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The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 14. 29 points to close at 1,864.40 points on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 2. 34 points to close at 360. 78 points.

A total of 2,258,187-unit shares of 268 companies were traded for Rs 571 billion.

Meanwhile, Mahuli Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 6. 05 percent. Likewise, Sonapur Minerals and Oil Limited was the top loser as its price fell by 9. 98 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 87 trillion.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has appealed for world peace from Lumbini, the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.

Guterres, who reached Lumbini as part of his four-day official visit to Nepal this afternoon, appealed for world peace and harmony and brotherhood among all the people.

Prior to arriving in Lumbini, the United Nations Secretary General held separate meetings with senior leaders of various political parties in Kathmandu on Sunday. Then he left for the Everest region and tourist destination Pokhara.

Earlier this morning, Guterres had reached Nepal’s popular trekking destination Annapurna Base Camp.

While holding talks with the locals in the Base Camp, he acknowledged that climate change caused by development and industrial nations has adverse implications in Nepal which has no significant role in causing it.

Stating that global warming, a key aspect of climate change, has led to a rising level of snow melting, resulting in more incidences of landslides and floods.

Calling upon the rich and industrial nations to scale up the implementation of climate change coping strategies, he urged them to assist Nepal in its efforts to cope with the impact of climate change.

At the invitation of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, United Nations Secretary General Guterres arrived in Nepal on Saturday night.

He is scheduled to address the joint meeting of the Federal Parliament at 4 pm today.

The government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) today signed a concessional loan agreement for the implementation of Rural Connectivity Project-Additional Financing.

The agreement involves a loan amounting to USD 100 million, which is equivalent to around Rs 13 billion.

Finance Secretary Krishna Hari Pushkar and ADB Country Director for Nepal, Arnaud Cauchois, signed on the agreement on behalf of their respective sides in the Ministry today, according to the Ministry of Finance.

Similarly, the project agreement was signed by Bharat Prasad Aryal, Director General of the Department of Local Infrastructures, five province secretaries: Ramesh Kumar Singh, Amrit Shrestha, Shankar Prasad Pandit, Sunil Poudel and Vishnu Bhandari; and the ADB Country Director.

The project aims to strengthen rural road connectivity and enhance the capacity of rural infrastructure agencies and road users. The proposed assistance is expected to have a transformational impact by establishing and maintaining year-round road connectivity.

On the occasion, the Finance Secretary said," Rural communities are also vulnerable to climate change impact such as increasing frequency and intensity of flooding and landslides which can damage roads.  In this context, this project has a great relevance and significance in establishing and maintaining year-round connectivity to promote inclusion and growth in rural areas."

The ADB Country Director for Nepal expressed hope that the concessional loan would play a crucial role in improving rural connectivity by constructing all-weather roads and bridges across five out of seven provinces in Nepal, totaling 324 kilometers.

The Finance Secretary appreciated the ADB's continued support to Nepal's socio-economic development.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who is currently on a four-day official visit to Nepal, has pledged support for mitigating the impact of climate change in Nepal.

Guterres, who arrived at the Annapurna Base Camp this morning, acknowledged that climate change caused by development and industrial nations has adverse implications in Nepal which has no significant role in causing it.

Stating that global warming, a key aspect of climate change, has led to a rising level of snow melting, resulting in more incidences of landslides and floods.

Calling upon the rich and industrial nations to scale up the implementation of climate change coping strategies, he urged them to assist Nepal in its efforts to cope with the impact of climate change.

The UN Secretary General arrived here on a Nepali Army helicopter and upon his arrival, he was welcomed by local officials including Annapurna Rural Municipality Chair Bishnu Bahadur KC, Chhomrong Tourism Committee office-bearers and local tourism entrepreneurs. 

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

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 116, 000 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 116, 500 per tola on Monday.

Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 115, 450 per tola. It was traded at Rs 115, 950.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1,420 per tola today.

Foreign Minister NP Saud held a bilateral meeting with the US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken at the Department of State in Washington DC on Monday.

During the meeting, they exchanged views on matters of common interest in bilateral relations as well as regional and international issues of common concern.

On the occasion, both sides expressed satisfaction over the current state of bilateral relations between Nepal and the USA while renewing their commitment to expand and deepen engagements across the areas of mutual interests, said the Embassy of Nepal based in Washington DC, USA.

The Foreign Minister highlighted development priorities of Nepal in the context of the country’s graduation from the least developed country and called for enhanced levels of support from the United States in the areas of trade and investment, market access, food security and IT sector, among others.

He requested the United States for reauthorization and expansion of Nepal Trade Preference Program (NTPP) and GSP facilities by adding new exportable items of interest for Nepal.

Minister Saud thanked the US government for its continued cooperation for socio-economic development of Nepal, including the recent US assistance through USAID and Millennium Challenge Compact. Both sides stressed the importance of timely implementation of the projects under the MCC.

Appreciating Nepal’s progress in consolidating democratic governance, Secretary Blinken expressed that the US Government wishes to see Nepal as a strong and prosperous democracy. Secretary Blinken assured the Foreign Minister that the US would continue its support to Nepal’s development endeavors.

The two sides also exchanged views on Nepal-US cooperation in multilateral forums, and other matters of common concern in regional and global affairs, including the ongoing situation in the Middle-East.

The Foreign Minister signed the guest book at the State Department prior to the meeting.

During the bilateral meeting, Minister Saud was accompanied by Ambassador Sridhar Khatri and other senior officials from the Ministry and the Embassy. Secretary Blinken was accompanied by US Ambassador to Nepal Dean Thompson and senior officials from the Department of State.

Later in the evening, Ambassador Sridhar Khatri hosted a reception at his residence in honor of the Foreign Minister in presence of senior officials from various US agencies including the White House, Department of State, USAID, and MCC, as well as members of diplomatic corps, and representatives of Nepali American community.

Foreign Minister arrived in Washington DC for the bilateral visit on Monday morning.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has reached Lumbini, the birth place of Buddha, to welcome United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres. The United Nations Secretary General will visit Lumbini today.

The UN high official, who is on a four-day official visit to Nepal, is arriving here from Pokhara.

After arriving in Lumbini, Guterres will be escorted in a car from Lumbini Gate No 4 up to the Peace Lamp site.

Sanu Raja Shakya, the Member-Secretary of the Lumbini Development Trust (LDT), said that the Buddhist abbots, vikkhus, priests, nuns from the monasteries and the local mothers’ groups, various community groups including the indigenous Tharu and the hotel entrepreneurs at the Lumbini Sanskritik Municipality will welcome the UN Secretary-General from the Shanti Deep (peace lamp) to the Mayadebi Temple, lining up on both sides of the route. 

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati, Chief Minister of Lumbini Province Dil Bahadur Chaudhary and LDT officials will also be there to welcome the visiting UN dignitary.

Minister Kirati and Chief Minister Chaudhary arrived here on Monday itself.

It has been learnt that Guterres will give a message of world peace from the Buddha's birthplace. He will plant a sapling in Lumbini.  Secretary General Guterres will leave here for Kathmandu at 10.30 am.

LDT senior director Gyanin Rai said the UN Secretary-General's visit to the world heritage site, Lumbini, will give further publicity to the Buddha's birthplace and his message of peace. It will also help promote tourism in Lumbini.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, who arrived in Pokhara on Monday in the course of his four-day official visit to Nepal, has left for the Annapurna Base Camp.

He left for the Base Camp on a helicopter of the Nepali Army this morning.

The UN high dignitary will hold talks with the locals on the impact of climate change in the Himalayan region, the condition of the mountains among other topics upon reaching the Base Camp, it has been said. The Base Camp is situated at 4, 130 meters above sea level.

All preparations have been completed for welcoming the Secretary General, said Dilip Gurung, the Secretary of the Chhomrong Tourism Committee.

The Annapurna Base Camp is a world-famous and highly rated destination in trekking tourism. The trek around the base of Mt Annapurna is considered as one of the best treks of the world. Mt Annapurna is the tenth highest mountain in the world at 8,091 meters (26,545 ft) above sea level and is well known for the difficulty and danger involved in its ascent.

The Annapurna started drawing the attention of mountaineers around the world after French climber Maurice Herzog led a French expedition to its summit through the north face in 1950, making it the first eight-thousand-meter peak ever successfully climbed.

Tourists specially from Europe, America, Malaysia, China, Korea come for trekking in the Annapurna Base Camp. 

This area has become a popular trekking destination after the world-renowned trekker Eric Simpton trekked to the Annapurna Base Camp in 1996, one and a half decades after the first ascent of the peak.

A marathon competition is held every year from the Annapurna Base Camp to Ghandruk on the occasion of the Annapurna Ascent Day marking the first ascent of the mountain for highlighting the prestige and significance of Mt Annapurna.

Annapurna Base Camp Trek offers spectacular mountain views and gives the opportunity to experience the typical Nepali village, local people and their way of living traditional life in Himalaya. The Annapurna Base Camp route passes through magnificent and tranquil landscapes, charming Gurung and Magar villages, lush green Rhododendron, bamboo and alpine forests.