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Renish Phago, a veteran colourist with over two decades of experience in the Nepali film industry, has achieved a significant milestone with four films he colour-graded being listed on the official website of Assimilate Scratch, a globally recognized colour-grading software. The website, www.assimilateinc.com, now features four Nepali films: Pitambar, 12 Gaun, Outlaw and Mohar.

Phago said the recognition has motivated him to further raise his professional standards. “This marks a historic first for Nepal. It is the first time Nepali films have been included on the official platform of a globally recognized software through colour grading,” he said.

In addition to Nepali cinema, Phago is actively involved in colour grading for Bhojpuri films and music videos. Over the course of his career, Phago has colour graded more than 150 Nepali films. His recent releases include Maijaaro, Man Binako Dhan and Hari Bahadurko Jutta, with several other projects, such as Stree and Chhatishko Aagada.

Beyond his professional work, Phago is committed to developing skilled human resources in colour grading. “I have conducted many formal and informal training sessions. Nepal still lacks sufficient professional colourists, and building that workforce is essential. I want to share my knowledge and help train more people in the technical side of filmmaking,” he said.

Recently, Phago was honored with the Cultural Transformation Award 2025 by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and the Nepal Film Development Board, recognising his contributions to colour grading.

The foundation stone for the construction of a new school building at Shree Ninyukharka Secondary School in Dhurkot Rural Municipality–3 of Gulmi district with the support of the Government of India was laid on Tuesday under a High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP). 

The foundation stone was jointly laid by Gitanjali Brandon, Counsellor at the Embassy of India in Kathmandu, and Bhupal Pokharel, Chairman of Dhurkot Rural Municipality.

The project is being implemented with financial assistance of Rs 38 million from the Government of India. 

Under the initiative, a two-storeyed school building with classrooms and allied facilities, including furniture, will be constructed. The project is being executed through the Dhurkot Rural Municipality.

Local representatives, school management members, and other stakeholders welcomed the initiative and expressed appreciation for India’s continued developmental support in the education sector.

India and Nepal share close ties as neighbouring countries and development partners, cooperating across multiple sectors. The implementation of HICDPs reflects India’s ongoing support for Nepal’s development efforts, particularly at the grassroots level.

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song paid a farewell call on President Ram Chandra Paudel today.

During the meeting held at Sheetal Niwas, they discussed the matters of Nepal-China relations and mutual welfare and interest, according to the Office of the President. 

President Paudel thanked Ambassador Chen for successfully completing his term.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 3. 27 points to close at 2, 584. 49 points on Tuesday. 

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 1. 57 points to close at 447. 58 points.

A total of 7,668,915-unit shares of 328 companies were traded for Rs 1. 47 billion.

Meanwhile, SY Panel Nepal Limited (SYPNL) was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 7. 01 percent. 

Likewise, Citizen Life Insurance Company Limited (CLI) was the top loser as its price fell by 5. 97 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 33 trillion.

Temperature has started decreasing day by day across the country in recent days. 

Schools in some of the districts in Tarai have started closing their teaching learning activities due to fog and mist and the increasing cold. Snowfall is taking place in the mountainous region. There is fluctuation of temperature and weather in districts including in Kathmandu Valley. 

Kathmandu Valley recorded the coldest day today this year. 

According to the Meteorologist at the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Hari Prasad Dahal, the minimum temperature of Kathmandu Valley has dropped by around two degrees Celsius today as compared to Monday. 

Today's minimum temperature of Kathmandu Valley has been recorded at 4.9 degrees Celsius which was 6.8 degrees Celsius on Monday.

Most of the areas in Tarai of the country have been witnessing thick fog today. However, the weather in the mountain region is fair. 

Dahal added, "No weather system causing rain has developed. The Westerly wind has not been active. Areas of Tarai have been witnessing thick fog in lack of rainfall."

Jumla has recorded the lowest temperature today, which is minus 3 degrees Celsius.

Nepal’s foreign trade deficit during the first five months of the current fiscal year (mid-July to mid-December) has reached Rs 649.68 billion out of a total foreign trade volume of Rs 882.69 billion.

According to the foreign trade statistics released by the Department of Customs, imports during the review period stood at Rs 766.18 billion, while exports totaled Rs 116.50 billion. Compared to the same period last fiscal year, imports increased by 15.83 percent and exports rose significantly by 58.17 percent, the Department reported.

The country recorded a trade deficit of Rs 339.02 billion with India over the past five months. Imports from India amounted to Rs 434.06 billion, whereas exports were valued at Rs 95.04 billion. Likewise, imports from another neighboring country China totaled Rs 163.73 billion, while exports to that country were limited to Rs 466.8 million.

Romania emerged as the leading country in terms of Nepal’s trade surplus, with a profit of Rs 63.4 million. Nepal also recorded trade surpluses with Sweden and Iraq during the same period.

In terms of imports, petroleum products accounted for the largest share. 

The country imported diesel worth Rs 45.6 billion, petrol worth Rs 27.33 billion, and cooking gas valued at Rs 22.39 billion. 

Other major imports included smartphones worth Rs 19.13 billion, crude soybean oil amounting to Rs 46.97 billion, and iron products valued at Rs 21.84 billion.

Soybean oil was the single largest import item, totaling Rs 46.55 billion. 

In addition, Nepal imported large cardamom worth Rs 5.53 billion, carpets valued at Rs 4.13 billion, and sunflower oil worth Rs 3.73 billion during the review period.

China is likely to have loaded more than 100 intercontinental ballistic missiles across its latest three silo fields and has no desire for arms control talks, according to a draft Pentagon report which highlighted Beijing’s growing military ambitions, Reuters reported. 

China is expanding and modernizing its weapons stockpile faster than any other nuclear-armed power, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, a Chicago-based non-profit. Beijing has described reports of a military buildup as efforts to “smear and defame China and deliberately mislead the international community.”

Last month, US President Donald Trump said that he may be working on a plan to denuclearise with China and Russia. But the draft Pentagon report, which was seen by Reuters, said Beijing did not appear to be interested, according to Reuters. 

The Pokhara Metropolitan City is going to remove structures such as workshops and garages located along the main road.

Preparations have started to remove workshops and scrap collection centers on highways and major roads within the metropolitan area.

The Metropolitan City has issued a notice giving 35 days to remove workshops on the right side of the main road from Kotre to Setipul of the Pokhara section of the Prithvi Highway, from Chhorepatan to Prithvi Chowk of the Siddhartha Highway and from Jirokimi to Phedi of the Pokhara Baglung Highway.

Similarly, the metropolis has stated that due to the scrap collection centers, workshops, car wash, and grill industries operating on the stalls and vacant lands on both sides of the main roads in the urban area, there has been difficulty in traffic movement and has also spoiled the city's aesthetics. 

Such industries have been informed to be managed elsewhere as they have an adverse effect on maintaining environmental cleanliness in the metropolitan area, said Metropolitan Mayor Dhanraj Acharya.

Similarly, the Metropolitan City has urged hardware shops, depots and other businesses operating in designated areas not to place construction materials, signboards and other items and materials on the roadside.

Mayor Acharya said that non-compliance with the metropolis' request and operating such businesses or enterprises and storing materials in designated areas will be dealt with according to the prevailing law.

The metropolitan city has also appealed to the residents to extend support to it in the campaign of removing structures such as workshops from highways and main road areas.