KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
Nagarik Unmukti Party officially splits, Resham Chaudhary registers new party
Resham Chaudhary and several leaders have formally split from the Nagarik Unmukti Party (NUP) and reached the Election Commission to register a new political party named Nagarik Unmukti Party, Nepal. Chaudhary, accompanied by Abdul Khan and other leaders dressed in identical outfits, arrived at the Commission on Thursday to complete the registration process. The group has proposed Janto (traditional grinder) as their election symbol, with Kabir Sop designated as the party’s chair.
World Cup League 2: Nepal lose to UAE despite Rohit’s century
Nepal faced their second consecutive defeat in the ICC World Cup League 2 after losing to hosts UAE by five wickets in Dubai on Thursday. Despite captain Rohit Paudel’s brilliant century, Nepal failed to post a competitive total as the other batters struggled. Weak bowling compounded the problem, leading to another loss after being defeated by the United States earlier. Batting first, Nepal were bowled out for 233 runs in 50 overs. In reply, UAE comfortably chased down the target in 43.3 overs with five wickets in hand.
Construction of Pokhara–Muglin road section to be completed within this fiscal year
The construction of the western section of the Pokhara–Muglin road (Pokhara–Jamune) is expected to be completed within the current fiscal year, according to the project office. So far, the physical progress of the project has reached 59.76 percent, while the financial progress stands at 47.80 percent, the office stated. Out of the total 38.88 kilometers, blacktopping of the first layer on one side has been completed in 37.4 kilometers, said project chief engineer Krishna Bahadur Kunwar. According to him, two-way (four-lane) blacktopping has been done on 29.61 kilometers, and one-way (two-lane) blacktopping on 7.79 kilometers.
PM Karki seeks German Ambassador’s support in early printing of passport
Prime Minister Sushila Karki has requested German Ambassador to Nepal, Udo Volz, to prod the German company contracted by Nepal government in printing passports before deadline. She believed Germany would cooperate to Nepal’s bid that helps in providing prompt service to Nepalis. PM Karki made such request during a courtesy call German Ambassador Volz made on her on Thursday. In response, the Ambassador assured prodding the concerned company to intensify the printing.
Government decides not to appoint new ambassadors immediately
The government has decided not to appoint new ambassadors immediately in the countries where previous envoys have been recalled. At a press briefing on Thursday, Minister for Information and Communication and government spokesperson Jagadish Kharel said the current government is an interim one formed to oversee the upcoming elections, and therefore, new ambassadorial appointments will not be made for now. He informed that for the time being, the embassies concerned will be managed by senior officials already stationed there.
PM’s Secretariat refutes reports of pressure from Balen Shah to remove Home Minister Aryal
he private secretariat of Prime Minister Sushila Karki has dismissed media reports claiming that Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah was pressuring the Prime Minister to remove Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal. In a statement issued today, the secretariat clarified that the appointment or removal of a minister falls solely under the constitutional prerogative of the Prime Minister and cannot be influenced by external pressure or political lobbying.
Japan provides Rs 2.6bn grant to Nepal for emergency rehabilitation of Sindhuli Road
The Government of Japan has decided the grant assistance 2.8 billion yen equivalent to 2.6 billion Nepalese Rupees for “Emergency Rehabilitation of Sindhuli Road Affected by Floods”. The signing ceremony was held in the presence of Minister for Finance Rameshore Prasad Khanal and Minister for Home Affairs Om Prakash Aryal today. Ambassador of Japan to Nepal, Maeda Toru, and Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Ghanshyam Upadhyaya, signed the Exchange of Notes for the grant, according to a press release issued by the Embassy of Japan.
Kavre court releases Khagendra Sunar on bail of Rs 50,000
The Kavrepalanchok District Court has ordered the release of Khagendra Sunar on a bail of Rs 50,000. The order was issued on Thursday by the bench of Judge Nagendra Kumar Kalakheti. Sunar had appeared before the district court earlier in the day over charges of contempt of court and verbal abuse against a lawyer.
Reliance Spinning Mills in Sunsari shuts down, over 4,000 workers lose jobs
More than 4,000 workers have lost their jobs after Reliance Spinning Mills in Sunsari’s Khanar suspended operations on October 20. The shutdown follows Nepal Electricity Authority’s (NEA) decision to cut power supply to over two dozen industries due to an ongoing dispute over dedicated feeder and trunk line premium charges. Established in 1996, Reliance Spinning Mills had been operating continuously for nearly three decades. According to the company’s General Manager, Mahesh Pokharel, the factory employs over 2,000 men and 1,500 women as permanent staff, along with daily wage workers, security personnel, and foreign employees.
Nighttime traffic banned on BP Highway amid heavy rain risk
Authorities in Kavrepalanchok and Sindhuli have imposed a temporary ban on vehicle movement on the BP Highway during nighttime due to increased flood risks amid ongoing heavy rainfall. The Kavrepalanchok administration announced that from 5 PM Thursday to 6 AM Friday, vehicles will not be allowed to operate on the highway stretch between Kavre Bhanjyang and Sindhuli. The notice also states that local police and traffic authorities may stop vehicles at any point if floods occur in the Roshi River or nearby rivers.
NEPSE crosses 2,600 points
Nepal’s share market on Thursday climbed past the 2,600-point mark, with the NEPSE index closing at 2,600.38, up 34.22 points from Wednesday. The trading volume also surged significantly, reaching Rs 7.51 billion, compared to Rs 5.45 billion recorded on Wednesday. The spike was largely driven by Himalayan Bank’s promoter shares, which alone accounted for Rs 1.66 billion in trades.
Heavy rain causes waterlogging along Ring Road in Mahalaxmisthan
Continuous rainfall since early Thursday morning has caused severe waterlogging in several areas of the Kathmandu Valley, with Mahalaxmisthan in Lalitpur among the worst affected. Sections of the Ring Road in Mahalaxmisthan have been submerged, disrupting vehicular movement and forcing motorists to navigate through flooded stretches.
Jhalanath Khanal warns Madhav Nepal against “wrong direction” in name of unity with Maoist Center
Senior leader of CPN (Unified Socialist) Jhalanath Khanal has cautioned party chair Madhav Kumar Nepal not to take the party in the wrong direction in the name of unity with the CPN (Maoist Center). Addressing the party’s third central committee meeting underway in Kathmandu, Khanal said the idea of uniting with the Maoist Center was misguided and urged leaders to focus instead on strengthening their own organization. “We should not move in the wrong direction in the name of unity with the Maoists. At this moment, we must think about our own party and build a strong revolutionary force,” Khanal said.
Rain likely across most parts of the country till Saturday morning due to Montha cyclone
The Meteorological Forecasting Division has said that rainfall is expected across most parts of Nepal till Saturday morning due to the impact of the Montha cyclone. According to the Division’s spokesperson, Vibhuti Pokharel, light rain is likely in Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces, while moderate rainfall is expected in other provinces. The weather is likely to start improving only from Saturday morning, she added.
Armed Police Force rescue 162 tourists from Annapurna Base Camp
The Armed Police Force (APF) has rescued 162 tourists stranded at the Annapurna Base Camp due to heavy snowfall, clearing the area of all trekkers. According to APF Deputy Superintendent and Assistant Spokesperson Shailendra Thapa, the rescue operation was launched from Narchyang, Myagdi, on Kartik 11. The team, led by Armed Police Inspector Binod Paudel, successfully rescued 162 people, including 17 foreign tourists, by Thursday morning.
Flights disrupted as bad weather forces multiple diversions, Lukla flights cancelled
Adverse weather conditions on Thursday have disrupted both domestic and international flights across the country. According to the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) office, a Nepal Airlines flight arriving from Doha, Qatar, was diverted to New Delhi, India. Similarly, an Air India flight bound for Kathmandu from Delhi was diverted to Lucknow, while another IndiGo Airlines flight from Delhi was redirected back to the Indian capital due to poor visibility.
National football team head coach Matt Ross resigns
Head coach of the Nepali national men’s football team, Matt Ross, has resigned from his position. Ross, who was appointed in March on a one-year contract, stepped down before completing his term. The reason behind his resignation has not been disclosed. Appointed ahead of the third round of AFC Asian Cup qualifiers, Ross led Nepal in seven international matches, securing one win, two draws, and four losses.
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