RPP to hold Central Committee meeting from Dec 17
The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has decided to hold its Central Committee meeting on December 17-19 in Kathmandu.
Party senior leader Rajaram Shrestha said the meeting has been summoned to endorse the party's new regulations after discussing its draft. The meeting is likely to reshuffle roles and responsibilities of some party leaders.
During the party's unification convention, it was agreed to draft the party's new regulations. The meeting will discuss the party's candidacy in the upcoming National Assembly election announced for January 25 and the party's probable alliance with other political parties.
Similarly, the by-election of the House of Representatives to be held in Ilam is also the agenda of the meeting where party Chair Rajendra Lingden is scheduled to present a political report and general secretary Dhawal Shamsher Rana will float the party's organizational report.
Likewise, the meeting is expected to review the country's latest political, social and economic scenario and the party's presence in the Parliament. The meeting aims to prepare strategies for further strengthening of the party organization.
Gold price drops by Rs 700 per tola on Tuesday
The price of gold has dropped by Rs 700 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday.
According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 116, 300 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 117, 000 per tola on Monday.
Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 115, 750 per tola. It was traded at Rs 116, 450 per tola.
Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1,410 per tola today.
NHRC urges Karnali govt to protect quake survivors from cold
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the Karnali Province government to ensure essential arrangements for the quake-hit people who are now suffering from severe cold.
NHRC member Mihir Thakur, who visited the earthquake-affected Jajarkot and Rukum Paschim districts, met Province Minister for Internal Affairs and Law, Krishna Bahadur GC, here and made him aware about the biting cold that has been affecting people.
So far, 43 people living under the tents have lost their lives to cold, so urgent help was needed for the protection of lives.
Thakur met Minister GC on Monday and reminded that the number of fatalities would increase if timely assistance was not ensured. "People living with critical disease, pregnant and lactating women, children and senior ones who are living under the tents were hit hard by the cold. The province government needs proper attention to this regard," he underscored.
According to him, the Jajarkot District Hospital had shortage of workforce and medicines, while the quake survivors had not received even the first tranche of monetary support as announced by the government to construct temporary houses.
"Relief distribution was not transparent. Handful of bigwigs influenced the distribution," Thakur added
According to him, the province government could establish reconstruction authority and forward activities accordingly.
However, Minister GC accused the federal government of not allowing rights to province government for reconstruction of the quake-hit areas. Despite this, the province government had allocated Rs 1 billion for the construction of temporary houses for the quake survivors, he shared.
Conservationists worry over mountains turning bare
The conservationists and climate activists have expressed worry over the mountains turning bare across the country.
Reasoning that snow melt at fast pace has denuded mountains, thereby affecting the entire ecosystem, they urged all sides concerned to continue efforts to minimize the impacts of climate change.
"Owing to global heating, mountains are losing snow cover. It will turn mountain climbing to mere rock climbing," warned Dr Ghanashyam Gurung, Chief of World Wildlife Fund in Nepal and conservationist, stressing that there is no option but to adopt and scale up measures for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
He was expressing such views during a session focused on fading snow cover and impacts on livelihood in the ongoing International Mountain Festival in Pokhara on Monday. Gurung said Nepal was witnessing fast melting of snow, thereby leaving the mountain bare.
He further viewed local initiatives are imperative to minimize the climate change impacts to which Nepal has negligible role. "Only culprit behind climate change are rich and industrialized countries. However, Nepal must not stay idle, but build moral ground to voice concern to the international community," Gurung opined.
Another speaker Dr Amina Maharjan, who is an expert on livelihood and migration, argued that mountains turning bare are the growing concerns not only of Nepal but of the entire Hindu Kush region. "Ecology, agriculture, tourism, and health are receiving negative impacts of climate change," she said, stressing the need for proper adaptation to minimize the worsening situation.
The flash flood occurred in Seti River in 2012 and the floods in Kagbeni some months back were caused by climate change, according to her.
She expressed worry about inadequate discussions and research on climate change impacts on health. Spread of disease and health related problems are rising of late, she made aware. Nepal should make its voice heard in the global arena to receive compensation under the Loss and Damage Fund, she recommended.
Noted journalist Kunda Dixit viewed time has come to term climate change a 'climate crisis'. Even the economic and political angles of the climate crisis should be discussed and understood well, he suggested.
He further informed that problems of water are caused by climate change. As the rivers and water sources are drying up, it must be regarded as urgent by the government.
Dixit furnished suggestions to promote the use of renewable energy.
Out of total imports, 25 percent is petroleum products in Nepal.
Researcher on climate change and food security, Dr Jagannath Adhikari, viewed the mountain as having ties to Nepali culture. "Once a mountain loses snow, we lose culture," he argued, warning that Pokhara could no longer enjoy the majestic sight of snow-capped mountains.
Snow melt has direct relations to agricultural products. Both national and international initiatives must be continued to cope up with climate change impacts, he recommended.
Australia to halve immigration intake, toughen English test for students
The Australian government says it will halve the migration intake within two years in an attempt to fix the country's "broken" immigration system, BBC reported.
It aims to slash the annual intake to 250,000 - roughly in line with pre-pandemic levels - by June 2025.
Visa rules for international students and low-skilled workers will also be tightened under the new plan.
Migration has climbed to record levels in Australia, adding pressure to housing and infrastructure woes.
But there remains a shortage of skilled workers, and the country struggles to attract them.
Unveiling a new 10-year immigration strategy at a media briefing on Monday, Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said the migration system had been left "in tatters" by the previous government.
A review earlier this year found the system was "badly broken" - unnecessarily complex, slow and inefficient - and in need of "major reform".
A record 510,000 people came to Australia in the year to June 2023, but the minister said her government would "bring numbers back under control" and reduce the annual migration intake by around 50%, according to BBC.
Among the new measures are tougher minimum English-language requirements for international students, and more scrutiny of those applying for a second visa - they must prove that any further study would advance their academic aspirations or their careers. There are some 650,000 foreign students in Australia, with many of them on their second visa, according to official data.
The visa pathways for migrants with "specialist" or "essential" skills - like highly-skilled tech workers or care workers - have also been improved to offer better prospects of permanent residency.
The new policies will attract more of the workers Australia needs and help reduce the risk of exploitation for those who live, work and study in the country, Ms O'Neil said.
Opposition migration spokesman Dan Tehan has said that the government was too slow to adjust migration policies designed to help Australia recover from the pandemic.
"The horse has bolted when it comes to migration and the government not only cannot catch it but cannot find it," he said at the weekend.
The Labor government's popularity has dwindled since its election last year, and in recent weeks it has been under pressure from some quarters to temporarily reduce migration to help ease Australia's housing crisis, BBC reported.
However others, like the Business Council of Australia, have said migrants are being used as a scapegoat for a lack of investment in affordable housing and decades of poor housing poli
Gajurel resigns over serious differences
Kathmandu: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s political advisor and a close confidante during the decade-long insurgency and after, Haribol Gaurel, has resigned in the wake of “some serious differences” with the head of the government. Gajurel said he put in papers a week ago after the PM turned down his suggestions on politics and governance.
The Cabinet is yet to endorse his resignation, though.
Multiple sources informed that Gajurel resigned after PM Dahal did not heed his suggestions on issues related to governance and politics. A source said Gajurel resigned as holding on to the job was likely to give rise to more disputes with PM Dahal.
Nearly 200 Nepalis have joined Russian army, claims PM Dahal
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has claimed that nearly 200 Nepalis, who had gone to Russia on student and tourist visas, have joined the Russian army to earn money.
Addressing the office-bearers meeting of the Press Center in the Capital on Monday, the Prime Minister said that he got the information that 200 Nepalis have joined the Russian army.
He further said that some Nepalis serving in the Russian army are under the control of Kyiv’s forces.
Prime Minister Dahal went on to say that he has even got the information that some Nepalis have also joined the Ukrainian army and the government is studying about the same.
Six Nepalis serving in the Russian army had died during the Russian-Ukraine war.
The government has already sent a letter to the Russian government to hand over the bodies to the Nepal government.
The government has also urged the Russian government not to recruit its citizens into the Russian army.
Meanwhile, police have arrested 12 persons for their alleged involvement in sending people to Russia illegally.
PM Dahal slams 'plot' to mislead people through disinformation
Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that conspiracies were being hatched to mislead the people by spreading disinformation in various ways.
Addressing the third plenary meeting of office-bearers of Press Center Nepal today, he said the media has a key responsibility to stop the propaganda and provide true information to the people.
The PM alleged that elements that do not like the federal democratic republic have been spreading fake, unfounded and misleading propaganda against the government and its leadership in recent times, urging the media to counter this by giving true and factual information.
Stating that the Prime Minister has been carrying out works in favor of the nation, people, constitution and democracy with determination, PM Dahal said the powers that are growing nervous from the pro-people works initiated by the government were unnecessarily spreading misinformation.
Prime Minister Dahal said that he came to know about the sale of shares of Ncell, the private sector telecommunication service provider, in course of the UN Climate Summit, COP 28, organized in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and had immediately directed the bodies concerned to carry out an investigation in that connection.
"I heard of the transaction of Ncell's shares when I was in the UAE. I cautiously conducted a probe into this. On the next day after I returned back to the country, I instructed the officials, including the Chief Secretary, to carry out a study on what impact it (the sale of Ncell's shares) will have on Nepal's tax system, on foreign investment and on the provision of the Government of Nepal taking ownership of the company after some years," he said.
He said that he also held discussions within the ruling coalition on this topic considering the sensitivity and seriousness of the transaction of Ncell's shares which seemed unusual. "I put forth a proposal during the discussions that there is fault in the buy-and-sell of the shares and it should be investigated, the truth found out and we should move ahead with determination for the interest of the nation, people and the country's economy," he added.
According to him, all parties in the ruling coalition agreed in the discussion that the government should investigate the sale of shares.
On a different note, PM Dahal asserted that the present ruling coalition will last for its full term and also reiterated his commitment to move forward with a new strategy for the upcoming year, making an assessment of the current one year.
Maoist Center Vice-Chairman and spokesperson Agni Prasad Sapkota, Press Center leader Maheshwor Dahal, PM's press advisor Govinda Acharya, among other leaders, attended the meeting.
