- Friday, 2 January 2026
Kathmandu, Jan 2: The price of gold and silver has slightly increased in the domestic market today after a minor drop since last some days.
According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the price of hallmark gold is Rs 262,500 per tola and that of silver is fixed at Rs 4,525 per tola. A tola is equivalent to 11.66 grammes.
On Thursday, the price of hallmark gold was Rs 259,600 per tola and the silver price was Rs 4,415 per tola.
The price of one ounce of gold is 4,372 and that of silver at 73 US dollars per ounce, according to the international media.
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07- Around 300,000 foreign tourists visit Annapurna area in 2025
Gandaki, Jan 2: Annapurna area welcomed 299,831 foreign tourists in 2025.Of them, 177,628 tourists from South Asian countries and 122,203 visitors from other countries visited the area, said Chief of Annapurna Conservation Area Project, Rabin Kadaria.
Total 244,045 tourists had visited the area in 2024 while 181,000 in 2019.
Annapurna basecamp, Mardi Mountain, Ghandruk, Tilicho Lake, Thorangla Bhanjyang, Upper Mustang, Muktinath Area, are major tourism destinations for domestic and foreign tourists in the Annapurna area.
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08- Dense fog, haze affects daily life in western Tarai
Khajura, Jan 2: Daily life in western Tarai including Banke district has been affected due to dense fog and haze.
Children, students, daily-wage workers, people from poor background, helpless and senior citizens have been affected the most due to chilling cold. People have been forced to confine themselves inside the house.
Driver Ram Prasad Tharu of Nepalgunj-16 said they have been facing problems to provide transport service due to thick fog and chilling cold.
Following the chilling cold, number of people suffering from asthma, pneumonia, cold, cough and fever has increased in Bheri Hospital, said Information Officer at the Hospital, Sanket Risal.
More than 100 patients suffering from pneumonia, cold and cough visit the hospital every day in recent days, he mentioned.
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09- More than 1.1 million foreign visitors arrived Nepal in 2025
Kathmandu, Jan 2: Nepal welcomed a total of 1 million 158 thousand 459 foreign tourists during 2025, a slight increase than the previous year.
Altogether 1 million 147 thousand 548 visitors had visited Nepal in 2024reported the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB).
The NTB broke down the numbers of foreign tourists visiting Nepal this year, according to which, Indian tourists constituted the highest number at 292,438 followed by Americans at 112,316.
Similarly, Nepal attracted 58,684 Chinese tourists during last year while 57,545 tourists arrived in Nepal from the UK.
Likewise, altogether 49,357 visitors came to Nepal from Bangladesh, 37,550 from Australia, 30,243 from Sri Lanka, 30,227 from Thailand and 24,763 from Germany in 2025, said the Board.
In the last December month alone, 98,190 foreigners arrived Nepal, stated the Board. Earlier, as the NTB put it, the highest number of foreign tourists to enter Nepal was in 2019 with a whooping 1,197,191 tourists.
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10- Two killed in road accident in Gulmi
Gulmi, Jan 2: Two people travelling in a motorcycle have died when a bus hit it this morning in Malika Rural Municipality, Gulmi. Four people have been injured in the accident.
The bus with number plate Lu Pra 01–00 Kha 0355 belonging to the Siddha English Boarding School, carrying students from Ramche for a picnic, had collided with a motorcycle, number Lu9Pa 8150, coming from the opposite direction in the direction of Purkot under Madane Rural Municipality.
According to Ganga Bahadur Saru, the information officer of the District Police Office, the motorcycle involved in the collision was carrying 36-year-old Basanta Aryal and his older brother’s wife, 56-year-old Mankala Aryal, from Malika Rural Municipality-6 Mauwa.
They were brought to Gulmi Hospital Tamghas for treatment, where the doctor declared them dead.
Similarly, six-year-old Anubhav Giri, the grandson of the deceased Mankala, and Lilawati Aryal, a 41-year-old teacher at Jamarpokhara Secondary School from Ramche, Ward No. 6 of the rural municipality, were injured in the accident.
Among the injured, Giri has been referred to Palpa for further treatment, while teacher Aryal is being treated at Gulmi hospital, according to the police.
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11- ‘Proportional inclusive rights should not be misused,’ warn women
rights activists
Kathmandu, Jan 2: The women rights activists have demanded to ensure the proportional inclusive rights in accordance with the spirit of the constitution.
Organizing a rally by the Women Rights’ Pressure Campaign at Maitighar Mandala, Kathmandu to pile a pressure for guarantee of implementation of the proportional inclusive rights enshrined in the constitution.
The rally that began from Maitighar Mandala concluded at New Baneshwor as a corner assembly where the women rights defenders asserted that the system of proportional representation (PR) was not meant for rich and influential individuals. It is, they further argued, for the rights of the marginalized, women, Dalit, indigenous people and backward communities.
The protest has a bearing with some political parties, running for the upcoming March 5’s election to House of Representatives, fielding famous and affluent individuals, in the PR category on the contrary to the core principle of the PR.The core principle of the PR is that political representation should closely reflect the diversity of votes in the society and thus help mainstream marginalized communities.
The participants of the rally carried a placard that read ‘compliance with the proportional inclusive rights’, ‘end to impunity’, ‘women’s participation in leadership’ among others.Speaking in the corner meeting, Nanimaya Thapa, senior-vice president of the NGO Federation of Nepal, denounced the tendency among the political parties to give space to wealthy ones, close kins and those influential ones in the PR electoral system.
Thapa further condemned that the new political parties too had followed the suit for the upcoming election by naming famous and wealthy people in the PR list.Noting the long-enduring struggles of the crusaders to guarantee PR system in the constitution she warned political parties not to misuse it.
“The affluent people and near dear ones can’t be named in the proportional quota,” she cautioned, urging the concerned political parties to immediately remove the names of such people included in the PR list.
Likewise, Monika Niraula, leader of Gen-Z generation, highlighted the need for the political parties to best utilize the constitutionally enshrined rights.
Arguing that the proportional right belongs to marginalized communities, she urged political leaders not to drool over it. Organizer of the rally shared that they would continue raising voice for fielding rightful candidate in the PR list. They would also carry on the awareness campaign.
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12- Nepal grateful to Qatar for granting amnesty to inmates
Kathmandu, Jan 2: The Government of Nepal has extended its sincere gratitude to the Government of the State of Qatar for the Amiri Amnesty granted to the 13 Nepali inmates on the occasion of the National Day of the State of Qatar and the International Human Rights Day.
“The Ministry highly values the kind gesture of pardon granted on humanitarian ground as the manifestation of deepening friendship and cordiality in the existing bilateral relations between Nepal and the State of Qatar,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in a press release on Thursday.
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13- Highest share of Bagmati province in deposits, loans of BFIS
Kathmandu, Jan 2: Bagmati province has the highest share in the deposits and loans of banks and financial institutions (BFIs).
The Economic Activities Study Annual Report of fiscal year 2024/25 published by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) on Thursday, of the total deposits mobilized by BFIs till July 16, 2025, the share of Bagmati province was 65.8 per cent and 59.5 per cent in total loan disbursement.
The banks and financial institutions had collected total Rs 7,295 billion deposits in the fiscal year 2024/25. Of it, Rs 4,797billion deposits was collected only from Bagmati Province.
Similarly Rs 553 billion deposits was collected from Koshi Province, Rs 407 billion deposits from Madhes Province, Rs 612 billion deposits from Gandaki Province, Rs 91.9 billion deposits from Karnali Province and Rs 173 billion deposits from Sudurpaschim Province.
Likewise, out of Rs 5586 billion loan disbursed till mid-July 2025, Rs 3,323 billion loan was invested only from Bagmati Province while Rs 613 billion loan was disbursed from Koshi Province, Rs 495 billion from Madhes Province, Rs 356 billion from Gandaki Province, Rs 577 billion from Lumbini Province, Rs 62.12 million from Karnali Province and Rs 157 billion from Sudurpaschim Province.
As per the NRB, loan disbursed from BFIs in agro sector reached to Rs 336 billion reducing by 0.04 per cent till July 16, 2025 as compared to corresponding period of previous fiscal year. Of the total agro loan disbursed in last fiscal year, the highest amount of loan was disbursed on livestock and animal slaughtering heading which stands at Rs 61.19 billion and lowest amount of loan in tobacco heading which is Rs 206 million.
Koshi Province has 16.7 per cent share in loan disbursed in agro sector, 18.7 per cent of Madhes Province, 36.2 per cent of Bagmati Province, 7.1 per cent of Gandaki Province, 15 per cent of Lumbini Province, 1.5 per cent of Karnali Province and 4.7 per cent of Sudurpaschim Province.by the end of last Ashar (July 16, 2025), loans amounting to Rs 1,699 billion 490 million had been disbursed in the industrial sector. Of the total loans, the share of loans disbursed in the industrial sector was 30.42 percent.
Towards the industrial loans, the highest loan disbursement has been in the non-food manufacturing sector at 35.27 percent, followed by the electricity, gas and water sector at 26.26 percent; the agriculture, forestry and beverage-related industries at 21.85 percent; the construction sector at 11.70 percent; the metal products, machinery and electronics industries at 4.23 percent, and the lowest in the mining sector at 0.69 percent.
The report states that as of the end of last Ashar, Bagmati Province had the highest amount of industrial loans disbursed, Rs 1280 billion 970 million, which accounts for 71.3 percent of the annual loans disbursed under this category.In like manner, the loan disbursement to the industrial sector is 10.5 percent in Koshi Province and 8.3 percent in Lumbini Province has eight point three percent, 7.5 percent in Madhes Province, 1.6 percent in Gandaki Province, 0.2 percent in Karnali Province, and 1.6 percent in Sudurpaschim Province.
Similarly, loan disbursement in the service sector reached Rs 2,184 billion 40 million by the end of the last fiscal year. During this period, only 39.1 percent of the total credit from banks and financial institutions was directed to the service sector.
Of the loans disbursed in the service sector, the wholesale and retail sub-sector received the highest with 47.3 percent, followed by 12.2 percent in the ‘real estate’ sub-sector, 11.8 percent in the tourism sub-sector, 11.3 percent in finance, insurance and immovable property sub-sector, 6.6 percent in education, 3.7 percent in transport, storage and communication, 3.7 percent in other service sub-sectors and 3.3 percent in health and other social-related sub-sectors.
The share of Bagmati Province in the loans disbursed under the service sector is 59.5 percent. Similarly, Lumbini has 10.3 percent, Koshi 10.1 percent, and Madhesh Province nine percent. Likewise, the report mentions that Gandaki has 6.9 percent, Karnali 1.1 percent, and Sudurpashchim Province three percent towards the loans disbursed under the service sector.
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14 -` Home Minister stresses on safe structures for reducing earthquake
damage
Kathmandu, Jan 2: Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal has said that safe construction, shelters, and behaviour are essential to mitigate the damage from earthquakes.
Addressing a meeting organized on the occasion of the 28th Earthquake Safety Day, he stated that a long-term public awareness is necessary to reduce earthquake risk. The programme held today at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
“Earthquake safety should not be limited to programmes that can be completed in a day through activities such as putting up posters and holding formal events. Awareness must be enhanced in schools, hospitals, government offices, industries, and communities,” said the Home Minister.
Stating that the government has made important policy and structural initiatives for earthquake and multi-hazard risk reduction, he stated that the effective implementation of disaster-related legal and structural arrangements is the main challenge at present.
Home Minister Aryal instructed the stakeholders to prioritise mock drills between security agencies and the community, stating that the first response to an earthquake should come from the local level. He instructed that it is necessary to strongly convey the message of implementing the building code to prevent earthquakes and other disasters and not to make any kind of compromise on this.
“Now our programmes should be result-oriented, not speech-oriented, and they should focus on behaviour change. Schools and youth should be placed at the centre, because tomorrow’s safe Nepal is built by today’s youth. Active participation of local levels should be ensured,” Minister Aryal said.
He reminded that earthquake safety is not only the responsibility of the government. “For this, the role of the private sector, development partners, the media, and citizens themselves is also crucial, and a safe Nepal is not possible without the collective efforts of all,” he added.
Minister Aryal highlighted the need for a collective commitment towards building a safe, capable, and disaster-resilient Nepal as earthquake risks can be reduced through preparedness and risk mitigation efforts.
meeting has decided on this year’s Earthquake Safety Day main slogan: ‘Preparedness of all levels of government, all citizens: Earthquake Resilient Nepal, the responsibility of now.’
The main ceremony to mark the Earthquake Safety Day will be held on January 16 with the participation of Prime Minister Sushila Karki as the Chief Guest.
The meeting was attended by Home Secretary Raj Kumar Shrestha, secretaries of various ministries, the Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, the Chief Administrative Officer of Lalitpur Metropolitan City, chiefs of Nepal Police and Armed Police Force, the Director General of the National Investigation Department, Brigadier General of the Nepali Army, and the Chief Executive Officer NDRRMA.
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15 – 115 illegal arms confiscated in Myagdi in a month
Beni (Myagdi), Jan 2: A record number of illegal firearms have been seized in Myagdi district. One hundred and fifteen illegal firearms were seized during a one-month period of the ‘Operation Bravo Sera’ campaign, initiated by the District Police Office from December 1 to confiscate illegal firearms.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Surya Bahadur Thapa of the District Police Office stated that the illegal arms search campaign was conducted in view of the security for the House of Representatives election scheduled for the coming March 5 and to prevent poaching of wildlife in the forests.
According to him, the highest number of firearms, 48 in total, were seized from the Raghuganga Rural Municipality area. Similarly, 16 illegal firearms were confiscated in Annapurna Rural Municipality, 20 in Malika Rural Municipality, 14 in Mangala Rural Municipality, six in Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality, and 11 in Beni Municipality.
The police said that firearms that were hidden without licenses were collected and confiscated due to the increased risk of poaching in Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, Annapurna Conservation Area, and various community forests, as well as of use of firearms in mutual disputes and quarrels in villages.
District Police Office’s Information Officer, Inspector Sagar Timilsina, said that illegal guns hidden in sheds, forests, riverbeds and uninhabited empty houses were seized based on patrols conducted by the District Police Office and its subordinate units as well as information received from local residents.
According to him, most of the recovered illegal guns were locally made and found in working condition. There is a legal provision that using illegal guns without a licence can result in up to five years of imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs 50,000.
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16- 658 suspicious transactions of virtual assets recorded in five years
Kathmandu, Jan 2: Suspicious transaction of virtual assets, which is considered illegal in Nepal, has increased in recent years.
As per the Strategic Analysis Report Related to Virtual Assets, 2025 released by Financial Information Unit of the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) on Thursday, 658 suspicious transactions of virtual assets were recorded in last five years.
Crypto, stablecoin, utility token and other tokenized assets fall under virtual assets which are used for trading, transfer, payment and investment.
The Unit has received the information that 658 suspicious transactions and activities had occurred from January 2021 to July 2025. Total 13 suspicious transactions and activities were reported in 2021, 173 in 2022, 138 in 2023 and 252 in 2024, according to the NRB report.
Total 82 suspicious transactions and activities took place till July 16 of the current fiscal year. Of the total suspicious transactions, more than 91 per cent (600) were sent by commercial banks, 48 by development banks, six by remittance companies, and two by finance companies.
NRB forwards such suspicious transactions and activities to different bodies for further investigation.
As per the report, the NRB sent 232 such cases to the Nepal Police, 115 to the Revenue Investigation Department, six to the Department of Money Laundering Investigation, three to the Payment Services Department under NRB and one to the Inland Revenue Department over the last five years.
of the NRB and Chief of Financial Information Unit, Basu Dev Bhattarai, shared that the Unit has informed the different investigation bodies about illegal transactions and these bodies would forward further investigation in such matter.
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17 – Community-based Disease Surveillance Guideline, 2082 issued
Kathmandu, Jan 2: The Ministry of Health and Population has issued the Community-based Disease Surveillance Guideline, 2082.
The Guideline issued today by the Health Ministry was approved by ministry-level meeting on November 30, 2025.
It is expected that the guideline would play significant role in early detection and timely reporting of disease in the community-level keeping in mind the increasing challenges of climate change and new communicable diseases.
The guideline mentioned about early detection of unexpected public health incidents and infectious diseases seen in the community for the identification of non-communicable diseases. Similarly, rapid information would be delivered at health institutions within 24 hours through women community health volunteers, teachers and social leaders.
Immediate response team would be mobilized on the basis of risk, it is said. The Ministry has requested to immediately inform the nearby health institutions or call at 1115 of ‘Hello Health’ if any unexpected health problem is seen in the community.
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18- Chief Minister Karki says Nepal becoming self-sufficient in cement
Kathmandu, Jan 2: Chief Minister of Koshi Province, Hikmat Kumar Karki, said that Nepal currently has 65 cement industries and is gradually becoming self-reliant in cement production.
He asserted that by increasing production and domestic consumption of cement, Nepal could significantly gain economic benefits.
CM Karki said so while addressing a programme organized by the Cement Manufacturers’ Association of Nepal at Biratnagar, Kathmandu today.
The CM stressed the need for strong and sustainable infrastructures using local raw materials.
Furthermore, CM Karki informed that the provincial government was preparing a policy to promote the use of local raw materials in development works, including a plan for civil employees to wear uniform made from local materials.
On a different note, he emphasized sustainable development and criticized the practice of constructing substandard roads and carrying out blacktopping on the roads so dismally that deteriorates within less than a month.
“Let’s start development projects on time and finish them timely,” he urged the construction entrepreneurs and contractors.
Similarly, former secretary Arjun Jung Thapa gave a presentation on the durability of roads built with domestically produced cement. Outgoing
Chairperson of the Association, Dhruba Thapa shared that the discussion during the event focused on building durable and strong infrastructures, especially roads using domestically produced cement.
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