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British Ambassador to Nepal Rob Fenn called on CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Friday.

In the meeting held at Dahal's residence in Khumaltar, Lalitpur, the Maoist Center Chair informed Ambassador Fenn that the House of Representatives has passed the bill related to transitional justice that emphasizes on victim-friendly justice. He expressed the confidence that the UK Government will extend necessary support for the survivor-friendly justice and respect.

Stating that he had taken the initiative to push forward the TJ bill when he had been heading the government, former Prime Minister Dahal believed it will contribute to world peace as well when the bill is enacted into law, Chair Dahal's Secretariat said.

The Maoist Center Chair also stated that a special initiative was made to strengthen international relations during his premiership, adding Nepal had played a leading role in climate justice, among other sectors.

Chair Dahal on the occasion also expressed his conviction that the British government will address the issues being raised by the Ex-British Gurkha soldiers.

Similarly, Ambassador Fenn expressed his happiness over taking the peace process and bill related to transitional justice to logical conclusion by Nepal, expressing commitment that there would be full support of the UK government for its conclusion.

According to Dahal’s Secretariat, the Ambassador shared that the UK government was always ready to provide necessary support for Nepal.  Stating that British nationals are found interested in Nepali products, he said there could be partnership between the two countries in mutual cooperation and trade.

Expressing happiness over amendment to laws to create investment friendly environment and concluding the investment summit during the term of the then Prime Minister Dahal, Ambassador Fenn expressed the view that there would be his contribution in bringing in foreign investment in Nepal.

We often turn a blind eye to home décor mostly because we don’t have the time for it or it costs too much money. And if something isn’t broken, why fix it right? But little things can bring out character in your space and give your home the unique touch it needs to feel like your special place. Here are five projects that take less than a single weekend to complete. It will also give you and your family something to do together. 

Wallpaper your bookshelves 

The shelves are where we display and store books and knickknacks and it can look cluttered, especially if your bookshelves are all of different sizes and designs. There’s a really neat way to make things look cohesive and elegant. All you need is some wallpaper and glue. Get some wallpaper in a design and print that you love, cut out the required size to fit the insides of the shelves and get pasting. It will take some effort and concentration as you have to get the sizes right but trust us, this will give your space an aesthetic vibe like no other. 

Paint an old cabinet

Scour your parent’s or grandparent’s storage space and pick out an old furniture to refurbish. It could be a coffee table, side table, a tv console, or an old wardrobe. Sand it down, and give it a fresh coat of paint, add some new knobs if you must and voila, you have an interesting conversation starter piece for your home. All you need is a can of paint. You can use spray paint if painting it with a brush feels too tedious. An old piece of furniture is a great thing to have around the house to give it that personal, sentimental touch.

Hide unsightly wires and cables  

Television and router wires and phone and laptop chargers make spaces look messy and unappealing. Take one weekend to fix this problem. Get grip ties and start by binding different wires together. Get extension cords or multiplugs for places where these can help hide long trailing wires. You get these cool baskets to hide extension cords or you can make one yourself or drill holes in drawers to tuck away chargers from sight. The options are endless. There are a lot of interesting, easy to replicate ideas on Pinterest and YouTube. 

Stitch some cushions covers 

This one can be a comforting afternoon project for those rainy weekends when you just feel like cozying up on the sofa. Go through your mother’s or grandmother’s closet and wardrobes and pick out some fancy saris that they no longer wear. Silk, brocade, cotton work best. Stay away from flimsy material like georgette and chiffon. Since saris are usually over five meters long, you will easily have enough for a set of six cushions. Cut out the desired shape and sew three sides and put a zipper or buttons on one side and you have a swanky new set of covers. 

Work on a mini garden

This is a really fun project for those who live in apartments and are cramped for space. A garden area is usually the last thing on your mind. Get some mini planters and pots and have a kitchen garden going. You can plant herbs along the kitchen window sill or get a larger garden going in the balcony area. You don’t have to go out to buy fancy planters and simply just use what you have around the house. Old vases and mugs can work if you make some drainage holes in them. Simply fill a bucket with water, immerse the ceramic mugs in it, and use a hammer and a nail to make holes at the bottom. 

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 900 per tola in the domestic market on Friday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 149, 600 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 150, 500 per tola on Thursday.

The price of silver, however, has increased by Rs 20 and is being traded at Rs 1,760 per tola today.

The House of Representatives has endorsed the amendments to the transitional justice-related law of 2014. This marks a significant step forward in healing the wounds of the nation’s decade-long armed conflict. Nearly two decades after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) between the government and the Maoist rebels, the consensus among parties on this crucial law offers hope for thousands of conflict victims, who have been awaiting justice for a long time.

Now that the bill has been passed, the hard work of implementation has begun. The formation of two independent, powerful and well-resourced commissions—Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons—will be crucial to the success of this process. The two commissions must have the authority and means to thoroughly investigate human rights violations, establish the truth about past atrocities and recommend appropriate measures for justice and reconciliation.

Nepal’s post-conflict journey has been fraught with challenges. The first justice-related law brought in 2014 courted controversy due to provisions allowing blanket amnesty for serious human rights violations. The Supreme Court’s order for amendments to align the law with international standards led to delay and political maneuvering for years. After a long delay, the government led by then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal registered a bill to amend the 2014 law in parliament in March last year. The three major parties—Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Center) - then formed a three-member task force to iron out their differences. The task force broke the deadlock last week and paved the way for this legislative breakthrough.

The bill addresses some of the most contentious issues. Arbitrary and cruel killings have now been defined as serious cases of human rights violations. Additionally, the bill allows for reduced sentences of 70-75 percent in certain cases on the recommendation of the Attorney-General. These changes represent a balance between the call for justice and the practical considerations of national reconciliation. As the bill moves to the National Assembly and awaits presidential approval, it is crucial to ensure that the process does not stop here. The legislative process moved ahead even though the ruling coalition and government changed during the period.  Parties need to be lauded for this. However, continuous efforts must be made to engage conflict victims and ensure that their voices are heard and their needs addressed throughout the justice process.

The passage of this bill is not an end but a beginning. Its success hinges on the commitment of all stakeholders to confront the past, provide justice where due and forge a path toward national healing.

As many as 17 people were injured when a commuter bus met with an accident at Samuhagadh of Silgadhi Municipality-4 in Dipayal district on Friday.

The incident occurred after the bus (Na 5 Kha 4451) fell some 35 meters down the road.

Bhimlal Bhattarai, Information Officer at the District Police Office, Doti, said that the bus of Shaileshwori Yatayat Company was heading to Dipayal from Dhangadhi when the incident took place.

The injured have been rushed to Sujang Hospital at Rajpur in Doti for treatment.

The Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has said that the monsoon wind has its effects across the country at present and the low-pressure line of the monsoon is still around the average position.

Currently, some places in Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces are receiving light to moderate rain coupled with thunder and lightning.

According to the Department, it will be generally partly cloudy throughout the country this afternoon. It said that light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at some places in all provinces. 

Light to moderate rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places in all provinces and heavy rainfall at a few places of Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces in the next 24 hours. The Department has also urged the people there to remain cautious.

Similarly, it will be generally cloudy throughout the country tonight. Some places in Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces are likely to receive light to moderate rain while one or two places in Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces are forecasted to receive heavy rain.

The World Bank is going to increase the budgetary aid provided to Nepal.

In a virtual meeting held today with Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel, Vice President for South Asia Region of the World Bank, Martin Raiser, shared about the rise in budgetary assistance.

On the occasion, Vice President Raiser suggested improvements in areas such as the investment environment, economic reforms and employment growth. Nepal had received USD 205 million as budgetary aid from the World Bank last financial year.

In response, Finance Minister Paudel said that with a stable government in place the environment is conducive for more investment and pledged to work in collaboration to complete the projects on time.

The death toll from rain-induced disasters since June 10 has reached 175.

The landslides and floods that occurred in different parts of the country claimed the lives of 175 people, police said, adding that Kathmandu Valley itself witnessed the death of three persons in this period.

Koshi Province recorded the number of fatalities at 27, Madhes Province at eight, Bagmati Province at 31, Gandaki Province at 54, Lumbini Province at 33, Karnali Province at eight and Sudurpaschim Province at 11 totaling 175, according to Central Spokesperson of Nepal Police, DIG Dan Bahadur Karki.

Similarly, a total of 224 people have been injured in the landslide and flood. Among them, 11 persons were injured in the Kathmandu Valley. Till date, 37 persons were injured in Koshi Province, 11 in Madhes Province, 23 in Bagmati Province, 46 in Gandaki Province, 13 in Lumbini Province, 55 in Karnali Province, and 28 in Sudurpaschim Province.

The police also rescued as many as 113 people from the disaster. A total of 28 persons were rescued in the Kathmandu Valley itself.

DIG Karki further informed that a total of 49 persons were still missing in the floods and landslides. Bagmati Province witnessed the highest number of missing ones, 41, while Lumbini the least with only one.

The rain-induced disasters also killed as many as 820 cattle.

Since June 10, the flood and landslides damaged 286 houses, 105 cowsheds, 49 bridges, two schools and two government office buildings.

The number of households displaced by the disaster stands at 4,472 in the last two months.