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The Pivot Year

Biranna West

Self Help 

This is the year you change your life. If you’re in a pivot period—if you’re still bridging the space between where you are and where you want to be—remember that the person you’re becoming is already within you. The journey is convincing your mind to act consistently on what your heart already knows it wants to do. The Pivot Year is a book of 365 daily meditations on finding the courage to become who you’ve always wanted to be.

The Do-Over

Lynn Painter

Romance / YA 

Emilie is stuck in some sort of time loop nightmare that she can’t wake up from as she re-watches her boyfriend, Josh, cheating on her day after day. In addition to Josh’s recurring infidelity, Emilie can’t get away from the enigmatic Nick, who she keeps running into—sometimes literally—in unfortunate ways. How many days can one girl passively watch her life go up in flames? And when something good starts to come out of these terrible days, what happens when the universe stops doling out do-overs?

The Book of Doors

Gareth Brown

Fantasy 

In New York City, bookseller Cassie Andrews is living an unassuming life when she is given a gift by a favorite customer. It’s an unusual book, full of strange writing and mysterious drawings. And at the front, there is a handwritten message to Cassie, telling her that this is the Book of Doors, and that any door is every door. What Cassie is about to discover is that the Book of Doors is a special book that bestows extraordinary powers on whoever possesses it, and soon she and her best friend Izzy are exploring all that the Book of Doors can do.

South Korea Ambassador to Nepal Park Tae-Young paid a courtesy call on Finance Minister Barshaman Pun on Friday.

During the meeting, matters related to bilateral interests and mutual cooperation were discussed, the Finance Minister's secretariat shared.

In the meeting held at the Ministry of Finance today, Minister Pun said that Korea has been continuously investing in Nepal's infrastructure development, education, health and agriculture sectors.

On the occasion, Finance Minister Pun urged Ambassador Park to prod Korean investors for their significant participation in the Investment Summit of Nepal to be organized next month.

The country's development would not be possible without bringing international investments, Minister Pun said, adding the government was working to remove legal and policy hurdles to create an environment for the same.

Sharing that Nepal has potentials for investment in agriculture, energy, tourism and technology sectors, the Minister said the country has a lot to learn from South Korea's development model.

Ambassador Park said Korea would continue the previous development partnership programs and employment promotion system (EPS).

South Korea is interested to make further investment in Nepal on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Nepal-Korea diplomatic relations.

The CPN-UML has decided not to participate in the Socialist Front.

After holding a meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday afternoon, UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli said that they would not participate in the Socialist Front.

When asked what did the two leaders discuss in the meeting?

Oli said that he discussed contemporary political issues with Prime Minister Dahal. The two leaders discussed Nepali Congress’s House obstruction and transitional justice bill among other issues, the Prime Minister’s private secretariat said.

Earlier this morning, a meeting of the four-party front was held in Baluwatar.

During the meeting, a discussion was held to include the UML in the front.

Prime Minister Dahal was authorized to hold a discussion with Chairman Oli and to include the UML in the front.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli held a meeting on Friday. The Prime Minister’s Secretariat said that they held a discussion in Singha Durbar.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Dahal and UML Chairman Oli discussed Common Minimum Program, transitional justice process, by-election to be held on April 27 and House obstruction among other issues, Prime Minister Dahal’s press advisor Govinda Acharya said.

According to him, Prime Minister Dahal and Chairman Oli also discussed participating other political parties in the government.

Earlier this morning, a meeting of the four-party front was held in Baluwatar.

During the meeting, a discussion was held to include the UML in the front.

Prime Minister Dahal has been authorized to hold a discussion with Chairman Oli and to include the UML in the front.

The Prime Minister had informed Oli about this. But Oli has not given clear answer about joining the front, a source said.

Finance Minister Barshaman Pun and three vice-chairpersons of the World Bank held discussions about mega infrastructure projects of Nepal.

Finance Minister Pun had a meeting with three vice-chairpersons of the World Bank, Martin Raiser, Akihiko Nishio and Guangzhe Chen, Finance Minister Pun's Secretariat confirmed.

Asian Development Bank Country Director for Nepal Arnaud Cauchois and representatives of the International Finance Corporation were also present on the occasion.

Likewise, Finance Secretary Krishna Hari Pushkar, Revenue Secretary Dr Ram Prasad Ghimire, Joint-Secretaries, Uttar Kumar Khatry, Ritesh Kumar Shakya and Shreekrishna Nepal and Executive Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Kulman Ghising were also present in the meeting. 

The meeting discussed the development of a partnership framework between Nepal and the World Bank for next five years and taking forward the Upper Arun Hydropower Project and Dudhkoshi Reservoir Project, according to the Finance Minister's Secretariat.

Discussions were held on the 1,061 MW semi-reservoir Upper Arun Hydropower Project to be constructed in Bhotkhola Rural Municipality of Sankhuwasabha as a transformative project.

The project construction will be carried out through a subsidiary company of the NEA with WB's soft loan and a mixed investment from the Citizen Investment Trust, various domestic banks and the general public.

It may be noted that NEA has established Upper Arun Hydropower Limited for the construction of the project. The detailed project report (DPR) has been prepared and the consultant has also been selected. The WB-led financial management for the project is expected to be finalized by mid-July.

The project has been designed to run at full capacity for six hours a day in winter. The estimated cost of the project will be around Rs 161 billion (1.38 billion US Dollars). 

Seventy percent of the total cost will be foreign investment and 30 percent domestic. The project is expected to generate 4.53 billion units of energy annually. Similarly, there is a plan to construct a reservoir on Dudhkoshi River to generate 635 MW of hydropower at Lamidanda of Rawabensi rural municipality-3 of Khotang and Ramuwaghat of Chisankhugadhi rural municipality-6 of Okhaldhunga.

In the virtual meeting, Finance Minister Pun thanked the World Bank for its contribution to Nepal's economic development as one of the largest international development partners. The development projects have been carried out in Nepal with WB investment in transport, urban development, agriculture, forestry, environment, employment and other infrastructure sectors, he said, noting progress of these projects was not satisfactory due to various reasons.

Finance Minister Pun, however, said he was committed to speeding up the works of these projects. Finance Minister Pun said Nepal has embraced the concept of green, resilient inclusive development.

He urged the WB to promote green finance in infrastructure projects. The WB's vice-presidents and other office-bearers said the cooperation with Nepal was encouraging and expressed their views on the projects in the pipeline, including the Upper Arun Hydropower Project.

Noting Nepal's credit risk is low compared to other countries run by the International Development Association (IDA), they urged Nepal to enjoy non-concessional loans.

Minister Pun said that a huge resource gap has been created in the implementation of sustainable development goals, infrastructure and climate adaptation due to financial constraints due to laxity in revenue mobilization.

He opined that the development partners should enhance cooperation and cooperation with Nepal and support the efforts for economic revival.

CPN (Maoist Center) Vice-Chairman Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who was arrested in connection with a gold smuggling case, has been released on condition that he be present when summoned.

He was released after the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police completed recording his statement at the District Public Prosecutor's Office this afternoon.

CIB spokesperson Hobindra Bogati said that he has been handed over to his son.

Though he was released from custody, the investigation against him will continue, he said.

Former Speaker Mahara was detained from Rupandehi on March 17.

Following his arrest, the Kathmandu District Court had permitted the CIB to keep Mahara in custody for four days in the course of investigation into the gold scam.

He, however, was admitted to the Thapathali-based Norvic Hospital due to his poor health.

Mahara's name has been linked to a Chinese national involved in smuggling 61 kg of gold in brake shoes and nine kg gold brought in electronic cigarettes.

At that time, the CIB had released him only after recording his statement. Mahara's son Rahul was arrested in connection with the case earlier. 

Rahul is currently in judicial custody.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 1, 300 per tola in the domestic market on Friday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 126, 500 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 127, 800 per tola on Thursday.

Similarly, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 125, 900 per tola. It was traded at Rs 127, 200.

Meanwhile, the price of  silver has dropped by Rs 55 and is being traded at Rs 1,500 per tola today. 

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said the country should give emphasis on the production of skilled human resources that meets the international standards in the health sector. There will be no compromise in the quality of the health sector.  

Addressing the 13th meeting of the Medical Education Commission today, the PM stressed on the need of producing quality human resources through an analysis of the national and international contexts and needs.

The PM viewed that there should be harmonization between the produced human resources and decent jobs.

"The Commission should be proactive in fulfilling and implementing the quality standards. Besides increasing the number of skilled human resources, fulfilling the minimum standards of teaching and learning is equally imperative and important," the PM said.

PM Dahal said Nepal's education system should be established as a center of excellence for the foreign students coming to Nepal for getting medical education.

The increasing trend of foreign students in Nepal as stated in the report of the Commission is evidence of attraction to Nepal's medical education, the PM said.