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The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has unveiled a 39-point action plan to ensure effectiveness of the public service delivery. 

The action plan includes policy and legal facilitation for promotion of business governance; microenterprise development for poverty alleviation; protection and promotion of traditional and local business of the Dalit community and creation of employment opportunities.

For the tasks to materialize, the Ministry has set a deadline for mid-February of 2026 to prepare draft of the needed bill and amend the existing guidelines for enabling industrial and business environment for the promotion of investment.

Ministry's Spokesperson Jitendra Basnet said the move is aimed at implementing the projects announced in the budget of the current fiscal year. 

Basnet shared that different line agencies of the Ministry are held accountable for the implementation of the action plan. 

The action plan also includes process simplification to provide loans for startups; safe and systematic records management, company registration and others. 

Likewise, the other issues are for policy reforms on multilateral trade and implementation of the related policies and their capacity buildup, and enhancement of the bilateral trade and transport system.

The development of New Butwal Substation and 18-km Transmission Line was initiated today at Sunawal Municipality-13 amidst a function organized in the presence of Finance Minister Rameshore Prasad Khanal and the US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson. 

Minister Khanal shared that construction of this substation and transmission line would directly contribute to the sustainable economic development.

He said, "This project reflects the government's commitment to expansion of access to clean energy and its promotion, to regional energy trade and to the national goal for achieving sustainable economic growth. We will transform the agreement for our national interests through the cooperation of MCC and MCA Nepal."

Likewise, the US Ambassador Thompson said the project has come to this stage due to untiring efforts of the past two years.

"This shall contribute to Nepal's economic growth along with the trade," he viewed.  

The transmission line and substation is expected to ensure uninterrupted power supply in the households and businesses and would create more employment opportunities in the country, the US Ambassador added. 

Likewise, Chief of District Coordination Committee Bhagawati Prasad Yadav suggested that this project should be advanced with partnership of all including by taking the local community members.

The project being developed under the MCC Nepal Compact is expected to establish vital energy trade relations between Nepal and India along with empowering energy connectivity in Nepal.

The transmission line would connect the 400 KV New Butwal Substation upto Nepal-India bordering point. The project is estimated to cost USD 50 million. 

The schedule of the ICC T20 World Cup to be held in 2026 has been made public today. 

The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the schedule by dividing 20 participating teams in four different groups. 

The ICC T20 World Cup is taking place from February 7 to March 8, 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.

As per the schedule, Nepal are put in Group 'C'. All games of Nepal will be played  in Mumbai, India.

There are West Indies, England, Bangladesh and Italy along with Nepal in Group 'C'. 

West Indies and England lifted the titles of the ICC T20 World Cup twice each.    

Nepal would play against England in their first game on February 8, 2026 in Mumbai. 

Likewise, the second game against Italy on February 8, third against West Indies on February 15 and the fourth against Bangladesh on February 17, according to Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN).

CAN had requested the ICC to arrange all games for Nepal in India. CAN Chairman Chatur Bahadur Chand said that the ICC accepted that request and the games for Nepal have been scheduled in India.

With this, Nepal are playing the ICC T20 World Cup for the third time after 2014 and 2024. 

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 9. 61 points to close at 2, 665. 60 points on Wednesday. 

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 1. 64 points to close at 459. 17 points.

A total of 13,620,838-unit shares of 322 companies were traded for Rs 6. 69 billion.

Meanwhile, Jhapa Energy Limited (JHAPA) was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. 

Likewise, Bottlers Nepal (Balaju) Limited (BNL) was the top loser as its price fell by 3. 94 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 1. 51 trillion.

Parts of Thailand are battling record floods, which have killed at least 33 people and prompted authorities to deploy military ships and helicopters to support relief efforts, BBC reported.

The deluge has hit ten provinces across the country's south over the past week, with the city of Hat Yai, a business hub bordering Malaysia, recording its heaviest rainfall in 300 years - 335mm in a single day.

Photos show vehicles and houses submerged in the city, while desperate residents await rescue on their rooftops.

Relentless rains have also ravaged neighbouring countries. In Vietnam, the death toll has risen to 98 in a week, while in Malaysia, more than 19,000 people have been forced from their homes, according to BBC.

The Biratnagar Kings are taking on the Chitwan Rhinos today under the ongoing Nepal Premier League at TU International Cricket Ground.

Biratnagar, which are playing under Captain Sandeep Lamichhane, are second in rank with victories in three matches while Chitwan Rhinos under Captain Kushal Malla are in the fourth place. 

The match will begin at 4:00pm.

Over 300 children are found suffering from autism in Jhapa district alone. 

A total of 381 persons are found living with autism, out of which, over 300 are children.

Coordinator of an organization, Karuna Foundation, Nischal Ghimire, categorized the sufferers as 254 male children, 28 female children and 45 adult ones. 

The Foundation had conducted a survey and identified such a huge number in 15 local levels across the district. The organization had identified the autism patients with the support from the Ministry of Social Development in Koshi Province. Those identified with this health problem have been mainstreamed to health and education.

Similarly, there are 13,863 persons living with various sorts of disabilities in the district. The provincial ministry has been conducting a disability prevention and rehabilitation programme for five years. The programme is run also in Ilam, Morang, Sunsari, Khotang, Bhojpur, Panchthar and Sankhuwasabha districts.   

However, the disability rehabilitation program has been running in Jhapa, Taplejung and Tehrathum districts since last year, according to coordinator Ghimire. 

Nearly 100 persons suffering from vocal impairment are managed education at Mahendra Ratna Secondary School of Garamani, Birtamod and at another school of Damak. The concerned local levels have been providing therapies for free of cost to the autism sufferers.  

Manchester City suffered a rare Champions League defeat at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday as Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen claimed a stunning 2-0 victory to end the hosts' 23-game unbeaten home run in the competition's group or league stage, Reuters reported.

The loss spoiled Pep Guardiola's 100th Champions League match as City manager and left the Premier League side provisionally sixth on 10 points after five games. Alejandro Grimaldo and Patrik Schick scored for Leverkusen, who are 13th.

Guardiola rested most of his regular starters for the first half with 10 changes to his team and the risky move backfired, according to Reuters.