KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
RSP Chair Rabi urges public against political speculation over India visit
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman Rabi Lamichhane has clarified that his visit to India is strictly personal and urged people not to attach political interpretations to the trip. Speaking to journalists at Dhangadhi Airport, Lamichhane said he was travelling to fulfil a religious vow he had made while in prison. “This is a personal visit. I had made a vow to visit earlier, but we could not go at the time. Given our religious beliefs and my family’s spiritual inclination, we had planned this trip,” he said. “I am going to fulfil the vow I made while in prison.” He also stressed that no political meetings had been scheduled during his stay in India, urging people not to speculate about the purpose of his visit. Lamichhane, accompanied by his wife, Nikita, flew from Kathmandu to Dhangadhi on Friday morning. After arriving in Dhangadhi, he continued by road toward Kanchanpur.
RSP Chair Rabi leaves for three-day India visit
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman Rabi Lamichhane has left for a three-day visit to India, accompanied by his wife, Nikita Lamichhane. Lamichhane and his entourage flew from Kathmandu to Dhangadhi on Monday morning and are scheduled to travel to India from there. Minister Pratibha Rawal is also accompanying them on the trip. According to Lamichhane’s secretariat, the visit is private and family-oriented, with a focus on religious pilgrimage. During the visit, Lamichhane and his family are scheduled to offer prayers at Kainchi Dham in Nainital, Uttarakhand, and the Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati, Assam. The secretariat said Lamichhane is scheduled to return to Nepal after completing the three-day visit.
Finance Minister Wagle discusses Nepal-India ties with Jaishankar at NDTV World Summit
Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle held direct talks with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar on Nepal-India relations and regional issues during the NDTV World Summit 2026 in New Delhi, India. Speaking at a session titled “A World Between Orders,” Wagle praised India’s assistance to Nepal during recent disasters. According to the Ministry of Finance, Wagle referred to the recent disasters in Rasuwa and Bhotekoshi linked to climate change, as well as India’s support following Nepal’s devastating 2015 earthquake. “As a Nepali minister, I can say that India was present within the first few hours during both the recent disasters and the earthquake, providing us with extraordinary support,” Wagle said. “Nepal is deeply grateful for this assistance.”
FRLD approves $20 million grant for Nepal’s flood recovery
The Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD) has approved a grant of US$20 million, equivalent to approximately Rs 3 billion, to support relief and reconstruction efforts in Nepal following devastating floods in the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river regions. The grant was approved during a special meeting of the fund, according to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forest and Environment. The Government of Nepal formally sought financial assistance on August 31 to address the extensive human and economic losses caused by the floods. The disaster affected more than 60,000 people across approximately 15,000 households. Dr. Maheshwar Dhakal, joint secretary at the ministry, said the request was approved following extensive discussions among board members representing both developed and developing countries.
Nepal braces for heavy rainfall and snowfall next week
The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has forecast the possibility of rain and snowfall in various parts of the country toward the end of next week due to a low-pressure system developing in the Bay of Bengal. Meteorologist Rajan Maharjan of the Department said westerly winds would have a partial influence at the beginning and middle of the week, while the effects of the low-pressure system are expected to become more noticeable toward the end of the week. Moderate to heavy snowfall is likely in several mountainous areas of Koshi, Bagmati, and Gandaki provinces toward the end of the week. A few locations in these provinces could experience heavy snowfall, while one or two places may receive very heavy snowfall, Maharjan said.
772 foreign tourists enter Mustang via Thorong La Pass in two weeks
A total of 772 foreign tourists have entered Mustang via Thorong La Pass through the Besisahar-Manang route over the past two weeks. According to the Jomsom checkpoint of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), 43 tourists from SAARC countries and 729 from other countries entered Mustang during the period following heavy snowfall. Foreign trekkers cross Thorong La Pass, which stands at an elevation of 5,416 metres above sea level, along the Annapurna Circuit trekking route from Manang toward Muktinath in Mustang. The route is regarded as an adventurous but challenging and potentially risky trail for trekkers. Tourist arrivals in Mustang have resumed after the Thorong La Pass route, which was blocked by heavy rain and snowfall on September 26, was reopened. On the Manang side, security personnel and local tourism entrepreneurs worked together to clear snow from the access route, making the Annapurna Circuit trail accessible again.
UNFPA introduces scalable model for climate-resilient healthcare in Rautahat
The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has established a model for climate-resilient maternal and newborn healthcare in Nepal, demonstrating how frontline health facilities can maintain life-saving services during severe climate-related disasters. The model was highlighted during a policy dialogue and field visit to the Auraiya Birthing Centre in Ishnath Municipality, Madhesh Province. The event brought together government representatives, healthcare providers and community leaders to review successful adaptation measures and chart a roadmap for scaling up climate-resilient health infrastructure in other vulnerable regions of Nepal, according to a UNFPA press release issued today. During an official visit to the centre, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nepal Lila Pieters Yahia said even small, targeted investments could significantly improve access to maternal healthcare.
Tourist activity picks up in Myagdi following repairs to Beni–Jomsom road
Tourist activity has begun to pick up at various destinations in Myagdi following the Dashain festival, as favorable weather and the reopening of the Beni–Jomsom road have made travel easier. The increase in tourist arrivals, including holidaymakers taking advantage of the festive break, has brought renewed optimism to local tourism businesses. According to business owners, tourists began arriving on Thursday at popular destinations such as Ghodepani, Poon Hill, Khopara, Singa Tatopani, Bhurung Tatopani, Annapurna Base Camp, Rupse Waterfall and Galeshwor. Baburam Acharya, a hotel owner in Galeshwor, Beni Municipality–9, said tourist arrivals had increased immediately after the tika ceremony of Dashain. “Tourist arrivals had dropped to almost zero after the Beni–Jomsom road was blocked by flooding in the Kali Gandaki River during the second week of Ashoj. However, visitors have started returning since Thursday,” he said. “With the road to Mustang now operational following repairs, we expect tourist numbers to increase between Dashain and Tihar, helping revive our struggling businesses.”
Traffic accidents in Kathmandu Valley decline during Dashain this year
Traffic accidents in the Kathmandu Valley declined significantly during this year’s Dashain festival, with the number of accidents falling from 155 last year to 105 this year. The number of fatalities also dropped from 10 to three. According to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, accidents decreased by 50 compared to the previous year, while the death toll fell by seven. Traffic police attributed the improvement to advance preparations, increased monitoring, and road safety measures implemented during the festival. Office spokesperson and Superintendent of Police Naresh Raj Subedi said most accidents reported this year involved two-wheelers. He noted that excessive speed often causes drivers to lose control of their vehicles, resulting in accidents. Subedi said road safety had improved due to the traffic police’s planned approach and preparations ahead of the festival. He added that coordination among transport entrepreneurs, transport workers, and other stakeholders had helped people travel more safely.
59 road accidents in Kaski in Asoj leave 11 dead, 101 injured
A total of 11 people were killed and 101 others injured in 59 road accidents in Kaski district during Asoj, with the number of accidents higher than in other months. According to the District Police Office, 79 vehicles were involved in the 59 accidents. Police have taken the drivers involved into custody where necessary and initiated investigations and legal proceedings. Deputy Superintendent of Police Birendra Kumar Paswan, the information officer at the District Police Office, said speeding was the leading cause of accidents, accounting for 20 cases. On Asoj 23, six people, including five students, were killed and 15 others injured when a school bus belonging to Kalika Boarding School in Kaski met with an accident.
Artificial Dam in community forest improves irrigation access in Dang
The construction of an artificial dam in the Rani Community Forest area of Ward No. 18 of Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City has improved irrigation access for local farmers, transforming previously dry farmland that depended entirely on rainfall into productive agricultural land with a more reliable water supply. According to Govinda Nepali, chairperson of the local Dam Conservation Committee, the dam, constructed under the Greater Dang Valley Irrigation Project, has begun supplying irrigation water to the Hemantapur area. Plans are also underway to extend irrigation facilities to approximately 200 bighas of land across Dhankhanne, Sanodamar and Daudare. Nepali said the dam has improved irrigation while also raising groundwater levels in nearby wells and traditional water sources, making water more readily available to local communities. Madhav Oli, ward chairperson of Tulsipur Sub-metropolitan City–18, said wells that previously dried up as early as Chaitra (March–April) now retain water throughout the year because the reservoir helps replenish groundwater. He added that farmland that once remained barren due to a lack of irrigation has become green and productive.
Thresher machine operation creates self-employment opportunities in Banke
Amjad Ali Sheikh, a resident of Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan City–19 in Banke, has been earning a livelihood in his own village by operating a thresher machine for the past seven years. At a time when many young people from rural areas are leaving for foreign employment or seeking work elsewhere, Sheikh has demonstrated how agricultural services can provide a reliable source of income at home. Sheikh invested Rs 350,000 to purchase a thresher machine and said he earns a net profit of approximately Rs 150,000 during the peak paddy-harvesting season alone, after deducting expenses. He charges Rs 2,500 per hour for the service or takes 12 kilograms of paddy for every 100 kilograms processed. “Farmers who own large areas of land but lack sufficient family members to help with harvesting are the ones who most frequently hire my services,” Sheikh said. “The machine can thresh the paddy harvested from up to 10 katthas of land in just one hour.”
Scooter rider killed in Syangja
A woman died after the scooter she was riding veered off the road in Thanti, Biruwa Rural Municipality-3, Syangja district. According to Ramesh Dutta Awasthi, information officer at the District Police Office, Syangja, Rewati Gurung, 39, a resident of the same rural municipality, died on the spot in the accident that occurred at around 2:30 p.m. along the Rangkhola-Biruwa road section. Awasthi said the scooter, bearing registration number Ga 26 Pa 1350, went out of control and plunged approximately 50 metres off the road. Gurung’s 16-year-old daughter, Gunjan Gurung, who was riding as a pillion passenger, escaped unharmed. A team from the District Police Office and traffic police reached the accident site shortly after the incident. Traffic along the road was subsequently restored, Awasthi said.