KATHMANDU:- Nepal Government has dismissed Banshiraj Dahal, an Additional Inspector General (AIG) of the Armed Police Force, on charges of leaking sensitive state information to unauthorized individuals.

Ananda Kafle, spokesperson for the Ministry of Home Affairs and a Joint Secretary, announced the decision to dismiss Dahal.

An investigation into the allegations of leaking sensitive information had previously been conducted under the coordination of Armed Police Force AIG Anjani Kumar Pokharel.

While submitting its report to Home Minister Sudhan Gurung on Thursday, the inquiry committee concluded that actions contrary to official conduct had taken place and recommended disciplinary measures, including dismissal.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had suspended Dahal and initiated an investigation into the incident involving the leakage of sensitive information and conduct violating official standards.

Rule 113 of the Armed Police Force Regulations, 2072, provides for departmental punishments ranging up to removal or dismissal from service. According to Rule 115, the Home Minister is the authority empowered to impose departmental punishment on an AIG.

There is also a provision to file an appeal against such a decision with the Government of Nepal (Council of Ministers).

Dahal’s four-year tenure was set to conclude on Ashwin 28. Although the Armed Police Force Headquarters had recommended a one-year extension of his tenure, the decision to dismiss him has eliminated any possibility of such an extension.

KATHMANDU:- The government has decided to allow signing the Mandate Agreement relating to the Nepal Earthquake Catastrophe Bond with the World Bank. A meeting of the Council of Ministers held on Friday took a decision to this effect.     

According to Minister for Information and Communications, Dr Bikram Timilsina, the meeting decided to accept the ‘Committee Formation Order, 2083 BS’ to proceed with the registration of urban or peri-urban public land which is being used for residential purposes in the individual users’ name.

Similarly, Kabbadi and Karate players who won the medals in the Ichi-Nayoga 20th Asian Games would be conferred on awards. To be awarded with cash prize for the same are the related couches and managers.

The Cabinet meeting further decided to promote Joint Attorney General Achyut Mani Neupane to the gazette special class official of legal service and install him as a secretary at Commission for Inquiry of Enforced Disappeared Persons.(RSS)

KATHMANDU:- Traffic along the Prithvi Highway has been completely halted after a section of the road subsided in the Galaudi area near Gajuri in Dhading district.

Dhading District Police Chief Sumit Khadka said traffic was stopped after around 25 metres of the road section subsided this evening.

According to police, vehicular movement has been suspended to prevent possible accidents after the road became hazardous.

KATHMANDU:- With the opening of ticket booking in advance for buses from today onward, crowd has gathered at counters in New Bus Park. 

There is a queue-up of passengers at ticket counters to secure tickets for long and short route vehicles.

President of Federation of Nepalese National Transport Entrepreneurs, Punya Prasad Sitaula, said advance ticket booking has been opened for long and short-route public vehicles providing services across the country.

Meanwhile, Chief of New Bus Park Police Sector, Shankar Shrestha, told RSS that strong security arrangement has been placed at New Bus Park as well as other areas in view of any untoward incidents  during festivals.

As informed, plain-police police personnel have been mobilized for the same. Department of Transport Management at the Nepal Police, and transport entrepreneurs and workers on Tuesday decided to open advance ticket booking for festival target transport services. (RSS)

KASKI:- Two students at Pokhara-based Kalika English Boarding School- Mamata Tiwari and Asim Kandel- died in a school bus accident occurred at Kalika of Pokhara Metropolis-28, Kaski.   

Local Baburam Tiwari, 65, who asked for a ride in the school bus was killed in the accident, according to Superintendent of Police, Nabin Karki. The remaining two who died in the accident are yet to be identified.

The injured ones are Srishti Tiwari, 16; Shisan Thapa Magar, 16; Saugat Timilsina, 16; Asmi Kandel, 15; Sneha Gautam, 14; Sonia Tiwari,13; and Ankit Parajuli, 13. They all are the residents of Pokhara Metropolitan City-28.

Police stated that Smriti Khatri, 15; Sneha Tiwari, 16; Akriti Budhathoki, 14; Merina Tiwari, 15; Supriya Acharya, 14; and Yaman Magar, 16 are the residents of Madi Rural Municipality-12, while bus driver, Tul Bahadur Gurung, 57 from Pokhara-15. All of them were injured.

SP Karki further informed RSS that the injured ones have been undergoing treatment at the Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences and Gandaki Medical College.

5-member probe committee

Meanwhile, the Pokhara Metropolis has formed a five-member committee to investigate facts surroundings the school bus accident.

The committee formed under the convenorship of senior education officer Badrinath Subedi includes mechanical engineer Saroj Chalise, Municipal Education Committee member Dolraj Pandey, Municipal police inspector Purushottam Thapa and traffic assistant inspector Amrit Bhattarai. The committee is mandated to submit its report within the next five days.

The bus carrying students from Majhthana met the accident at a cliff of Okhle, resulting in the deaths of five persons, including four students. At least 14 students were injured in the accident. The local government expressed its deep sorrow over the fatal accident, paying tribute to the dead. It has extended heartfelt condolence to the grieving families.

Mayor Dhanraj Acharya said the committee would find measures to prevent such accidents from recurring in the future.(RSS)

MUMBAI:- Doctors at Manipal Hospital have stated that Nana Patekar, a renowned actor in Hindi and Marathi cinema, passed away on Thursday morning following a heart attack. According to Dr. Shekhar Salkar, Head of the Oncology Department at Manipal Hospital, Patekar was brought to the hospital after falling ill at his residence earlier that morning.

By the time he was brought to the hospital, his condition had already become critical. Dr. Salkar stated that although a team of doctors attempted to resuscitate him for approximately 45 minutes to an hour, they were unable to save him. According to the doctor, Patekar had sent a message to a friend around 2:30 AM, stating that he was feeling unwell; however, as it was the middle of the night, the friend did not see the message immediately.

After that, he called Patekar and arrived at his residence around 4:00 AM. At that time, Patekar was sweating profusely and was gradually losing consciousness. A hospital emergency team arrived at the residence and administered CPR. He was then brought to the hospital between 4:20 AM and 4:30 AM.

“He was completely unresponsive. We made every possible effort after he was brought to the hospital, but he was already dead upon arrival,” said Dr. Salkar. The doctor stated that following Patekar’s death, medico-legal procedures were initiated, and the body was taken to Goa Medical College for a post-mortem examination. Although his family members were not present at the time, it is reported that a friend and a caregiver were with him.

Patekar began his acting career with the film ‘Gaman’ in 1978. He acted in films such as ‘Parinda’, ‘Prahaar’, ‘Krantiveer’, ‘Tirangaa’, ‘Khamoshi’, and ‘Ab Tak Chhappan’. He remained active in the film industry in recent years as well, appearing in ‘Housefull 5’, Vishal Bhardwaj’s ‘O Romeo’, and ‘Subhedar’.

KATHMANDU:- U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to Nepal, Megan Bouldin, called on Minister for Women, Children, Gender, and Sexual Minorities and Social Security, Sita Badi, today.

During the meeting, they discussed on strengthening Nepal–US relations, the restoration and reconstruction of flood-affected areas including Rasuwa, controlling human trafficking, and cooperation in social development.

The US Chargé d’Affaires Bouldin paid tribute to those who lost their lives in the flood in Rasuwa’s Bhotekoshi and expressed condolences to the grieving families. She showed concern about the situation of the communities affected by the flood and their rehabilitation efforts, and expressed the commitment to cooperate with Nepal.

Minister Badi said that the diplomatic relations between Nepal and the United States, established since 1947, have been based on mutual respect, trust, development cooperation, and people-to-people connections. She expressed hope that cooperation between the two countries will expand further in the coming days.

Minister Badi informed that the flood in the Nepal-Tibet border area on August 26, 2026 has created additional challenges for the safety, protection, and education of women, adolescents, and children, and expressed the expectation for American support and cooperation in recovery and reconstruction in the affected area.

In the meeting, Minister Badi mentioned that the Government of Nepal is working by deploying available resources, means, and human resources for the rescue, relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of the flood-affected communities.

She said that the ministry has prioritized the protection and social security of women, children, senior citizens, people with disabilities, and other marginalized communities at risk within its scope of work.

Detailed discussions were held on the occasion on controlling human trafficking and smuggling. (RSS)

KATHMANDU:- Weather conditions are expected to remain unsettled across the country for the next three days, with thunderstorms, lightning, and rainfall reported in several parts of the country.

Meteorologists say the unstable weather is being caused by the influence of westerly winds as the monsoon begins to withdraw.

According to Rojan Lamichhane, a meteorologist at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, moderate rainfall is likely in the Kathmandu Valley today, with the possibility of heavy rain in some areas of Bagmati Province.

Heavy rainfall is also possible in parts of the hilly and Terai areas of Lumbini and Sudurpaschim provinces, as well as in some hilly areas of Bagmati, Gandaki and Karnali provinces.

Several areas, including Chitwan, Palpa and Kailali, have already experienced heavy rainfall. Thunderstorms and lightning have also been reported in Nawalpur, Tanahun, Gorkha, Arghakhanchi and Rupandehi.

Wind speeds have increased in Kathmandu, particularly in the western part of the valley. Meteorologists say rain-bearing clouds developing around Chitwan, Hetauda and Makawanpur are moving toward the Kathmandu Valley, increasing the likelihood of rain accompanied by strong winds.

Although weather conditions are expected to improve somewhat on Thursday, rain is still likely in several parts of the hills and Terai.

Thunderstorms, lightning and short spells of rain may continue until Friday. However, meteorologists say the rainfall is likely to be intermittent rather than continuous.

Weather conditions are expected to improve gradually from Saturday.

With Dashain approaching, many people are preparing to travel and take part in outdoor activities. Meteorologists have advised travellers and the public to check the latest weather information before heading out.

Short periods of heavy rain, strong winds, lightning and hail could affect travel and outdoor activities in some areas.

Meteorologists say the uneven weather pattern is linked to the ongoing withdrawal of the monsoon and the increasing influence of westerly winds.

As a result, sunny conditions may prevail in one area while thunderstorms and rainfall occur nearby.

KATHMANDU:- Chief of Army Staffs (CoAS) General Ashok Raj Sigdel, who is currently in an official visit to the UK, held a meeting with British Chief of the General Staff (CGS), General Sir Roly Walker, on Wednesday.

CoAS Sigdel is currently in a weeklong official visit to the UK at the friendly invitation of Sir Walker. The Nepali Army Public Relations and Information Directorate informed that topics such as mutual interest and Nepal-UK military relations featured during the meeting CoAS Sigdel held with the British General Walker.

Sigdel also held meetings with various high level military officials on Tuesday. He laid wreath at the Gorkha Military Monument and paid tribute to the soldiers who had got martyrdom. RSS

KATHMANDU:-A meeting of the Judicial Council held on Tuesday recommended four judges of high courts for appointment at the Supreme Court.

Judges recommended for the appointment at SC are Chief Judge of High Court, Pokhara, Dr Ratna Bahadur Bagchand, Chandra Bahadur Shahi of High Court Patan, Judge of High Court Patan’s Hetauda Bench, Janak Pandey, and Judge of Temporary Bench Birgunj, Gokarna Dangi.

According to Spokesperson of the Judicial Council, Rampyari Sunuwar, the meeting of the council today took such decision. RSS