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Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal held a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel and Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari in Baluwatar on Wednesday. During the meeting, they discussed the current situation of the country’s economy and problems seen in the banking sector among other issues. The Prime Minister showed concern over the problems and challenges seen in the recent time. On the occasion, Prime Minister Dahal, who is also the Chairman of the CPN (Maoist Center), stressed on the need to reduce interest rates and improve monetary policy. He further underscored the need to find the ways to minimize the impact on the people caused by the challenges seen in the economy of the country.  

Two persons died and two other sustained inquiries when a fire broke out at a house in Phidim Municipality-5, Ghumaunetar of Panchthar district in the wee hours of Wednesday. DSP Hari Khatiwada of the District Police Office, Panchthar said that the fire belonging to one Megh Bahadur Gurung was destroyed in the fire that occurred at around 1:30 am today. The deceased have been identified as Gurung’s daughter-in-law Asang Singh Thebe (23) and daughter Mamata Gurung (22). Police said that Megh Bahadur and Bijendra Gurung were injured in the incident. It has been learnt that property worth around Rs 5 million was destroyed in the fire. The reason behind the fire was electric short circuit. The fire was taken under control with the help of police personnel and locals after three hours.

The music video of the song ‘Mero Desh Naharos’, filled with patriotic sentiments, has been released. The video has been released through Delighted Nepal YouTube channel. Adding to the wave of patriotic songs, the new song features singer Swaroopraj Acharya, composer Pushkar Sunuwar and lyricist DP Dahal.  This song has introduced Nepal’s art, culture and nature and is presented by Rita Simkhada Dahal. Recorded at Melody Nepal Studio, this song is produced and distributed by Delighted Music Industries Pvt Ltd. The music video is edited by Mohan Sunuwar, cinematography by Keshav Vishwakarma, and arrangement, recording and mixing by Pushkar Sunuwar.  Video here: https://youtu.be/Tv3F1PZGdEM

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 3. 03 points to close at 2,061.0 6 points on Tuesday. Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 0. 39 points to close at 394. 62 points. A total of 8,222,833 unit shares of 257 companies were traded for Rs 3. 45 billion. Meanwhile, Swet-Ganga Hydropower and Construction Limited and Dhaulagiri Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited were the top gainers today with their price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Wean Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top loser with its price dropped by 5. 59 percent. At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 98 trillion.

The CPN (Unified Socialist) has decided not to join the government. A politburo meeting held in Kathmandu made the decision to this effect, party spokesperson Jagannath Khatiwada said. He was of the opinion that the party has decided to study the parties affiliated to the alliance. “We held broader discussions on the government of the incumbent coalition. We will take the decision on joining the government only after analyzing the programs brought by the government,” Khatiwada said. He said that the party secretariat has been given the rights to take the decision on whether to join the government or not. Khatiwada further said that the party has not got any proposal yet to participate in the government. “The country has a coalition government. We do not have a negative opinion over the government. But, formally we have not any proposal pertaining to joining the government,” he said.

The Supreme Court of India on Monday upheld the Narendra Modi government’s decision to demonetize the notes of 500 and 1,000 denominations.  In November 2016, the Indian government had taken a controversial move of outlawing InRs 500 and InRs 1,000 currency notes in a bid to rein in black money. The move was challenged in the Indian Supreme Court. 

But on Monday, India’s apex court not only upheld the decision, but went on to state that it cannot be reversed. The demonetization move had also impacted Nepal, where Indian currency is widely accepted. The Nepali government has been requesting the Indian authorities to exchange the demonetized notes held by Nepali individuals, banks and financial institutions.

Several rounds of meetings have taken place between the officials of the two countries, but to no avail.  With the latest court verdict, chances of the demonetized Indian bills getting exchanged appear slim. One of the reasons India has shown reluctance to exchange the demonetized notes held by Nepalis is the issue of counterfeit bills.   According to Nepal Rastra Bank, banks and financial institutions hold demonetized bills worth InRs 33.6m.

I’m a 22-year-old who was diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) when I was 17. Right now, everything in life is pretty good. My relationships are going well and even work is satisfying. But there is this void in me that makes me sad all the time. I know the reason too. It’s because I’m bad with self-love. I want to change that, and do what it takes to be happy again. Please help me!—AN Answered by Rishav Koirala, psychiatrist and researcher  It’s good that you know what the problem is. You are already halfway there to solving it. You might think this feeling will never go away, but trust me when I say everything will be okay. I too have felt like that at one point in life, and things got better with time.  What you are feeling is the result of your BPD, that you say you were diagnosed with five years ago. Having this personality disorder makes it difficult to accept yourself the way you are. There are other things like abandonment issues that fuel that feeling. But the thing about personality disorder is it can be managed unlike other illnesses. It doesn’t mean you need to change your personality entirely.  Instead control the feelings that make you uneasy. And the first step of doing so is to realize you need help—the step you just took.  Then, it’s time to analyze your emotions. You say everything is going great but you still feel empty. So ask yourself, what makes you feel that way? Is there something or someone that triggers this feeling? Is your surroundings good for your mental health? Figuring this out will help you know what to do next.  Sharing helps. Don’t hesitate to share how you feel with someone close to you. If it’s not easy for you to open up at once, do it gradually. See how they react when you share something small. If you like the way they respond, you will automatically be comfortable enough to call them up when you need to. But in case you don’t, find someone else who will understand your situation. But don’t let a few people demotivate you from being vocal about your emotions. Not everyone will say what you want to hear. But that doesn’t mean there won’t be anyone with whom you can share how you feel. It can be your partner, your friend, or a psychological professional.  In BPD, it’s natural to seek constant affirmation. Hearing people say things like “Good job!”, “You are doing great!”, and “We are proud of you!” can act as positive reinforcements for your feelings. It can also be things like “I will always be here for you”, “I will not leave you,” or simply “I love you”, to help you with your abandonment issues, since it fuels the feeling of self-loathing.  Don’t get me wrong, you will not depend on these affirmations all your life. What I’m trying to say is these positive words from your close and loved ones can help you see yourself in a different light. It will help you to love yourself the way you are. If you have people who bring you down constantly, it’s best to avoid them.  Also, another trait of those with BPD is to push people away. It’s a response to the abandonment issue. With fear of being abandoned, people with BPD tend to avoid getting close to anyone, or push them away if they see a chance that s/he might leave. It’s their way of shielding themselves from the pain of being left alone. You need to avoid doing this. It will only make you feel more lonely.  Finally, mindfulness meditation is the key to keeping yourself calm. You can find 30 minute-long videos for mindfulness meditation on YouTube. I recommend videos by Michael Sealey. I would also suggest you work with a psychologist who will guide you through mindfulness meditation and therapy. 

When it comes to food and eating out, we are all a little indecisive. Especially if there is a large group, it’s always a hassle to settle on a cuisine everyone will enjoy. In that case, The Sesemè restaurant at Hyatt Regency in Boudha, Kathmandu, might just be what you are looking for. They serve a total of three cuisines—Chinese, Indian, and European. And their drinks are exceptional too.  For winter, we recommend a cup of tea or coffee and there are quite a few options to choose from. Then, for food, we recommend you start with Assorted Dimsums—a Chinese dish of small plates of dumplings served with a side dip of tangy sauce. They simply melt in your mouth. The zesty flavored sauce makes the dish even better. Although the dish sounds like an ideal meal, it’s not quite filling. So, we suggest you order that as a starter and try something else for the main course. Our next recommendation is Lucknowi Shreemal. It’s a flat bread, flavored with saffron. It is soft and fluffy. It comes with chicken curry on the side that has the perfect blend of cumin, chili powder, garlic, and ginger. This dish is popular in the Indian subcontinent.  The Chicken Biryani deserves a special mention. The chicken was tender, and the dish was neither too spicy, nor too bland. It had a lot of flavors going on but none of them were overpowering. We suggest you share the dish with a friend since it’s quite a lot for a single person to finish. The ambience is what elevates the dining experience here. The food is all lined up right at the entrance, and there are separate stands for different cuisines. The indoor hall is quite spacious and the chatter at the next table won’t disturb you.  Chef’s Specials: 

• Assorted Dimsums 

• Lucknowi Sheermal

• Biryani