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The price of gold has increased by Rs 900 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 147, 800 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 146, 900 per tola on Monday.

Similarly, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 147, 100 per tola. It was traded at Rs 146, 200 per tola.

The price of silver, however, has decreased by Rs 10 and is being traded at Rs 1,875 per tola today.

Three children swept away by a flooded stream have been found buried, while a person went missing.

The flooded Jhinchaur rivulet swept away some houses at Athbiskot Municipality-12 in Rukum Paschim district last night.

Those washed away by the flood were Hit Maya Pun (8), Dhanisha Pun (5) and Manisha Sarki (4). Similarly, 40-year-old Dilli Bahadur Budhathoki has gone missing, according to Rabi KC, Mayor of Athbiskot municipality.

Moreover, Bijay Sarki (10), Anisha Pun (22), Janak Khatri (29), Mansari Pun (65), Mexan Pun (4), Dhan Maya Pun (20) and Kalpana Kami (65) were injured in the flooding.

Mayor KC further informed that as three children were found buried, it was difficult to pull them out from the mudslide.

Efforts are on to take the injured ones to the municipal hospital at Radi.

Police personnel and locals are carrying out rescue operations.  

The annual general meeting of the Nepal chapter of PEN International, an international organization of writers, has concluded. The meeting, chaired by PEN Nepal President Ram Kumar Pandey, also elected a new working committee. According to the constitution of PEN, Bhishma Upreti has been elected as the president of the newly elected working committee, Hiranya Kumari Pathak as the Vice-president, and Mitrabandhu Poudel as the general secretary. Electoral Officers Shiromani Dawadi and Shushma Chitrakar awarded certificates to the elected officers, confirming their official status.

Senior writer and linguist Chunamani Bandhu, while addressing the formal session of the general meeting, emphasized that as PEN is an international organization, it is necessary to translate Nepali works to internationalize Nepali literature while maintaining its dignity. He also suggested being active institutionally to represent the entire Nepali literary world in the future.

On the same occasion, the book ‘Literary Leadership’ was released by Pandey, which reflects his extensive experience as the president of PEN Nepal and contains the activities, experiences, and insights from his tenure. He also passed proposals to reduce the term of PEN’s working committee from five years to three years, award annual prizes to English books based on Nepali literature, and revise the statute as needed.

The National Child Friendly Local Governance Forum (NCFLGF), in collaboration with Jagriti Child and Youth Concern Nepal (JCYCN), successfully concluded a four-day training of trainers on Child Friendly Local Governance (CFLG) and Nutrition Friendly Local Governance (NFLG). The training, held from July 8-11, aimed to enhance the competencies of CFLG campaigners from various parts of the country, providing them with the latest knowledge and skills in child-friendly and nutrition-friendly governance.

Inaugurating the training, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration (MOFAGA) said, “Our goal is to capacitate our partners and campaigners to drive real change in their communities.” He further said, “This training is a crucial step towards ensuring that child-friendly and nutrition-friendly governance becomes a reality at the local level.” 

In his welcome speech, Tilottam Paudel, Strategic Advisor to the National CFLG Forum, emphasized the need to advance these campaigns and the importance of training like this in empowering campaigners. “Identifying and engaging with key stakeholders is crucial for the successful implementation of CFLG and NFLG initiatives,” he noted. 

Uma Magar from World Vision International Nepal highlighted World Vision’s commitment to child welfare and their alignment with the CFLG initiative. She also showcased some successful projects and interventions supporting child development and protection. 

Shiva Ranjan Poudyal from the National Planning Commission presented the context on MSNP and its linkages with SDG goals. 

Lila Bikram Thapa, Head of the Nutrition Department at the Ministry of Health, delivered the presentation on fundamental nutrition, emphasizing the role of nutrition specialists and the integration of nutrition-focused practices into health institutions. Resham Kandel, Under Secretary of MoFAGA, presented on the steps and institutional structure of CFLG and NFLG. He highlighted the interconnectedness of these governance models and the importance of a coordinated approach. “Understanding the link between CFLG and NFLG is essential for maximizing our efforts and achieving sustainable outcomes,” Kandel mentioned. 

Sujan Adhikari from Bhaktapur shared, “The training was crucial for empowering local levels, providing essential knowledge and skills for effective governance.” 

Pooja Pokhrel added, “We’ve been actively involved in nutrition and CFLG, but merging these two is a new challenge. This training has given me deeper insights and tools to address this effectively.” 

Namaraj Thapa from Dailekh emphasized, “We need to integrate these campaigns to ensure nutrition and impact reach every child, especially those in the Karnali region.” Participants were actively involved in group discussions, exploring the indicators of CFLG and NFLG, identifying necessary activities, and outlining collaboration strategies with various stakeholders. 

During the training, Ashok Khanal, Coordinator of NCFLG Forum, facilitated sessions on Bal Bhela (child gatherings) using various interactive instruments designed to engage children. These tools included games, storytelling, and participatory activities aimed at making children feel involved and heard in governance processes.

Rasila Dhamala, Program Coordinator of the NCFLG Forum, noted that the NCFLG Forum was established in 2017 by former members of Child Clubs to promote Child Friendly Local Governance. 

A total of 30 participants representing various working areas of WVIN, CFLG campaigners, and NCFLGF members attended the training conducted with the assistance of World Vision International Nepal (WVIN).

Newly appointed Prime Minister KP Oli has said that he is ready to cooperate with neighboring country India.

Thanking his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi, Prime Minister Oli said that he is committed to work together.

PM Oli took to social media and said: “I would like to thank you for the best wishes. I am ready to cooperate with you for mutual benefit and to strengthen Nepal-India relations. We can take the historic relationship to a new height.”

Earlier, Indian Prime Minister Modi had congratulated Oli on his appointment as the Prime Minister of Nepal.

The Indian Prime Minister had said that he was ready to work closely to further strengthen the friendship between the two countries.

He emphasized that the two countries should work together for the progress and prosperity of the people.

Newly appointed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli assumed office today.

After taking the oath of office and secrecy, he visited Lainchaur to pay homage to the martyrs and headed to the CPN-UML’s party headquarters in Chyasal of Lalitpur.

The CPN-UML Chair Oli became the 45th Prime Minister with the support of Nepali Congress, the largest party in the Parliament. 

In Chyasal, he laid a wreath at the portraits of founding leader of Nepal Communist Party, Pushpa Lal Shrestha, party's former Chair Man Mohan Adhikari and party's then General Secretary Madan Bhandari.

Then he reached Singha Durbar to assume office at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

Officiating Chief Secretary Leeladevi Gadtaula, secretaries and the government senior officials welcomed the new Prime Minister. 

According to his Secretariat, the decisions made on the very first day of taking charge of his office by the new Prime Minister would be unveiled soon.

President Paudel had on July 14 appointed CPN-UML Chair Oli as the Prime Minister in accordance with Article 76 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 17. 18 points to close at 2,240.41 points on Monday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 4. 07 points to close at 397. 18 points.

A total of 25,079,079-unit shares of 322 companies were traded for Rs 8. 73 billion.

Meanwhile, Civil Bank Debenture 2088 (CBLD88) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Janaki Finance Company Limited (JFL) was the top loser as its price fell by 10. 00 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 55 trillion.

Nabil Bank celebrated its 40th anniversary and extended its commitment to a sustainable future on Friday amid an event in Kathmandu. Coinciding with the anniversary, the bank plans to provide customers more opportunities and facilities. “In this regard, we have begun implementing a sustainable banking system to reduce emissions, invest in renewable energies and to promote socio-economic development,” said Gyanendra Dhungana, CEO of the Bank.

He expressed gratitude to the clients, employees, investors and others working to sustain long-lasting relationships. “The bank has focused on specific development to provide service through technology.”

Chairperson of Nabil Bank, Upendra Prashad Paudyal; Managing Director of Nepal Electricity Authority, Kul Man Ghising; Country Representative of WWF Nepal, Ghana Shyam Gurung; Director-General of ICIMOD, Pema Gyamtsho; and National Director of Habitat for Humanity International Nepal, Eliza Sthapit, were among the attendees.

According to Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, coordinator of the UN Resident in Nepal, “Banks can empower individuals and small businesses, promote ecotourism, and support digital transformation by promoting the use of digital finance and inter probability where the digital transformation is needed to access all the digital services by investing in digital infrastructure.” Since its inception, the bank has always provided technology-based services, claims the Bank. “More than 60 services are currently available via mobile.” The event also featured a panel discussion.

Beginning the Q&A session with the panelists, journalist Bhusan Pathak expressed gratitude to Nabil Bank for the opportunity and offered kind wishes to each and every participant and stakeholder. The purpose of the session was to learn more about their motivation for collaborating and about more about new planning. Nabil Bank’s Chairperson Paudyal said they aim to provide training for new entrepreneurs, adding: Our sustainable banking initiative is meant to provide long-term service and not short-term profit.  Since 2018, we have additionally established an environmental risk management system, and much progress has been accomplished.”

“The banking sector has a tremendous opportunity as it converts to sustainability. The bank needs to beware and invest in hydropower and linear infrastructure development, which is linked worldwide,” said Gurung, recognized as the WWF Network’s Snow Leopard Champion. Sthapit shared her thoughts on relationship building, interrelation and partnership with Nabil. 

Gyamtsho addressed water management and air pollution, saying, “Investing in and conserving hydroelectricity for people in need can help ensure sustainability. To combat air pollution, one must be able to invest in electric vehicles in Kathmandu’s most polluted areas. He added, “This brings out a huge opportunity for a bank to look forward to sustainability.”

According to Ghising, sustainability is crucial for social and economic as well as environmental reasons. “EVs are now operating in rural areas of Nepal also, and this transformation has been made possible by a reliable supply of hydropower,” he continued. “Demand and investment in induction EV charging stations are also crucial. Our electricity export now surpasses imports,” he said, calling for stronger commitments on the part of the government on the development front. 

Nabil Bank has been providing services through 22 extension counters and 316 ATM machines with a network of 268 branches across the country, serving more than 2.2m customers through direct banking services.