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The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 6. 03 points to close at 2, 654. 93 points on Thursday. 

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 1. 93 points to close at 456. 51 points.

A total of 10,053,145-unit shares of 335 companies were traded for Rs 1. 52 billion.

Meanwhile, Salapa Bikas Bank Limited (SABBL) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9. 99 percent.

10% Nabil Debenture 2082 (NBLD82) was the top loser as its price fell by 3. 60 points. 

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 46 trillion.

Nepal and India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on biodiversity conservation. 

The MoU to this effect was signed in the presence of Minister for Forests and Environment of Nepal, Madhav Prasad Chaualgain, and Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India, Bhupendra Yadav, in New Delhi on Wednesday. 

The MoU was signed by Nepal's Ambassador to India Dr Shankar Prasad Sharma, on behalf of Nepal, and by Tanmay Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, on behalf of India.

Dr Maheshwor Dhakal, spokesperson at the Ministry of Forests said that senior officials from the governments of Nepal and India were present on the occasion. 

Both Nepal and India are signatories to various international treaties on environmental conservation, including biodiversity, under the United Nations.

There are protected areas and biological corridors in the bordering areas of both nations, providing habitat to many wild animals, including elephants, rhinos, and tigers. These wild animals cross the borders freely without hindrances. 

The MoU, therefore, is expected to play a role in enabling both countries to coordinate and cooperate in the protected areas, biodiversity, and wildlife crime control, adopt a shared strategy related to biodiversity, and develop the capacities of personnel working in the field.

Additionally, Minister Chaulagain said that the MoU will support controlling and regulating poaching and illegal trade of wildlife in cross-border areas, conducting research, studies, and monitoring of wildlife, and raising awareness and building capacity at the local level.

The implementation of the MoU is expected to contribute to the conservation of biodiversity in both countries by conducting regular patrols and meetings in the border areas, exchanging experiences and knowledge, developing and expanding good practices, and sharing immediate information related to wildlife and illegal trade.

The MoU states that both countries can exchange wildlife crime-related information with the South Asia Wildlife Law Enforcement Network (SAWEN) to control and regulate international wildlife crimes.

The Ministry and its subordinate Department of Forests and Soil Conservation and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation at the central level, and the relevant provincial Ministry of Forests and Environment, protected areas, and divisional forest offices will coordinate and collaborate at the local level, to implement the said understanding on behalf of Nepal.

The MoU  stipulates that the agreement will be automatically renewed every five years unless a nation provides written information through diplomatic means, and it will be reviewed every three years.

The MoU states that any problems arising during the implementation will be resolved through mutual understanding.

The government has decided to seal the border entry points with India and China for 72 hours prior to the House of Representatives elections scheduled for March 5. 

A meeting of the Senior Election Security Committee made the decision to this effect in line with Section 6, Clause (i) of the Election Security (Management) Directive, 2025.

The  Committee said the move is aimed at maintaining peace and security during the elections .

Concerned authorities will carry out all specified security-related tasks to ensure a safe and orderly voting process, the Committee added. 

The Election Commission has urged all stakeholders to provide necessary facilitation and coordination to implement the decision effectively. 

The sale, distribution and consumption of alcoholic beverages have been banned for the entire election period.

The Election Security Committee made the decision to this effect.

The ban will take effect seven days before voting day and remain in place until the final election results are announced.

Voting is scheduled to begin at 7 am on March 5.

The Committee, formed under the Election Security (Management) Directive 2021, said the restriction is part of the election security plan to ensure a free and fair voting environment.

The Election Commission said that additional measures have also been adopted to conduct the polls in a free and fair manner.

Meanwhile, election campaigning will be prohibited from midnight on Mrach 5.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has directed chief district officers and security agencies to strictly enforce the election code of conduct.

District Code of Conduct Monitoring Committees have been activated to prevent violations under the Election (Offences and Punishments) Act, 2016 and the Election Code of Conduct, 2025.

On voting day, the operation of public and private vehicles will be banned from midnight on March 4 until the evening of March 5.

Only essential service vehicles, diplomatic mission vehicles and those with special passes will be allowed to operate.

Essential services include ambulances, fire engines, hearses, blood transfusion vehicles and vehicles used for security, electricity, water and telecommunications repairs.

Kim Jong Un has declared his intent to expand North Korea's nuclear arsenal and operational range - calling on the United States to respect his country's nuclear power, in a rare message to Washington, BBC reported. 

The United States and North Korea could "get along", Kim added, but only if the US accepts that North Korea's nuclear weapons are here to stay.

His comments, which were made at a five-yearly party congress held in the capital Pyongyang, are seen as leaving a door open to talks with US President Donald Trump ahead of Trump's visit to China in April, according to BBC. 

The price of gold has increased by Rs 600 per tola in the domestic market on Thursday. 

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 315, 400 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 314, 800 per tola on Wednesday. 

Similarly, the price of silver has increased by Rs 10 and is being traded at Rs 5, 725 per tola today.

Lazar Samardzic smashed home a stoppage-time penalty to complete a dramatic 4-1 victory for Atalanta over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, sending the Italian side into the Champions League's last 16 with a comeback 4-3 aggregate triumph, Reuters reported. 

Dortmund's Ramy Bensebaini was sent off after his studs caught the head of Atalanta's Nikola Krstovic in the penalty area and Samardzic converted the spot kick in the 98th minute to send the Italians through. Atalanta will now face either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the round of 16 with the draw on Friday.

"Everyone had written us off, but this match showed once again how strong this group is," said Atalanta scorer and man-of-the-match Davide Zappacosta. "We always believe and we never give up."

Holders Paris St Germain edged into the Champions League's last 16 after a 2-2 home draw with 10-man Monaco in the second leg of their knockout-round playoff on Wednesday, advancing 5-4 on aggregate from a tense tie that went right to the wire, Reuters reported. 

Monaco took the lead on the stroke of halftime through Maghnes Akliouche, but after Mamadou Coulibaly was sent off, PSG took immediate advantage to equalise through Marquinhos in the 60th minute and then went ahead six minutes later through Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

But Monaco set up a furious finish when substitute Jordan Teze scored from Simon Adingra's cross to make it 2-2 in stoppage time and Wout Faes missed a last-gasp chance to force the game into extra time as a glancing header went wide, according to Reuters.