Food & Agriculture: Nepal Rastra Bank data shows food and other crop production fell 6.76% in the first half of FY 2025/26, with paddy still the biggest share (37.46%), while spice output dropped 5.70% and fruit rose 6.51%. Agri Trade Shock: Nepal’s tea exporters face a potential shutdown as India’s May 1 quality-testing SOP delays clearances; Ilam factories warn they’ll stop from June 15, with hundreds of thousands of kg stranded in India and more in warehouses. Energy & Power: The government says electricity capacity targets rise to 5,335 MW next fiscal year, with transmission expansion and leakage reduction; IPPAN also hears plans like “take-or-pay” PPAs and ending “license-holding” delays. Infrastructure Push: Over Rs 670 million is set for feasibility studies and construction of a dozen tunnels, alongside Kathmandu Valley action to remove tangled, unused wires within 15 days. Cross-Border Connectivity: Nepal and India reviewed cross-border railway progress in Kathmandu, including Raxaul–Kathmandu BG survey discussions and SOPs for passenger services. Tourism & Services: Two-day weekly holiday boosts hotel occupancy; Flydubai plans Pokhara–Dubai direct flights from Sept 23. Monsoon Risk: ICIMOD warns that even with below-normal monsoon rainfall, short intense bursts can still trigger floods and landslides across the HKH region. Health & Safety: World Blood Donor Day highlights persistent inequality in safe blood access, while snakebite remains a major rural monsoon threat in Nepal.