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There are chances of heavy rainfall at one or two places of Koshi Province along with the hilly regions of Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces today.

As the weather remains generally cloudy throughout the country, moderate rain is likely to occur at some places in the hilly regions and at a few places in the Tarai region of the country, according to the Weather and Forecasting Division.

Later tonight, the weather will remain generally cloudy throughout the country. Moderate rain is likely to occur at some places of Koshi, Madesh, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces and at a few places in the rest of the country.

Chances remain of heavy rainfall at one or two places of Koshi, Madesh, Lumbini Provinces along with the hilly region of Gandaki Province.

President Ram Chandra Paudel has said that the Constitution of Nepal ensures the rights of children as a fundamental right, hence calls for an integrated and coordinated role of government and non-government bodies, civil society, parents, schools and other stakeholders for the effective implementation of national and international commitments and constitutional legal provisions regarding children.

Extending his best wishes to all Nepali children and parents on the occasion of National Children's Day today, President Paudel has said that it is still common to hear that some children are deprived of their rights, therefore, it is the responsibility of the relevant stakeholders to prevent all kinds of inhumane treatment, violence and abuse against children.

The National Children's Day is celebrated every year on Bhadra 29, the day Nepal ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). The slogan of this year's Children's Day is 'Investment in Children: The Beginning of a Secured Future'.

Wishing that this day will motivate society and the state to work consciously by prioritizing the interests of children, President Paudel has stressed that it is necessary to provide creative, practical, free and quality education, nutritious food, safe drinking water and sanitation, necessary vaccinations and child-friendly health institutions, and policy-level, legal and child-friendly measures for the overall interest of the children. "I hope that this day will help to ensure equal opportunities for children of all groups and communities by creating a safe environment for children at home, school and in the community."

The United States has said that it welcomes the restoration of calm and peaceful resolution following last week’s tragic events, expressing readiness to work with the interim government of Nepal in the months ahead as they prepare for new elections.

“We commend President Ramchandra Paudel and youth leaders for their commitment to a democratic solution, even as we continue to mourn with Nepal over its losses,” US Embassy in Kathmandu said in a press statement,

“We recognize the Nepali Army and Chief of Army Staff General Ashok Raj Sigdel for their vital role in restoring order and facilitating a peaceful transition of civilian government,” the US said.

The UK and US are set to sign a multibillion-dollar technology pact during President Donald Trump’s state visit, strengthening cooperation in artificial intelligence, semiconductors, telecoms and quantum computing, Reuters reported.

The agreement will bring together senior US tech leaders, including Nvidia’s Jensen Huang and OpenAI’s Sam Altman, with British officials to boost investment, innovation and supply chain security.

As part of the deal, BlackRock will invest about $700m in UK data centres. UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall called the pact transformative, saying it will drive growth and ensure both nations stay at the forefront of emerging technologies.

According to Reuters, the partnership follows new AI strategies launched by both governments this year and reflects expanding US tech investment in Britain.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel on Saturday as Washington tries to manage tensions with regional allies following Israel’s strike on Hamas leaders in Qatar and its new settlement push in the West Bank, Reuters reported.

Rubio reaffirmed US support for Israel but warned the strike risked undermining hostage talks and ceasefire efforts mediated by Qatar. He said securing the release of 48 hostages held by Hamas remains a priority, alongside planning for Gaza’s reconstruction.

The visit comes ahead of President Trump’s trip to London and the UN, where France and Britain are expected to back Palestinian statehood — a move opposed by Washington, which fears it could strengthen Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s settlement expansion plan has also unsettled Gulf partners, particularly the UAE, raising questions about the future of the Abraham Accords.

Israel’s two-year war in Gaza has left more than 64,000 Palestinians dead, fueling accusations of genocide and deepening the humanitarian crisis, according to Reuters.

Australia will allow US nuclear-powered submarines to use a new shipyard in Western Australia as part of the AUKUS defence pact.

Defence Minister Richard Marles said Canberra will invest A$12bn to expand the Henderson shipyard near Perth into a major hub for building landing craft, frigates, and servicing submarines. The project is expected to create about 10,000 jobs, according to Reuters.

Marles noted that since the facility is developed under the AUKUS framework, US submarines will have access to its dry docks once complete. The site has already received an initial A$127m upgrade.

Qatar has announced it will host an emergency Arab-Islamic summit on Sunday, September 15, following Israel’s airstrike on Doha earlier this week, Xinhua reported.

Foreign ministers from Arab and Islamic nations are set to meet ahead of the summit to draft a joint statement. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said the gathering reflects regional solidarity with Qatar against what he called Israeli “aggression” that targeted the residences of Hamas leaders in the capital.

Israel’s strike on Tuesday hit a building where Hamas officials were meeting on a US-brokered ceasefire proposal, killing five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer. The attack sparked swift condemnation from Qatar and several international governments, according to Xinhua.

The Gen-Z protests that took place on September 8 and 9 not only caused significant human losses and physical damage but has also negatively affected the country's international image and thereby the tourism sector. 

The major tourist season was about to begin when the protests and subsequent arson and violence. This has slowed down tourism with several tourist infrastructures damaged in the process.

As result, some percentage of the bookings by foreign tourists for the upcoming tourist season has been canceled. The tourism sector hit severely by the earthquake, blockade, and the Corona Virus epidemic was gradually returning to its old rhythm. But the latest setbacks have again shaken the tourism sector. 

However, experts and stakeholders still believe that the tourism sector will gradually become dynamic as the situation is not like that of past disasters.

Economist Dr Samir Khatiwada said that despite the damage to some tourism infrastructure the tourism sector is still an area with potential. Although there is a fear that some tourists will be discouraged due to problems at the Tribhuvan International Airport, the entry point for foreign tourists flying into the country, the government needs to promote it positively in the international community.

Likewise, Nepal Tourism Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Deepak Raj Joshi shared that a draft plan has been prepared after discussing with leading organizations in the sector on how to make tourism revival effective and that it will be made public soon. "Tourism will definitely revive. Based on past experience and with the support of international organizations associated with tourism, Nepal's tourism will revive soon," CEO Joshi said.

According to him, there are currently around 15,000 foreign tourists in Nepal. Most of them are at their destinations, while some are waiting to return home after completing their tours. Priority has been given to tourists currently in Nepal so that no negative perception is formed. He said that the NTB has also taken forward the work of studying the damage caused to the hotel and tourism sector during the Gen-Z demonstration.

Meanwhile, Hotel Association Nepal Chair Binayak Shah stressed the need for all stakeholders to unite and advance the process of tourism revival. “As the tourist season is about to begin, it is important to send a positive message from Nepal,” he said. “The tourism sector had revived quickly even in past disasters."

An environment must be created to safely send tourists to their destinations in Nepal and to facilitate the return of those who are going back home. “Tourism is an important sector that can bring economic prosperity to the country, hence should be prioritized", he said.

General Secretary of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Nepal Chapter, Narendra Dev Bhatta, expressed confidence that Nepal's tourism will recover soon. "The adverse situation created during the tourist season has had a negative impact on tourism, but let's hope that normalcy will return soon and the tourism sector will recover." 

The Mountaineering Association of Nepal and the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN) have issued a joint statement, emphasizing that all efforts should be made to make to revive the tourism sector. They have appealed to create a tourism-friendly environment and ensuring law and order in the country.

Preliminary study by HAN shows that major damage has been caused to about two dozen hotels during the Gen-Z protests. The hotels in Kathmandu Valley, Pokhara, Butwal, Bhairahawa, Jhapa, Biratnagar, Dhangadhi, Mahottari, Dang Tulsipur faced the wrath of vandalism, arson, and looting that occurred in popular hotel establishments, including both domestic and foreign brands.

The Hilton Hotel in Kathmandu alone is estimated to have suffered losses of more than 8 billion rupees. Initial estimates show that the tourism sector has suffered economic losses worth more than 25 billion rupees in two days of violence that gripped the country, as part of the Gen-z protests against corruption and bad governance. (RSS)