KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
PM Shah reshuffles Secretariat team
Prime Minister (PM) Balendra Shah has reshuffled the responsibilities of members of his Secretariat team, removing some from their positions and promoting others, effective Sunday. Madhav Khanal has been removed from the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, while the responsibilities of Deepa Dahal, Bishwa Rai and Sanjiv Pandey have been changed. Deepa Dahal, who was previously appointed as a Press and Research Expert, has now been assigned the responsibility of Media Management Coordinator. Similarly, Engineer Sanjiv Pandey has been appointed Development and Ministry-level Coordination Coordinator, while Bishwa Rai has been made Social Development Coordination Coordinator. All three had initially joined the Prime Minister’s Secretariat as experts. However, effective Sunday, they have been designated as coordinators and co-coordinators. Details of the changes have also been published on the website of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.
NPL: Karnali Yaks defeat Chitwan Rhinos by 24 runs
Karnali Yaks defeated Chitwan Rhinos by 24 runs in the first match of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) on Sunday. Chasing a target of 154 runs, Chitwan were bowled out for 129 in 19.1 overs at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. Usama Mir was Chitwan’s top scorer with an unbeaten 28 off 23 balls, including two fours and a six. Kamil Misara contributed 25 runs, while Kushal Malla and Dev Khanal scored 18 and 14 runs, respectively. For Karnali, Husain Talat claimed three wickets, while Pawan Sarraf and Mark Watt took two wickets each. Sompal Kami picked up one wicket. Earlier, batting first after winning the toss, Karnali posted 153 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their allotted 20 overs.
NPL: Pokhara Avengers defeat Kathmandu Gorkhas by 55 runs
Pokhara Avengers defeated Kathmandu Gorkhas by 55 runs in the Nepal Premier League (NPL) on Sunday, powered by aggressive batting from Kushal Bhurtel and Yuvraj Singh Samra and an impressive bowling performance by Dinesh Kharel. Batting first after losing the toss, Pokhara Avengers scored 224 runs, setting a new record for the highest team total in NPL history. In reply, Kathmandu Gorkhas were bowled out for 169 runs in 19 overs while chasing a target of 225. Opener Shahit Patel was the top scorer with 34 runs, while Rashid Khan contributed 31. Although Pokhara had already been eliminated from the playoff race, the team ended its league-stage campaign with a record-breaking victory over Kathmandu in its final match. The win was Pokhara’s second in seven matches, taking its tally to four points and leaving it seventh in the standings.
President Paudel calls for social harmony and unity
President Ram Chandra Paudel has expressed confidence that the Chhath festival will help eliminate all forms of discrimination, social evils, and malpractices, including those based on class, caste, and gender, while strengthening national unity among Nepalis. In a message issued today on the occasion of Chhath 2026, President Paudel said the festival inspires people to preserve and promote their traditional culture while fostering mutual understanding, harmony, and solidarity. He noted that Chhath, celebrated with prayers for longevity, cleanliness, moderation, harmony, and prosperity, promotes a message of balance between society and nature through the worship of the Sun God. President Paudel also referred to the popular belief that observing the Chhath fast with devotion and proper rituals brings desired blessings, happiness to families, and relief from suffering and hardships.
Chhath a unique cultural tradition of Nepali society: Vice President Yadav
Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav has said that Chhath has played a significant role in promoting mutual respect, tolerance, social harmony, and national unity. Extending his best wishes on the occasion of Chhath Mahaparva 2026, Vice President Yadav said that festivals like Chhath, which connect people from the Himalayan, hilly, and Madhes regions through shared cultural traditions, have further strengthened national unity and a common Nepali identity. Describing Chhath as a unique cultural tradition of Nepali society, he said the festival beautifully reflects the deep relationship between human beings, nature, and the universe. He noted that offering prayers and devotional offerings to the Sun, the direct source of life and energy, conveys messages of gratitude, self-restraint, purity, and respect for nature.
India to launch weekly train service between Janakpurdham and Ayodhya
Amid preparations for Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s upcoming visit to India, the Indian government has decided to introduce a weekly train service connecting Janakpurdham in Nepal with Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, Indian media reports said. India’s Ministry of Railways approved the proposal on Saturday to operate the passenger train between the two religious and cultural destinations. Prime Minister Shah is scheduled to leave for an official visit to India on November 22. The decision to establish the railway link comes ahead of his visit and is expected to further strengthen the longstanding cultural and religious ties between the two countries, according to The Hindu. In a statement issued on Saturday, November 14, the Ministry of Railways said the initiative aims to connect two important destinations associated with the Ramayana tradition—Janakpurdham, regarded as the birthplace of Goddess Sita, and Ayodhya, believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram.
Nepal invites UAE investment in Budhigandaki hydropower project
Nepal has invited the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to invest in the Budhigandaki Hydropower Project. The proposal was put forward on Saturday during a courtesy meeting in Abu Dhabi between visiting Home Minister Sudan Gurung and UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi. According to Minister Gurung’s secretariat, he also proposed cooperation with the UAE in developing Nepal’s agriculture and service sectors, as well as in advancing security technology. During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation. They also exchanged views on modernizing security agencies and expanding the use of technology to enhance their effectiveness.
Three killed in Mugu jeep accident
Three people were killed and two others injured when a jeep met with an accident in Mugu today. The jeep (Ba 17 Cha 1864), which was travelling from Kathmandu to Rara in Mugu, plunged approximately 600 metres down a cliff at Jimakara, Topla, in Chhayanath Rara Municipality-7. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Rabiraj Thapaliya of the District Police Office, Mugu, three of the five people travelling in the jeep died in the accident. The deceased have been identified as Bijay Basnet, 50, Ramesh Pidari, 54, and Purna Kumar Thapa, 50, all residents of Kalanki, Kathmandu. The jeep driver, Kanchan Thapa, 58, of Lalitpur, and Anju Thapa, 54, also of Lalitpur, sustained injuries in the accident. Both are undergoing treatment at the district hospital, DSP Thapaliya said.
Gold price drops by Rs 1,500 per tola in domestic market
The price of gold in the domestic market declined by Rs 1,500 per tola on Sunday compared to the previous trading day. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the price of gold has been fixed at Rs 270,200 per tola for Sunday, down from Rs 271,700 on Friday. Gold prices have fallen by Rs 14,100 per tola since Tihar. Before the festival, on Monday, the price of gold stood at Rs 284,300 per tola. The domestic market had not revised gold prices between Monday and Friday. Similarly, the price of silver has decreased by Rs 100 per tola to Rs 3,600 on Sunday from Rs 3,700 on the previous trading day. Silver has also become cheaper by Rs 255 per tola since Tihar. Its price stood at Rs 3,855 per tola last Monday before the festival.
Chhath festival: President Paudel offers worship at Guheshwari
President Ram Chandra Paudel today offered prayers and Arghya (a ritual offering) to an idol of Chhathi Mata installed on the banks of the Bagmati River at Guheshwari, near the Pashupati area on the occasion of the Chhath festival. Accompanied by First Lady Sabita Paudel, President Paudel offered prayers to the idol of Chhathi Mata and inaugurated the Chhath festival celebrations in the Gaurighat area. Following the inauguration, devotees gathered at more than 600 Chhath Ghats began observing the festival by worshipping the setting sun and offering Arghya.
Chhath festival observed today
The Chhath festival, symbolizing purity, gratitude, and devotion, was celebrated across the country today with great enthusiasm and religious fervor. The main rituals of the four-day festival began this evening, as devotees gather at rivers, ponds, and lakes to offer Argha (holy offerings) to the setting sun. Worshippers pay homage to the Sun God (Surya) and Chhathi Maiya, the goddess believed to bless devotees with good health, prosperity, and longevity. Although Chhath has traditionally been celebrated in the Terai region, the festival has gradually gained popularity in the hills and mountainous regions, including the Kathmandu Valley, where thousands of devotees have gathered at various water bodies to perform the religious rituals.
Indian national arrested at TIA with drugs worth Rs 220 million
Police have arrested an Indian national at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu with 5.5 kilograms of white heroin valued at approximately Rs 220 million. The arrested individual has been identified as Rewaz Tighri, 52, a resident of Maharashtra, India, according to Durgaraj Regmi, Superintendent of Police (SP) and spokesperson for the Narcotics Control Bureau. Police said Tighri was arrested on Saturday after arriving in Kathmandu from Thailand. He was apprehended during the profiling of passengers suspected of involvement in international drug trafficking through air routes.
Finance Minister Wagle returns home after participating in COP-31
Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle returned home on Sunday after participating in various high-level programmes during the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP-31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, currently underway in Türkiye. During the conference, Minister Wagle took part in around a dozen programmes and addressed the Seventh Biennial Ministerial Dialogue on Climate Finance on behalf of 44 least developed countries (LDCs). He also presented a policy concept titled ‘Fiscal Space for Resilience’ for discussion and formally joined the Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action, established seven years ago, making Nepal its 105th member.
CPN-UML calls Central Committee meeting
The CPN-UML has called a meeting of its Central Committee immediately after the conclusion of its national cadres’ gathering. The party’s fourth Central Committee meeting is scheduled for November 21, according to Niraj Acharya, chief of the party’s Publicity Department. Acharya said the party had decided to hold a meeting of local-level people’s representatives immediately after the national gathering, followed by the Central Committee meeting the next day. He added that the agenda for the Central Committee meeting had yet to be finalised.
Dry landslide blocks Kaligandaki Corridor
The Kaligandaki Corridor Road has been blocked again following a dry landslide in the Rakse section of Kaligandaki Rural Municipality-2, Gulmi. The road has remained completely impassable since this evening after rocks and debris fell from the hillside above the road. Kaligandaki Rural Municipality Chairman Bed Bahadur Thapa said traffic had been disrupted after a dry landslide, accompanied by falling rocks, struck the road just three days after it was reopened. Warning of further risks from the unstable hillside, Thapa said dozers would be deployed to clear the debris and reopen the road tomorrow morning, following an assessment of the landslide situation.
More than 41,000 foreign tourists visit Annapurna region in October
A total of 41,758 foreign tourists visited the Annapurna Conservation Area in October, an increase of 4,682 compared to the same month last year. According to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), 37,076 foreign tourists visited the region in October last year. October and November are considered the peak tourist season, attracting a large number of visitors. Dr. Rabin Kadariya, head of ACAP, said that of the total visitors recorded in October, 19,020 were from South Asian countries, while the remaining tourists came from other parts of the world. According to Kadariya, the highest monthly tourist arrival recorded so far in 2026 was 108,703, while January saw the lowest number, with 20,063 visitors. He noted that tourist arrivals generally increase during October and November because of favourable conditions for trekking.
Offering Arghya to the setting Sun, ‘Sajhiya Arakh’ ritual completed
The ‘Sajhiya Arakh’ ritual of Chhath, the great festival of folk faith, was completed this evening. Across the Mithila region of Madhesh Province, including Mahottari, devotees observing the Chhath fast on the sixth day of the bright fortnight of Kartik offered the first Arghya (ritual offering) to the setting sun. At scenic ghats (river banks), lakes, ponds and reservoirs, devotees gathered this evening to offer Arghya to the setting sun. The sunset across the Mithila region was at 5:10 pm. The ritual was performed amid the chanting of auspicious devotional songs (Mangal Gaan) glorifying Surya Dev (the Sun God) and Chhathi Devi. The timing of the Arghya is determined according to the Mithila and Vidyapati Panchangas, which are traditionally used to establish festival dates and ritual timings in the region. This year’s timing for ‘Sajhiya Arakh’ was fixed accordingly, said Pandit Dinesh Kumar Jha, a scholar of Maithil rituals from Bardibas-2.
Monkey menace drives farmers in Bhojpur towards ginger farming
Farmers in Bhojpur are increasingly turning to ginger farming as an alternative source of income amid growing difficulties in cultivating traditional food crops due to damage caused by monkeys. With monkeys frequently destroying crops such as maize and millet, farmers are exploring ginger cultivation as a more viable agricultural option, as the underground crop is less vulnerable to damage from the animals. Geeta Khadka, a farmer from Bhojpur Municipality-6, said she had started growing ginger as monkey-related crop damage continued to increase. According to her, ginger is relatively safe from monkeys because it grows underground. She believes commercial ginger farming could generate better returns than traditional food crops.
Nepal wins first silver medal, secures four medals at World Astronomy Olympiad
Nepali students have won four medals, including the country’s first-ever silver medal, at the 5th Open World Astronomy Olympiad held in Russia. Riwash Rai clinched the silver medal, while Omraj Puri, Sneha Koirala, and Suyash Koirala bagged bronze medals at the competition held in Sirius, Russia. Rai also received the ‘Diamond of the Team’ award, according to Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) President Suresh Bhattarai. This marks the first time a Nepali student has won a silver medal at an international astronomy Olympiad. Earlier this month, Nepali students also achieved success at the 5th International Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad-Junior held in Thailand. Shahbaz Alam won a gold medal, while Sahaj KC secured bronze. Alam’s achievement marked Nepal’s first-ever gold medal at the International Astronomy Olympiad.
Replanting and restoration work begins at Kathmandu’s Khula Manch
Replanting and restoration work has begun at the open stage in Kathmandu after its greenery and trees were damaged during the 15th General Convention of the Nepali Congress. The restoration initiative aims to restore the ground’s greenery and natural beauty, which were affected by various programmes and the movement of large numbers of participants during the convention. Under the initiative of the Nepali Congress Kathmandu Metropolitan Committee, damaged trees are being removed and replaced with new saplings, while affected areas of the ground are also being repaired. The effort is intended to bring the open stage back to its original condition and restore its green surroundings. The replanting and repair work is expected to help revive the site’s natural beauty and greenery.
Chhath promotes social harmony and religious tolerance: CM Bhatta
Sudurpaschim Province Chief Minister Khagraj Bhatta has said that the Chhath festival plays an important role in promoting social harmony, religious tolerance, and national unity. Extending his best wishes on the occasion of Chhath, Chief Minister Bhatta said the festival, rooted in faith and reverence for nature, the Sun, and water, helps strengthen unity in Nepal’s religiously and culturally diverse society. He expressed confidence that Chhath would inspire people to work towards building a more equitable society and a prosperous province while contributing to the preservation and promotion of Nepal’s unique art, culture, traditions, and religious heritage.
KMC announces one-minute video competition on climate change for students
Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has announced a video competition titled ‘Children for Climate Change’, inviting students to submit one-minute videos highlighting climate change issues. Issuing a notice, KMC called for entries from students as part of the ‘Kathmandu Climate Change Action Week 2026’, scheduled to be observed from November 23 to 29 in collaboration with various organisations. Students from Grades 6 to 12 studying at community and institutional schools are eligible to participate in the competition. According to KMC, the first-place winner will receive a cash prize of Rs 50,000, while the second- and third-place winners will receive Rs 30,000 and Rs 20,000, respectively. A consolation prize of Rs 10,000 has also been announced.
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