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Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has extended warm wishes to all Nepali sisters and brothers, both at home and abroad, on the occasion of Laxmi Puja, a significant day dedicated to the worship of the Hindu goddess Laxmi during the Tihar festival

In a social media post, the PM stated, "May this day illuminate every home and bring happiness to each family." The Prime Minister said the festival symbolizes the brightness of lights, the fragrance of flowers, and the deep bond between humans and animals, highlighting the importance of sibling love.

Presently there is a partial influence of the westerly wind as well as the local wind in the hilly regions across the country, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said.

The weather will remain partly to generally cloudy in the hilly regions of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces and fair in remaining parts of the country.

According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, the weather will be partly to generally cloudy in the hilly regions of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces and fair in the rest of the country this afternoon.

There are chances of light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning at a few places of the hilly regions of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces and at one or two places of the hilly regions of the rest of the provinces.

Light snowfall is likely to occur at some places of the high hilly and mountainous regions of Koshi and Gandaki Provinces.

Similarly, the weather will be partly to generally cloudy in the hilly regions of Bagmati province and Gandaki Province tonight.

Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is predicted to occur at one or two places of the hilly regions of Bagmati and Gandaki provinces.

Light snowfall is likely to occur at some places of the high hilly and mountainous regions of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces.

Nepali Congress (NC) President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said the festivals have further strengthened the social unity.

In a message delivered on the occasion of Tihar and Nepal Sambat 1145, he extended best wishes to all Nepali people for their peace, progress, happiness and longevity. He said that festivals have helped strengthen cordial and harmonious relations.

President Deuba further noted Nepal has different castes, ethnicities, languages, religions, festivals and cultures and this has established unique unity in the diversity to promote fraternity among us.

"Tihar has also consolidated our unity. Every day of Yamapanchak has helped create new enthusiasm among all Nepalis, develop cordial relations between sisters and brothers and relatives", reads his message.

Vice President Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav said the festivals including Tihar would contribute to keep the country's economy moving.

In his message on the occasion of Tihar festival, 2081 BS today, Vice President Yadav extended his best wishes to all Nepali sisters and brothers at home and abroad for their happiness, peace, prosperity, good health and progress and also called for all to remain aware of negative impact of bursting firecrackers for celebrations in the environment.

He expressed the belief that the festival would strengthen the spirit of social harmony, fraternity and national and community unity. "Tihar is an important festival from the religious, cultural and social perspectives. It is not only a festival but also an integral part of Nepali culture and tradition", the message reads.

Vice President Yadav said that Tihar is also a message of unity in diversity, which includes various customs, lifestyles, traditions and rituals.

"Although there is diversity in our traditions and rituals celebrated, the thrust is to impart the message of knowledge over ignorance and victory of light over darkness, largely to consolidate unity and harmony in the country", Yadav noted in his message.

Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth, is being worshiped in every household today to mark the second day of the five-day Tihar festival –also known as the festival of lights – by lighting butter lamps and candles inside and outside of the households to light up the path of Goddess Laxmi in order to welcome her.

Nepali Hindus worship Goddess Laxmi in the evening today wishing for prosperity.

All the nooks and corners of the house are illuminated with colorful and decorative lights this evening in the belief that Goddess Laxmi does not visit places that are not properly illuminated, and so to please Goddess Laxmi, people light lamps and spend the whole night in vigil.

The night of Laxmi Puja is also a start of the cultural programs like ‘Deusi’ and ‘Bhailo’, where people, said to be sent by the king Bali, visit different homes singing and dancing for prosperity. In Kukur Tihar, dogs are worshiped as protectors of the house.

A dog is the most loyal friend to human beings, and according to Hindu myth, dogs are regarded as the guards of Yama, the god of death.

The Special Court has acquitted the suspended Chief Secretary Baikuntha Aryal on Wednesday.

A division bench of Chairperson of the Special Court Justice Tek Narayan Kunwar and Justices Khushi Prasad Tharu and Ritendra Thapa issued the verdict giving a clean chit to the Chief Secretary Aryal against the case filed by Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), claiming Aryal's involvement on printing of stickers of excise duty.

"The argument of malafide intention and collusion, thereby incurring a loss to the government but making individual profit with a decision on behalf of the Secretary at Ministry of Information and Communications in the absence of precedent and bylaw, was not established with proof," the verdict stated.

Similarly, the budget was allocated via the 'LMBS' for the National Security Printing Center, the Court said.

"As the defendants were acting in a good intention for the enforcement of a project of the national need and significance, the accusation on them of having a malafide intention to cause loss to Nepal government's property and making money for individual benefit failed to be verified and proved," the Justices reiterated in the verdict.

Also in the list to be acquitted together with Chief Secretary Dr Baikuntha Aryal are consultant at Security Printing Center, Shakti Shrestha; account officer Bishnu Gautam; section officer Hari Ballav Ghimire; Prince Cell Pvt, and its Director Keshav Sharma.

However, the Court has found Executive Director of the Center, Bikal Paudel, and Director Saphal Shrestha guilty. The Special Court would decide the punishment later.

The CIAA had filed a case against 11 persons and a company claiming recovery of Rs 386 million from them. The case was being heard for five consecutive days.

Bangladesh defeated host Nepal to retain the title of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women's Championship.

In the match played under lights at Dashrath Stadium in Tripureshwor, Bangladesh defeated Nepal by 2-1 goals. Two years ago, Bangladesh had defeated Nepal by 3-1 goals to win the championship for the first time.

All the three goals were scored in the second half, after the first half ended in a goalless draw. Bangladesh took the lead in the 52nd minute, with Monica Chakma opening the scoresheet. However, the lead did not last long, as Nepal's Amisha Karki made it 1-1 in the 56th minute.

Ritu Porna Chokma scored in the 81st minute, as her cross into the box from the left flank beat Nepali goalkeeper to make it 2-1 for the visitors. The scoreline did not change, as Nepal failed to exert any pressure in the remaining nine minutes and added five minutes.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who watched the final, also gave away the championship trophy and medals to the winners and runner-up.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Urban Development Prakashman Singh, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, Minister for Youth and Sports Minister Tejulal Chaudhary, ANFA President Pankaj Nembang, were among the dignitaries present at the full-house stadium to watch the final match.

Nepal lost in the final for the sixth time, four times to India and two times, including this one, to Bangladesh. India have won the championship five times while Bangladesh made it two in a row, after winning in 2022.

Host Nepal had made it to the final after defeating five-time champions India 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the semi-final. Bangladesh eased to the finals following a 7-1 win against Bhutan.

Four rhinos have been found dead inside the Chitwan National Park (CNP) and its surrounding areas in the past two weeks.

The rhinos were found dead at different areas of CNP till today from October 17. Information Officer of the CNP, Abinash Thapa Magar, said a female rhino of around 20 years was found dead at Madhyabindu Municipality-Daunnedevi Buffer Zone Community Forest on October 21.

Similarly, a calf and an adult rhino were found dead in CNP on October 18 while a female rhino of around 25 years was found dead at Bhimle Post of CNP on October 29. 

Information Officer Magar shared, "A total of 10 rhinos have died so far from the beginning of the current fiscal year 2024/25."

Meanwhile, 10 people were arrested since October 17 on the charge of carrying out different illegal activities inside the CNP and its buffer zone, added CNP.