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With the beginning of the second biggest festival of Nepal, Tihar, the number of people leaving the Kathmandu Valley for their home districts for the festivities has increased.

Forty-four thousand five hundred and nine people have left and 31,012 have entered the Valley from various checkpoints, said Naresh Raj Subedi, spokesperson and Superintendent of Police at the Traffic Police Office. 

Data shared by the Valley Traffic Police Office shows that Nagdhunga checkpoint is the busiest checkpoint. From this checkpoint alone, 18,920 passengers have left the valley. 

Similarly, 285 people have left the valley through Thankot checkpoint, 845 through Tinpiple and 692 through Sankhu checkpoint.

Spokesperson Subedi stated that a special traffic management plan has been implemented to reduce incidents such as traffic jams, vehicle accidents, and passengers facing fraud that may occur during festivals.

President Ram Chandra Paudel, accompanied by First Lady Sabita Paudel, performed the Gaipuja rituals by making offerings and paying reverence to the cow on the occasion of the Gaitihar festival today.

There is the tradition of worshipping the cows as the symbol of Goddess Laxmi on the day of Gaitihar festival, a part of the five-day Tihar celebrations.

As per the time-honoured tradition, President Paudel worshiped the cow and offered it delicacies amidst a ceremony at the President House, Sheetal Niwas, the President's Secretariat has stated.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki has asserted that the government is committed to conducting the upcoming House of Representatives election in a free and fair manner.

Addressing the ceremony of garlanding the statue of Shankhadhar Sakhwa and honouring the national luminary organized by the National Luminary Shankhadhar Sakhwa Foundation, Madhyapur Thimi today, PM Karki expressed her confidence that all political parties and all sectors of society would provide support and cooperation to the government in conducting a free and fair election.

"It is well known that the government was tasked with holding the House of Representatives elections on March 5, 2026. The government has the responsibility to serve the Nepali people by addressing the legitimate voices of the Gen-Z in accordance with the Constitution of Nepal. The government is committed to creating an environment where the Nepali people can exercise their voting rights without fear in order to strengthen democracy, achieve economic prosperity, and protect citizens' rights," she said on the occasion.

The PM expressed extreme sadness over the loss of young lives and injuries to hundreds of people during the movement led by Gen-Z on the 8th and 9th of September against rampant corruption in the country.

She expressed commitment that the process of indicating the Nepal Sambat on the notes issued by the Nepal Rastra Bank will be taken forward after consulting the relevant parties.

Prime Minister Karki stated that the government's decision to mention the Nepal Sambat in official documents clearly shows that the government is keen to promote, foster and practically implement this calendar. She instructed the relevant ministries to effectively implement the Nepal Sambat in government offices and also mentioned cooperating with the Foundation for monitoring the implementation of the Nepal Sambat calendar.

She expressed that the Nepal Sambat, which was started in the year 936 in recognition of Shankhadhar Sakhwa's unparalleled contribution to society and the country, as well as his great work for social justice, did not originate from the decree of a king or marking a victory in a war, but rather arose from the public level based on the sacrifice and philanthropy of a trader, making it a calendar of high importance and carrying with it the legacy of public welfare.

Highlighting the need to follow the path shown by Shankhadhar Sakhwa to eliminate poverty and inequality in Nepali society and raise the economic status of the people, Prime Minister Karki stated that only by prioritising national interest over individual and party interests, as Shankhadhar Sakhwa did, can our national aspirations be fulfilled.

At the program, she garlanded the statue of Sakhwa and also launched the bulletin published by the Foundation.

PM Karki also on the occasion honoured the cultural scholar Chhatra Bahadur Kayastha and Nepah Pasa Pucha, USA with the Shankhadhar Sirapa award.

The chairman of the Foundation, Gyanram Shrestha, the Mayor of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, Surendra Shrestha, and former chairmen of the Foundation, Shyam Krishna Manandhar and Madan Krishna Shrestha, among others, emphasized that more study and research should be carried out on Shankhadhar Sakhwa, and the Nepal Sambat should be fully implemented.

A Fermin Lopez hat-trick and two goals from Marcus Rashford powered Barcelona to a crushing 6-1 Champions League victory over Olympiacos on Tuesday, with the Greek side left fuming over a controversial red card early in the second half, Reuters reported.

The match got off to a flying start when Fermin opened the scoring from a rebound in the seventh minute. The 22-year-old pounced on a loose ball after Lamine Yamal's shot was parried by the Olympiacos goalkeeper.

Fermin smashed the ball into the back of the net and he doubled his tally in the 39th minute by finishing off a lightning-quick counter-attack, according to Reuters.

Novak Djokovic will not compete at next week's Paris Masters, the 24-time Grand Slam champion said on Tuesday without giving a reason for pulling out of the 1000-level event, Reuters reported.

"Dear Paris, unfortunately I'll not compete at this year's @RolexPMasters," Djokovic wrote on X.

"I have amazing memories and great success over the years, especially being able to conquer the title 7 times. Hope to see you next year. Merci."

The Serb fell in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters to eventual champion Valentin Vacherot of Monaco earlier this month. He battled through a leg injury and heat exhaustion in his grueling Round of 16 victory over Jaume Munar, according to Reuters.

Inter Milan continued their perfect start to the Champions League this season with a convincing 4-0 win over Union Saint-Gilloise, BBC reported.

Keen to forget last season's final, where they were thrashed 5-0 by Paris St-Germain, Inter swept Union aside with four different goalscorers and they have now won their opening three matches without conceding a goal.

Denzel Dumfries opened the scoring in the 41st minute as he took advantage of a scramble in the Union box to lash home from close range.

And Inter doubled their lead just before the break when Lautaro Martinez swept past Kjell Scherpen to finish off a blistering counter-attack and grab his third Champions League goal of the season, according to BBC.

Holders Paris St Germain scored three times in seven minutes at the end of a rollercoaster first half on the way to crushing hosts Bayer Leverkusen 7-2 in the Champions League on Tuesday, after both teams played with 10 men for almost an hour, Reuters reported.

Desire Doue scored twice for the French side who earned a club record-equalling sixth consecutive win in the Champions League, including last season, and top the league phase table after three matches with a maximum nine points.

PSG, whose Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele scored in a fairytale comeback from injury, were unstoppable in the first half and snapped Leverkusen's nine-match unbeaten run at home against European opponents, according to Reuters.

In a significant move to forge political consensus and create a conducive environment for the upcoming national elections, Prime Minister Sushila Karki held extensive talks with leaders of major political parties at her official residence in Baluwatar.

 The meeting marks the first such formal dialogue hosted by PM Karki since she assumed office on September 12 with a clear mandate to hold elections within six months.

The discussions focused primarily on the prevailing political instability and security concerns, which many leaders believe could hinder the scheduled elections on March 5. 

While acknowledging the challenges, PM Karki reaffirmed the government’s firm commitment to holding elections on time, emphasizing the constitutional imperative and the people's right to vote.

“There is no alternative to timely elections,” PM Karki asserted. “The government is dedicated to conducting free, fair, and credible polls. Security agencies are working tirelessly to ensure a safe and secure environment.”

As part of her efforts to foster trust and transparency, Karki proposed a trilateral dialogue involving the government, representatives of Gen-Z movements, and major political parties to address outstanding issues and build consensus on the electoral process.

The Prime Minister also assured party leaders that the government is open to addressing concerns raised during the meeting, particularly around security, electoral logistics, and political participation.

Speaking after the meeting, senior Nepali Congress (NC) leader Prakash Sharan Mahat expressed reservations about the government’s preparedness, particularly regarding security arrangements.

“There is a serious lack of security for top leaders across party lines, and the morale of the security forces seems low,” Mahat said. “While the NC remains committed to participating in the elections, we are not convinced that the Ministry of Home Affairs is adequately prepared to ensure a secure and fair electoral process.”

Mahat stressed that most of the discussion centered on security concerns, which remain a key obstacle to confidence in the electoral timeline.

This latest round of dialogue comes after earlier efforts by President Ram Chandra Poudel to mediate between PM Karki and party leaders in the lead-up to the elections. With time running short, political consensus and enhanced security measures will be crucial to avoiding further delays.