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Nepali students have emerged as the fastest-growing student population in the United Kingdom, according to a recent report by ApplyBoard, an international student mobility platform, based on data from the UK Home Office.

For the year ending March 2024, the UK Home Office granted over 446,000 study visas to main applicants, a 6.2 percent decrease from the previous year. However, the number of visas issued to Nepali students increased dramatically. A total of 9,003 visas were issued to Nepali students, marking a 70.1 percent rise compared to the same period in 2023. This surge propels Nepal to the forefront of the UK’s international student market, surpassing several major countries and moving from the seventh fastest-growing country in 2023 to the fastest-growing source country in 2024.

Unlike many other countries, Nepal’s growth appears unaffected by recent UK policy changes concerning dependents or postgraduate work programs. This stability is a significant factor contributing to the increasing number of Nepali students choosing the UK for their higher education.

Nepal’s student-age population (16-25 years old) is over 6.5m, representing 21 percent of its total population. “This demographic presents a high growth potential, making Nepal an exciting prospect for the UK’s international education sector,” says ApplyBoard. “The report sheds light on the dynamic nature of international student mobility and emphasizes the significance of Nepal in the global education landscape. With ongoing stability and high growth potential, Nepal is undoubtedly a market to watch closely in the coming years.”

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 400 per tola in the domestic market on Monday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 145, 000 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 145, 400 per tola on Sunday.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1,890 per tola today.

Floods triggered by incessant rainfall have submerged some settlements in Kanchanpur.

According to the District Police Office, Kanchanpur, most of the areas have been affected by the floods. Three settlements of Dodhara Chandani Municipality-10 have been inundated after the Mahakali and Jogbuda rivers entered the settlements.

Kutiyakabhar of Jogbuda and Shanti Tole and Lisani Tole of Wari have been inundated. Similarly, Bhimdutta Municipality, Bedkot, Shuklaphanta, Krishnapur Municipality and most of the settlements in the southern region of Kanchanpur have been flooded.

Spokesperson at the District Police Office, Deputy Superintendent of Police Umesh Joshi, said 1,622 people, who were affected by the floods across the district, have been rescued and shifted to safer places.

Normal life has been affected in Kailali due to floods triggered by incessant rainfall.

Some families have been displaced after floods entered the settlement in Bhajani of Kailali on Sunday night. The municipality and the locals have jointly shifted the people of the risky areas to postal roads and high-placed buildings throughout the night.

Krishna Dhamala, a local, said some families in Bhajani have left the settlement overnight and moved to the streets. The people living in the settlement sat on the postal road with children and livestock at night due to the rise in water level in rivers and rivulets.

The floods inundated almost all the wards of Bhajani. All the houses in ward-8 have been inundated. "Hundreds of families have moved to the streets and high-rise houses with their belongings after the settlements were waterlogged following incessant rains", he said. The southern and eastern parts of Kailali have been inundated due to the floods.

The settlements of Tikapur, Bhajani, Janaki and Joshipur of Kailali near the rivers and rivulets have been inundated due to the rise in water level in the River Chure and the Karnali River. Some families have been displaced in Tikapur Municipality.

Disaster Management Section Chief of Tikapur Nirmala Chaudhary said that 65 houses of Parseni, Bhartapur and Bhagwanpur of ward-6 have been inundated due to the flood in Patharaya River.

Ward 2, 5, 7 and 8 of Tikapur are at risk of inundation as the water level in the Karnali River increases. Similarly, Joshipur rural municipality has also been inundated due to incessant rain.

Chief of the disaster management section of Joshipur Rural Municipality, Sita Singh said water from the Kada river has entered Bhittariya and inundated it.

Most of Janaki's wards have been inundated and some families have been displaced.

Disaster management section chief Netra Prasad Jaisi said many settlements in ward 4 and 7 have been inundated. "There are 11 families living in Girdharpur of ward 4. There are 15 families living in Farela of ward 7," Jaisi said.

Dozens of settlements in Janaki are waterlogged. The municipalities in the area have intensified their work such as cleaning drains after the floods ran through the settlements. They have been engaged in the work of opening the jammed drains and draining out water in the submerged areas.

Information Officer at the District Administration Office, Shivaraj Joshi, shared that various places in the district have been inundated due to rain so the teams are being mobilized to minimize the damage.

‘My heart’ is a huge mass of

Nimbus cloud

Engaged with mixed feelings that

Burst out loud

The combination where

Sorrow, pain, regret and misery meets

The route that swear

To present every life feat

Among the thunder and the storm

It seeks for a placid field.

Even in the tumultuous form

The whisper of hope meant to be healed

Though the sky hides among the mist

And still if the cloudburst,

There always remains a light that exist

Which strengthens to change it first

So, let the pressure, grant the pour

Later when the coast shows it down

It will find a peaceful core

And finally renew the entire town.

Shreya Shrestha

BA Ist Year

Bagiswori College, Bhaktapur

Some say life is great

But others treat life with hate 

Nothing to do as much

Nothing we can enjoy as such

Life isn’t a person and never easy 

So that it like it’s a little baby

Nothing might be of such fun

So don’t let your story be done

Life is what we make

So be as happy as you can be 

Throw your sadness away 

And keep smiling everyday

Life is full of pleasure

So keep hunting the treasure 

Life is full of happiness 

There is no place for sadness

Yavnika Shrestha

Class IX

Kathmandu Pragya Kunja School

CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has said the new coalition was for giving a boost to the national economy that has been dented for some time.

He made it clear that the UML was forming a new government with NC as a ruling partner so that the national economy could be revived.

During his address to the Parliamentary Party meeting held at Parliament building, New Baneshwor on Sunday, Chairman Oli argued it is a national need to intensify development works, for which coalition government with NC was required.

Also the former Prime Minister, Chairman Oli reminded that the UML had worked together with the NC as the country faced crises. The UML was involved in the historic revolutions of 2046 BS and 2062/63BS together with NC.

On the occasion, chief whip Mahesh Bartaula shared that the party had reminded Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal not to make any decision of long-term importance because he was already in a minority government.

Similarly, he called on PM Dahal to pave the way for the formation of a national government by stepping down at the earliest.

The PM is scheduled to face a floor test on July 12.

Since the onset of the monsoon, 62 people have been killed, four people are missing and 90 people have been injured due to monsoon-related disasters such as floods, landslides and lightning.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority and the National Emergency Operation Center under the Ministry of Home Affairs informed about the statistics.

According to the Center, one person in Morang, three in Dang, one in Kailali, two in Kavrepalanchowk, one in Udayapur, nine in Palpa were killed due to floods during the period.

Two people are missing due to flooding. Five houses were completely damaged. Eleven houses have been partially damaged.  Similarly, 34 people lost their lives due to landslides. According to the Authority's statistics, two people went missing and 38 people were injured due to landslides.

Likewise, 43 houses have been completely damaged by landslides and 24 houses were partially damaged. Nineteen sheds were damaged and 12 people were injured. Similarly, 11 houses are completely damaged and six houses are partially damaged due to inundation.

According to the Authority, the floods and landslides have caused damage equivalent to around Rs 8 million so far.  According to statistics, 19 people died and 35 people were injured due to lightning.

 "Monsoon-related incidents such as floods, landslides, inundation and lightning are still increasing. We are moving forward by coordinating with the relevant agencies to reduce the damage," said Dr Dijan Bhattarai, the spokesperson for the Authority.

 This year, it is estimated that there will be more rain than average and 1.8 million people will be affected by it so it is important to be cautious, he added.

According to him, during this year's monsoon period, it is estimated that 412 thousand households will be affected by monsoon related disasters.

Sunil Pokharel, the spokesperson of the Department of Meteorology, informed that the risk of flooding will decrease throughout the country from Monday.