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The number of tourists visiting Mustang has gone up even in the winter season. 

The number of tourists has sharply increased in the district this January as compared to corresponding period of the last year.

According to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) under the National Trust for Nature Conservation, Mustang, 10,822 foreign tourists entered Mustang in January, 2026. 

ACAP, Mustang, Chief Rajesh Gupta shared that 10,045 tourists from SAARC countries visited Mustang in this January while 777 from other countries.  

According to ACAP, Jomsom Office, the number of foreign tourists visiting Mustang was 4,346 in January, 2025. 

The number of tourists increased by 6,476. 

Out of 6,476 foreign tourists—3830 were from SAARC countries and the remaining 830 from other countries. 

Mustang had welcomed 161,142 foreign tourists from January to December, 2025. 

Chief Gupta added that, specially, the number of Indian tourists to pay homage to Muktinath Temple has remarkably increased. 

The ACAP has estimated that around 200,000 foreign tourists would visit Mustang in 2026.

The Israeli documentary Gimpel the Fool Returns to Poland, directed by renowned actor and filmmaker Howard Rypp, won First Prize at the 7th Nepal Cultural International Film Festival 2026, in recognition of its outstanding cinematic excellence, powerful storytelling, artistic merit, and meaningful contribution to global cinema.

Inspired by the short story Gimpel the Fool by late Nobel Laureate Isaac Bashevis Singer, the film generated  significant interest and discussion, particularly around the author’s life, legacy, and the film’s exploration of Jewish history and the Holocaust. 

Rypp—founder of Nefesh Theatre—visited Nepal to represent Israel through the documentary. 

The Embassy of Israel in Kathmandu facilitated special screenings of the documentary at Dibyabhumi Multiple College and Imperial World School in Kathmandu. 

Students and faculty members attended the screenings in Rypp’s presence, where he shared insights into the film’s background, themes, creative process, and historical context.

Through such programs , the Embassy of Israel continues to promote cross-cultural understanding and strengthen people-to-people ties between Israel and Nepal.

A senior British Army officer arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday. 

Lieutenant General Michael Richard Elvis of the British Army arrived in Kathmandu this afternoon.

He came to Nepal to participate in a program of  the Royal Gurkha Rifles.

According to a source, he arrived in Nepal in coordination with the British Embassy in Kathmandu.

His team includes three British Army officers.

Lieutenant General Elvis is currently serving as Commander Field Army.

Prime Minister Sushila Karki has urged the youth to be disciplined and devote themselves to the service of society and the nation.

Addressing the final graduation ceremony of the 20th Batch Senior Division National Cadet Corps (NCC) training, run by the Mid-Region Training School of the Nepali Army at Hattikhor, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East), PM Karki said youth participation and leadership roles will be more effective in society for building an advanced society.

“I especially urge and request the youth to make discipline a way of life, to consistently carry out their duty, to practise respect in life, studies, and daily service, and to translate patriotism into action,” said Prime Minister Karki on the occasion.

Calling upon the NCC graduates to present themselves as honest, dutiful and responsible citizens through their actions, she urged them to strengthen national unity and social harmony by embracing the feeling of 'I am Nepali' while respecting the diversity of languages, cultures and ethnicities.

The Prime Minister said that priority will be given from next year to increasing the number of students trained annually through the National Cadet Corps program and stated that the training has been fruitful in teaching young people duty and discipline.

"The discipline, punctuality, leadership skills and sense of patriotism taught by the NCC are lessons for life," said Prime Minister Karki.

Out of a total of 7,710 students undergoing the NCC training in the current fiscal year 2082/83, 1,080 have graduated in the senior division and 6,630 in the junior division, according to Lieutenant Colonel Dinesh Chaulagain, the Principal of the National Cadet Corps Mid-Region Training School.

In the NCC training involving students from 77 districts at four training schools, 530 students have been inducted at the National Cadet Corps' Mid-Region Training School located in Hattikhor, Kawasoti Municipality-1, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta East).

NCC training aims to develop in youth a sense of national service and capacity for disaster management, social leadership, the ability to work in a team, and responsibility towards civic concerns. The NCC Mid-Region Training School has been providing regular training to hundreds of school-level students each year.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 12. 58 points to close at 2, 683. 15 points on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 2. 45 points to close at 456. 71 points.

A total of 18,703,183-unit shares of 322 companies were traded for Rs 1. 53 billion.

Meanwhile, Kalinchowk Darshan Limited (KDL) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise, Sanvi Energy Limited (SANVI) was the top loser as their price fell by 4. 63 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 50 trillion.

Singapore Airlines plans to operate two weekly wide-body flights between Singapore and Kathmandu from March 4 to 24 April, 2026, boosting capacity during Nepal’s spring season. Operating on Wednesdays and Fridays, the wide-body aircraft offers 337 seats, including fully-flat Business Class beds, enhanced Economy Class seating, KrisWorld entertainment with over 1,900 options, and unlimited complimentary Wi-Fi for eligible customers. The move supports increased spring travel demand, benefiting Nepalese returning home, outbound holiday travelers, and international visitors arriving for the peak trekking season.

A leopard was found dead on the bank of Mahalaxmi stream located at Thaha Municipality-9 in Makawanpur district.

Locals informed police after they saw the dead leopard on Monday evening. 

Soon after getting the information, a team deployed from Chitlang Area Police Office managed the body of leopard at Godamchour in presence of chairperson and office-bearers of Margin Community Forest Users’ Committee, local people's representatives and locals, said Spokesperson of the District Police Office, Pushkar Bogati. 

Police said that they are looking into the case. . 

The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors has approved a $95 million operation to help expand access to finance for more than 100,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and promote job-led growth in Nepal.

“This operation will strengthen Nepal’s Deposit and Credit Guarantee Fund (DCGF) to expand risk-sharing, enhance financial sustainability, and introduce new guarantee products for underserved segments such as women-led businesses,” said David Sislen, World Bank Country Division Director for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.

He added that by easing access to finance and reducing transaction barriers, the operation will broaden financial inclusion, support the integration of MSMEs into regional and global value chains, and foster job creation and private sector–led growth.

According to the World Bank (WB), the Sustainable and Inclusive Finance Project (SIF) builds on reforms supported under the World Bank financed Financial Sector Stability and Finance for Growth Development Policy Credit (DPC) series, concluded in 2024, which prioritized access to finance for underserved segments as a key pillar.

Complementing these efforts, the project will invest in technology and institutional capacity of the Credit Information Bureau of Nepal (CIBN) to expand data coverage, integrate alternative data sources, and enhance data security and privacy.

The International Finance Corporation has been supporting CIBN in this endeavor. The project also aligns with the Government of Nepal’s recently approved second Financial Sector Development Strategy.

“Inadequate collateral and limited credit histories have long constrained SMEs’ access to affordable finance while limiting lenders’ ability to accurately assess credit risk,” said Sabin Raj Shrestha, Senior Financial Sector Specialist for South Asia Region, and Task Team Leader for the operation. 

“The DCGF will be strengthened by upgrading its management information system, improving claims-settlement efficiency, and transitioning to risk-based pricing and first-loss coverage.”