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Sudurpaschim Royals have advanced to the final in the ongoing Nepal Premier League (NPL). 

In today's first qualifier match, Sudurpaschim Royals defeated Biratnagar Kings by 77 runs to reach the final.

Biratnagar, however, will get a chance to play the eliminator. 

Chasing the 156-run target posted by Sudurpaschim, Biratnagar were all-out scoring 78 runs in 14.1 overs. 

Despite Faf du Plessis scoring a maximum of 36 runs, Biratnagar could not avoid defeat. 

For Sudurpaschim, Scott Kuggeleijn, Abhinash Bohora, and Harmit Singh took two wickets each. 

Earlier, after losing the toss, Sudurpaschim chose to bat first and scored a total of 155 runs in their stipulated 20 overs, losing seven wickets. 

For Sudurpaschim, Binod Bhandari contributed the most with 63 runs. He scored 63 runs off 52 balls, including three fours and two sixes. 

Similarly, Aasif Sheikh and Sherdon Jackson added 20 runs each. 

Likewise, Harmit Singh scored 14 runs, and Ishan Pandey added 13 runs. 

On the bowling side for Biratnagar, Pratish GC and Merchant de Lange took two wickets each, while Surya Tamang and Sam Heazlett took one wicket each. 

Investors finally breathed a sigh of relief, as the Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) index ended a six-day losing streak on Tuesday. The benchmark index climbed 7.39 points to close at 2,614.07 points.

The recovery comes as a welcome respite for the secondary market, which had been in a downward spiral after its five-day winning run came to a halt on November 30. Over the subsequent six trading sessions, the index shed a total of 69.35 points.

The index opened in green territory on Tuesday and quickly hit an intra-day high of 2,620.47 points. The gain, however, was short-lived as selling pressure dragged the market down, sparking fears that the bearish momentum would persist. Just as the market seemed poised for another session in the red, a sudden spike toward the closing minutes of the session pushed the index back into positive territory.

Despite the recovery in the index, total turnover shrank to Rs 3.75 billion, a significant drop from Monday’s Rs 4.61 billion. This figure represents the lowest daily turnover since November 19, when securities worth Rs 3.73 billion were traded on the bourse. The low turnover indicates a lack of strong conviction in the secondary market, as many investors likely remained on the sidelines, waiting for clearer trends before committing fresh capital.

By the close of the session, unit prices of 148 scrips had advanced, while 101 declined and nine remained unchanged. Sector-wise, the performance was mixed but generally positive. Of the 13 sub-indices, nine ended the day in the green, while four posted nominal losses. The Hotels and Tourism sector led the recovery, advancing by 0.88%, signaling renewed interest in hospitality stocks. On the other hand, the Non-Life Insurance sector recorded the biggest slide of 0.17%.

Ngadi Group Power Ltd topped the turnover charts with Rs 319.2 million worth of shares traded. Laxmi Sunrise Bank and Radhi Bidyut Company Ltd were next with turnovers of Rs 111.48 million and Rs 99.12 million. A total of 8.74 million units were traded through 62,665 transactions. 

Although the benchmark index has snapped its losing streak, the shrinking volume suggests that the market has yet to find a solid footing for a sustained rally.

As the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist)—CPN-UML—the largest communist party in the country, prepares for its 11th general convention from Dec 12–14 in Bhaktapur (inauguration) and Kathmandu (closed session),  the contest for leadership has informally opened. Party President and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has publicly encouraged leaders and cadres to participate freely in the democratic process—either through election or consensus. In doing so, he has set the tone for an open and fair competitive exercise within the party. Emerging dynamics indicate that Oli will once again contest for the top post, while senior Vice-president Ishwor Pokhrel will challenge him with a team of leaders aligned to him. It's not clear, but both sides might prepare a list of office-bearers for internal context.  

This article argues that the UML needs KP Sharma Oli at its helm once again. More importantly, Nepal requires a leader of his stature, geopolitical understanding and decisiveness at a time of shifting domestic and global politics. In this very critical juncture of our history, Nepal needs a strong leader, who can stand with national aspirations rather than divided aspirations deliberately provoked by some external powers. 

Four interconnected reasons support this conclusion: his lifelong resilience against adversities, his uncompromising defense of sovereignty, his ability to pilot Nepal’s complex geopolitical environment and his articulation of national dignity rooted in civilizational confidence. 

Oli’s political life is a testament to resilience. From 14 years in detention during the Panchayat period to steering factional fragmentation within the party, Oli’s journey has consistently demonstrated an extraordinary ability to rise above adversities. He has never surrendered in the face of internal or external pressures. When confronted with politically-motivated turmoil, populist mobs or orchestrated campaigns, he has chosen rational decision-making over emotional impulses. This capacity to take difficult decisions—often during moments of national uncertainty—has distinguished him as a leader with rare political courage. His premierships, particularly in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake and constitutional tensions, demonstrated that leadership requires willingness to confront crises with clarity rather than retreat under pressure. The organizational challenges within the unified communist party (NCP), formed by merging the UML and the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led Maoist party, reflected how Oli had been able to hold the party together and rebuild its national outreach despite systematic efforts to weaken it. His leadership restored the UML’s internal coherence after the 2021 split, and today the party remains the most organized political force in Nepal, largely because of his strategic patience and crisis management. It is to remind you all that the UML is the largest party of the country in terms of proportional representation.  

A second and perhaps more defining attribute of Oli’s leadership is his unwavering commitment to safeguarding Nepal’s sovereignty and national interest. Throughout his political career—whether in the government or the opposition—he has maintained a consistent stance on issues related to territorial integrity and independent foreign policy. His approach to foreign policy has always been issue-based rather than actor-based. Contrary to claims that he has sometimes tilted toward one neighbour or the other, Oli has engaged India and China based on the merits of specific issues rather than geopolitical alignments. Because a statesman, who focuses on issues, will appear to lean north on some occasions and south on others, his diplomacy has occasionally been misunderstood. Yet, the underlying principle has never changed: every decision must serve Nepal’s long-term national interest.

Several examples clearly illustrate this posture. The 2016 Transport Transit Agreement with China was not signed against any neighbor, it was an assertion of Nepal’s sovereign right to diversify its transit routes. The new map was not an attempt to escalate tensions but a constitutional and historical assertion of Nepal's claims. Before the GenZ movement that toppled him, both sides had been preparing for Oli's India visit with plans to sign some major agreements. Over the last decade, PM Oli and his Indian counterpart Modi had held several sideline meetings at international forums.    

Oli’s support for the Belt and Road Initiative implementation agreement was not a geopolitical gesture but an economic one—an effort to bring Chinese investment into Nepal’s infrastructure, energy and connectivity sectors. His support for the MCC Compact with the United States was guided not by external influence, but by the program’s potential to strengthen Nepal’s electricity transmission and transport infrastructure. Throughout these decisions, one principle has remained constant: he refuses to allow ideological confusion or geopolitical fear to derail development.

At a time when Nepal’s geopolitical landscape is becoming increasingly complex, this clarity of foreign policy vision becomes even more crucial. The United States has expanded its strategic footprint in the Asia-Pacific, and global power shifts are creating both challenges and opportunities for relatively smaller states. Nepal needs a leader who can navigate this environment with balance, confidence and strategic foresight. Oli’s diplomatic conduct has shown an ability to maintain equi-proximity, resist strategic alignment pressures, maximize economic gains and avoid entanglement in military or security coalitions. Even during periods of misunderstanding with India, he kept diplomatic space open and maintained serious engagement. While deepening cooperation with China, he preserved Nepal’s independent foreign policy and avoided commitments that would compromise sovereignty. This pragmatic, confident, and non-aligned approach is central to Nepal’s stability in the coming decade.

Another distinctive quality that sets Oli apart is his ability to articulate national dignity with conviction. In the contemporary political sphere, few leaders speak about Nepal’s civilizational heritage, cultural depth and historical identity with such clarity. Oli consistently highlights Nepal’s philosophical roots in Vedic and Buddhist traditions, presenting the country not as a peripheral actor but as a nation with its own intellectual and historical strengths. His famous assertion—“Countries may be big or small, but sovereignty is equal”—captures not only Nepal’s diplomatic stance but also its psychological confidence. This articulation matters in international diplomacy, where perception shapes engagement. Both India and China have respected Nepal’s sovereign positions even during sensitive times. His ability to communicate Nepal’s dignity to the world has created a diplomatic environment in which Nepal’s voice is heard, not dismissed.

As the UML prepares to choose its direction for the next five years, the stakes are far larger than a party presidency. The election will influence how the party positions itself in national politics and how Nepal steers itself through a transforming global environment. Oli’s leadership is vital not only for organizational coherence but also for national stability. 

Oli is more than just a party leader seeking another term. For UML, he represents organizational discipline and clarity of direction. For Nepal, he represents a necessary political force capable of steering the country through a time of complexity. At this critical moment, KP Sharma Oli is not simply a candidate—he is a national need. No other leader of the party can challenge him. The best for the party is to elect the leadership unanimously. If they compete, they mentally should prepare for the future political course.

As banks and financial institutions (BFIs) increasingly turn to artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline operations and improve customer service, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has drafted a comprehensive set of AI Guidelines and circulated them among stakeholders for feedback. 

The guidelines intend to ensure safe, transparent and responsible use of AI across the financial system at a time when digital technologies are rapidly reshaping service delivery.

The proposed guidelines are designed for all institutions regulated by NRB, including commercial banks, development banks, finance companies, microfinance institutions, Nepal Infrastructure Bank, and payment system operators and service providers.

According to NRB, the primary objectives of the guidelines are to promote the adoption of AI tools in a way that enhances operational efficiency, innovation and customer experience, while safeguarding financial stability and institutional resilience. 

The guidelines state that AI-driven decisions of licensed institutions must remain transparent, explainable, fair and accountable to ensure that customer rights and data privacy are protected and that no discriminatory outcomes arise from automated systems.

The central bank has also warned licensed institutions to mitigate a wide range of risks associated with AI, including operational, ethical, systemic, model-related and cyber risks. To address these issues, all licensed institutions are required to define their AI-related risk tolerance as part of their broader risk management structure and establish strong governance mechanisms with clearly assigned roles and responsibilities.

As per the guidelines, licensed institutions must develop a comprehensive AI strategy accompanied by an integrated governance framework. This should include detailed policies, procedures and internal controls to guide the secure development, deployment and monitoring of AI models. They must also ensure that AI systems can maintain critical services during disruptions and have mechanisms in place to detect faults, restore operations and minimize service impacts.

To strengthen oversight, the guidelines require listed institutions to set up a cross-disciplinary AI steering committee—or designate an existing committee—to guide strategy, risk oversight and compliance. The committee should include senior management members with adequate expertise in technology and AI-related risks, and the overall AI framework must be approved by the Board of Directors.

The guidelines also distinguish between internal use of third-party AI tools and formal outsourcing. While internal use of ready-made AI tools for tasks such as drafting, summarizing or analysis will not be treated as outsourcing, BFIs must still follow their own risk and compliance policies. However, any AI-enabled service provided by an external vendor will require full outsourcing procedures, including due diligence, board approval and formal notification to NRB.

Licensed institutions are required to submit annual reports to the central bank, detailing AI use, risk controls and customer impacts, and maintain documentation—including data sources, algorithms and decision-making processes—for all AI systems.