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The government has suspended Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) General Manager Premnath Thakur. Thakur was suspended as per the ministerial level decision after he was found asking for bribes with the representatives of the Thai Smile Airlines. The Tourism Ministry spokesperson Rajendra Kumar KC said that Thakur was suspended after he was found taking bribes during the investigation. “A letter has been sent to the Director General of the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority as per the ministerial level decision to suspend Thakur from the post of General Manager,” read a statement issued by the Tourism Ministry on Friday. “The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority has been urged to carry out further investigation on the matter.”    

A meeting of the high-level political mechanism held on Friday discussed contemporary political issues among others. During the meeting held in Baluwatar this morning, the leaders discussed contemporary political issues, giving full shape to the government and presidential election to be held on March 9. On the occasion, the leaders of the mechanism urged the Rastriya Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane to join the government again. Albeit the RSP has left the government, it has not withdrawn the support extended to the government. CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, Rastriya Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane and Rastriya Prajatantra Party Chairman Rajendra Lingden were present in the meeting. Leaders of Janata Samajbadi Party, Nagarik Unmukti Party and Janamat Party, who are in the mechanism, did not take part in the meeting. The exit of Rastriya Swatantra Party from the government and the Nagarik Unmukti Party not giving a vote of confidence to the Sudurpaschim Province government shows that there is a dispute within the ruling coalition. The senior leaders also discussed the ways to resolve the issue.

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 1, 300 per tola in the domestic market on Friday. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow bullion is being traded at Rs 103, 600 per tola today. The yellow metal was traded at Rs 104, 900 per tola on Thursday. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 103, 100 per tola. It was traded at Rs 104, 400 per tola. Similarly, the price of silver has dropped by Rs 30 and is being traded at Rs 1,290 per tola today.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra is arriving in Kathmandu on a two-day official visit to Nepal on Monday. He is visiting Nepal at the invitation of Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal. According to a source, Kwatra, India's former envoy to Nepal, is visiting Nepal to fix the date and agenda of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s India visit. This will be the first stand alone visit of the Foreign Secretary to Nepal since he assumed charge. "The visit is in keeping with the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between the two countries and the priority India attaches to its relations with Nepal under its 'Neighbourhood First' Policy," read a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs of Government of India. During the visit, the two Foreign Secretaries will hold discussions on the entire range of multifaceted cooperation between India and Nepal. India has historical and civilizational linkages with Nepal and bilateral cooperation between the two countries has strengthened in the recent years, with several major infrastructure and cross-border connectivity projects completed with India's assistance, the statement read. "This will be an opportunity to further advance out bilateral ties," the statement further read.

The rabble-rousing press conference by Rabi Lamichhane earlier this week has created a schism in Nepali society regarding its perception of the media. On one side are those who are lapping up Lamichhane’s claim that mainstream media is the enemy of the state, that publishers, editors and journalists are guided by corporate greed and are deep in corruption. And then there are others who see his boisterous condemnation of the press as a mere temper tantrum. It was clear that the leader of Rastriya Swatantra Party was angry at the media for covering the story about the validity of the citizenship he furnished to contest the election of Nov 20 last year. The case landed in the Supreme Court and Lamichhane went on to lose his status as Home Minister and Member of Parliament. It was also clear that his ad hominem diatribe filled with personal gripes and insults was aimed at pandering to his supporters. In doing so, he has sown a seed of distrust against the press. This could have a far-reaching impact on democracy, giving rise to politics of populism, where serious journalism is supplanted by misinformation and disinformation, which is taking hold in different parts of the world. In the age of social media, it is far too easy to distort the truth and bend the narrative. The role of traditional media is to bring out the truth, to report and to scrutinize those in power. Nepali mainstream media has been doing just that, and ever so proudly. If anyone, Lamichhane should know this better as a former member of the media fraternity. His TV show was based on the very concept of scrutinizing the powers that be. He should also know that the very media houses, publishers and journalists that he tried to discredit have always played a role of a bulwark to defend democracy and the rule of law. By delegitimizing the press in a Trumpian fashion, Lamichhane has put democracy in peril. He has also betrayed his own supporters, who, disenchanted by old political parties, voted him to power. People who voted for Lamichhane certainly did not want him to act in such a vindictive and bitter manner. That he had presented invalid citizenship to contest the election is true, and the Supreme Court passed down its judgment accordingly. Meanwhile, the media simply did its job and reported the story. Losing the home ministry and parliament seat should have been least of his concern, what with his widespread support base. But his anger and ego got in the way. Rather than fessing up to his transgression, he went on to play the victim card and portrayed the press as his cruel persecutor. Lamichhane’s attempt at incitement and intimidation is thoroughly condemnable. When a leader tries to undermine the credibility of the press, it creates space for propagandists and authoritarians.

The fifth edition of Revamp Nepal 2023 is all set to take place in Chhaya Center, Thamel on 11 Feb 2023. The daylong event will host a diverse lineup of ventures, entrepreneurial initiatives, and prominent business entities currently active in the Nepali business ecosystem, the organizer informed.  The event will provide a platform for participants to directly connect and interact with prospective customers, clients, and partners, and help them promote their products and services.  Jointly organized by FiBRO Nepal and Ideajar Digital in collaboration with Nabil Bank, Revamp Nepal has welcomed Dish Home, E-Beema, Phoenix College of Management, Upaya, Foodmandu, Nepal Airlines, E-sewa, Sysqube Technology, Artseum Production, Grace International Education, UG Cakes, and Ramailo Games as the partners and is supported by Sharing Opportunities, Hilife, and Nepal Young Entrepreneurs’ Forum (NYEF)-Kathmandu chapter.  According to the organizers, the event will host over 70 ventures and expects a footfall of over 7,000 attendees throughout the day.

Kamal Bahadur Shah of the Nepali Congress has been appointed as the Chief Minister of Sudurpaschim Province. Chief Minister Rajendra Singh Rawal-led government was toppled after he failed to secure a vote of confidence today. He submitted the resignation letter to Province Chief Dev Raj Joshi today itself. Later, the Province Chief appointed Shah as the Chief Minister in accordance with Article 168 (3) of the Constitution. Shah also has to seek a vote of confidence within a month.

Sudurpaschim Province Chief Minister Rajendra Singh Rawal failed to secure a vote of confidence in the National Assembly on Thursday. Majority of the lawmakers voted against the motion Rawal tabled in the National Assembly meeting today. After Rawal lost the trust motion, he has automatically been relieved of his post. He was appointed as the Chief Minister from the CPN-UML. Rawal failed to secure the vote of confidence after the lawmakers of the Nagarik Unmukti Party, which had extended support to the government, remained absent in the meeting. The Party has been saying that it would not give a vote of confidence until Resham Chaudhary is released.