Submit your Article

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 8. 13 points to close at 2,604. 11 points on Monday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 1. 60 points to close at 445. 70 points.

A total of 17,587,036-unit shares of 325 companies were traded for Rs 6. 47 billion.

Meanwhile, Joshi Hydropower Development Company Ltd (JOSHI) was 

​​​the top gainer today, with its price surging by 9. 98 percent.

Likewise, Gurans Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (GLBSL) was the top loser as its price fell by 10. 00 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 1. 46 trillion.

A two-year MA in History and Philosophy course (MAHP) has been launched by Kathmandu University (KU) and the Southasia Institute for History and Philosophy (SIHP), geared for aspiring scholars and practitioners from Nepal and internationally. The call for applications has been announced for courses starting in October 2025 and in April 2026.

Speaking at the launch event on June 19, which brought together faculty and scholars from various institutions, KU Vice Chancellor Professor Achyut Wagle said: “The new MA programme is geared to understanding these times, which are turbulent for both people and the planet. The course marks a milestone in Nepal’s higher education, and we look forward to welcoming national and international students for two years of rigorous learning aimed at producing future thinkers with humanism.”

Historian Yogesh Raj, Academic Director at SiHP, noted: “The MA programme seeks to consolidate the emancipatory ideals of the humanities while correcting their dominant anthropocentric perspectives. The course structure promotes historically grounded and philosophically informed research, policy and advocacy enquiries. It helps foster plural notions of Southasia among the public and inclusive configurations of Southasian studies in academia.”

According to SiHP, the MA course is useful for those seeking careers in humanities research and instruction, as well as a wide range of possibilities from policy analysis, diplomacy, public service, media to social activism. The course will develop scholars able to countenance problems and advance solutions from local, national and Subcontinental perspectives.

MAHP’s 60-credit course has been tailored to Himalayan and Southasian socio-ecological realities and aspirations. The curriculum includes foundational and advanced courses in History and Philosophy, and elective courses in Society, Technology and Environment.

Prospective candidates for the MA course can come from a variety of academic streams, and need to take SiHP’s Advanced Level Test for Humanities in Southasia exam (ALT-HuS). The instruction fee for the course is set at Rs 6 lakh for Nepali nationals (Rs 9 lakh for SAARC region, Rs 12 lakh for elsewhere). Full to partial fellowships are available to Nepali students based on merit, inclusion and need.

The application deadline for the October 2025 course is 25 July 2025.

The jeep safari services operated inside the Chitwan National Park (CNP) are to be suspended from this June 29 in view of the monsoon.

The safari has been closed because it becomes difficult for vehicles to enter the park during the rainy season.

CNP closes the jungle safari every year during the monsoon season. 

As the monsoon ends, the safari is opened around mid-September when the festivals begin. If the monsoon prolongs, the opening time will also be postponed accordingly.

Avinash Thapamagar, the CNP Information Officer, said the jungle safari will be reopened after repairing the roads damaged during the monsoon due to rain.

Although the jungle safari inside the park will be stopped, he mentioned that jeep safaris will continue in the community forest of the park buffer zone.

He said that tourist activities including trekking inside the reserve and observing the crocodile breeding center will be regularly conducted. 

Dr Ganesh Pant, the CNP Chief Conservation Officer, said there is a practice of closing jungle safari in such parks around the world for a few months every year. 

He added that due to this, the wildlife inside the sanctuary will not be disturbed and living will be made easier.

It is said that during the monsoon season, floods occur and rivers swell, trees fall, roads become slippery and muddy, and with the growth of grass and shrubs, even wild animals cannot be seen easily.

Thirty-two jeeps are operated from Sauraha area, 10 from Kasara, seven from Meghauli, and five from Amaltari providing jungle safari to tourists.

The gold is being traded at Rs 195, 200 per tola in the domestic market on Monday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the price of silver, however, has increased by Rs 10 and is being traded at Rs 2, 170 per tola today.

Israel briefly reopened its airspace on Sunday and is expanding flight operations on Monday, aiming to help tens of thousands of travellers stranded by widespread cancellations across the Middle East after the U.S. attacked Iran, Reuters reported.

An organisation that monitors flight risks warned on Sunday that U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear sites could heighten the threat to American operators in the region.

With Russian and Ukrainian airspace also closed due to war, the Middle East has become a more important route for flights between Europe and Asia, but flight tracking website FlightRadar24 showed empty space over Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel. Airlines have chosen routings such as north via the Caspian Sea or south via Egypt and Saudi Arabia, even if these mean higher fuel and crew costs and longer flight times, according to Reuters.

Iran said on Monday that the U.S. attack on its nuclear sites expanded the range of legitimate targets for its armed forces and called U.S. President Donald Trump a "gambler" for joining Israel's military campaign against the Islamic Republic, Reuters reported.

Ebrahim Zolfaqari, spokesperson for Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya central military headquarters, said the U.S. should expect heavy consequences for its actions.

"Mr Trump, the gambler, you may start this war, but we will be the ones to end it," Zolfaqari said in English at the end of a recorded video statement.

Iran and Israel traded air and missile strikes as the world braced for Tehran's response to the U.S. attack on its nuclear sites over the weekend, which Trump suggested could lead to the overthrow of the Iranian government, according to Reuters.

Bhaktapur, the historic and smallest municipality in Nepal, has announced a budget of Rs 2.473 billion for the upcoming fiscal year.

The budget was presented today at the 18th Municipal Assembly by Deputy Speaker of the Municipality, Rajani Joshi.

Bhaktapur Municipality, which spans just 6.88 square kilometers, lies within Bhaktapur District, Nepal’s, covering an area of 119 square kilometers.

In recognition of Bhaktapur’s cultural and historical significance, the local government has allocated the budget across various sectors with a strong emphasis on education, health and heritage preservation.

Of the total budget, Rs 1.52 billion (61.67%) has been allocated towards current expenditures while Rs 804.8 million (32.54%) has been set aside for capital expenditures. 

Similarly, Rs 143 million (5.78%) has been allocated under financial management.

Among the budget key priorities, the education sector has received the highest priority, with Rs 544 million (21.85%) of the total budget earmarked for its development. 

According to the local representative, this reflects the sentiments of the locals. 

To enhance local healthcare services, Rs 50 million has been allocated for the enhancement of Khwopa Hospital and Rs 7.5 million has been set aside for the construction of the Khanchapukhu Health Post.

In line with Bhaktapur’s identity as a city of living heritage, Rs 3.75 million has been allocated for the enhancement of local ghats (cremation grounds), Rs 30 million has been designated for the reconstruction of Thanthu Palace and Rs 10.6 million has been allocated for the restoration of a local religious site.

She said that  the budget reflects the municipality’s commitment to preserving its rich heritage while investing in education and healthcare for sustainable development.

Export of tea has increased by 40.50 percent in the 11 months of the current fiscal year 2024/25. 

According to the Mechi Customs Office, tea worth Rs 3. 86 billion has been exported until the month of Ashad (Mid-June). 

During the 11 months of the current fiscal year, 14,463.33 metric tonnes of tea has been exported, as informed by Ishwar Kumar Humagain, the information officer at the Mechi Customs Office.

In the fiscal year 2024/25, tea worth Rs 2. 75 billion was exported. 

According to the office's statistics, cardamom exports have decreased by 3.80 percent until the end of the month of Jestha (Mid-June) in the current fiscal year. In the 11 months of the current fiscal year, cardamom exports are worth Rs 7. 18  billion have been recorded.

In the last fiscal year, cardamom worth Rs. 7 billion 452 million was exported during the same period. 

The main exported items include veneer sheets at 67 percent, iron sheets at 9.6 percent, plywood at 11.60 percent, and molasses which saw a 400.50 percent increase in exports, the Office said.

Similarly, export of cement clinker decreased by 12.60 percent, ginger by 59.70 percent, Amriso (broom grass) by 15.2 percent, and Chhurpi (traditional hardened yak cheese) by 7.7 percent.

In the current fiscal year's 11 months, goods worth Rs 23. 28  billion have been exported through the Mechi customs.