US Aids In Restoring Patan Royal Palace

Nov 30, -0001 0 1 minutes 26 seconds to read

…

US Assists To Improve Airport Rescue Station

Nov 30, -0001 0 1 minutes 1 seconds to read

…

Hama Group: Strong As Steel

Nov 30, -0001 1 9 minutes 15 seconds to read

…

TRADE DEFICIT How Long Will My Nation Bleed?

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Nepse Plunges As Investors Opt Profit Booking

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A South Asian Song

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Business Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)

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Tech Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)

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Learning Curve News In Brief (2 - 8 December 2013)

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A Fake Slum For Luxury Tourists

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No Laughing Matter

The Sweet Rewards of Power

By Madan Lamsal

. . .
read more »

NEPSE

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			'title' => 'US Aids In Restoring Patan Royal Palace',
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			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Patan Royal Palace, a historic site of Nepal has been restored with the financial assistance of the United States. &nbsp;According to a press statement by the US Embassy, conservation experts, representatives from the government of Nepal and the diplomatic community joined members of the Patan community on December 1 to celebrate the completion of the restoration of Patan Royal Palace. &nbsp;The preservation of this historic site was made possible through a $1.1 million grant provided by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP). US Ambassador Peter W. Bodde and Embassy officials congratulated the local community and AFCP partner, Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT), for the project&rsquo;s great success. &nbsp;&ldquo;The Ambassadors Fund is among the US government&rsquo;s most significant cultural initiatives abroad. &nbsp;It makes me very proud as an American to know that my country supports and protects conservation efforts like this one around the world,&rdquo; Ambassador Bodde said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In 2009, the project completed successfully for an Ambassadors Fund award under a special &ldquo;large grant&rdquo; competition. &nbsp;Nepal was one of only three countries, the others being Peru and Macedonia, to be selected and awarded a large grant.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The AFCP has supported fifteen projects in Nepal since 2003. &nbsp;&quot;The restoration of Patan Royal Palace has been a model project for cultural preservation in Nepal and across the globe,&quot; says the statement. &nbsp; In 2006, the Patan complex was added to the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. &nbsp;Already by 2013, this well-preserved site displays centuries of intact history, and is among Nepal&rsquo;s most significant cultural destinations.</div>',
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			'description' => 'The Patan Royal Palace, a historic site of Nepal has been restored with the financial assistance of the United States.  According to a press statement by the US Embassy, conservation experts, representatives from the government of Nepal and the diplomatic community joined members of the Patan community on December 1 to celebrate the completion of the restoration of Patan Royal Palace.',
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			'title' => 'US Assists To Improve Airport Rescue Station',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The United States government has partnered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to improve airport rescue station at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). According to a press statement by the US embassy in Kathmandu, a financial assistance worth $426,000 will be used to retrofit the TIA&#39;s Crash, Fire and Rescue Station to make it more resistant to earthquakes.&quot;On 15 November 2013, the Office of Defense Cooperation, US Embassy Kathmandu and CAAN officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding to carry out the project,&quot; informed the statement.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The statement said that the US Army Corps of Engineers, working with local contractors, will provide design and construction services. &quot;This project is a part of a greater plan for TIA infrastructure improvement through the Seismic Resistance Program,&quot; read the statement. The work is scheduled to start in January 2014.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The project aims at keeping the runway open even after an earthquake. Specific areas for the program include runway integrity, navigation aids, crash-fire-rescue, and air-ground operations. Those measures come in line with efforts taken by CAAN and TIA over the past two years for disaster preparedness.</div>',
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			'description' => 'The United States government has partnered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to improve airport rescue station at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). According to a press statement by the US embassy in Kathmandu, a financial assistance worth $426,000 will be used to retrofit the TIA's Crash, Fire and Rescue Station to make it more resistant to earthquakes.',
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			'title' => 'Hama Group: Strong As Steel',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Gaurav Aryal</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Bal Krishna Shrestha, Chairman, Hama Group" src="/userfiles/images/bks%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 221px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<div>
							<div>
								<strong>Bal Krishna Shrestha</strong></div>
							<div>
								<em>Chairman, Hama Group</em></div>
						</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	Hama Group was not built in a day. The group developed through rigorous planning and hard work of its ChairmanBal Krishna Shrestha. Though belonging to a lineage of traders,who have been in the trading business for several generations, Shrestha laid the foundation of the group on his own. His family inspired him to dream and to work hard to materialise them. He envisioned the group and till date actively continues to plan its future, along with his partners</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shrestha&rsquo;s family was in the garment business for five generations when he learned business basics. However, the learning process for him was not as smooth as butter. Being the first person in the Shrestha family to get educated, he was criticised and questioned about his formal learning and education by his seniors. His parents were involved in retailing of garments imported from India. The store at Makhan of Kathmandu,established by his great-great-grandfather,is still in operation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	While Shrestha was pursuing his graduate degree, his uncles used to ask him the worth of his studies as his pursuit would only land him as an employee. And, it pinched Shrestha deep and was determined to have a business of his own without getting any financial support from his family. Consequently he completed his B.Com.,joined government serviceas a Section Officer and completed M.Com., and Masters in Economics without any financial assistance from his family members.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Start-up Business</strong></span></div>
<div>
	While in public service, he sensed the need and demand for development goods such as steel, cement, galvanised sheets, pipes and other goods to address the needs of an emerging and developing Nepal.But, to materialize such vision one needs capital, and during those days all he had with him was education and trust of people around him. He borrowed some money from his colleagues and started a hardware store at Teku along with three partners.This marks the inception of Hama Group.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shrestha had started teaching at a college and during the same time he was transferredto National Planning Commission. There, he learned much more about development process. While he was busy with his job, his partners looked after the store and he used to join them after office hours.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shrestha says that business performed way better than he had imagined initially. &ldquo;We all worked hard and we wall were dedicated and honest to our work. And, we kept the fire in us hot,&rdquo; he says. While the business of hardware sales was doing well, he started importing goods from China and selling here.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Impediments</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Shrestha had ordered goods from China for the third time in 1977. Unfortunately, goods were stolen at Calcutta Port. He says that incident made a loss of Rs 5 million to the company.&ldquo;That did not discourage me. I did not lose anything. I just lost what I had earned,&rdquo; he shares. &nbsp;He recalls that he sold everythinghe had, to payback bank loans. Additionally, dealers and suppliers with whom he had been working denied supplying goods.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This unfortunate event did not discourage him, but forced him &nbsp;to start from the scratch to bounce back into business. After being refused of goods delivery by existing dealers and traders, he took it as a challenge and decided to produce steel products.But, starting a factory was not free of hurdles. Though financing was challenging Shrestha says that money is not a problem for a working person. He acquired operational license of Hama Steel in 1988 and started the factory by borrowing loans from banks.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Venture Expansion</strong></span></div>
<div>
	After the success of steel company, the group started production of various other products through its specific companies such as Allied Industries, Hama Wires, Hama Tech and factories producing water pumps and pipes. The group now has a cement factory in its pipeline.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Shrestha says that the group has recently upgraded its Hama Steel factory for the third time. The factory, started in 1988, was upgraded to fully automated system in 2000 through an investment of Rs 250 million. Now the factory is &nbsp;fully computerised. Shrestha claims that Hama Steel is probably the only steel factory in Nepal to be fuly computerised. He says that the production through the new system will begin next month. The group has invested Rs 480 million for the latest upgradation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The factory has an installed production capacity of 400 tonnes a day when operated for 16 hours. According to Shrestha, the capacity will be even more if the factory can be operated for 20 hours. He adds that the new system will also help reduce the cost of production.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Quality Promises</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The group has never compromised with the quality offerings. Shrestha says that the company never uses low quality billets for producing steel products. &ldquo;Our products meet the highest quality standards and have been used by corporate houses, embassies, government agencies and the general public,&rdquo; says Shrestha. Hama brand has been a trusted name by national and international projects operating in Nepal. US Embassy is one of them along with Russian and Japanese projects that have used Hama products in their construction projects.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Roadmap</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Shrestha sees everlasting needand demand for development goods. He believes that new business possibilities and new market will be created once political problems start getting resolved. He says that domestic industries would be encouraged if the government&rsquo;s provision of using local products for public procurement is materialised..</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group is dedicated to take its companies to the next level in its area of specialisations. Shrestha is content over the progress made by the group so far. As a part of business expansion, the group has also invested in service industry, particularly in health, education, banking and insurance sectors.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group has plans to establish a hotel soon in partnership with an international hotel chain. Once the recent upgradation comes into form, Shrestha says that his group will concentrate on new ventures. He reveals that the group is also planning factories for melting steel and wire drawing.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group has plans to set up a cement factory that will be producing cement under its brand name Hama. Currently, HamaTech and Shalimar brands of cement are being produced by the group in partnership with other investors from the business fraternity. Shrestha says that the new factory will come into operation within a year.Similarly, energy is also one of the sectors of interest for the group. The group has a 4.5 MW Maikhola hydropower project in its portfolio and another new project in its pipeline.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group has invested over Rs 1 billion in its various ventures and registers an annual turnover of Rs 5 billion and has been annually adding Rs 500 million to the state coffers through taxes and other payments. Shrestha says that the turnover for the next year is targeted at Rs 10 billion.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="10" width="99%">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#E5E4E2">
				<div>
					<div>
						<div>
							<div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Naming of Hama</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									Bal Krishna Shrestha, Chairman of Hama Group borrowed the name Hama for his steel company from the Port of Yokohama from where Japan used to import raw materials for steel production and export finished goods. Hama was a lucky charm for Shrestha. Similarly, Shrestha who considers himself a devotee of Harati Mata linked the brand name to his devotion too. Likewise, Shrestha says that HA in Newari means seed and MA means fruit. He says that if seeds are good, the harvest of that fruit is eventually high.</div>
								<div>
									&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Management</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									Shrestha and his group have always had belief in professional management and professionalism as corporate philosophy. Independent management teams of each of the group&rsquo;s 10 companies looks after the daily management and human resources of their respective companies. The HR department looks after issues related to 450 employees working in various companies of the Hama Group. Shrestha says that employees are his assets and the company has been able to make them happy and satisfied. Likewise, the promoters do not have to look after the daily management and functioning of any of the companies. Shrestha gets updated about the daily progress through periodic meetings and through the Internet.He says that corporate culture is well developed in the group.</div>
								<div>
									&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>CSR&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities are highly prioritised by the group. Shrestha believes in creating benefits to larger number of people and the society rather than just making profits through business. As a part of CSR activities, the group provided scholarships to 14 needy students under SOS from Far Western Region. Similarly, the group has been providing education to children of employees of the group for free. Shrestha shares a plan to establish an elderly home in the name of his parents. Out of its social service fund, the group has invested in hospital projects too.&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Major Milestones of the Group</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									1988: Establishment of Hama Steel&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									1995: Hama Steel received the Nepal Standard (NS) mark</div>
								<div>
									1997: Hama Steel upgraded production capacity&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									1998: Hama Wires established</div>
								<div>
									2000: Hama Steel further upgraded production capacity and received ISO 9001:2000 certification for excellent quality management system</div>
								<div>
									2001: Hama Steel received NS Quality Award</div>
								<div>
									2004: Hama Steel started production of HAMA TMT Re-bars</div>
								<div>
									2005: Started production of HAMA-500 Re-bars</div>
								<div>
									2007: TQM Activities were initiated to maintain quality management.&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									2008: Hama Iron and Steel started production of Super Grip Re-bars (SG Re-Bars)</div>
								<div>
									2013: Upgraded Hama Steel into a fully computerised system</div>
							</div>
						</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-09',
			'modified' => '2013-12-16',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Hama Group was not built in a day. The group developed through rigorous planning and hard work of its ChairmanBal Krishna Shrestha. Though belonging to a lineage of traders,who have been in the trading business for several generations, Shrestha laid the foundation of the group on his own',
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			'article_category_id' => '91',
			'title' => 'TRADE DEFICIT How Long Will My Nation Bleed?',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Siromani Dhungana</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	T<span style="font-size: 12px;">he country is likely to witness a terrible trade deficit reports- one after another- unless the government takes concrete and bold decisions to overcome it.</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	What could be the concrete and bold decision to narrow down the ballooning trade deficit?</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;It is nothing other than accelerating the hydropower projects,&rdquo; said former finance secretary Rameshore Khanal.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to the data released by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the trade deficit has increased by 11.3 per cent to Rs 128.79 billion in the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2013-14 as compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Informing that the country imports petroleum products worth Rs 110 billion in a year, Khanal argued that the trade deficit will continue widening unless we significantly reduce the import of petroleum products.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Industries are running through thermal plants and households are compelled to buy Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), resulting in the surge of petroleum products demand,&rdquo; said Khanal. Consumption of petroleum product worth Rs 60 billion can be reduced by generating hydroelectricity in the country, he added.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Trade deficit has a multiple effects since it drains money from country&rsquo;s economy, lowers wages and forces the country to witness lower standard of living, he noted.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The production has stagnated, while the demands of sophisticated goods such as computers, automobiles, micro-oven and televisions have propelled imports to a record high, according to him.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Except any miracles, we cannot increase productivity in the near future as the country still lacks preconditions that spur productivity,&rdquo; economist and chief finance advisor Dr Chiranjivi Nepal argued.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is time policymakers and businesses made concerted and coordinated attempts to tackle country&rsquo;s trade imbalances before we are faced with a serious crisis, he further said, adding that it is right time to address the issue as the country is all set to get a moderate and liberal government led by parties which possess liberal views about economy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the first quarter, the trade deficit with India &ndash; with which the country has above 65 per cent trade &ndash; surged by 14.2 per cent, whereas with third countries increased by 5.9 per cent only. The data released by NRB further stated that the country exported Rs 23.07 billion worth merchandise only, while imported Rs 151.86 billion worth in the first three months of the current fiscal year. However, the central bank has reported Rs 52.74 billion surplus Balance of Payment (BoP) in the first quarter against the surplus of Rs 2.05 billion in the period last fiscal year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The macroeconomic indicator has also revealed that the foreign exchange reserve has increased by 13.8 per cent to Rs 606.82 billion in mid-October up from Rs 533.3 billion from mid-July.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Likewise, the inflow of remittances, a lifeline of Nepal&rsquo;s economy, has also posted an increment by 38.2 per cent to Rs 135.03 billion in the first quarter.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-01',
			'modified' => '2013-12-09',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'The country is likely to witness a terrible trade deficit reports- one after another- unless the government takes concrete and bold decisions to overcome it.

What could be the concrete and bold decision to narrow down the ballooning trade deficit?',
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			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sagar Ghimire</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 12px;">S</span><span style="font-size: 12px;">tock market moved downwards after few weeks of gaining string as wary investors opted to book profits after recent gains. Nepse index fell 12.80 points last week to settle at 643.95.&nbsp;</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse has opened at 656.75 points on the first trading day. Circuit breaker was imposed twice to control the market following the excess gain of 3 per cent and 5 per cent respectively on the first trading day. The positive vibes among the investors following the Constituent Assembly polls have boosted the Nepal&rsquo;s bourse. Though the immense investment seen in the market flared up Nepse for two trading days last week, the index observed a minor correction on the rest of the days during the trading week. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	During the week, a total of 45,495,454 units of shares through 13218 transactions worth Rs 1.608 billion were traded in the market. The amount, units of shares and number of transactions are significantly higher than those of previous weeks.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The political environment has become a major factor for the rise of the Nepse index. Stating that almost all of the listed companies have already distributed the dividends to the share holders, stock analysts say that the investors should be cautious while making their investment now as the profit highly depends on the market volatility.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Narendra Sijapati, president of the Stockbrokers Association Nepal, does not see any possibility of Nepse going down substantially anytime soon. He is upbeat about the market prospects due to the victory of &lsquo;democratic parties&rsquo; in the CA polls. . &ldquo;Though there was a marginal correction last week, the overall market is in the rising trend. A big boost can be expected in coming weeks as soon as the government formation process kicks off,&rdquo; said Sijapati.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal Bank Ltd was the company with the highest transaction and the highest turnover. &nbsp;Insurance sector was the highest gainer with its sub-index moving up by 144.45 points. It was followed by Hotel (up by 106.58 points), Development Banks (up by 12.8 points and Manufacturing &amp; Production (up by 0.06 points). &nbsp;Towards the losers, sub-indices of Banks, Finance, Hydropower, Other and Trading sectors observed decline.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Index" src="/userfiles/images/indx%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 300px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<hr />
	<p>
		<strong style="font-size: 14px;">Nepse on Sunday</strong></p>
</div>
<div>
	The index gained 8.03 points from Thursday (Nov 28) close. All the sectors saw increment on the first day in the trading floor this week. Nepse index closed at 651.98 points on Sunday (December 1).&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The highest gainer was Hotels sector with its index up by 77.38 points settling at 1089.58. The Hotels sector was followed by Insurance (up by 43.79 points), Hydropower (up by 12.54 points), Banking (up by 7.83 points), Development Banks (up by 6.03 points) and Finance (up by 1.17 points). The index of Others sector remained unchanged.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A total of 1,024,805 units of shares of 109 companies worth Rs 660.7 million were traded through 2451 transactions.&nbsp;</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-12-01',
			'modified' => '2013-12-09',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Stock market moved downwards after few weeks of gaining string as wary investors opted to book profits after recent gains. Nepse index fell 12.80 points last week to settle at 643.95.',
			'sortorder' => '2069',
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	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2197',
			'article_category_id' => '145',
			'title' => 'A South Asian Song',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">--By Abhay K</span></strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	F<span style="font-size: 12px;">ostering regional consciousness needs mammoth efforts. South Asia has a formal mechanism of cooperation in place among its member countries through the vibrant organization of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) since 1985. As part of my training at the Indian Foreign Service Institute, before being confirmed in the Indian Foreign Service, I had visited the Foreign Ministries and the Foreign Service Institutes of the neighboring South Asian countries between 2004-2005. Those days the idea of deeper interaction among the South Asians always brought back memories of my days spent in Jawaharlal Nehru and Delhi Universities. I cherished the company of students from the South Asian countries who enriched my academic life in many ways.</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The visit gave me the opportunity to meet the young Bangladeshi, Nepali and Sri Lankan officer-trainees. During our meetings we felt that it would be a great learning experience for the young officer-trainees of the SAARC member countries if we could spend a week or so together and share our ideas and aspirations with each other.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	After my visit to Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, I wrote a paper titled &lsquo;South Asian Affairs&rsquo; proposing establishment of a South Asian University in May 2005, I was glad to see that the idea of establishing the new South Asian University was announced in November 2005 in Dhaka at the 13th SAARC Summit. The South Asian University is functioning since 2010 at Akbar Bhawan, New Delhi paving the path for a new South Asia.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	After the milestone achievement in the history of SAARC with the establishment of the South Asian University, I believe a South Asian Song, a song that all South Asians could sing together, can act as a catalyst in fostering deeper South Asian consciousness and fraternity. I am now ready with a South Asian Song after a very warm and enthusiastic reception of the Earth Anthem internationally which I wrote and produced recently.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Earth Anthem was released in June this year by Mr. Kapil Sibal and Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Union Ministers of India at ICCR, New Delhi and later in Kathmandu by Mr. Jhalanath Khanal, former Prime Minister of Nepal in presence of Mr. Axel Plathe, UNESCO&rsquo;s Representative to Nepal. Since then it has been translated into major world languages. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), India has put this on its website for the use of the students studying in schools affiliated with CBSE. I have been informed that UNESCO is going to turn the idea of an official Earth Anthem into a global initiative. I hope a Global Earth Anthem Challenge will be launched soon and the best judged entry will be declared as the official anthem of our planet earth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Regional and International Anthems have been in use since quite some time now. Some of the other prominent regional organizations have their own international anthems. For example the European Union uses &lsquo;Beethoven&rsquo;s Symphony No. 9 (Ode to Joy part)&rsquo; as its anthem while the African Union has adopted its own anthem titled &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s All Unite and Celebrate Together&rsquo;. The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has adopted an official anthem titled &lsquo;ASEAN Way&rsquo; in 2008 which is in English. As per ASEAN, its anthem is an expression of ASEAN unity and strengthens the sense of ASEAN identity and belonging among the peoples of the region.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Being aware of the huge popularity of Bollywood films in South Asia, I have written a South Asian Song in Hindustani which has been translated in all the eight South Asian languages. The English version is as follows-</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Himalaya to Hind, Naga Hills to Hindukush/ Mahaweli to Ganga, Sindhu to Brahmputra/Lakshadweep to Andaman, Everest to Adam&rsquo;s Peak/ Kabul to Thimphu, Male to Kathmandu / &nbsp;Delhi to Dhaka, Colombo, Islamabad/ Every step in unison, every step in unison/Dzongkha, Sinhala, Nepali, Hindi, Pashto, Bengali/ Urdu, English, Dhivehi, every step in unison, every step in unison/ one&rsquo;s own identity,one&rsquo;s own dreams / talks of love n&rsquo;peace, every step in unison/ every step with SAARC / every step in unison/every step with SAARC, &nbsp;every step in unison.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Naga and Chin hills mark the eastern frontiers of SAARC member states. Mahaweli is the longest river of Sri Lanka while Adam&rsquo;s Peak is its most venerated peak. Sri Lanka has two official languages-Sinhala and Tamil like Afghanistan which also has two official languages-Pashto and Dari. I have chosen the language of their national anthems. Dhivehi is the official language of Maldives. The South Asian Song also highlights the life-sustaining perennial rivers of South Asia such as Sindhu, Ganga, Brahmputra as well as the official languages of the SAARC member countries. The Song celebrates vibrant cultural diversity of South Asia as well as aspirations of the South Asians walking in unison.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Once adopted, the SAARC Secretariat could be the main body to oversee the proper use of the South Asian Song which could be encouraged at the formal meetings of SAARC as well as SAARC Apex and Recognized Bodies. The South Asian Song could also be played to commemorate special occasions of SAARC such as the SAARC Charter Day (8 December).</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	SAARC member countries could be encouraged to translate the South Asian Song into local languages as a way to promote the song and foster South Asian consciousness and fraternity among their citizens.</div>
<div>
	<em>(The writer is a poet-diplomat. Views expressed are personal.)</em></div>',
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			'description' => 'Fostering regional consciousness needs mammoth efforts. South Asia has a formal mechanism of cooperation in place among its member countries through the vibrant organization of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) since 1985.',
			'sortorder' => '2068',
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2179',
			'article_category_id' => '46',
			'title' => '“There Are Obvious Reasons Why We Decided To Invest In Hotel Business”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Shesh Ghale</strong>&nbsp;is a Mebourne, Australia based non-resident Nepali businessman. He has been listed as the 180th richest man in Australia (together with his wife Jamuna Gurung) by BRW News Australia with a fortune of $225 million. Recently, Ghale has been elected as the president of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA). Ghale, founder and chief executive officer of Melbourne Institute of Technology, under the MIT Group Holdings Nepal, has signed a management contract with Starwood Hotels and Resort Worldwide, Inc. to build a five-star property named&mdash;the Sheraton Kathmandu. He has also come up with some other investment plans in Nepal. Soon after being elected as the president of NRNA, he has pledged to promote entrepreneurship in Nepal. He spoke to&nbsp;<strong>Siromani Dhungana</strong>&nbsp;of New Business Age about his and NRNA&rsquo;s future investment plans in Nepal.&nbsp;<strong>Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>As the new president of NRNA, what&rsquo;re your priorities in Nepal?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	First meeting of the newly elected committee of NRNA has decided to focus on employment generation and sustainable development of Nepal. To achieve these goals we will implement various projects. These projects include establishing a five-star hotel in Kathmandu that will assist in creating employment opportunities and thereby also contribute in economic growth. &nbsp;We will immediately start the feasibility study for constructing this five-star hotel. Along with that we are planning to bring other projects to help us in gaining our objectives.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>What other projects that NRNA will push forward during your tenure?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We will put emphasis on mutual investment projects. I think NRNA should promote culture of entrepreneurship. During my tenure, we will be doing various activities that promote entrepreneurship in Nepal. These activities will be aimed at translating our slogan &lsquo;Connecting Nepali for Prosperous Nepal&rsquo; into actuality.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>NRNA is often blamed for ignoring blue-colour employees working in the gulf region in spite of their huge contribution to the national economy. What&rsquo;s your say?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	No. Their contribution to the country will be recognized during my tenure. We have decided to create a &lsquo;Relief Fund&rsquo; for migrant workers who have been suffering in foreign land. The fund will be utilized in welfare activities especially for those who die, who get injured and who are shelter less in foreign land. I have pledged to provide Rs 10 million for the fund and I am hopeful that other friends will contribute to the cause. The funds will be ultiized once detailed working procedure is finalized.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong><img alt="Shesh Ghale" src="/userfiles/images/sg%20(Copy)(2).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 300px; height: 321px;" />Getting back to NRNA&rsquo;s decision to invest in hotel sector, why did you choose this business sector to invest in?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We have good links with foreign star hotel chain brands for investing in hotels. I think we can introduce their expertise here in Nepal. Another reason is the existence of good business prospects for hotels. Non Resident Nepalis can make good profit by investing small amount in this sector. We will encourage new friends to invest in this sector so that the country will get new set of entrepreneurs.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But there is strong belief that NRNs should invest in infrastructure rather than hotel sector.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	There are several obvious reasons why we decided to invest in hotel business. First, the hotel business can generate more employment in small investment. We can generate four hundred jobs if we establish a 200-bed hotel. Second, we can produce skilled manpower by operating hotels with international standard in Nepal. Human resources who work in standard Nepali five-star hotels, can easily get job abroad. Third, hotel business will have a multiplier impact in development. If we establish a hotel in a community, the entire community starts to get benefit from that.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Another reason is the investment in hotel business is easily transferable. &nbsp;Hotel business is one which helps generate foreign exchange reserve.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	NRNA will not, however, undermine infrastructure projects. We will continue all infrastructure projects, including hydropower projects, during my tenure as well. Hydropower has been our priority and it will remain so in the years to come.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Are you also targeting middle-income NRNs during your tenure?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Yes, indeed. NRNA has planned to start a commercial agriculture project targeting NRNs of middle-east and Korea. NRNs are enthusiastic to invest but do not have much money can benefit from our plan of initiating commercial agro project. On the other hand, commercialization of agriculture sector is Nepal&rsquo;s need of the hour. Nepal should tap potentials in agricultural sector since majority of the people&rsquo;s lives in the country relies heavily on it. Commercializing agriculture sector will also help Nepal in reducing import of agro product.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>You often emphasize on entrepreneurship for the prosperity of the country. Do you have specific plan to promote entrepreneurship in Nepal?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	I am planning to join hands with young Nepali entrepreneurs to promote entrepreneurship in the country. I will create a forum for young entrepreneurs so that they can exchange experience with entrepreneurs from other countries. Also, NRNA has planned to provide a mentor for aspiring entrepreneurs. &nbsp;The concept of mentorship is introduced to synergize the expertise of the older generation with the energy of younger generation.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Entrepreneurship development is a time-intensive project rather than capital-intensive. The mentor has to spend time with younger generation entrepreneurs to share experience and to inspire them to do something worthwhile. We are confident that we can produce some good entrepreneurs by materializing this concept.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is said that Nepali products are yet to get foothold in international market. How can we expand country&rsquo;s recognition in international business realm?</div>
<div>
	We NRNs, who have already entered in international business sector, should act as bridge to link Nepal with other international markets. &nbsp;Collective efforts of government bodies and private sector can earn a good reputation for the country. The country needs to pay attention on creating brand name of some products in the international market. Some promotional activities will be also needed to this end. Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has been putting effort to promote Nepali products in the international market. It has a separate Nepali Products Promotion Committee which has been extensively working to promote Nepali products. We will work in close collaboration with FNCCI and young entrepreneurs.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Do you have other specific plan for promoting Nepali brands in international market?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	It is worthwhile mentioning here that we will be promoting Nepali products through &lsquo;Made in Nepal&rsquo; exhibition in various countries. We have planned to organize such exhibitions in five countries in the first phase. Similarly, we will construct &lsquo;Nepal House&rsquo; in various countries which will be helpful to inform foreigners about Nepal and Nepali culture. We have planned to construct such houses in Mexico, Belgium, UK, USA and Australia. We will gradually expand this concept to other nations and cities too.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>How do you take recent accusations of involvement of political parties in NRNA&rsquo;s recent convention ?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	I want to clear it out that politics is our least priority in Nepal. We are all focused on bringing cultural change regarding entrepreneurship in Nepal. We have to increase productivity for the prosperity of the country and we will be involved in such activities but not in politics directly.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-28',
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			'description' => 'Shesh Ghale is a Mebourne, Australia based non-resident Nepali businessman. He has been listed as the 180th richest man in Australia (together with his wife Jamuna Gurung) by BRW News Australia with a fortune of $225 million. Recently, Ghale has been elected as the president of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA).',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2221',
			'article_category_id' => '202',
			'title' => 'A Positive Thinker',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Upashana Neupane&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	M<span style="font-size: 12px;">oti Dugar is a positive person with positive energy and thoughts. A very religious person, Dugar believes that there is a super power which protects all of us.&nbsp;</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He rarely thinks anything negative about anything and anybody. And this attitude has earned him many friends in life. Dugar finds very easy to get accustomed with any environment.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;I take it as my achievement that I don&rsquo;t have enemies&rdquo;, he shares, &ldquo;if you do good, good will come to you.&rdquo; Dugar believes that one should always be honest with his\her life and other people. As a businessman, Dugar believes that honesty is the biggest policy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite being a busy Dugar manages his time well for his family too. As far as possible, he spends his entire spare time with his family. He says his family complains when he can&rsquo;t manage much time for them, but maintains that they are very supportive and understanding about his busy schedules. He often goes on family outing that includes going for movies. He loves comedy movies and has a soft-corner desire for acting too. He says that he always aspired to be an actor but has not got any such opportunities so far. He thinks that he would have been an actor if he wasn&rsquo;t a businessman.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar loves travelling. He finds his honeymoon trip to Kashmir as the most memorable trip of his life. Blushing joyously with a big smile he says, &ldquo;The feeling cannot be replaced with anything.&rdquo;Out of many countries and places Dugar visited, he says Biratnagar, which is his birthplace too, is and will always be his favourite. &ldquo;There is no place more beautiful than own birthplace&rdquo;, he says.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar has a happy joint family including his 3 kids and a lovely wife, whom he describes as helpful and encouraging.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Along with love for acting, Dugar also has love for reading suspense novels and biographies of great people. Dugar&rsquo;s interest list does not end here though. He loves sports too. In his college days he was an active cricket player. Besides cricket he loves playing Table Tennis too, when he has time.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar is not much fond of social networking sites. He is available on them but is merely active. He says he&rsquo;d rather choose to do something creative than spending time on them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar loves peace and tries to avoid crowded areas as far as possible. He doesnot like being bothered by unnecessary people and things especially when he is on his vacation. He tries to avoid meetings and wish he isn&rsquo;t bothered by unnecessary calls when he is spending little bit of his time in his personal space.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar believes that it is very important for a person to take a break from the daily hustle bustle. &ldquo;We have to deal with so many things at a time&rdquo;, he says,&rdquo; Taking break is thus necessary to overcome and relax our mental weariness.&rdquo;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
			'modified' => '2013-12-16',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Moti Dugar is a positive person with positive energy and thoughts. A very religious person, Dugar believes that there is a super power which protects all of us.',
			'sortorder' => '2066',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2220',
			'article_category_id' => '201',
			'title' => 'Local Designer Boutiques In International Market',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">--By Rashika Pokharel</span></strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepali boutiques are getting exclusive identity in international market. Along with Nepalese living abroad, natives of different nations are demanding outfits that reflect Nepali culture. Nepalese abroad are acting as medium for magnetizing international customers towards Nepali boutiques by wearing traditional dresses.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Designer labels in Nepal are setting up new marks. There are many boutiques and designers who are ruling the market and setting up their unique identity in national as well as in international souk. Kathmandu, the capital city, is grooming itself as home of some of the finest boutiques in the world.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite multiple foreign clothing brands and subsisting desire for readymade clothing, the trend of designer wear or customized clothing in the country hasn&rsquo;t declined. Escalating designer boutiques, across the city, are good model of this trend. Nepali people are getting more conscious about designer wears. Their desire for trendy and selective wears is the major fact behind the growth of designer boutiques. Among these boutiques, few have succeeded in attracting native as well as customers from around the globe.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Boutiques like Odhani, Purple Boutique and Sangee&rsquo;s Apparel studio have been successful in grabbing local as well as international customer front.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;We have regular orders or customers from many countries,&rdquo;Rajiv Thapa, owner of Odhani, said. Most of the orders and customers come from U.S.A, U.K, China, Sri Lanka, Australia, India, Dhaka, and Africa, he informed. Within a time frame of three years, Odhani has become one of the top boutiques in town. The demand for its designs by international customers has given plenty of reasons to owner Rajiv Thapa, and designer Khusboo Dongol, to think about expanding their store and compete in international market.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Likewise, Alka Ale and Mili Bajracharya, owners of Purple boutique of Naxal, have set a benchmark for young entrepreneurs through their exclusive designs. Though quite new in this field, they have been able to attract not only native customers but also international customer. &ldquo;Among our total customers, 45 percent of them are international customers&rdquo; shared Ale. In only 4 months of their setup, they have been able to grasp a large number of customers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 12px;">The increasing numbers of boutiques prove that people are supporting native brands. Nepali boutiques&rsquo; popularity depicts that Nepali designers and boutiques both have broad prospect ahead and with this speed Nepal will soon establish itself as a distinct brandmaker in the global market.</span></div>',
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			'description' => 'Nepali boutiques are getting exclusive identity in international market. Along with Nepalese living abroad, natives of different nations are demanding outfits that reflect Nepali culture.',
			'sortorder' => '2065',
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			'id' => '2222',
			'article_category_id' => '150',
			'title' => 'Business Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Johnnie Walker Initiates &lsquo;Join the Pact&rsquo; in Nepal</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Johnnie Walker has announced the launch of &lsquo;JoinThe Pact&rsquo; campaign in Nepal in partnership with two-time F1 World Champion Mika H&auml;kkinen. Mika, who is also Johnnie Walker Responsible Drinking Ambassador, will visit Kathmandu in January as part of the &lsquo;Join the Pact&rsquo; campaign, the global responsible drinking initiative by Johnnie Walker. The campaign aims to gather a further one million pledges by encouraging consumers to make the commitment to &lsquo;Never Drink and Drive&rsquo;. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Ncell Extends Free Gift Campaign</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Ncell has extended its &lsquo;Khusiko Bahar, Ncell ko Upahar&rsquo; campaign for another 60 days. With the extension, Ncell customers will now receive free daily gifts for another two months. &nbsp;Ncell had initially launched the campaign for 30 days on October 30. Under the campaign, Ncell has so far awarded free gifts worth Rs 1.87 billion to the customers. On enrolling to the campaign, customers will receive a guaranteed gift, which could range from internet package and bonus balance to night talk time and SMS and MMS for free.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Index Furniture&rsquo;s Wedding Collection</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Index Furniture has introduced a promotional campaign for this wedding season from November 25 to February 1. The company has introduced new bedroom sets, sofa sets and other decorative items likes cushions, table and floor lamps, dining sets, and table clocks under its &lsquo;Wedding Collection&rsquo;. During the campaign, the company will offer 10 per cent discount on all bedroom and living room sets worth Rs 50,000 or above.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Fcube Launches Third Cinema Hall</strong></span></div>
<div>
	KL Cinema City Pvt Ltd has launched its third movie theater CUBE-3 at Fcube Cinemas at KL Tower, Chabahil. With the new theatre, the company has claimed that it has introduced &lsquo;Active Seating System&rsquo; for the first time in Nepal. According to a press release, every seat of the theater is fitted with sound and motion sensors with wide-open views of the big screen. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Dabur Chawanprash Endorsed&nbsp;by Rajesh Hamal</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Dabur Chawanprash has appointed superstar Rajesh Hamal as a brand ambassador to the product and has launched new thematic campaign with the celebrated actor. According to the company, Hamal himself proposed to be the face of Dabur Chawanprash as his belief of becoming healthy and fit perfectly overlaps with the brand properties.</div>',
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			'description' => 'Johnnie Walker has announced the launch of ‘JoinThe Pact’ campaign in Nepal in partnership with two-time F1 World Champion Mika Häkkinen. Mika, who is also Johnnie Walker Responsible Drinking Ambassador, will visit Kathmandu in January as part of the ‘Join the Pact’ campaign',
			'sortorder' => '2064',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2219',
			'article_category_id' => '199',
			'title' => 'Tech Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Smartphone App to Give Earthquake Warning</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Smartphone App" src="/userfiles/images/gf1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 99px;" />A smartphone app designed to give early warning of earthquakes could be ready as early as next year, according to scientists at the World Science Forum in Rio de Janeiro. Researchers from the University of California showed off the project this week at a conference on how to use technology to ward off natural disasters. The app is based on technology used in an early warning system prepared by a team under Professor Richard Allen, director of the UC Berkeley Seismological Laboratory.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Ex-Nokia Engineers Launch New Smartphone</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Nokia" src="/userfiles/images/gf2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 100px; height: 86px;" />Engineers who used to work for Nokia are hoping to grab a share of the lucrative and highly competitive smartphone market with a new handset. The Jolla smartphone &nbsp;is based on the former world No. 1 mobile phone maker&rsquo;s old software and is faintly reminiscent of its recent models. The Jolla handset&rsquo;s Sailfish platform has been developed from the MeeGo operating software, Nokia&rsquo;s last open-source platform which it abandoned in 2011 when it switched over to using Microsoft&rsquo;s Windows system.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Sony Files Patent for &lsquo;SmartWig&rsquo;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Smartwig" src="/userfiles/images/gf3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 100px; height: 60px;" />Sony has filed a patent application for &ldquo;SmartWig&rdquo;, as firms jostle for the lead in the wearable technology sector. It says the SmartWig can be worn &ldquo;in addition to natural hair&rdquo;, and will be able to process data and communicate wirelessly with other external devices. According to the filing, the SmartWig can help navigate roads and collect information such as blood pressure.&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
			'modified' => '2013-12-03',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'A smartphone app designed to give early warning of earthquakes could be ready as early as next year, according to scientists at the World Science Forum in Rio de Janeiro.',
			'sortorder' => '2063',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2203',
			'article_category_id' => '151',
			'title' => 'Learning Curve News In Brief (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Teacher Service Commission Publishes Results&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The Teacher Service Commission (TSC) has published result of written examination of Teacher service commission of Midwestern Development Region, Far western development region and Western Development Region. TSC published results of these regions in three instalments- on 26, 28 and 29th &nbsp; November.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Dr Malla Awarded Scholarship&nbsp;by Australian Agency</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The International Emergency Medicine Special Interest Group of Australian College of Emergency Medicine has awarded Prof Dr. Gyanendra Malla for its scholarship (Fellowship in Emergency Medicine) from Nepal. &nbsp;Dr Malla is among four the scholarship candidates selected. Other candidates are from Myanmar, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Dr Malla heads the General Practice and Emergency Medicine department at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>HSEB Publishes Results of Grade 12 Supplementary Exams</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) on Thursday published result of grade 12 supplementary exam of all the faculties. According to the HSEB, 25,715 students out of 29,911 (85.97%) passed the examination. As per the rule, students who failed in one subject will get chance to take supplementary exam.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>SLC Examinations to Begin from March 20</strong></span></div>
<div>
	This year&rsquo;s School Leaving Certificate (SLC) Examination is going to start from March 20. The meeting of the examination committee of the SLC board held on 29th November decided the dates for the exams. &nbsp;The exams will be held for nine days. &nbsp;Around 600,000 students are expected to take their SLC exams.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>ROUTINE</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory English: 2070 March 20, Thursday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Nepali: 2070 March 21, Friday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Mathematics: 2070 March 23, Sunday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Science: 2070 March 24, Monday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Social Studies: 2070 March 25, Tuesday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Health Education and Environment: 2070 March 26, Wednesday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Optional Paper First: 2070 March 27, Thursday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Optional Paper Second: 2070 March 28, Friday</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Convocation Ceremony of TU and KU</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The 39th Convocation ceremony of Tribhuvan University (TU) is scheduled to be held on December 27th, 2013. Students from various stream including humanities and social sciences, education, science and technology, forestry, included in the grace list will participate in the 39th convocation of the University. The 38th convocation of Tribhuvan University was held on Dasharash stadium, Tripureshwor Kathmandu.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Kathmandu University (KU) has also announced its 19th convocation ceremony. Convocation ceremony is scheduled on different dates for different faculties. According to the notice, the convocation ceremony will be held on December 12, 2013 at Kathmandu University, Kavre for School of Arts, School of Education, School of Engineering, School of Management and School of Science. Meanwhile, Convocation Ceremony for School of Medical Sciences will be held on December 20, 2013 at School of Medical Sciences, Kathmandu University, Kavre.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
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			'description' => 'The Teacher Service Commission (TSC) has published result of written examination of Teacher service commission of Midwestern Development Region, Far western development region and Western Development Region.',
			'sortorder' => '2062',
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			'article_category_id' => '206',
			'title' => 'Samsung Galaxy Core: Anything But Ordinary',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<strong style="font-size: 12px;">--By Sanjeev Sharma</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gf%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 300px; height: 400px;" />What do you expect from a smartphone? General answers could be multitasking, fast internet, good camera, sporty design and good support over different apps. However, these answers have now become so basic and obvious that many tech-enthusiasts are looking for more varieties and features to enthrall their enthusiasm.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Samsung, the world leader in smartphone technology has come up with a solutions to satisfy the needs of enthusiasts. The Samsung Galaxy Core seems to be a perfect smartphone that can give a better performance than other mid-range handsets found in the market. The smartphone is powered by a 1.2 ghz dual-core processor, along with 1 GB of RAM. This makes the phone powerful enough to handle daily tasks and gaming at times. The Galaxy Core which runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 comes with a 4.3 inch TFT capacitive display which has a WVGA resolution of 480&times;800 pixels (217 ppi). With these specifications, the smartphone looks pretty much as a reminiscent of the Galaxy S2, the flagship product of Samsung released in 2011. However, the phone offers much more than the Galaxy S2.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The dual-SIM smartphone has variety of features including ChatON. ChatON has basic features which are auto friend registration, text chat, multimedia delivery, and added features like My Page, voice/video chat, and translate. Users can send text, picture, video, and audio as multimedia using this feature. The feature even helps them to share their photos, videos, location and files easily. S Voice, Smart Stay, Face Unlock and other smart features of the Galaxy Core are mostly found on high-end smartphones. S Voice lets users to operate the phone (including lock/unlock) though voice commands. Similarly, Smart Stay uses the front camera to detect when the users are looking at the screen to prevent dimming. Likewise, the Face Unlock feature enables the users to unlock their phone through face recognition mechanism. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The phone sports a LED-flash 5 megapixel primary camera at the rear and a WVGA camera at the front. The handset comes with 8 GB internal memory and support for 64 GB microSD card. However, on the battery front, the 1800 mAh battery gives a mediocre power backup. The Samsung Galaxy Core is available at a price of Rs 28,500.&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
			'modified' => '2013-12-03',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'What do you expect from a smartphone? General answers could be multitasking, fast internet, good camera, sporty design and good support over different apps.',
			'sortorder' => '2061',
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			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2217',
			'article_category_id' => '99',
			'title' => 'Tourism Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>India to Promote Culinary Tourism&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Culinary Tourism" src="/userfiles/images/tb%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 127px;" />India&rsquo;s Minister of State for Human Resource Development Dr Shashi Tharoor has called for steps to promote culinary tourism in India. Speaking at the recently concluded Indian Culinary Forum held in New Delhi, Tharoor said there is rich diversity of foods available in the country and the varied regional cuisine should be better exposed among international and domestic tourists. The summit looked at offering cuisine experiences and visits to farms and kitchen, so that visitors can experience the diversity and authentic cuisine of the country. Anil Bhandari, chairman of Smart Solutions said, &ldquo;In the growing food industry, only 30% was in the organised sector, while 70% in the unorganised sector. Brand identity and consistency are important.&rdquo; Chef Davindar Kumar, president of Indian Culinary Forum opined that culinary tourism would offer a unique and memorable experience but maintaining authenticity is important. The conference discussed diverse range of subjects ranging from standardisation, recipes, research and education. (Traveldailymedia.com)</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Maldives Hits one Million Tourists</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Tourism" src="/userfiles/images/tb1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 125px;" />The Maldives has reached its target of welcoming one million visitor arrivals in 2013. According to official data released by the Maldivian government this week, the Indian Ocean archipelago welcomed 1,000,203 international visitors in the year to 24 November 2013. The news will come as a boost to the country where significant political unrest in recent years has threatened to destabilise its vital tourism sector. In 2012, the Maldives fell short of its one million arrivals target, welcoming just 958,000 visitors. The country&rsquo;s Tourism Minister, Ahmed Adheeb, said that a higher target will be now be set for 2014, although no specific figure was given. Tourism accounts for 70% of the Maldives&rsquo; GDP. (Traveldailymedia.com)</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>UNWTO and UNESCO Join Hands In Sustainable Tourism Promotion &nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="UNWTO and UNESCO" src="/userfiles/images/tb2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 93px;" />UNWTO and UNESCO have forged a new cooperation agreement consolidating efforts on sustainable tourism and the protection of natural and cultural heritage. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, signed by UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai and UNESCO Director General, Irina Bokova, in the margins of the UN Chief Executives Board Meeting, UNWTO and UNESCO will work together on national, regional and global initiatives in the areas of sustainable tourism and the safeguarding of natural and cultural heritage. The cooperation will be through the implementation of the UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme and the development of transnational tourism initiatives to promote and protect the shared heritage of the Silk Roads Heritage Corridors. The agreement will also help in the promotion of sustainable tourism through United Nations partnerships and initiatives, such as the United Nations Steering Committee on Tourism for Development (SCTD) and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism (GPST). (Traveldailynews.com)</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong style="font-size: 16px;">National Geographic Traveler Magazine Announces Its 2014 Best of The World List &nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	<img alt="2014 Best of The World List  " src="/userfiles/images/tb3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 99px;" />National Geographic Traveler magazine has announced its annual Best of the World list, featuring 20 destinations plus a bonus readers&rsquo; choice destination to visit in 2014. The list reflects what&rsquo;s authentic, culturally rich, sustainable and superlative in the world of travel today. The destinations are featured in the December 2013/January 2014 issue of Traveler magazine, available on newsstands Dec. 3, and online at travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-trips-2014.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The destinations featured in the 2014 Best of the World list are:</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Alentejo, Portugal</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Arbil, Iraq</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Bolaven Plateau, Laos</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cacao Trail, Ecuador</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cape Verde</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cathar Country, France</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cordoba, Argentina</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Derawan Islands, Indonesia&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Guyana</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>John Muir Trail, Scotland</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Liechtenstein</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Nahanni National Park, Canada</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>New Orleans, Louisiana</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Northern Territory, Australia</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Puglia, Italy</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ranthambore National Park, India</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Riga, Latvia</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Sochi, Russia</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em>(Traveldailynews.com)</em></div>',
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			'description' => 'India’s Minister of State for Human Resource Development Dr Shashi Tharoor has called for steps to promote culinary tourism in India.',
			'sortorder' => '2060',
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2216',
			'article_category_id' => '99',
			'title' => 'A Fake Slum For Luxury Tourists',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="Fake Slum" src="/userfiles/images/trsm3%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 294px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	I<span style="font-size: 12px;">t&#39;s estimated that one in eight people worldwide live in so-called slums, which, in some cities, makes visiting these informally maintained neighborhoods unavoidable. Although controversial, the practice of &lsquo;slum tourism&rsquo; has become a popular way for tourists to engage with poverty on a personal level. But why go visit an actual slum when you can simply stay at a luxury resort that looks like a slum?</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Emoya Luxury Hotel and Spa near Bloemfontein, South Africa offers Shanty Town, a dozen shacks made from scrap wood and corrugated metal that it thinks is the perfect setting for your next corporate retreat or wedding anniversary. The resort has gone to great lengths to recreate the joys of slum living without the nuisances of crime.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The rooms cost about $ 82 a night, which some have noted is a half month&#39;s salary for the average South African.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em>(Gizmodo.com)</em></div>',
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			'description' => 'It's estimated that one in eight people worldwide live in so-called slums, which, in some cities, makes visiting these informally maintained neighborhoods unavoidable.',
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			'id' => '2231',
			'article_category_id' => '138',
			'title' => 'US Aids In Restoring Patan Royal Palace',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Patan Royal Palace, a historic site of Nepal has been restored with the financial assistance of the United States. &nbsp;According to a press statement by the US Embassy, conservation experts, representatives from the government of Nepal and the diplomatic community joined members of the Patan community on December 1 to celebrate the completion of the restoration of Patan Royal Palace. &nbsp;The preservation of this historic site was made possible through a $1.1 million grant provided by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP). US Ambassador Peter W. Bodde and Embassy officials congratulated the local community and AFCP partner, Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT), for the project&rsquo;s great success. &nbsp;&ldquo;The Ambassadors Fund is among the US government&rsquo;s most significant cultural initiatives abroad. &nbsp;It makes me very proud as an American to know that my country supports and protects conservation efforts like this one around the world,&rdquo; Ambassador Bodde said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In 2009, the project completed successfully for an Ambassadors Fund award under a special &ldquo;large grant&rdquo; competition. &nbsp;Nepal was one of only three countries, the others being Peru and Macedonia, to be selected and awarded a large grant.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The AFCP has supported fifteen projects in Nepal since 2003. &nbsp;&quot;The restoration of Patan Royal Palace has been a model project for cultural preservation in Nepal and across the globe,&quot; says the statement. &nbsp; In 2006, the Patan complex was added to the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. &nbsp;Already by 2013, this well-preserved site displays centuries of intact history, and is among Nepal&rsquo;s most significant cultural destinations.</div>',
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			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'The Patan Royal Palace, a historic site of Nepal has been restored with the financial assistance of the United States.  According to a press statement by the US Embassy, conservation experts, representatives from the government of Nepal and the diplomatic community joined members of the Patan community on December 1 to celebrate the completion of the restoration of Patan Royal Palace.',
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			'id' => '2230',
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			'title' => 'US Assists To Improve Airport Rescue Station',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The United States government has partnered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to improve airport rescue station at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). According to a press statement by the US embassy in Kathmandu, a financial assistance worth $426,000 will be used to retrofit the TIA&#39;s Crash, Fire and Rescue Station to make it more resistant to earthquakes.&quot;On 15 November 2013, the Office of Defense Cooperation, US Embassy Kathmandu and CAAN officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding to carry out the project,&quot; informed the statement.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The statement said that the US Army Corps of Engineers, working with local contractors, will provide design and construction services. &quot;This project is a part of a greater plan for TIA infrastructure improvement through the Seismic Resistance Program,&quot; read the statement. The work is scheduled to start in January 2014.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The project aims at keeping the runway open even after an earthquake. Specific areas for the program include runway integrity, navigation aids, crash-fire-rescue, and air-ground operations. Those measures come in line with efforts taken by CAAN and TIA over the past two years for disaster preparedness.</div>',
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			'description' => 'The United States government has partnered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to improve airport rescue station at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). According to a press statement by the US embassy in Kathmandu, a financial assistance worth $426,000 will be used to retrofit the TIA's Crash, Fire and Rescue Station to make it more resistant to earthquakes.',
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			'id' => '2227',
			'article_category_id' => '122',
			'title' => 'Hama Group: Strong As Steel',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Gaurav Aryal</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Bal Krishna Shrestha, Chairman, Hama Group" src="/userfiles/images/bks%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 221px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<div>
							<div>
								<strong>Bal Krishna Shrestha</strong></div>
							<div>
								<em>Chairman, Hama Group</em></div>
						</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	Hama Group was not built in a day. The group developed through rigorous planning and hard work of its ChairmanBal Krishna Shrestha. Though belonging to a lineage of traders,who have been in the trading business for several generations, Shrestha laid the foundation of the group on his own. His family inspired him to dream and to work hard to materialise them. He envisioned the group and till date actively continues to plan its future, along with his partners</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shrestha&rsquo;s family was in the garment business for five generations when he learned business basics. However, the learning process for him was not as smooth as butter. Being the first person in the Shrestha family to get educated, he was criticised and questioned about his formal learning and education by his seniors. His parents were involved in retailing of garments imported from India. The store at Makhan of Kathmandu,established by his great-great-grandfather,is still in operation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	While Shrestha was pursuing his graduate degree, his uncles used to ask him the worth of his studies as his pursuit would only land him as an employee. And, it pinched Shrestha deep and was determined to have a business of his own without getting any financial support from his family. Consequently he completed his B.Com.,joined government serviceas a Section Officer and completed M.Com., and Masters in Economics without any financial assistance from his family members.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Start-up Business</strong></span></div>
<div>
	While in public service, he sensed the need and demand for development goods such as steel, cement, galvanised sheets, pipes and other goods to address the needs of an emerging and developing Nepal.But, to materialize such vision one needs capital, and during those days all he had with him was education and trust of people around him. He borrowed some money from his colleagues and started a hardware store at Teku along with three partners.This marks the inception of Hama Group.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shrestha had started teaching at a college and during the same time he was transferredto National Planning Commission. There, he learned much more about development process. While he was busy with his job, his partners looked after the store and he used to join them after office hours.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shrestha says that business performed way better than he had imagined initially. &ldquo;We all worked hard and we wall were dedicated and honest to our work. And, we kept the fire in us hot,&rdquo; he says. While the business of hardware sales was doing well, he started importing goods from China and selling here.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Impediments</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Shrestha had ordered goods from China for the third time in 1977. Unfortunately, goods were stolen at Calcutta Port. He says that incident made a loss of Rs 5 million to the company.&ldquo;That did not discourage me. I did not lose anything. I just lost what I had earned,&rdquo; he shares. &nbsp;He recalls that he sold everythinghe had, to payback bank loans. Additionally, dealers and suppliers with whom he had been working denied supplying goods.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This unfortunate event did not discourage him, but forced him &nbsp;to start from the scratch to bounce back into business. After being refused of goods delivery by existing dealers and traders, he took it as a challenge and decided to produce steel products.But, starting a factory was not free of hurdles. Though financing was challenging Shrestha says that money is not a problem for a working person. He acquired operational license of Hama Steel in 1988 and started the factory by borrowing loans from banks.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Venture Expansion</strong></span></div>
<div>
	After the success of steel company, the group started production of various other products through its specific companies such as Allied Industries, Hama Wires, Hama Tech and factories producing water pumps and pipes. The group now has a cement factory in its pipeline.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Shrestha says that the group has recently upgraded its Hama Steel factory for the third time. The factory, started in 1988, was upgraded to fully automated system in 2000 through an investment of Rs 250 million. Now the factory is &nbsp;fully computerised. Shrestha claims that Hama Steel is probably the only steel factory in Nepal to be fuly computerised. He says that the production through the new system will begin next month. The group has invested Rs 480 million for the latest upgradation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The factory has an installed production capacity of 400 tonnes a day when operated for 16 hours. According to Shrestha, the capacity will be even more if the factory can be operated for 20 hours. He adds that the new system will also help reduce the cost of production.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Quality Promises</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The group has never compromised with the quality offerings. Shrestha says that the company never uses low quality billets for producing steel products. &ldquo;Our products meet the highest quality standards and have been used by corporate houses, embassies, government agencies and the general public,&rdquo; says Shrestha. Hama brand has been a trusted name by national and international projects operating in Nepal. US Embassy is one of them along with Russian and Japanese projects that have used Hama products in their construction projects.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Roadmap</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Shrestha sees everlasting needand demand for development goods. He believes that new business possibilities and new market will be created once political problems start getting resolved. He says that domestic industries would be encouraged if the government&rsquo;s provision of using local products for public procurement is materialised..</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group is dedicated to take its companies to the next level in its area of specialisations. Shrestha is content over the progress made by the group so far. As a part of business expansion, the group has also invested in service industry, particularly in health, education, banking and insurance sectors.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group has plans to establish a hotel soon in partnership with an international hotel chain. Once the recent upgradation comes into form, Shrestha says that his group will concentrate on new ventures. He reveals that the group is also planning factories for melting steel and wire drawing.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group has plans to set up a cement factory that will be producing cement under its brand name Hama. Currently, HamaTech and Shalimar brands of cement are being produced by the group in partnership with other investors from the business fraternity. Shrestha says that the new factory will come into operation within a year.Similarly, energy is also one of the sectors of interest for the group. The group has a 4.5 MW Maikhola hydropower project in its portfolio and another new project in its pipeline.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group has invested over Rs 1 billion in its various ventures and registers an annual turnover of Rs 5 billion and has been annually adding Rs 500 million to the state coffers through taxes and other payments. Shrestha says that the turnover for the next year is targeted at Rs 10 billion.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="10" width="99%">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#E5E4E2">
				<div>
					<div>
						<div>
							<div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Naming of Hama</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									Bal Krishna Shrestha, Chairman of Hama Group borrowed the name Hama for his steel company from the Port of Yokohama from where Japan used to import raw materials for steel production and export finished goods. Hama was a lucky charm for Shrestha. Similarly, Shrestha who considers himself a devotee of Harati Mata linked the brand name to his devotion too. Likewise, Shrestha says that HA in Newari means seed and MA means fruit. He says that if seeds are good, the harvest of that fruit is eventually high.</div>
								<div>
									&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Management</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									Shrestha and his group have always had belief in professional management and professionalism as corporate philosophy. Independent management teams of each of the group&rsquo;s 10 companies looks after the daily management and human resources of their respective companies. The HR department looks after issues related to 450 employees working in various companies of the Hama Group. Shrestha says that employees are his assets and the company has been able to make them happy and satisfied. Likewise, the promoters do not have to look after the daily management and functioning of any of the companies. Shrestha gets updated about the daily progress through periodic meetings and through the Internet.He says that corporate culture is well developed in the group.</div>
								<div>
									&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>CSR&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities are highly prioritised by the group. Shrestha believes in creating benefits to larger number of people and the society rather than just making profits through business. As a part of CSR activities, the group provided scholarships to 14 needy students under SOS from Far Western Region. Similarly, the group has been providing education to children of employees of the group for free. Shrestha shares a plan to establish an elderly home in the name of his parents. Out of its social service fund, the group has invested in hospital projects too.&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Major Milestones of the Group</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									1988: Establishment of Hama Steel&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									1995: Hama Steel received the Nepal Standard (NS) mark</div>
								<div>
									1997: Hama Steel upgraded production capacity&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									1998: Hama Wires established</div>
								<div>
									2000: Hama Steel further upgraded production capacity and received ISO 9001:2000 certification for excellent quality management system</div>
								<div>
									2001: Hama Steel received NS Quality Award</div>
								<div>
									2004: Hama Steel started production of HAMA TMT Re-bars</div>
								<div>
									2005: Started production of HAMA-500 Re-bars</div>
								<div>
									2007: TQM Activities were initiated to maintain quality management.&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									2008: Hama Iron and Steel started production of Super Grip Re-bars (SG Re-Bars)</div>
								<div>
									2013: Upgraded Hama Steel into a fully computerised system</div>
							</div>
						</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
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			'created' => '2013-12-09',
			'modified' => '2013-12-16',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Hama Group was not built in a day. The group developed through rigorous planning and hard work of its ChairmanBal Krishna Shrestha. Though belonging to a lineage of traders,who have been in the trading business for several generations, Shrestha laid the foundation of the group on his own',
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			'id' => '2184',
			'article_category_id' => '91',
			'title' => 'TRADE DEFICIT How Long Will My Nation Bleed?',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Siromani Dhungana</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	T<span style="font-size: 12px;">he country is likely to witness a terrible trade deficit reports- one after another- unless the government takes concrete and bold decisions to overcome it.</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	What could be the concrete and bold decision to narrow down the ballooning trade deficit?</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;It is nothing other than accelerating the hydropower projects,&rdquo; said former finance secretary Rameshore Khanal.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to the data released by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the trade deficit has increased by 11.3 per cent to Rs 128.79 billion in the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2013-14 as compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Informing that the country imports petroleum products worth Rs 110 billion in a year, Khanal argued that the trade deficit will continue widening unless we significantly reduce the import of petroleum products.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Industries are running through thermal plants and households are compelled to buy Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), resulting in the surge of petroleum products demand,&rdquo; said Khanal. Consumption of petroleum product worth Rs 60 billion can be reduced by generating hydroelectricity in the country, he added.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Trade deficit has a multiple effects since it drains money from country&rsquo;s economy, lowers wages and forces the country to witness lower standard of living, he noted.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The production has stagnated, while the demands of sophisticated goods such as computers, automobiles, micro-oven and televisions have propelled imports to a record high, according to him.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Except any miracles, we cannot increase productivity in the near future as the country still lacks preconditions that spur productivity,&rdquo; economist and chief finance advisor Dr Chiranjivi Nepal argued.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is time policymakers and businesses made concerted and coordinated attempts to tackle country&rsquo;s trade imbalances before we are faced with a serious crisis, he further said, adding that it is right time to address the issue as the country is all set to get a moderate and liberal government led by parties which possess liberal views about economy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the first quarter, the trade deficit with India &ndash; with which the country has above 65 per cent trade &ndash; surged by 14.2 per cent, whereas with third countries increased by 5.9 per cent only. The data released by NRB further stated that the country exported Rs 23.07 billion worth merchandise only, while imported Rs 151.86 billion worth in the first three months of the current fiscal year. However, the central bank has reported Rs 52.74 billion surplus Balance of Payment (BoP) in the first quarter against the surplus of Rs 2.05 billion in the period last fiscal year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The macroeconomic indicator has also revealed that the foreign exchange reserve has increased by 13.8 per cent to Rs 606.82 billion in mid-October up from Rs 533.3 billion from mid-July.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Likewise, the inflow of remittances, a lifeline of Nepal&rsquo;s economy, has also posted an increment by 38.2 per cent to Rs 135.03 billion in the first quarter.</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-12-01',
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			'description' => 'The country is likely to witness a terrible trade deficit reports- one after another- unless the government takes concrete and bold decisions to overcome it.

What could be the concrete and bold decision to narrow down the ballooning trade deficit?',
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			'id' => '2186',
			'article_category_id' => '109',
			'title' => 'Nepse Plunges As Investors Opt Profit Booking',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sagar Ghimire</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 12px;">S</span><span style="font-size: 12px;">tock market moved downwards after few weeks of gaining string as wary investors opted to book profits after recent gains. Nepse index fell 12.80 points last week to settle at 643.95.&nbsp;</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse has opened at 656.75 points on the first trading day. Circuit breaker was imposed twice to control the market following the excess gain of 3 per cent and 5 per cent respectively on the first trading day. The positive vibes among the investors following the Constituent Assembly polls have boosted the Nepal&rsquo;s bourse. Though the immense investment seen in the market flared up Nepse for two trading days last week, the index observed a minor correction on the rest of the days during the trading week. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	During the week, a total of 45,495,454 units of shares through 13218 transactions worth Rs 1.608 billion were traded in the market. The amount, units of shares and number of transactions are significantly higher than those of previous weeks.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The political environment has become a major factor for the rise of the Nepse index. Stating that almost all of the listed companies have already distributed the dividends to the share holders, stock analysts say that the investors should be cautious while making their investment now as the profit highly depends on the market volatility.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Narendra Sijapati, president of the Stockbrokers Association Nepal, does not see any possibility of Nepse going down substantially anytime soon. He is upbeat about the market prospects due to the victory of &lsquo;democratic parties&rsquo; in the CA polls. . &ldquo;Though there was a marginal correction last week, the overall market is in the rising trend. A big boost can be expected in coming weeks as soon as the government formation process kicks off,&rdquo; said Sijapati.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal Bank Ltd was the company with the highest transaction and the highest turnover. &nbsp;Insurance sector was the highest gainer with its sub-index moving up by 144.45 points. It was followed by Hotel (up by 106.58 points), Development Banks (up by 12.8 points and Manufacturing &amp; Production (up by 0.06 points). &nbsp;Towards the losers, sub-indices of Banks, Finance, Hydropower, Other and Trading sectors observed decline.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Index" src="/userfiles/images/indx%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 300px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<hr />
	<p>
		<strong style="font-size: 14px;">Nepse on Sunday</strong></p>
</div>
<div>
	The index gained 8.03 points from Thursday (Nov 28) close. All the sectors saw increment on the first day in the trading floor this week. Nepse index closed at 651.98 points on Sunday (December 1).&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The highest gainer was Hotels sector with its index up by 77.38 points settling at 1089.58. The Hotels sector was followed by Insurance (up by 43.79 points), Hydropower (up by 12.54 points), Banking (up by 7.83 points), Development Banks (up by 6.03 points) and Finance (up by 1.17 points). The index of Others sector remained unchanged.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A total of 1,024,805 units of shares of 109 companies worth Rs 660.7 million were traded through 2451 transactions.&nbsp;</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-12-01',
			'modified' => '2013-12-09',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Stock market moved downwards after few weeks of gaining string as wary investors opted to book profits after recent gains. Nepse index fell 12.80 points last week to settle at 643.95.',
			'sortorder' => '2069',
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	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2197',
			'article_category_id' => '145',
			'title' => 'A South Asian Song',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">--By Abhay K</span></strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	F<span style="font-size: 12px;">ostering regional consciousness needs mammoth efforts. South Asia has a formal mechanism of cooperation in place among its member countries through the vibrant organization of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) since 1985. As part of my training at the Indian Foreign Service Institute, before being confirmed in the Indian Foreign Service, I had visited the Foreign Ministries and the Foreign Service Institutes of the neighboring South Asian countries between 2004-2005. Those days the idea of deeper interaction among the South Asians always brought back memories of my days spent in Jawaharlal Nehru and Delhi Universities. I cherished the company of students from the South Asian countries who enriched my academic life in many ways.</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The visit gave me the opportunity to meet the young Bangladeshi, Nepali and Sri Lankan officer-trainees. During our meetings we felt that it would be a great learning experience for the young officer-trainees of the SAARC member countries if we could spend a week or so together and share our ideas and aspirations with each other.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	After my visit to Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, I wrote a paper titled &lsquo;South Asian Affairs&rsquo; proposing establishment of a South Asian University in May 2005, I was glad to see that the idea of establishing the new South Asian University was announced in November 2005 in Dhaka at the 13th SAARC Summit. The South Asian University is functioning since 2010 at Akbar Bhawan, New Delhi paving the path for a new South Asia.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	After the milestone achievement in the history of SAARC with the establishment of the South Asian University, I believe a South Asian Song, a song that all South Asians could sing together, can act as a catalyst in fostering deeper South Asian consciousness and fraternity. I am now ready with a South Asian Song after a very warm and enthusiastic reception of the Earth Anthem internationally which I wrote and produced recently.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Earth Anthem was released in June this year by Mr. Kapil Sibal and Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Union Ministers of India at ICCR, New Delhi and later in Kathmandu by Mr. Jhalanath Khanal, former Prime Minister of Nepal in presence of Mr. Axel Plathe, UNESCO&rsquo;s Representative to Nepal. Since then it has been translated into major world languages. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), India has put this on its website for the use of the students studying in schools affiliated with CBSE. I have been informed that UNESCO is going to turn the idea of an official Earth Anthem into a global initiative. I hope a Global Earth Anthem Challenge will be launched soon and the best judged entry will be declared as the official anthem of our planet earth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Regional and International Anthems have been in use since quite some time now. Some of the other prominent regional organizations have their own international anthems. For example the European Union uses &lsquo;Beethoven&rsquo;s Symphony No. 9 (Ode to Joy part)&rsquo; as its anthem while the African Union has adopted its own anthem titled &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s All Unite and Celebrate Together&rsquo;. The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has adopted an official anthem titled &lsquo;ASEAN Way&rsquo; in 2008 which is in English. As per ASEAN, its anthem is an expression of ASEAN unity and strengthens the sense of ASEAN identity and belonging among the peoples of the region.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Being aware of the huge popularity of Bollywood films in South Asia, I have written a South Asian Song in Hindustani which has been translated in all the eight South Asian languages. The English version is as follows-</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Himalaya to Hind, Naga Hills to Hindukush/ Mahaweli to Ganga, Sindhu to Brahmputra/Lakshadweep to Andaman, Everest to Adam&rsquo;s Peak/ Kabul to Thimphu, Male to Kathmandu / &nbsp;Delhi to Dhaka, Colombo, Islamabad/ Every step in unison, every step in unison/Dzongkha, Sinhala, Nepali, Hindi, Pashto, Bengali/ Urdu, English, Dhivehi, every step in unison, every step in unison/ one&rsquo;s own identity,one&rsquo;s own dreams / talks of love n&rsquo;peace, every step in unison/ every step with SAARC / every step in unison/every step with SAARC, &nbsp;every step in unison.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Naga and Chin hills mark the eastern frontiers of SAARC member states. Mahaweli is the longest river of Sri Lanka while Adam&rsquo;s Peak is its most venerated peak. Sri Lanka has two official languages-Sinhala and Tamil like Afghanistan which also has two official languages-Pashto and Dari. I have chosen the language of their national anthems. Dhivehi is the official language of Maldives. The South Asian Song also highlights the life-sustaining perennial rivers of South Asia such as Sindhu, Ganga, Brahmputra as well as the official languages of the SAARC member countries. The Song celebrates vibrant cultural diversity of South Asia as well as aspirations of the South Asians walking in unison.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Once adopted, the SAARC Secretariat could be the main body to oversee the proper use of the South Asian Song which could be encouraged at the formal meetings of SAARC as well as SAARC Apex and Recognized Bodies. The South Asian Song could also be played to commemorate special occasions of SAARC such as the SAARC Charter Day (8 December).</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	SAARC member countries could be encouraged to translate the South Asian Song into local languages as a way to promote the song and foster South Asian consciousness and fraternity among their citizens.</div>
<div>
	<em>(The writer is a poet-diplomat. Views expressed are personal.)</em></div>',
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			'description' => 'Fostering regional consciousness needs mammoth efforts. South Asia has a formal mechanism of cooperation in place among its member countries through the vibrant organization of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) since 1985.',
			'sortorder' => '2068',
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2179',
			'article_category_id' => '46',
			'title' => '“There Are Obvious Reasons Why We Decided To Invest In Hotel Business”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Shesh Ghale</strong>&nbsp;is a Mebourne, Australia based non-resident Nepali businessman. He has been listed as the 180th richest man in Australia (together with his wife Jamuna Gurung) by BRW News Australia with a fortune of $225 million. Recently, Ghale has been elected as the president of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA). Ghale, founder and chief executive officer of Melbourne Institute of Technology, under the MIT Group Holdings Nepal, has signed a management contract with Starwood Hotels and Resort Worldwide, Inc. to build a five-star property named&mdash;the Sheraton Kathmandu. He has also come up with some other investment plans in Nepal. Soon after being elected as the president of NRNA, he has pledged to promote entrepreneurship in Nepal. He spoke to&nbsp;<strong>Siromani Dhungana</strong>&nbsp;of New Business Age about his and NRNA&rsquo;s future investment plans in Nepal.&nbsp;<strong>Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>As the new president of NRNA, what&rsquo;re your priorities in Nepal?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	First meeting of the newly elected committee of NRNA has decided to focus on employment generation and sustainable development of Nepal. To achieve these goals we will implement various projects. These projects include establishing a five-star hotel in Kathmandu that will assist in creating employment opportunities and thereby also contribute in economic growth. &nbsp;We will immediately start the feasibility study for constructing this five-star hotel. Along with that we are planning to bring other projects to help us in gaining our objectives.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>What other projects that NRNA will push forward during your tenure?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We will put emphasis on mutual investment projects. I think NRNA should promote culture of entrepreneurship. During my tenure, we will be doing various activities that promote entrepreneurship in Nepal. These activities will be aimed at translating our slogan &lsquo;Connecting Nepali for Prosperous Nepal&rsquo; into actuality.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>NRNA is often blamed for ignoring blue-colour employees working in the gulf region in spite of their huge contribution to the national economy. What&rsquo;s your say?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	No. Their contribution to the country will be recognized during my tenure. We have decided to create a &lsquo;Relief Fund&rsquo; for migrant workers who have been suffering in foreign land. The fund will be utilized in welfare activities especially for those who die, who get injured and who are shelter less in foreign land. I have pledged to provide Rs 10 million for the fund and I am hopeful that other friends will contribute to the cause. The funds will be ultiized once detailed working procedure is finalized.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong><img alt="Shesh Ghale" src="/userfiles/images/sg%20(Copy)(2).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 300px; height: 321px;" />Getting back to NRNA&rsquo;s decision to invest in hotel sector, why did you choose this business sector to invest in?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We have good links with foreign star hotel chain brands for investing in hotels. I think we can introduce their expertise here in Nepal. Another reason is the existence of good business prospects for hotels. Non Resident Nepalis can make good profit by investing small amount in this sector. We will encourage new friends to invest in this sector so that the country will get new set of entrepreneurs.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But there is strong belief that NRNs should invest in infrastructure rather than hotel sector.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	There are several obvious reasons why we decided to invest in hotel business. First, the hotel business can generate more employment in small investment. We can generate four hundred jobs if we establish a 200-bed hotel. Second, we can produce skilled manpower by operating hotels with international standard in Nepal. Human resources who work in standard Nepali five-star hotels, can easily get job abroad. Third, hotel business will have a multiplier impact in development. If we establish a hotel in a community, the entire community starts to get benefit from that.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Another reason is the investment in hotel business is easily transferable. &nbsp;Hotel business is one which helps generate foreign exchange reserve.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	NRNA will not, however, undermine infrastructure projects. We will continue all infrastructure projects, including hydropower projects, during my tenure as well. Hydropower has been our priority and it will remain so in the years to come.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Are you also targeting middle-income NRNs during your tenure?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Yes, indeed. NRNA has planned to start a commercial agriculture project targeting NRNs of middle-east and Korea. NRNs are enthusiastic to invest but do not have much money can benefit from our plan of initiating commercial agro project. On the other hand, commercialization of agriculture sector is Nepal&rsquo;s need of the hour. Nepal should tap potentials in agricultural sector since majority of the people&rsquo;s lives in the country relies heavily on it. Commercializing agriculture sector will also help Nepal in reducing import of agro product.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>You often emphasize on entrepreneurship for the prosperity of the country. Do you have specific plan to promote entrepreneurship in Nepal?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	I am planning to join hands with young Nepali entrepreneurs to promote entrepreneurship in the country. I will create a forum for young entrepreneurs so that they can exchange experience with entrepreneurs from other countries. Also, NRNA has planned to provide a mentor for aspiring entrepreneurs. &nbsp;The concept of mentorship is introduced to synergize the expertise of the older generation with the energy of younger generation.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Entrepreneurship development is a time-intensive project rather than capital-intensive. The mentor has to spend time with younger generation entrepreneurs to share experience and to inspire them to do something worthwhile. We are confident that we can produce some good entrepreneurs by materializing this concept.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is said that Nepali products are yet to get foothold in international market. How can we expand country&rsquo;s recognition in international business realm?</div>
<div>
	We NRNs, who have already entered in international business sector, should act as bridge to link Nepal with other international markets. &nbsp;Collective efforts of government bodies and private sector can earn a good reputation for the country. The country needs to pay attention on creating brand name of some products in the international market. Some promotional activities will be also needed to this end. Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has been putting effort to promote Nepali products in the international market. It has a separate Nepali Products Promotion Committee which has been extensively working to promote Nepali products. We will work in close collaboration with FNCCI and young entrepreneurs.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Do you have other specific plan for promoting Nepali brands in international market?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	It is worthwhile mentioning here that we will be promoting Nepali products through &lsquo;Made in Nepal&rsquo; exhibition in various countries. We have planned to organize such exhibitions in five countries in the first phase. Similarly, we will construct &lsquo;Nepal House&rsquo; in various countries which will be helpful to inform foreigners about Nepal and Nepali culture. We have planned to construct such houses in Mexico, Belgium, UK, USA and Australia. We will gradually expand this concept to other nations and cities too.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>How do you take recent accusations of involvement of political parties in NRNA&rsquo;s recent convention ?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	I want to clear it out that politics is our least priority in Nepal. We are all focused on bringing cultural change regarding entrepreneurship in Nepal. We have to increase productivity for the prosperity of the country and we will be involved in such activities but not in politics directly.</div>',
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			'description' => 'Shesh Ghale is a Mebourne, Australia based non-resident Nepali businessman. He has been listed as the 180th richest man in Australia (together with his wife Jamuna Gurung) by BRW News Australia with a fortune of $225 million. Recently, Ghale has been elected as the president of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA).',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2221',
			'article_category_id' => '202',
			'title' => 'A Positive Thinker',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Upashana Neupane&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	M<span style="font-size: 12px;">oti Dugar is a positive person with positive energy and thoughts. A very religious person, Dugar believes that there is a super power which protects all of us.&nbsp;</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He rarely thinks anything negative about anything and anybody. And this attitude has earned him many friends in life. Dugar finds very easy to get accustomed with any environment.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;I take it as my achievement that I don&rsquo;t have enemies&rdquo;, he shares, &ldquo;if you do good, good will come to you.&rdquo; Dugar believes that one should always be honest with his\her life and other people. As a businessman, Dugar believes that honesty is the biggest policy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite being a busy Dugar manages his time well for his family too. As far as possible, he spends his entire spare time with his family. He says his family complains when he can&rsquo;t manage much time for them, but maintains that they are very supportive and understanding about his busy schedules. He often goes on family outing that includes going for movies. He loves comedy movies and has a soft-corner desire for acting too. He says that he always aspired to be an actor but has not got any such opportunities so far. He thinks that he would have been an actor if he wasn&rsquo;t a businessman.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar loves travelling. He finds his honeymoon trip to Kashmir as the most memorable trip of his life. Blushing joyously with a big smile he says, &ldquo;The feeling cannot be replaced with anything.&rdquo;Out of many countries and places Dugar visited, he says Biratnagar, which is his birthplace too, is and will always be his favourite. &ldquo;There is no place more beautiful than own birthplace&rdquo;, he says.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar has a happy joint family including his 3 kids and a lovely wife, whom he describes as helpful and encouraging.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Along with love for acting, Dugar also has love for reading suspense novels and biographies of great people. Dugar&rsquo;s interest list does not end here though. He loves sports too. In his college days he was an active cricket player. Besides cricket he loves playing Table Tennis too, when he has time.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar is not much fond of social networking sites. He is available on them but is merely active. He says he&rsquo;d rather choose to do something creative than spending time on them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar loves peace and tries to avoid crowded areas as far as possible. He doesnot like being bothered by unnecessary people and things especially when he is on his vacation. He tries to avoid meetings and wish he isn&rsquo;t bothered by unnecessary calls when he is spending little bit of his time in his personal space.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar believes that it is very important for a person to take a break from the daily hustle bustle. &ldquo;We have to deal with so many things at a time&rdquo;, he says,&rdquo; Taking break is thus necessary to overcome and relax our mental weariness.&rdquo;</div>',
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			'description' => 'Moti Dugar is a positive person with positive energy and thoughts. A very religious person, Dugar believes that there is a super power which protects all of us.',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2220',
			'article_category_id' => '201',
			'title' => 'Local Designer Boutiques In International Market',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">--By Rashika Pokharel</span></strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepali boutiques are getting exclusive identity in international market. Along with Nepalese living abroad, natives of different nations are demanding outfits that reflect Nepali culture. Nepalese abroad are acting as medium for magnetizing international customers towards Nepali boutiques by wearing traditional dresses.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Designer labels in Nepal are setting up new marks. There are many boutiques and designers who are ruling the market and setting up their unique identity in national as well as in international souk. Kathmandu, the capital city, is grooming itself as home of some of the finest boutiques in the world.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite multiple foreign clothing brands and subsisting desire for readymade clothing, the trend of designer wear or customized clothing in the country hasn&rsquo;t declined. Escalating designer boutiques, across the city, are good model of this trend. Nepali people are getting more conscious about designer wears. Their desire for trendy and selective wears is the major fact behind the growth of designer boutiques. Among these boutiques, few have succeeded in attracting native as well as customers from around the globe.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Boutiques like Odhani, Purple Boutique and Sangee&rsquo;s Apparel studio have been successful in grabbing local as well as international customer front.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;We have regular orders or customers from many countries,&rdquo;Rajiv Thapa, owner of Odhani, said. Most of the orders and customers come from U.S.A, U.K, China, Sri Lanka, Australia, India, Dhaka, and Africa, he informed. Within a time frame of three years, Odhani has become one of the top boutiques in town. The demand for its designs by international customers has given plenty of reasons to owner Rajiv Thapa, and designer Khusboo Dongol, to think about expanding their store and compete in international market.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Likewise, Alka Ale and Mili Bajracharya, owners of Purple boutique of Naxal, have set a benchmark for young entrepreneurs through their exclusive designs. Though quite new in this field, they have been able to attract not only native customers but also international customer. &ldquo;Among our total customers, 45 percent of them are international customers&rdquo; shared Ale. In only 4 months of their setup, they have been able to grasp a large number of customers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 12px;">The increasing numbers of boutiques prove that people are supporting native brands. Nepali boutiques&rsquo; popularity depicts that Nepali designers and boutiques both have broad prospect ahead and with this speed Nepal will soon establish itself as a distinct brandmaker in the global market.</span></div>',
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			'description' => 'Nepali boutiques are getting exclusive identity in international market. Along with Nepalese living abroad, natives of different nations are demanding outfits that reflect Nepali culture.',
			'sortorder' => '2065',
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2222',
			'article_category_id' => '150',
			'title' => 'Business Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)',
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			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Johnnie Walker Initiates &lsquo;Join the Pact&rsquo; in Nepal</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Johnnie Walker has announced the launch of &lsquo;JoinThe Pact&rsquo; campaign in Nepal in partnership with two-time F1 World Champion Mika H&auml;kkinen. Mika, who is also Johnnie Walker Responsible Drinking Ambassador, will visit Kathmandu in January as part of the &lsquo;Join the Pact&rsquo; campaign, the global responsible drinking initiative by Johnnie Walker. The campaign aims to gather a further one million pledges by encouraging consumers to make the commitment to &lsquo;Never Drink and Drive&rsquo;. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Ncell Extends Free Gift Campaign</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Ncell has extended its &lsquo;Khusiko Bahar, Ncell ko Upahar&rsquo; campaign for another 60 days. With the extension, Ncell customers will now receive free daily gifts for another two months. &nbsp;Ncell had initially launched the campaign for 30 days on October 30. Under the campaign, Ncell has so far awarded free gifts worth Rs 1.87 billion to the customers. On enrolling to the campaign, customers will receive a guaranteed gift, which could range from internet package and bonus balance to night talk time and SMS and MMS for free.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Index Furniture&rsquo;s Wedding Collection</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Index Furniture has introduced a promotional campaign for this wedding season from November 25 to February 1. The company has introduced new bedroom sets, sofa sets and other decorative items likes cushions, table and floor lamps, dining sets, and table clocks under its &lsquo;Wedding Collection&rsquo;. During the campaign, the company will offer 10 per cent discount on all bedroom and living room sets worth Rs 50,000 or above.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Fcube Launches Third Cinema Hall</strong></span></div>
<div>
	KL Cinema City Pvt Ltd has launched its third movie theater CUBE-3 at Fcube Cinemas at KL Tower, Chabahil. With the new theatre, the company has claimed that it has introduced &lsquo;Active Seating System&rsquo; for the first time in Nepal. According to a press release, every seat of the theater is fitted with sound and motion sensors with wide-open views of the big screen. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Dabur Chawanprash Endorsed&nbsp;by Rajesh Hamal</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Dabur Chawanprash has appointed superstar Rajesh Hamal as a brand ambassador to the product and has launched new thematic campaign with the celebrated actor. According to the company, Hamal himself proposed to be the face of Dabur Chawanprash as his belief of becoming healthy and fit perfectly overlaps with the brand properties.</div>',
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			'description' => 'Johnnie Walker has announced the launch of ‘JoinThe Pact’ campaign in Nepal in partnership with two-time F1 World Champion Mika Häkkinen. Mika, who is also Johnnie Walker Responsible Drinking Ambassador, will visit Kathmandu in January as part of the ‘Join the Pact’ campaign',
			'sortorder' => '2064',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2219',
			'article_category_id' => '199',
			'title' => 'Tech Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Smartphone App to Give Earthquake Warning</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Smartphone App" src="/userfiles/images/gf1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 99px;" />A smartphone app designed to give early warning of earthquakes could be ready as early as next year, according to scientists at the World Science Forum in Rio de Janeiro. Researchers from the University of California showed off the project this week at a conference on how to use technology to ward off natural disasters. The app is based on technology used in an early warning system prepared by a team under Professor Richard Allen, director of the UC Berkeley Seismological Laboratory.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Ex-Nokia Engineers Launch New Smartphone</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Nokia" src="/userfiles/images/gf2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 100px; height: 86px;" />Engineers who used to work for Nokia are hoping to grab a share of the lucrative and highly competitive smartphone market with a new handset. The Jolla smartphone &nbsp;is based on the former world No. 1 mobile phone maker&rsquo;s old software and is faintly reminiscent of its recent models. The Jolla handset&rsquo;s Sailfish platform has been developed from the MeeGo operating software, Nokia&rsquo;s last open-source platform which it abandoned in 2011 when it switched over to using Microsoft&rsquo;s Windows system.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Sony Files Patent for &lsquo;SmartWig&rsquo;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Smartwig" src="/userfiles/images/gf3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 100px; height: 60px;" />Sony has filed a patent application for &ldquo;SmartWig&rdquo;, as firms jostle for the lead in the wearable technology sector. It says the SmartWig can be worn &ldquo;in addition to natural hair&rdquo;, and will be able to process data and communicate wirelessly with other external devices. According to the filing, the SmartWig can help navigate roads and collect information such as blood pressure.&nbsp;</div>',
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			'modified' => '2013-12-03',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'A smartphone app designed to give early warning of earthquakes could be ready as early as next year, according to scientists at the World Science Forum in Rio de Janeiro.',
			'sortorder' => '2063',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2203',
			'article_category_id' => '151',
			'title' => 'Learning Curve News In Brief (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Teacher Service Commission Publishes Results&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The Teacher Service Commission (TSC) has published result of written examination of Teacher service commission of Midwestern Development Region, Far western development region and Western Development Region. TSC published results of these regions in three instalments- on 26, 28 and 29th &nbsp; November.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Dr Malla Awarded Scholarship&nbsp;by Australian Agency</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The International Emergency Medicine Special Interest Group of Australian College of Emergency Medicine has awarded Prof Dr. Gyanendra Malla for its scholarship (Fellowship in Emergency Medicine) from Nepal. &nbsp;Dr Malla is among four the scholarship candidates selected. Other candidates are from Myanmar, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Dr Malla heads the General Practice and Emergency Medicine department at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>HSEB Publishes Results of Grade 12 Supplementary Exams</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) on Thursday published result of grade 12 supplementary exam of all the faculties. According to the HSEB, 25,715 students out of 29,911 (85.97%) passed the examination. As per the rule, students who failed in one subject will get chance to take supplementary exam.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>SLC Examinations to Begin from March 20</strong></span></div>
<div>
	This year&rsquo;s School Leaving Certificate (SLC) Examination is going to start from March 20. The meeting of the examination committee of the SLC board held on 29th November decided the dates for the exams. &nbsp;The exams will be held for nine days. &nbsp;Around 600,000 students are expected to take their SLC exams.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>ROUTINE</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory English: 2070 March 20, Thursday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Nepali: 2070 March 21, Friday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Mathematics: 2070 March 23, Sunday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Science: 2070 March 24, Monday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Social Studies: 2070 March 25, Tuesday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Health Education and Environment: 2070 March 26, Wednesday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Optional Paper First: 2070 March 27, Thursday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Optional Paper Second: 2070 March 28, Friday</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Convocation Ceremony of TU and KU</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The 39th Convocation ceremony of Tribhuvan University (TU) is scheduled to be held on December 27th, 2013. Students from various stream including humanities and social sciences, education, science and technology, forestry, included in the grace list will participate in the 39th convocation of the University. The 38th convocation of Tribhuvan University was held on Dasharash stadium, Tripureshwor Kathmandu.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Kathmandu University (KU) has also announced its 19th convocation ceremony. Convocation ceremony is scheduled on different dates for different faculties. According to the notice, the convocation ceremony will be held on December 12, 2013 at Kathmandu University, Kavre for School of Arts, School of Education, School of Engineering, School of Management and School of Science. Meanwhile, Convocation Ceremony for School of Medical Sciences will be held on December 20, 2013 at School of Medical Sciences, Kathmandu University, Kavre.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
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			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'The Teacher Service Commission (TSC) has published result of written examination of Teacher service commission of Midwestern Development Region, Far western development region and Western Development Region.',
			'sortorder' => '2062',
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	(int) 12 => array(
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			'id' => '2218',
			'article_category_id' => '206',
			'title' => 'Samsung Galaxy Core: Anything But Ordinary',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<strong style="font-size: 12px;">--By Sanjeev Sharma</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gf%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 300px; height: 400px;" />What do you expect from a smartphone? General answers could be multitasking, fast internet, good camera, sporty design and good support over different apps. However, these answers have now become so basic and obvious that many tech-enthusiasts are looking for more varieties and features to enthrall their enthusiasm.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Samsung, the world leader in smartphone technology has come up with a solutions to satisfy the needs of enthusiasts. The Samsung Galaxy Core seems to be a perfect smartphone that can give a better performance than other mid-range handsets found in the market. The smartphone is powered by a 1.2 ghz dual-core processor, along with 1 GB of RAM. This makes the phone powerful enough to handle daily tasks and gaming at times. The Galaxy Core which runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 comes with a 4.3 inch TFT capacitive display which has a WVGA resolution of 480&times;800 pixels (217 ppi). With these specifications, the smartphone looks pretty much as a reminiscent of the Galaxy S2, the flagship product of Samsung released in 2011. However, the phone offers much more than the Galaxy S2.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The dual-SIM smartphone has variety of features including ChatON. ChatON has basic features which are auto friend registration, text chat, multimedia delivery, and added features like My Page, voice/video chat, and translate. Users can send text, picture, video, and audio as multimedia using this feature. The feature even helps them to share their photos, videos, location and files easily. S Voice, Smart Stay, Face Unlock and other smart features of the Galaxy Core are mostly found on high-end smartphones. S Voice lets users to operate the phone (including lock/unlock) though voice commands. Similarly, Smart Stay uses the front camera to detect when the users are looking at the screen to prevent dimming. Likewise, the Face Unlock feature enables the users to unlock their phone through face recognition mechanism. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The phone sports a LED-flash 5 megapixel primary camera at the rear and a WVGA camera at the front. The handset comes with 8 GB internal memory and support for 64 GB microSD card. However, on the battery front, the 1800 mAh battery gives a mediocre power backup. The Samsung Galaxy Core is available at a price of Rs 28,500.&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
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			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'What do you expect from a smartphone? General answers could be multitasking, fast internet, good camera, sporty design and good support over different apps.',
			'sortorder' => '2061',
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2217',
			'article_category_id' => '99',
			'title' => 'Tourism Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>India to Promote Culinary Tourism&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Culinary Tourism" src="/userfiles/images/tb%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 127px;" />India&rsquo;s Minister of State for Human Resource Development Dr Shashi Tharoor has called for steps to promote culinary tourism in India. Speaking at the recently concluded Indian Culinary Forum held in New Delhi, Tharoor said there is rich diversity of foods available in the country and the varied regional cuisine should be better exposed among international and domestic tourists. The summit looked at offering cuisine experiences and visits to farms and kitchen, so that visitors can experience the diversity and authentic cuisine of the country. Anil Bhandari, chairman of Smart Solutions said, &ldquo;In the growing food industry, only 30% was in the organised sector, while 70% in the unorganised sector. Brand identity and consistency are important.&rdquo; Chef Davindar Kumar, president of Indian Culinary Forum opined that culinary tourism would offer a unique and memorable experience but maintaining authenticity is important. The conference discussed diverse range of subjects ranging from standardisation, recipes, research and education. (Traveldailymedia.com)</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Maldives Hits one Million Tourists</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Tourism" src="/userfiles/images/tb1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 125px;" />The Maldives has reached its target of welcoming one million visitor arrivals in 2013. According to official data released by the Maldivian government this week, the Indian Ocean archipelago welcomed 1,000,203 international visitors in the year to 24 November 2013. The news will come as a boost to the country where significant political unrest in recent years has threatened to destabilise its vital tourism sector. In 2012, the Maldives fell short of its one million arrivals target, welcoming just 958,000 visitors. The country&rsquo;s Tourism Minister, Ahmed Adheeb, said that a higher target will be now be set for 2014, although no specific figure was given. Tourism accounts for 70% of the Maldives&rsquo; GDP. (Traveldailymedia.com)</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>UNWTO and UNESCO Join Hands In Sustainable Tourism Promotion &nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="UNWTO and UNESCO" src="/userfiles/images/tb2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 93px;" />UNWTO and UNESCO have forged a new cooperation agreement consolidating efforts on sustainable tourism and the protection of natural and cultural heritage. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, signed by UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai and UNESCO Director General, Irina Bokova, in the margins of the UN Chief Executives Board Meeting, UNWTO and UNESCO will work together on national, regional and global initiatives in the areas of sustainable tourism and the safeguarding of natural and cultural heritage. The cooperation will be through the implementation of the UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme and the development of transnational tourism initiatives to promote and protect the shared heritage of the Silk Roads Heritage Corridors. The agreement will also help in the promotion of sustainable tourism through United Nations partnerships and initiatives, such as the United Nations Steering Committee on Tourism for Development (SCTD) and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism (GPST). (Traveldailynews.com)</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong style="font-size: 16px;">National Geographic Traveler Magazine Announces Its 2014 Best of The World List &nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	<img alt="2014 Best of The World List  " src="/userfiles/images/tb3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 99px;" />National Geographic Traveler magazine has announced its annual Best of the World list, featuring 20 destinations plus a bonus readers&rsquo; choice destination to visit in 2014. The list reflects what&rsquo;s authentic, culturally rich, sustainable and superlative in the world of travel today. The destinations are featured in the December 2013/January 2014 issue of Traveler magazine, available on newsstands Dec. 3, and online at travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-trips-2014.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The destinations featured in the 2014 Best of the World list are:</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Alentejo, Portugal</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Arbil, Iraq</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Bolaven Plateau, Laos</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cacao Trail, Ecuador</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cape Verde</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cathar Country, France</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cordoba, Argentina</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Derawan Islands, Indonesia&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Guyana</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>John Muir Trail, Scotland</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Liechtenstein</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Nahanni National Park, Canada</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>New Orleans, Louisiana</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Northern Territory, Australia</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Puglia, Italy</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ranthambore National Park, India</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Riga, Latvia</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Sochi, Russia</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em>(Traveldailynews.com)</em></div>',
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			'description' => 'India’s Minister of State for Human Resource Development Dr Shashi Tharoor has called for steps to promote culinary tourism in India.',
			'sortorder' => '2060',
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2216',
			'article_category_id' => '99',
			'title' => 'A Fake Slum For Luxury Tourists',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="Fake Slum" src="/userfiles/images/trsm3%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 294px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	I<span style="font-size: 12px;">t&#39;s estimated that one in eight people worldwide live in so-called slums, which, in some cities, makes visiting these informally maintained neighborhoods unavoidable. Although controversial, the practice of &lsquo;slum tourism&rsquo; has become a popular way for tourists to engage with poverty on a personal level. But why go visit an actual slum when you can simply stay at a luxury resort that looks like a slum?</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Emoya Luxury Hotel and Spa near Bloemfontein, South Africa offers Shanty Town, a dozen shacks made from scrap wood and corrugated metal that it thinks is the perfect setting for your next corporate retreat or wedding anniversary. The resort has gone to great lengths to recreate the joys of slum living without the nuisances of crime.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The rooms cost about $ 82 a night, which some have noted is a half month&#39;s salary for the average South African.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em>(Gizmodo.com)</em></div>',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2231',
			'article_category_id' => '138',
			'title' => 'US Aids In Restoring Patan Royal Palace',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Patan Royal Palace, a historic site of Nepal has been restored with the financial assistance of the United States. &nbsp;According to a press statement by the US Embassy, conservation experts, representatives from the government of Nepal and the diplomatic community joined members of the Patan community on December 1 to celebrate the completion of the restoration of Patan Royal Palace. &nbsp;The preservation of this historic site was made possible through a $1.1 million grant provided by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP). US Ambassador Peter W. Bodde and Embassy officials congratulated the local community and AFCP partner, Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT), for the project&rsquo;s great success. &nbsp;&ldquo;The Ambassadors Fund is among the US government&rsquo;s most significant cultural initiatives abroad. &nbsp;It makes me very proud as an American to know that my country supports and protects conservation efforts like this one around the world,&rdquo; Ambassador Bodde said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In 2009, the project completed successfully for an Ambassadors Fund award under a special &ldquo;large grant&rdquo; competition. &nbsp;Nepal was one of only three countries, the others being Peru and Macedonia, to be selected and awarded a large grant.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The AFCP has supported fifteen projects in Nepal since 2003. &nbsp;&quot;The restoration of Patan Royal Palace has been a model project for cultural preservation in Nepal and across the globe,&quot; says the statement. &nbsp; In 2006, the Patan complex was added to the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. &nbsp;Already by 2013, this well-preserved site displays centuries of intact history, and is among Nepal&rsquo;s most significant cultural destinations.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-09',
			'modified' => '2013-12-09',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'The Patan Royal Palace, a historic site of Nepal has been restored with the financial assistance of the United States.  According to a press statement by the US Embassy, conservation experts, representatives from the government of Nepal and the diplomatic community joined members of the Patan community on December 1 to celebrate the completion of the restoration of Patan Royal Palace.',
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			'id' => '2230',
			'article_category_id' => '138',
			'title' => 'US Assists To Improve Airport Rescue Station',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The United States government has partnered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to improve airport rescue station at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). According to a press statement by the US embassy in Kathmandu, a financial assistance worth $426,000 will be used to retrofit the TIA&#39;s Crash, Fire and Rescue Station to make it more resistant to earthquakes.&quot;On 15 November 2013, the Office of Defense Cooperation, US Embassy Kathmandu and CAAN officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding to carry out the project,&quot; informed the statement.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The statement said that the US Army Corps of Engineers, working with local contractors, will provide design and construction services. &quot;This project is a part of a greater plan for TIA infrastructure improvement through the Seismic Resistance Program,&quot; read the statement. The work is scheduled to start in January 2014.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The project aims at keeping the runway open even after an earthquake. Specific areas for the program include runway integrity, navigation aids, crash-fire-rescue, and air-ground operations. Those measures come in line with efforts taken by CAAN and TIA over the past two years for disaster preparedness.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-09',
			'modified' => '2013-12-09',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'The United States government has partnered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to improve airport rescue station at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). According to a press statement by the US embassy in Kathmandu, a financial assistance worth $426,000 will be used to retrofit the TIA's Crash, Fire and Rescue Station to make it more resistant to earthquakes.',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2227',
			'article_category_id' => '122',
			'title' => 'Hama Group: Strong As Steel',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Gaurav Aryal</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Bal Krishna Shrestha, Chairman, Hama Group" src="/userfiles/images/bks%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 221px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<div>
							<div>
								<strong>Bal Krishna Shrestha</strong></div>
							<div>
								<em>Chairman, Hama Group</em></div>
						</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	Hama Group was not built in a day. The group developed through rigorous planning and hard work of its ChairmanBal Krishna Shrestha. Though belonging to a lineage of traders,who have been in the trading business for several generations, Shrestha laid the foundation of the group on his own. His family inspired him to dream and to work hard to materialise them. He envisioned the group and till date actively continues to plan its future, along with his partners</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shrestha&rsquo;s family was in the garment business for five generations when he learned business basics. However, the learning process for him was not as smooth as butter. Being the first person in the Shrestha family to get educated, he was criticised and questioned about his formal learning and education by his seniors. His parents were involved in retailing of garments imported from India. The store at Makhan of Kathmandu,established by his great-great-grandfather,is still in operation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	While Shrestha was pursuing his graduate degree, his uncles used to ask him the worth of his studies as his pursuit would only land him as an employee. And, it pinched Shrestha deep and was determined to have a business of his own without getting any financial support from his family. Consequently he completed his B.Com.,joined government serviceas a Section Officer and completed M.Com., and Masters in Economics without any financial assistance from his family members.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Start-up Business</strong></span></div>
<div>
	While in public service, he sensed the need and demand for development goods such as steel, cement, galvanised sheets, pipes and other goods to address the needs of an emerging and developing Nepal.But, to materialize such vision one needs capital, and during those days all he had with him was education and trust of people around him. He borrowed some money from his colleagues and started a hardware store at Teku along with three partners.This marks the inception of Hama Group.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shrestha had started teaching at a college and during the same time he was transferredto National Planning Commission. There, he learned much more about development process. While he was busy with his job, his partners looked after the store and he used to join them after office hours.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shrestha says that business performed way better than he had imagined initially. &ldquo;We all worked hard and we wall were dedicated and honest to our work. And, we kept the fire in us hot,&rdquo; he says. While the business of hardware sales was doing well, he started importing goods from China and selling here.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Impediments</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Shrestha had ordered goods from China for the third time in 1977. Unfortunately, goods were stolen at Calcutta Port. He says that incident made a loss of Rs 5 million to the company.&ldquo;That did not discourage me. I did not lose anything. I just lost what I had earned,&rdquo; he shares. &nbsp;He recalls that he sold everythinghe had, to payback bank loans. Additionally, dealers and suppliers with whom he had been working denied supplying goods.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This unfortunate event did not discourage him, but forced him &nbsp;to start from the scratch to bounce back into business. After being refused of goods delivery by existing dealers and traders, he took it as a challenge and decided to produce steel products.But, starting a factory was not free of hurdles. Though financing was challenging Shrestha says that money is not a problem for a working person. He acquired operational license of Hama Steel in 1988 and started the factory by borrowing loans from banks.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Venture Expansion</strong></span></div>
<div>
	After the success of steel company, the group started production of various other products through its specific companies such as Allied Industries, Hama Wires, Hama Tech and factories producing water pumps and pipes. The group now has a cement factory in its pipeline.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Shrestha says that the group has recently upgraded its Hama Steel factory for the third time. The factory, started in 1988, was upgraded to fully automated system in 2000 through an investment of Rs 250 million. Now the factory is &nbsp;fully computerised. Shrestha claims that Hama Steel is probably the only steel factory in Nepal to be fuly computerised. He says that the production through the new system will begin next month. The group has invested Rs 480 million for the latest upgradation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The factory has an installed production capacity of 400 tonnes a day when operated for 16 hours. According to Shrestha, the capacity will be even more if the factory can be operated for 20 hours. He adds that the new system will also help reduce the cost of production.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Quality Promises</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The group has never compromised with the quality offerings. Shrestha says that the company never uses low quality billets for producing steel products. &ldquo;Our products meet the highest quality standards and have been used by corporate houses, embassies, government agencies and the general public,&rdquo; says Shrestha. Hama brand has been a trusted name by national and international projects operating in Nepal. US Embassy is one of them along with Russian and Japanese projects that have used Hama products in their construction projects.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Roadmap</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Shrestha sees everlasting needand demand for development goods. He believes that new business possibilities and new market will be created once political problems start getting resolved. He says that domestic industries would be encouraged if the government&rsquo;s provision of using local products for public procurement is materialised..</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group is dedicated to take its companies to the next level in its area of specialisations. Shrestha is content over the progress made by the group so far. As a part of business expansion, the group has also invested in service industry, particularly in health, education, banking and insurance sectors.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group has plans to establish a hotel soon in partnership with an international hotel chain. Once the recent upgradation comes into form, Shrestha says that his group will concentrate on new ventures. He reveals that the group is also planning factories for melting steel and wire drawing.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group has plans to set up a cement factory that will be producing cement under its brand name Hama. Currently, HamaTech and Shalimar brands of cement are being produced by the group in partnership with other investors from the business fraternity. Shrestha says that the new factory will come into operation within a year.Similarly, energy is also one of the sectors of interest for the group. The group has a 4.5 MW Maikhola hydropower project in its portfolio and another new project in its pipeline.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group has invested over Rs 1 billion in its various ventures and registers an annual turnover of Rs 5 billion and has been annually adding Rs 500 million to the state coffers through taxes and other payments. Shrestha says that the turnover for the next year is targeted at Rs 10 billion.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="10" width="99%">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#E5E4E2">
				<div>
					<div>
						<div>
							<div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Naming of Hama</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									Bal Krishna Shrestha, Chairman of Hama Group borrowed the name Hama for his steel company from the Port of Yokohama from where Japan used to import raw materials for steel production and export finished goods. Hama was a lucky charm for Shrestha. Similarly, Shrestha who considers himself a devotee of Harati Mata linked the brand name to his devotion too. Likewise, Shrestha says that HA in Newari means seed and MA means fruit. He says that if seeds are good, the harvest of that fruit is eventually high.</div>
								<div>
									&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Management</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									Shrestha and his group have always had belief in professional management and professionalism as corporate philosophy. Independent management teams of each of the group&rsquo;s 10 companies looks after the daily management and human resources of their respective companies. The HR department looks after issues related to 450 employees working in various companies of the Hama Group. Shrestha says that employees are his assets and the company has been able to make them happy and satisfied. Likewise, the promoters do not have to look after the daily management and functioning of any of the companies. Shrestha gets updated about the daily progress through periodic meetings and through the Internet.He says that corporate culture is well developed in the group.</div>
								<div>
									&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>CSR&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities are highly prioritised by the group. Shrestha believes in creating benefits to larger number of people and the society rather than just making profits through business. As a part of CSR activities, the group provided scholarships to 14 needy students under SOS from Far Western Region. Similarly, the group has been providing education to children of employees of the group for free. Shrestha shares a plan to establish an elderly home in the name of his parents. Out of its social service fund, the group has invested in hospital projects too.&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Major Milestones of the Group</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									1988: Establishment of Hama Steel&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									1995: Hama Steel received the Nepal Standard (NS) mark</div>
								<div>
									1997: Hama Steel upgraded production capacity&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									1998: Hama Wires established</div>
								<div>
									2000: Hama Steel further upgraded production capacity and received ISO 9001:2000 certification for excellent quality management system</div>
								<div>
									2001: Hama Steel received NS Quality Award</div>
								<div>
									2004: Hama Steel started production of HAMA TMT Re-bars</div>
								<div>
									2005: Started production of HAMA-500 Re-bars</div>
								<div>
									2007: TQM Activities were initiated to maintain quality management.&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									2008: Hama Iron and Steel started production of Super Grip Re-bars (SG Re-Bars)</div>
								<div>
									2013: Upgraded Hama Steel into a fully computerised system</div>
							</div>
						</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
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			'description' => 'Hama Group was not built in a day. The group developed through rigorous planning and hard work of its ChairmanBal Krishna Shrestha. Though belonging to a lineage of traders,who have been in the trading business for several generations, Shrestha laid the foundation of the group on his own',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2184',
			'article_category_id' => '91',
			'title' => 'TRADE DEFICIT How Long Will My Nation Bleed?',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Siromani Dhungana</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	T<span style="font-size: 12px;">he country is likely to witness a terrible trade deficit reports- one after another- unless the government takes concrete and bold decisions to overcome it.</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	What could be the concrete and bold decision to narrow down the ballooning trade deficit?</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;It is nothing other than accelerating the hydropower projects,&rdquo; said former finance secretary Rameshore Khanal.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to the data released by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the trade deficit has increased by 11.3 per cent to Rs 128.79 billion in the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2013-14 as compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Informing that the country imports petroleum products worth Rs 110 billion in a year, Khanal argued that the trade deficit will continue widening unless we significantly reduce the import of petroleum products.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Industries are running through thermal plants and households are compelled to buy Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), resulting in the surge of petroleum products demand,&rdquo; said Khanal. Consumption of petroleum product worth Rs 60 billion can be reduced by generating hydroelectricity in the country, he added.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Trade deficit has a multiple effects since it drains money from country&rsquo;s economy, lowers wages and forces the country to witness lower standard of living, he noted.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The production has stagnated, while the demands of sophisticated goods such as computers, automobiles, micro-oven and televisions have propelled imports to a record high, according to him.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Except any miracles, we cannot increase productivity in the near future as the country still lacks preconditions that spur productivity,&rdquo; economist and chief finance advisor Dr Chiranjivi Nepal argued.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is time policymakers and businesses made concerted and coordinated attempts to tackle country&rsquo;s trade imbalances before we are faced with a serious crisis, he further said, adding that it is right time to address the issue as the country is all set to get a moderate and liberal government led by parties which possess liberal views about economy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the first quarter, the trade deficit with India &ndash; with which the country has above 65 per cent trade &ndash; surged by 14.2 per cent, whereas with third countries increased by 5.9 per cent only. The data released by NRB further stated that the country exported Rs 23.07 billion worth merchandise only, while imported Rs 151.86 billion worth in the first three months of the current fiscal year. However, the central bank has reported Rs 52.74 billion surplus Balance of Payment (BoP) in the first quarter against the surplus of Rs 2.05 billion in the period last fiscal year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The macroeconomic indicator has also revealed that the foreign exchange reserve has increased by 13.8 per cent to Rs 606.82 billion in mid-October up from Rs 533.3 billion from mid-July.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Likewise, the inflow of remittances, a lifeline of Nepal&rsquo;s economy, has also posted an increment by 38.2 per cent to Rs 135.03 billion in the first quarter.</div>',
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			'description' => 'The country is likely to witness a terrible trade deficit reports- one after another- unless the government takes concrete and bold decisions to overcome it.

What could be the concrete and bold decision to narrow down the ballooning trade deficit?',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2186',
			'article_category_id' => '109',
			'title' => 'Nepse Plunges As Investors Opt Profit Booking',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sagar Ghimire</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 12px;">S</span><span style="font-size: 12px;">tock market moved downwards after few weeks of gaining string as wary investors opted to book profits after recent gains. Nepse index fell 12.80 points last week to settle at 643.95.&nbsp;</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse has opened at 656.75 points on the first trading day. Circuit breaker was imposed twice to control the market following the excess gain of 3 per cent and 5 per cent respectively on the first trading day. The positive vibes among the investors following the Constituent Assembly polls have boosted the Nepal&rsquo;s bourse. Though the immense investment seen in the market flared up Nepse for two trading days last week, the index observed a minor correction on the rest of the days during the trading week. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	During the week, a total of 45,495,454 units of shares through 13218 transactions worth Rs 1.608 billion were traded in the market. The amount, units of shares and number of transactions are significantly higher than those of previous weeks.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The political environment has become a major factor for the rise of the Nepse index. Stating that almost all of the listed companies have already distributed the dividends to the share holders, stock analysts say that the investors should be cautious while making their investment now as the profit highly depends on the market volatility.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Narendra Sijapati, president of the Stockbrokers Association Nepal, does not see any possibility of Nepse going down substantially anytime soon. He is upbeat about the market prospects due to the victory of &lsquo;democratic parties&rsquo; in the CA polls. . &ldquo;Though there was a marginal correction last week, the overall market is in the rising trend. A big boost can be expected in coming weeks as soon as the government formation process kicks off,&rdquo; said Sijapati.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal Bank Ltd was the company with the highest transaction and the highest turnover. &nbsp;Insurance sector was the highest gainer with its sub-index moving up by 144.45 points. It was followed by Hotel (up by 106.58 points), Development Banks (up by 12.8 points and Manufacturing &amp; Production (up by 0.06 points). &nbsp;Towards the losers, sub-indices of Banks, Finance, Hydropower, Other and Trading sectors observed decline.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Index" src="/userfiles/images/indx%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 300px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<hr />
	<p>
		<strong style="font-size: 14px;">Nepse on Sunday</strong></p>
</div>
<div>
	The index gained 8.03 points from Thursday (Nov 28) close. All the sectors saw increment on the first day in the trading floor this week. Nepse index closed at 651.98 points on Sunday (December 1).&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The highest gainer was Hotels sector with its index up by 77.38 points settling at 1089.58. The Hotels sector was followed by Insurance (up by 43.79 points), Hydropower (up by 12.54 points), Banking (up by 7.83 points), Development Banks (up by 6.03 points) and Finance (up by 1.17 points). The index of Others sector remained unchanged.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A total of 1,024,805 units of shares of 109 companies worth Rs 660.7 million were traded through 2451 transactions.&nbsp;</div>',
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			'article_category_id' => '145',
			'title' => 'A South Asian Song',
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			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">--By Abhay K</span></strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	F<span style="font-size: 12px;">ostering regional consciousness needs mammoth efforts. South Asia has a formal mechanism of cooperation in place among its member countries through the vibrant organization of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) since 1985. As part of my training at the Indian Foreign Service Institute, before being confirmed in the Indian Foreign Service, I had visited the Foreign Ministries and the Foreign Service Institutes of the neighboring South Asian countries between 2004-2005. Those days the idea of deeper interaction among the South Asians always brought back memories of my days spent in Jawaharlal Nehru and Delhi Universities. I cherished the company of students from the South Asian countries who enriched my academic life in many ways.</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The visit gave me the opportunity to meet the young Bangladeshi, Nepali and Sri Lankan officer-trainees. During our meetings we felt that it would be a great learning experience for the young officer-trainees of the SAARC member countries if we could spend a week or so together and share our ideas and aspirations with each other.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	After my visit to Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, I wrote a paper titled &lsquo;South Asian Affairs&rsquo; proposing establishment of a South Asian University in May 2005, I was glad to see that the idea of establishing the new South Asian University was announced in November 2005 in Dhaka at the 13th SAARC Summit. The South Asian University is functioning since 2010 at Akbar Bhawan, New Delhi paving the path for a new South Asia.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	After the milestone achievement in the history of SAARC with the establishment of the South Asian University, I believe a South Asian Song, a song that all South Asians could sing together, can act as a catalyst in fostering deeper South Asian consciousness and fraternity. I am now ready with a South Asian Song after a very warm and enthusiastic reception of the Earth Anthem internationally which I wrote and produced recently.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Earth Anthem was released in June this year by Mr. Kapil Sibal and Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Union Ministers of India at ICCR, New Delhi and later in Kathmandu by Mr. Jhalanath Khanal, former Prime Minister of Nepal in presence of Mr. Axel Plathe, UNESCO&rsquo;s Representative to Nepal. Since then it has been translated into major world languages. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), India has put this on its website for the use of the students studying in schools affiliated with CBSE. I have been informed that UNESCO is going to turn the idea of an official Earth Anthem into a global initiative. I hope a Global Earth Anthem Challenge will be launched soon and the best judged entry will be declared as the official anthem of our planet earth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Regional and International Anthems have been in use since quite some time now. Some of the other prominent regional organizations have their own international anthems. For example the European Union uses &lsquo;Beethoven&rsquo;s Symphony No. 9 (Ode to Joy part)&rsquo; as its anthem while the African Union has adopted its own anthem titled &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s All Unite and Celebrate Together&rsquo;. The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has adopted an official anthem titled &lsquo;ASEAN Way&rsquo; in 2008 which is in English. As per ASEAN, its anthem is an expression of ASEAN unity and strengthens the sense of ASEAN identity and belonging among the peoples of the region.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Being aware of the huge popularity of Bollywood films in South Asia, I have written a South Asian Song in Hindustani which has been translated in all the eight South Asian languages. The English version is as follows-</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Himalaya to Hind, Naga Hills to Hindukush/ Mahaweli to Ganga, Sindhu to Brahmputra/Lakshadweep to Andaman, Everest to Adam&rsquo;s Peak/ Kabul to Thimphu, Male to Kathmandu / &nbsp;Delhi to Dhaka, Colombo, Islamabad/ Every step in unison, every step in unison/Dzongkha, Sinhala, Nepali, Hindi, Pashto, Bengali/ Urdu, English, Dhivehi, every step in unison, every step in unison/ one&rsquo;s own identity,one&rsquo;s own dreams / talks of love n&rsquo;peace, every step in unison/ every step with SAARC / every step in unison/every step with SAARC, &nbsp;every step in unison.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Naga and Chin hills mark the eastern frontiers of SAARC member states. Mahaweli is the longest river of Sri Lanka while Adam&rsquo;s Peak is its most venerated peak. Sri Lanka has two official languages-Sinhala and Tamil like Afghanistan which also has two official languages-Pashto and Dari. I have chosen the language of their national anthems. Dhivehi is the official language of Maldives. The South Asian Song also highlights the life-sustaining perennial rivers of South Asia such as Sindhu, Ganga, Brahmputra as well as the official languages of the SAARC member countries. The Song celebrates vibrant cultural diversity of South Asia as well as aspirations of the South Asians walking in unison.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Once adopted, the SAARC Secretariat could be the main body to oversee the proper use of the South Asian Song which could be encouraged at the formal meetings of SAARC as well as SAARC Apex and Recognized Bodies. The South Asian Song could also be played to commemorate special occasions of SAARC such as the SAARC Charter Day (8 December).</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	SAARC member countries could be encouraged to translate the South Asian Song into local languages as a way to promote the song and foster South Asian consciousness and fraternity among their citizens.</div>
<div>
	<em>(The writer is a poet-diplomat. Views expressed are personal.)</em></div>',
			'published' => true,
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			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Fostering regional consciousness needs mammoth efforts. South Asia has a formal mechanism of cooperation in place among its member countries through the vibrant organization of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) since 1985.',
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2179',
			'article_category_id' => '46',
			'title' => '“There Are Obvious Reasons Why We Decided To Invest In Hotel Business”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Shesh Ghale</strong>&nbsp;is a Mebourne, Australia based non-resident Nepali businessman. He has been listed as the 180th richest man in Australia (together with his wife Jamuna Gurung) by BRW News Australia with a fortune of $225 million. Recently, Ghale has been elected as the president of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA). Ghale, founder and chief executive officer of Melbourne Institute of Technology, under the MIT Group Holdings Nepal, has signed a management contract with Starwood Hotels and Resort Worldwide, Inc. to build a five-star property named&mdash;the Sheraton Kathmandu. He has also come up with some other investment plans in Nepal. Soon after being elected as the president of NRNA, he has pledged to promote entrepreneurship in Nepal. He spoke to&nbsp;<strong>Siromani Dhungana</strong>&nbsp;of New Business Age about his and NRNA&rsquo;s future investment plans in Nepal.&nbsp;<strong>Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>As the new president of NRNA, what&rsquo;re your priorities in Nepal?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	First meeting of the newly elected committee of NRNA has decided to focus on employment generation and sustainable development of Nepal. To achieve these goals we will implement various projects. These projects include establishing a five-star hotel in Kathmandu that will assist in creating employment opportunities and thereby also contribute in economic growth. &nbsp;We will immediately start the feasibility study for constructing this five-star hotel. Along with that we are planning to bring other projects to help us in gaining our objectives.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>What other projects that NRNA will push forward during your tenure?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We will put emphasis on mutual investment projects. I think NRNA should promote culture of entrepreneurship. During my tenure, we will be doing various activities that promote entrepreneurship in Nepal. These activities will be aimed at translating our slogan &lsquo;Connecting Nepali for Prosperous Nepal&rsquo; into actuality.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>NRNA is often blamed for ignoring blue-colour employees working in the gulf region in spite of their huge contribution to the national economy. What&rsquo;s your say?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	No. Their contribution to the country will be recognized during my tenure. We have decided to create a &lsquo;Relief Fund&rsquo; for migrant workers who have been suffering in foreign land. The fund will be utilized in welfare activities especially for those who die, who get injured and who are shelter less in foreign land. I have pledged to provide Rs 10 million for the fund and I am hopeful that other friends will contribute to the cause. The funds will be ultiized once detailed working procedure is finalized.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong><img alt="Shesh Ghale" src="/userfiles/images/sg%20(Copy)(2).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 300px; height: 321px;" />Getting back to NRNA&rsquo;s decision to invest in hotel sector, why did you choose this business sector to invest in?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We have good links with foreign star hotel chain brands for investing in hotels. I think we can introduce their expertise here in Nepal. Another reason is the existence of good business prospects for hotels. Non Resident Nepalis can make good profit by investing small amount in this sector. We will encourage new friends to invest in this sector so that the country will get new set of entrepreneurs.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But there is strong belief that NRNs should invest in infrastructure rather than hotel sector.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	There are several obvious reasons why we decided to invest in hotel business. First, the hotel business can generate more employment in small investment. We can generate four hundred jobs if we establish a 200-bed hotel. Second, we can produce skilled manpower by operating hotels with international standard in Nepal. Human resources who work in standard Nepali five-star hotels, can easily get job abroad. Third, hotel business will have a multiplier impact in development. If we establish a hotel in a community, the entire community starts to get benefit from that.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Another reason is the investment in hotel business is easily transferable. &nbsp;Hotel business is one which helps generate foreign exchange reserve.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	NRNA will not, however, undermine infrastructure projects. We will continue all infrastructure projects, including hydropower projects, during my tenure as well. Hydropower has been our priority and it will remain so in the years to come.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Are you also targeting middle-income NRNs during your tenure?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Yes, indeed. NRNA has planned to start a commercial agriculture project targeting NRNs of middle-east and Korea. NRNs are enthusiastic to invest but do not have much money can benefit from our plan of initiating commercial agro project. On the other hand, commercialization of agriculture sector is Nepal&rsquo;s need of the hour. Nepal should tap potentials in agricultural sector since majority of the people&rsquo;s lives in the country relies heavily on it. Commercializing agriculture sector will also help Nepal in reducing import of agro product.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>You often emphasize on entrepreneurship for the prosperity of the country. Do you have specific plan to promote entrepreneurship in Nepal?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	I am planning to join hands with young Nepali entrepreneurs to promote entrepreneurship in the country. I will create a forum for young entrepreneurs so that they can exchange experience with entrepreneurs from other countries. Also, NRNA has planned to provide a mentor for aspiring entrepreneurs. &nbsp;The concept of mentorship is introduced to synergize the expertise of the older generation with the energy of younger generation.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Entrepreneurship development is a time-intensive project rather than capital-intensive. The mentor has to spend time with younger generation entrepreneurs to share experience and to inspire them to do something worthwhile. We are confident that we can produce some good entrepreneurs by materializing this concept.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is said that Nepali products are yet to get foothold in international market. How can we expand country&rsquo;s recognition in international business realm?</div>
<div>
	We NRNs, who have already entered in international business sector, should act as bridge to link Nepal with other international markets. &nbsp;Collective efforts of government bodies and private sector can earn a good reputation for the country. The country needs to pay attention on creating brand name of some products in the international market. Some promotional activities will be also needed to this end. Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has been putting effort to promote Nepali products in the international market. It has a separate Nepali Products Promotion Committee which has been extensively working to promote Nepali products. We will work in close collaboration with FNCCI and young entrepreneurs.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Do you have other specific plan for promoting Nepali brands in international market?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	It is worthwhile mentioning here that we will be promoting Nepali products through &lsquo;Made in Nepal&rsquo; exhibition in various countries. We have planned to organize such exhibitions in five countries in the first phase. Similarly, we will construct &lsquo;Nepal House&rsquo; in various countries which will be helpful to inform foreigners about Nepal and Nepali culture. We have planned to construct such houses in Mexico, Belgium, UK, USA and Australia. We will gradually expand this concept to other nations and cities too.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>How do you take recent accusations of involvement of political parties in NRNA&rsquo;s recent convention ?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	I want to clear it out that politics is our least priority in Nepal. We are all focused on bringing cultural change regarding entrepreneurship in Nepal. We have to increase productivity for the prosperity of the country and we will be involved in such activities but not in politics directly.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-28',
			'modified' => '2013-12-08',
			'keywords' => 'new business age  interview news & articles, interview news & articles from new business age nepal, interview headlines from nepal,  current and latest interview news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali interview economic news and events,  ongoing  interview news of nepal',
			'description' => 'Shesh Ghale is a Mebourne, Australia based non-resident Nepali businessman. He has been listed as the 180th richest man in Australia (together with his wife Jamuna Gurung) by BRW News Australia with a fortune of $225 million. Recently, Ghale has been elected as the president of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA).',
			'sortorder' => '2067',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2221',
			'article_category_id' => '202',
			'title' => 'A Positive Thinker',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Upashana Neupane&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	M<span style="font-size: 12px;">oti Dugar is a positive person with positive energy and thoughts. A very religious person, Dugar believes that there is a super power which protects all of us.&nbsp;</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He rarely thinks anything negative about anything and anybody. And this attitude has earned him many friends in life. Dugar finds very easy to get accustomed with any environment.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;I take it as my achievement that I don&rsquo;t have enemies&rdquo;, he shares, &ldquo;if you do good, good will come to you.&rdquo; Dugar believes that one should always be honest with his\her life and other people. As a businessman, Dugar believes that honesty is the biggest policy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite being a busy Dugar manages his time well for his family too. As far as possible, he spends his entire spare time with his family. He says his family complains when he can&rsquo;t manage much time for them, but maintains that they are very supportive and understanding about his busy schedules. He often goes on family outing that includes going for movies. He loves comedy movies and has a soft-corner desire for acting too. He says that he always aspired to be an actor but has not got any such opportunities so far. He thinks that he would have been an actor if he wasn&rsquo;t a businessman.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar loves travelling. He finds his honeymoon trip to Kashmir as the most memorable trip of his life. Blushing joyously with a big smile he says, &ldquo;The feeling cannot be replaced with anything.&rdquo;Out of many countries and places Dugar visited, he says Biratnagar, which is his birthplace too, is and will always be his favourite. &ldquo;There is no place more beautiful than own birthplace&rdquo;, he says.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar has a happy joint family including his 3 kids and a lovely wife, whom he describes as helpful and encouraging.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Along with love for acting, Dugar also has love for reading suspense novels and biographies of great people. Dugar&rsquo;s interest list does not end here though. He loves sports too. In his college days he was an active cricket player. Besides cricket he loves playing Table Tennis too, when he has time.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar is not much fond of social networking sites. He is available on them but is merely active. He says he&rsquo;d rather choose to do something creative than spending time on them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar loves peace and tries to avoid crowded areas as far as possible. He doesnot like being bothered by unnecessary people and things especially when he is on his vacation. He tries to avoid meetings and wish he isn&rsquo;t bothered by unnecessary calls when he is spending little bit of his time in his personal space.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar believes that it is very important for a person to take a break from the daily hustle bustle. &ldquo;We have to deal with so many things at a time&rdquo;, he says,&rdquo; Taking break is thus necessary to overcome and relax our mental weariness.&rdquo;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
			'modified' => '2013-12-16',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Moti Dugar is a positive person with positive energy and thoughts. A very religious person, Dugar believes that there is a super power which protects all of us.',
			'sortorder' => '2066',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2220',
			'article_category_id' => '201',
			'title' => 'Local Designer Boutiques In International Market',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">--By Rashika Pokharel</span></strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepali boutiques are getting exclusive identity in international market. Along with Nepalese living abroad, natives of different nations are demanding outfits that reflect Nepali culture. Nepalese abroad are acting as medium for magnetizing international customers towards Nepali boutiques by wearing traditional dresses.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Designer labels in Nepal are setting up new marks. There are many boutiques and designers who are ruling the market and setting up their unique identity in national as well as in international souk. Kathmandu, the capital city, is grooming itself as home of some of the finest boutiques in the world.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite multiple foreign clothing brands and subsisting desire for readymade clothing, the trend of designer wear or customized clothing in the country hasn&rsquo;t declined. Escalating designer boutiques, across the city, are good model of this trend. Nepali people are getting more conscious about designer wears. Their desire for trendy and selective wears is the major fact behind the growth of designer boutiques. Among these boutiques, few have succeeded in attracting native as well as customers from around the globe.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Boutiques like Odhani, Purple Boutique and Sangee&rsquo;s Apparel studio have been successful in grabbing local as well as international customer front.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;We have regular orders or customers from many countries,&rdquo;Rajiv Thapa, owner of Odhani, said. Most of the orders and customers come from U.S.A, U.K, China, Sri Lanka, Australia, India, Dhaka, and Africa, he informed. Within a time frame of three years, Odhani has become one of the top boutiques in town. The demand for its designs by international customers has given plenty of reasons to owner Rajiv Thapa, and designer Khusboo Dongol, to think about expanding their store and compete in international market.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Likewise, Alka Ale and Mili Bajracharya, owners of Purple boutique of Naxal, have set a benchmark for young entrepreneurs through their exclusive designs. Though quite new in this field, they have been able to attract not only native customers but also international customer. &ldquo;Among our total customers, 45 percent of them are international customers&rdquo; shared Ale. In only 4 months of their setup, they have been able to grasp a large number of customers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 12px;">The increasing numbers of boutiques prove that people are supporting native brands. Nepali boutiques&rsquo; popularity depicts that Nepali designers and boutiques both have broad prospect ahead and with this speed Nepal will soon establish itself as a distinct brandmaker in the global market.</span></div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
			'modified' => '2013-12-03',
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			'description' => 'Nepali boutiques are getting exclusive identity in international market. Along with Nepalese living abroad, natives of different nations are demanding outfits that reflect Nepali culture.',
			'sortorder' => '2065',
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2222',
			'article_category_id' => '150',
			'title' => 'Business Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Johnnie Walker Initiates &lsquo;Join the Pact&rsquo; in Nepal</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Johnnie Walker has announced the launch of &lsquo;JoinThe Pact&rsquo; campaign in Nepal in partnership with two-time F1 World Champion Mika H&auml;kkinen. Mika, who is also Johnnie Walker Responsible Drinking Ambassador, will visit Kathmandu in January as part of the &lsquo;Join the Pact&rsquo; campaign, the global responsible drinking initiative by Johnnie Walker. The campaign aims to gather a further one million pledges by encouraging consumers to make the commitment to &lsquo;Never Drink and Drive&rsquo;. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Ncell Extends Free Gift Campaign</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Ncell has extended its &lsquo;Khusiko Bahar, Ncell ko Upahar&rsquo; campaign for another 60 days. With the extension, Ncell customers will now receive free daily gifts for another two months. &nbsp;Ncell had initially launched the campaign for 30 days on October 30. Under the campaign, Ncell has so far awarded free gifts worth Rs 1.87 billion to the customers. On enrolling to the campaign, customers will receive a guaranteed gift, which could range from internet package and bonus balance to night talk time and SMS and MMS for free.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Index Furniture&rsquo;s Wedding Collection</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Index Furniture has introduced a promotional campaign for this wedding season from November 25 to February 1. The company has introduced new bedroom sets, sofa sets and other decorative items likes cushions, table and floor lamps, dining sets, and table clocks under its &lsquo;Wedding Collection&rsquo;. During the campaign, the company will offer 10 per cent discount on all bedroom and living room sets worth Rs 50,000 or above.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Fcube Launches Third Cinema Hall</strong></span></div>
<div>
	KL Cinema City Pvt Ltd has launched its third movie theater CUBE-3 at Fcube Cinemas at KL Tower, Chabahil. With the new theatre, the company has claimed that it has introduced &lsquo;Active Seating System&rsquo; for the first time in Nepal. According to a press release, every seat of the theater is fitted with sound and motion sensors with wide-open views of the big screen. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Dabur Chawanprash Endorsed&nbsp;by Rajesh Hamal</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Dabur Chawanprash has appointed superstar Rajesh Hamal as a brand ambassador to the product and has launched new thematic campaign with the celebrated actor. According to the company, Hamal himself proposed to be the face of Dabur Chawanprash as his belief of becoming healthy and fit perfectly overlaps with the brand properties.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
			'modified' => '2013-12-03',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Johnnie Walker has announced the launch of ‘JoinThe Pact’ campaign in Nepal in partnership with two-time F1 World Champion Mika Häkkinen. Mika, who is also Johnnie Walker Responsible Drinking Ambassador, will visit Kathmandu in January as part of the ‘Join the Pact’ campaign',
			'sortorder' => '2064',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2219',
			'article_category_id' => '199',
			'title' => 'Tech Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Smartphone App to Give Earthquake Warning</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Smartphone App" src="/userfiles/images/gf1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 99px;" />A smartphone app designed to give early warning of earthquakes could be ready as early as next year, according to scientists at the World Science Forum in Rio de Janeiro. Researchers from the University of California showed off the project this week at a conference on how to use technology to ward off natural disasters. The app is based on technology used in an early warning system prepared by a team under Professor Richard Allen, director of the UC Berkeley Seismological Laboratory.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Ex-Nokia Engineers Launch New Smartphone</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Nokia" src="/userfiles/images/gf2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 100px; height: 86px;" />Engineers who used to work for Nokia are hoping to grab a share of the lucrative and highly competitive smartphone market with a new handset. The Jolla smartphone &nbsp;is based on the former world No. 1 mobile phone maker&rsquo;s old software and is faintly reminiscent of its recent models. The Jolla handset&rsquo;s Sailfish platform has been developed from the MeeGo operating software, Nokia&rsquo;s last open-source platform which it abandoned in 2011 when it switched over to using Microsoft&rsquo;s Windows system.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Sony Files Patent for &lsquo;SmartWig&rsquo;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Smartwig" src="/userfiles/images/gf3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 100px; height: 60px;" />Sony has filed a patent application for &ldquo;SmartWig&rdquo;, as firms jostle for the lead in the wearable technology sector. It says the SmartWig can be worn &ldquo;in addition to natural hair&rdquo;, and will be able to process data and communicate wirelessly with other external devices. According to the filing, the SmartWig can help navigate roads and collect information such as blood pressure.&nbsp;</div>',
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			'description' => 'A smartphone app designed to give early warning of earthquakes could be ready as early as next year, according to scientists at the World Science Forum in Rio de Janeiro.',
			'sortorder' => '2063',
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	(int) 11 => array(
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			'id' => '2203',
			'article_category_id' => '151',
			'title' => 'Learning Curve News In Brief (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Teacher Service Commission Publishes Results&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The Teacher Service Commission (TSC) has published result of written examination of Teacher service commission of Midwestern Development Region, Far western development region and Western Development Region. TSC published results of these regions in three instalments- on 26, 28 and 29th &nbsp; November.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Dr Malla Awarded Scholarship&nbsp;by Australian Agency</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The International Emergency Medicine Special Interest Group of Australian College of Emergency Medicine has awarded Prof Dr. Gyanendra Malla for its scholarship (Fellowship in Emergency Medicine) from Nepal. &nbsp;Dr Malla is among four the scholarship candidates selected. Other candidates are from Myanmar, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Dr Malla heads the General Practice and Emergency Medicine department at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>HSEB Publishes Results of Grade 12 Supplementary Exams</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) on Thursday published result of grade 12 supplementary exam of all the faculties. According to the HSEB, 25,715 students out of 29,911 (85.97%) passed the examination. As per the rule, students who failed in one subject will get chance to take supplementary exam.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>SLC Examinations to Begin from March 20</strong></span></div>
<div>
	This year&rsquo;s School Leaving Certificate (SLC) Examination is going to start from March 20. The meeting of the examination committee of the SLC board held on 29th November decided the dates for the exams. &nbsp;The exams will be held for nine days. &nbsp;Around 600,000 students are expected to take their SLC exams.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>ROUTINE</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory English: 2070 March 20, Thursday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Nepali: 2070 March 21, Friday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Mathematics: 2070 March 23, Sunday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Science: 2070 March 24, Monday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Social Studies: 2070 March 25, Tuesday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Health Education and Environment: 2070 March 26, Wednesday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Optional Paper First: 2070 March 27, Thursday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Optional Paper Second: 2070 March 28, Friday</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Convocation Ceremony of TU and KU</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The 39th Convocation ceremony of Tribhuvan University (TU) is scheduled to be held on December 27th, 2013. Students from various stream including humanities and social sciences, education, science and technology, forestry, included in the grace list will participate in the 39th convocation of the University. The 38th convocation of Tribhuvan University was held on Dasharash stadium, Tripureshwor Kathmandu.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Kathmandu University (KU) has also announced its 19th convocation ceremony. Convocation ceremony is scheduled on different dates for different faculties. According to the notice, the convocation ceremony will be held on December 12, 2013 at Kathmandu University, Kavre for School of Arts, School of Education, School of Engineering, School of Management and School of Science. Meanwhile, Convocation Ceremony for School of Medical Sciences will be held on December 20, 2013 at School of Medical Sciences, Kathmandu University, Kavre.</div>',
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			'description' => 'The Teacher Service Commission (TSC) has published result of written examination of Teacher service commission of Midwestern Development Region, Far western development region and Western Development Region.',
			'sortorder' => '2062',
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			'article_category_id' => '206',
			'title' => 'Samsung Galaxy Core: Anything But Ordinary',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<strong style="font-size: 12px;">--By Sanjeev Sharma</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gf%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 300px; height: 400px;" />What do you expect from a smartphone? General answers could be multitasking, fast internet, good camera, sporty design and good support over different apps. However, these answers have now become so basic and obvious that many tech-enthusiasts are looking for more varieties and features to enthrall their enthusiasm.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Samsung, the world leader in smartphone technology has come up with a solutions to satisfy the needs of enthusiasts. The Samsung Galaxy Core seems to be a perfect smartphone that can give a better performance than other mid-range handsets found in the market. The smartphone is powered by a 1.2 ghz dual-core processor, along with 1 GB of RAM. This makes the phone powerful enough to handle daily tasks and gaming at times. The Galaxy Core which runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 comes with a 4.3 inch TFT capacitive display which has a WVGA resolution of 480&times;800 pixels (217 ppi). With these specifications, the smartphone looks pretty much as a reminiscent of the Galaxy S2, the flagship product of Samsung released in 2011. However, the phone offers much more than the Galaxy S2.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The dual-SIM smartphone has variety of features including ChatON. ChatON has basic features which are auto friend registration, text chat, multimedia delivery, and added features like My Page, voice/video chat, and translate. Users can send text, picture, video, and audio as multimedia using this feature. The feature even helps them to share their photos, videos, location and files easily. S Voice, Smart Stay, Face Unlock and other smart features of the Galaxy Core are mostly found on high-end smartphones. S Voice lets users to operate the phone (including lock/unlock) though voice commands. Similarly, Smart Stay uses the front camera to detect when the users are looking at the screen to prevent dimming. Likewise, the Face Unlock feature enables the users to unlock their phone through face recognition mechanism. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The phone sports a LED-flash 5 megapixel primary camera at the rear and a WVGA camera at the front. The handset comes with 8 GB internal memory and support for 64 GB microSD card. However, on the battery front, the 1800 mAh battery gives a mediocre power backup. The Samsung Galaxy Core is available at a price of Rs 28,500.&nbsp;</div>',
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			'description' => 'What do you expect from a smartphone? General answers could be multitasking, fast internet, good camera, sporty design and good support over different apps.',
			'sortorder' => '2061',
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	(int) 13 => array(
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			'id' => '2217',
			'article_category_id' => '99',
			'title' => 'Tourism Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>India to Promote Culinary Tourism&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Culinary Tourism" src="/userfiles/images/tb%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 127px;" />India&rsquo;s Minister of State for Human Resource Development Dr Shashi Tharoor has called for steps to promote culinary tourism in India. Speaking at the recently concluded Indian Culinary Forum held in New Delhi, Tharoor said there is rich diversity of foods available in the country and the varied regional cuisine should be better exposed among international and domestic tourists. The summit looked at offering cuisine experiences and visits to farms and kitchen, so that visitors can experience the diversity and authentic cuisine of the country. Anil Bhandari, chairman of Smart Solutions said, &ldquo;In the growing food industry, only 30% was in the organised sector, while 70% in the unorganised sector. Brand identity and consistency are important.&rdquo; Chef Davindar Kumar, president of Indian Culinary Forum opined that culinary tourism would offer a unique and memorable experience but maintaining authenticity is important. The conference discussed diverse range of subjects ranging from standardisation, recipes, research and education. (Traveldailymedia.com)</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Maldives Hits one Million Tourists</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Tourism" src="/userfiles/images/tb1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 125px;" />The Maldives has reached its target of welcoming one million visitor arrivals in 2013. According to official data released by the Maldivian government this week, the Indian Ocean archipelago welcomed 1,000,203 international visitors in the year to 24 November 2013. The news will come as a boost to the country where significant political unrest in recent years has threatened to destabilise its vital tourism sector. In 2012, the Maldives fell short of its one million arrivals target, welcoming just 958,000 visitors. The country&rsquo;s Tourism Minister, Ahmed Adheeb, said that a higher target will be now be set for 2014, although no specific figure was given. Tourism accounts for 70% of the Maldives&rsquo; GDP. (Traveldailymedia.com)</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>UNWTO and UNESCO Join Hands In Sustainable Tourism Promotion &nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="UNWTO and UNESCO" src="/userfiles/images/tb2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 93px;" />UNWTO and UNESCO have forged a new cooperation agreement consolidating efforts on sustainable tourism and the protection of natural and cultural heritage. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, signed by UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai and UNESCO Director General, Irina Bokova, in the margins of the UN Chief Executives Board Meeting, UNWTO and UNESCO will work together on national, regional and global initiatives in the areas of sustainable tourism and the safeguarding of natural and cultural heritage. The cooperation will be through the implementation of the UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme and the development of transnational tourism initiatives to promote and protect the shared heritage of the Silk Roads Heritage Corridors. The agreement will also help in the promotion of sustainable tourism through United Nations partnerships and initiatives, such as the United Nations Steering Committee on Tourism for Development (SCTD) and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism (GPST). (Traveldailynews.com)</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong style="font-size: 16px;">National Geographic Traveler Magazine Announces Its 2014 Best of The World List &nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	<img alt="2014 Best of The World List  " src="/userfiles/images/tb3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 99px;" />National Geographic Traveler magazine has announced its annual Best of the World list, featuring 20 destinations plus a bonus readers&rsquo; choice destination to visit in 2014. The list reflects what&rsquo;s authentic, culturally rich, sustainable and superlative in the world of travel today. The destinations are featured in the December 2013/January 2014 issue of Traveler magazine, available on newsstands Dec. 3, and online at travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-trips-2014.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The destinations featured in the 2014 Best of the World list are:</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Alentejo, Portugal</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Arbil, Iraq</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Bolaven Plateau, Laos</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cacao Trail, Ecuador</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cape Verde</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cathar Country, France</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cordoba, Argentina</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Derawan Islands, Indonesia&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Guyana</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>John Muir Trail, Scotland</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Liechtenstein</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Nahanni National Park, Canada</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>New Orleans, Louisiana</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Northern Territory, Australia</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Puglia, Italy</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ranthambore National Park, India</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Riga, Latvia</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Sochi, Russia</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em>(Traveldailynews.com)</em></div>',
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			'description' => 'India’s Minister of State for Human Resource Development Dr Shashi Tharoor has called for steps to promote culinary tourism in India.',
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2216',
			'article_category_id' => '99',
			'title' => 'A Fake Slum For Luxury Tourists',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="Fake Slum" src="/userfiles/images/trsm3%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 294px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	I<span style="font-size: 12px;">t&#39;s estimated that one in eight people worldwide live in so-called slums, which, in some cities, makes visiting these informally maintained neighborhoods unavoidable. Although controversial, the practice of &lsquo;slum tourism&rsquo; has become a popular way for tourists to engage with poverty on a personal level. But why go visit an actual slum when you can simply stay at a luxury resort that looks like a slum?</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Emoya Luxury Hotel and Spa near Bloemfontein, South Africa offers Shanty Town, a dozen shacks made from scrap wood and corrugated metal that it thinks is the perfect setting for your next corporate retreat or wedding anniversary. The resort has gone to great lengths to recreate the joys of slum living without the nuisances of crime.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The rooms cost about $ 82 a night, which some have noted is a half month&#39;s salary for the average South African.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em>(Gizmodo.com)</em></div>',
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			'id' => '2231',
			'article_category_id' => '138',
			'title' => 'US Aids In Restoring Patan Royal Palace',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Patan Royal Palace, a historic site of Nepal has been restored with the financial assistance of the United States. &nbsp;According to a press statement by the US Embassy, conservation experts, representatives from the government of Nepal and the diplomatic community joined members of the Patan community on December 1 to celebrate the completion of the restoration of Patan Royal Palace. &nbsp;The preservation of this historic site was made possible through a $1.1 million grant provided by the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP). US Ambassador Peter W. Bodde and Embassy officials congratulated the local community and AFCP partner, Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust (KVPT), for the project&rsquo;s great success. &nbsp;&ldquo;The Ambassadors Fund is among the US government&rsquo;s most significant cultural initiatives abroad. &nbsp;It makes me very proud as an American to know that my country supports and protects conservation efforts like this one around the world,&rdquo; Ambassador Bodde said.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In 2009, the project completed successfully for an Ambassadors Fund award under a special &ldquo;large grant&rdquo; competition. &nbsp;Nepal was one of only three countries, the others being Peru and Macedonia, to be selected and awarded a large grant.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The AFCP has supported fifteen projects in Nepal since 2003. &nbsp;&quot;The restoration of Patan Royal Palace has been a model project for cultural preservation in Nepal and across the globe,&quot; says the statement. &nbsp; In 2006, the Patan complex was added to the World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites. &nbsp;Already by 2013, this well-preserved site displays centuries of intact history, and is among Nepal&rsquo;s most significant cultural destinations.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-09',
			'modified' => '2013-12-09',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'The Patan Royal Palace, a historic site of Nepal has been restored with the financial assistance of the United States.  According to a press statement by the US Embassy, conservation experts, representatives from the government of Nepal and the diplomatic community joined members of the Patan community on December 1 to celebrate the completion of the restoration of Patan Royal Palace.',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2230',
			'article_category_id' => '138',
			'title' => 'US Assists To Improve Airport Rescue Station',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The United States government has partnered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to improve airport rescue station at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). According to a press statement by the US embassy in Kathmandu, a financial assistance worth $426,000 will be used to retrofit the TIA&#39;s Crash, Fire and Rescue Station to make it more resistant to earthquakes.&quot;On 15 November 2013, the Office of Defense Cooperation, US Embassy Kathmandu and CAAN officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding to carry out the project,&quot; informed the statement.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The statement said that the US Army Corps of Engineers, working with local contractors, will provide design and construction services. &quot;This project is a part of a greater plan for TIA infrastructure improvement through the Seismic Resistance Program,&quot; read the statement. The work is scheduled to start in January 2014.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The project aims at keeping the runway open even after an earthquake. Specific areas for the program include runway integrity, navigation aids, crash-fire-rescue, and air-ground operations. Those measures come in line with efforts taken by CAAN and TIA over the past two years for disaster preparedness.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-09',
			'modified' => '2013-12-09',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'The United States government has partnered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to improve airport rescue station at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). According to a press statement by the US embassy in Kathmandu, a financial assistance worth $426,000 will be used to retrofit the TIA's Crash, Fire and Rescue Station to make it more resistant to earthquakes.',
			'sortorder' => '2072',
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	(int) 2 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2227',
			'article_category_id' => '122',
			'title' => 'Hama Group: Strong As Steel',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Gaurav Aryal</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table align="right" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;" width="25">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td>
				<img alt="Bal Krishna Shrestha, Chairman, Hama Group" src="/userfiles/images/bks%20(Copy).jpg" style="border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; width: 200px; height: 221px;" /></td>
		</tr>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#FFFFFF">
				<div align="center">
					<div style="text-align: center;">
						<div>
							<div>
								<strong>Bal Krishna Shrestha</strong></div>
							<div>
								<em>Chairman, Hama Group</em></div>
						</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<div>
	Hama Group was not built in a day. The group developed through rigorous planning and hard work of its ChairmanBal Krishna Shrestha. Though belonging to a lineage of traders,who have been in the trading business for several generations, Shrestha laid the foundation of the group on his own. His family inspired him to dream and to work hard to materialise them. He envisioned the group and till date actively continues to plan its future, along with his partners</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shrestha&rsquo;s family was in the garment business for five generations when he learned business basics. However, the learning process for him was not as smooth as butter. Being the first person in the Shrestha family to get educated, he was criticised and questioned about his formal learning and education by his seniors. His parents were involved in retailing of garments imported from India. The store at Makhan of Kathmandu,established by his great-great-grandfather,is still in operation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	While Shrestha was pursuing his graduate degree, his uncles used to ask him the worth of his studies as his pursuit would only land him as an employee. And, it pinched Shrestha deep and was determined to have a business of his own without getting any financial support from his family. Consequently he completed his B.Com.,joined government serviceas a Section Officer and completed M.Com., and Masters in Economics without any financial assistance from his family members.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Start-up Business</strong></span></div>
<div>
	While in public service, he sensed the need and demand for development goods such as steel, cement, galvanised sheets, pipes and other goods to address the needs of an emerging and developing Nepal.But, to materialize such vision one needs capital, and during those days all he had with him was education and trust of people around him. He borrowed some money from his colleagues and started a hardware store at Teku along with three partners.This marks the inception of Hama Group.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shrestha had started teaching at a college and during the same time he was transferredto National Planning Commission. There, he learned much more about development process. While he was busy with his job, his partners looked after the store and he used to join them after office hours.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Shrestha says that business performed way better than he had imagined initially. &ldquo;We all worked hard and we wall were dedicated and honest to our work. And, we kept the fire in us hot,&rdquo; he says. While the business of hardware sales was doing well, he started importing goods from China and selling here.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Impediments</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Shrestha had ordered goods from China for the third time in 1977. Unfortunately, goods were stolen at Calcutta Port. He says that incident made a loss of Rs 5 million to the company.&ldquo;That did not discourage me. I did not lose anything. I just lost what I had earned,&rdquo; he shares. &nbsp;He recalls that he sold everythinghe had, to payback bank loans. Additionally, dealers and suppliers with whom he had been working denied supplying goods.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	This unfortunate event did not discourage him, but forced him &nbsp;to start from the scratch to bounce back into business. After being refused of goods delivery by existing dealers and traders, he took it as a challenge and decided to produce steel products.But, starting a factory was not free of hurdles. Though financing was challenging Shrestha says that money is not a problem for a working person. He acquired operational license of Hama Steel in 1988 and started the factory by borrowing loans from banks.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Venture Expansion</strong></span></div>
<div>
	After the success of steel company, the group started production of various other products through its specific companies such as Allied Industries, Hama Wires, Hama Tech and factories producing water pumps and pipes. The group now has a cement factory in its pipeline.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Shrestha says that the group has recently upgraded its Hama Steel factory for the third time. The factory, started in 1988, was upgraded to fully automated system in 2000 through an investment of Rs 250 million. Now the factory is &nbsp;fully computerised. Shrestha claims that Hama Steel is probably the only steel factory in Nepal to be fuly computerised. He says that the production through the new system will begin next month. The group has invested Rs 480 million for the latest upgradation.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The factory has an installed production capacity of 400 tonnes a day when operated for 16 hours. According to Shrestha, the capacity will be even more if the factory can be operated for 20 hours. He adds that the new system will also help reduce the cost of production.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Quality Promises</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The group has never compromised with the quality offerings. Shrestha says that the company never uses low quality billets for producing steel products. &ldquo;Our products meet the highest quality standards and have been used by corporate houses, embassies, government agencies and the general public,&rdquo; says Shrestha. Hama brand has been a trusted name by national and international projects operating in Nepal. US Embassy is one of them along with Russian and Japanese projects that have used Hama products in their construction projects.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>The Roadmap</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Shrestha sees everlasting needand demand for development goods. He believes that new business possibilities and new market will be created once political problems start getting resolved. He says that domestic industries would be encouraged if the government&rsquo;s provision of using local products for public procurement is materialised..</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group is dedicated to take its companies to the next level in its area of specialisations. Shrestha is content over the progress made by the group so far. As a part of business expansion, the group has also invested in service industry, particularly in health, education, banking and insurance sectors.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group has plans to establish a hotel soon in partnership with an international hotel chain. Once the recent upgradation comes into form, Shrestha says that his group will concentrate on new ventures. He reveals that the group is also planning factories for melting steel and wire drawing.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group has plans to set up a cement factory that will be producing cement under its brand name Hama. Currently, HamaTech and Shalimar brands of cement are being produced by the group in partnership with other investors from the business fraternity. Shrestha says that the new factory will come into operation within a year.Similarly, energy is also one of the sectors of interest for the group. The group has a 4.5 MW Maikhola hydropower project in its portfolio and another new project in its pipeline.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The group has invested over Rs 1 billion in its various ventures and registers an annual turnover of Rs 5 billion and has been annually adding Rs 500 million to the state coffers through taxes and other payments. Shrestha says that the turnover for the next year is targeted at Rs 10 billion.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="10" width="99%">
	<tbody>
		<tr>
			<td bgcolor="#E5E4E2">
				<div>
					<div>
						<div>
							<div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Naming of Hama</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									Bal Krishna Shrestha, Chairman of Hama Group borrowed the name Hama for his steel company from the Port of Yokohama from where Japan used to import raw materials for steel production and export finished goods. Hama was a lucky charm for Shrestha. Similarly, Shrestha who considers himself a devotee of Harati Mata linked the brand name to his devotion too. Likewise, Shrestha says that HA in Newari means seed and MA means fruit. He says that if seeds are good, the harvest of that fruit is eventually high.</div>
								<div>
									&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Management</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									Shrestha and his group have always had belief in professional management and professionalism as corporate philosophy. Independent management teams of each of the group&rsquo;s 10 companies looks after the daily management and human resources of their respective companies. The HR department looks after issues related to 450 employees working in various companies of the Hama Group. Shrestha says that employees are his assets and the company has been able to make them happy and satisfied. Likewise, the promoters do not have to look after the daily management and functioning of any of the companies. Shrestha gets updated about the daily progress through periodic meetings and through the Internet.He says that corporate culture is well developed in the group.</div>
								<div>
									&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>CSR&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities are highly prioritised by the group. Shrestha believes in creating benefits to larger number of people and the society rather than just making profits through business. As a part of CSR activities, the group provided scholarships to 14 needy students under SOS from Far Western Region. Similarly, the group has been providing education to children of employees of the group for free. Shrestha shares a plan to establish an elderly home in the name of his parents. Out of its social service fund, the group has invested in hospital projects too.&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Major Milestones of the Group</strong></span></div>
								<div>
									1988: Establishment of Hama Steel&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									1995: Hama Steel received the Nepal Standard (NS) mark</div>
								<div>
									1997: Hama Steel upgraded production capacity&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									1998: Hama Wires established</div>
								<div>
									2000: Hama Steel further upgraded production capacity and received ISO 9001:2000 certification for excellent quality management system</div>
								<div>
									2001: Hama Steel received NS Quality Award</div>
								<div>
									2004: Hama Steel started production of HAMA TMT Re-bars</div>
								<div>
									2005: Started production of HAMA-500 Re-bars</div>
								<div>
									2007: TQM Activities were initiated to maintain quality management.&nbsp;</div>
								<div>
									2008: Hama Iron and Steel started production of Super Grip Re-bars (SG Re-Bars)</div>
								<div>
									2013: Upgraded Hama Steel into a fully computerised system</div>
							</div>
						</div>
					</div>
				</div>
			</td>
		</tr>
	</tbody>
</table>
<p>
	&nbsp;</p>',
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			'created' => '2013-12-09',
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			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Hama Group was not built in a day. The group developed through rigorous planning and hard work of its ChairmanBal Krishna Shrestha. Though belonging to a lineage of traders,who have been in the trading business for several generations, Shrestha laid the foundation of the group on his own',
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	(int) 3 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2184',
			'article_category_id' => '91',
			'title' => 'TRADE DEFICIT How Long Will My Nation Bleed?',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Siromani Dhungana</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	T<span style="font-size: 12px;">he country is likely to witness a terrible trade deficit reports- one after another- unless the government takes concrete and bold decisions to overcome it.</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	What could be the concrete and bold decision to narrow down the ballooning trade deficit?</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;It is nothing other than accelerating the hydropower projects,&rdquo; said former finance secretary Rameshore Khanal.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	According to the data released by Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB), the trade deficit has increased by 11.3 per cent to Rs 128.79 billion in the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2013-14 as compared to the corresponding period of the last fiscal year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Informing that the country imports petroleum products worth Rs 110 billion in a year, Khanal argued that the trade deficit will continue widening unless we significantly reduce the import of petroleum products.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Industries are running through thermal plants and households are compelled to buy Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), resulting in the surge of petroleum products demand,&rdquo; said Khanal. Consumption of petroleum product worth Rs 60 billion can be reduced by generating hydroelectricity in the country, he added.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Trade deficit has a multiple effects since it drains money from country&rsquo;s economy, lowers wages and forces the country to witness lower standard of living, he noted.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The production has stagnated, while the demands of sophisticated goods such as computers, automobiles, micro-oven and televisions have propelled imports to a record high, according to him.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;Except any miracles, we cannot increase productivity in the near future as the country still lacks preconditions that spur productivity,&rdquo; economist and chief finance advisor Dr Chiranjivi Nepal argued.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is time policymakers and businesses made concerted and coordinated attempts to tackle country&rsquo;s trade imbalances before we are faced with a serious crisis, he further said, adding that it is right time to address the issue as the country is all set to get a moderate and liberal government led by parties which possess liberal views about economy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	In the first quarter, the trade deficit with India &ndash; with which the country has above 65 per cent trade &ndash; surged by 14.2 per cent, whereas with third countries increased by 5.9 per cent only. The data released by NRB further stated that the country exported Rs 23.07 billion worth merchandise only, while imported Rs 151.86 billion worth in the first three months of the current fiscal year. However, the central bank has reported Rs 52.74 billion surplus Balance of Payment (BoP) in the first quarter against the surplus of Rs 2.05 billion in the period last fiscal year.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The macroeconomic indicator has also revealed that the foreign exchange reserve has increased by 13.8 per cent to Rs 606.82 billion in mid-October up from Rs 533.3 billion from mid-July.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Likewise, the inflow of remittances, a lifeline of Nepal&rsquo;s economy, has also posted an increment by 38.2 per cent to Rs 135.03 billion in the first quarter.</div>',
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			'created' => '2013-12-01',
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			'description' => 'The country is likely to witness a terrible trade deficit reports- one after another- unless the government takes concrete and bold decisions to overcome it.

What could be the concrete and bold decision to narrow down the ballooning trade deficit?',
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		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2186',
			'article_category_id' => '109',
			'title' => 'Nepse Plunges As Investors Opt Profit Booking',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Sagar Ghimire</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 12px;">S</span><span style="font-size: 12px;">tock market moved downwards after few weeks of gaining string as wary investors opted to book profits after recent gains. Nepse index fell 12.80 points last week to settle at 643.95.&nbsp;</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepse has opened at 656.75 points on the first trading day. Circuit breaker was imposed twice to control the market following the excess gain of 3 per cent and 5 per cent respectively on the first trading day. The positive vibes among the investors following the Constituent Assembly polls have boosted the Nepal&rsquo;s bourse. Though the immense investment seen in the market flared up Nepse for two trading days last week, the index observed a minor correction on the rest of the days during the trading week. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	During the week, a total of 45,495,454 units of shares through 13218 transactions worth Rs 1.608 billion were traded in the market. The amount, units of shares and number of transactions are significantly higher than those of previous weeks.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The political environment has become a major factor for the rise of the Nepse index. Stating that almost all of the listed companies have already distributed the dividends to the share holders, stock analysts say that the investors should be cautious while making their investment now as the profit highly depends on the market volatility.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Narendra Sijapati, president of the Stockbrokers Association Nepal, does not see any possibility of Nepse going down substantially anytime soon. He is upbeat about the market prospects due to the victory of &lsquo;democratic parties&rsquo; in the CA polls. . &ldquo;Though there was a marginal correction last week, the overall market is in the rising trend. A big boost can be expected in coming weeks as soon as the government formation process kicks off,&rdquo; said Sijapati.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepal Bank Ltd was the company with the highest transaction and the highest turnover. &nbsp;Insurance sector was the highest gainer with its sub-index moving up by 144.45 points. It was followed by Hotel (up by 106.58 points), Development Banks (up by 12.8 points and Manufacturing &amp; Production (up by 0.06 points). &nbsp;Towards the losers, sub-indices of Banks, Finance, Hydropower, Other and Trading sectors observed decline.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="Index" src="/userfiles/images/indx%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 300px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<hr />
	<p>
		<strong style="font-size: 14px;">Nepse on Sunday</strong></p>
</div>
<div>
	The index gained 8.03 points from Thursday (Nov 28) close. All the sectors saw increment on the first day in the trading floor this week. Nepse index closed at 651.98 points on Sunday (December 1).&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The highest gainer was Hotels sector with its index up by 77.38 points settling at 1089.58. The Hotels sector was followed by Insurance (up by 43.79 points), Hydropower (up by 12.54 points), Banking (up by 7.83 points), Development Banks (up by 6.03 points) and Finance (up by 1.17 points). The index of Others sector remained unchanged.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	A total of 1,024,805 units of shares of 109 companies worth Rs 660.7 million were traded through 2451 transactions.&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
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			'description' => 'Stock market moved downwards after few weeks of gaining string as wary investors opted to book profits after recent gains. Nepse index fell 12.80 points last week to settle at 643.95.',
			'sortorder' => '2069',
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	(int) 5 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2197',
			'article_category_id' => '145',
			'title' => 'A South Asian Song',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">--By Abhay K</span></strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	F<span style="font-size: 12px;">ostering regional consciousness needs mammoth efforts. South Asia has a formal mechanism of cooperation in place among its member countries through the vibrant organization of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) since 1985. As part of my training at the Indian Foreign Service Institute, before being confirmed in the Indian Foreign Service, I had visited the Foreign Ministries and the Foreign Service Institutes of the neighboring South Asian countries between 2004-2005. Those days the idea of deeper interaction among the South Asians always brought back memories of my days spent in Jawaharlal Nehru and Delhi Universities. I cherished the company of students from the South Asian countries who enriched my academic life in many ways.</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The visit gave me the opportunity to meet the young Bangladeshi, Nepali and Sri Lankan officer-trainees. During our meetings we felt that it would be a great learning experience for the young officer-trainees of the SAARC member countries if we could spend a week or so together and share our ideas and aspirations with each other.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	After my visit to Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, I wrote a paper titled &lsquo;South Asian Affairs&rsquo; proposing establishment of a South Asian University in May 2005, I was glad to see that the idea of establishing the new South Asian University was announced in November 2005 in Dhaka at the 13th SAARC Summit. The South Asian University is functioning since 2010 at Akbar Bhawan, New Delhi paving the path for a new South Asia.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	After the milestone achievement in the history of SAARC with the establishment of the South Asian University, I believe a South Asian Song, a song that all South Asians could sing together, can act as a catalyst in fostering deeper South Asian consciousness and fraternity. I am now ready with a South Asian Song after a very warm and enthusiastic reception of the Earth Anthem internationally which I wrote and produced recently.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Earth Anthem was released in June this year by Mr. Kapil Sibal and Dr. Shashi Tharoor, Union Ministers of India at ICCR, New Delhi and later in Kathmandu by Mr. Jhalanath Khanal, former Prime Minister of Nepal in presence of Mr. Axel Plathe, UNESCO&rsquo;s Representative to Nepal. Since then it has been translated into major world languages. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), India has put this on its website for the use of the students studying in schools affiliated with CBSE. I have been informed that UNESCO is going to turn the idea of an official Earth Anthem into a global initiative. I hope a Global Earth Anthem Challenge will be launched soon and the best judged entry will be declared as the official anthem of our planet earth.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Regional and International Anthems have been in use since quite some time now. Some of the other prominent regional organizations have their own international anthems. For example the European Union uses &lsquo;Beethoven&rsquo;s Symphony No. 9 (Ode to Joy part)&rsquo; as its anthem while the African Union has adopted its own anthem titled &lsquo;Let&rsquo;s All Unite and Celebrate Together&rsquo;. The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has adopted an official anthem titled &lsquo;ASEAN Way&rsquo; in 2008 which is in English. As per ASEAN, its anthem is an expression of ASEAN unity and strengthens the sense of ASEAN identity and belonging among the peoples of the region.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Being aware of the huge popularity of Bollywood films in South Asia, I have written a South Asian Song in Hindustani which has been translated in all the eight South Asian languages. The English version is as follows-</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Himalaya to Hind, Naga Hills to Hindukush/ Mahaweli to Ganga, Sindhu to Brahmputra/Lakshadweep to Andaman, Everest to Adam&rsquo;s Peak/ Kabul to Thimphu, Male to Kathmandu / &nbsp;Delhi to Dhaka, Colombo, Islamabad/ Every step in unison, every step in unison/Dzongkha, Sinhala, Nepali, Hindi, Pashto, Bengali/ Urdu, English, Dhivehi, every step in unison, every step in unison/ one&rsquo;s own identity,one&rsquo;s own dreams / talks of love n&rsquo;peace, every step in unison/ every step with SAARC / every step in unison/every step with SAARC, &nbsp;every step in unison.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Naga and Chin hills mark the eastern frontiers of SAARC member states. Mahaweli is the longest river of Sri Lanka while Adam&rsquo;s Peak is its most venerated peak. Sri Lanka has two official languages-Sinhala and Tamil like Afghanistan which also has two official languages-Pashto and Dari. I have chosen the language of their national anthems. Dhivehi is the official language of Maldives. The South Asian Song also highlights the life-sustaining perennial rivers of South Asia such as Sindhu, Ganga, Brahmputra as well as the official languages of the SAARC member countries. The Song celebrates vibrant cultural diversity of South Asia as well as aspirations of the South Asians walking in unison.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Once adopted, the SAARC Secretariat could be the main body to oversee the proper use of the South Asian Song which could be encouraged at the formal meetings of SAARC as well as SAARC Apex and Recognized Bodies. The South Asian Song could also be played to commemorate special occasions of SAARC such as the SAARC Charter Day (8 December).</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	SAARC member countries could be encouraged to translate the South Asian Song into local languages as a way to promote the song and foster South Asian consciousness and fraternity among their citizens.</div>
<div>
	<em>(The writer is a poet-diplomat. Views expressed are personal.)</em></div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-02',
			'modified' => '2013-12-09',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Fostering regional consciousness needs mammoth efforts. South Asia has a formal mechanism of cooperation in place among its member countries through the vibrant organization of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) since 1985.',
			'sortorder' => '2068',
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	(int) 6 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2179',
			'article_category_id' => '46',
			'title' => '“There Are Obvious Reasons Why We Decided To Invest In Hotel Business”',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Shesh Ghale</strong>&nbsp;is a Mebourne, Australia based non-resident Nepali businessman. He has been listed as the 180th richest man in Australia (together with his wife Jamuna Gurung) by BRW News Australia with a fortune of $225 million. Recently, Ghale has been elected as the president of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA). Ghale, founder and chief executive officer of Melbourne Institute of Technology, under the MIT Group Holdings Nepal, has signed a management contract with Starwood Hotels and Resort Worldwide, Inc. to build a five-star property named&mdash;the Sheraton Kathmandu. He has also come up with some other investment plans in Nepal. Soon after being elected as the president of NRNA, he has pledged to promote entrepreneurship in Nepal. He spoke to&nbsp;<strong>Siromani Dhungana</strong>&nbsp;of New Business Age about his and NRNA&rsquo;s future investment plans in Nepal.&nbsp;<strong>Excerpts:</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>As the new president of NRNA, what&rsquo;re your priorities in Nepal?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	First meeting of the newly elected committee of NRNA has decided to focus on employment generation and sustainable development of Nepal. To achieve these goals we will implement various projects. These projects include establishing a five-star hotel in Kathmandu that will assist in creating employment opportunities and thereby also contribute in economic growth. &nbsp;We will immediately start the feasibility study for constructing this five-star hotel. Along with that we are planning to bring other projects to help us in gaining our objectives.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>What other projects that NRNA will push forward during your tenure?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We will put emphasis on mutual investment projects. I think NRNA should promote culture of entrepreneurship. During my tenure, we will be doing various activities that promote entrepreneurship in Nepal. These activities will be aimed at translating our slogan &lsquo;Connecting Nepali for Prosperous Nepal&rsquo; into actuality.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>NRNA is often blamed for ignoring blue-colour employees working in the gulf region in spite of their huge contribution to the national economy. What&rsquo;s your say?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	No. Their contribution to the country will be recognized during my tenure. We have decided to create a &lsquo;Relief Fund&rsquo; for migrant workers who have been suffering in foreign land. The fund will be utilized in welfare activities especially for those who die, who get injured and who are shelter less in foreign land. I have pledged to provide Rs 10 million for the fund and I am hopeful that other friends will contribute to the cause. The funds will be ultiized once detailed working procedure is finalized.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong><img alt="Shesh Ghale" src="/userfiles/images/sg%20(Copy)(2).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; width: 300px; height: 321px;" />Getting back to NRNA&rsquo;s decision to invest in hotel sector, why did you choose this business sector to invest in?&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	We have good links with foreign star hotel chain brands for investing in hotels. I think we can introduce their expertise here in Nepal. Another reason is the existence of good business prospects for hotels. Non Resident Nepalis can make good profit by investing small amount in this sector. We will encourage new friends to invest in this sector so that the country will get new set of entrepreneurs.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	But there is strong belief that NRNs should invest in infrastructure rather than hotel sector.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	There are several obvious reasons why we decided to invest in hotel business. First, the hotel business can generate more employment in small investment. We can generate four hundred jobs if we establish a 200-bed hotel. Second, we can produce skilled manpower by operating hotels with international standard in Nepal. Human resources who work in standard Nepali five-star hotels, can easily get job abroad. Third, hotel business will have a multiplier impact in development. If we establish a hotel in a community, the entire community starts to get benefit from that.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Another reason is the investment in hotel business is easily transferable. &nbsp;Hotel business is one which helps generate foreign exchange reserve.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	NRNA will not, however, undermine infrastructure projects. We will continue all infrastructure projects, including hydropower projects, during my tenure as well. Hydropower has been our priority and it will remain so in the years to come.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Are you also targeting middle-income NRNs during your tenure?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Yes, indeed. NRNA has planned to start a commercial agriculture project targeting NRNs of middle-east and Korea. NRNs are enthusiastic to invest but do not have much money can benefit from our plan of initiating commercial agro project. On the other hand, commercialization of agriculture sector is Nepal&rsquo;s need of the hour. Nepal should tap potentials in agricultural sector since majority of the people&rsquo;s lives in the country relies heavily on it. Commercializing agriculture sector will also help Nepal in reducing import of agro product.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>You often emphasize on entrepreneurship for the prosperity of the country. Do you have specific plan to promote entrepreneurship in Nepal?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	I am planning to join hands with young Nepali entrepreneurs to promote entrepreneurship in the country. I will create a forum for young entrepreneurs so that they can exchange experience with entrepreneurs from other countries. Also, NRNA has planned to provide a mentor for aspiring entrepreneurs. &nbsp;The concept of mentorship is introduced to synergize the expertise of the older generation with the energy of younger generation.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Entrepreneurship development is a time-intensive project rather than capital-intensive. The mentor has to spend time with younger generation entrepreneurs to share experience and to inspire them to do something worthwhile. We are confident that we can produce some good entrepreneurs by materializing this concept.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	It is said that Nepali products are yet to get foothold in international market. How can we expand country&rsquo;s recognition in international business realm?</div>
<div>
	We NRNs, who have already entered in international business sector, should act as bridge to link Nepal with other international markets. &nbsp;Collective efforts of government bodies and private sector can earn a good reputation for the country. The country needs to pay attention on creating brand name of some products in the international market. Some promotional activities will be also needed to this end. Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has been putting effort to promote Nepali products in the international market. It has a separate Nepali Products Promotion Committee which has been extensively working to promote Nepali products. We will work in close collaboration with FNCCI and young entrepreneurs.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>Do you have other specific plan for promoting Nepali brands in international market?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	It is worthwhile mentioning here that we will be promoting Nepali products through &lsquo;Made in Nepal&rsquo; exhibition in various countries. We have planned to organize such exhibitions in five countries in the first phase. Similarly, we will construct &lsquo;Nepal House&rsquo; in various countries which will be helpful to inform foreigners about Nepal and Nepali culture. We have planned to construct such houses in Mexico, Belgium, UK, USA and Australia. We will gradually expand this concept to other nations and cities too.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>How do you take recent accusations of involvement of political parties in NRNA&rsquo;s recent convention ?</strong></span></div>
<div>
	I want to clear it out that politics is our least priority in Nepal. We are all focused on bringing cultural change regarding entrepreneurship in Nepal. We have to increase productivity for the prosperity of the country and we will be involved in such activities but not in politics directly.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-11-28',
			'modified' => '2013-12-08',
			'keywords' => 'new business age  interview news & articles, interview news & articles from new business age nepal, interview headlines from nepal,  current and latest interview news from nepal, economic news from nepal, nepali interview economic news and events,  ongoing  interview news of nepal',
			'description' => 'Shesh Ghale is a Mebourne, Australia based non-resident Nepali businessman. He has been listed as the 180th richest man in Australia (together with his wife Jamuna Gurung) by BRW News Australia with a fortune of $225 million. Recently, Ghale has been elected as the president of the Non-Resident Nepali Association (NRNA).',
			'sortorder' => '2067',
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	(int) 7 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2221',
			'article_category_id' => '202',
			'title' => 'A Positive Thinker',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong>--By Upashana Neupane&nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	M<span style="font-size: 12px;">oti Dugar is a positive person with positive energy and thoughts. A very religious person, Dugar believes that there is a super power which protects all of us.&nbsp;</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	He rarely thinks anything negative about anything and anybody. And this attitude has earned him many friends in life. Dugar finds very easy to get accustomed with any environment.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;I take it as my achievement that I don&rsquo;t have enemies&rdquo;, he shares, &ldquo;if you do good, good will come to you.&rdquo; Dugar believes that one should always be honest with his\her life and other people. As a businessman, Dugar believes that honesty is the biggest policy.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite being a busy Dugar manages his time well for his family too. As far as possible, he spends his entire spare time with his family. He says his family complains when he can&rsquo;t manage much time for them, but maintains that they are very supportive and understanding about his busy schedules. He often goes on family outing that includes going for movies. He loves comedy movies and has a soft-corner desire for acting too. He says that he always aspired to be an actor but has not got any such opportunities so far. He thinks that he would have been an actor if he wasn&rsquo;t a businessman.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar loves travelling. He finds his honeymoon trip to Kashmir as the most memorable trip of his life. Blushing joyously with a big smile he says, &ldquo;The feeling cannot be replaced with anything.&rdquo;Out of many countries and places Dugar visited, he says Biratnagar, which is his birthplace too, is and will always be his favourite. &ldquo;There is no place more beautiful than own birthplace&rdquo;, he says.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar has a happy joint family including his 3 kids and a lovely wife, whom he describes as helpful and encouraging.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Along with love for acting, Dugar also has love for reading suspense novels and biographies of great people. Dugar&rsquo;s interest list does not end here though. He loves sports too. In his college days he was an active cricket player. Besides cricket he loves playing Table Tennis too, when he has time.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar is not much fond of social networking sites. He is available on them but is merely active. He says he&rsquo;d rather choose to do something creative than spending time on them.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar loves peace and tries to avoid crowded areas as far as possible. He doesnot like being bothered by unnecessary people and things especially when he is on his vacation. He tries to avoid meetings and wish he isn&rsquo;t bothered by unnecessary calls when he is spending little bit of his time in his personal space.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Dugar believes that it is very important for a person to take a break from the daily hustle bustle. &ldquo;We have to deal with so many things at a time&rdquo;, he says,&rdquo; Taking break is thus necessary to overcome and relax our mental weariness.&rdquo;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
			'modified' => '2013-12-16',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Moti Dugar is a positive person with positive energy and thoughts. A very religious person, Dugar believes that there is a super power which protects all of us.',
			'sortorder' => '2066',
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	(int) 8 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2220',
			'article_category_id' => '201',
			'title' => 'Local Designer Boutiques In International Market',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong><span style="font-size: 12px;">--By Rashika Pokharel</span></strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Nepali boutiques are getting exclusive identity in international market. Along with Nepalese living abroad, natives of different nations are demanding outfits that reflect Nepali culture. Nepalese abroad are acting as medium for magnetizing international customers towards Nepali boutiques by wearing traditional dresses.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Designer labels in Nepal are setting up new marks. There are many boutiques and designers who are ruling the market and setting up their unique identity in national as well as in international souk. Kathmandu, the capital city, is grooming itself as home of some of the finest boutiques in the world.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Despite multiple foreign clothing brands and subsisting desire for readymade clothing, the trend of designer wear or customized clothing in the country hasn&rsquo;t declined. Escalating designer boutiques, across the city, are good model of this trend. Nepali people are getting more conscious about designer wears. Their desire for trendy and selective wears is the major fact behind the growth of designer boutiques. Among these boutiques, few have succeeded in attracting native as well as customers from around the globe.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Boutiques like Odhani, Purple Boutique and Sangee&rsquo;s Apparel studio have been successful in grabbing local as well as international customer front.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&ldquo;We have regular orders or customers from many countries,&rdquo;Rajiv Thapa, owner of Odhani, said. Most of the orders and customers come from U.S.A, U.K, China, Sri Lanka, Australia, India, Dhaka, and Africa, he informed. Within a time frame of three years, Odhani has become one of the top boutiques in town. The demand for its designs by international customers has given plenty of reasons to owner Rajiv Thapa, and designer Khusboo Dongol, to think about expanding their store and compete in international market.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Likewise, Alka Ale and Mili Bajracharya, owners of Purple boutique of Naxal, have set a benchmark for young entrepreneurs through their exclusive designs. Though quite new in this field, they have been able to attract not only native customers but also international customer. &ldquo;Among our total customers, 45 percent of them are international customers&rdquo; shared Ale. In only 4 months of their setup, they have been able to grasp a large number of customers.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size: 12px;">The increasing numbers of boutiques prove that people are supporting native brands. Nepali boutiques&rsquo; popularity depicts that Nepali designers and boutiques both have broad prospect ahead and with this speed Nepal will soon establish itself as a distinct brandmaker in the global market.</span></div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
			'modified' => '2013-12-03',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Nepali boutiques are getting exclusive identity in international market. Along with Nepalese living abroad, natives of different nations are demanding outfits that reflect Nepali culture.',
			'sortorder' => '2065',
			'image' => null,
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	(int) 9 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2222',
			'article_category_id' => '150',
			'title' => 'Business Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Johnnie Walker Initiates &lsquo;Join the Pact&rsquo; in Nepal</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Johnnie Walker has announced the launch of &lsquo;JoinThe Pact&rsquo; campaign in Nepal in partnership with two-time F1 World Champion Mika H&auml;kkinen. Mika, who is also Johnnie Walker Responsible Drinking Ambassador, will visit Kathmandu in January as part of the &lsquo;Join the Pact&rsquo; campaign, the global responsible drinking initiative by Johnnie Walker. The campaign aims to gather a further one million pledges by encouraging consumers to make the commitment to &lsquo;Never Drink and Drive&rsquo;. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Ncell Extends Free Gift Campaign</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Ncell has extended its &lsquo;Khusiko Bahar, Ncell ko Upahar&rsquo; campaign for another 60 days. With the extension, Ncell customers will now receive free daily gifts for another two months. &nbsp;Ncell had initially launched the campaign for 30 days on October 30. Under the campaign, Ncell has so far awarded free gifts worth Rs 1.87 billion to the customers. On enrolling to the campaign, customers will receive a guaranteed gift, which could range from internet package and bonus balance to night talk time and SMS and MMS for free.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Index Furniture&rsquo;s Wedding Collection</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Index Furniture has introduced a promotional campaign for this wedding season from November 25 to February 1. The company has introduced new bedroom sets, sofa sets and other decorative items likes cushions, table and floor lamps, dining sets, and table clocks under its &lsquo;Wedding Collection&rsquo;. During the campaign, the company will offer 10 per cent discount on all bedroom and living room sets worth Rs 50,000 or above.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Fcube Launches Third Cinema Hall</strong></span></div>
<div>
	KL Cinema City Pvt Ltd has launched its third movie theater CUBE-3 at Fcube Cinemas at KL Tower, Chabahil. With the new theatre, the company has claimed that it has introduced &lsquo;Active Seating System&rsquo; for the first time in Nepal. According to a press release, every seat of the theater is fitted with sound and motion sensors with wide-open views of the big screen. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Dabur Chawanprash Endorsed&nbsp;by Rajesh Hamal</strong></span></div>
<div>
	Dabur Chawanprash has appointed superstar Rajesh Hamal as a brand ambassador to the product and has launched new thematic campaign with the celebrated actor. According to the company, Hamal himself proposed to be the face of Dabur Chawanprash as his belief of becoming healthy and fit perfectly overlaps with the brand properties.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
			'modified' => '2013-12-03',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'Johnnie Walker has announced the launch of ‘JoinThe Pact’ campaign in Nepal in partnership with two-time F1 World Champion Mika Häkkinen. Mika, who is also Johnnie Walker Responsible Drinking Ambassador, will visit Kathmandu in January as part of the ‘Join the Pact’ campaign',
			'sortorder' => '2064',
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	(int) 10 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2219',
			'article_category_id' => '199',
			'title' => 'Tech Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Smartphone App to Give Earthquake Warning</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Smartphone App" src="/userfiles/images/gf1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 100px; height: 99px;" />A smartphone app designed to give early warning of earthquakes could be ready as early as next year, according to scientists at the World Science Forum in Rio de Janeiro. Researchers from the University of California showed off the project this week at a conference on how to use technology to ward off natural disasters. The app is based on technology used in an early warning system prepared by a team under Professor Richard Allen, director of the UC Berkeley Seismological Laboratory.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Ex-Nokia Engineers Launch New Smartphone</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Nokia" src="/userfiles/images/gf2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 100px; height: 86px;" />Engineers who used to work for Nokia are hoping to grab a share of the lucrative and highly competitive smartphone market with a new handset. The Jolla smartphone &nbsp;is based on the former world No. 1 mobile phone maker&rsquo;s old software and is faintly reminiscent of its recent models. The Jolla handset&rsquo;s Sailfish platform has been developed from the MeeGo operating software, Nokia&rsquo;s last open-source platform which it abandoned in 2011 when it switched over to using Microsoft&rsquo;s Windows system.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Sony Files Patent for &lsquo;SmartWig&rsquo;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Smartwig" src="/userfiles/images/gf3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 100px; height: 60px;" />Sony has filed a patent application for &ldquo;SmartWig&rdquo;, as firms jostle for the lead in the wearable technology sector. It says the SmartWig can be worn &ldquo;in addition to natural hair&rdquo;, and will be able to process data and communicate wirelessly with other external devices. According to the filing, the SmartWig can help navigate roads and collect information such as blood pressure.&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
			'modified' => '2013-12-03',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'A smartphone app designed to give early warning of earthquakes could be ready as early as next year, according to scientists at the World Science Forum in Rio de Janeiro.',
			'sortorder' => '2063',
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	(int) 11 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2203',
			'article_category_id' => '151',
			'title' => 'Learning Curve News In Brief (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Teacher Service Commission Publishes Results&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The Teacher Service Commission (TSC) has published result of written examination of Teacher service commission of Midwestern Development Region, Far western development region and Western Development Region. TSC published results of these regions in three instalments- on 26, 28 and 29th &nbsp; November.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Dr Malla Awarded Scholarship&nbsp;by Australian Agency</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The International Emergency Medicine Special Interest Group of Australian College of Emergency Medicine has awarded Prof Dr. Gyanendra Malla for its scholarship (Fellowship in Emergency Medicine) from Nepal. &nbsp;Dr Malla is among four the scholarship candidates selected. Other candidates are from Myanmar, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. Dr Malla heads the General Practice and Emergency Medicine department at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>HSEB Publishes Results of Grade 12 Supplementary Exams</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) on Thursday published result of grade 12 supplementary exam of all the faculties. According to the HSEB, 25,715 students out of 29,911 (85.97%) passed the examination. As per the rule, students who failed in one subject will get chance to take supplementary exam.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>SLC Examinations to Begin from March 20</strong></span></div>
<div>
	This year&rsquo;s School Leaving Certificate (SLC) Examination is going to start from March 20. The meeting of the examination committee of the SLC board held on 29th November decided the dates for the exams. &nbsp;The exams will be held for nine days. &nbsp;Around 600,000 students are expected to take their SLC exams.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>ROUTINE</strong></span></div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory English: 2070 March 20, Thursday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Nepali: 2070 March 21, Friday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Mathematics: 2070 March 23, Sunday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Science: 2070 March 24, Monday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Social Studies: 2070 March 25, Tuesday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Compulsory Health Education and Environment: 2070 March 26, Wednesday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Optional Paper First: 2070 March 27, Thursday</div>
<div>
	&bull;Optional Paper Second: 2070 March 28, Friday</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Convocation Ceremony of TU and KU</strong></span></div>
<div>
	The 39th Convocation ceremony of Tribhuvan University (TU) is scheduled to be held on December 27th, 2013. Students from various stream including humanities and social sciences, education, science and technology, forestry, included in the grace list will participate in the 39th convocation of the University. The 38th convocation of Tribhuvan University was held on Dasharash stadium, Tripureshwor Kathmandu.</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Similarly, Kathmandu University (KU) has also announced its 19th convocation ceremony. Convocation ceremony is scheduled on different dates for different faculties. According to the notice, the convocation ceremony will be held on December 12, 2013 at Kathmandu University, Kavre for School of Arts, School of Education, School of Engineering, School of Management and School of Science. Meanwhile, Convocation Ceremony for School of Medical Sciences will be held on December 20, 2013 at School of Medical Sciences, Kathmandu University, Kavre.</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
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			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'The Teacher Service Commission (TSC) has published result of written examination of Teacher service commission of Midwestern Development Region, Far western development region and Western Development Region.',
			'sortorder' => '2062',
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	(int) 12 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2218',
			'article_category_id' => '206',
			'title' => 'Samsung Galaxy Core: Anything But Ordinary',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<strong style="font-size: 12px;">--By Sanjeev Sharma</strong></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<img alt="" src="/userfiles/images/gf%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: right; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px;width: 300px; height: 400px;" />What do you expect from a smartphone? General answers could be multitasking, fast internet, good camera, sporty design and good support over different apps. However, these answers have now become so basic and obvious that many tech-enthusiasts are looking for more varieties and features to enthrall their enthusiasm.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	Samsung, the world leader in smartphone technology has come up with a solutions to satisfy the needs of enthusiasts. The Samsung Galaxy Core seems to be a perfect smartphone that can give a better performance than other mid-range handsets found in the market. The smartphone is powered by a 1.2 ghz dual-core processor, along with 1 GB of RAM. This makes the phone powerful enough to handle daily tasks and gaming at times. The Galaxy Core which runs on Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 comes with a 4.3 inch TFT capacitive display which has a WVGA resolution of 480&times;800 pixels (217 ppi). With these specifications, the smartphone looks pretty much as a reminiscent of the Galaxy S2, the flagship product of Samsung released in 2011. However, the phone offers much more than the Galaxy S2.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The dual-SIM smartphone has variety of features including ChatON. ChatON has basic features which are auto friend registration, text chat, multimedia delivery, and added features like My Page, voice/video chat, and translate. Users can send text, picture, video, and audio as multimedia using this feature. The feature even helps them to share their photos, videos, location and files easily. S Voice, Smart Stay, Face Unlock and other smart features of the Galaxy Core are mostly found on high-end smartphones. S Voice lets users to operate the phone (including lock/unlock) though voice commands. Similarly, Smart Stay uses the front camera to detect when the users are looking at the screen to prevent dimming. Likewise, the Face Unlock feature enables the users to unlock their phone through face recognition mechanism. &nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The phone sports a LED-flash 5 megapixel primary camera at the rear and a WVGA camera at the front. The handset comes with 8 GB internal memory and support for 64 GB microSD card. However, on the battery front, the 1800 mAh battery gives a mediocre power backup. The Samsung Galaxy Core is available at a price of Rs 28,500.&nbsp;</div>',
			'published' => true,
			'created' => '2013-12-03',
			'modified' => '2013-12-03',
			'keywords' => 'the corporate weekly from Nepal, nepali corporate events – news – interviews – reviews, nepali corporate focus, nepali corporate status and news, news from nepali corporate industry, corporate happenings – events – news from nepal',
			'description' => 'What do you expect from a smartphone? General answers could be multitasking, fast internet, good camera, sporty design and good support over different apps.',
			'sortorder' => '2061',
			'image' => null,
			'article_date' => '0000-00-00 00:00:00',
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	(int) 13 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2217',
			'article_category_id' => '99',
			'title' => 'Tourism Briefs (2 - 8 December 2013)',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>India to Promote Culinary Tourism&nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Culinary Tourism" src="/userfiles/images/tb%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 127px;" />India&rsquo;s Minister of State for Human Resource Development Dr Shashi Tharoor has called for steps to promote culinary tourism in India. Speaking at the recently concluded Indian Culinary Forum held in New Delhi, Tharoor said there is rich diversity of foods available in the country and the varied regional cuisine should be better exposed among international and domestic tourists. The summit looked at offering cuisine experiences and visits to farms and kitchen, so that visitors can experience the diversity and authentic cuisine of the country. Anil Bhandari, chairman of Smart Solutions said, &ldquo;In the growing food industry, only 30% was in the organised sector, while 70% in the unorganised sector. Brand identity and consistency are important.&rdquo; Chef Davindar Kumar, president of Indian Culinary Forum opined that culinary tourism would offer a unique and memorable experience but maintaining authenticity is important. The conference discussed diverse range of subjects ranging from standardisation, recipes, research and education. (Traveldailymedia.com)</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>Maldives Hits one Million Tourists</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="Tourism" src="/userfiles/images/tb1%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 125px;" />The Maldives has reached its target of welcoming one million visitor arrivals in 2013. According to official data released by the Maldivian government this week, the Indian Ocean archipelago welcomed 1,000,203 international visitors in the year to 24 November 2013. The news will come as a boost to the country where significant political unrest in recent years has threatened to destabilise its vital tourism sector. In 2012, the Maldives fell short of its one million arrivals target, welcoming just 958,000 visitors. The country&rsquo;s Tourism Minister, Ahmed Adheeb, said that a higher target will be now be set for 2014, although no specific figure was given. Tourism accounts for 70% of the Maldives&rsquo; GDP. (Traveldailymedia.com)</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<span style="font-size:16px;"><strong>UNWTO and UNESCO Join Hands In Sustainable Tourism Promotion &nbsp;</strong></span></div>
<div>
	<img alt="UNWTO and UNESCO" src="/userfiles/images/tb2%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 93px;" />UNWTO and UNESCO have forged a new cooperation agreement consolidating efforts on sustainable tourism and the protection of natural and cultural heritage. Under the Memorandum of Understanding, signed by UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai and UNESCO Director General, Irina Bokova, in the margins of the UN Chief Executives Board Meeting, UNWTO and UNESCO will work together on national, regional and global initiatives in the areas of sustainable tourism and the safeguarding of natural and cultural heritage. The cooperation will be through the implementation of the UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme and the development of transnational tourism initiatives to promote and protect the shared heritage of the Silk Roads Heritage Corridors. The agreement will also help in the promotion of sustainable tourism through United Nations partnerships and initiatives, such as the United Nations Steering Committee on Tourism for Development (SCTD) and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Tourism (GPST). (Traveldailynews.com)</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<strong style="font-size: 16px;">National Geographic Traveler Magazine Announces Its 2014 Best of The World List &nbsp;</strong></div>
<div>
	<img alt="2014 Best of The World List  " src="/userfiles/images/tb3%20(Copy).jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px;width: 200px; height: 99px;" />National Geographic Traveler magazine has announced its annual Best of the World list, featuring 20 destinations plus a bonus readers&rsquo; choice destination to visit in 2014. The list reflects what&rsquo;s authentic, culturally rich, sustainable and superlative in the world of travel today. The destinations are featured in the December 2013/January 2014 issue of Traveler magazine, available on newsstands Dec. 3, and online at travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/best-trips-2014.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The destinations featured in the 2014 Best of the World list are:</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Alentejo, Portugal</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Arbil, Iraq</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Bolaven Plateau, Laos</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cacao Trail, Ecuador</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cape Verde</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cathar Country, France</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Cordoba, Argentina</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Derawan Islands, Indonesia&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Guyana</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>John Muir Trail, Scotland</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Liechtenstein</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Nahanni National Park, Canada</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>New Orleans, Louisiana</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Northern Territory, Australia</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Puglia, Italy</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Ranthambore National Park, India</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Riga, Latvia</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina</div>
<div>
	&bull;<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Sochi, Russia</div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em>(Traveldailynews.com)</em></div>',
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			'description' => 'India’s Minister of State for Human Resource Development Dr Shashi Tharoor has called for steps to promote culinary tourism in India.',
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	(int) 14 => array(
		'Article' => array(
			'id' => '2216',
			'article_category_id' => '99',
			'title' => 'A Fake Slum For Luxury Tourists',
			'sub_title' => '',
			'summary' => null,
			'content' => '<div>
	<img alt="Fake Slum" src="/userfiles/images/trsm3%20(Copy).jpg" style="width: 550px; height: 294px; margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px;" /></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	I<span style="font-size: 12px;">t&#39;s estimated that one in eight people worldwide live in so-called slums, which, in some cities, makes visiting these informally maintained neighborhoods unavoidable. Although controversial, the practice of &lsquo;slum tourism&rsquo; has become a popular way for tourists to engage with poverty on a personal level. But why go visit an actual slum when you can simply stay at a luxury resort that looks like a slum?</span></div>
<div>
	&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The Emoya Luxury Hotel and Spa near Bloemfontein, South Africa offers Shanty Town, a dozen shacks made from scrap wood and corrugated metal that it thinks is the perfect setting for your next corporate retreat or wedding anniversary. The resort has gone to great lengths to recreate the joys of slum living without the nuisances of crime.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	The rooms cost about $ 82 a night, which some have noted is a half month&#39;s salary for the average South African.&nbsp;</div>
<div>
	<em>(Gizmodo.com)</em></div>',
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file not found!

Latest

173 People Die in Disaster Incidents since June 10

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Experts, Manpower Agencies at Odds Over Draft of Labour Migration Policy

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Sugar Prices Surge ahead of Festive Season amid Govt’s Failure to Import Sugar

BFIN to Host Conference in Kathmandu on Wednesday

Price of Gold Reaches All-Time High in Nepal

FOREX

Currency	Unit	Buy	Sell
U.S. Dollar	1	121.23	121.83
European Euro	1	131.65	132.31
UK Pound Sterling	1	142.47	143.18
Swiss Franc	1	124.29	124.90
Australian Dollar	1	71.69	72.05
Canadian Dollar	1	83.90	84.32
Japanese Yen	10	10.94	11.00
Chinese Yuan	1	17.17	17.26
Saudi Arabian Riyal	1	32.27	32.43
UAE Dirham	1	33.01	33.17
Malaysian Ringgit	1	27.36	27.50
South Korean Won	100	9.77	9.82

Update: 2020-03-25 | Source: Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB)

Bullion

Fine Gold	1 tola	77000.00
Tejabi Gold	1 tola	76700.00
Silver	1 tola	720.00

Update : 2020-03-25

Source: Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association

Petroleum

Petrol	1 Liter	106.00
Diesel	1 Liter	95.00
Kerosene	1 Liter	95.00
LP Gas	1 Cylinder	1375.00