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The government is to operate fair-price shops from September 15 for the convenience of consumers in view of the upcoming festivals.

According to the decision of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies on August 24, the Food Management and Trading Company Limited (FMTCL) and the Salt Trading Corporation (STC) will operate the subsidised price shops.

The Ministry stated that the shops will be set up during the festival period to provide essential food and consumable items at concessional rates, keeping in mind the interests of the general consumer.

Shivram Pokhrel, Head of the Supply Management and Consumer Interest Protection Division of the Ministry, said that a circular has been issued to the FMTCL and Salt Trading Corporation for the operation of such fair-price shops.

FMTCL will provide a discount of Rs five per kilogram on all types of rice, lentils, wheat, sugar and other goods at the fair-price shops it is operating. It will operate subsidised price shops in a total of 46 districts.

STC will operate discount stores at 15 locations in the Kathmandu Valley, including three mobile shops.

Apart from the Kathmandu Valley, STC will run fair-price shops in various other districts. Salt Trading will offer a discount of Rs 2 per kilogram on salt, Rs 5 per kilogram on sugar, Rs 7 per litre on oil, and Rs 7 per kilogram on beaten rice, pulses, flour, and maize.

Dimitri Okhlopkov is a seasoned operations leader at inDrive, where he heads Driver Operations for South Asia. With a background in driver retention, activation, and acquisition, he has held key roles across Russia, Kazakhstan, and South Asia. Prior to inDrive, Okhlopkov worked in public service and social welfare, bringing a unique blend of strategic, analytical, and people-focused skills to every role. Excerpts from the interview:

Can you give us an overview of inDrive’s current driver community in Nepal? How has it grown over the past year?

We launched inDrive in 2021, during the post-covid period, after conducting research to understand the evolving needs of the market. The response was overwhelmingly positive—from drivers, passengers, and support teams alike. Since then, we’ve continued to grow steadily, offering valuable benefits to both drivers and passengers. One of the key advantages of our platform is the fair and flexible pricing system. Unlike many competitors, we allow a transparent fare negotiation model where both drivers and passengers have a say. Drivers can choose rides based on distance, time, and their preferences, and they are also free to skip any requests that don’t suit them. This system empowers drivers, giving them more control and a stronger voice in how they work. As a result, many drivers have chosen to partner with us, and our community continues to grow every day—with more passengers joining and enjoying the flexibility and fairness we offer.

What are the main challenges that drivers face while using inDrive’s platform, and how is your team addressing these concerns?

We understand that many drivers have specific needs and face ongoing challenges. As a company, we are actively working to support them and continually improve the services we offer on our platform. For instance, we recently introduced an insurance system that ensures all riders are covered. This initiative has significantly enhanced their safety and well-being. We’re also constantly developing and rolling out new features to make their experience even better. To provide more hands-on support, we’ve established local offices where drivers can freely share their concerns, ask questions, and receive assistance. This open communication has been beneficial for both the drivers and our team. In addition, we’ve partnered with various companies to offer drivers bonuses, discounts, and essential items like car lubricants—resources they can easily access and use.

How does inDrive ensure fair pricing and income sustainability for drivers, especially in price-sensitive markets like Nepal?

Pricing is always a sensitive issue. To address this, we are developing a bidding system that allows drivers to set their own prices. Riders can choose to accept or skip the ride if the fare doesn’t suit them. A ride only happens when both the driver and rider agree—it’s entirely based on mutual consent. While our platform has a large number of passenger users, the number of active drivers is still relatively low. This imbalance becomes especially noticeable during peak times—for example, during bad weather or when it rains. At such times, demand surges as more people prefer using the app, and many are willing to pay higher fares just to reach their destination quickly. As a result, prices naturally increase in those situations. Despite many drivers working tirelessly, even around the clock, there are still not enough of them to meet the growing demand. Part of the challenge lies in limitations related to driver availability and capacity.

What safety measures does inDrive have in place to protect drivers during rides?

We’ve built important safety features into our application, including an emergency call function that allows users to quickly contact help if they ever feel unsafe during a ride. In addition, we offer fast support for such situations to ensure immediate assistance when needed. We’ve also implemented an insurance system designed to cover incidents, which provides an added layer of protection—especially for drivers. These features are part of our ongoing commitment to safety for everyone using our platform.

Is inDrive offering any kind of skill development, digital literacy, or professional training to help drivers grow beyond the platform?

We have established offices where we provide regular training sessions for drivers. These sessions cover a range of important topics, including financial education and safety practices. Additionally, we invite professionals—such as traffic officers—to conduct safety workshops and share valuable insights directly with our drivers. This hands-on approach helps ensure they are well-prepared, informed, and confident in handling real-world situations.

EC calls political parties for registration in view of upcoming PA by-election in Manang

The Election Commission (EC) has issued a notice inviting political parties to register for participation in the upcoming Province Assembly (PA) by-election scheduled for November 3. 

The by-election will be held in Manang PA Constituency-2, which falls under the House of Representatives (HoR) Constituency-1.

The EC has called on all political parties registered with the Commission to submit applications for official recognition for contesting in the by-election in Gandaki Province. 

The election will be conducted under the First-Past-The-Post (FPTP) electoral system, and will elect a member to the Gandaki Provincial Assembly from the constituency.

This registration process is being carried out in accordance with Article 271 of the Constitution of Nepal and the provisions of the Political Parties Act. The registration shall be ensured from Bhadra 19 to 25 (September 4 to 10).

Political parties must submit their applications in the prescribed format as per the Political Parties Regulation.

Applications must include: the full and abbreviated name of the party, date of establishment, date of registration, address of the central office, mailing address, contact telephone number and email address and any other details as required by the Election Commission.

This by-election has been mandated by a verdict from the Supreme Court, which convicted Rajiv Gurung, also known as Deepak Manange, in a criminal offense, declaring him ineligible to hold the position of Gandaki PA member, thereby vacating the seat.

Striker Jamie Vardy has joined Serie A side Cremonese, the Italian club said on Monday, launching a new chapter for the 38-year-old after his 13-year spell at Leicester City ended in May, Reuters reported.

He joins the club on a deal running until June next year, with an option to extend if certain conditions are met.

Vardy scored his 200th goal for Leicester on his 500th and final appearance for the club on the penultimate day of last season, bringing his career there to a close in front of the home fans 13 years to the day after he signed, according to Reuters.

Galatasaray have signed Turkey goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakır from Trabzonspor for a transfer fee worth up to 36 million euros ($42.15 million), the Super Lig clubs announced on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

The 29-year-old, who has played 31 times for his country since his debut against Greece in 2019, has signed a deal that will keep him at Galatasaray until the end of the 2029-30 season. 

Super Lig champions Galatasaray also signed Ivory Coast defender Wilfried Singo from AS Monaco for 30.8 million euros and striker Victor Osimhen from Napoli during the transfer window.

Nigerian international Osimhen was on loan at Galatasaray last season and made his move permanent at the end of July for a Turkish record 75 million euros, according to Reuters.

Vehicular movement has come to a standstill at 13 places along different highways in the country due to floods and landslides triggered by incessant rainfall.

According to Nepal Police Headquarters, Koshi Highway, Pasang Lhamu Highway, Galchhi-Trishuli-Mailung road, Dhorpatan-Saljhandi road, Beni-Darbang road, Bheri corridor, Chhedagad road and Jajarkot-Dolpa road section have been blocked.. 

Security personnel have been mobilized to resume the traffic. 

Meanwhile, one-way traffic has resumed at eight road sections at different places of the country.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli arrived in Beijing today following his participation in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Plus Summit held in Tianjin from August 31 to September 1.

The Prime Minister travelled from Tianjin to Beijing by train. 

Local government officials and artists gathered at Tianjin Railway Station to bid farewell to the Prime Minister and his delegation.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to meet with Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, today, in Beijing.

Amanda Anisimova found her best tennis under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium and cruised past Brazil's Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-0 6-3 on Monday to set up a U.S. Open quarter-final against Iga Swiatek.

The 24-year-old American said she was pleased to get the chance to earn some payback for her crushing 6-0 6-0 loss to the world number two in the Wimbledon final in July, Reuters reported.

"Who would've thought we'd meet again so soon?" said eighth seed Anisimova. "I'm super excited. It's going to be a great match... I hope, this time."

The American broke 18th seed Haddad Maia's serve three times to close out the opening set in under half an hour.

She took control in the second by breaking in the opening game, but the Brazilian finally got on the scoreboard by breaking back after some lapses from the American, according to Reuters.