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Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba and Chief Executive Officer of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a US agency, Alice P Albright, held a meeting on Monday.

The meeting held at Nepali Embassy in the US witnessed a discussion on issues like enforcement of the activities under the MCC project that Nepal signed in 2017. Timely completion of the project was stressed in the discussion, the Nepali Embassy stated.

The transmission line and road upgrade under the MCC project are being implemented in Nepal. Nepal has been provided USD 50 million assistance for the projects.

The meeting was held before Foreign Minister Rana left for Doha.

Minister Rana had arrived in the US to attend the 79th UNGA.

The Supreme Court has handed prison sentences to all those involved in the contempt of court case regarding the content broadcast and published under the name ‘Dark File’ on Sidhakura.com news portal and its YouTube channel.

A nine-member full bench of the Supreme Court ruled that Sidhakura.com committed contempt of court and sentenced the publisher, editor and those who provided false content for broadcast to jail terms.

The portal had created fake audio clips implicating Supreme Court Senior Justice Anand Mohan Bhattarai, Annapurna Media Network Chairperson Captain Rameshwar Thapa, Kantipur Media Group Chairperson Kailash Sirohiya, Annapurna Post Political Bureau Chief Surendra Kafle, and senior advocates Hari Upreti and Kishor Bista. A contempt of court case was filed against Sidhakura.com for publishing and streaming the said news content.

Rajkumar Timalsina, who created the ‘fake audio’, has been sentenced to six months in prison. Similarly, publisher Yuvaraj Kandel and executive editor Nabin Dhungana have been sentenced to three months in prison each. The portal has also been fined Rs 5,000. 

The apex court’s verdict states that the fine can be waived off if the portal apologizes. Likewise, if the publisher and editor submit a written apology regarding the published content, their sentences would be reduced to seven days. However, Timalsina must serve the full sentence.

The Supreme Court found that Timalsina provided false content to Dhungana and Kandel, and considering the nature, gravity and degree of guilt of this act, sentenced him to six months in prison under Section 17(4) of the Justice Administration Act, 2016. “Since Timalsina has shown no remorse or apologetic attitude even during the proceedings of this case, the imposed prison sentence should be implemented by keeping him in detention,” the verdict states.

In the case of executive editor Dhungana and publisher Kandel, the court noted that they did not produce the content themselves but received it from Timalsina. However, they failed to verify the content, which is a minimum requirement for anyone involved in mass communication. Considering the nature, gravity and degree of guilt of their actions, they have each been sentenced to three months in prison under Section 17(4) of the Justice Administration Act, 2016.

“They repeatedly published this content in their media outlet, spreading confusion about the court and creating distrust. This cannot be considered mere negligence or carelessness, but rather a deliberate attempt to spread rumors about this court, its judges and the overall judicial process, with the malicious intent to obstruct the administration of justice,” the Supreme Court ruled. 

Although Dhungana and Kandel claimed in their statements that their intention was not to commit contempt of court but merely to broadcast the received content, and apologized, their apology was not unconditional, the verdict states. “If they appear before this court and express unconditional apology and written commitment to not repeat such acts for the aforementioned contemptuous actions, only seven days of their sentenced imprisonment will be implemented and the rest will be immediately suspended. If they do not apologize or express commitment to not repeat such acts, they must serve the full sentence.”

Regarding Sidhakura.com, the court found it guilty of repeatedly publishing and broadcasting content that spreads confusion about this court and the overall justice system, creating distrust. This act constitutes contemptuous offense under Section 17(4) of the Justice Administration Act, 2016, and a fine of Rs 5,000 has been imposed. “If they publish or broadcast a corrigendum through the relevant medium or program within three months of receiving this order, stating that they trusted the source and published/broadcast without verifying the truth and facts, and inform this court, the record of this fine will also be cleared,” the apex court stated. “If such a correction is not published/broadcast, it should be recovered as government dues.”

The verdict was issued by a full bench comprising Chief Justice Bishwambhar Prasad Shrestha and Justices Prakashman Singh Raut, Sapana Pradhan Malla, Prakash Kumar Dhungana, Hari Prasad Phuyal, Nahakul Subedi, Binod Sharma, Mahesh Sharma Poudel and Balkrishna Dhakal. 

Sidhakura had created and broadcast misleading propaganda material regarding then Supreme Court Justice Dr Anand Mohan Bhattarai, media entrepreneurs, lawyers and journalists. Supreme Court Deputy Registrar Govinda Ghimire had filed a contempt of court case against Sidhakura, arguing that this act had seriously affected the court’s administration of justice.

False, self-conceived, self-generated

The full bench ruled that the disputed content was not based on truth but was misleading, false, fabricated, fictional, self-conceived and self-generated. “It has been found that the basic responsibility of editors and publishers to verify the truthfulness when publishing such content has not been fulfilled,” the verdict states. “No attempt was made to contact court officials or those responsible for judicial administration to verify the truthfulness of such serious and sensitive content before broadcasting.”

The court found that Timalsina, Dhungana and Kandel produced and broadcast the disputed content with malicious intent, ill-will and tendency to obstruct the court’s administration of justice, spreading misleading rumors to create confusion and distrust towards the court, judicial process and overall justice system, thereby tarnishing the court’s dignity and prestige. 

Police investigation had confirmed the audio content was misleading and false. This was based on technical analysis of the audio file, statements from individuals said to be present when the audio clip was recorded, and technical examination of mobile phones. Deputy Inspector General of Police Nabinda Aryal’s investigation report was submitted to the court on this basis. The District Government Attorney’s Office then filed a case against Timalsina, Kandel and Dhungana in Kathmandu District Court on three charges including cybercrime. The court had released all three on bail. With Sunday’s Supreme Court verdict, all three will now have to serve their sentences.

Not within scope of press freedom 

The Supreme Court also ruled that the broadcast of self-conceived, self-generated, false, artificial and fictional audio does not fall within the scope of press freedom. “Such acts of publishing false content under the guise of press freedom to commit contempt of court cannot be acceptable. Therefore, it is confirmed and established that contempt of court was committed by violating the limits of press freedom through the production, publication and broadcast of the disputed content,” the verdict states.

Nepal and the United States signed an agreement on the bilateral consultation mechanism.

The signing ceremony was held at the State Department in the US on Monday.

Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba and Acting Undersecretary for Political Affairs, John Bass, signed the agreement from the respective sides.

The officials from Foreign Ministry of Nepal and the State Department of USA would dwell on a range of issues in the consultations and dialogues as per the agreement in Kathmandu and Washington DC.

The foreign ministers from both the countries held a discussion on the issues of common interest between Nepal and the USA.

The program was attended by Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal, Nepal's Charge de Affaires in the USA, Kumar Raj Kharel, and Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu.  

Foreign Minister Rana left for Doha on Monday itself.

The death toll in the rain-induced disasters like landslides and floods triggered by incessant rainfall has reached 217, while the number of those gone missing stands at 28.

It is the latest update shared by Spokesperson at Home Ministry, Rishiram Tiwari. In the natural disasters, 143 persons were injured.

All security agencies have been mobilized for all-out efforts of search, rescue and relief distribution, he added. The injured ones are receiving treatment at various health facilities.

Similarly, those affected by the floods and landslides are provided with instant relief materials.

The government has given priority to search, rescue and relief distribution. The efforts to resume the blocked roadways are also going on, Tiwari shared.

what does it mean to be a woman?

to me, being a woman is to be divine,

to be the greatest embodiment of God's prolific powers.

to be a woman is to be it all, and more.

to be a woman is to be you, maa. 

most of what i’ve learned of the world

i’ve known from you, maa.

i’ve learned that knowledge is the greatest form of power one can acquire,

that to know is to be.

i’ve learned that freedom comes with boundaries, too,

that to be free is to be limited.

i’ve learned that faith should be bigger than fear,

that hope keeps us moving. 

i look at you everyday and,

everyday i find myself awestruck.

i look at you, maa.

i look at the courage in your beauty.

i look at the strength in your warmth.

i look at the force in your generosity.

i look at the zeal in your care. 

and i find myself everywhere.

you walk me through darkness,

while talking of light.

you push me down heights,

while talking of flight.

how do you do it, maa?

where did you learn?

how many courses did you take,

on how to be a mom. 

to be a woman is to be it all, and more.

to be a woman is to be you, maa.

Sadikshya Khadka

A-Level Graduate

Rato Bangala School

Internship in Nepal is gradually gaining recognition as a critical link that connects academic study and professional careers, offering practical experience to students and fresh graduates. However, the legal framework of internships remains largely undefined and hence marked by inconsistencies and exploitation. This is particularly evident in professions such as law, chartered accountancy, and architecture, where the internship is often carried out without any clear oversight, and its linkage with learning objectives is sacrificed. Instead of being seen as learning opportunities, internships are sometimes used as a way to justify paying lower wages.

Existing legal framework and shortcomings 

While the issues of internship indirectly come under the Labor Act 2017, Nepal’s main legislation regarding employment, it does not specify regulations relating to internships. The Act deals with ‘trainees’ and provides certain protections, such as limitation of working hours, safety measures, and compensation in case of injury. Although these may include internships related to academic courses, the ambiguity of definition creates legal ambiguity. They are allowed to work for eight hours daily or 48 hours in a week. They are also provided with medical support, compensation for injuries; however, many tasks which are beyond the training they mostly get transferred or change their status into ordinary laborers which complicates the legal situation. 

Due to this lack of clear regulation, there have been many abuses of internships as a labor law loophole. Interns are often overworked and underpaid, with basic employee protections denied. Minimum wage issues, work hours, safety standards, and compensation for injuries 

are frequently disregarded, which places interns in a precarious situation. Many work long hours with neither formal agreements nor contracts, with little to no financial compensation, and undefined roles. 

Liability and workplace protections 

As no particular legislation exists concerning the matter, liability for work performed by the student will be quite undetermined. Such a legal vacuum provides uncertainty to who would be liable for any damage or loss resulting from performance of the interns, which arises rather typically in cases of legal disputes, especially negligence or misfeasance. In most instances, little protection from workplace harassment, discrimination, and mistreatment can be accorded to interns and limited ways of appeal against those hostile environments. These requirements do not extend to employers who must provide structured learning, mentorship, or adequate training, which often reduces internships to poorly paid work rather than an educationally enriching experience. 

Need for comprehensive regulation 

The urgent need exists for comprehensive regulation through legislation that can provide a clear definition of internships and the difference between them and regular employment or traineeships. Such a framework must detail both the rights and responsibilities of the interns and the employers, providing minimum conditions for work, including reasonable hours, fair

compensation, and safe environments. Also, educational institutions bear the responsibility to guarantee the quality of internships, specify agreements with host organizations, and monitor placements for their adherence to educational and professional standards. 

Stronger protections with clear definitions of what constitutes a genuine learning experience would afford better protection for an internship, making the job market more transparent as a result. Thus, moving ahead in the Nepalese employment landscape, more elaborated regulation of internships will be required to accompany economic growth and ensure that internships provide an actual route into professional careers. 

Manish Khadka 

BA LLB 4th Year 

Kathmandu School of Law

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 44.45 points to close at 2,508.86 points on Monday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 6.45 points to close at 451. 34 points.

A total of 9,717,959-unit shares of 319 companies were traded for Rs 3. 71 billion.

Meanwhile, CEDB Hydropower Development Company Limited (CHDC) was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise, Prabhu Select Fund (PSF) was the top loser as its price fell by 9.36 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 98 trillion.

The number of people, who lost their lives in floods and landslides in Kavre, has reached 54.

Police Inspector Dinesh Bahadur Kunwar of the District Police Office, Kavre said that 54 people died in the floods and landslides in Temal, Roshi, Panauti and Banepa among other places of Kavre.

Among the deceased, the identities of 38 have been ascertained.

Police said that 337 people have been rescued by a Nepal Army helicopter from BP Highway and other places and 3, 226 by other means till this morning.