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Humla received a large number of Indian pilgrims visiting Kailash, a holy religious shrine for Hindu devotees. Generally, Indian tourists make their journey to Kailash and Mansarovar in China's Tibet through Hilsa in Humla. 

This year's season for the Kailash journey for pilgrims is over with the dip in temperature.

Hotelier Mim Lama said that the hotels in the Hilsa area made good income in this season, thanks to the rising number of tourists here. Each hotel earned more than a million Nepali rupees; Lama shared.

Nearly 6,500 foreign tourists have arrived in Humla district since the Hilsa border opened in May.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) of Humla Shankar Pokharel said that almost 6,000 Indian pilgrims travelled through the district from Nepalgunj to visit Kailash. "Tourists from other countries too have arrived here," DSP Pokharel said.

This route is comparatively shorter for Indians and other nationals to visit Kailash Mansarovar.

Officials shared that the number of pilgrims to use this route has increased sharply after the end of COVID-19.

The Simkot and Namkha Rural Municipalities also charge a levy on foreigners for their entry in the district.

Officials shared that an Indian should pay Rs 1,100 and other nationals should pay Rs 1,500 for their entry into the district.

The recent rain-induced disasters damaged properties worth Rs 40 million in Kankai area in Jhapa district.

Mayor of Kankai Municipality Rajendra Kumar Pokharel shared that the city witnessed property damages of Rs 40 million from the disaster that occurred in the first week of October.

The flood in Mai river in Kankai Municipality submerged almost 25 bighas of land and has damaged 800 meters of roads.

Likewise, 50 households in the municipality were affected.

Currently, the municipality is providing relief materials to the affected households with collaboration with different social organizations.

Mayor Pokharel also pledged to unveil different relief packages to the affected community on behalf of the municipality.

Meanwhile, at least 2,500 children were affected from the rain-induced disasters in the district, Assistant Chief District Officer of Jhapa Tej Prakash Prasain said.

"The affected children are being provided with educational materials. The concerned local levels have been asked to manage the textbooks for the children," Prasain added.

There is no influence of remarkable weather systems across the country today.

It is stated that this year's monsoon is exiting from all territories of the country. The monsoon has withdrawn from Nepal since last Friday.

The Meteorological Forecasting Division of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has stated that there will be partly cloudy weather in the hilly areas of Koshi and Gandaki Provinces, and largely fair weather in the rest of the areas across the country.

There is a possibility of light rain at one or two places in the hilly areas of the Koshi Province.

According to the Department, the hilly areas of the Koshi Province and Sudurpaschim Province are likely to remain partly cloudy, while the rest of the areas will be generally fair tonight.

As a youth, I find it difficult to work from home and not go to the office. It’s tricky juggling household chores and office work. How can I get better at it and explain to my parents that I’m working and not lazing around? How do I stop feeling stressed and set boundaries when I work from home? 

Answered by Karmendra Prakash Shrestha, Junior Project Associate at Happy Minds

First, I would like to thank you for asking this question. Acknowledging the presence of a problem is the first step to addressing the problem and asking questions, reaching out for help is a sign of strength.

As companies start becoming more digitalized and online-based, the prevalence of work-from-home (WFH) jobs only increases. The upsurge of WFH jobs is even more emphasized when there are conflicts and crises in a country. WFH jobs offer convenience and safety which on-site jobs may lack.

However, the unique characteristics of WFH jobs that make them attractive also carry inherent disadvantages. One of the reasons why people struggle to work in WFH jobs is because there is a lack of clear distinction between work and home. 

We are greatly influenced by our environment. Each environment has the power to implicitly command us to behave in a certain way. In the case of on-site jobs, there is an inherent distinction between one’s working space and one’s resting space. Everything, the objects, books, people that surround us in on-site jobs implicitly command us to work and everything that surrounds us in our homes commands us to rest and to recover. This distinction is absent or unclear in WFH jobs which makes it difficult for one to work.

This is perhaps more emphasized by the individuals who surround us. People from all generations are slowly understanding the concept of WFH jobs, however, those who are not informed struggle to understand this. Since you are physically at home, your family may assume you are available, which can interrupt your focus.

Another possible reason why one may struggle to work properly in WFH jobs is because of lack of immediate visible accountability. In on-site offices, the people one is surrounded by are present there to work and they expect the same from you as well. This expectation creates fear of being judged negatively. Due to this fear, even if one has impulses to rest and perhaps to procrastinate one might not act upon such impulses. This might not be possible while working from home which further increases the difficulty of working from home.

There are, however, practical ways to manage these challenges. Setting places with their distinct purposes can be especially useful. Dedicate a room or even just a table to use only when you work. Gradually, by associating a specific place to just work, you can train yourself to not be distracted and focus on one’s work.

Using apps or settings in devices that allow (work mode, leisure mode) to set modes can also be a way. Such modes restrict the use of apps for predetermined time which limits screen time and helps one focus on the task at hand.

Third, have an open, patient and respectful conversation with your family members, clearly explaining the nature of your work and what your work demands of you. Communication, which is clear, patient and respectful, can help the other person understand your needs. 

Lastly, before you work, set clear, achievable goals with a specific timeframe and make a commitment that you’ll do nothing else aside from that work. This can help you be accountable to yourself and be clear about your intentions.

As the festival season approaches, homes light up with joy, traditions, and the promise of togetherness. For many, it’s a time of warmth, blessings, and celebration. But behind the bright decorations and hearty feasts, a quieter reality exists—one of exhaustion, financial pressure, and emotional strain.

ApEx spoke to three men from different generations to understand how they experience festivals—not just the joy, but also the stress that comes with them. Their reflections show us how mental health is not only essential but felt differently depending on age, responsibility, and experiences.

Alish Pradhananga

Mental health is important because if someone is troubled then he/she can’t be happy. It’s even more stressful for those who have a lot of cultural norms and rules to follow and feel pressured to gather everyone for a feast. There’s pressure to look good, meet people, and be involved in everything. 

I enjoy the food and fun but I can see how much pressure my parents face. They do so much, and I think we should help them more. To tackle stress during festivals, my siblings and I mostly go trekking or hiking. I think that makes our parents more stressed. I feel we should help out more at home but we also need breaks.

Bimal Shah Thakuri​​​​​​​

Mental health is one of the important aspects to focus on. With work, family, and responsibilities, if your mind isn’t in a good place, everything else starts falling apart. Festivals can be stressful and we have to make time for ourselves. Between cleaning, shopping, cooking, and making sure everything is perfect, I hardly get time to enjoy the moment. I realize now that my parents used to hide a lot of the stress just to make us happy. It makes me appreciate their efforts more. Planning ahead, delegating tasks, and not aiming for perfection every time may help with overcoming the stress during festivals. Also, it’s okay to take small breaks and it’s also okay if everything isn’t flawless.

Ram Krishna Lohala

When we were young, we didn’t talk much about mental health, but now I understand how crucial it is, especially in old age when loneliness and overthinking can become serious issues. I mostly enjoy meeting family during festivals. Though it can get tiring, the happiness of everyone around keeps me going. 

Before it was tough to manage clothes for the family, I have seen the struggle of my parents too. Now, my son looks after us but the struggle is even more different. They need to buy clothes, maintain relationships with everyone, and take care of us. So, I think they are stressed but they rarely share things with us. I want them to share what they are going through, to keep things simple and focus on their well being too.

The CPN-UML Central Committee meeting has been postponed due to lack of preparations, said Dr Bhishma Adhikari, the party central office secretary.

Adhikari said the party Central Committee meeting will now take place from October 15 to 17 in Kathmandu. Earlier, the meeting was scheduled for October 13 to 15.

The UML central office in Chyasal, Lalitpur has been set on fire and vandalized during the Gen- Z movement.

Today's party secretariat meeting will decide the agenda for the Central Committee meeting, it is stated.

President Ram Chandra Paudel is to hold discussions with political parties represented in the dissolved House of Representatives today regarding the upcoming elections and other matters.

The consultations between President Paudel and the party leaders are taking place for the first time following the Gen-Z movement on September 8 and 9, and after the formation of a new government and the dissolution of the House of Representatives, and in the context of the announcement of the date for election to a new HoR for March 5, 2026.

According to the President's Office, the discussions will be attended by the Prime Minister Sushila Karki along with leaders next in line after the chairpersons of political parties.

Overnight Russian missile and drone strikes have caused power cuts in large parts of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv.

Nine people were injured while residents in eastern districts were plunged into darkness and faced disruption to water supplies, the city's mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Meanwhile, a seven-year-old child was killed in a separate Russian drone strike in the Zaporizhzhia area in the country's south-east, according to the Ukrainian regional head.