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Former King Gyanendra Shah has announced that he will not be offering tika to the public during this year’s Dashain festival. He cited the grief caused by the recent GenZ movement, in which several people lost their lives, and the overall sensitive environment as reasons for his decision.

Extending his Dashain greetings, Shah said, “We must uphold truth, discipline, respect for elders, and love for the nation. Whatever has happened, the new generation and the new era must now move forward with hope, trust, and confidence. At this time, the nation is in deep destruction and mourning, so we are compelled to celebrate the festival only within family and cultural limits. Unlike previous years, we will not be providing tika and jamara to the wider public.”

Praying for divine guidance, he added: “May Goddess Navadurga lead us on a righteous path.”

In his message, Shah emphasized Nepal’s sovereignty and proud history. “Our ancestors’ sacrifices to safeguard unity, integrity, sovereignty, and independence form the backbone of our existence and culture. On this basis, Nepal has always stood as an independent and self-respecting nation. We must not fall into dependency or geopolitical traps but continue to rebuild a strong and unified Nepal.”

Shah stressed the importance of aligning governance with people’s aspirations and modern times. “It is essential to move forward with timely reforms in the state system, keeping in mind the sentiments of the people. The aspirations of the new generation must be embraced, and modern technology and scientific skills adopted. While advancing physical development and adapting to the changing global order, we must preserve our identity, values, and principles.”

Highlighting the role of youth, he said, “The younger generation is the pillar of our future. Their patriotism, energy, and innovative thinking alone can guide the nation toward strength, prosperity, and self-reliance. Instead of destroying, burning, or breaking, our programs must now focus on rebuilding and strengthening.”

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) central member Tosima Karki has admitted to taking part in the recent GenZ movement. Following the party’s decision to form a probe committee to investigate possible involvement of its members in incidents at Nakkhu Prison and other locations on Sept 9, Karki revealed that she had walked through police gunfire during the protests.

RSP Deputy General Secretary Bipin Acharya had earlier demanded action, saying that the involvement of senior leaders at Nakkhu and party cadres in vandalism elsewhere had tarnished the party’s image.

Karki has now called for a special convention of the party. A former lawmaker, she accused the leadership of attempting to sideline her for raising political issues aimed at strengthening and reforming the party. Through social media, she warned the leadership against silencing internal dissent and cautioned that she would expose internal matters if necessary.

“Whenever we raise issues responsible for the party’s transformation, we are bullied, silenced, and subjected to media trials. If the establishment dares, it should call a special convention,” she said, stressing that she was not intimidated by propaganda or internal pressure.

Following the GenZ movement, Karki had also presented a four-point proposal for restructuring the party, arguing that the RSP must undergo a transformation to genuinely lead the nation’s present and future.

“Now is the right time to review leadership, ideology, policies, and programs, and to restructure the party into a centrist political force demanded by today’s circumstances,” she said.

The RSP has recently faced a wave of resignations amid deepening disputes over party president Rabi Lamichhane’s leadership. General Secretary Mukul Dhakal was earlier expelled from the party, while lawmaker Sumana Shrestha resigned from her deputy general secretary post, later quitting the party altogether after the GenZ protests.

Shrestha accused the leadership of prioritizing the party and its leader over the country, saying: “The RSP refuses to admit mistakes and instead punishes critics through media trials. This is unacceptable.”

Following her exit, central members Hari Bhatts and Dr Prabhat Adhikari also tendered their resignations.

The United Nations reimposed sanctions on Iran early Sunday over its nuclear program, further squeezing the Islamic Republic as its people increasingly find themselves priced out of the food they need to survive and worried about their futures.

The sanctions will again freeze Iranian assets abroad, halt arms deals with Tehran, and penalize any development of Iran’s ballistic missile program, among other measures. It came via a mechanism known as “snapback,” included in Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, and comes as Iran’s economy already is reeling.

Iran’s rial currency sits at a record low, increasing pressure on food prices and making daily life that much more challenging. That includes meat, rice and other staples of the Iranian dinner table.

Meanwhile, people worry about a new round of fighting between Iran and Israel—as well as potentially the United States—as missile sites struck during the 12-day war in June now appear to be being rebuilt.

Activists fear a rising wave of repression within the Islamic Republic, which already has reportedly executed more people this year than over the past three decades.

Sina, the father of a 12-year-old boy who spoke on condition that only his first name be used for fear of repercussions, said the country has never faced such a challenging time, even during the deprivations of the 1980s Iran-Iraq war and the decades of sanctions that came later.

“For as long as I can remember, we’ve been struggling with economic hardship, and every year it’s worse than the last,” Sina told The Associated Press. “For my generation, it’s always either too late or too early — our dreams are slipping away.”

AP

Selena Gomez has married music producer and songwriter Benny Blanco, announcing the news in an Instagram post showing the couple kissing and embracing on a lawn.

“My wife in real life,” Blanco responded to the post Saturday by the Grammy- and Emmy-nominated performer. Gomez wore a white halter bridal dress with floral flourishes, and Blanco wore a tuxedo and bow tie, both custom-made by Ralph Lauren.

Paparazzi had snapped photos of a massive outdoor tent and other preparations in the Santa Barbara area.

Friends in the entertainment industry and brands she’s linked to responded with heart emoji and congratulations. “Our Mabel is MARRIED,” said the account of her “Only Murders in the Building” series, and her Rare Beauty line of cosmetics posted: “so happy for you two.” Best wishes were also sent by Camila Cabello, Amy Schumer and others.

Blanco, 37, and Gomez, 33, met about a decade ago and got engaged at the end of last year. They worked together on the 2019 song “I Can’t Get Enough,” which also featured J Balvin and Tainy.

Among the songs he’s credited on as a writer and producer: Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream,” “Circus” by Britney Spears and Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger.”

Gomez, whose hits include “Calm Down,” “Good for You,” ’’Same Old Love” and “Come & Get It,” has been in the spotlight since she was a child. She appeared on “Barney and Friends” before breaking through as a teen star on the Disney Channel’s “Wizards of Waverly Place.”

She earned awards nominations in recent years for her ongoing role alongside Martin Short and Steve Martin in Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building.” Gomez has a massive audience on social media with 417m Instagram followers, the most for any woman on the platform.

AP

After a landslide, the Muglin-Narayangadh section has become one-way once more.

In Chitwan’s Tuin Khola area, a dry landslide had earlier blocked the road, which was cleared, allowing traffic to resume.

However, on Sunday morning, another landslide occurred near Dasdhunga.

The authorities stated that the new landslide is not large and is expected to be cleared within about an hour, after which the highway will reopen for two-way traffic. 

Nepal Police has kept the prisoners escaped from various jails across the country under constant surveillance. The prisoners had escaped from the jails during Gen Z protest on Sept 9.

Deputy Inspector General of the Nepal Police, Binod Ghimire, said out of the total escaped prisoners, only 8,000 had returned to the jails.​​​​​​​ Six thousands are still on the run, so even the public need to be aware of safety situation.

Security alertness is further important also because of the festival time. “Some of the inmates are notorious thieves and dacoits. They could commit revenge in the respective places against the cases they are filed. So, all sides need high alertness,” he reminded.

If anyone finds such wrongdoers, they can contact the nearest police office or phone at the contact numbers provided by the Nepal Police.

All District Police Offices were written about the inmates and their criminal records, reminding further alertness over the untoward incidents to be triggered by the inmates.​​​​​​​ Meanwhile, the Prison Management Department has asked the inmates to return to the respective jails within Oct 6, otherwise face action.

‘Kanchhiko Chulbule Bani’ was released on Tuesday, gaining traction with over 15,000 views online.

The song features vocals by Manish Bishwokarma, with lyrics and composition jointly created by Prashant Koirala and Bishwokarma. The arrangement is also by Bishwokarma, accompanied by contributions from noted instrumentalists including Shanish Bishwokarma (guitar), Ayush Tuladhar (accordion/piano), Gautam Rai (flute), Pritam Rai and Nikhil Bist (dholak and tabla), and Sanjeev Subba (bass guitar). The recording, mixing, and mastering were handled by Deepak Raj Bishwokarma at Audio Lab.

The video, directed and choreographed by Safal Basnet, stars Bishwokarma alongside Bibhusha Basnet and the music team, with a special appearance by Pramisha Dulal. Cinematography is by Utsav Dahal, with editing and color grading by Suroj Adhikari, Jitu Tamang, and Dinson Shah. Sapana Lamsal served as the make-up artist, while Gyanu Ghimire of Harmony Events managed production.

Nepal’s private sector has said that the violent GenZ protests of Sept 8 and 9, which left government offices and private establishments vandalized and torched, have inflicted losses running into billions of rupees, setting the economy back by years.

Speaking at a discussion organized Tuesday by the Nepal Economic Journalists’ Association on the theme “The Road Ahead for Economic Recovery,” business leaders said the destruction has undermined investor confidence, shaken the foundations of industries, and halted incoming investments.

Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) president Birendra Raj Pandey estimated that the protests cost the economy around five percent of gross domestic product (GDP). “For investors, security of capital is fundamental. But the violent destruction of public and private structures has eroded confidence. The government must now step in with supportive fiscal and monetary policies to help businesses recover,” Pandey said.

He urged the government to design both short- and long-term recovery strategies, including special facilities for large industries. He also highlighted the need for reforms in education and improvements to laws that remain complicated and difficult to implement. According to him, the unrest has already stalled major joint-venture investments that were in the pipeline.

Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) vice president Hemraj Dhakal described the protests as a “massive setback.” The destruction of large public and private infrastructures, he said, has crippled the economy. “We are ready to rise from the ashes, but what is the guarantee that such destruction won’t happen again? The government must provide a security guarantee,” Dhakal said.

Former president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce Rajendra Malla said the unrest has created an atmosphere of fear across the business community. He stressed that peace and security must be the government’s immediate priority and urged authorities to assure entrepreneurs that they need not fear operating in Nepal.

Malla also called for policies that would encourage youth to stay and work in Nepal rather than leaving for foreign employment. He identified startups, IT, artificial intelligence, and rural technology programs as areas where the government could foster growth. “Tourism has taken a severe hit, but Nepal can still brand itself as a safe destination if the government acts quickly,” he added.

Business leaders further warned that widespread informal transactions and the misuse of remittances have aggravated Nepal’s economic vulnerabilities. Unless structural reforms and effective utilization of resources are ensured, they cautioned, the country risks being pushed five to six years behind its development trajectory.