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Kathmandu: The Forum for Indigenous Girls (FIG) and ALL In Foundation (AIF) jointly hosted a ‘Debriefing COP28 with Indigenous Delegates from Nepal’ on Tuesday. The organizers said that the event aimed to gain insights into the experiences and perspectives of Nepali Indigenous delegates who participated in the COP28.

The organizers conducted this post-COP28 sharing event with indigenous delegates and youths who attended the conference. The objective of this initiative is to offer guidance to indigenous youths in Nepal regarding the situations and positions of indigenous youths at COP28. The event also aimed to explore how these youths can actively participate in future COP meetings as representatives of their community.

The program also helps to emphasize the role of Indigenous Youths as catalyst agents of change in addressing the global climate crisis and their specific contributions during COP28, said the organizers. “We will draft a statement paper from opinions and suggestions gathered during the program to support our objectives.”

A total of seven indigenous delegates from Nepal shared their experiences and findings from COP28 during the event. Pratima Khadgi, Pema Wangmo Lama, Buddha Gharti Magar, Indira Shreesh, Tunga Bhadra Rai, Dev Kumar Sunuwar and Yasso Kanti Bhattachan shared their experience.

The government on Tuesday requested President Ram Chandra Paudel to call a session of the Federal Parliament on Feb 5, three months after the prorogation of the annual session of the parliament (Nov 2).

Per a constitutional provision, the President shall call a session of the parliament on the recommendation of the government.

Earlier, the parties had differences on whether to call the session after UML’s Madhya Pahadi Yatra Campaign (Mid-hills Journey) or after National Assembly elections (slated for Jan 25), leaving the government in a fix over the House session. 

If Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s promises on the government’s policies and programs and budget are anything to go by, the House session should already have convened, paving the way for pre-budget discussions on policies and programs in the parliament in mid-February.

On May 29 last year, Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat had announced in the House of Representatives that the principles and priorities of the budget-related Bill will be discussed in the parliament in mid-February, 2024.

For holding pre-budget discussions in the parliament, necessary laws should be drafted soon (mid-February to mid-March).

In addition, the government has been expressing commitment to introducing laws necessary for implementing the Constitution, which will be easier said than done. NA has found, in the course of a study, that the federal government must introduce 39 laws immediately for implementing the constitution.

It should be noted that provincial governments have been demanding what they call the ‘readjustment of the police force’ in line with the charter. Stakeholders with varying interests in Federal Civil Act and Education Act have also been piling pressure on the federal government to address their concerns.   

Citing the government’s promise to convene discussions on the budget in mid-February after introducing necessary laws, leaders of different political parties have been taking the government to task over delays in convening the parliament session.

Janamat Party withdrew its support and quit the Madhes province government.

Minister for Education and Culture and Minister for Labour and Transport who were participating in the government on behalf of the Janamat Party submitted resignation letters to Chief Minister Saroj Kumar Yadav.

Spokesperson of the Madhes province government and Minister for Home, Communications and Law Mohammad Samim informed that the ministers from the Janamat Party had collectively submitted their resignation to Chief Minister Yadav.

Earlier, Janamat Party's parliamentary party leader and Minister for Education and Culture Mahesh Prasad Yadav had submitted a letter to the Madhes Province Chief Hari Shanker Mishra withdrawing its support to the government.

Yadav shared that the ministers from Janamat Party had resigned since the government after a year of its formation failed to perform effectively and did not allow the atmosphere for the ministers of his party to function well.

The Janamat Party has 13 province assembly members in the Madhes.

Annapurna Post Senior Correspondent Rajkaran Mahato was walking along the roadside when a bus driver and conductor verbally abused him, employing language that disrupts communal harmony, and attempted to physically assault him. Mahato has lodged a formal complaint against them with the Baneshwar police circle.

On Sunday, around 12:00 noon, the conductor and driver of a ‘Sundarimai Yatayat’ bus (Ba 2 Kha 4534) stopped on the side of the road in Tinkune, Kathmandu. They treated Mahato disrespectfully, referring to him as ‘bhaiya’ and using obscene language. When Mahato questioned the mistreatment, both bus personnel attempted to physically harm him.

“This incident is not an isolated occurrence for me. All Madhesis have been subjected to such insults against our ethnic identity. The unfortunate reality of being demeaned with terms like ‘bhaiya,’ ‘Bihari,’ and ‘Marsiya,’ relegating us to second-class citizens based on our attire, appearance, and speech, has sadly become commonplace,” Mahato remarked.

He has urgently appealed for the immediate arrest of the culprits and their subsequent prosecution.

Various organizations, including the Madhesi Commission, Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), and Madhesi Journalist Society Nepal, have called upon the relevant authorities to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure justice for Mahato.

Nepal and Germany on Tuesday signed financial and technical cooperation agreements on Euros 56,000,000.

Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Finance Shreekrishna Nepal and Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Nepal Dr Thomas Prinz signed the agreements on behalf of their respective governments.

The grant was the sum pledged by the Federal Republic of Germany in 2022.

The financial cooperation agreement shall support the private and public sector to expand energy transmission lines, to promote solar energy, gender equality and to improve maternal care and childcare in remote areas in Nepal, reads a statement issued by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kathmandu.  

The technical cooperation agreement focuses to support gender equality and social inclusion in Nepal and local and provincial economic development - especially in Western Nepal (together with the European Union and Finland).

Moreover, the Agreement shall promote renewable energy and energy efficiency, strengthen quality infrastructure for sustainable economic development and support the health sector strategy in Nepal, according to the statement.

The Federal Republic of Germany has consistently contributed to Nepal’s development efforts in diverse ways over the years. It has been actively contributing to the fields of energy, health, good governance as well as aiding Nepal in meeting its Sustainable Development Goals. Through this grant, the German Government targets to further enhance its commitment and continue its valuable support to the people of Nepal.

“Our friendship with Nepal is deeply cherished. Germany has been supporting Nepal’s hydropower and energy endeavors, among others, since long. Through collaboration and support, we aim to contribute to its continued progress and prosperity,” said Ambassador Dr Thomas Prinz on the occasion, the statement reads.

The year 2023 marked the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Germany.

The traders and businesspersons of New Road area have protested after the Kathmandu Metropolitan City banned vehicle parking in the area.

The entrepreneurs protested by closing all shutters of shops in the area after the KMC announced 'no parking area' there from today. Earlier, vehicles were being parked at the New Road area.

Chairperson of Nepal National Federation of Entrepreneurs, Kumar Karki, said entrepreneurs of New Road area are in problems after the KMC decided to remove parking in an unscientific manner.

He mentioned, "Ban of vehicle parking in the area has added more problems at a time when there is no good business."

The KMC has removed vehicles parked in the New Road area from this morning. Chief of KMC Police, Raju Nath Pandey, shared that the decision to ban vehicle parking at New Road area was taken to ease the movement of people and ease crowds at the area.

He added they have made arrangements for a free parking facility at Kathmandu Tower where 300 four-wheelers and 700 two-wheelers could be parked. The KMC carried out a special cleanliness of parking prohibited area this morning.

The Nepali market is saturated with things. Even though we import most products, there is no dearth of items to fit every taste and budget. But, we believe, shopping shouldn’t just be about accumulating things. The stuff you bring into your house should have a story to tell, it should bring joy, and if you can help someone in the process then that’s even better. Here, we recommend three cool places to shop. From stationery and household items to clothes and other accessories, you will find everything you need at these stunning stores.

Maya ko Chino

Located at Jhamsikhel chowk in Lalitpur, Maya ko Chino is a quaint little store that houses a lot of things. There are macrame decorations, ceramic items like cups, jugs, and bowls, copper and steel kitchen items, notebooks made from recycled paper, and knitwear, among other things. It’s a collective store that promotes handmade products from different parts of Nepal. Some local brands that feature prominently at the store include Joba Knitwear, Eco Sathi Nepal, Yellow Hatti, Saboo: Nepal, and We Will Rise Collective. All the items are well-made and thus durable. We guarantee you will want to browse the store thoroughly and won’t be able to leave empty-handed. While you are there, say hi to the owner’s much-pampered pooch, whom she took in from the streets a few years ago, and can now be found lounging in the store. She’s a sweetheart.

The Local Project Nepal

When The Local Project was launched in 2017, as a platform for native and indigenous products, it was perhaps the first of its kind. Their main aim is to provide customers with a wide range of locally made products that are of good quality and sustainable. They believe in fair wages and are driven by their desire to provide local artisans and entrepreneurs with sustainable livelihoods. They also focus on empowering women and socially excluded groups as well as promoting the concepts of recycling and upcycling. Besides their line of products, they have items from Yatri Supply Kathmandu, Riti Riti, Suiro Teas, Mheecha, Alchi, and The White Yak, among others. The Local Project Nepal has two outlets: one in Jhamsikhel, Lalitpur, inside Evoke Café premises, and the other in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, inside Le Sherpa Restaurant. Both the outlets are closed on Mondays. Le Sherpa hosts a farmer’s market on Saturdays and this can be a great time to visit The Local Project outlet there.

Dhukuti

For home décor and crafts, Dhukuti in Kupondole, Lalitpur, can become your one-stop solution. Spread across three floors, opposite the newly-opened Himalayan Java in Kupondole, Dhukuti is the retail store of the Association of Craft Producers which is a fair-trade organization in Nepal that supports low-income artisans with the production process as well as marketing. At Dhukuti, you can buy bed sheets and covers, tableware, wooden furniture, metal furniture, tote bags and pouches, ceramics, and paper crafts including gift bags and envelopes among many other things. Driven by a commitment to fair trade, ACP ensures that the things sold at Dhukuti adhere to the values of fairness and long-term sustainability. The shop is frequented by foreigners and locals alike, with the latter now showing a growing interest in it than ever before.

Jyoti Bikash Bank, through its CSR initiatives, has distributed Baby Warmer machines to 38 governmental and community hospitals across the country, benefiting over 6,000 infants during childbirth. The Nyano Nani Baby Warmers, domestically produced by the National Innovation Center led by Dr Mahabir Pun, were made possible through the ‘Hamro Bikash Prabardhan Kosh’, a fund established by Jyoti Bikash Bank to support CSR activities. 

In 2077, marking its 12th anniversary, the bank announced collaboration with the National Innovation Center. The phased distribution included 10 Nyano baby warmers in the first phase, 13 in the second, and 15 in the third, making a total of 38 Nyano baby warmers over three and a half years. “The initial goal of partnering with the National Innovation Center was to benefit hospitals and delivery cases, while also fostering the skills of youth to ideate and manufacture such equipment domestically,” the bank says.

In the first phase, the bank distributed the baby warmes in Kapilvastu Community Hospital in Kapilvastu, Madhyabindu District Hospital in Nawalpur, Mahakali Zonal Hospital in Kanchanpur, Pyuthan District Hospital in Pyuthan, Primary Health Center in Mahottari, Amda Hospital in Jhapa, District Hospital in Khotang, Samari health post in Nuwakot, Beni Hospital in Myagdi and Burtibang Primary Health Center in Baglung. 

In the second phase baby warmers were distributed in Lipanibirta Health post in Parwanipur, Hetauda Hospital in Hetauda, Betini Community Health post in Phaparbari, Chandranigahpur Hospital in Chandranigahpur, Inaruwa in Sunsari Hospitals, Chiuridanda Health Chowki in Khotang, Kalpavriksha Health post in Sindhuli, Bhingri Primary Health Center in Pyuthan, Mahadevpuri Health Chowki in Banke, District Hospital in Bardia, Health Service Office in Jajarkot, Deurali Primary Health Center in Nuwakot and Shishuwa Hospital in Kaski.

“In the third phase, the bank will provide services to Baksila Health Chowki in Khotang, Okhaldhunga Community Hospital in Okhaldhunga, District Hospital in Ilam, Khairhani Nagar Hospital in Chitwan, Tharpu Health Chowki in Tanahun, Baghoda Hospital in Chitwan, Dodhara Primary Health Center in Kanchanpur, Sisahnia Health Post in Dang, Harnaiya Health Post in Rupandehi, Pheta Health Post in Bara, Mahakali Health Post in Nuwakot, Abukhareni Hospital in Tanahun, Nepal Family Planning Association Health Center in Itahari, Khadgbhanjyang Health Post in Nuwakot and Zarbutya Health Post in Surkhet Zarbutya Health Post,” says the bank.