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Nepal Airlines is set to begin Bhairahawa-Dubai flights from Gautam Buddha International Airport starting Friday, Nov 8. According to Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) Information Officer Gyanendra Bhul, the airline will operate a Kathmandu-Bhairahawa-Dubai-Kathmandu route, with flights departing from Kathmandu at 9:30 pm on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and from Bhairahawa to Dubai about 30 minutes later.

In addition to Nepal Airlines, three other international carriers—Fly Dubai, Jazeera Airways, and Thai Air Asia—are scheduled to operate flights from Bhairahawa. Thai Air Asia will commence flights on Nov 8, Fly Dubai on Nov 9, and Jazeera Airways on Nov 10.

"Currently, four airlines, including Nepal Airlines, are ready to operate from Bhairahawa," said Bhul, noting that Qatar Airways, Air Arabia, and other international airlines are also preparing to begin services from Gautam Buddha International Airport in the near future.

The price of gold has decreased by Rs 2,800 per tola (11.66 grams) in the domestic market today.

The Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association has determined the price of hallmark gold at Rs 168,200 per tola today. It was Rs 171,000 per tola on Oct 31. 

Similarly, silver is being traded at Rs 2,030 per tola today. Earlier, it was Rs 2,090 per tola. 

Boeing workers have voted to accept the aviation giant's latest pay offer, ending a damaging seven-week-long walkout. Under the new contract, they will get a 38 percent pay rise over the next four years.

Striking workers can start returning to their jobs as early as Wednesday, or as late as 12 November, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) union says. The walkout by around 30,000 Boeing workers started on 13 September, leading to a dramatic slowdown at the plane maker's factories and deepening a crisis at the company.

IAM said 59 percent of striking workers voted in favour of the new deal, which also includes a one-off $12,000 bonus, as well as changes to workers' retirement plans. "Through this victory and the strike that made it possible, IAM members have taken a stand for respect and fair wages in the workplace," union leader Jon Holden said.

The union had previously called for a 40 percent pay increase and workers had rejected two previous offers from the company. "While the past few months have been difficult for all of us, we are all part of the same team," said Boeing's chief executive Kelly Ortberg. "There is much work ahead to return to the excellence that made Boeing an iconic company."

In a sign of how seriously the White House took the strike at one of the country's most important companies, acting US Labor Secretary Julie Su flew to Seattle last month to help with negotiations. Boeing has been trying to shore up its finances and end the strike, which has now cost it nearly $10bn, according to consulting firm Anderson Economic Group.

In October, its commercial aircraft business reported operating losses of $4bn for the three months to the end of September. Last week, the firm launched a share sale to raise more than $20bn. It came after warnings that a prolonged strike could lead to downgrades of Boeing's credit rating, which would make it more expensive for it to borrow money.

Last month, the firm said it would lay off around 17,000 workers, with the first redundancy notices expected to be issued in mid-November.​​​​​​​ The latest crisis at Boeing erupted in January with a dramatic mid-air blowout of a piece of one of its passenger planes.​​​​​​​ Its space business also suffered a reputational hit after its Starliner vessel was forced to return to Earth without carrying astronauts.

Agencies

The demand for Nepali tea and coffee in the international market is steadily rising.

According to the National Tea and Coffee Development Board, 77 metric tons of coffee were exported in the fiscal year 2022-23, up from 72 metric tons worth Rs 96m in the previous fiscal year. Data collection for the current fiscal year 2023-24 is underway.

On the import side, coffee imports totaled 450 metric tons worth Rs 320m in the fiscal year 2021-22. This dropped significantly to Rs 100m in the following year, a decrease of around Rs 220m.

Board Director Deepak Khanal noted that recent improvements in the coffee farming environment and cultivation expansion have boosted production. Coffee is now cultivated on 3,659 hectares of land, with about 33,000 farmers involved.

International demand for Nepali coffee stands at around 14,000 metric tons. Commercial coffee farming occurs in 43 districts, including Gulmi, Palpa, Arghakhanchi, Lalitpur, Tanahu, Kavre, Sindhupalchowk, Lamjung, Kaski, Gorkha, Syangja, Parbat, and Baglung.

For tea, exports reached Rs 3.8bn in fiscal year 2021-22, with an increase of around Rs 140m the following year. The country has 161 tea industries, employing approximately 60,000 workers, according to Board officer Chandra Puri.