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The Nepali national cricket team has been granted visas to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to play the Unity Cup International T20 series against the West Indies. 

The team is set to depart for the UAE today.

Following the Gen-Z demonstrations held on September 8–9, the UAE had temporarily banned tourist and working visas to Nepali citizens. 

This decision had also affected the national cricket team's travel plans. However, the visas were granted on Sunday at the call of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN).

According to CAN spokesperson Chhumbi Lama, the team is expected to reach the UAE by Tuesday. 

Nepal will play three T20 matches against the UAE, two-time ICC T20 World Cup champions on September 27, 29, and 30.

All matches will be held at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Thousands have been evacuated in the Philippines as the nation braces for a super typhoon that has been described by regional authorities as potentially "catastrophic", BBC reported.

Super typhoon Ragasa, packing 230km/h (143mph) wind gusts, is forecast to make landfall over sparsely populated northern islands on Monday, before barrelling west towards southern China.

Ragasa brings a "high risk of life-threatening storm surge" with peak heights exceeding 3m (10ft), the Philippine weather bureau said.

Schools and government offices in large parts of the country, including the capital Manila, have been shut and authorities have warned of widespread flooding and landslides and damage to homes and infrastructure, according to BBC.

Rupert Murdoch and his son Lachlan are expected to be part of a group of investors trying to buy TikTok in the US, President Donald Trump says, BBC reported.

In a Fox News interview that aired on Sunday, Trump said the men would "probably" be involved in a proposed deal to keep TikTok operating in the US. He also said Oracle chairman Larry Ellison and Dell founder Michael Dell would likely be involved.

"I think they're going to do a really good job," Trump said, describing the men as "American patriots".

The president, who called his Chinese counterpart earlier this week, said the US and China were making progress on a deal that would see the social media platform's American operations sold to US investors, according to BBC.

Starting Monday, the daily economic burdens of millions of Indians could ease slightly, BBC reported.

Staples like milk and bread, life and medical insurance and life-saving drugs will become tax-free. Consumption tax on small cars, television sets and air conditioners will drop from 28% to 18%. And other common goods like hair oil, toilet soap and shampoo will be taxed at a marginal 5% instead of 12% or 18%.

The sweeping cuts are part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's major overhaul of India's complex goods and services tax (GST) regime announced earlier this month. 

This is expected to both simplify the tax code and give flagging household consumption - which makes up over half of India's gross domestic product (GDP) - a much-needed fillip, according to BBC.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper says she has warned Israel not to annex parts of the West Bank in retaliation for the UK's recognition of Palestinian statehood, BBC reported.

Cooper was speaking to the BBC before attending a conference on Monday at the UN in New York where France and other European states are due to make a similar announcement. 

In what was a significant change in policy, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced the UK's recognition of a Palestinian state on Sunday, along with Canada, Australia and Portugal, according to BBC.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the moves, saying they give "a huge reward to terrorism". 

Seeds for growing the Jamara (barley shoots) were sowed at the Dashain Ghar in the Gorakhkali temple of Gorkha, as per the rituals marking Ghatasthapana, the first day of Bada Dashain festival.

The ritual was carried out at the auspicious hour of 9:13 am today, according to main priest Sharada Prasad Bhattarai. 

Diyo (an oil-fed lamp), Kalas (auspicious jar) and lord Ganesh in accordance with Vedic rituals and sow maize and barley seeds in a jar were filled with soil and cow dung for germination of the auspicious Jamara (barley shoots), he said.

As per religious tradition, Hindus across the country perform the act of sowing barley seeds only after the act is completed at the Gorakhkali temple of Gorkha.

The golden barley shoots are used along with the auspicious Tika from elders to the young ones on the tenth day of the Bada Dashain festival with blessings for peace, progress and prosperity.

Likewise, the process of germination of barley shoots was also carried out at the Manakamana temple of Gorkha at the same auspicious hour.

There is the tradition of making sacrifices of animals at the Kalika temple with the beginning of the Pratipada.

Devotees have thronged the goddess temples and shrines throughout the country on the occasion of the Ghatasthapana today, the first day of the Bada Dashain festival. 

A large number  of devotees could be seen at the Bhadrakali temple, Guheshwari temple, Maitidevi temple, among other shrines to pay homage to the goddesses. 

Deity Shailaputri is worshipped for observing Ghatastapana on the auspicious hour. 

The first day is being marked by worshipping the deity Shailaputri in accordance with Vedic rituals and preparing for Jamara (barley shoots) by sowing maize and barley seeds in a jar filled with soil and cow dung for germination.   

Similarly, throngs of devotees also visited Dakshinkali temple, Palanchok Bhagawati temple in Kavre, and Manakamana temple in Gorkha, Chhinnamasta temple in Saptari, Nuwakot Bhairavi temple in Nuwakot, Shaileshwari temple in Doti, Kalika Bhagawati temple in Baglung, Dantakali temple in Dharan, Ugratara temple in Dadeldhura, Siddhakali temple in Bhojpur, Bageshwari temple in Banke and Pathibhara temple in Taplejung.

The one-way traffic along the Narayangadh-Muglin road, which was closed since last night, resumed from 5 in the morning today. 

The road section was blocked from 9 pm yesterday to 5 am today  due to a massive landslide near Tuyinkhola in Ichhakamana Rural Municipality-6, Chitwan. 

The road, blocked since Friday evening following the landslide, was opened for one-way traffic on Sunday afternoon.  

Police Inspector of Area Police Office, Muglin, Pratik Singh said that the landslide occurred after 8 pm on Monday and was cleared in the nighttime.

With the clearance of the debris, the passengers stranded there on the roadside have left for their destinations.   

Likewise, the administration has urged the passengers to use alternative routes until the two-way traffic starts along the Narayangadh-Muglin road section.