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.
Indigenous Nationalities Commission’s Annual Report Submitted to President
The annual report of the Indigenous Nationalities Commission has been presented before President Ramchandra Paudel. Commission’s chairperson Ram Bahadur Thapamagar submitted the Annual Report of the Indigenous Nationalities Commission for the Fiscal Year 2025/26 to the President amidst a special ceremony organized at the President House, Shital Niwas today, the President’s Secretariat has said. Article 294 of the Constitution of Nepal requires that the annual report of constitutional commissions be submitted to the Head of State.
Western Low-Pressure System to Bring Rain, Snowfall and Thunderstorms to Parts of the Country
A western low-pressure system is expected to bring rain, snowfall, thunderstorms and hail to parts of the country on Thursday and Friday, with western provinces likely to experience the greatest impact, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. The department said the system would partially influence the country on October 15 and 16. Light to moderate rain and snowfall accompanied by thunder, lightning and hail are possible at a few places in the high hilly regions and at one or two places in the hilly regions of Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpashchim provinces. Similarly, one or two places in the high hilly and hilly regions of Koshi and Bagmati provinces may receive light rain and snowfall accompanied by thunder and lightning. Light rain accompanied by thunder and lightning is also possible at one or two places in the Terai regions of Lumbini and Sudurpashchim provinces. The department has urged farmers, people engaged in agricultural activities and concerned agencies to regularly monitor weather updates and forecasts, particularly in the western region, where rain and thunderstorms are possible on both days.
Army Helicopters Rescue 1,044 Stranded Individuals from Budhi Gandaki Flood Areas
A total of 1,044 people, including 70 foreign nationals, were rescued by the Army helicopters from Budhi Gandaki flood-affected areas in northern Gorkha between Sunday, October 11 and Thursday, October 15. Assistant Chief District Officer Netra Prasad Sharma stated that severe flood damage to local trail networks, roads, and bridges left residents trapped. Daily rescue tallies included 96 individuals on Sunday, 321 on Monday, 186 on Tuesday, and 441 on Wednesday. Authorities have expedited air-delivered relief operations alongside evacuations. Helicopters transport essential supplies, including food, tents, mats, blankets, tarpaulins, solar panels, and generators, on outbound flights before returning with rescued passengers.
Nepal Embassy in Riyadh Urges Nepali Citizens Not to Share Images of Missile and Drone Attacks
The Embassy of Nepal in Riyadh has urged Nepali citizens living in Saudi Arabia not to photograph, record or share images of missile and drone attacks or interceptions, warning that violations of Saudi security directives could result in legal action. In a notice issued on October 15, the embassy said the Saudi government had prohibited photographing, videotaping, publishing or sharing on social media images of missile and drone interceptions, as well as locations where such incidents occurred or projectiles fell. The restriction applies to platforms including Facebook, TikTok and WhatsApp. The advisory comes amid security concerns linked to attacks involving Yemen’s Houthi movement and Saudi Arabia, including reported missile and drone threats targeting Saudi territory and critical infrastructure. The embassy urged Nepali nationals to comply with Saudi law, remain vigilant and avoid sharing sensitive security-related visuals. It also requested them to circulate the notice widely among Nepali communities in Saudi Arabia.
Finance Minister Urges ADB President Masato Kanda to Support Flood Recovery
Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle has urged the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to mobilize resources to support Nepal’s recovery from natural disasters, climate-resilient reconstruction and long-term economic development. Wagle made the request during a meeting with ADB President Masato Kanda in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday. The finance minister is in the Thai capital to attend the annual meetings of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). During the meeting, Wagle thanked the ADB for swiftly approving an emergency grant to support rescue operations following the devastating floods. He also expressed gratitude for the bank’s solidarity with the country and called for continued support to help rebuild disaster-affected areas in a way that can better withstand future climate-related risks. In response, Kanda said cooperation in Nepal’s development remained a high priority for the ADB. Finance Secretary Ghanashyam Upadhyaya and Amrit Lamsal, a joint secretary at the Ministry of Finance, also attended the meeting as members of the visiting delegation.
Government and World Bank Explore Catastrophe Bond for Earthquake Financing
On Thursday, the government and the World Bank have signed an agreement to assess the feasibility of a catastrophe bond that could help the country secure rapid funding after a major earthquake. The agreement brings together the government and the World Bank Group Treasury to examine how international capital markets could provide financial protection against natural disasters and supplement existing disaster management efforts. The agreement was signed in the presence of Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and Finance Secretary Ghanshyam Upadhyaya, along with Jorge Familiar, the World Bank’s vice president of treasury, and David Sislen, divisional director for Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. A catastrophe bond allows disaster risks to be transferred to investors, with funds released when specified disaster conditions are met. The proposed instrument could offer an additional financing source for emergency response and recovery. The agreement initiates a feasibility assessment; no bond has been issued.
IMF Chief Expresses Solidarity with Nepal in Meeting with Finance Minister and Governor
International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said the fund’s support for Nepal, including emergency financing, is expected soon following the devastating floods that have affected the country. In a post on X on Thursday, Georgieva said she had held a productive discussion with Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle and Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Biswo Nath Poudel on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group in Bangkok, Thailand. Georgieva said she had expressed condolences and solidarity with Nepal following the floods and discussed the IMF’s support, including emergency financing expected soon. However, she did not specify the amount of funding or when it would be provided. The meeting took place as Nepal continues its efforts to respond to the damage caused by the floods and support recovery in affected areas.
Ministry of Health Issues New Operational Guidelines to Strengthen Maternal and Newborn Care Services
The Ministry of Health and Food Safety introduced the Mother and Child-Friendly Health Facility Program Operation Guidelines, 2026 on Thursday, October 15, requiring health facilities to meet 10 standards each for postpartum mothers and newborns. Updating the 2016 operational framework, the guidelines mandate permitting mothers to have a chosen family member present during labor for emotional support and newborn safety. The framework prioritizes rooming-in and early breastfeeding while enforcing the Mother’s Milk Substitutes (Control of Sale and Distribution) Act, 1992 to regulate milk substitutes. Health facilities must also designate a focal person to follow up with mothers and infants after discharge to assess health status, provide counseling, and address potential medical concerns.
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal Meets Pakistani, Sudanese, Indonesian Ambassadors
Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal held separate courtesy meetings with Mohammad Aamir Khan, the newly appointed Ambassador of Pakistan to Nepal; Mohammed Abdalla Ali Eltom, the non-resident Ambassador of Sudan to Nepal; and Listyowati, the non-resident Ambassador of Indonesia to Nepal, on Thursday. Khanal congratulated the Pakistani ambassador on his appointment and wished him a productive tenure. They discussed expanding cooperation and strengthening friendly relations between Nepal and Pakistan. During the meeting with Eltom, the two exchanged views on matters of mutual interest. Khanal also congratulated Listyowati on her appointment and wished her a successful tenure. They discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation between Nepal and Indonesia.
Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai Discusses Cooperation with EU, Indonesian Ambassadors
Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai held separate meetings with Charles Whiteley, Ambassador of the European Union to Nepal, and Listyowati, the newly accredited non-resident Ambassador of Indonesia to Nepal, on Thursday to discuss bilateral relations and cooperation. During the meeting with Whiteley, Rai congratulated him on his appointment and wished him a fruitful tenure. The two discussed strengthening cooperation in high-level exchanges, climate change, trade and investment, tourism, migration, connectivity, and people-to-people ties. Rai also congratulated Listyowati on her appointment and wished her success in her new assignment. They exchanged views on strengthening Nepal-Indonesia relations for the mutual benefit of both countries.
Nepal, Oman Discuss Implementation of Foreign Affairs Cooperation Agreement
Nepal and Oman have discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation, including implementing an agreement between their respective foreign affairs training institutions. Bishesh Kumar Sah, chargé d’affaires at the Embassy of Nepal in Muscat, met Sheikh Humaid bin Ali Al Maani, head of Oman’s Diplomatic Academy, on Thursday to discuss issues of mutual interest. During the meeting, Al Maani expressed condolences over the recent devastating floods and the resulting damage in Nepal. The discussions also focused on implementing the memorandum of understanding signed between Nepal’s Institute of Foreign Affairs (IFA) and Oman’s Diplomatic Academy on February 17, 2025.
203 Nepali Peacekeepers Depart for South Sudan to Join UN Mission
A contingent of 203 peacekeepers from the Narayandal Battalion’s 16th Contingent has departed for South Sudan to replace the Naya Gorakh Battalion’s 15th Contingent deployed on a United Nations peacekeeping mission. According to the Nepali Army’s Directorate of Public Relations and Information, 204 Nepali peacekeepers who completed their tenure in the mission returned home on Wednesday night. With the latest deployment, 1,069 Nepali Army peacekeepers are currently serving in the UN mission in South Sudan.
Ambassador Nominees’ Rejection by Parliamentary Committee Commendable: Baskota
The CPN (UML) leader and former minister Gokul Baskota has praised the parliamentary hearing committee’s decision to reject the government’s nominations for ambassadors. Sharing his views on social media on Thursday, Baskota stated that the parliament has finally exercised its authority and moved out of a so-called grey zone. The parliamentary hearing committee on Wednesday unanimously rejected the proposed ambassadors for Saudi Arabia and Malaysia. Additionally, the committee decided to put the nomination for the ambassador to Japan on hold. Addressing this development, Baskota noted that breaking the government’s unilateral recommendation was not an easy task. In his social media post, he wrote, “It was not easy to break the single government’s recommendation. Perhaps there was no pressure? This break is commendable.” Baskota’s remarks follow the committee’s decision to block the diplomatic appointments.
Parliamentary Hearing Committee Defers Decision on Ambassadorial Nomination of Japan
The Parliamentary Hearing Committee postponed its confirmation decision regarding the nomination of Jigyan Kumar Thapa as Nepal’s ambassador to Japan until after the Dashain festival. Committee Chairman Bodh Narayan Shrestha announced the deferral following concerns regarding Thapa’s permanent residency status in Japan, property holdings in Kanagawa prefecture, family background, and past business engagements. Rastriya Swatantra Party chief whip Kabindra Burlakoti called for additional documentation, while CPN lawmaker Barsha Man Pun argued for rejecting the nomination over residency compliance issues. CPN (UML) lawmaker Padma Aryal questioned Thapa on whether he renounced his residency solely for the diplomatic post and requested clarification on the residency status of his wife and children. The committee concluded that further review of submitted documents is required.
Parliamentary Committee Stresses Non-Repayable Climate Grants and Direct Institutional Access
The National Assembly’s Committee on Development, Economic Affairs, and Good Governance emphasized that international climate finance allocations must be provided as non-repayable grants rather than interest-bearing loans to prevent compounding public debt burdens across climate-vulnerable nations like Nepal. Convening a high-level consultative meeting on international climate diplomacy, National Trust for Nature Conservation Member Secretary Chiranjibi Prasad Pokharel and Department of Climate Change Head Manish Raj Pandey underscored the necessity of securing direct institutional funding access, strengthening regional early warning systems for glacial lake outburst floods, and enforcing transboundary data-sharing mechanisms.
Mandatory Health Screening Required for India Returnees in Border Points
Health authorities have established screening stations at the Gaddachouki checkpoint to conduct medical examinations on individuals returning from India for Dashain and Tihar festivities. Public Health Officer Siddharaj Bhatt from the District Health Office in Kanchanpur reported that the border initiative screens for 6 infectious disease categories, including malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, COVID-19, dengue fever, and scrub typhus, with free treatment provided at nearby medical facilities for diagnosed cases. From mid-September 2026 to Thursday, October 15, healthcare staff administered 4,700 health examinations at the border, identifying two positive tuberculosis cases and zero other infections. Additionally, Deputy Superintendent of Police Tek Bahadur Rawat stated that security and surveillance have been intensified alongside civil assistance desks as daily departures and returns reach approximately 2,000 individuals.
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