KATHMANDU: Khabarhub brings you a glimpse of major developments of the day in Nepal, including politics, business/economy, sports, entertainment, and more.
Finance Minister Poudel and Donald Lu hold meeting
Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, held a meeting today to discuss various aspects of bilateral cooperation.
The meeting, which took place at the Ministry of Finance in Singha Durbar, focused on several key issues, including bilateral economic cooperation, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), the effective implementation of projects under the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), development finance mobilization, and private sector investment, among others.
“Discussions covered a wide range of cooperation between Nepal and the United States. Talks focused particularly on the implementation of MCC and USAID-funded projects,” said Dhaniram Sharma, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Finance.
US Assistant Secretary of State Lu praises Nepal’s progress on MCC Compact
US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, stated that the United States will “wait to comment” until the document of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Framework Agreement signed between Nepal and China is released.
“We will wait for the document to come out,” Lu told journalists on Monday before flying back to the United States.
Nepal and China signed a framework agreement for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation on December 4 during Prime Minister KP Oli’s visit to the northern neighbor.
Prachanda condemns “vindictive” treatment of Rabi Lamichhane
Chairman of Maoist Center Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has condemned what he said “government’s arbitrary, undemocratic, inhumane, and vindictive treatment” of Rabi Lamichhane, Chairman of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).
Taking to social media on Monday, Prachanda has strongly urged the government to end sucg inhumane treatment on Lamichhane, who was elected by a significant majority of the people.
Earlier today, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Senior Vice Chairman of the Maoist Center, called for the government to immediately cease its humiliating and vindictive treatment of detained RSP Chairman Lamichhane.
Corruption case filed against Insurance Authority chief Silwal
A corruption case has been filed against the chairperson of the Nepal Insurance Authority, Surya Prasad Silwal, at the Special Court.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has accused Silwal of submitting false personal details and engaging in fraudulent activities.
Silwal is alleged to have manipulated his birthdate multiple times, resulting in discrepancies in his citizenship and passport documents.
NHRC probes alleged human rights violations in Rabi Lamichhane’s case
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has initiated an inquiry into alleged human rights violations during the handling of former Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane’s custody transfer amid an ongoing cooperative fraud investigation.
The NHRC initiated inquiries after receiving complaints alleging human rights violations during Lamichhane’s midnight transfer from Chitwan to Kaski.
The complaint claims the transfer was ordered by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and involved inhumane treatment, requesting an investigation to ensure the protection of human rights.
Reiterating its position on BRI, NC affirms opposition to loans
The Nepali Congress (NC) has reaffirmed its stance that Nepal should receive grants, not loans, from China under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Speaking to the media after a meeting on Monday, party spokesperson Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat clarified that the agreement signed during Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to China does not prevent the government from pursuing grants.
“Our position remains the same as it was yesterday: grants, not loans,” Mahat said.
Snowfall in Humla offers hope for farmers, disrupts routine
Humla, a district in the Himalayas, has experienced its first snowfall of the year.
The snow began falling last night, following a shift in weather since Sunday evening and a windstorm that started in the afternoon.
By this morning, Simkot, the district headquarters, had received three inches of snow, while areas like Limi and other high-altitude regions in North Namkha Rural Municipality had up to one foot of snow, as reported by Log Bohara, a staff member at the Limi Health Post.
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