KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
NEA’s delayed underground grid project puts public safety at risk
The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), already facing public criticism for recurring power outages resembling load-shedding, is now under fire for another issue: abandoning dug-up roads across the Kathmandu Valley.
As part of a project launched in 2076 with a $150 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), NEA began laying underground power lines to enhance the Valley’s urban aesthetics and improve safety.
However, several areas—particularly between New Baneshwor and Shantinagar—remain in disrepair, with open trenches and scattered materials posing daily challenges to pedestrians and commuters.
PM meets campaigner Nabaraj who walked barefoot from Surkhet to Kathmandu
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Sunday met activist Nabaraj Bohara, who recently completed a barefoot journey from Surkhet to Kathmandu to raise awareness on governance, development, environmental balance, and animal protection in Karnali Province.
Bohara began his walk on Jestha 4 and reached Kathmandu on Asar 3, completing his 31-day journey on foot. He had initially hoped to meet the Prime Minister upon arrival but was able to do so only on Sunday due to the PM’s schedule.
During the meeting held at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar, Bohara shared his experiences from the journey, including issues he observed such as children lacking access to medical treatment and other pressing local problems. He also briefed the Prime Minister on the initiatives he has taken to address them.
Gurung calls for end to parliamentary deadlock
Nepali Congress Vice President and House of Representatives member Dhanraj Gurung has said that the parliament should not be obstructed under any pretext and that all issues can be resolved through dialogue and consensus.
Speaking after attending a photo exhibition titled ‘Mountain Tourism: Our Pride, Our Identity’ organized by RSS on the occasion of the 18th Republic Day, Gurung emphasized that the parliament is a platform for the people’s voice and should never be rendered dysfunctional.
Gurung, who is also a former minister, stated that the ongoing parliamentary deadlock can also be resolved through mutual understanding among parties.
Rapti Institute of Health Sciences to build 400-bed hospital, Rs 2.74 billion budget approved
The sixth senate meeting of the Rapti Institute of Health Sciences has approved a budget of Rs 2.74 billion for the upcoming fiscal year.
The meeting, held Sunday at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar under the chairmanship of Prime Minister and Chancellor KP Sharma Oli, endorsed plans for the construction of a 400-bed hospital. It also approved policies and programs focused on academic, research, and administrative development.NEPSE index drops by 32.93 points
Additionally, the meeting passed amendments to certain provisions of the ‘Rules on Terms and Facilities for Teachers and Staff, 2078’ and decided to update the institute’s official logo.
Nepal’s total government debt rises to Rs 2,654 billion
The Public Debt Management Office stated that the government’s total outstanding debt stands at Rs 2,654 billion. At the start of the fiscal year, public debt was Rs 2,434.9 billion, with an additional Rs 220.58 billion added by the end of May.
As of the end of May, total public debt accounted for 43.47 percent of Nepal’s gross domestic product (GDP). Of this, foreign debt constitutes 52.0 percent, while domestic debt makes up 47.94 percent.
Data as of mid-June shows internal debt at Rs 1,272.53 billion and external debt at Rs 1,382.12 billion. The government set a public debt mobilization target of Rs 547 billion for the fiscal year. By mid-June, Rs 414 billion had been raised, reaching 75.72 percent of the annual target.
NEPSE index drops by 32.93 points
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index declined by 32.93 points on the first trading day (Sunday) of the week, closing at 2,595.97.
A total of 21,154,055 shares from 310 companies were traded 87,300 times, resulting in a turnover of Rs 9.15 billion. All sectoral sub-indices recorded losses in today’s session.
The hotel and tourism sector posted the largest decline, dropping by 3.13 percent, followed by the hydropower sector, which fell by 2.78 percent.
Access to drinking water reaches 800 homes in Bhojpur
The Lomakhola Drinking Water Project has brought relief to 800 households in Shadananda Municipality, located in northern Bhojpur, under the “One House, One Tap” initiative. These households, previously facing acute water shortages, now have access to running water directly at home.
Mohan Tamang, a resident of Shadananda-12, Tarigaun, shared that years of water scarcity have finally ended. “We used to queue for water at 2:00 a.m. just to get one jug of water,” he said. “Now we have water at home, and life has become much easier. We’re very happy.”
Eighty-three-year-old Hima Devi Karki echoed the sentiment, expressing how the new tap has transformed her daily routine. “I live alone and have asthma. I couldn’t fetch water myself and had to pay others to bring me just two bottles a day,” she said. “Now, with water at home, it’s a great service. I bless those who made this possible.”
Prime Minister Oli launches WhatsApp channel
Prime Minister (PM) and CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli has officially launched a WhatsApp channel to enhance direct communication with the public.
According to the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, the channel was launched on Saturday with the aim of sharing updates and staying connected with citizens more efficiently.
Through this platform, users will receive regular updates on Prime Minister Oli’s views, public statements, programs, and political activities.
Announcing the launch via Facebook, Prime Minister Oli encouraged the public to join his WhatsApp channel to stay informed and engaged.
Prachanda and Biplav agree to strengthen cooperation
Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’, General Secretary of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), have agreed to strengthen cooperation between their respective parties.
Biplav visited Prachanda at his Khumaltar residence on Saturday, accompanied by party spokesperson Khadga Bahadur Bishwakarma ‘Prakanda’.
According to Prachanda’s secretariat, the two leaders also held discussions on contemporary political developments.
Trump claims U.S. airstrikes destroyed Iran’s major nuclear facilities
President Donald Trump said that U.S. forces had carried out airstrikes on Iran’s three main nuclear facilities, warning Tehran of further attacks unless it chooses a path toward peace.
The move comes after several days of deliberation and ahead of Trump’s previously set two-week deadline. By aligning with Israel in its military action against Iran, the U.S. has significantly escalated tensions in the region, raising fears of a new phase of instability in the Middle East, according to Reuters.
In a brief televised statement, Trump hailed the operation as a major success, saying Iran’s core nuclear enrichment centers had been “completely and totally obliterated.” He said Iran must now choose between “peace or tragedy,” and cautioned that additional military targets remain on the U.S. radar if Tehran fails to cooperate.
Kaligandaki Corridor remains closed due to landslides
The Kaligandaki Corridor road in Gulmi, which was blocked by landslides last Friday, is still closed to vehicular traffic.
The road has remained completely obstructed for three days following a dry landslide on the Harmichaur-Arbeni section in Gargare, under Kaligandaki Rural Municipality-1.
Although three bulldozers are on standby at the site to clear the debris, recurring landslides have hampered the road reopening efforts, said Kaligandaki Rural Municipality Chair Bed Bahadur Thapa.
Gold price rises by Rs 500 per tola
The price of gold, which had declined last Thursday and Friday, increased by Rs 500 per tola today, according to the Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers Federation.
With the rise, gold is now being traded at Rs 195,200 per tola. Last week, gold had dropped by Rs 400 per tola on Thursday and by Rs 800 on Friday. The price of silver has also increased today, reaching Rs 2,160 per tola.
Flood Division issues high alert for eight rivers
The Flood Forecasting Division today (Sunday) warned residents to remain cautious as several major rivers, including the Karnali, Mahakali, East Rapti, West Rapti, Kankai, Kamala, Bagmati, and Babai, show fluctuating water levels.
While these rivers are expected to stay below the alert threshold over the next three days, there is a possibility of rising levels that could pose risks to nearby communities.
Meanwhile, the water levels of the Koshi, Narayani, and their major tributaries are likely to hover around the alert level. Therefore, the Flood Division has advised adopting a high alert status and taking necessary precautions in the coastal areas of these rivers.
RSP and RPP continue parliamentary obstruction
The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) continued their obstruction of the House of Representatives on Sunday as well.
During the meeting, RSP lawmaker Asim Sah and RPP lawmaker Dhawal Shumsher Rana reiterated their positions and announced that the obstruction would persist.
Despite this, Speaker Devraj Ghimire proceeded with the session, while RSP lawmakers continued chanting slogans around the well of the House.
Speaker orders removal of MP Singh’s ‘leased districts’ remark from record
Speaker Devraj Ghimire has directed that the remark made by MP Amaresh Kumar Singh — stating that “other districts except five would have been leased” — be removed from the official parliamentary record.
The controversial remark was made during Singh’s speech on the Appropriation Bill, where he criticized the disproportionate allocation of the budget, suggesting that, in comparison, the remaining districts might as well have been leased to foreign countries.
CPN-UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula objected to the statement, citing Rules 20, 21, and 23 of the House of Representatives Rules, 2079 BS. He labeled the comment as “treasonous.”
Members of HoR thematic committees reshuffled
Members of the thematic committees under the House of Representatives (HoR), the lower house of the Federal Parliament, have been reshuffled.
In today’s HoR meeting, Speaker Devraj Ghimire announced changes to committee memberships in line with the House rules.
MP Shyam Kumar Ghimire has been moved from the Public Accounts Committee to the Education, Health and Information Technology Committee. Chandra Chaudhary has been transferred from the Agriculture, Cooperatives and Natural Resources Committee to the Public Accounts Committee.
Nepal triumphs over Singapore in U-16 Cricket East Cup opener
Nepal’s U-16 cricket team began its campaign in the ongoing Men’s U-16 Cricket East Cup in Malaysia with a victory over Singapore, thanks to a half-century by opener Prasidha Jaisi.
Chasing a target of 139 runs, Nepal reached the total in 33.3 overs, losing 4 wickets. Jaisi anchored the innings with an unbeaten 55 runs off 97 balls.
Openers Suryashu Koirala and Jaisi gave Nepal a solid start, adding 41 runs for the first wicket in 8.1 overs. Suryashu retired hurt after scoring 9 runs off 7 balls, including 2 fours. Wicketkeeper Shivansh Bajgain was dismissed for 9 runs by Akash Teja.
Beni Ring Road upgradation completed ahead of schedule
The upgradation of the Ring Road along the banks of the Kaligandaki and Myagdi rivers in Beni, the district headquarters of Myagdi, has been completed 20 days ahead of schedule.
The project was undertaken under a contract signed between the Urban Development and Building Office, Baglung, and a Kathmandu-based construction company, with a total contract value of Rs 30 million, 19 thousand.
Project engineer Birbal Sunar confirmed that all planned works—including the construction of drains, retaining walls, and slopes—have been completed. “Technical measurements have been taken, but payment is still pending,” he added.
Muglin-Malekhu road to remain open at night as beam work ends
The installation of RCC beams on four bridges along the Muglin-Malekhu road section was completed this morning, meaning nighttime road closures in this section are no longer necessary.
However, according to the Nagdhunga-Muglin Road Project Office, the Naubise-Malekhu stretch of the Prithvi Highway will be closed tonight and tomorrow night for similar beam installation work on the under-construction Galaudi River bridge.
Kedar Prasad Nepal, Chief of the West Section of the project, said that RCC beams have been successfully placed on the Barabang, Mowa, Khatauti, and Gomati Khola bridges. The work has been accelerated to ensure that slope construction on two of the bridges is completed by the end of June.
Amala Roka, arrested in 61 kg gold smuggling case, produced in court
Amala Roka, arrested in connection with the 61 kg gold smuggling case, has been produced in court today (Sunday).
Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) spokesperson SP Yubaraj Khadka confirmed that Roka was produced before the court. “Since a case has already been registered against her, she has been presented in court through a government lawyer. We have already sent her for this purpose,” Khadka said.
Roka was arrested last Friday by the CIB from Tokha, Kathmandu. A deputation notice was issued to Interpol to locate her. Roka is the wife of Belgian national Dawa Tshering, who is also implicated in the gold smuggling case. Hotel Vienna in Thamel is registered under her name.
Government secures less than half of external loan target
The federal government has secured Rs 99.20 billion in external loans during the first 11 months of the current fiscal year, which is less than 46 percent of its Rs 217 billion target.
According to a report from the Public Debt Management Office, foreign loans received as of mid-June amount to just 45.72 percent of the target. In contrast, internal debt mobilization is progressing well, with around Rs 315 billion collected—95.45 percent of the Rs 330 billion target.
Most foreign loans are categorized under capital expenditure and fund development projects. However, a slowdown in development activities has hindered the inflow of these loans, said Gopi Krishna Koirala, Chief of the Public Debt Management Office.
Two killed in motorcycle collision in Saptari
Two people were killed and one injured in a motorcycle collision today on the inner road section of the dam leading to Bhaluwa in Hanumannagar Kankalini Municipality-1, Saptari.
The accident occurred when a motorcycle (Ko 10 Pa 562) heading toward Bhaluwa from the Kankalini Temple collided head-on with another motorcycle (Ba 55 Pa 6639) coming from the opposite direction. Both riders died in the crash.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police at the Area Police Office, Kanchanpur, the deceased have been identified as Avinash Mandal, 19, of Rajpur, Shambhunath Municipality-11, who was riding motorcycle Ba55 Pa 6639, and Om Prakash Panjiyar, 34, of Bairwa, Kanchanrup Municipality-1, who was riding motorcycle Ko 10 Pa 562.
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