PM Oli attends dinner hosted by Spanish King

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has attended the dinner hosted by the King of Spain, Felipe VI, in honour of the Heads of States and Governments participating in the 'Fourth United Nations International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4)'. 

Prime Minister Oli and the first lady, Radhika Shakya, attended the official dinner hosted at the Royal Alcazar of Seville on Sunday. 

Earlier, Prime Minister Oli and Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, had a bilateral meeting on Sunday. 

 

PM Oli stresses on reforms in international financial system

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has emphasized on the reforms of the international financial system. 

He said this during his address to the closing plenary  of the Civil Society Forum for FFD4 in the capacity of the chief guest. 

PM Oli, who is on an official visit to Spain to attend the United Nations (UN)'s 'Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4)’, stressed the need for the developed countries to translate their commitments for financial investment to action. 

The Prime Minister also urged the civil society to consistently raise their voice for development assistance, debt sustainability and international financial system reforms. 

"You are not merely the participants of the conference, but also the catalyst and strong voice for change. Your advocacy and voice can contribute to bringing tangible changes", he said, adding, "Nepal is advancing to development and prosperity being emboldened to the norms and values of good governance, rule of law and democracy". 

He went on saying, "Nepal has a clear stance that the global investment should be made based on inclusion, necessity and proportionality. I appreciate the civil society's global partnership and participation". 

Noting that civil society's advocacy will enable the people, planet and shared responsibility, PM Oli called for the civil society to take initiative towards building an equitable and sustainable future by leaving no one behind. 

The declaration endorsed by the Civil Society Forum will be adopted by the 'Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development'. 

 

NICCI and FICCI sign MoU to boost bilateral trade

The Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly promote trade, investment, and cross-border business engagement.

The agreement, signed in New Delhi by NICCI President Sunil KC and FICCI Director General Jyoti Vij, aims to institutionalize cooperation between the two apex industry bodies through the exchange of business delegations, information sharing, and joint promotional events. Under the terms of the MoU, both organizations have agreed to facilitate reciprocal participation of business representatives in trade missions, investment forums, fairs, and exhibitions held in each country. 

NICCI will remain as a Nepal partner for FICCI in Nepal and FICCI will remain as an Indian partner on an exclusive basis for India, according to the understanding. The two sides will also regularly share non-confidential publications and data relevant to trade and investment prospects. 

“We will organize at least one major joint event every year and facilitate the exchange of business delegations between Nepal and India,” said Sunil KC, president of NICCI. “Our partnership will also include joint studies, market surveys, and publication exchanges focused on identifying emerging areas of mutual economic interest.” 

FICCI Director General Jyoti Vij echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the shared responsibility of both institutions in fostering closer economic ties.

 “As leading business organizations in our respective countries, both FICCI and NICCI are committed to strengthening the trade and investment relationship between India and Nepal,” she said. 

The MoU marks a formal step toward reinforcing long-standing economic interdependence between the two neighbors, with both organizations pledging to work closely to unlock the potential of untapped sectors and address challenges faced by businesses operating across borders. 

Both the chambers will work beyond India and Nepal like in BBIN, BIMSTEC and NICCI members will utilize all the resources and networks of FICCI in expanding Nepal’s business and economy, according to the MoU.

 “Our partnership is not limited to only bilateral trade and economic relations, it’s beyond that,” NICCI president KC said. “We are also going to establish NICCI-FICCI track 1.5 initiative to promote the bilateral investments, where both FICCI Members and both governments’ members will be a part of the initiative to foster the investments and bridging the 1990s investment gaps.” 

 

 

Light to moderate rainfall likely in Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces

The monsoon winds now have an influence across the country. 

With the low pressure line of the monsoon positioned to the north near western Nepal, now the weather across the country is seen generally cloudy. 

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has predicted light to moderate rainfall along with thunder in many hilly areas of the country, including Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpashchim Provinces, as well as in some areas of the remaining provinces. 

There is also a possibility of heavy to extremely heavy rainfall in a few locations in Sudurpashchim Province and a couple of locations in the hilly areas of the remaining provinces. 

The department has noted a chance of light to moderate rain or snowfall in a few places in the high-hilly and Himalayan regions of the country. 

Similarly, tonight the weather is expected to remain generally  cloudy across the country. 

According to the weather bulletin issued by the department, light to moderate rainfall along with thunderstorms is likely to take place in some areas of the hilly regions of the country, including Koshi, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpashchim Provinces, as well as in a few areas of the remaining regions. 

 

 

 

Israeli strike on Iranian prison killed more than 70, says Iran state-affiliated media

Israel’s attack on Evin Prison in the Iranian capital of Tehran on Monday killed 71 people, according to Mizan, the news outlet of the Iranian judiciary, CNN reported.

“The martyrs include prison administrative staff, conscripted soldiers, inmates, family members of prisoners who were at the prison for visits or legal follow-ups, and neighbors living near the prison,” judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir said in remarks published on Sunday.

The state-affiliated news agency Fars reported that “much damage” had been recorded in the surrounding area.

The Israeli military attacked the entrance of Iran’s notorious Evin Prison on Monday, according to Israel’s defense minister and Iranian state news, according to CNN.

Ukraine F-16 pilot killed repelling massive Russian air attack

Ukraine has lost an F-16 aircraft and its pilot while repelling a Russian missile and drone strike, according to country’s air force, as heavy fighting in the war, now in its fourth year, grinds on daily with no signs of a ceasefire on the horizon, Aljazeera reported.

After shooting down seven air targets, the plane was damaged and lost altitude overnight, the Ukrainian military said in a statement published on Telegram on Sunday.

“This night, while repelling a massive enemy air attack, a pilot of the 1st class, Lieutenant Colonel Maksym Ustimenko, born in 1993, died on an F-16 aircraft,” it said, according to Aljazeera.

US strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites set up ‘cat-and-mouse’ hunt for missing uranium

The US and Israeli bombing of Iranian nuclear sites creates a conundrum for UN inspectors in Iran: how can you tell if enriched uranium stocks, some of them near weapons grade, were buried beneath the rubble or secretly hidden away?

Following last weekend's attacks on three of Iran's top nuclear sites - at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan - President Donald Trump said the facilities had been "obliterated" by US munitions, including bunker-busting bombs, Reuters reported.

But the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, which monitors Tehran's nuclear program, has said it's unclear exactly what damage was sustained at Fordow, a plant buried deep inside a mountain that produced the bulk of Iran's most highly enriched uranium.

Spain records temperature of 46C as Europe heatwave continues

A heatwave continues to grip large parts of Europe, with authorities in many countries issuing health warnings amid searing temperatures, BBC reported.

Southern Spain is the worst-affected region, with temperatures in the mid-40s Celsius recorded in Seville and neighbouring areas.

A new heat record for June of 46C was set on Saturday in the town of El Granado, according to Spain's national weather service, which also said this month is on track to be the hottest June on record.

Red heat warnings are in force in parts of Portugal, Italy and Croatia, with numerous amber warnings covering areas of Spain, France, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Hungary, Serbia, Slovenia and Switzerland, according to BBC.