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Police have arrested three persons with gold, silver and foreign currency worth more than Rs 10 million from the Kauwakheda border area of Bhajani Municipality-5 in Kailali.

Mahendra Bahadur Shahi (36) of Chaukuni Rural Municipality-10 of Surkhet, Harka Bahadur BK (31) of Birendranagar Municipality-1 and Mahesh Sunar (32) of Panchpuri Municipality-11, were arrested last night, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police Shailendra Thapa, Joint Spokesperson of the Armed Police Force.

They were arrested with 620 grams of gold worth Rs 8,079,561, 8.9 kg of silver worth Rs 1,528,460, and Indian currency 611,625 of various denominations, Saudi riyals, four mobile sets of various types, and silver-plated utensils.

Winter is already in the air and it should send a chill up the government’s spine. Worryingly, it has not. As in previous winters, governments at the center, provinces and local levels are in deep slumber by monopolizing all the warmth that state powers give them even as the laity, particularly disadvantaged sections of the society in Nepal’s southern plains, remains ill-prepared as ever to deal with cold weather, cold wave in particular, that leaves behind a trail of deaths every year. 

Facing the most serious risk to their lives are the senior citizens, children and women from these sections. 

By the way, what do government authorities do to avert casualties resulting from harsh weather? 

Not much, if we are to forget about some isolated incidents of distribution of fuelwood and warm clothing, apart from the issuance of regular weather bulletins. 

This near-total indifference on the part of the government authorities is only bolstering a negative public perception about the polity. A growing perception is that there is no dearth of governments these days, that Singhadurbars have sprung up at every nook and cranny of the country but governance is sorely lacking. Indeed, these power centers located quite close to the doorsteps of the people seem least bothered about the plight of the people facing a cruel and grim winter with no food, warm clothing and shelter. As for the Singhadurbar located at the center, it is well beyond the reach of the commoner like an island of prosperity located in the middle of a sea of poverty.  

The right to life, right to food, right to shelter, right to education and the right to employment are some of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of Nepal 2015. But the state has not been able to protect these rights. When temperatures dip, daywagers cannot go to work and that means the absence of food on the table. A dipping mercury means cold nights and it can prove to be a killer for families without warm clothes and bedding materials. Cold weather also means a surge in instances of respiratory diseases like pneumonia and aggravated health conditions that can put the lives of senior citizens, women and children at most serious risk.    

Whenever temperatures dip, schools in the Tarai shut, robbing children of the right to education. Can our authorities not make arrangements for warmer classrooms to keep the classes going?     

Rather than isolated acts of ‘kindness’, government authorities should get their act together, identify citizens/families at risk and come to their rescue in a coordinated manner. After all, it is the duty of a state officially ‘geared toward socialism’ to save lives, isn’t it?  

Sometimes I feel burdened by my friendships. I feel the need to constantly communicate with them even if I am not in the right state of mind. How do I deal with this feeling and learn to approach friendships in a  healthy manner?

Answered by Kapil Sharma

Friendship forms an important part of social support that is essential for everyone. However, if we fail to maintain boundaries, it can be hard for us, which is what seems to be happening to you. This is absolutely normal. 

Looking through a psychological lens, most people have a people-pleasing tendency. People crave the validation they feel when they meet others’ expectations. Fear of rejection also leads people to prioritise friendship excessively. Consequently, boundaries tend to get blurred. Additionally, we feel the need to be constantly available for our friends, even if we feel emotionally fatigued ourselves. The fear of losing the friendship leads to us ignoring our own well-being. 

During such situations, reflect on what you truly need from your friends. You can ask yourself questions like: “Am I prioritising my well-being?”, and acknowledge the fact that your mental health matters too. This is the first step. 

Secondly, work on maintaining boundaries. This means, communicate well about your emotional availability with your friends. For example, “I’m not in the right space to talk right now. But I will reach out when I can.” 

Sometimes, a sense of guilt leads to blurring of boundaries. Reframing the guilt helps. In a healthy friendship, it’s essential for both parties to feel supported. If there is any guilt about past happenings, it should be resolved immediately. Otherwise, it will manifest in unhealthy forms. 

Clear communication is the key. Remember to prioritize quality over quantity. Instead of meeting all the time, it’s better to meet in regular intervals and communicate everything honestly. Dedicating a friendship-free time in your routine also helps. During this time, you should focus on things other than friendship such as hobbies, mindful practice, and relaxation. This helps to recharge. Even after all this, if you still struggle with boundaries and communicating, you should seek professional support.

Karnali Yaks have pulled off their first victory in the ongoing Siddhartha Bank Nepal Premier League (NPL).

In a match played at the TU Cricket Ground at Kirtipur today, Karnali Yaks trounced Chitwan Rhinos by six wickets. Before this, Karnali Yaks had suffered two defeats. 

Chitwan Rhinos had set a 131-run victory target before Karnali Yaks and the latter achieved the target in 19.5 overs at the loss of four wickets.

Shikhar Dhawan scored the highest 45 runs for Karnali Yaks. He hit one six and four boundaries, facing 41 balls. Similarly, Chadwick Walton made 30 runs, Dev Khanal 25 runs, Zeeshan Maqsood 12 runs and Arjun Gharti 11 runs for Karnali.

Towards bowling, skipper Kushal Malla, Ravi Bopara and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton took one wicket each for Chitwan Rhinos.

Before this, Chitwan Rhinos, who were sent into batting first after losing the toss, scored 130 runs in 20 overs at the loss of seven wickets. Ravi Bopara hit 59 runs, including one six and seven fours, in 40 balls, not out, for Chitwan. Captain Kushal Malla made 23 runs and Bipin Rawal 11 runs.

In Karnali's bowling department, Bipin Sharma took three wickets, Zeeshan Maqsood two wickets and Nandan Yadav and Captain Sompal Kami one wicket each.

Chitwan had won two matches of the NPL before this.

King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck of Bhutan visited Swoyambhunath and Boudhanath on Friday.  He paid homage and offered worship there. Swoyambhunath and Boudhanath are World Heritage Sites.

The Bhutanese king arrived in Kathmandu this morning, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

Tikadevi Nepali lives in Lahachowk, Kaski District, where only 33 percent of the population is Dalit. As a single mother, Nepali raised her two sons and one daughter through commercial farming and animal husbandry. Before her, no one in the community had engaged in business by raising cattle and buffaloes.

Nepali’s journey began when the Lahachowk Small Farmers Agricultural Cooperative Society was established. Initially, she raised Murrah buffaloes to sell milk and advance her business. However, she recalls a difficult experience: “People did not buy the milk brought by Dalits, which was very challenging.”

The turning point came when the cooperative served everyone at a community program, reducing the discrimination and allowing Nepali’s milk to be sold in the market. Kamala Kumari Subedi Poudel, president of the cooperative, recounts the incident: “Even the dairy tried to boycott her, saying that if you bring milk, no one else will. But at a cooperative event, we served kheer made from Nepali’s buffalo milk to those who had discriminated against her. After that, no one got sick, and attitudes began to change.”

Iman Singh Gurung, another farmer in the village, started buying Nepali’s buffalo milk and selling it in Pokhara. This helped spread awareness about cow and buffalo farming among other Dalits, who later took loans from the cooperative to start their own livestock farming.

Now 51 years old, Nepali has been selling buffalo milk for nine years. Inspired by her success, other Dalits in the area have also begun raising buffaloes after taking loans, says Chairperson Poudel. Nepali believes that the discrimination she once faced has now been eliminated because of the milk. “Nowadays, everyone eats together at feasts. Discrimination has been reduced due to the milk,” she shared.

Her children have now grown and are helping expand the family’s agricultural enterprise. With the help of her son-in-law, she has also added an additional ropani of land earned from her animal husbandry, vegetable farming, and poultry business. She has also gradually paid off her mortgaged lands and brought them under her name. Nepali's experience shows how enterprise loans not only reduced societal discrimination but also empowered her economically.

The Lahachowk cooperative, which was registered on 31 Aug 2022, initially provided small loans of up to Rs 20,000. However, with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through the government, the cooperative now offers rural agricultural enterprise loans at a concessional nine percent interest rate, with individual loan limits of Rs 5m. This has allowed livestock farmers to expand their businesses.

Today, Lahachowk’s milk is famous in Pokhara, and the region now sells 12,000 liters of milk daily. While the cooperative’s loan limit remains Rs 5m, many commercial farmers now prefer loans from banks, which allow for larger investments. As a result, only three rural agricultural enterprises have received loans from the cooperative, according to Chairperson Poudel.

Lahachowk boasts 44 cooperatives, three of which are run solely by women. Chairperson Poudel noted that women-run cooperatives face fewer issues, as loans are efficiently utilized, and the recovery rate is higher.

Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) has abolished sub-agents providing payment services, directing that thousands of sub-agents, including various shops, transition to authorized representatives within three months. The move follows amendments to the Integrated Payment System Directive, 2023, which redefines agents as “authorized representatives.” Both agents and sub-agents must now align with this updated framework.

Currently, 26 payment service providers (PSPs) operate in Nepal. According to the NRB, PSPs bear full responsibility for payment services offered to customers by authorized representatives. The directive requires PSPs to evaluate the competence of authorized representatives before formalizing agreements. These agreements must not include exclusivity clauses preventing representatives from working with other PSPs.

Kiran Pandit, Acting Executive Director of the Payment Systems Department, stated, “Thousands of shops and others were functioning as sub-agents, but this role has now been revoked. All must register as agents or authorized representatives with PSPs to ensure uniformity.” Pandit added, “Sub-agents must transition to authorized representatives or have their agreements canceled within three months of the directive’s implementation.”

PSPs are required to report the details of converted representatives or those whose services have been discontinued to the Payment Systems Department of NRB. Authorized representatives will handle tasks such as depositing cash into customers’ wallets or prepaid cards, facilitating bill payments (e.g., water, electricity, internet), and enabling mobile recharges and government service fee payments. Representatives may also provide wallet balance and transaction details, update electronic Know Your Customer (KYC) information, and remotely onboard customers in compliance with prevailing laws.

Authorized representatives are mandated to use wallet accounts for service delivery and bank accounts for wallet fund deposits. No additional fees may be charged to service recipients for specified services. PSPs are required to organize orientation programs to train and raise awareness among authorized representatives.

The directive defines an “authorized representative” as an individual appointed by a PSP licensed by NRB. A “customer” refers to any individual or organization using wallets or prepaid cards issued by the PSP. These changes aim to standardize payment services and enhance security, efficiency, and compliance within the sector.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 600 per tola (11.66 grams) in the domestic market on Friday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association, the gold is being traded at Rs 150,100 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 150,700 per tola on Thursday.

Similarly, the price of silver has dropped by Rs 10 per tola and is being traded at Rs 1,890 per tola.