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Pakistan Embassy in Kathmandu has organized a flag hoisting ceremony to mark the 79^th Independence Day of Pakistan.

According to a statement issued by Embassy, Pakistani community, Nepali friends and Embassy officials with their families attended the ceremony. This year the Independence Day was celebrated with the zeal of victory in “Marka-e-Haq, Embassy said in the statement.

In his message, Asif Ali Zardari, President of Pakistan, said that Independence Day is a reminder of the courage, unity, and sacrifices that led to the creation of Pakistan.  Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that the past 78 years tell a tale of resilience, strong faith and a hope of a bright future when as a nation, the countrymen braved several difficult challenges.

Abrar H Hashmi, Ambassador of Pakistan to Nepal paid tribute to the historic struggle of 1947 and the sacrifices of the nation’s forefathers. He specifically praised the role of leadership and the Armed Forces of Pakistan in thwarting Indian aggression in the recent Marka-e-Haq.

The Ambassador reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to peace, progress and that nation will stand together in the face of any challenge.  While celebrating the victory in “Marka-e-Haq”, a solemn prayer was also offered for the martyrs who laid lives in the struggle leading to preservation of ‘Azadi”.

The US State Department approved a possible $346 million weapons sale to Nigeria to help improve security in the sub-Saharan country, the Pentagon said Wednesday, Associated Press reported.

Congress was notified and would need to approve the sale, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement. The agency is a division of the Department of Defense body that provides technical assistance and oversees transfers of defense equipment.

The weapons requested by Nigeria include munitions, bombs and rockets, according to Associated Press.

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said he will approve plans to build more than 3,000 homes in a controversial settlement project in the occupied West Bank - a move he said will prevent the creation of a Palestinian state, Associated Press reported.

The so-called E1 project between Jerusalem and Maale Adumim settlement has been frozen for decades amid fierce opposition internationally. Building there would effectively cut off the West Bank from occupied East Jerusalem and significantly obstruct its territorial contiguity. 

"The plan will bury the idea of a Palestinian state," Smotrich said, according to Israeli media.

Settlements are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this, according to Associated Press.

Newly appointed Vice Chancellors (VCs) of four health science academies took the oath of office and secrecy today before Prime Minister and Chancellor KP Sharma Oli on Thursday.

The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar where Prof Dr Bikram Prasad Shrestha (BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences), Associate Prof Dr Pujan Kumar Rokaya (Karnali Academy of Health Sciences),  Prof. Dr Buddhi Prasad Paudel (Patan Academy of Health Sciences) and Dr Bharat Khatri (Pokhara Academy of Health Sciences) took the oath of office and secrecy.

The Millennium Challenge Account-Nepal (MCA-Nepal) today signed two major contracts to advance the compact’s Electricity Transmission Project, jointly funded by the governments of Nepal and the United States.

In a press statement today, the MCA-Nepal said, "Following the successful completion of the foreign aid review, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Nepal Compact resumed work with renewed momentum and shared commitment from both governments."

The development underscores the shared commitment of both governments to delivering on one of Nepal’s most transformative infrastructure partnerships, it has been said.

After a competitive international bidding process, MCA-Nepal awarded the Lot 2 contract (Ratmate to New Damauli) to Angelique-Skipper JV and the Lot 3 contract (New Damauli to New Butwal) to WAIBA-SALASAR JV, according to the press release. 

Combined, these contracts are valued at approximately USD 154.5 million and will cover the design, installation, testing, and commissioning of 180 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines, the MCA-Nepal said. 

MCA-Nepal Executive Director Khadga Bahadur Bisht and company representatives signed the agreements in the presence of MCC’s Acting Deputy Vice President, representatives from the MCC Resident Country Mission, officials from the US Embassy, Nepal’s Ministry of Finance, and the Nepal Electricity Authority. 

“MCC reaffirms the United States’ investment in mutual priorities and Nepal’s development goals,” said Acting Deputy Vice President John Wingle. “We are honored to work alongside our Nepali counterparts to improve the availability and reliability of electricity in Nepal and enhance regional power trade and integration,” the statement adds.  

Ghanashyam Upadhyaya, Secretary at the Ministry of Finance and Chairperson of the MCA-Nepal Board of Directors, appreciated the financial support from the US Government to materialize the Government of Nepal's plan to construct transmission lines and substations, and expressed continued government support for this program.

"This milestone is more than a construction contract; it’s a tangible symbol of the United States’ enduring commitment to Nepal’s growth and prosperity,” said US Embassy Nepal’s Chargé d’Affaires Jason Meeks. “Through this partnership, we are not only creating power lines and economic infrastructure but also accelerating Nepal’s long-term growth. The MCC compact is a cornerstone of cooperation between Nepal and the United States. We’re proud to be moving forward together to benefit all citizens of Nepal.”

MCA-Nepal Executive Director Bisht added, “We appreciate the US  Government’s unwavering support and final approval to move the compact forward. This milestone reflects the shared commitment of all stakeholders and the Government of Nepal to this National Pride Project. We remain focused on successful implementation through sustained collaboration.” 

The MCC Nepal Compact represents a landmark USD 697 million investment in Nepal’s long-term economic development, laying a foundation for increased private sector investment. 

Through its Electricity Transmission and Road Maintenance Projects, the compact is designed to boost connectivity and unlock economic growth by strengthening critical infrastructure, enhancing cross-border energy trade, and improving Nepal’s transportation network. 

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 4. 12 points to close at 2, 789. 87 points on Thursday.

The sensitive index, however, dropped by 0. 73 points to close at 479. 03 points.

A total of 19,258,445-unit shares of 320 companies were traded for Rs 7. 46 billion.

Meanwhile, Nepal Republic Media Limited (NRM) was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 9. 99 percent. Likewise, NIC Asia Flexi CAP Fund (NICFC) was the top loser as its price fell by 8. 31 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 1. 57 trillion.

A series of attacks against Pakistani police by militants left five officers dead and eight wounded in the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, officials said, Associated Press reported.

There were four attacks with three resulting in officer casualties Thursday, police said.

Most died or were injured in a single attack in the Upper Dir district when armed men ambushed a police van early Thursday. Three officers died and seven were injured during the routine patrol, police official Ismail Khan said.

In the Peshawar suburb of Hassan Khel, armed men opened fire on a police station with automatic weapons. One officer died and another was wounded in an exchange of fire, Peshawar Capital City Police Officer Qasim Ali Khan said, according to Associated Press.

Israeli gunfire killed at least 25 people seeking aid in Gaza on Wednesday, health officials and witnesses said, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu again called for what he refers to as the voluntary migration of Palestinians from the war-ravaged territory, Associated Press reported.

Netanyahu wants to realize U.S. President Donald Trump’s vision of relocating much of Gaza’s population of over 2 million people through what he refers to as “voluntary migration” — and what critics have warned could be ethnic cleansing, according to Associated Press.

“Give them the opportunity to leave! First, from combat zones, and also from the strip if they want,” Netanyahu said in an interview aired Tuesday with Israeli TV station i24 to discuss the planned offensive in areas that include Gaza City, where hundreds of thousands of displaced people shelter. “We are not pushing them out but allowing them to leave.”