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The lines of six industries that did not pay the electricity bills for using dedicated and trunk lines have been cut.

Rajan Dhakal, spokesperson of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), said that the electricity supply of Jagadamba Steel, Reliance Spinning Mills, Shivam Cement, Ghorahi Cement, Arghakhanchi Cement, and Triveni Spinning Mills have been cut due to unpaid electricity bills.

According to spokesperson Dhakal, the power supply to these industries has been cut off since Sunday morning. 

The issue of collecting electricity tariff for using dedicated and trunk lines has not been resolved since 2018. 

For the first time, a study on the arrears of tariffs from dedicated and trunk lines was conducted under the coordination of the then member of NEA board of directors, Bhakta Bahadur Pun and a report presented to the board meeting held on 14 May 2018.

The NEA has been making efforts to realise the electricity dues from the defaulting companies since that time.

Industrial entrepreneurs have, however, said that they do not pay the charges because they have not used dedicated or trunk lines.

This matter had reached various courts, the Public Accounts Committee of the Federal Parliament, and the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).

Last time, the NEA issued a public notice on September 28, asking the industries to pay the arrears within 21 days.

NEA had given the defaulting companies and industries the facility to pay the dues in installments. It stated that the electricity supply to the six industries was disconnected as per the Electricity Tariff Collection Regulations 2078 after they failed to pay the tariff within that period.

The Embassy of Pakistan in Nepal, in collaboration with the Nepal-Pakistan Youth Council, extended humanitarian support to flood survivors in Ilam. 

The Pakistani embassy distributed essential relief materials to the flood-affected families.

According to the Embassy, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Nepal, Abrar H. Hashmi, handed over the relief assistance to families affected by recent natural disasters in Mangsebung and Phakphokthum rural municipalities.

Ilam district recorded 37 fatalities due to massive landslides triggered by incessant rainfall on October 3 and 4. 

Chief District Officer of Ilam, Sunita Nepal, along with local government representatives, was present during the relief distribution.

On the occasion, Ambassador Hashmi expressed his heartfelt condolences to the victims' families and emphasized the need for strengthening the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Nepal and Pakistan.

Earlier, the Ambassador also paid a courtesy call on Koshi Province’s Minister for Internal Affairs and Law Rewati Raman Bhandari, and conveyed Pakistan's solidarity with Nepal during this time of disaster.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki is consulting with the parties represented in the dissolved Parliament today to create a political environment for the House of Representatives election scheduled for March 5, 2026.

A formal letter has been sent to the seven political parties to participate in the discussion at the Prime Minister's residence, Baluwatar, at 4 pm and that they have also been contacted by telephone, Ram Bahadur Rawal, PM Karki's press coordinator said.

He said that discussions with the parties were held as one of the efforts being made to create an election environment.

The government has been discussing with the Election Commission and the state security bodies regarding legal and policy arrangements related to elections, preparations, and security arrangements.

Leaders of parties including the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML, the CPN (Maoist Center), the Rastriya Swatantra Party, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, and the Janata Samajbadi will participate in the first formal discussion with political parties by Prime Minister Karki on topics such as election preparations.

Coordinator Rawal said that there will be high-level representation from those parties.

Previously, at the call of President Ram Chandra Paudel, a discussion was held with political parties regarding election preparations at the President's Office, Sheetal Niwas, on October 10 in the special presence of Prime Minister Karki.

Similarly, during discussions on October 16 with 29 political parties, who had representation in the dissolved House of Representatives and had won at least one ward member in the last local elections, the representatives of the parties urged the government to create an environment conducive for elections through intensive discussions with the parties.

The United States, Mexico, Costa Rica and Jamaica football federations announced on Monday a joint bid to host the 2031 Women's World Cup, the first edition of the tournament to feature 48 teams, Reuters reported.

FIFA approved the expansion of the Women's World Cup from 32 to 48 teams in May, adopting a 12-group format that will increase the number of games from 64 to 104, matching the expanded 2026 men's World Cup.

The federations said in a joint statement the proposal aimed to deliver "the most impactful tournament in history", promising a lasting legacy for women's football across North America, Central America and the Caribbean, according to Reuters.

Sanae Takaichi has been elected Japan's prime minister by its parliament, making her the first woman to hold the office, BBC reported.

The 64-year-old won a clear majority on Tuesday - 237 votes in the powerful Lower House and another 125 in the Upper House - as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

A staunch conservative and admirer of the late former UK PM Margaret Thatcher, Takaichi takes over at a challenging economic moment as Japan grapples with a rising cost of living and a frustrated public. 

It's also been an uncertain time for the world's fourth-largest economy. She is the fourth PM in just five years, after her predecessors' terms were cut short by plunging ratings and scandals, according to BBC.

The US and Australia have signed a deal intended to boost supplies of rare earths and other critical minerals, as the Trump administration looks for ways to counter China's dominance of the market, BBC reported.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the deal would support a pipeline of $8.5bn (A$13bn; £6.3bn) "ready-to-go" projects that would expand his country's mining and processing abilities. 

It includes $1bn to be invested by the two countries in projects in the US and Australia over the next six months, a framework text says, according to BBC.

The US and Australia have been working on these issues since Trump's first term, but Albanese said the latest agreement would take the partnership to the "next level".

The country exported 1,015 megawatts of electricity on Monday, the day of Laxmi Puja of the Tihar festival. 

According to the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the total demand for power reached 1,650 megawatts on Monday evening.

The NEA stated that the highest demand for power in the evening of Laxmi Puja was 1,602 megawatts last year. This year's demand was 48 megawatts more compared to last year. 

Currently, Nepal is exporting its surplus energy to the Indian and Bangladeshi markets.

Presently there is no influence of any significant weather system throughout the country, according to the Meteorological Forecasting Division. 

The weather will be partly cloudy in the hilly region of all the provinces and mainly fair in the rest of the regions in the afternoon today.

Light rain is likely to occur in one or two places of the hilly region in Koshi and Karnali Provinces, the Division stated. 

Similarly, the weather will be generally clear throughout the country tonight.