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The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 26. 80 points to close at 1,975.89 points on Sunday. Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 5. 55 points to close at 373. 95 points. A total of 4,772,140 unit shares of 260 companies were traded for Rs 1. 66 billion. Meanwhile, Shuvam Power Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9. 98 percent. Likewise, Goodwill Finance Limited Debeanture was the top loser with its price dropped by 6. 55 percent. At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 86 trillion.

The Election Commission will publish the final name list of the candidates vying for the election to the post of Vice-President by 5 pm today. Four people have filed their nominations for the election and the Office of the Election Commissioner is scheduled to publish the final name list today. According to the Office, prior to the publication of the name list, some procedures such as assessment of the nominations and complaints filed over them, publication of the preliminary name list, and withdrawal of candidacy will take place. The election of the Vice-President is taking place on March 17. Earlier, the Election Commission directed the election officers to ensure the registration of nominations that are different from the gender or community of the newly elected President.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 700 per tola in the domestic market on Sunday. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 103, 500 per tola today. The gold was traded at Rs 101, 800  per tola on Thursday. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 103, 000 per tola. Similarly, the price of silver has increased by Rs 25 is being traded at Rs 1,245 per tola today.

The Khumbupasanglhamu Rural Municipality has introduced a new plan for climate justice in Khumbu region also known as Everest region in Solukhumbu district. The rural municipality and the social organizations working in this area have joined hands in a strategic partnership to work effectively on the issue of climate change within the next five years. The rural municipality started the work by signing an agreement for five years in a program held in Khumjung. Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Indira Rana Magar, who had reached Khumbu, the high Himalayan area of Solukhumbu, for trekking among others, was also present in the program. Vice-Chairman Tashilhamu Sherpa on behalf of the rural municipality and Prajita Karki, Chairperson of the Sathsathai Foundation, signed the agreement. Speaking at the program held in Khumjung on Wednesday, Deputy Speaker Magar said that she saw many women facing problems due to the climate change while trekking in the Khumbu region. She was of the opinion that the government should organize a climate adaptation program in the Himalayan region. Saying that it was the positive step of the rural municipality to start a strategic work for climate justice, the Deputy Speaker expressed her commitment to extend all necessary facilitation to ensure the implementation of the program. Saying that the climate change has caused various problems in this region and it has directly affected the local people, House of Representatives lawmaker Manbir Rai of the Solukhukbu said that all should be united for local justice. “The problems of the people of Khumbu are the problems of the country. That is way, all the concerned agencies should join hands together to resolve the problem and to provide justice to the victims,” Rai said. Saying that various works are being carried out from the rural municipality level to resolve the problems seen in the people, rural municipality Chairman Mingmar Chiri Sherpa said that the partnership with the Sathsathai will be helpful more in the future. Saying that the local government has done significant work to protect the environment, Sherpa said that as Mount Everest is the property of the world, all should pay attention to protect this area. Chairperson of Sathsathai, is a women-focused non-profitable organization, Prajita Karki expressed her commitment to draw the attention of federal government and international platforms by studying the problems of the Khumbu area seriously. On the occasion of International Women’s Day, the Sathsathai organized a six-day trek from Lukka to Khumjung to understand the effects of climate change and to ask the problems of affected people. Sixteen people including Deputy Speaker Rana Magar, former Foreign Minister and National Assembly member Dr Bimala Rai Paudyal, Joint Secretary at the Agricultural Ministry Dr Sabnam Shivakoti, experts Dr Madhav Karki, Dr Yamuna Ghale, Saru Shrestha and Deepak Das among others took part in the trekking. During the trekking, the team including Deputy Speaker Rana Magar concluded that the climate change has badly affected agriculture, health and tourism in the area and said that a strategic work should be started in the coming days. The Sathsathai has also been carrying out various works in collaboration with Helambu Rural Municipality of Sindhulpalchok for climate justice. Earlier, a documentary on the adverse impact of climate change in Nepal was screened at the 27th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27) in Egypt. The documentary film on damage caused by climate change was made by Sathsathai Foundation.

Kathmandu University is all set to organize Habitat Innovation Conclave, 2023 on March 17 with the involvement of participants from across the globe. "HIC 2023 will provide a platform to graduated students for exchanging and sharing cutting-edge developments and research in energy, science and engineering," said Prof Dr Bim Prasad Shrestha (Convener for HIC 2023). "It will facilitate and enhance connections between academia, industry and stakeholders in the field of energy, science and engineering, and establish a scholarly research culture among graduated students for innovative ideas and research explorations," Shrestha added. Organized with an aim of rethinking the way we live through innovative habitats; Habitat Innovation Conclave is a platform for new-age innovators who think about solving existing problems with a new approach. The motto of the program is, 'Innovation and Sustainability: The Keys to our Future Habitats.' The Energy Efficient Building Design 2021 Batch and The Department of Mechanical Engineering, KU have come together to highlight the importance of energy efficiency, innovation, & habitat. Various stakeholders from all over the world will be sharing ideas on the topic. The major thematic areas of the Conclave include Innovative Building Materials, Building Codes Policies and Standards, Planning Design and Retrofitting with Emerging Technologies, Water and Sanitation, Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Women in Engineering and Habitat. Throughout the Conclave, participants will be engaged in product demonstrations, product simulations, paper presentations and panel discussions. The panel discussions include various speakers, including Deputy Director Dr. Roshan Raj Shrestha of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Deputy Chief of NEEP Narayan Prasad Chaulagain, President of NSET Dr. Amod Mani Dixit, Prof. Dr. Sangeeta Singh, Pulchowk Campus, Programme Manager of UN Habitat Pragya Pradhan, Founder of Abari Nripal Adhikary, Prof. Dr. Amy R Sapkota, School of Public Health Building, University of Maryland. Energy-efficient building design refers to the practice of designing buildings that consume minimal energy to maintain a comfortable indoor environment. This involves the use of a variety of techniques to reduce energy consumption, including the use of efficient lighting, HVAC systems, and insulation.  

Five persons died and 24 others were injured when a bus met with an accident at Kuhibhir in Phikkal-4 of Sindhuli on Sunday. The District Police Office, Sindhuli said that the identities of the deceased have not been established yet. The ill-fated bus (Ba 2 Kha 6596) carrying 29 persons were heading towards Kathmandu from Rumjatar of Okhaldhunga when the incident occurred. Police said that they are looking into the case.

Various political parties have started a protest expressing dissatisfaction over the naming of Province 1. Normal life in Sunsari, Morang and Jhapa districts has been affected due a bandh enforced by the Janata Samajbadi Party and Federal Limbuwan Party among others. Markets and shops pulled down their shutters from early morning in the districts while vehicles stayed off the roads. Janata Samajbadi Party central member Bhim Rai said that they were forced to enforce the bandh after their identity movement was ignored by naming Province 1 as Koshi Province forcefully. Janata Samajbadi Party another leader Sagar Chemjong has warned of stern protests if their demands are not addressed. The parties have mobilized hundreds of cadres on the streets to make bandh successful. Province 1 officially adopted Koshi as its new name on March 1.  

The Supreme Court has issued a show cause order in the two writ petitions filed against CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Giving a priority to the writ petitions, a single bench of Justice Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada on Friday issued the show cause order in the name of Dahal to furnish a written clarification within 15 days, Supreme Court spokesperson Bimal Paudel said. Advocates Gyanendra Raj Aran and Kalyan Budhathoki had filed writ petitions against Dahal. The duo filed separate writs at the Supreme Court demanding a criminal investigation and action against Dahal over war-era cases. While addressing a program held on January 15, 2020, Dahal had said that out of 17, 000 people killed in the Maoist insurgency, 5,000 were killed by the Maoist and he would take the responsibility for it. Aran and Budhathoki had tried to file petitions demanding that the court issue an order to arrest Dahal and punish him for taking the responsibility for 5,000 deaths, but the court administration had refused to do so, claiming that the issue was related to transitional justice. Earlier on Friday, a division bench of Justice Ishwor Khatiwada and Hari Prasad Phuyal ordered the Supreme Court administration to take petitions against Dahal. Then rebels had kidnapped and murdered advocate Aran’s father Tilakraj. Similarly, advocate Budhathoki’s father was displaced. The Supreme Court’s decision has rattled Prime Minister Dahal and his party. They are crying foul over what they say is a conspiracy to corner them by bringing up the conflict-era cases, which ought to be dealt by the transitional justice commissions.