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Media Alliance Nepal has expressed serious concern over the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal’s move of seeking clarification vis-a-vis the news published in Annapurna Post daily under the Annapurna Media Network (AMN) over air service disruptions in far-flung regions of the country.

Issuing a press statement, the alliance said the clarification CAAN has sought from AMN Chair Capt Rameshwor Thapa on the charge of ‘abusing publication rights’ is a direct violation of the freedom of the press and the freedom of thought and expression as well as a violation of editorial freedom.

Unconstitutional interference with independent media is unacceptable, it said, condemning CAAN and its leader’s illegal action against the media advocating for the rule of law and the Constitution.

There is a separate legal provision to seek redress for the media content published/broadcasted, it pointed out. An unrelated agency is demanding clarification over a matter beyond its jurisdiction from an unrelated individual, it said, adding, “This is a case of abuse of authority.”

The Media Alliance cautioned CAAN leadership against the abuse of authority and urged it to withdraw the clarification and respect the freedom of the press and freedom of thought and expression enshrined in the Constitution. Earlier, the Press Council Nepal wrote to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation over CAAN’s act of seeking a written clarification from AMN regarding news reports published in the daily.

CAAN introduced a policy to suspend air services in remote districts after 12 pm starting July 31. This decision affected remote and mountainous regions of Nepal where flights offer a lifeline for people needing urgent medical attention.  
Regrettably, due to the absence of air services, four children lost their lives in remote regions of Karnali province as they couldn’t receive timely medical care due to CAAN’s new policy.

After Annapurna Post, a sister publication of ApEx, highlighted the hardships facing people living in far-flung areas, the issue garnered considerable attention.

Despite appeals from the Chief Minister of Karnali province, the federal Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, political leaders and local representatives, CAAN chose not to lift air service restrictions. Instead, it targeted the media for exposing what was perceived as a misguided and callous decision.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 500 per tola in the domestic market on Thursday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 111, 100 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 110, 600 per tola on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 110, 550 per tola. It was traded at Rs 110, 050 per tola.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1,460 per tola today.

The monsoon rain is expected to persist over the next two to three days.

According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, it will take a couple of days for weather to improve.

Division's senior meteorologist Barun Poudel said the ongoing precipitation is anticipated to continue until Friday with chances of heavy rains at one or two places, particularly in Koshi, Bagmati, and Gandaki provinces.

The weather will be generally to mostly cloudy throughout the country today with the possibility of light to moderate rain at some places of the country.

Likewise, heavy rain with thunder and lightning is expected at one or two places of Koshi, Bagmati, Gandaki , Lumbini and Sudurpashchim Provinces.

Likewise, tonight there will be mostly cloudy throughout the country while light to moderate rain is likely to occur at many places of the country.

Heavy rain with thunder and lightning may take place at one or two places of Koshi, Madesh , Bagmati , Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces.

Seven persons including a Nepali national died when a bus carrying Indian pilgrims met with an accident in Churiyamai, Bara on Thursday.

Police identified the decased as Bijay Lal Pundit (41) of Loharpatti, Mahottari, Nepal, Bahadur Singh (67), Mira Devi Singh (65), Satyawati Singh (60), Rajendra Chaturvedi (70), Shreekant Chaturvedi (65) and Baijanti Devi (67) of Rajasthan, India.

The bus (Madhes Pradesh 3001 Kha 7994) was heading towards Janakpur from Kathmandu when the tragedy occurred in front of Churiyamai at around 2 am today.  

Among the 26 persons traveling in the bus, three died on the spot and three breathed their last during the course of treatment, police spokesperson Dadhiram Neupane said.

The injured are undergoing treatment in various hospitals of Hetauda, Makwanpur, he said.

Police suspect that the accident was caused due to overspeeding.

The District Police Office, Bara said that investigation into the incident is underway.

Police said that they have impounded the bus and arrested its driver for investigation.

The business of hospitality companies listed on the Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse), which has slowed down due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has bounced back strongly in the last fiscal year. The last quarter report of six hospitality companies listed in the Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) shows star hotels' revenue as well as profit, both increased in 2022/23.

With the Covid-19 pandemic slowing down, tourist arrivals in Nepal hit a three-year high in 2022 as the country welcomed 614,148 foreign visitors. The number of foreign visitors entering Nepal grew by 306.82 percent in 2022, putting an end to a two-year downward spiral that started in early 2020 when the coronavirus outbreak wreaked havoc across the world.

Along with the growth in the arrival of foreign tourists, the five-star hotels saw their business booming due to the surge in social events, and conventions. As of now, there are six hospitality companies listed in the Nepse, of which four are five-star hotels. Soaltee Hotel Limited, Taragaun Regency Hotels Ltd, Oriental Hotel Ltd, City Hotels Ltd, Chandragiri Hills Ltd, and Kalinchowk Darshan Ltd are listed in the Nepse.

Soaltee Hotel Limited posted a profit of 545.15m in the last fiscal year compared to a profit of Rs 297.24m in 2021/22. The country’s oldest five-star properties, Soaltee Hotel saw a 64.28 percent growth in its business in the last fiscal year. The hotel’s revenue rose to Rs 2.24bn in 2022/23 from Rs 1.36bn in 2021/22.

Orients Hotel Ltd which runs a five-star property Radisson recorded a profit of Rs 178.43m in FY 2022/23 compared to a loss of Rs 24.6m in 2021/22. Oriental Hotel also had robust revenue growth. The hotel’s income grew to Rs 1.09bn in 2022/23 from Rs 570.24m in 2021/22.

Taragaon Regency Hotels Limited, which operates the Hyatt Regency Hotel has done a profit of Rs 382.64m in 2022/23 compared to a profit of Rs 190.55m in 2021/22. Taragaon Regency Hotel’s revenue jumped by 99 percent in the last fiscal year as it recorded a business of Rs 1.38bn from Rs 692.62m in 2021/22.

Similarly, Chandragiri Hills, which operates a cable car and a five-star luxury resort in Kathmandu, has recorded a profit of Rs 151.16m in FY 2022/23 compared to a profit of 16.86m in 2021/22. Kalinchowk Darshan Ltd has made a profit of Rs 31.9m in the last fiscal year compared to a profit of Rs 14.84m in 2021/22.

However, City Hotel Ltd which runs Hyatt Place Hotel in Kathmandu recorded a loss of Rs 273.63m in 2022/23 compared to a loss of Rs 44.68m in FY 2021/22.

Chandragiri Hills General Manager (GM) Sanjeev Thapa said that the tourism business is increasing due to the healthy growth in tourist arrivals. “After the Covid-19 pandemic, the movement of local and foreign tourists is increasing in Nepal. As there have been no such ups and downs in the international market, foreign tourists’ arrival is also improving,” he said.

According to Thapa, Chandragiri Hills has been operating its cable car till 9.30 pm to facilitate tourists who want to experience the night view of Kathmandu “In addition to this, special packages have also been introduced which has helped the business flourish,” said Thapa.

With the easing of travel restrictions and China reponing outbound travel for its citizens, Nepali tourism entrepreneurs are pinning high hopes for 2023.

The number of tourist arrivals in the country has reached 534,207 in the first seven months of 2023. The tourist arrival has surged by 87.2 percent in the first seven months of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

While tourist arrivals have improved significantly compared to the last three years, the number is yet to touch the pre-Covid level. Nepal received 632,469 tourists in the first seven months of 2019. The arrival of foreigners in the first seven months of 2023 is 84.46 percent compared to the same period in 2019.

While the hotel sector is getting more visitors, their spending as well as average stay in Nepal has plummeted to a three-year low. According to the ‘Nepal Tourism Statistics-2022’ published by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, the average stay of tourists has dropped to 13.1 days in 2022. The average length of stay in 2021 was 15.5 days, a ten-year high. With tourists shortening their stay in Nepal, their spending too declined in 2022. The average daily spending of tourists declined to $40 per day, down from $48 per day in 2021.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 29.47 points to close at 2,045.45 points on Wednesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 4.30 points to close at 390. 28 points.

A total of 4,237,069-unit shares of 273 companies were traded for Rs 1. 51 billion.

Meanwhile, Kutheli Bukhari Small Hydropower Limited was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 9. 99 percent.

Likewise, Citizens Super 30 Mutual Fund was the top loser as its price fell by 7.42 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 06 trillion.

The CPN-UML has moved the Supreme Court against the vote of confidence taken unconstitutionally by Koshi Province Chief Minister Uddhav Thapa.

The UML filed a writ at the apex court arguing that Thapa sought the vote of confidence against the Constitution.

UML Koshi Province Parliamentary Party leader and former Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki along with other leaders had reached the Supreme Court to register the writ.

Speaker Israel Mansuri had also cast his vote while Thapa, also the Nepali Congress Koshi Province Parliamentary Party leader, was seeking a vote of confidence.

There is a provision that the Speaker cannot vote to form a new government. The Speaker can cast a decisive vote if there is a tie.   

UML Koshi Province Parliamentary Party Chief Whip Rewati Raman Bhandari said that the process of filing a petition in the Supreme Court has been taken ahead as the Chief Minister took the vote of confidence by violating the Constitution.

“We have given the writ. It is in the process of registration. The vote of confidence was sought against the Constitution, law and parliamentary practice. Our demand that it should be annulled,” he said.

Thapa was appointed as the Chief Minister on August 1.

He sought the vote of confidence from the Province Assembly on Monday.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has expressed his grief over the Dhading bus accident.

At least nine people were killed and over a dozen others injured when a passenger bus skidded off the road and plunged into the Trishuli river at Gajuri Rural Municipality-2 in Dhading district today.

The bus was heading towards Beni of Myagdi from Kathmandu.

Offering his condolences, PM Dahal directed the effective rescue efforts.

"I offer my heartfelt condolences to the deceased, and the bereaved families and well-wishers. While wishing for speedy recovery to the injured, I direct the Home administration, security agencies and local administration to carry out effective rescue efforts."