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The price of gold has increased by Rs 300 per tola in the domestic market on Sunday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 112, 900 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 112, 600 per tola on Friday.

Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 112, 3500 per tola.

Similarly, the price of silver has increased by Rs 5 and is being traded at Rs 1,455 per tola today.

Janamat Party Chairman Dr CK Raut said that the problems the farmers have been facing every year should be resolved.

At the organization expansion and training program of the party held in Rajbiraj, Saptari on Saturday, he said the farmers in Madhes have been denied access to fertilizers in the time of crop plantation which he noted should be addressed.

Terai is a fertile land for food production, he said, adding well-placed arrangement of irrigation facilities is a must to increase productivity. 'Farmers in Terai are upset in the plantation time in the dearth of irrigation water', he said.

On another note, he said the syndicate system prevailing across the country has blocked the establishment of big industries.

Claiming that he took some efforts for the setup of a chemical fertilizers factory in Nepal with support from the Indian and German governments, Raut said India had positively responded to the initiative.

He underscored the need of creating job opportunities within the country to check the exodus of youths to foreign countries for employment.

The World Day Against Trafficking in Persons is being marked today by organizing various programs in Nepal.

The international day is spectacular to raise awareness towards eliminating human trafficking and call on governments, law enforcement agencies and stakeholders to enhance their commitment to that end.

The day is being observed this year with the theme 'Reach every victim of trafficking, leave no one behind'.

In the context of trafficking in persons, leaving people behind means failing to end the exploitation of trafficking victims, failing to support victim-survivors once they are free from their traffickers, and leaving identifiable groups vulnerable to traffickers.

Trafficking in persons is a serious crime and a grave violation of human rights. Every year, thousands of men, women and children fall into the hands of traffickers, in their own countries and abroad.

Almost every country in the world is affected by trafficking, whether as a country of origin, transit or destination for victims.

The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons defines Trafficking in Persons as the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harboring or receipt of persons, by means of the threat or use of force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation.

Exploitation shall include, at a minimum, the exploitation of the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery or practices similar to slavery, servitude or the removal of organs, the UN noted.

The World Day against Trafficking in Persons was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution A/RES/68\192.

According to the United Nations, global crises, conflicts, and the climate emergency are escalating trafficking risks. Displacement and socio-economic inequalities are impacting millions of people worldwide, leaving them vulnerable to exploitation by traffickers.

Those who lack legal status, live in poverty, have limited access to education, healthcare, or decent work, face discrimination, violence, or abuse, or come from marginalized communities are often the primary targets of traffickers.

Globally, national responses, particularly in developing States, appear to be deteriorating, the UN agency stated.  Detection rates fell by 11% in 2020 and convictions plummeted by 27%, illustrating a worldwide slowdown in the criminal justice response to trafficking.

The COVID-19 pandemic also changed the characteristics of trafficking, pushing it further underground and potentially increasing the dangers to victims by making the crime less likely to come to the attention of the authorities. In fact, 41% of victims who manage to escape their ordeal reach out to the authorities on their own initiative – another clear sign that anti-trafficking responses are falling short.

According to the National Report, 2076 of the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizen, lately women and children are being increasingly trafficked in different countries of Asia, Arab, Africa, Europe and America.

With the expansion of the human trafficking dimension, it has posed a serious challenge to prevent and control the crime associated with trafficking in persons.

Stakeholders have laid emphasis on amending and framing the laws for the control of human trafficking.

"Nepal's existing law is not adequate and practical to prevent and check human trafficking in persons, socialist Meena Poudel said, adding, "Its dimension has been expanded. Now men are also becoming vulnerable to trafficking".

I wake up in the morning and don’t want to get out of bed. I feel sad and anxious. I have no energy to study, work, or eat. My room is always messy and I don’t feel like cleaning up either. I have no motivation for anything. How do I help myself? 

Answered by Rishav Koirala, psychiatrist and researcher 

Lacking motivation to do anything, or even getting out of bed is common among many people. I went through the same thing around two weeks back. Although I was working, a part of me always felt sad and tired. I didn’t feel like doing anything either. Feelings like this are episodic. Sometimes it lasts a short while, sometimes longer. 

Keeping yourself active is important. Although you won’t feel like it, push yourself to get out of bed and indulge yourself in some physical exercise. It helps our body to release dopamine. You might not see the result immediately, but this will help. The worst thing to do at times like these is to stay put.

It’s important to keep yourself busy at times like these. It will be tough. But that’s where you shouldn’t give up. Sometimes, you need to push through this feeling and get the work done. The more you procrastinate, the worse this feeling will get. Also, avoid being on your own all the time. Go out, hang out with friends, and meet people. That will give you some positive reinforcement. And if you are under medication for any mental health issues, do not discontinue.

Don’t shy away from asking for help. This issue might not be severe, but feeling low all the time is something to be concerned about. Although it might not be depression or anxiety, there are a few diagnoses like dysthymia (persistent mild depression) and postpartum blues (low mood and mild depressive symptoms that begins shortly after childbirth) that have symptoms like these. If the feelings don’t go away even after you have made the needed changes in your lifestyle and have done everything I mentioned above, it’s always a good idea to seek help.

Stop Overthinking: 23 Techniques to Relieve Stress, Stop Negative Spirals, Declutter Your Mind, and Focus on the Present

Nick Trenton

Self Help | Nonfiction | Psychology

Stop Overthinking is a book that understands what you’ve been through, the exhausting situation you’ve put yourself into, and how you lose your mind in the trap of anxiety and stress. Acclaimed author Nick Trenton will walk you through the obstacles with detailed and proven techniques to help you rewire your brain, control your thoughts, and change your mental habits. What’s more, the book will provide scientific approaches to completely change the way you think and feel about yourself by ending vicious thought patterns.

Too Late

Colleen Hoover

Romance | New Adult | Dark | Thriller

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This is a psychological suspense novel of obsession and dangerous love. Sloan will go through hell and back for those she loves. And she does just that, every single day. Caught up with the alluring Asa Jackson, a notorious drug trafficker, Sloan has finally found a lifeline to cling to, even if it means compromising her morals. But as Sloan becomes emotionally and economically reliant on him, he in turn develops a disturbing obsession with her—one that becomes increasingly dangerous with each passing day. 

War of Lanka (Book 4: Ram Chandra Series)

Amish Tripathi

Mythology | Fantasy | Historical Fiction

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The first three books of the second-fastest-selling book series in Indian publishing history—the Ram Chandra Series—explore the individual journeys of Ram, Sita, and Raavan. In the epic fourth book of the series, their narrative strands crash into one another and explode in a slaughterous war. Will Ram defeat the ruthless and fiendish Raavan, constrained as he is by the laws of Dharma? Will Lanka burn to a cinder or fight back like a cornered tiger? And will the terrible costs of war be worth the victory?

We Measure the Earth with Our Bodies

Tsering Yangzom Lama

Historical Fiction | Asian Literature

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In the wake of China’s invasion of Tibet throughout the 1950s, Lhamo and her younger sister, Tenkyi, arrive at a refugee camp in Nepal. They survived the dangerous journey across the Himalayas, but their parents didn’t. As Lhamo tries to rebuild her life, hope arrives in the form of a young man named Samphel and his uncle. Breathtaking in its scope and powerful in its intimacy, the book is a gorgeously written meditation on colonization, displacement, and the lengths we will go to remain connected to our families and ancestral lands.

Find these titles and more at Bookverse, Civil Mall, Sundhara, Kathmandu

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Centre for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) organized a national seminar to launch its publication – China’s Emergence in Nepal’s Infrastructure: Status, Issues and Challenges and shared key findings of the report for wider civic engagement and discussion.

The book, authored by noted author Amish Raj Mulmi, senior journalist, Anil Giri, co-founder of The Araniko Project Raunab Singh Khatri, CESIF’s Research and Program Coordinator Arpan Gelal and CESIF’s researcher Milan Acharya was launched at the Square Hotel today, reads a statement issued by the CESIF.

The book launch was followed by the discussion on the theme, ‘China’s Emergence in Nepal’s Infrastructure: Status, Issues and Challenges.’

The seminar brought together distinguished panelists—former Economic Development advisor to the Prime Minister of Nepal and (Ret.) Secretary of the Government of Nepal Lal Shanker Ghimire, former Urban Secretary of the Government of Nepal Deependra Nath Sharma, Director of the Center for Governance and Academic Affairs at IIDS Dr Sucheta Pyakuryal, former senior External Affairs Officer at the World Bank, Rajib Upadhya.

The panel was moderated by Research Advisor at CESIF Ajaya Bhadra Khanal.

The discussion brought into account the nexus of corruption that Chinese infrastructure projects had built, their inclination towards party-to-party relations, especially the left political forces, and the need for Nepal’s political and bureaucratic front to work together upon its negotiation techniques, the statement reads.

Vijay Kant Karna, Executive Chair at CESIF, began the seminar by extending his welcome remarks.

“Realizing the lack of comprehensive research on China's involvement in Nepal's infrastructure sector, CESIF conducted research on the said topic, the report of which we are launching today. The report is expected to provide insights into the patterns of Chinese engagement in Nepal's infrastructure. The report also discusses the nexus between the local agents of Chinese contractors and Nepali decision makers,” said Karna.

Author Amish Raj Mulmi presented key findings and analysis of the book.

Mulmi discussed the mechanisms of the Chinese infrastructure engagement in Nepal, and then provided a succinct comparison of the infrastructural investment by China, India and Japan in Nepal, in which he commended Japan’s debt relief practices.

Lal Shanker Ghimire began the discussion by talking about how all aid comes with strings attached.

He reflected that infrastructural funding is no different and must be viewed from that same lens.

Ghimire further said that a lack of proper negotiation has led to some of the unfair deals. This lack of negotiation stems from inferiority complex and lower bargaining capacity of Nepali bureaucrats.

Similarly, Dr Sucheta Pyakuryal mentioned that Nepal is not in a scary position given the status of economic indicators.

However, the political dimension is a thing to reflect upon.

Nepal, as a country, is weak, and thus, commercial projects tend to make a weak state weaker. Therefore, we need to look upon the knots and bolts of our government while dealing with the funded infrastructure projects,’ said Dr Pyakuryal, the statement further reads.

Likewise, Dr Rajib Upadyay provided his opinion on how resources are finite now.

‘The era of cheap money is now over. In particular because of three reasons: firstly, the West is heading towards recession. Secondly, rising global tensions has brought geopolitics into the economic discourse. Thirdly, the defense budget is increasing amongst NATO countries,’ he reflected.

Deependra Nath Sharma, reflected upon the lack of a definite institution to oversee infrastructural governance.

He said that the national planning commission needs to involve itself more. Especially, when projects do not complete in the intended period, there is blame game, and cost overrun, among others.

Sharma opined, ‘There is also a Public Procurement Monitoring office, but is barely monitoring anything. It provides suggestions on dispute, but doesn’t monitor, per se.’ Thus, there is clearly an institutional gap.

Moderator Ajaya Bhadra Khanal summarized the discussion by reflecting that there exists a plethora of aspects of infrastructural development and that Nepal needs to prioritize its national interest while negotiating for infrastructural development deals.

The seminar ended with vibrant participation from audiences for the question-and-answer segment. The event hosted noted diplomats, journalists, former bureaucrats, academicians, former military officials, and researchers.

Centre for Social Inclusion and Federalism (CESIF) Nepal is a not-for- profit, autonomous and independent private research institution serving the public interest, with significant independence from any interest group. Our mission is to help the government create a democratic, secure and just society by making informed and transparent decisions about policies and practices.

Eight people have died of dengue infection in Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City.

Umesh Mehta, Chief of Health Division, said that the deceased are four men and four women.

Mehta said that a 10-year-old boy of Dharan-11 died in the last 24 hours in Dharan.

The child died during the course of treatment on Wednesday.

Earlier, one woman each of Dharan-17 on June 13, Dharan-11 on June 30, Dharan-18 on July 18, Dharan-5 on July 19 and one man each of Dharan-11 on July 18, Dharan-2 on July 23 and Dharan-10 on July 24 died of dengue infection.

BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan has started the treatment by operating a separate dengue hospital after dengue became endemic to Dharan.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr Prahlad Karki said that a separate dengue hospital was brought into operation to facilitate the treatment of patients after Dharan has been overwhelmed by dengue patients.

President Ram Chandra Paudel on Friday authenticated the bill aimed at taking action against loan sharks.

The President’s Office said that President Paudel certified the bill ‘to amend some other Nepal Acts including Civil Code 2080.

President Paudel authenticated the bill endorsed by both the Houses as per Article 113 (2) of the Constitution.

It will get the legal status after it is published in the Nepal gazette.