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Nepal has been named one of the world’s top destinations for solo adventure travel in 2025, according to a new guide released by Much Better Adventures, a UK-based travel company specializing in small group adventures.

As solo travel gains momentum—with a 23 percent rise in searches for active solo holidays over the past year—Much Better Adventures unveiled its expert-led ranking of the top 25 countries for independent adventurers. Nepal secured the seventh spot on the global list, praised for its dramatic landscapes, iconic treks, and affordability.

Home to the world’s highest peaks and famed trails like the Sagarmatha Base Camp and Annapurna circuits, Nepal offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences for solo travellers. The country also appeals to budget-conscious adventurers, with an average meal cost of just £1.4 and a high biodiversity index.

Kirsty Holmes, content manager at Much Better Adventures and a recent solo traveller to Nepal, highlighted the country’s welcoming culture: “While it’s undeniable that arriving into Nepal is a sensory overload, you’ll soon find that the welcoming nature of Nepalis makes this a fantastic place to travel solo.”

Italy topped the index, followed by Japan and Norway. Other countries in the top 10 include Spain, Albania, Portugal, Montenegro, Jordan, and Greece. The guide was compiled using a mix of expert recommendations and data-driven insights, including safety, affordability, biodiversity, and tour ratings. The team also analyzed the Global Peace Index, cost of living data, visa access, and tourism infrastructure.

Sam Bruce, CMO and co-founder of Much Better Adventures, said Nepal offers a rare mix of adventure, hospitality, and accessibility: “It’s remarkably affordable and safe, but what truly stays with you is how welcoming and open the people are, from the vibrant streets of Kathmandu to the peaceful teahouses high in the Himalayas.”

The Manmohan Technical University has decided to produce ayurvedic medicines. 

The university at Budhiganga Rural Municipality in Morang district is preparing to produce medicines for the treatment of diabetes. 

Vice Chancellor Dr Subashshree Pokharel shared this information by organizing a press conference on Monday.

He said the university has been conducting research on the treatment diabetic patients with the use of medicinal herbs produced within the country. 

Now, the university is undertaking research on various 10 topics in the current academic session. 

Diabetes treatment and bacteriophage are given top priorities among 10 research. There are several other issues being studied for ayurvedic treatment. 

The Koshi Province government had established the technical university in 2076BS. The first technical university in the province, however, has complained of inadequate budget allocation from the province government. 

According to Pokharel, only Rs 140 million budget was allocated to the Manmohan Technical University. 

The monsoon effect is active across the country at present. It will be generally cloudy in the hilly regions of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki and Karnali Provinces, while remaining places will be partly cloudy later this afternoon.

The weather bulletin issued by the Weather Forecasting Division stated that a few places in Koshi and Bagmati Provinces are predicted to have heavy rainfall today. Light to moderate rainfall is forecast in other provinces. 

There is a possibility of heavy rainfall in a few places of Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces tonight.

Some places in other provinces are likely to have light to moderate rainfall coupled with thunder and lightning, according to the weather service.

The meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) is scheduled to pass the Appropriation Bill, 2082 today. 

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel is presenting a proposal, considering the passage of the Appropriation Bill in the Parliament meeting to begin at 11 am.

The federal parliament secretariat informed that the Finance Bill, 2082; and the Debt Recovery Bill, 2082 would also be presented in the meeting.

Before this, the related ministers are scheduled to furnish responses to the issues raised on budget allocations under the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, the Home Ministry, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, the Finance Ministry, the Ministry of Urban Development, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the National Planning Commission, the President's Office, and the Vice President's Office, among others. 

Similarly, the lawmakers in line to present proposals for budget cuts are Amaresh Kumar Singh, Prabhu Saha, Durga Rai, Prem Suwal, Aman Lal Modi, Janardan Sharma, Bimala Subedi, Rekha Sharma, Chitra Bahadur KC, Shakti Bahadur KC, Hitraj Pande, Ram Kumar Rai, Devendra Paudel, Madhav Sapkota, Ranendra Barali, Gyanu Basnet, Urmila Majhi, Ammar Bahadur Thapa, Chhiring Lhamu Lama, Narayani Sharma, Ganga Karki and Lekhnath Dahal.

Oman plans to levy personal income tax as part of a broader push to move the sultanate’s economy away from reliance on hydrocarbons, Associated Press reported.

The tax would be a first among the six-member oil-rich Gulf Cooperation Council. The 5% tax will start in 2028 and will only be required of those who make upward of $109,000 annually — the top 1% of earners in Oman.

The plan was issued Sunday by royal decree and reported by the official Oman News Agency.

It’s unclear whether this will inspire other nations in the area to follow suit, though the International Monetary Fund has predicted that Gulf states may need to impose new taxes in the coming years to diversify government revenues.

The lack of income tax so far has been a boon for development in the Gulf, helping to attract migrant workers to the region, according to Associated Press.

The largest digital camera ever built released its first shots of the universeMonday — including colorful nebulas, stars and galaxies, Associated Press reported.

The Vera C. Rubin Observatory, located on a mountaintop in Chile, was built to take a deeper look at the night sky, covering hidden corners. Funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation and U.S. Department of Energy, it will survey the southern sky for the next 10 years.

The observatory’s first look features the vibrant Trifid and Lagoon nebulas located thousands of light-years from Earth. A light-year is nearly 6 trillion miles. A gaggle of galaxies known as the Virgo Cluster were also captured, including two bright blue spirals.

The observatory hopes to image 20 billion galaxies and discover new asteroids and other celestial objects, according to Associated Press.

Thailand began imposing land border restrictions Monday including blocking tourists heading into Cambodia as the two countries engage in retaliation in their border dispute, Associated Press reported.

Relations between the countries have deteriorated following an armed confrontation May 28 in which one Cambodian soldier was killed in a relatively small, contested territory. While the two sides have agreed to de-escalate their dispute, they continue to implement or threaten measures that have kept tensions high.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said Monday that Thailand will boost screening at land borders and block departing tourists, saying that only students, medical patients and others who need to purchase essential goods would be allowed to enter or leave Thailand.

She said the measures were aimed at blocking people heading toward Cambodia’s lucrative casinos, but it appeared that all tourists would be blocked, according to Associated Press.

Three Democratic lawmakers from the U.S. House of Representatives introduced a war powers resolution on Monday to check President Donald Trump's use of military force against Iran after U.S. strikes on Tehran's nuclear sites, opens new tab over the weekend, Reuters reported.

Trump's Republican Party holds a majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate and it is unlikely any resolution restricting Trump's actions could pass both chambers.

Iran targeted, opens new tab a U.S. base in Qatar on Monday in retaliation. The Israel-Iran war, which began on June 13 when Israel attacked its regional rival, further raised tensions in a region already on edge since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023.

The joint statement issued late on Monday by Democratic U.S. Representatives Jim Himes, Gregory Meeks and Adam Smith came hours after Trump claimed on social media Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire, according to Reuters.