KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
Cabinet meets at Baluwatar amid growing pressure over bribery scandal
A regular meeting of the Council of Ministers is currently underway at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar. However, the meeting has taken on added significance following the recent exposure of alleged bribery deals involving senior ministers.
With Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli facing mounting pressure, the ongoing scandal is expected to be a key point of discussion in today’s session. Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister Rajkumar Gupta, who has been directly implicated through leaked audio recordings discussing bribe negotiations, is also present at the meeting.
The Cabinet meeting comes at a time when public and political backlash is intensifying against the ministers reportedly involved in the bribery case.
Oli under pressure from within UML to sack ministers over bribery scandal
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is facing growing pressure from within his own party, the CPN-UML, to immediately sack ministers embroiled in a recent bribery scandal.
Speaking at an interaction program organized by the Reporters Club on Monday, UML’s Chief of Publicity Department, Rajendra Gautam, said that party leaders have already urged the Prime Minister to act swiftly against the ministers allegedly involved in bargaining for bribes.
The scandal involves Federal Affairs Minister Rajkumar Gupta, who has been linked via leaked audio to a middleman discussing bribes for appointments. Land Management Minister Balram Adhikari has also been implicated in the controversy.
Bribery scandal prompts PM Oli to hold emergency talks with Deuba and Yadav
Amid growing pressure over a bribery scandal involving two ministers, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has initiated urgent consultations with ruling coalition leaders Sher Bahadur Deuba and Upendra Yadav.
The controversy centers on Federal Affairs Minister Rajkumar Gupta and Land Management Minister Balram Adhikari, who have been accused of involvement in a Rs 7.8 million bribery case. With criticism mounting from both the opposition and the public, PM Oli held talks Monday evening following a cabinet meeting.
According to sources, Oli is considering a major cabinet reshuffle. He is expected to consult Deuba, president of the Nepali Congress, about replacing the tainted ministers and potentially forming a new team of ministers from their respective parties.
Ruling party lawmakers join opposition in protesting missing pages in Madhesh budget
A major controversy has surfaced in the Madhesh Province Assembly after it was revealed that two different versions of the provincial government’s budget “Red Book” for the upcoming fiscal year 2025/26 are in circulation.
Lawmakers have claimed that while the Red Book distributed to them contains only 461 pages, another version has 294 additional pages, allegedly containing over 8,000 hidden projects.
During Monday’s discussion on the Appropriation Bill, several ruling party lawmakers expressed outrage.
Minister Adhikari denies involvement in bribery case, demands fact-based investigation
Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Balram Adhikari has denied involvement in the recent bribery controversy that has stirred political debate over the past three days.
His name surfaced in an audio recording of a conversation between Minister of Federal Affairs and General Administration Raj Kumar Gupta and a middleman, allegedly regarding appointments to the chair of the Land Commission in Kaski and the chief of the Land Revenue Office.
In the leaked audio, Minister Gupta is heard saying that Minister Adhikari had already received payment and would therefore not carry out the task. Responding to the allegations in Monday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, Adhikari claimed he was wrongly implicated in a deal he had no part in.
PM Oli in dilemma over sacking ministers implicated in bribery scandal
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is facing increasing pressure and political uncertainty over the fate of two cabinet ministers implicated in a recent bribery scandal.
Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister Rajkumar Gupta and Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Balram Adhikari have both been linked to a major corruption case involving audio recordings and alleged cash exchanges.
Despite the gravity of the accusations, Prime Minister Oli has yet to take decisive action. On Monday morning, he reportedly held a one-hour meeting with Minister Gupta at Baluwatar, raising concerns over the government’s reluctance to act swiftly.
Parliament has turned into a marketplace for brokers: Prachanda
Chair of the CPN (Maoist Centre) and leader of the main opposition, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, has accused Nepal’s two largest parties, the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, of turning the federal parliament into a “playground for brokers.”
Speaking in Monday’s session of the House of Representatives, Dahal said the collusion between the two major parties to manipulate parliamentary processes was disgraceful and shameful for both the nation and the people.
“The tendency to make the parliament a marketplace for middlemen is an insult to democratic values,” he said.
Lingden slams current House situation as ‘darkest period in parliamentary history’
Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chair Rajendra Lingden on Monday called the ongoing situation in the House of Representatives the “darkest period in Nepal’s parliamentary history,” as he slammed the ruling coalition for pushing ahead with parliamentary proceedings while ignoring demands for an investigation into the recent visit visa scandal.
Speaking during Monday’s parliamentary session, Lingden expressed strong objections to what he described as a forced attempt to run the House, despite continued protests from major opposition parties.
“This is a black chapter in our parliamentary history,” he said. “Even as two major political forces have been protesting for over a month and a half, the House continues to operate under sheer indifference and irresponsibility—not just by the government but also by the Speaker himself.”
Call to halt parliamentary session temporarily to build consensus
Speaker Devraj Ghimire on Monday held a meeting with chief whips and whips of major political parties in an effort to resolve the ongoing deadlock in the Federal Parliament.
During the discussion, Speaker Ghimire expressed concern over the continued absence of some parties from regular parliamentary proceedings and emphasized the importance of dialogue and consensus to move forward.
“A perpetual obstruction of Parliament is not a solution. It is unfortunate that even the fourth and fifth largest parties, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), have not been participating in discussions,” he said.
Home Minister launches probe into alleged human smuggling during PM Oli’s Spain visit
Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has ordered an impartial investigation into reports that individuals outside the official government delegation accompanied Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on his recent trip to Spain.
On Monday morning, Minister Lekhak directed Home Secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi and Inspector General of Police Deepak Thapa to probe how and through which institutions or processes unauthorized individuals traveled with the Prime Minister.
“Who went to Spain besides the official delegation? Through what means and on whose arrangements? I have instructed for a thorough investigation,” Lekhak said.
PM Oli claims economic indicators improving as govt marks one year in power
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that key economic indicators have shown positive signs even before his government completes a full year in office.
Taking to social media as the government approaches its one-year anniversary, PM Oli said national development projects have begun to gain momentum. He claimed the current administration has introduced a culture of setting deadlines and demanding results, something that had not existed before.
“Significant legal reforms have simplified public service delivery,” PM Oli claimed, adding, “Work is increasingly being done online instead of standing in queues, thanks to recent legal amendments.”
NSU burn tyres, clash with police over delays in Education Act
The Nepal Student Union (NSU), the student wing of the Nepali Congress, staged a protest in Kathmandu on Sunday, demanding the immediate promulgation of the School Education Act, open competition in teacher recruitment, and student representation in university senate meetings.
The protest turned tense when NSU activists attempted to breach the restricted zone in New Baneshwor, prompting police intervention.
Ten NSU members were arrested during the clash, according to police sources.
Economists call new monetary policy a ‘dead-end fix for a struggling economy’
Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, Dr. Biswo Nath Poudel, presented the 24th monetary policy on Friday for the upcoming fiscal year.
While the policy outlines global and national economic conditions and reviews financial and monetary sectors through data, many believe it fails to reflect the Governor’s critical ideas shared in recent months.
Among the key figures cited in the policy is the government’s ambitious target of 6 percent economic growth. However, capital expenditure continues to lag significantly behind targets, while current expenditures and fiscal management burdens are on the rise. Revenue collection and foreign aid remain underwhelming compared to goals.
Muglin-Pokhara road: Eastern section deadline expires with work still incomplete
The deadline for the eastern section of the Muglin-Pokhara road project expired on Sunday, Asar 29, despite the work remaining incomplete. This was the third extension granted for the project.
The blacktopping of the 41.5-kilometer stretch from Aanbukhaireni to Jamune has been completed, with six lanes in Damauli bazaar and four lanes in other sections. However, other associated works are still pending.
Engineer Bishnu Prasad Pandey of the Muglin-Pokhara Road Project (Eastern Section) said that a request for a further extension has been submitted to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport. He noted that around 86% of the overall work has been completed so far.
Bibeksheel Sajha demands immediate dismissal of Ministers Gupta and Adhikari
The Bibekseel Sajha Party has called on Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to immediately dismiss Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Rajkumar Gupta and Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation Balram Adhikari, following serious corruption allegations against them.
In a strongly worded press statement issued on Monday, the party demanded the immediate removal of both ministers, who it says are “deeply entangled in corruption.”
The call comes after audio recordings surfaced in the media, allegedly implicating the two ministers in a bribery deal related to political appointments and administrative transfers.
Gold prices up by Rs 400
The price of gold in Nepal increased by Rs 400 on Monday, according to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association.
With the latest hike, fine gold is now being traded at Rs 193,300 per tola.
Silver prices have also seen an upward adjustment and are currently being sold at Rs 2,315 per tola.
Nepal sees 8% decline in paddy plantation compared to last year
As of July 13, paddy plantation has been completed across approximately 59 percent of cultivable land in Nepal, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
A total of 816,405 hectares of land has been planted, marking an almost 8 percent decrease compared to the same period last year.
Sudurpashchim Province has reported the highest progress, with paddy plantation completed on around 164,000 hectares of land — about 93 percent of its target area. Similarly, Karnali Province has reached 83 percent plantation, covering 64,000 hectares, while Lumbini Province has completed plantation on 223,000 hectares, which is 73 percent of its total area.
Pressure builds on PM Oli to fire two ministers without delay
The cabinet led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli finds itself embroiled in a major corruption scandal after an audio recording surfaced implicating two sitting ministers in a bribery negotiation.
Despite the explosive revelation, PM Oli has remained silent for three days, prompting growing calls for accountability and decisive action.
The leaked audio, which has stirred political uproar, features Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Raj Kumar Gupta and an alleged middleman discussing the appointment of the Kaski Land Commission Chair.
A year on, UML-NC govt struggles to deliver on core promises
The coalition government led by CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli, formed in alliance with the Nepali Congress (NC), has completed one year in office as of Monday.
However, the government faces mounting criticism from within and outside the ruling parties for its failure to deliver on key commitments.
The alliance between Nepal’s two largest parties, UML and NC, was formalized through a seven-point agreement reached at midnight on July 1, 2024. Following this agreement, Oli was appointed Prime Minister on July 14, 2024.
Paddy plantation completed on 816,405 hectares nationwide
Paddy plantation has been completed on 816,405 hectares of land across Nepal, covering approximately 59 percent of the total cultivable area as of today, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
This represents an 8 percent decline compared to the same period last year, when plantation had reached 67 percent.
Sudurpaschim Province has recorded the highest rate of paddy plantation, with around 164,000 hectares planted—93 percent of its target area.
Iranian President reportedly injured in Israeli strike on secret facility
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was reportedly slightly injured during an Israeli airstrike on a covert underground site in Tehran last month, according to Iran’s Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
On June 16, six bombs were said to have hit access and exit points of a secret facility in northwestern Tehran, where Pezeshkian was attending an emergency session of the Supreme National Security Council.
The explosion reportedly caused leg injuries to the president as he and others evacuated through an emergency shaft. The strikes also disabled the ventilation system and cut off power to the facility.
NEPSE falls by 35 points as turnover declines
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index fell by over 35 points on Monday, closing at 2,725.71 points, down 1.27 percent from the previous trading session.
Alongside the market drop, daily turnover also decreased. A total of Rs 8.17 billion worth of shares were traded, involving 211 million shares across 72,601 transactions.
Out of the 321 companies traded today, the share prices of 198 companies declined, while 50 companies gained. No company’s share price remained unchanged.
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