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The price of gold has dropped by Rs 700 per tola in the domestic market on Monday. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow bullion is being traded at Rs 109, 300 per tola today. The yellow metal was traded at Rs 110, 000 per tola on Sunday. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 108, 800 per tola. It was traded at Rs 109, 500. The price of silver has dropped by Rs 10 and is being traded at Rs 1, 430.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balen Shah on Monday made it clear that he had to decide not to collect waste from Singha Durbar due to non-implementation of the agreements reached with the ministers and lawmakers at different times. Mayor Shah this morning gave 14 reasons through social media that why he instructed the concerned department to stop collecting waste from the premises of Singha Durbar. “A few days ago, I was forced to make a decision to stop collecting waste from Singha Durbar. It was not a random decision. It was the result of negligence, irresponsibility and carelessness of the central government,” he said. He was of the opinion that the Singha Durbar, a complex that houses the country's major administrative offices, was not serious on coordinating with the local governments to resolve the issues of the general public. “Singha Dubar lies in the Kathmandu Metropolis. Singha Durbar is just around 500 meters away from the office of metropolis. In spite of this, the metropolis has to exercise a lot to meet the ministers and lawmakers in Singha Durbar. The government is not serious about coordinating with the local governments on the issues of the general public’s livelihood,” Mayor Shah said. He expressed his expectation that the local problems be solved at the local level. Mayor Shah said that the central government has not accepted the existence of the local government. Earlier on Saturday, Mayor Shah had directed to stop collecting waste from Singha Durbar. He had said that instead the leaders should be dumped in the Bancharedanda landfill site to make the country clean.

Lucky Sherpa is a former Nepali ambassador to Australia. She is currently serving as a member of the international bureau of  CPN-UML. ApEx talks to her about the foreign policy challenges of the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government. What are the foreign policy challenges of the current government? We are passing through a very difficult time, both domestically and internationally. In this difficult time, we need to carve out a clear and robust foreign policy, but this government has failed to come up with a concrete view even after 100 days. The common minimum program has some provisions regarding the foreign policy, but they are not sufficient to address the challenges. Plus they are full of ambiguities. This government hasn’t prioritized international relations. It has failed to even appoint the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the prime minister doesn’t have a foreign relations advisor. It is unfortunate because we are facing a lot of difficulties, including the economic crisis at home. Relation with neighbors prominently figures out in our foreign policy priorities. How should we conduct our relationship with our two immediate neighbors? We have to develop our country as a vibrant economic link between India and China. But we are failing to develop a relationship based on trust with both our neighbors. We have failed to make them confident and maintain an equidistance policy. Our leaders are exploiting the bilateral relationship to serve their personal and party interests. First, we have to define our national interests and we have to talk with other countries accordingly. For this, all political parties should come together. In other countries, political parties, irrespective of their differing political ideologies, come together on the issue of national interests and external relations, but this is not happening in our country. Parties should make a consistent view on foreign policy whether they are in power or outside the government. This lack of consistency has caused our state bodies, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to become very weak. There have been a lot of changes in both the domestic and international landscape, so we have to think differently. Our traditional mindset needs to change. How do you see Nepal’s relationship beyond neighbors? First and foremost, we have to define our national interests and priorities before dealing with other countries. We have to identify the areas of collaboration with those countries to serve our national interests. Our relationship with Western and European countries are not on track. We have not seen long-term vision in our relationship with those countries. All major political parties should be on the same page when we engage with foreign powers. Take MCC, for example, where the political parties showed double standards. They instructed their cadres to hit the street against the US grant program, but the party leadership endorsed it. We failed to make a concrete position. Even after endorsing the MCC, the parties have not taken its ownership. You are a member of  the CPN-UML's international bureau, how do your party view the existing situation? What position our party takes on the issue of international relations doesn’t matter because we are talking about a national issue, which needs to be consistent and according to the consensus among all major political parties. The national interest is a common issue of all political parties. So the parties should not see foreign policy from their prisms. They should instead see it from the national interest’s perspectives. How do you evaluate the performances of our embassies? Ambassadors can play a vital role to serve national interests. Their main duty should be to enhance the economy. They can play a role to bring investment and assistance. The question is whether we have oriented our Ambassadors in a proper way. There should be close communication and coordination between government ministers and ambassadors. The reports submitted by embassies are always snubbed and we lack the agency to implement the suggestions made by the ambassadors. If the government is not supportive, ambassadors alone cannot bring results.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are organisms whose genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally through mating or natural recombination. In agriculture, GMOs have been developed to improve crop yields, reduce the use of pesticides, and increase resistance to pests and diseases. However, there is a great deal of controversy surrounding the use of GMOs in agriculture, with proponents arguing that they offer significant benefits and opponents expressing concerns about potential risks. This article will explore the benefits and drawbacks of genetically modified organisms in agriculture. GMOs have a wide variety of advantages in our day to day life and in the perspective of an average Nepalese farmer. One of the primary benefits of GMOs in agriculture is the potential to increase crop yields. Genetically modified crops can be designed to be resistant to pests, disease, and environmental stress, which can improve the overall health and productivity of the crop. Another benefit of GMOs is the potential to reduce the use of pesticides. By engineering crops to be resistant to pests and disease, farmers can avoid using harmful chemicals that can have negative effects on the environment and human health. GMOs can also be used to improve the nutritional value of crops. For example, researchers have developed a genetically modified rice that contains increased levels of vitamin A, which can help to address vitamin A deficiency in developing countries. The use of GMOs in agriculture can also lead to lower costs for farmers. By reducing the need for pesticides and increasing crop yields, farmers can save money on inputs and increase profits. Since everything has its fair share of drawbacks, some of the drawbacks of GMOs include: One of the primary concerns about GMOs in agriculture is the potential environmental risks. For example, genetically modified crops can lead to the development of superweeds and superbugs that are resistant to pesticides, which can ultimately lead to an increase in the use of harmful chemicals. Another concern about GMOs is the potential health risks. Some studies have suggested that genetically modified crops can cause allergic reactions and other health problems in humans and animals. There are also ethical concerns about the use of GMOs in agriculture. For example, some people argue that it is unethical to manipulate the genetic makeup of plants and animals in this way. Finally, there are also socioeconomic impacts to consider. Some critics argue that the use of GMOs in agriculture could lead to increased dependence on large agribusiness companies and could have negative impacts on small farmers and rural communities. In conclusion, the use of genetically modified organisms in agriculture has both benefits and drawbacks. While genetically modified crops have the potential to increase yields, reduce pesticide use, and improve nutrition, there are also concerns about potential environmental and health risks, ethical concerns, and socioeconomic impacts. Ultimately, it is up to policymakers, farmers, and consumers to carefully consider these issues and make informed decisions about the use of GMOs in agriculture. Kavya Pokharel  Class XI St. Xavier’s College, Maitighar

Pokhara: The Annapurna Express has launched a Pokhara special campaign targeting Pokhara and its neighboring areas. As part of this campaign, a team of ApEx conducted a door-to-door program in Pokhara on Saturday morning, where people were informed about the materials published in The Annapurna Express. They were also informed about the daily’s advertising and subscription plans.  The team also discussed and consulted with the representatives of various organizations in Pokhara about potential cooperation. The daily has decided to report and publish news, advertising and subscription plans targeting Pokhara. In the coming days, ApEx will play a key role in making Pokhara’s tourism sector known to the world.  According to Annapurna Media Network’s Deputy General Manager Bikash Shrestha, an annual subscriber of The Annapurna Express will get two movie tickets of Cineplex cinema, Rs 500 worth discount coupon of Foodmandu, two tickets of Annapurna Cable Car and a health check-up coupon worth Rs 6,000 on behalf of Kathmandu Mediciti Hospital.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 28. 31 points to close at 1,838.48 points on Sunday. Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 4. 24 points to close at 348. 79 points. A total of 3,843,713-unit shares of 268 companies were traded for Rs 1. 15 billion. Meanwhile, Kalinchowk Darshan Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9. 97 percent. Likewise, Machhapuchhre Bank Debenture was the top loser with its price dropped by 7. 75 percent. At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 66 trillion.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party has suspended lawmaker Dhaka Kumar Shrestha after his audio of asking for Rs 20 million bribe with medical entrepreneur Durga Prasain was leaked. An office bearers’ meeting of the party held on Sunday decided to suspend lawmaker Shrestha. RSP Chief Whip Santosh Pariyar said that Shrestha has been suspended for a week. “This is a sensitive issue. He has been suspended for a week. He will be asked to furnish clarification,” he said. In the audiotape, lawmaker Shrestha was heard asking Rs 20 million with Prasain saying that he had to pay the money to the party to become health minister.    

The Rastriya Swatantra Party is to take action against lawmaker Dhaka Kumar Shrestha. RSP Vice-President Dol Prasad Aryal said that the party is preparing to expel lawmaker Shrestha after the audio of him asking for kickback with medical entrepreneur Durga Prasain was leaked. “We have got information about the matter. We will take necessary action after carrying out an investigation,” he said. In the audiotape, lawmaker Shrestha was heard asking the bribe with Prasain saying that he had to pay Rs 20 million to the party to become health minister.