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Seventy-five licensed weapons have been handed over to police in Banke district. 

Deputy Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office, Banke, Deepak Patali, said that the licensed weapons were handed over to the police posts and offices in different places.  

The District Administration Office, Banke, had urged everyone concerned to handover the licensed weapons targeting the security for the elections to the House of Representatives scheduled for March 5. The licensed weapons will, however, be returned after the conduct of the elections.

Meanwhile, preparations are afoot to impart voter education in villages. 

Election Officer of Banke, Tek Bahadur Shahi, shared that a circular was issued for mobilization of volunteers at local levels for the voter education. 

A total of  81 volunteers- one in each ward- would be fanned out for this purpose. 

The officer-level employees would be assigned as contact persons for voter education after imparting training to them. 

Banke with three constituencies has a total 350,371 voters, according to the District Election Office, Banke. There are 139 voting centers and 400 polling stations in the district.

The Nepali Embassy in Colombo organized a program titled “Nepal Community Support, Health Check and Consular Service Camp - Maldives 2026” at KAMANA MAALAM, Ma. Seeraazeege, Male on Friday, aimed at addressing consular, labour, and medical issues faced by Nepali nationals working in the Maldives. 

The day-long program commenced with the playing of the National Anthem of Nepal. 

Delivering the welcome remarks, Vijay Kumar Raut, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Nepal in Colombo, Sri Lanka, underlined the role and services provided by the Embassy for Nepali nationals in the Maldives. 

He highlighted the significant contributions of the Nepali community to the Maldivian medical, economic, construction, and tourism sectors. 

The keynote remark was delivered by His Excellency Abdullah Jihad, Former Vice President of the Maldives. 

He lauded the honesty and hard work of the Nepali community and addressed challenges regarding remittance, suggesting solutions for transferring income to Nepal. 

Raut delivered a detailed presentation on consular services and labour challenges, focusing on wage disputes, contract, demand attestations, exploitation, passport confiscation, and mobility restrictions. 

Discussions included Labor and Consular Issues such as Exploitation, recruitment fraud, and safety, Healthcare as Mental health and medical assistance and Community Support for Gender-specific vulnerabilities, particularly for women. 

The discussions featured insights from Ashiya Mohamed (President) and Saroj Sapkota (Secretary General) of the Nepal Helpline, along with medical professionals Dr Kiran Niraula (Neurosurgeon, ADK Hospital), Dr Rashmi Bhattarai(Pathologist), Bipin Dahal, Lila Thapa Magar, Bishal Tamang, and Sarita RanaMagar from different associations. 

Medical support for the camp was provided by Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangha, Dr Naresh Pradhan from Eyecare (Sri Lanka), and Santosh Upadhayay (COO, Eyecare Pvt. Ltd). Dinesh Pandey (Senior Optometrist) and Pushparaj Bista(Ophthalmic Assistant) conducted health check-ups,distributing free eyedrops and glasses to needy individuals.

More than 150 Nepali nationals participated in the camp. 

Three youths from the same village in Khotang district, Nepal died and another one is still missing after an explosion at an illegally-run coal mine in Meghalaya, India. 

It is said that a Nepali from Khotang district is missing and two others were critically injured in the coal mine blast. 

Purniram Khapangi Magar (27), Surendra Khapangi Magar (24) and Nar Bahadur Khapangi Magar (35) of Bhanjyang Village at Barapokhari Rural Municipality-1 in the district were killed in the explosion on February 5.

Ratna Rai (50) of Jorkafal Village, Halesi Tuwachung Municipality-5 was missing in the explosion, Nepali workers from Meghalaya have informed the local authorities and victims' families in Khotang.      

According to Indian media outlets, the incident occurred in the remote Mynsyngat Village in the Thangsko area, around 22 kilometers from Khliehriat, the district headquarters of East Jaintia Hills.

The burnt bodies of the Nepali workers are not recognizable, it is shared. 

Ranta, who is missing in the blast, had gone to India for a job some six months ago.

As per information shared by locals and victims' families, Karna Bahadur Khapangi Magar (46) and Bam Bahadur Khapangi Magar (40) of Barapokhari Rural Municipality-1 in Khotang and Lalit Lungeli Magar of Saune Village in Udayapur district are critically injured in the blast.

They are receiving treatment in a local health facility in Meghalaya, according to a Nepali fellow worker in Meghalaya from Barapokhari, Tara Bal Magar.  

The victims' families have faced difficulties bringing the bodies back home, it is stated.

The air quality of Kathmandu Valley worsened on Sunday and reached an 'unhealthy level'. 

As per the Air Quality Index (AQI), air pollution level of the Kathmandu Valley has reached an unhealthy level with 175 this afternoon.  

Kathmandu ranked the seventh among the most polluted cities in the world today. Cairo has been listed in the top rank of the most polluted cities during the period with 273 AQI. 

Director General of the Department of Environment, Gyan Raj Subedi, shared that dry weather, operation of factories and industries and speedy development construction are reasons behind the air pollution, adding there is possibility of more air pollution until rainfall occurs.

Bodies concerned have been suggested to lay emphasis on environment-friendly development, he underlined. 

Disaster Management Expert Dr Dharma Raj Upreti said air quality from 0-50 AQI (green sign) is  categorized good while 51-100 AQI (yellow signal) moderate, 101-150 AQI unhealthy for sensitive group, 151-200 AQI unhealthy, 201-300 AQI very unhealthy and above 301 AQI hazardous. 

As per the Air Quality Management Procedure, 2076 for Kathmandu Valley, the government has made provision to consider a situation where AQI exceeds above 300 as a disaster.