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The price of gold has dropped by Rs 2, 700 per tola in the domestic market on Wednesday. 

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 167, 500 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 170, 200 per tola on Tuesday.

Similarly, the price of silver has dropped by Rs 15 and is being traded at Rs 1, 930 per tola today.

Number of birds has increased in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve this year.

The birds count recently undertaken in and around the Reserve has revealed the rise in the number of birds this year.

According to the Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve Office, a total of 9,250 birds of 76 species have been found in the count conducted under the Midwinter Water Word Census 2025.

Last year, 5,527 birds of 53 species were found.

During the census, the highest number of 1,068 birds of the Chakhewa species and the lowest number of white eagles, panichaha, chitrangada and tiktike were found this year, said Senior Conservation Officer at the Reserve, Ramdev Chaudhary.

Chief of the National Trust for Conservation of Nature Koshi Conservation Center, Birendra Gautam said that the number of birds visiting the wetlands will increase with arrangement of safe habitats, adequate food, conservation of wetlands and reducing human movement.

He said that the trend of tourist birds coming from other places to the wetlands continues from mid-September to mid-December.

The birds normally return after mid-April.

Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve located in Sunsari, Saptari and Udayapur has become the prime habitat of birds. 

Nepali Congress lawmaker Deepak Giri has requested the government to immediately provide justice to agitating Swargadwari Guthi victim farmers.

Speaking in an emergency hour of today's meeting of the House of Representatives, Giri shared, "Swargadwari is one of the major pilgrimage sites of the country. The government should pay attention for its protection and promotion."

Swargadwari Guthi victims have been staging protest for the past few days, citing the government did not implement the agreement signed with them.

Similarly, Hitraj Pandey of the CPN (Maoist Center) mentioned that the government has ignored the overall activities of the parliament and not wanted to listen the voices of people's representatives, saying the issues determined for the discussion in the meeting are removed from the agenda time and again.

Mahesh Bartaula of the CPN-UML expressed the view that there was no reason to object on it as the Regulations of the Parliament has the provision for making changes on agendas.

Likewise, Shishir Khanal of the Rastriya Swatantra Party raised question why the police did not carryout investigation of All Nepal National Free Students' Union ASCOL College involved in manhandling police and why Ashika Tamang was kept in custody for 15 days with handcuffs.

Lawmakers—Ganesh Parajuli, Sita Mijar, Sushila Sirpali Thakuri and Dikpal Kumar Shahi also expressed their views on contemporary issues in emergency hour. 

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 6. 54 points to close at 2, 683. 86 points on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 0. 50 points to close at 450. 15 points.

A total of 13,968,258-unit shares of 299 companies were traded for Rs 7. 24 billion.

Meanwhile, Sikles Hydropower Limited (SIKLES), Bhagawati Hydropower Development Company Limited (BGWT) and Rasuwagadhi Hydropower Company Limited (RHPL) were the top gainers today, with their price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise, Bhugol Energy Development Company Limited (BEDC) was the top loser as its price fell by 10.00 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 45 trillion.

President Ram Chandra Paudel has appointed Nepali Ambassador to Thailand, Dhan Bahadur Oli, as non-resident ambassador to Lao People's Democratic Republic.

The appointment was made today on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers as per the Article 282 (1) of the Constitution of Nepal, according to the Office of the President. 

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has installed 'on-demand pedestrian crossings' (Pelican system) at 36 locations to prioritize pedestrian safety.

This system was first implemented in Babarmahal and has since been expanded to other locations in the current fiscal year.

According to Jagatman Shrestha, traffic management advisor at the KMC Office, although the system has been set up at 36 locations, it is currently operational at 13.

Technical work is going on to make the system functional at the remaining sites.

Areas such as Thamel, Maharajgunj, Naxal, Baluwatar, Gaushala, Exhibition Road, Bagbazar, and Tahachal are among those featuring this system.

For the current fiscal year, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has allocated a budget of Rs 20 million for the implementation of this project.

The Pelican system works by displaying a green signal for pedestrians at the zebra crossing when they activate the button.

The green light lasts for 30 seconds, while the vehicles are shown a red signal.

After 30 seconds, the system can be activated again after a two-minute waiting period.

This system primarily targets pedestrian safety in areas near schools and hospitals, it is said. 

The World Health Organization South-East Asia Region has thanked Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population for contributing Rs 1.54m, approximately $11,000, to the South-East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund (SEARHEF), a unique funding mechanism to support member countries in the region to prepare for and respond to health emergencies.

“WHO thanks Nepal for its contribution to SEARHEF. Nepal has championed the regional health emergency fund at various forums. The country has been demonstrating great leadership in building capabilities and responding to emergencies, with many lessons for the region and the world to emulate,” said Saima Wazed, WHO regional director for South-East Asia, in a letter addressed to Health Minister Pradip Paudel.

Nepal’s contribution is a testament to its support, ownership and commitment to SEARHEF, which is transparently managed by WHO for member countries of the region.

Established in 2007 as part of lessons learnt after the Indian Ocean tsunami that hit multiple countries in the region, SEARHEF was set up with the aim to fund immediate health sector response during health emergencies, which is critical to save lives.

Till date, the SEARHEF has supported 49 emergencies across 10 countries with disbursements over $8m.

The scope of SEARHEF was expanded in 2016 to include emergency preparedness, with three countries using this funding mechanism to strengthen their health emergency operations centres and rapid response teams.

Prone to natural disasters, Nepal has utilized SEARHEF for responding to Koshi floods in 2008 and the earthquakes in 2015 and 2023. The funds were used for coordinating health response to provide life-saving services and minimize disabilities through deployment of medical teams; prevent and respond to impending outbreaks; and support continuity of essential health services through establishment of temporary healthcare facilities.

Recognizing the critical role played by SEARHEF in public health response in the region, at the annual governing body meeting of WHO South-East Asia Region in October 2024, the member countries agreed to increase the corpus of the fund from $1m to $3m.

Nepal is the fourth country, after Thailand, India and Timor-Leste, to contribute to the enhanced corpus of SEARHEF. The WHO regional director said the health organization stands committed to supporting member countries to build resilient health systems that are well prepared for responding to public health emergencies of any magnitude.

Two of the 11 workers who sustained burn injuries in a fire at an eatery in Kamalpokhari last Thursday have succumbed to their injuries.

The fire had started due to the explosion of a cooking gas cylinder.

Spokesperson at the District Police Range Kathmandu, Apil Raj Bohara, said the deceased are 18-year-old Rabin Rai of Hetauda and 25-year-old Bhim Bahadur Ghale of Udayapur.

Rai died last night while Ghale breathed his last this morning at the Kirtipur-based Burn Hospital.

The remaining injured ones are being treated at the same hospital.