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The weather will remain partly to mostly cloudy across the country today, with chances of rainfall at few places in Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces.

According to the Weather Forecast Division under the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, there is a possibility of light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning at few places in the remaining provinces as well. There is also a possibility of thunderstorms in Tarai region of Koshi and Lumbini and in Madhes Province.

Meteorologist Rojan Lamichhane of the Division has shared that the weather tonight will be generally cloudy to completely cloudy in Koshi, Madhes and Bagmati Provinces. The weather in the rest of the provinces will be partially to generally cloudy.

The weather will continue to remain partly to mostly cloudy across the country on Monday as well. There is a possibility of light to moderate rain from Monday morning to afternoon, which is likely to decrease from the same evening.

I have been feeling really depressed lately. I’m thinking a lot about my education, career, and future. To top things off, my relationship with my family isn’t that great either. How can I help myself from feeling unloved and stop over thinking? How can I start prioritizing myself first and maintain good relations with those around me?

Answered by Aditya Dangol, Psychosocial Counselor

First of all, I’m glad that you reached out and talked about what you’ve been going through. I’m unsure about your age but I assume that you are a young adult who is currently working as well as studying since you’ve mentioned career and education. It seems that you have multiple areas of your life that have been impacting you mentally and emotionally. It’s pretty natural for many young adults to stress about their future, especially while trying to juggle studies and career. It’s important for us to understand the root causes of these distressing thoughts and feelings.

For instance, much of the education and future stress stems from uncertainty. The uncertainty of finding a proper job with appropriate income, enough to sustain not only us but our families has been found to be the most prominent stressor. In the context of Nepal, the issue of scope and sustainability in a particular field causes much stress. There is additional stress when our desired choice of field doesn’t align with what our family expects from us.

Identifying the root cause of your career, education and future related stress can help you manage or even remove it. If it’s a case of lack of family support in your choice of career, it might be necessary to set boundaries and assertively communicate your desires, rather than avoid it due to fear of conflict. The same can be said for other issues with family members. Proper communication and asserting our boundaries can help us establish better relationships. A therapist might be able to help in identifying what boundaries have been encroached, how to set them, and assertively communicate your thoughts and emotions.

Each individual has his own way of experiencing and giving love. Some people show love by helping their loved ones and feel loved when their loved ones do the same. Not having a sense of reciprocation in this regard can cause people to feel unloved. A need to excessively show love to others can leave us feeling empty and unloved when they are not responded to with similar energy. It’s always healthy to communicate your feelings. If you feel hesitant and unsure, it’s nice to talk to someone you trust before you communicate. This might even help you improve and even nurture your relationships.

When we are able to communicate our feelings, whether they are generally positive such as love or excitement or happiness or negative feelings such as frustration, anger, hurt or disappointment, it allows us to feel a sense of self-prioritization. When we are able to communicate our boundaries assertively, it helps us boost our self-esteem and feeling of self-worth.

Learning and executing all of these things might be helpful but please understand that you don’t need to do it all by yourself. Seeking help in figuring the root causes of your issues and their solutions can help heal.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who is currently on an official visit to the United States to participate in the United Nations General Assembly, has expressed concern over the ongoing natural disasters in Nepal. Heavy rains, floods, and landslides have ravaged various parts of the country, including the Kathmandu Valley, leaving significant devastation in their wake.

Sources have revealed that while Prime Minister Oli was initially scheduled to return to Nepal on September 30, his itinerary was extended to accommodate additional high-level meetings. However, given the gravity of the situation back home, he has decided to cut short his visit.

"Some of the Prime Minister's programs and high-level meetings were added during his visit to America. However, after the natural calamity in Nepal caused a huge loss of life and property, he has decided to return earlier," a source told ApEx.

As of now, the Ministry of Home Affairs has reported 87 fatalities, with 72 people still missing due to floods and landslides. Prime Minister Oli, from the United States, directed Acting Prime Minister Prakash Man Singh, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal to expedite rescue and relief operations. He also urged coordination among the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, and the Armed Police Force to mitigate the disaster's impact.

Nepal has been battling nonstop rains for several days, which have triggered deadly landslides and inundated many parts of the country. The government is currently mobilizing resources to assist affected communities as rescue operations continue.

The price of gold increased by Rs 500 per tola (11.66 grams) today, the last day of the week, to set a new record of Rs 161,200 per tola in the domestic market.

On Thursday, the price was Rs 160,700 per tola, according to the Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Associations. 

The price of silver, however, has remained unchanged compared to the previous day. Its price has been fixed at Rs 1,955 per tola today.

Recently, traffic came to a halt along the Kanti Highway due to a landslide in Ghattepakha of Makawanpur district.

After the disaster, as always, government authorities struggled to scramble resources for clearing the debris for the resumption of traffic. 

Even the ‘minor’ incident mentioned above must have caused inconveniences to thousands of people.

Looking back, some of the other disasters this wet season were catastrophic, not only because of their intensity but also because of a lack of preparedness on the part of the government.

The Simaltal bus plunge is one such disaster. 

On July 12, two buses carrying over 60 people—Nepali and Indian nationals—plunged into a rain-swollen Trishuli river due to a landslide in Simaltal (Chitwan district) along the Narayangadh-Mugling road. Per reports, construction of a track on a fragile terrain just above the stretch had triggered the landslide that consigned the buses bound for Kathmandu from Birgunj and for Gaur from Kathmandu to the river.

After the disaster, the government mobilized security personnel for the search and rescue mission. Later on, rescuers from India also joined in the mission, deploying two large magnets to search for the buses.

But these efforts failed to locate the buses and many of the passengers. This shows our institutional capacity (or lack thereof) in dealing with disasters. Government issues orders after disasters, forms inquiry commissions, security personnel risk their lives in line for rescuing the stranded people, but they cannot do much without adequate training, tools and techniques. 

The government needs to address this gap in the long run.    

With the festive season already in the air, lakhs of people will be leaving the Kathmandu Valley for their ancestral homes via road, including the East-West Highway, amid forecasts of a rain-soaked Dashain. 

Heavy traffic during the festive season is sure to put our roads under tremendous strain. Learning lessons from the past, government authorities should take measures like constant monitoring of roads, debris removal on a regular basis, and repair, maintenance and construction of retaining walls for a safe surface travel. It is also their responsibility to make sure that passengers are not packed like sardines in a tin can and that they are not fleeced at the hands of unscrupulous transport companies. 

Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang met with Nepal's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel in Beijing on Thursday.

Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said that China and Nepal -- two nations linked by mountains and rivers -- have enjoyed lasting friendship, setting a fine example of equality and mutual benefits between countries of different sizes.

He said that under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China is ready to work with Nepal to deepen exchange and cooperation in various fields, build a high-quality Belt and Road, consolidate popular support for the bilateral friendship, and push China-Nepal relations to a higher level.

Paudel said that Nepal abides firmly by the one-China principle, supports China steadfastly in safeguarding its core interests, and hopes to strengthen its exchange of governance experience with China and deepen practical cooperation in various fields. Xinhua

The 30th annual general meeting (AGM) of the Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI) elected Sunil KC as its president for the next two years. KC is the managing director of Singati Hydro Energy Ltd. 

KC has proposed establishing a NICCI branch office in New Delhi to create a permanent channel of communication between Indian and Nepalese businesses. “This will facilitate smoother trade and investment processes and provide a central hub for resolving any business-related issues,” he said.

Speaking during an event held in the capital recently, he shared that Nepal and India share immense potential to strengthen economic cooperation. However, there are gaps that still need to be bridged, particularly in attracting more Indian private investments into Nepal, which have declined in recent times. The private sector must play a pivotal role in our economic partnership, especially in areas like infrastructure, energy, tourism, digital economy, manufacturing, and innovation. He stressed that NICCI is committed to fostering these collaborations.

According to KC, one pressing issue is the long-standing challenge of exporting Nepali products to India. For instance, some Nepali shoe brands and agro-products like ginger and cardamom face numerous barriers that need resolution. Addressing these will not only boost Nepal’s economy but also ensure that Indian consumers can benefit from the high-quality goods Nepal produces. “We urge all stakeholders to prioritize this matter and work on a sustainable solution. The promotion of joint ventures in power projects is another key area where both nations can win,” said KC. “Nepal’s vast hydropower potential, when coupled with Indian expertise and investment, can lead to mutual prosperity. We encourage greater collaboration in this sector to harness our energy resources more efficiently.”

KC also proposed organizing a Nepal-India summit every year, stating that such a platform would allow stakeholders from both sides to discuss, debate, and resolve critical issues like foreign direct investment, trade facilitation, and economic growth. 

"We also see immense value in establishing targeted partnerships with Indian state governments to focus on attracting FDI in specific sectors. Each Indian state offers unique opportunities, and fostering such collaborations will allow us to tailor investments to meet regional needs and goals." said KC.

KC, who is also the executive Committee member of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) and managing director of Asia Corp., added that the time has come to focus on the future by setting up the Nepal-India Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. “This initiative will support startups, promote innovation, and create opportunities for young entrepreneurs to collaborate across borders, driving sustainable growth and technological advancement,” he said.

The government has resumed the process of appointing a new chairperson for the Securities Board of Nepal (Sebon) - the capital market regulator.

The recommendation committee formed by the Ministry of Finance has invited the three candidates, who were previously shortlisted for the position but failed to appear for the interview, for an interview and presentation session.

Issuing a public notice on Thursday, the committee notified the three candidates - Krishna Bahadur Karki, CEO of Nepal Stock Exchange, Chiranjeevi Chapagain, former chairperson of the Beema Samiti (now Nepal Insurance Authority) and Dr Navaraj Adhikari, executive director of SEBON - to attend the interviews and presentations at 8 am on October 4.

Out of five candidates shortlisted for the position, only Santosh Narayan Shrestha and Sebon's Executive Director Mukti Shreshta had attended the interview and presentation session conducted during the tenure of the then finance minister Barsha Man Pun of the CPN (Maoist Center). There were rumors that the other three skipped the interview after knowing that one of Santosh and Mukti would be appointed to the position. 

Since the recommendation committee was required to recommend three names, the appointment process became complicated when legal questions arose about whether only two could be recommended for appointment. The recommendation committee had even sought the opinion of the Office of the Attorney General on whether to proceed with the recruitment process.

Although the then Attorney General Dinmani Pokhrel had advised that there were no legal obstacles to making the appointment, the selection process was ultimately canceled due to disagreements within the selection committee. 

After the process was canceled, Santosh Narayan Shrestha, one of the interviewed candidates, moved the court against the decision and managed to get an interim order against the decision to terminate the selection process.

The Supreme Court has scheduled a final hearing into the case for January.

Sebon has been without a leader since the first week of January when Ramesh Kumar Hamal completed his term. The parliamentary Finance Committee last month directed the government to end the leadership vacuum by immediately appointing a qualified and suitable person to lead the stock market regulator.

Realizing that the leadership vacuum in Sebon was affecting the country's stock market, Minister for Finance Bishnu Prasad Paudel had recently sought fresh advice from the Office of the Attorney General. It has been learnt that the office has suggested to Paudel that the process can move forward.

People privy to the issue said the appointment process, however, will not be free from controversy. They say former finance minister Pun's statement that his government fell because he refused to bow to interest groups in the Sebon chairperson appointment will make the appointment process complex.