KATHMANDU: Stay updated with Nepal News’ evening briefing, bringing you the day’s most important developments from Nepal and across the globe. From politics and economy to sports, entertainment, and culture, we deliver a concise roundup of the top news you need to know today.

Balen Claims Protesters Blocked Fire Brigade From Extinguishing Singha Durbar Blaze

Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah, popularly known as “Balen,” stated that although he tried to send the city’s fire brigade immediately after a fire broke out at Singha Durbar, protesters blocked their efforts. At a time when the local government is facing widespread criticism for remaining silent while a major fire engulfed Singha Durbar, Balen clarified today on Facebook that the fire brigade could not act because protesters obstructed them.

PM Karki Discusses Election Preparation With EC Officials

Prime Minister Sushila Karki held a meeting with the Election Commission (EC) officials Tuesday, focusing on the election to the House of Representatives announced for May 5, 2026. During the meeting held at the Singha Durbar-based Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the two sides exchanged views on the cooperation essential from the government and political parties to implement the election calendar. The EC published the election calendar on Monday.

Complaint Against Former PM Oli and Ex-Home Minister Lekhak Sent to Probe Commission

Kathmandu District Police Range has forwarded the complaint filed against former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak to the high-level inquiry commission led by former judge Gauri Bahadur Karki for further investigation. The complaint was lodged by the Gen Z group, led by Sudan Gurung, accusing the two leaders of taking a repressive role during the Gen Z movement. Police officials confirmed that while the complaint was received, it was not formally registered at the police office.

Government Directs All Three Tiers to Stay Vigilant Against Possible Post-Disaster Epidemic

The government has directed federal, provincial, and local levels to remain alert to the risk of disease outbreaks following recent disasters. Following the meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, officials announced that measures will be implemented to prevent possible epidemics in coordination with the Ministry of Health, provincial governments, and local authorities. The decision aims to strengthen preparedness and response mechanisms, ensuring that public health crises do not follow natural disasters such as floods and landslides.

Gen Z Protest Demanding Resignation of CIAA Chief Rai

Gen Z activists staged a protest today, demanding the resignation of Prem Kumar Rai, Chief Commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). The demonstration took place this morning on the road in front of the CIAA headquarters in Tangal, with heightened security deployed to manage the crowd. The protesters had sent emails to Chief Commissioner Rai and other CIAA commissioners yesterday, urging them to step down voluntarily.

Election Commission to Consult Political Parties Ahead of March 5 Polls

The Election Commission is preparing to hold discussions with political parties regarding the House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5, 2026. Acting Chief Election Commissioner Ramprasad Bhandari indicated that consultations could take place around October 16, though the date is yet to be officially finalized. Earlier, the commission had published the election schedule, which includes party registration from November 17-26, establishment of election offices from November 18 for the first-past-the-post system, and December 1 for the proportional system.

NC General Secretary Sharma Appeals for Signatures for Special Convention

Nepali Congress General Secretary Bishwaprakash Sharma has urged party delegates to submit signatures for a special general convention by October 10. In a social media video, he stressed that following party rules ensures the convention strengthens rather than weakens the party. Sharma clarified that delegates need not wait for the October 11 Central Committee meeting, as early submission allows timely registration. According to party bylaws, 40% of delegates can trigger a special convention even if the Central Committee does not convene it.

Gen Z Group Demands Arrest of Oli, Protests at Kathmandu Police HQ

A Gen Z group led by Sudan Gurung staged a protest at the Kathmandu District Police Range demanding the arrest of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and other leaders. On Tuesday afternoon, the group displayed banners at Maitighar, calling for immediate action against top leaders for their alleged repressive role during the Gen Z movement. The protesters are pressuring authorities to take swift legal action against those they hold responsible for past crackdowns.

UML Criticizes Election Schedule Issued Without Party Consultation

The CPN (UML) has objected to the Election Commission’s decision to announce the schedule for the House of Representatives election without consulting political parties. The Commission had on Monday released the timetable for the elections slated for March 5, 2026. Expressing serious disagreement over the move, the UML has urged the Sushila Karki-led government to immediately initiate dialogue with political parties regarding the election process.

Bar Association Urges Government to Protect Police Morale

The Nepal Bar Association has called on the government to take seriously the recent activities that could undermine the morale of the Nepal Police. In a statement issued by General Secretary Kedar Prasad Koirala, the Association urged the government to move forward through dialogue and cooperation, emphasizing that emotional or anarchic actions could lead to a cycle of violence and retaliation. The statement reads, “The government must be serious about actions that weaken the morale of the security agencies, particularly the Nepal Police. Sustainable peace can only be achieved through dialogue and cooperation.”

Dengue Cases Confirmed in 75 Districts, Two Deaths Reported
A total of 5,378 dengue cases have been confirmed across 75 districts of Nepal, according to the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD). Two people have died from the infection. Only Dolpa and Manang remain unaffected so far. Dr. Gokarna Dahal, head of the vector-borne disease section, said Gandaki Province has reported the highest number of infections.

Dashain Return Rush Increases at Valley Entry Points
People returning to Kathmandu after celebrating Dashain in their hometowns have caused heavy traffic at major entry points like Nagdhunga. The flow of vehicles has surged as the government reopened the routes on October 4, after closing them from October 1–3 due to flood and landslide risks. Passenger movement both into and out of the Valley has increased significantly.

Bodies of Two Missing Girls Found in Rautahat
Police recovered the bodies of two young girls from a stream in Dewahi Gonahi Municipality-6, Rautahat, on Tuesday. The deceased are 12-year-old daughter of Ramdayal Ram and 11-year-old daughter of Shivdhari Ram. They had gone missing on Monday while bathing in the water channel. Nepal Police and Armed Police Force teams were mobilized for the search and rescue.

Tourist Arrivals Drop by 18 Percent in September

Nepal recorded a sharp decline in tourist arrivals at the start of the tourism season, with 78,711 foreign visitors entering the country in September 2025, according to data released by the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). The figure marks an 18.3 percent decrease compared to the same month last year, when 96,302 tourists visited Nepal. Tourism experts attribute the decline partly to the Gen Z movement and unrest that erupted on September 8 and 9, which created a sense of uncertainty and may have deterred potential visitors.

Share Market Slumps After Dashain, NEPSE Drops 58.55 Points

The Nepal stock market opened lower after Dashain, with the NEPSE index falling by 58.55 points (2.19%) to 2,604 points. Total turnover reached Rs 4.62 billion. Out of all listed companies, 16 saw price gains, 235 declined, and one remained unchanged. All sectoral indices recorded losses, with the “Others” group dropping the most at 4.83%, heavily impacted by Nepal Reinsurance’s sharp decline.

NRB Withdraws Rs 90 Billion in Excess Liquidity
The trend of increasing loanable funds in banks and financial institutions continues. As the liquidity surplus grows daily, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) withdrew Rs 90 billion from the financial system on Tuesday through its deposit collection instrument for 12 days. NRB has been regularly withdrawing money on Sundays and Wednesdays; it was unable to do so last week due to the Dashain holidays.

World Bank projects Nepal’s economic growth at 2.1% in 2026

The World Bank has projected Nepal’s economic growth to be limited to 2.1% in 2026. According to the projection released on Tuesday, the growth rate is expected to fall short compared to earlier estimates. Earlier, the World Bank had estimated Nepal’s economic growth at 2.9% for 2026. The new data indicates a downward revision of 0.8 percentage points, bringing the forecast to 2.1%. Nepal’s economic growth is expected to reach 4.6% in 2025. For 2027, the World Bank anticipates a rebound, with growth climbing to 4.7%.

Nepal Exporting 1,000 MW of Surplus Electricity Daily
The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has reported that it is exporting an average of 1,000 megawatts of surplus electricity daily. According to NEA, electricity worth around Rs 15 billion has been exported since the beginning of the current fiscal year in mid-July. Electricity is being sold to the Indian states of Haryana and Bihar at competitive rates under bilateral medium-term power sale agreements.

Government Preparing to Privatize Sick Public Enterprises
The government is moving ahead with plans to privatize sick public enterprises. Even before the formation of the current government, the Ministry of Finance had begun preparations for the due diligence audit (DDA) of seven ailing public institutions to allow their operation by the private sector. Consultant tenders have already been invited and shortlisted for conducting DDAs of Janakpur Cigarette Factory, Butwal Yarn Factory, Nepal Metal Company, and Nepal Orient Magnesite.

Deepak Raj Giri Announces New Film for Next Dashain

Actor and producer Deepak Raj Giri has announced that his new film will release during next Dashain. Currently in the United States for the ‘Chhakka Panja Comedy Tour’, Giri shared the news through a social media post. He noted that the country’s political situation and natural disasters prevented them from releasing a film this Dashain, adding, “Thank you very much for the love shown to Nepali films released this Dashain. We’ll meet next Dashain.”

Second Song ‘Sakela Nachau’ Released from Film ‘Maijharo’

The second song from the film ‘Maijharo’, titled ‘Sakela Nachau’, has been released as the film’s release date approaches. Sung by Rajesh Payal Rai and Melina Rai, the lyrics are by Padam Sadhana Kulung, with music composed by Torempahang Rai. The song features two pairs of actors—Daya Hang Rai, Diya Pun, Dhiraj Magar, and Miruna Magar—performing traditional Sakela dance moves with energetic choreography.

Song ‘Dajuko Sali’ from Film ‘Soltini’ Released

The film ‘Soltini’, set to release on Bhai Tika, has released the song ‘Dajuko Sali’. Sung by SD Yogi, the lyrics are by Arjun Subedi and music composed by Hercules Basnet. Featuring Prakash Saput, actress Pareeksha Limbu, Sundar Dhital, Sabbu Gurung, and Sujan Khatiwada, the song portrays the excitement of romance and the charm of rural life.

Nepal Levels T20I Series with Six-Wicket Win Over Malaysia

Nepal made a strong comeback in the T20I series by defeating Malaysia by six wickets in the fourth match played on Tuesday. With this victory, the five-match series is now tied 2–2, setting up a decisive final on Wednesday to determine the series winner. Chasing a target of 112 runs, Nepal reached 115 for four in 17.3 overs, securing a convincing win and keeping the series alive.

Indu Barma Becomes First Nepali Woman to Score 1,000 T20I Runs

Nepal women’s cricket team captain Indu Barma has become the first Nepali woman cricketer to score 1,000 runs in T20 internationals. She achieved the milestone during the fourth T20I of the ongoing series against Malaysia at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur. Nepal won the match by six wickets, with Barma playing a crucial unbeaten innings of 48 runs to guide her team to victory. Indu Barma has been part of Nepal’s senior national team since 2019.

Nepal Women’s Football Team to Play Friendlies Against Iran and India

The Nepal national women’s football team is set to play international friendly matches against Iran and India. According to the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA), the friendlies will be held in Shillong, India. Nepal will face Iran on October 24, followed by a match against India three days later, ANFA announced on Tuesday.

Deadly Israeli Strikes Continue as Gaza War Hits Two-Year Mark
Israeli attacks on Gaza have intensified, marking the second anniversary of the ongoing conflict. Officials from Israel, Hamas, and mediators are meeting in Egypt to discuss US President Donald Trump’s proposed plan to end the war. At least 104 people have died in Gaza due to Israeli airstrikes since Friday, the day President Trump urged Israel to halt its bombing campaign. Since October 2023, Israel’s military operations in Gaza have resulted in 67,160 deaths and 169,679 injuries.

Trump Signals Willingness to Negotiate on Healthcare Amid Government Shutdown
On Monday, US President Donald Trump indicated he was ready to negotiate with Democrats over healthcare subsidies in an effort to resolve the ongoing government shutdown, before later retracting the offer. Trump attributed the seven-day-long shutdown to the Democrats, posting on social media that they must end the shutdown before substantive discussions on healthcare policy, the main issue behind the impasse, can take place.

Death Toll Rises to 67 as Indonesian School Collapse Search Ends

The search for victims of last week’s school collapse in Indonesia concluded on Tuesday, with the death toll reaching 67, officials confirmed. The incident took place on September 29 at a multi-storey Islamic boarding school on Java Island, as over 170 students were gathered for afternoon prayers. Mohammad Syafii, head of the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), announced at a press conference that the search and rescue operations have ended on the ninth day.