Submit your Article

Nepal received foreign investment commitments worth Rs 24.10bn the first month of the current fiscal year. According to the Department of Industry, foreign investment commitments were received for 127 projects in August. The commitments received during the month are 163 percent higher than in the same period of the previous fiscal year when foreign investors had committed to invest Rs 9.15bn in 90 projects.

Monthly foreign direct investment approval data released by the department shows the total commitments have been made for 125 small-scale industries and two large-scale projects. Sectorwise, the agriculture sector received the highest investment in terms of value. The sector attracted investment of Rs 20.04bn, or 83 percent of the total investment commitments for the month, for just three projects.

The tourism sector came next, with 41 projects drawing Rs 3.02bn, or 13 percent of total commitments. In terms of project numbers, the ICT sector saw the highest interest, attracting 71 projects with total commitments of Rs 365.2m. The manufacturing sector received investment commitments of Rs 155m across three projects. One energy project secured Rs 184.2m in commitments. Similarly, eight projects in the service sector attracted Rs 335m in investment pledges.

These ventures have pledged to create 8,268 new jobs. Additionally, eight projects involving share purchases and subscriptions attracted Rs 1.99bn in commitments. The department also recorded five technology transfer agreements during the month. Meanwhile, foreign investors repatriated Rs 2.90bn as dividends in the first month of 2025/26, up from Rs 64m in the same period of the previous fiscal year. 

In 2024/25, Nepal received a total foreign investment commitment of Rs 64.96bn for 840 projects. These projects pledged to create 19,536 new jobs.  However, only about a third of the total commitments are actually realized. According to Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), only 37.89 percent of the total FDI pledged over the past decade was realized. Nepal received total FDI commitments worth Rs 395.92bn between 2014/15 and 2023/24. Of this, only Rs 126.29bn translated into actual investment.

India has reached its goal of blending 20 percent ethanol with petrol (E20) five years ahead of schedule, cutting nearly 70m tons of carbon dioxide emissions and saving $1.5bn in foreign exchange since 2014. The government calls it a key step in reducing emissions and oil imports, BBC reported.

However, many older vehicles are not E20-compatible, raising concerns over lower mileage and potential engine wear. Manufacturers offer kits or additives, but costs and insurance coverage remain issues for consumers.

According to BBC, the policy also affects food security. Ethanol relies on sugarcane and maize, and higher demand has led to maize imports and diversion of rice meant for subsidized distribution. Experts warn further expansion could strain agriculture unless yields improve or more land is cultivated.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called on Pakistan and Afghanistan to strengthen trilateral security and strategic cooperation, Reuters reported.

Speaking at a meeting in Kabul, Wang emphasized deepening law enforcement collaboration, combating terrorism including the East Turkestan Islamic Movement and respecting each country’s core interests while opposing external interference.

According to Reuters, he also encouraged expanding trade, investment, and regional connectivity.

China shares borders with both nations, including Xinjiang, a region previously affected by unrest linked to militants and separatists.

New Zealand’s central bank, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ), says recent interest rate cuts are taking longer to lift the economy, as global trade uncertainties and US tariffs weigh on business and consumer confidence, Reuters reported.

The RBNZ cut its policy rate to 3.00 percent on Wednesday, part of a 250-point reduction since August 2024, and signaled more cuts ahead.

Governor Christian Hawkesby said the economy is likely near its low point, with growth expected to pick up in the second half of the year.

China is weighing the use of yuan-backed stablecoins for the first time, signaling a major shift in its approach to digital assets. Sources say the State Council may soon approve a roadmap to promote the yuan globally, set regulatory responsibilities, and provide guidelines for risk prevention, Reuters reported.

Senior Chinese leaders are expected to meet to discuss yuan internationalization and stablecoins, defining the boundaries of their use in business. The move would reverse China’s 2021 ban on cryptocurrency trading and mining and aims to strengthen the yuan’s role in global payments, where its share recently dropped to 2.88 percent, far behind the US dollar’s 47.19 percent.

Implementation is expected to be overseen by the People’s Bank of China, with details to be unveiled in the coming weeks, according to Reuters.

CVS Health which runs the largest US pharmacy benefit manager, will not add Gilead Sciences’ new HIV prevention drug, Yeztugo, to its commercial or ACA plans for now, citing clinical, financial, and regulatory reasons. The drug, a twice-yearly injection priced over $28,000 annually, is not yet included in current US HIV prevention recommendations, Reuters reported.

Advocates call the decision a missed opportunity in fighting the epidemic, which affects 1.3m Americans annually. Gilead remains in talks with insurers and expects broad coverage by mid-2026. Yeztugo has already been added to government programs and state Medicaid plans, and trials show it is nearly 100 percent  effective in preventing HIV.

A Texas federal judge has ruled that Elon Musk must face a lawsuit alleging he misled voters with a $1m-a-day giveaway linked to a petition supporting the US Constitution, Reuters reported.

The suit, filed by Arizona resident Jacqueline McAferty, claims Musk and his PAC, America PAC, encouraged voters in key states to provide personal information under the promise of winning the prize, though there was no real chance to receive it.

Musk argued the giveaway wasn’t an illegal lottery, noting winners were expected to become PAC spokespeople. The judge said statements suggesting money could be “won” made it reasonable for participants to believe they had a chance, and that the collected data had real value in battleground states.

According to Reuters, the lawsuit was filed on Election Day 2024, and Musk and America PAC have not commented.

The Israeli military has begun preliminary operations around Gaza City ahead of a planned ground offensive, with troops holding the outskirts of the city. Defence Minister Israel Katz approved the operation, and 60,000 reservists are being called up to support it, BBC reported.

IDF forces are targeting Hamas infrastructure while warning civilians to evacuate. Hamas accused Israel of obstructing ceasefire efforts, while mediators Qatar and Egypt have proposed a 60-day truce and partial hostage release, which Israel has rejected.

The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that further military action could worsen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and endanger hostages. Since October 2023, over 62,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to BBC.