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Preparations for Chhath festival are going on in full swing in various places of Kathmandu. Construction of Chhath ghat is also underway in Kamalpokhari.

Chhath festival, which is mainly celebrated in Tarai, is now being celebrated by a large number of people in the Kathmandu Valley.

During this festival, ghats are prepared by decorating the banks of rivers, lakes, and ponds.

As a major part of the festival, the setting sun is worshiped by offering argha while the same process is followed to worship the rising sun to bring the festival to an end.

Revelers observe a fast and stay awake all night and offer prayers to the rising sun.

It is widely believed that observing a fast in obeisance of Chhathi goddess will bring desired results and well-being for the family and all of their sorrows and troubles will vanish away.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki is preparing to expand the Cabinet for the third time on Sunday.

According to a source at the Prime Minister’s Office, Khagendra Sunar, Ganapati Lal Shrestha, Dr Sudha Sharma Gautam and Bablu Gupta will be appointed as the ministers.

Dr Sharma will be appointed as the Minister for Health and Population, Sunar as Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Shrestha as Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation and Gupta as Minister for Youth and Sports.

Anil Kumar Sinha has currently been looking after the Ministry of Land Management.

The President’s Office informed that the newly appointed ministers will take the oath of office and secrecy at Sheetal Niwas today itself.

Earlier, a seven-member Cabinet was formed.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 11, 600 per tola in the domestic market on Sunday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 241, 900 per tola today.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 3, 015 per tola.

Pakistan's defence minister said on Saturday he believes Afghanistan wants peace but that failure to reach an agreement during talks in Istanbul would mean "open war," days after both sides agreed to a ceasefire following deadly border clashes, Telegraph India reported.

The talks in Istanbul, which began on Saturday and are expected to continue into Sunday, mark the latest attempt by Pakistan and Afghanistan to prevent a relapse into violence after the worst border fighting since the Taliban's 2021 takeover of Kabul.

The talks are meant to devise a mechanism to enforce the Doha ceasefire longer term, according to Telegraph India.

A total of 14 incidents of fire have occurred across the country in a single day.

As a result, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has urged people to take special precautions to avoid fires.

There has been an increase in fire incidents across the country due to lack of precaution and awareness. Fire incidents have occurred in Panchthar, Sunsari, Saptari, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Rautahat, Dolakha, Lalitpur, Nawalpurpurpur, Rolpa, Gulmi, Rukum Paschim, Kanchanpur and Darchula on a single day on October 24. Most of the fire incidents appear to have occurred due to carelessness and negligence.

According to the NDRRMA, 13 incidents of fire occurred on October 23 while 17 fire incidents on October 22. The three-day report provided by the Authority shows that most of the disaster incidents were fires. After the monsoon ended and the rains stopped, there has been an increase in fire incidents across the country.

A total of 18 disaster-related incidents occurred across the country on October 24. Six people were injured in these incidents. An estimated loss of Rs 7.791 million in assets was caused in these incidents.

The weather will remain partly cloudy in the hilly regions of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces and mainly fair in the rest of the country.

There is also a possibility of light rain and snowfall in one or two places in the hilly and Himalayan regions of Koshi and Gandaki Provinces, according to the weather forecasting division.

Tonight, the weather will continue to remain partly cloudy in the hilly regions of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces and mainly fair in the rest of the country.

With the end of monsoon season, colder air has started to move into the country. Migratory birds have arrived in Nepal along with this cold weather.

More than 100 species of birds migrate to Nepal every year. Most of them are waterfowl and ducks. Other birds like eagles, hawks and vultures also arrive in Nepal searching for favorable weather.

So far, more than 900 species of birds have been recorded in Nepal.

Many species of birds’ rest in Nepal before going to other countries, while small crane species, locally known as Karyangkurung, do not rest in Nepal but fly directly to India.

Birds that come to Nepal during the winter season prefer to stay in large rivers and lakes like Koshi, Karnali, Narayani, Rapti, Fewa Lake, Jagadispur Lake, Ghodaghodi Lake, and Barju Lake.

Here are the photographs of some migratory birds taken in various lakes and rivers in different places of Nepal.

The necessary steps for the development of the Humla Karnali Second Hydropower Project, which boasts a total capacity of 335 MW, have commenced in the economically lagging Humla district.

Currently, the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is in progress. The Ministry of Forests and Environment has initiated the EIA based on recommendations from the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation.

The Ruru Hydropower Project will oversee the construction. This project will be situated in the Kharpunath and Sarkegad Rural Municipalities of Humla.

Previously, the Ministry of Forests and Environment sought public input regarding the EIA through a public notice. A total of 47.13 hectares of land will be needed for the project's construction. According to the Environmental Protection Act, 2076 BS, hydropower projects exceeding 50 megawatts must undergo an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).

Consequently, the EIA work is being conducted, and the Ministry is currently undertaking the required studies. The project is a significant initiative within the Karnali River Basin. As it will be constructed on the Humla Karnali, a perennial glacier-fed river, its importance is underscored. The design discharge for the proposed project is set at 118.70 cubic meters per second. The project will also feature the construction of two diversion tunnels, measuring 545 meters and 542 meters in length, respectively.

The diversion tunnel will have a diameter of 9.5 meters. It is anticipated that the project will produce 609.89 gigawatt-hours of energy during the dry season and 1,184.83 gigawatt-hours during the rainy season. The electricity generated will be transmitted to the Mugu Karnali Hub via a 20-kilometer-long double-circuit 400 kV transmission line.