Hospitality & Tourism: Marriott International and CG Hospitality have signed an agreement to develop and operate luxury hotels in Nepal—The Ritz-Carlton and The Westin in Kathmandu—plus a JW Marriott in Siliguri, aiming to lift high-end tourism and jobs across South Asia. Energy & Household Costs: India’s domestic LPG price was hiked by ₹29 per 14.2kg cylinder, with the government saying global LPG costs jumped ~46% due to West Asia disruptions and that it is absorbing about ₹700 under-recovery per cylinder to keep prices low for consumers. Nepal–India Border Reset: Nepal’s FM Shishir Khanal, after talks with EAM S Jaishankar, said border disputes should be handled through existing bilateral mechanisms with an “open heart,” rejecting third-party mediation and focusing on economic transformation, trade, connectivity, and energy cooperation. Digital Payments & Cross-Border Tech: India and Nepal moved to operationalise cross-border remittance/payment linkages, including UPI–NPI linkage, alongside cooperation on language AI and digital public infrastructure. Climate & Mountain Risk: Reports highlight changing Himalayan disaster patterns tied to climate change, while BLACKYAK hosted the “Himalayan Climate Charter 2026: Namche Summit” to push practical climate action. EV Infrastructure: Nepal is urged to scale EV charging to at least 10,000 stations by 2030, as current coverage remains limited and concentrated in major cities. Wildlife Conservation: Researchers confirmed a rare Chinese pangolin in a sacred community forest in Sunsari using camera traps, adding to conservation knowledge for critically endangered species.