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In recent years, many Nepali youths have aspired to go abroad in search of better opportunities, aiming to support their families or pursue higher education. However, while migration remains a trend, a group of young individuals in Gulmi district is charting a different path—choosing agriculture and animal husbandry as their future.

Gorkan Nepali from Isma Rural Municipality-3, Bishal Thapa of Gulmidurbar Rural Municipality-6, and Meghnath Aryal of Dhurkot Rural Municipality-6, Sistung, have committed themselves to farming and livestock, becoming notable examples of youth who believe in building their future within Nepal.

These three were recently honored as ‘Excellent Farmers’ by the Veterinary Hospital and Animal Expert Center in Gulmi. According to the Center, the recognition was part of an annual program under the fiscal year 2024/25.

Dron Bahadur Khatri, Chief of the District Coordination Committee, Gulmi, presented the awards, which included cash prizes and certificates. Gorkan Nepali received Rs 10,000 and a certificate as the Best Farmer, while Thapa and Aryal each received Rs 5,000 and certificates. The awards followed a competitive process, with only seven applications submitted from across the district. Based on established criteria, three were selected as outstanding farmers.

Gorkan Nepali is cultivating improved grass varieties on over 120 ropanis of land. Through his Galaxy Agriculture and Livestock Farm, he distributes grass seedlings to more than 53 districts across Nepal. He expects to generate a turnover of around Rs 4 million this fiscal year. Alongside grass cultivation, he is also rearing 50 breeds of goats. His efforts have earned him recognition for leading an agricultural revolution in his community through long-term planning, research, and professionalism.

Bishal Thapa runs the Resunga Agro and Research Farm, which currently houses about 150 goats. Thapa plans to expand the farm into a resource and research center focused on goat breeding. “We are engaged in research-based commercial animal husbandry,” he said. “Support from the government has encouraged farmers like us to continue our work with more enthusiasm.”

Meghnath Aryal has been involved in agriculture and livestock since 2020. He operates a large-scale farm with over 30 buffaloes, producing approximately 100 liters of milk daily, which is sold locally. With support from Dhurkot Rural Municipality and Heifer Project Nepal, Aryal has also started a food processing and packaging unit. He is now marketing local Dhurkote rice, which has seen rising demand in cities like Butwal due to its organic nature. “I left a lucrative job abroad to start an agricultural industry in the village,” Aryal said. “Our goal is to process local products and bring them to urban markets.”

Khatri emphasized the need for farmers to move beyond short-term profit motives and focus on long-term, research-driven practices. “Technicians should be in direct contact with farmers to identify and address problems effectively,” he added.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said the government, youths and women entrepreneurs should work together for the country's prosperity.

Inaugurating the International Women Leadership Conference, 2082 organized by the Federation of Women Entrepreneurs' Association of Nepal today, Prime Minister Oli stressed the need of achieving success by working together for prosperity.  

He mentioned, "We should achieve prosperity through development of entrepreneurship. The government has given high importance to youths and women entrepreneurship. I am confident that the conclusion drawn from this conference will help to fulfill the government's priorities."

The PM added that the country has been implementing provisions mentioned in the Constitution for women empowerment in practice.

"We have guaranteed at least 33 percent representation of women in three levels. The number of girl students is higher than that of boys in schools. Girl students have been achieving good results. We have to achieve further progress," PM Oli argued.

Insurance companies have paid out nearly Rs 73bn in claims over the first eleven months of the current fiscal year 2024/25. Data released by the National Insurance Authority (NIA), the insurance sector regulator, shows 14 life insurance companies, three micro-life insurers, 14 non-life insurers and four micro non-life insurers settled claims worth Rs 72.94bn in 11 months of the current fiscal year.

While payouts by life insurance companies declined slightly, non-life insurance claims have increased in the current fiscal year largely due to losses from floods and landslides in September last year. In the same period of the previous fiscal year, insurance companies settled Rs 69.98bn in total claims. Life insurers had paid out Rs 52.64bn in claims across 238,608 individual cases by mid-June 2025, down from Rs 53.96bn paid to settle 268,677 cases in the same period last year. This marks an 11.19 percent decrease in the number of claims settled and a 2.45 percent drop in total payouts.

Likewise, non-life insurers paid out Rs 20.30bn in claims across 127,282 cases during the review period. Last year, they had paid Rs 16.02bn for 134,534 claims. Although the number of claims settled dropped by 5.39 percent, the payout amount rose by 26.74 percent. Despite this, pending life insurance claims have risen significantly. As of mid-June, insurance companies had yet to settle 54,422 claims worth Rs 4.58bn. At the same point last year, the number of pending claims stood at 39,287, amounting to Rs 2.87bn. This means the number of unsettled claims has grown by 38.49 percent, and the pending amount has surged by 59.61 percent.

The number and value of unsettled claims have also increased in the non-life segment. By mid-June, non-life companies had 106,757 pending claims worth Rs 30.46bn-an increase of 4.41 percent in the number of cases and 50.38 percent in the total amount. In the same period last year, there were 102,251 such claims amounting to Rs 20.26bn in outstanding amounts.

The latest havoc caused by the landslide and flood along the Nepal-China border in Rasuwa is a stark reminder yet again of just how vulnerable Nepal is to climate-induced disasters, particularly those that originate beyond our national boundaries. Nine deceased, 19 individuals still missing, infrastructure damaged, and critical trade routes disturbed, the nation is left scrambling to respond yet again—while the fundamentals continue to be poorly grasped and inadequately tackled.

What is particularly alarming about this incident is its suspected cause: a possible glacial lake outburst or other geophysical event in China's Tibetan area. While definitive evidence has not been established, the absence of significant precipitation in the area, experts say, strongly suggests transboundary factors like glacial lake bursts, avalanches or damming floods. This is a sobering reason for alarm about the present level of cross-border cooperation on early warning systems and disaster preparedness.

Nepal has treated transboundary climate hazards as environmental or diplomatic afterthoughts for too long. However, with their increasing frequency and intensity—fueled by climate change—it is time to treat them as national security risks worthy of diplomatic urgency and institutional overhaul.

Nepal and China share trade and infrastructure ties but with a remarkable lack of coordinated disaster risk management. The lack of an effective, real-time information-sharing system between the two countries significantly undermines Nepal's preparedness or response to such disasters. The Rasuwa flash flood would have been less deadly if Nepal had been alerted on time and offered data from the Chinese side.

The government is right to engage the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to resume damaged infrastructure and reopen border points. However, what Nepal needs now is an official and binding mechanism with China for sharing climate and disaster data—particularly pertaining to glacial lake behavior, river flow and weather patterns in Tibet.

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Home, and Environment must work together to institutionalize cross-border climate risk cooperation with China and other neighbors, perhaps through multilateral forums.

Nepal must also invest in its own satellite monitoring capability, early warning dissemination and localized disaster preparedness, especially along border regions. The needs for trained human resources, reliable equipment and community-based alert systems have never been more pressing.

We are confronted with a new era of transboundary climate threats. Confronting them requires not just salvation in a crisis, but political will, regional collaboration, and investment in infrastructure and science over the long haul. The cost of inaction, as we have seen yet again, is measured in lives lost and futures destroyed.

Let us stop thinking of disasters as arbitrary calamities and start thinking of them as predictable consequences of a warming planet—and plan accordingly.

The Kaligandaki corridor has been obstructed following a landslide at Baralwa site in Kaligandaki Rural Municipality, Gulmi district.

Chairman of the rural municipality Bed Bahadur Thapa said that a massive landslide has occurred along with the rock at Khadgakot in Gulmi.

The District Police Office, Gulmi, said that a team of police from Bhurtung Police Post has been deployed at the site. Police said that clearing the debris is not that easy as the landslide is still running up.   

Likewise, the District Administration Office, Gulmi, has asked the people living downstream to apply precautions against the flooding and landslides.

The World Population Day, 2025 is being marked across the world today by organizing different programs and sensitizing the population related issues.

The theme of this year's World Population Day is "Empowering young people to create the families they want in a fair and hopeful world” which reaffirms the promise of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development, according to the United Nations.

In his message today, the UN Secretary General António Guterres has stated that many young people today face economic uncertainty, gender inequality, health challenges, the climate crisis and conflict and still, they are leading – with courage, conscience and clarity.  "They are calling for systems that uphold their rights and support their choices.  I urge countries to invest in policies that ensure education, healthcare, decent work, and the full protection of their reproductive rights."

The UN Secretary General stated that on this Population Day, the world celebrates the potential and promise of the largest youth generation ever, as they are not only shaping our future; they are demanding one that is just, inclusive, and sustainable.

"It took hundreds of thousands of years for the world population to grow to 1 billion – then in just another 200 years or so, it grew sevenfold. In 2011, the global population reached the 7 billion mark, it stands at almost 7.9 billion in 2021, and it's expected to grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and 10.9 billion in 2100," according to the UN.

Young people are already driving change, but face major obstacles: economic insecurity, gender inequality, limited healthcare and education, climate disruption, and conflict. A UNFPA–YouGov survey of over 14,000 people in 14 countries found most wanted more children but were prevented by social, economic, or health barriers.

The UN has stated that leaders must prioritize young people’s needs and voices to respond to global population trends effectively. "They need more than services—they need hope, stability, and a future worth planning for."

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 25.89 points to close at 2,731.80 points on Thursday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 7.55 points to close at 472. 02 points.

A total of 26,470,840-unit shares of 312 companies were traded for Rs 9. 68 billion.

Meanwhile, Mai Khola Hydropower Limited (MKHL) was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 8. 15 percent. Likewise, Corporate Development Bank Limited (CORBL) was the top loser as its price fell by 9.92 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 55 trillion.

The life of Captain Rameshwor Thapa will now be adapted into a movie.

It was announced amidst a program held at Trigajur Shivalaye, Gaurighat in Kathmandu on Thursday.

Dipendra K Khanal will direct the movie named ‘Captain Saab’ is the biography of Captain Rameshwor Thapa, a pilot and a media entrepreneur.

Filmed under the banner of Patkatha Production and Yarsa Studio in association with Rich Entertainment, the movie features actors Khagendra Lamichhane, Sanjog Rasaili and actress Surakshya Panta in the lead roles.

Khanal had earlier cast Lamichhane and Pant in the lead roles in 'Dhanpati'. Since then, this is the first time that they are working together in the same movie.

It has been said that Lamichhane will play the role of Captain Thapa.

The movie will be shot at different locations around Kathmandu, Chitwan and Kavre.

In a question, what thing attracted you to do this move?

Director Khanal said that he was browsing through bookstores. In the meantime, he noticed the cover of a book Into the fire.

The cover of the book was really appealing, the helicopter, the title, everything drew his attention, he said.

“I bought the book and started reading as soon as I reached home. The story caught my interest and decided to produce a film about it,” Khanal said. He then approached Captain Thapa about making the movie in his life.

The shooting of the movie in which Krishna Bahadur Thapa will be the cinematographer will start from the first week of Shrawan.

The movie will showcase Thapa’s journey on and off the field.

On the occasion, Lamichhane said that depicting a person’s life story through acting is really a difficult job especially when a person has a renowned and phenomenal personality.

Lamichhane, one of the finest actors of Nepal, said that he will try his best to do full justice to the role.

Similarly, actress Panta said that she will play the character of Captain Thapa’s wife.

Director Khanal himself, Karan Shrestha and Shrishtima Khanal are the producers while Srijana Napit is the executive producer.

Captain Thapa is a veteran rescue and relief helicopter pilot who began flying in 1994. He is the owner of Simrik Air and has served as the president of the Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN) four times.