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A grant agreement of more than Rs 10.5 billion has been signed between Nepal and the European Union (EU) for two different programs.

At a program organized at the Finance Ministry, Singha Durbar, on Friday, two separate financing agreements - a grant agreement of 50 million pound sterling (equivalent to Rs. 7.38 billion) for 'Quality Education for All' to support the School Education Sector Plan - SESP, and a grant agreement of 22 million pound sterling (equivalent to Rs. 3.25 billion) for the 'Local Adaptation to Climate Change' initiative - were signed.

'Quality Education for All' will support the implementation of the government's School Education Sector Plan in a sector-wide approach (SWAp) supported by eight development partners, including the EU. The overall objective of this support is to contribute to a well-educated and skilled society in Nepal which is able to play an active role in the social and economic development of the country.

On the occasion, Finance Secretary Arjun Prasad Pokharel said, "l am hopeful that the support of SESP with the help in increasing equitable access and improving the quality of education, which are crucial for human capital development."

"Nepal is making sincere efforts to balance the development and climate action. I appreciate the support of the EU to plan and develop measures for Disaster Risk Reduction and to focus on increased human and financial capacities in order to enable the selected local levels and communities to manage their natural resources in regards to adaptation to climate change. I would like to thank the European Union for its continued support in the socio-economic development endeavors of Nepal", stated Pokharel.

Similarly, EU Commissioner for international Partnerships, Jutta Urpilainen said, "The European Union is proud to continue our 20 year support to Nepal in education. Supporting quality education is one of our core commitments in our cooperation."

 "We are heartened by the government's commitment to support quality education and are happy to be a close partner", stated EU Ambassador to Nepal, Nona Deprez.

The European Union and Finland, as team Europe, will continue to work with local and provincial governments in Sudurpaschim and Karnali so they are empowered to make the most of their natural resources sustainable." said Nona Deprez, EU Ambassador to Nepal.

'Local Adaptation to Climate Change' is initiated with an overall objective to improve the sustainability and conservation of natural resources to notably increase their climate resilience in Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces, reads a press release issued by the Finance Ministry.

A 76-year-old man died after being attacked by a rhino in eastern Chitwan on Thursday. 

The deceased has been identified as Nabraj Adhikari of Ratnanagar Municipality-6, Chitwan.

Information Officer at the Chitwan National Park Ganesh Prasad Tiwari said that Adhikari, who had gone to collect the fiddlehead fern (Niguro) in the nearby forest, was attacked by the rhino in Baghmara Buffer Zone Community Forest yesterday.

Adhikari's body was recovered this morning in a search carried out by the family members and relatives after Adhikari did not return home on Thursday evening, according to Information Officer Tiwari.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 800 per tola in the domestic market on Friday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow bullion is being traded at Rs 112, 800 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 113, 600 per tola on Thursday.

Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 112, 250 per tola. It was traded at Rs 113, 050.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1,480 per tola today.

Five members of a family have fallen sick after consuming wild mushroom at Tadigaun in Sunarya Rural Municipality-3 of Baitadi.

Tek Raj Bhatta (35), Dhauli Bhatta (35), Bhuwan Bhatta (12), Shardha Bhatta (12) and eight-year-old Dablu Bhatta have taken ill, police said.

Inspector Kamal Prasad Chaudhary, Chief at the Area Police Office, Patan, all of them have been taken to the Dadeldhura Hospital for treatment.

The hospital administration said that all of them except Shardha are in unconscious condition.

Lumpy skin disease is taking a heavy toll on the cattle in the districts of Sudurpaschim Province. So far, almost 26,000 livestock died of the lumpy skin disease, the officials said. 

The disease has spread in all nine districts of the province, affecting around 634,800 animals.

Chief of Veterinary Hospital and Livestock Service Expert Centre, Kailali, Dr Hemraj Awasthi, said that the outbreak of the disease has panicked the local farmers with the largest number of livestock fatalities in Baitadi and largest number of infections in Kailali district. Dr Awasthi said that more than 11,000 animals died of this disease in Baitadi district.

Likewise, Kanchanpur district recorded the least number of fatalities among the nine districts in the province.

However, just 630 livestock received vaccines against this disease as per the information provided to the Department of Livestock Service from the Livestock Development Directorate.

"This year's infection in the hilly districts is deadlier," according to Dr Awasthi.

The livestock technicians have suggested the farmers keep the infected cattle isolated. It is said that the disease broke out due to the practice of keeping cattle free in open grazing land in highland areas.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense Purna Bahadur Khadka has said that Nepal and Republic of Korea should work to further deepen the bilateral relations and ensure cooperation.  

At a meeting with Ambassador of Republic of Korea Tae-Young Park on Thursday, the Deputy Prime Minister also expressed pleasure for organizing separate programs in Kathmandu and Seoul to further deepen the friendly ties between the two countries on the occasion of completion of 50 years of formal diplomatic ties. 

Likewise, the DPM recalled that South Korea has been Nepal's reliable development partner for a long and its support to Nepal's energy, health care, education, human resource and rural development sectors were crucial. 

On the occasion, Korean Ambassador Park said that Nepal was the first priority to migrant workers in South Korea under the Employment Permit System (EPS).

The Ambassador said that as high as 10,000 Nepalis would be provided with the employment opportunity in the next year under the EPS model.

Millions of people heading abroad for employment should alarm a government worth its name.

If they do not, that is an indication that something is seriously wrong, not just with the government but with the entire state.

Facts first. Government data themselves show that about 5m people have opted for foreign employment in the course of 30 years. Many of these people land dirty, difficult and dangerous jobs, meaning death at work is pretty high. Data show that around 12,000 Nepali migrant workers have lost their lives abroad in the past 15 years alone. Despite these alarming figures, youth outmigration continues unabated. So much so, reports indicate that Nepali youths are even falling prey to non-state actors recruiting for the Ukraine war.

Perhaps the government does not bother much about this draining of the youth because it gets a huge amount in remittance every year. So much so, it seems bent on sending young professionals like nurses abroad without any regard for a public health system on sickbed.  Yearly remittance figures stood at $8.11bn, $8.23bn and a whopping $9.29bn from 2020 to 2022. Who would want to lose such a sum in these hard times? 

But these tall figures hide incalculable losses resulting from outmigration. Youths leaving in increasing numbers means no population dividend for a country lagging far behind in comparison to other countries in the neighborhood in terms of development and prosperity. It means tearing the very fabric of the Nepali society asunder. 

This is not to mean that one should not go abroad, in this day and age of interconnectivity, for acquiring new skills, technologies, getting a good education and landing a job, etc. But the focus of the state should be on the creation of a conducive environment to bring these people back and tap their newfound technical skills, knowledge, expertise and experience for the betterment of respective families, societies and the country.

The onus to stop this drain is not on the government alone, though. In particular, people of productive age groups have a tendency to see greener pastures abroad and this is also a reason behind outmigration. These people should not forget that Nepal is a job market for millions of people from across the border. Why are the youths themselves not getting gainful employment in their own country? Is it because they constitute a cream of the cream lot for whom suitable jobs are not available in a low-tech Nepal? Is it because of a mindset that regards certain jobs available in Nepal as inferior? What is the major reason behind thousands of hectares of farmlands lying barren for years, if not this mindset?

Whatever the reason(s), stakeholders, including the government, political parties, their youth wings and community leaders should hold discussions and work out ways to stop this sapping of national energies before it’s too late.

Police have arrested a Chinese national in connection with the gold smuggling case.

The immigration took the Chinese national under control from the Tribhuvan International Airport while he was preparing to leave the country and handed him over to the Revenue Investigation Department.

The Revenue Investigation Department recovered around one quintal gold from Singamangal on Wednesday.

Police said that the gold, passed undetected through the Customs Office of the Tribhuvan International Airport, arrived in Kathmandu on Tuesday's Cathay Pacific flight.

The gold was brought in Kathmandu by concealing in the brake shoes of motorbikes and scooters.

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