aligns with U.S. interests, including by granting access to American energy companies. Rodriguez, delivering an address Tuesday before government agricultural and industrial sector officials, said, “Personally, to those who threaten me: My destiny is not determined by them, but by God.”

3 killed, 16 Injured as Bus Plunges into Ravine in Eastern Pakistan

At least three people were killed and 16 others seriously injured when a passenger bus plunged into a deep ravine in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province on Wednesday, rescue officials saidThe accident happened in Talagang district when the bus was traveling from Rawalpindi to Multan, officials from Rescue 1122 told Xinhua. The bus plunged into a ravine about 100 feet deep while navigating a sharp turn in the mountainous area. Rescue teams and district administration officials rushed to the scene after receiving information and carried out rescue operations. The injured and the bodies of the deceased were shifted to a government hospital in Talagang for medical treatment and legal formalities.