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At a time when there is a huge flight of capital from the country in the form of education bills for the study abroad of Nepali students, Nepal is also earning foreign currency from international students who're coming to study in the Himalayan nation. The latest macroeconomic report published by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) shows there has been a huge growth in foreign currency income through foreign students coming to Nepal in this fiscal year. The central bank data shows the country earned Rs 1.52 billion in the first half of FY 2022/23 from foreign students, an increment of a whopping 102 percent from Rs 754.2 million in the same period of the last fiscal year. Nepal earned Rs 1.51 billion from foreign students studying in the country in FY 2021/22. According to NRB, such earning was Rs 1.04 billion in FY 2020/21 and Rs 2.23 billion in FY 2019/20. The forex earnings from education declined in the last two fiscal years due to the Covid-19 pandemic as foreign students could not come to Nepal. However, with the easing of international travel, there has been a surge in the number of foreign students studying in the country lately. Apart from subjects such as history and language, the majority of foreign students come to Nepal for medical education. According to the Medical Education Commission, 265 foreign students were enrolled in medical colleges in the last fiscal year. According to the commission, students from Bhutan, Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, and other countries come to Nepal for medical education. Currently, about 500 foreign students are studying at different medical colleges in Nepal. Similarly, foreigners also come to study language, history, law, and other subjects. However, government entities do not have integrated data on the number of foreign students studying in Nepal. When foreign students study in Nepal, a large amount of money is spent on educational fees, housing expenses, etc. Education experts say that if the standard of the country's education system is improved, Nepal can attract more foreign students as well as earn more foreign currency. While there has been growth in the foreign exchange earnings from international students coming to Nepal, the country is spending a much higher amount to pay the bills of Nepali students who're studying abroad. As more Nepalis have been going abroad to study in recent years, more money is going outside the country for the purpose. The NRB report shows Nepalis have spent Rs 35.35 billion in the first six months of the current fiscal year for foreign education. Such spending amounted to Rs 67.70 billion for education abroad in the last fiscal year 2021/22 which had surged due to the suppressed number of outgoing Nepali students in the previous two fiscal years due to Covid-related restrictions. In FY 2020/21 and FY 2019/20, spending for education decreased to Rs 24.95 billion and Rs 25.81 billion, according to NRB.

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is planning to study if the high-volume transmission of electricity through the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line would cause any voltage-related problems in Nepal after the Indian side raised concerns on the matter. At a time when Nepal has been requesting India to allow Nepal to sell an extra 681MW of electricity in the upcoming monsoon season due to the surplus energy production in the country, the Indian side has pointed out the possible weakness in Nepal’s power transmission infrastructure. During the meeting of the joint technical team on energy cooperation held about two weeks ago, the Indian side warned about the possible voltage problem while transmitting a big load at the same time through this cross-border line. “We've told them that we will conduct a study on the issue,” said an official of NEA. “There will be a study on whether infrastructure could be improved by adding capacitors and condensers.” According to the official, the infrastructure should be able to sustain the flow of a high quantity of power loads at the same time. “We have been seeing the problem of low voltage power supply in the Tarai region during the hot climate when demand for power grows,” the official said. The infrastructure shortcomings on the Nepal side have been pointed out at a time Nepal is desperate to export more power in the upcoming wet season which will begin in June. Currently, India has allowed Nepal to sell 452MW of electricity generated by 10 hydropower projects in the Indian power market. According to an official of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI), Nepal has requested India to allow exports of 681MW of extra electricity during the meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Rajendra Prasad Lingden and Indian Foreign Secretary Vinaya Mohan Kwatra on Tuesday. The Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur Cross Border Transmission Line is the only 400kv capacity cross-border line, which can transport around 1,000MW. Currently, there are other 11 cross-border transmission lines with capacities of 33kV and 132kV, and the lines can transfer electricity between 5MW and 125MW only, according to a white paper on energy issued by MoEWRI in May 2018. Nepal and India will be discussing improving the infrastructure of the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line on the Nepali side during the 10th meeting of the joint secretary-level Joint Working Group and secretary-level Joint Steering Committee on energy scheduled to be held on February 17-18 in New Delhi, India. “As the recommendation of the joint technical team should be endorsed by the Joint Steering Committee, we are taking this issue to this meeting,” the NEA official said. Nepal has been facing problems to transfer electricity from one location of the country to another due to poor transmission infrastructure. Even though Nepal has been importing electricity from India during the dry season, it has failed to transport the imported electricity to the Birgunj area due to the lack of high-capacity power line and the NEA has been imposing load shedding there for the industrial consumers for the last two months. Likewise, there is also no high-capacity cross-border transmission line between the two countries except the Dhalkebar-Muzaffarpur transmission line. ‘That’s why we are proposing with India to develop two more cross-border transmission lines in the upcoming meeting,” said a senior MoEWRI official. Nepal will request India for developing 400kV Inaruwa (Duhabi)-Purnia and 400kV New Lamki (Dodhara)-Bareli cross-border transmission lines. “There will also be a discussion on improving the capacity of low capacity cross border power lines too,” the MoEWRI official said.

Decorating a house can be tricky and daunting. It’s never a good idea to rush into it, rather you must take your time to do some research, be clear about what you want, and only then get into the actual process. A vision board, where you put up photos of furniture, art, and décor items that appeal to you, can help you play around with ideas before finally bringing them to life. While décor is a personal thing and what works for you might not work for your friend, some basic mistakes people make while decorating can make a space seem a little off-putting. Here are a few décor dos and don’ts that will ensure your home is as elegant and stylish as its inhabitants. Less is more while accessorizing People are generally hoarders and tend to accumulate things, especially mementos and knickknacks over the course of their travels. Displaying random things all over your house can make it seem cluttered. Rather invest in classic accessories and ensure there’s not more than one item per room. Generally, bigger statement pieces might be a better option than smaller curios. Also, don’t hang different sizes of art on a single wall. If you want to display multiple artworks together, make sure the frames are of the same size. Get the rug size right Most of us tend to use rugs and carpets the wrong way. We generally place a small one between our sofas and chairs with a coffee table on top of it. Don’t use rugs or carpets that are too small for your space as it will create an optical illusion that will make your space look smaller than it is. The edges of your rugs should always be a few inches under the furniture. It can also extend beyond the furniture by a few inches or feet. It’s also a good idea not to use area rugs all over the house. Use it selectively and sparingly.   Pay attention to the lighting Opt for a mix of light sources at different heights to create a pleasing ambiance and functional space. For that, you can invest in dimmer switches, task lighting, mood lighting, and the correct light bulbs. Also, if you want hanging lights like chandeliers, don’t hang them too low and don’t go overboard with them—stick to just one or two pieces in the house. However, lower light fixtures in dining areas will make the space seem more intimate. Add some life to your space Your home can look too sterile if we don’t bring elements of nature into it. Stone, wood, jute, and rattan items can lend your home a rustic charm while making it feel comfortable and lived in. Indoor plants can really liven up a space. Better still, some plants like snake and spider plants will even purify indoor air for you. Instead of using small plants in cute little planters (that are hard to take care of) opt for bigger ones that can act as statement pieces on their own. Don’t be too matchy-matchy Matching furniture is a big no-no while decorating. While having some matching furniture isn’t a bad thing, matching all the pieces in a room will make it feel very formulaic and boring. It will also make a space seem closed and uninviting. Decide on a theme for your room and then find different styles to match that theme instead of just sticking to one. A general rule of thumb is to follow a color scheme of not more than two accent colors and two neutral shades to avoid a space from feeling visually overwhelming.

Germany has handed over more than 1.5 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's bivalent COVID-19 vaccine to Nepal through the COVAX Facility. Ambassador of Germany to Nepal Dr Thomas Prinz, handed over the vaccines to Minister for Health and Population Padam Giri at the Ministry earlier today in the presence of UNICEF Representative to Nepal Elke Wisch and WHO Representative to Nepal Dr Rajesh Sambhajirao Pandav, read a statement issued by the Embassy of Germany. “From the beginning of this pandemic Germany has supported the people of Nepal and has advocated for multilateral solutions like COVAX and ACT-Accelerator. Vaccines are the key in the fight against this pandemic and I am delighted to hand over today vaccines that were invented in Germany. With this delivery the German support reaches more than 5.6 million Doses,” said Ambassador Dr Prinz. “Nepal is one of the top 10 countries worldwide to receive vaccine support from Germany.” Although the number of COVID-19 infections in Nepal is relatively low at present, experts remain concerned about potential new surges in the days to come, the statement read. So far, over 82 per cent of the total population has been vaccinated, with 9,083,976 having received booster shots (Until Feb 7 2023). “In light of rising COVID-19 infections in different countries around the world, we are keen to continue administering booster shots and expand protection to more people across Nepal,” said Minister for Health and Population Padam Giri. “This generous assistance from Germany comes at a crucial time to support our vaccination efforts.” Germany was one of the founding members of the Country Coordinating Mechanism Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-Accelerator) in April 2020 and remains its second-largest donor, with contributions totalling 3.3 billion euro so far. Germany has donated and delivered approximately 120 million doses since the start of the pandemic – the majority of them through COVAX. The COVAX Facility is part of the ACT-Accelerator, and brings together several key partners such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, WHO and UNICEF to ensure efficient and equitable global allocation of COVID-19 vaccines. UNICEF Representative to Nepal Elke Wisch thanked the Government and people of Germany for contributing these life-saving vaccines to Nepal. ”Germany has been a generous partner in not just ensuring access to COVID-19 vaccines but also in supporting Nepal to procure cold-chain equipment to ensure safe delivery of these doses to communities,” Wisch said, the statement further read. “On behalf of the COVAX facility, we thank the Government of Germany for providing this boost to the country’s ongoing vaccination drive.”

Farmers in rural areas of Kaski are struggling to sell their tomato crop this year as the wholesale market has refused to purchase them. Wholesalers have refused to buy from local farmers saying that tomatoes imported from India are much cheaper. With market prices significantly lower than in previous years, farmers are concerned about recovering their farming expenses. As a result, they are forced to frequently lower their prices to compete with imported tomatoes, leading to further financial strain. The price of local tomatoes has dropped, thanks to unchecked import and sale of  tomatoes at much lower rates, causing distress for farmers like Chitra Nath Poudel of Hemja, Pokhara-25. Despite about 20 years of experience in the trade and an annual average income of Rs 5 million from 90 tomato tunnels, Poudel is facing a new challenge this year—selling his crop at an unprecedentedly low rate. Poudel's income has almost halved this year. In particular, the plummeting prices have the new farmers discouraged. It’s not only the farmers getting hit, though. Collection centers have also suffered from falling tomato prices. A few days ago, Bhumikot Agriculture Cooperative of Rupa Rural Municipality-7 canceled the supply agreement with two wholesale markets of Pokhara, which used to buy almost six tons of tomato from the cooperative annually. “This year, they purchased from other sources at half the price,” Nawaraj Poudel, a farmer from Rupa-7  and chairperson of the cooperative, said. In an attempt to recoup the expenses, Poudel has found an individual, Chudamani Baral of Khudi in Pokhara-30, who has agreed to sell all the collected tomatoes door-to-door. Baral is using a cart to sell the tomatoes locally. Gita Kumari Sapkota of Madi Rural Municipality in Kaski, who has been farming tomatoes for almost a decade, is also facing difficulties in selling her produce due to reduced market prices. A local collector, who used to buy 500 kg of tomatoes from her daily, has stopped coming, leaving her unsure of how and when to sell huge quantities of tomatoes. Sapkota earns around Rs 200,000 annually from tomatoes grown in three tunnels. Amid rapid urbanization in Pokhara, tomato farming expanded in surrounding rural areas due to a business-friendly environment, according to the Agriculture Section of the Pokhara Metropolitan Office. During the Covid-19 pandemic, many people returned to their villages and turned to farming, with a particular interest in tomato farming, according to Manoj Poudel, Chief of the Agriculture Section of Rupa Rural Municipality in Kaski. He noted that the registration of farming groups and agriculture farms in the rural municipality office has been increasing in recent years. The local government bodies are now facing the challenge of sustaining the motivation of local farmers. To address this, some local bodies have made arrangements to compensate the farmers when exported products push local product prices downward. However, according to Manohar Kadariya, Chief of the Agriculture Section of the Pokhara Metropolitan Office, no individual or farm has claimed this facility yet.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Prakash Sharan Mahat has drawn the attention of the government towards the vandalism and robbery that took place in Balaju of Kathmandu. Speaking at the Parliament meeting on Wednesday, Mahat demanded immediate investigation into the incident. He vented his anger saying that the government has failed to provide security and safety to its citizens. Leader Mahat, who is also the spokesperson of the Nepali Congress, demanded that the government address the demands of the transport workers. Who has entered there in the name of transport workers? Who has encouraged them? Why is this happening? he questioned. Mahat said that all the incident has been captured in the video. He said that the guilty should be punished. A shop at the Lhotse Mall in Balaju was robbed during the demonstration of the transport workers on Monday afternoon. The two vans belonging to the Nepal Police were also set on fire.

While banks and financial institutions (BFIs) saw their profits decline in the first half of the current fiscal year, life insurance companies recorded significant growth in their profits. As per the unaudited financial reports published by the life insurance companies for the second quarter of the current fiscal year, the profits of the insurers increased by 72.51 percent in the first six months of FY 2022/23. The 18 life insurance companies posted profits of Rs 3.37 billion during this period, an increment of Rs 1.41 billion compared to the last fiscal year. The companies earned a net profit of Rs 1.95 billion in the first half of FY 2021/22. While the profits have grown, the overall business of life insurance companies saw a marginal growth in this fiscal year. According to Nepal Insurance Authority (NIA), life insurance companies collected premiums amounting to Rs 71.65 billion in the first six months of the current fiscal year. The premium collection of life insurance companies during the same period of the last fiscal stood at Rs 70.91 billion. According to insurance companies, their profits may increase further after the actuarial valuation. However, such an assessment will be done after the completion of the fiscal year, during which up to 10 percent of the insurance fund can be transferred to the profit and loss account. Nepal Life Insurance Company has topped the chart in terms of net profit earnings. The company posted a net profit of Rs 440 million in the first half of the current fiscal. Sun Nepal Life Insurance came second with a net profit of Rs 353 million followed by Surya Jyoti Life Insurance with Rs 284.1 billion. According to insurers, their profits improved in this fiscal mainly due to the high-interest rates of banks and financial institutions. Insurance companies keep most of their investable capital in fixed deposits of commercial banks. Banks have increased the interest rate of deposits due to a prolonged liquidity crunch, as a result, the income of insurance companies has increased which contributed to a growth in their profits.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 200 per tola in the domestic market on Wednesday. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow bullion is being traded at Rs 103, 600 per tola today. The yellow metal was traded at Rs 103, 800 per tola on Tuesday. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 103, 100 per tola. It was traded at Rs 103, 300. Similarly, the price of silver has dropped by Rs 5 and is being traded at Rs 1,290 per tola today.