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The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 31. 43 points to close at 2,596.82 points on Thursday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 4. 35 points to close at 445. 77 points.

A total of 9,832,308-unit shares of 310 companies were traded for Rs 4. 76 billion.

Meanwhile, Support Microfinance Bittiya Sanstha Ltd. (SMB) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Narayani Development Bank Limited (NABBC) was the top loser with its price dropped by 9. 21 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 30 trillion.

Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and International Commission of Jurists have raised serious concerns over the process of appointing members to Nepal’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons.

In a joint letter addressed to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, the organizations said it is evident that the Recommendation Committee’s work is expected to meet standards of independence and impartiality, inclusivity, transparency and participation. They urged the government to form a new committee without delay to revisit this approach, addressing the concerns raised by victims, survivors, Nepali civil society and international organizations.

Competency, integrity and public trust in the commissioners are essential for the commissions to deliver their important mandates as envisioned in the law, they said, calling on the Prime Minister and the leaders of major political parties to ensure a conducive environment for selecting independent, impartial, competent, diverse and widely-accepted leadership for the commissions by consulting victims, survivors and civil society stakeholders.

Transitional justice requires adherence to international human rights law, international humanitarian law and international criminal law, they pointed out, calling on the Prime Minister and all relevant stakeholders to “safeguard the national and international legitimacy of this process”. With two prior failed attempts at transitional justice, the risk of a third failure looms large, their letter states: Such a failure could signal Nepal’s unwillingness or inability to ensure accountability for grave human rights violations including crimes under international law.

“To advance truth, justice and reparations within Nepal”, they strongly urged the Prime Minister and all stakeholders to take decisive action to appoint and empower a new recommendation committee to complete the work of selecting commissioners, ensure a transparent process including wider consultations with stakeholders and enable a process that leads to the appointment of independent, impartial and competent people to the commissions.

The process for the appointment of members to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons has been quite challenging. On 16 Dec 2024, the two months allotted to the Recommendation Committee to select candidates expired without the process being completed, and the committee recommended that the government form a new recommendation committee. The Committee earlier published a shortlist of candidates, drawing significant objections from conflict victim communities and other members of civil society. In a press release dated 7 Dec 2024, over two dozen victims’ and survivors’ groups expressed concerns, stating that “the list appears to favour individuals with contentious reputations for key positions and threatens the opportunity to meaningfully resolve transitional justice issues.” They urged the Recommendation Committee to consult with individuals excluded from the shortlist, include their names and ensure the selection process is impartial, transparent and competitive. The process must aim at selecting members on the basis of their competence in human rights and other relevant areas of international law, proven independence and recognized impartiality, and reflecting gender balance and a pluralist representation of society, they said.

On 9 Dec 2024, two former members of the National Human Rights Commission, along with a senior journalist and human rights advocate, issued a press note criticizing the Recommendation Committee for disregarding long-standing demands to appoint knowledgeable and credible individuals trusted by victim communities.

They expressed their “strong objection” to the current shortlist and warned that “neither the commission will have credibility nor can it expect cooperation from the human rights and conflict victim communities” if they are led by the shortlisted candidates. They have also called for the annulment of the current shortlist and the initiation of a new, more inclusive process.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 1, 700 per tola in the domestic market on Thursday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 149, 000 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 150, 700 per tola on Wednesday.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1, 780 per tola today.

Nepal received foreign investment commitments worth Rs 20.77bn for 319 projects over the first five months of the current fiscal year 2024/25. According to the monthly report on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) approvals published by the Department of Industries (DoI), a total investment commitment of Rs 2.11bn was recorded in the fifth month (mid-November to mid-December) alone.

FDI commitments for 138 projects worth Rs 2.13bn came via the automatic route, while investment commitments for 181 projects worth Rs 18.64bn were made through the normal approval route. These projects have proposed to create 9,206 new jobs.

Likewise, commitments of another Rs 1.54bn have been made for share purchase approvals for 27 projects.

The investment commitments have been made across six sectors—manufacturing, agriculture and forestry, tourism, services, infrastructure, and information and communication technology (ICT).

According to the report on foreign investment commitments, the tourism sector attracted the highest number of projects and the largest investment during the review period. Out of the 319 projects receiving FDI commitments, 145 (or 45 percent) were in the tourism sector. In terms of the committed amount, a significant 62 percent—equivalent to Rs 12.76bn—was directed toward tourism. The service sector ranked second, with total FDI commitments of Rs 4.83bn for 40 projects, followed by the manufacturing sector, which received commitments worth Rs 1.81bn for 22 projects.

While the ICT sector ranked second in terms of the number of projects, it attracted investment commitments of only Rs 678.71m.

However, just over a third of the total commitments are actually realised. According to Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), only 37.89 percent of the total FDI pledged over the past decade was realised. Between fiscal years 2014/15 and 2023/24, Nepal received total FDI commitments worth Rs 395.92bn. Of this amount, only Rs 126.29bn translated into actual investment.

In the fiscal year 2023/24, Nepal received Rs 61.9bn worth of FDI commitments. Only 13.57 percent of the committed amount, or Rs 8.4bn, was realised.

Rs 1.61bn repatriated in five months

Foreign investors took home Rs 1.61bn over the first five months of 2024/25 as returns from their investments.

According to the report, foreign investors transferred Rs 382.25m as royalty, Rs 851.6m as dividend and Rs 380.86m as service fee.

FDI approvals over first five months of FY 2024/25

Over Rs 100 million of revenue has been collected from 72,000 tourists visiting Chitwan National Park. A total of 72,461 people visited the park from mid-July to mid-December in the current fiscal year.

According to CNP's Information Officer and Conservation Officer Avinash Thapa Magar, the foreigners surpassed the domestic tourists in terms of visiting the park. The number of foreign tourists visiting the CNP during the reporting period was 33,730 while domestic tourists according to the record were 32,880.

According to him, 5,851 tourists from South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries visited the park during the period.

He further shared that revenue worth Rs 106.71 million was collected from domestic and foreign tourists visiting the park in the last five months.

Meanwhile, during this period, the park has released 41 gharial crocodiles reared at Gharial Breeding Center Kasara in the natural habitat. According to Officer Magar, 40 females and one male were released into the Rapti River three different times.

According to him, the park has been holding meetings and preparing action plans in collaboration with the locals for wildlife protection and poaching prevention.

Stating that the number of rhinos has increased in the western part of the park, he said preparations have been put in place to relocate them to the eastern region.

The relocation, he argued, is necessary for the conservation of rhinos in view of threats posed by flooding in the Narayani River.

Also present in the interaction as part of the preparation for internal relocation of rhinos were senior ecologist at the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Haribhadra Acharya, Chitwan National Park Office Senior Conservation Officer Dr Ganesh Panta, battalion commander of the new Gorakh Battalion, Divisional Forest Officer, Chairs of the Buffer Zone Users Committees, tourism committee officials as well as businesspersons and representatives of the local level.

The Ministry of Health and Population has imported 'Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)' vaccines administered against cervical cancer with the assistance of 'Global Alliance for Vaccine and Immunization (GAVI)'.

Director of the Supply Management Division of the Department of Health Services, Dr Pawan Jung Rayamajhi said 460,940 doses of the vaccine have been received. The vaccines have now been kept in the storage room at Teku and will be sent to the provinces gradually, he added.

The government has declared a vaccination drive from February 5 to protect adolescent girls from cancer from an early age.

As part of the 15-day campaign, 1,688,900 girls in the age group of 10 to 14 years from class 6 to 10 and out of school will be vaccinated, Child Health and Vaccination Section chief Dr Abhiyan Gautam informed. 

According to him, GAVI will provide only 1.77 million vaccines to Nepal. Every year, four women die of cervical cancer in Nepal.

Human papillomavirus infection is the main cause of increasing the risk of cervical cancer, so it is necessary to get vaccinated against the life-threatening disease.

Human papilloma infection is caused by pre-mature marriage, early child delivery, giving birth to more children, having children at short intervals and having sex with multiple people, excessive smoking and drinking, and not paying attention to genital hygiene.

Cervical cancer is the most common cancer among women in Nepal, followed by breast cancer.

This year marked a moment of pride for SAIM College as 44 Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) students earned their place on the prestigious Dean's List, a testament to their dedication and hard work. Among these high-achieving students, four distinguished themselves further by securing a perfect CGPA of 4.0/4.0—an extraordinary accomplishment that reflects their academic brilliance and perseverance.

The top achievers—Aryan Kumar Verma, Samjhana Dura, Bipashna Sodari, and Chhesang Lama—have set a new standard of excellence, embodying the spirit of discipline and grit that defines student life at SAIM.

Speaking on the milestone, Principal Ashok Raj Pandey shared his heartfelt congratulations: "This remarkable achievement reflects not just the hard work of our students but also the dedication of our faculty and the support of families. At SAIM, we are committed to fostering an environment where students can realize their full potential. To all our students, congratulations on this well-deserved success. You are the future leaders and changemakers, and your journey has just begun."

The journey to this success has been shaped by a supportive learning environment and a student-centric approach to education. SAIM College emphasizes collaboration, critical thinking, and innovation, ensuring every student has the opportunity to excel.

For the 44 students who made the Dean’s List, this recognition celebrates their perseverance and hard work. For the four students who achieved perfection, it is a hallmark of their outstanding determination and drive.

This achievement reaffirms SAIM College’s commitment to nurturing future leaders, fostering growth, and celebrating the stories of transformation behind every success.

Pokhara is set to host the BYD International Balloon Festival. The festival, organized by Balloon Nepal Pvt Ltd, will run from 24 Dec 2024 to 1 Jan 2025, in the picturesque Pame area of Pokhara. Nearly two dozen balloons will grace the skies, marking a major milestone in the country’s post-pandemic tourism revival.

The nine-day event will feature flights covering a three-kilometer stretch from Lauruk to Changkpur, offering breathtaking views of the Annapurna, Machhapuchhre, and Dhaulagiri ranges, as well as the Pokhara Valley. International participation from countries including the USA, UK, Spain, Japan, and Brazil underscores the event’s global appeal.

The festival will include vibrant attractions like balloon glows, fireworks, races, and night camps. Renowned Nepali artists, such as Deepak Bajracharya, Raju Lama, and Alina Chauhan, will perform daily, amplifying the festive atmosphere.

Promotional support comes from the Nepal Tourism Board, Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA), and Pokhara Metropolitan City. Brand ambassadors Rajesh Hamal and Priyanka Karki will further boost the event’s visibility.

The festival draws inspiration from globally celebrated events like the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in the USA and the Cappadocia International Balloon Festival in Turkey. With Balloon Nepal’s growing global presence, including participation in Thailand’s International Balloon Fiesta earlier this year, the event is poised to solidify Pokhara’s status as a hub for adventure tourism.