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The final season of global phenomenon "Squid Game" helped Netflix beat Wall Street earnings targets for the second quarter, and the streaming service raised its revenue guidance for the year, Reuters reported.

Some investors had hoped for more from the dominant movie and TV streaming service, analysts said. Netflix shares had risen nearly 44% this year ahead of the earnings report on Thursday. The stock fell 1.8% to $1,251.86 in after-hours trading.

Netflix has been building an ad-supported service to reel in price-sensitive viewers, though it has said advertising will not be a primary driver of revenue growth this year. The company also has added live events such as WWE wrestling to draw advertisers and viewers.

For April through June, Netflix posted diluted earnings per share of $7.19. That topped the $7.08 consensus estimate of analysts polled by LSEG, according to Reuters.

A cockpit recording of dialogue between the two pilots of the Air India flight that crashed last month supports the view that the captain cut the flow of fuel to the plane's engines, said a source briefed on U.S. officials' early assessment of evidence, Reuters reported.

The first officer was at the controls of the Boeing 787 and asked the captain why he moved the fuel switches into a position that starved the engines of fuel and requested that he restore the fuel flow, the source told Reuters on condition of anonymity because the matter remains under investigation.

The U.S. assessment is not contained in a formal document, said the source, who emphasized the cause of the June 12 crash in Ahmedabad, India, that killed 260 people remains under investigation.

There was no cockpit video recording definitively showing which pilot flipped the switches, but the weight of evidence from the conversation points to the captain, according to the early assessment, according to Reuters.

Laxman Datt Pant, Founder and Executive Director of Media Action Nepal (MAN), has been elected to the Steering Committee of the Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD), the world’s largest community of journalism support and media development organizations. The official confirmation was made during GFMD’s General Assembly held on Wednesday, July 16, marking the induction of 17 newly elected members from across the globe.

A total of 54 members submitted their candidacies, twice the number from the previous election held four years ago. The election ran for a month, from June 12 to July 14. Of the 215 general members, 76% participated in the voting process. Laxman Datt Pant becomes the first Nepali ever elected to the Steering Committee of the world’s largest media development community. 

Pant, a reputed communications expert and internationally recognized media rights advocate, will represent the Asia, Pacific, and Oceania region. His election brings Nepal’s and South Asia’s media development agenda to the heart of global policy and strategy discussions on press freedom, media pluralism, and safety of journalists. 

“It’s a great honor to serve not only as a representative of Media Action Nepal but also to bring the voice of the Asian media fraternity into global dialogue with organizations shaping media development, freedom of expression, and press freedom,” said Pant following the announcement.

Under Pant’s leadership, Media Action Nepal has championed independent and accountable journalism through research, capacity building, media rights monitoring, and advocacy. MAN is a member of several global coalitions, including the Media Freedom Coalition–Consultative Network (MFC-CN), theACOS Alliance, the Civil Society Coalition of the Forum on Information and Democracy, and GFMDitself.

Between 2022 and 2024, Pant notably served as Co-Chair of the MFC-CN, playing a pivotal role in fostering collaboration among 51 member states, more than 150 civil society organizations, and key international stakeholders such as UNESCO and the High-Level Legal Panel. An Adjunct Professor of media at the Tbilisi State University in Georgia, Pant has led numerous global efforts on media curriculum development, media training, and policy advocacy for information integrity and journalist protection.

The new Steering Committee’s four-year term will begin with an in-person meeting in Kuala Lumpur on November 20, 2025, coinciding with the Global Investigative Journalism Conference (GIJC). During the meeting, members will also elect three key office bearers — Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, and Treasurer, who, alongside the GFMD Executive Director Mira Milosevic, will comprise the Executive Committee and guide GFMD’s strategic direction for 2025–2029.

“I look forward to contributing an Asian perspective on how to safeguard media in crisis, including how to operate during challenges, stay resilient, and respond to new and emerging threats,” said Pant, reflecting on the challenging global environment for journalism.

The newly elected GFMD Steering Committee comprises 17 prominent figures in media development from around the world. These include Catherine Gicheru, Founder of the Africa Women Journalism Project (Kenya); Zoe Titus, Executive Director of NMT Media Foundation (Namibia); Nasr ul Hadi, Founder and Executive Director of PROTO (India); and Milka Domanovic, Regional Director at BIRN – Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (Bosnia & Herzegovina). Also elected are Lina Kushch, First Secretary of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine; Lars Boering, Director of the European Journalism Centre (Netherlands); Adriana Garcia, Executive Secretary of Abraji – the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism; and the President and Co-Founder of the Media Institute of the Caribbean (Jamaica/Trinidad & Tobago).

The committee further includes Rawan Damen, Director General of Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism – ARIJ (Jordan); Shireen Al Khatib, Acting Director of MADA – Palestinian Center for Development & Media Freedoms; Courtney Radsch, Director of the Center for Journalism and Liberty (USA); Angie Holan, Director of the International Fact-Checking Network (USA); and Toby Mendel, Executive Director of the Centre for Law and Democracy (Canada).

Rounding out the group are Caroline Vuillemin, General Director of Fondation Hirondelle (Switzerland); Quinn McKew, Executive Director of ARTICLE 19 (UK); Simon Bishop, CEO of BBC Media Action (UK); and Laxman Datt Pant, Executive Director of Media Action Nepal (MAN), representing the Asia, Pacific, and Oceania region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he has recommended Economy Minister Yulia Svyrydenko to become prime minister in a significant political shake-up for the war-scarred country, Aljazeera reported.

The announcement on Monday could herald a wider reshuffle in the government, three and a half years into the Russian invasion.

“I have proposed that Yuliia Svyrydenko lead the government of Ukraine and significantly renew its work,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media. “I look forward to the presentation of the new government’s action plan in the near future."

The recommendation is part of what he called “a transformation of the executive branch” of government in Ukraine, according to Aljazeera.

Women journalists working in various media outlets have emphasized on professional and dignified journalism. Journalists participating in an interaction on ‘Digital Media Management and Journalist Code of Ethics’ held in the capital on Wednesday pointed out the need for accountability in the Nepali journalism sector in recent days. 

In coordination with Working Women Journalists (WWJ), the program was organized by Press Council Nepal. The women journalists participating in the program discussed the need for the Press Council, the body responsible for monitoring and regulating the independent press, to play an important role as there are currently many problems in digital media.

At the program, Press Council member Santarem Bidari informed about the journalist code of ethics and said that it will bind journalists and the media morally. 

Press Council member Nakul Aryal, answering the questions of women journalists, said that the council is a supportive organization for journalists and it will facilitate making journalism professional and dignified. 

Similarly, former member of the council and WWJ advisor Subekchhya Bindu Tuladhar informed about the women-friendly communication guidelines, disability-friendly communication guidelines, senior citizen-friendly communication guidelines issued by the council. 

She recalled that these guidelines were prepared after a detailed study of Nepal's national laws, international treaties and agreements and after collecting opinions and suggestions from relevant stakeholders. 

Chief Officer of the council, Jhabindra Bhusal, informed that the council is working on YouTube regulation and management. 

At the program, WWJ President Ramkala Khadka said that the increasing interference in the press and freedom of expression is a matter of serious concern and emphasized that journalists should follow the code of ethics and promote dignified, responsible and professional journalism. 

She said that in some cases, journalists have complained that the council itself has pressured them to remove news from online portals, and that the council should work in the coming days to eliminate such a trend and create an environment where they can work independently.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said facilities from the local levels will be denied to those compelling menstruating women to isolate and stay in a hut. 

He said that circulars towards that end will be issued for local levels across the country.

During his meeting with office-bearers of the Inter Party Women's Alliance today, the Home Minister said the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration will be requested for issuing the circular. 

"Superstition has a great role in the menstrual discriminations," he said, seeking the support and advice from the Alliance towards the elimination of such discriminations.    

The Minister reiterated that the government is serious about the existence of violence against women including sexual assaults. "The government is serious about the need to work towards the dignity, pride, prestige and security of women," he said, pledging that those responsible for the violence against women will be brought to justice. 

During the meeting Alliance President Mamata Giri submitted a memorandum to the Minister, demanding an end to all sorts of discrimination against women. They expressed their grave concerns over increasing case of violence and discrimination against women.

The Health Insurance Board has designated Koshi Hospital as a “referral center,” prompting strong objections from the hospital administration. In response, the hospital has formally requested the Board and the Ministry of Health and Population to reconsider the decision.

In a letter, Medical Superintendent Dr Runa Jha warned, “If Koshi Hospital is removed as a ‘first service point’ and designated only as a ‘referral center,’ the patient load will decrease by nearly two-thirds. This will directly impact the hospital’s operations, income, and services.”

According to the Board’s decision, Koshi Hospital will no longer serve as a first point of contact for patients under the national health insurance scheme. Previously, it functioned as both a first service point and a referral center. The hospital argues that this change will restrict public access to government health services and weaken public hospitals to the benefit of private institutions.

Dr Jha added, “If referral centers had been designated exclusively for government hospitals, there would be no objection. Koshi Hospital is not like Bir Hospital or the Teaching Hospital—sometimes we ourselves must refer patients elsewhere. We are not equipped to compete with private hospitals in terms of referrals, and doing so could damage our reputation, services, and financial sustainability.”

Currently, the Rani Primary Health Center is the only designated first service point within Biratnagar Metropolitan City. However, the hospital claims this center lacks the infrastructure to accommodate the hundreds of patients that Koshi Hospital treats daily. Around 70 percent of its patients are under the health insurance scheme, and 40 percent of those specifically choose Koshi Hospital as their first point of care.

The hospital argues that the new arrangement will force patients to seek referrals from other municipal-level hospitals, disproportionately affecting the poor. “Many uninsured patients, who are mostly from low-income backgrounds, relied on Koshi Hospital for free services. Their access will now be limited,” the letter notes. A decline in internal revenue could lead to challenges in paying salaries, declining service quality, and disruptions in human resource operations.

Morang Constituency-4 MP Aman Lal Modi also strongly criticized the Health Insurance Board’s decision. “This move seems aimed at boosting private hospital profits by weakening public hospitals. They are ruining services by restricting referrals to Koshi Hospital and the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan,” he said.

MP Modi added that many municipalities will struggle to provide timely referrals, pushing patients toward private institutions and limiting access to affordable care. He called on the government to reverse the decision and reinstate Koshi Hospital as a first service point. He also alleged growing influence of brokers and middlemen in the health insurance system, suggesting that the current decision was influenced by their pressure. Such actions, he warned, could erode public trust in the insurance system itself.

Koshi Hospital, the largest government health institution in Koshi Province, serves over 1,000 patients daily. The administration has stated that maintaining both roles—first service point and referral center—is essential for the effective implementation of the health insurance scheme. They cautioned that undermining the hospital through policy changes would have a long-term, province-wide impact on public healthcare. The hospital has urged the Health Insurance Board to reconsider its decision.

In a bid to promote religious tourism, Rampur Municipality has constructed a footpath along the Kaligandaki river side. 

Mayor of Rampur Municipality, Raman Bahadur Thapa informed that 2,567 meters of footpath has been built in the fiscal year 2024/25.

The 34-km long walkway is being constructed in the municipality under the Ramnadidham-Devghat footpath aimed at exploring the religious, cultural and ecological importance, mayor Thapa informed. 

'Placement of slate and interlock related works are being carried out. Efforts are on to promote tourism and contribute to the economy through beautification of the river side and easing access to religious sites', Mayor Thapa informed. 

In this area, the task of laying slates with interlocks having a breadth of two meters has been completed at various locations in the year 024/25.. 

Stone paving has been undertaken in 557 meters in ward 3, Keladi, 191 meters in ward 6, Jagdipark, 432 meters in Tilakpur, 195 meters in Sundar Funpark, 678 meters. 

Likewise, the task of interlocking in 210 meters of Bhujat area of ward 8, 114 meters of stone laying in Shalikram Park of ward 10, and interlocking and stone paving in 190 meters of Naramedeswor Temple has been completed. 

Similarly, waiting stands have been constructed in ward Bhanghat and Tatopani Ghat. 

This project has been carried out in coordination with the federal government and Rampur Municipality. 

With the religious significance of the Kaligandaki River being connected to Ramnadi Dham, Keladi Dham, Ramghat Dham, Ridi Dham, and Devghat, locals believe construction of pedestrian paths will promote religious tourism in the locality.