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Nepal Police have urged the users not to employ VPN and DNS platforms for the operation of government-banned social site, TikTok.

The police cautioned the people for not using illegal and unsafe VPN and DNS platforms as it may result in the theft and loss of their secret and sensitive data.

It may be noted that the Nepal government on November 13 had decided to completely ban the operations of social site, TikTok.

The Nepal Police have called for the users to not use unlawful and unsafe platforms such as VPN, DNS.

The Nepal Police cyber security bureau said it is most sensitive when the incidents of cybercrime are increasing of late.

A wild tusker killed an elderly man in Jhapa.

The deceased has been identified as Padmalal Tamang (72). He has been residing in Bhutanese refugee camp at Beldangi, Damak.

Chief of Division Forest Office, Jhapa, Meghraj Rai said that the wild elephant had attacked Tamang in Humsedumse Community Forest nearby the camp on Tuesday evening.

Tamang has been residing in hut number 252 of sector two in the camp. He had entered the forest area for firewood.

Chief Rai informed that Tamang was found dead in the forest.

The search was intensified when he did not return home till the evening.

Likewise, a wild tusker has demolished a cemented wall of the house of Bishal Dahal in Mechinagar municipality-11.

Dahal reported that the elephant from the Bansbari Community Forest broke the wall, entered the house and ate up 400-kg paddy and 200-kg rice.

India handed over the fourth tranche of earthquake relief support of essential medical supplies to the Government of Nepal.

The support comprising vital medicines and equipment is based on the requirement shared by the Nepal Medical Association,

Till now India has provided over 34 tons of emergency relief materials to the earthquake affected families of Jajarkot and surrounding areas, reads a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.  

India’s humanitarian response to the Jajarkot earthquake affirms its commitment to support Nepal under the Neighborhood First Policy.

India will continue to support the relief efforts in Nepal based on the assessment and priorities outlined by the Government of Nepal.

China has refused the alleged corruption in the construction of Pokhara International Airport.

In responding to a question about Nepal’s reported investigation by Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said she was not aware of the reported internal review in Nepal but what the report mentioned was inconsistent with facts.

Since the inauguration of the airport, which was built by a Chinese enterprise, all facilities have been operating smoothly, playing an active role in improving Nepal’s domestic and international air connectivity, she said.

“The Chinese government always asks our companies to strictly abide by laws and regulations in doing business overseas. Pokhara International Airport is an important infrastructure project in China-Nepal cooperation and hailed in Nepal as a project of national honor,” Mao said. 

“According to my knowledge, Chinese companies took into full consideration the local situation, followed the quality standards strictly during the design and construction, and kept complete records,” the spokesperson said. 

Former foreign minister Bhesh Bahadur Thapa’s autobiography ‘Rastra-Pararastra: Ekatadekhi Ganatantrasamma’ was launched amidst a program on Tuesday.

The book has incorporated Thapa’s experiences from Panchayat System to Republic and the issues of contemporary politics.

Book’s author Thapa, co-author Hari Bahadur Thapa, federal lawmaker duo Swarnim Wagle and Sumana Shrestha, journalist and writer Sudhir Sharma jointly launched the book this afternoon.

Before being elected as the foreign minister, Thapa had served as member secretary of the then Planning Council, Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank, finance secretary and ambassador to India and the US.

Similarly, he also led the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) from Nepal side after the promulgation of the new Constitution.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal warned that if we could not stop global rise in temperature, there could be a serious and adverse impact on the prospects of climate resilient development in developing countries like Nepal.

Addressing the national conference on climate change here today, PM Dahal warned that there could be a rise in the cases of climate change-induced disasters, food security crisis and scarcity of potable water.

The national conference is organized to form a common viewpoint on the position paper to be prepared by Nepal and presented in the upcoming global climate change conference.

The conference was organized by the Ministry of Forests and Environment.

A team led by PM Dahal is leaving here for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to participate in the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP-28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) scheduled to run from November 30 to December 12 in Dubai, UAE.

During the COP28, Nepal will eloquently lobby the rich and developed countries of the world to fulfill their commitments to limit the increase in global temperature, pledged PM Dahal.

"Nepal would also put forth its claim on climate action as well as speedy and full implementation of the agreement to provide climate financing as grant for climate adaptation and resilience," he assured.

Stating that Nepal was highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, PM Dahal said, "We are facing multifaceted challenges induced by changing climate. The time table, nature and quantity of monsoon rain are massively changing, the temperature of the atmosphere is rising and natural disasters are increasing among others."

The Head of the Government further shed light on the climate change related challenges facing Nepal as saying, "The glaciers are melting and exploding, landslides and dry droughts are increasing in hilly areas and incidents of flood are rampant in Terai region. Due to global warming, two-thirds of the glaciers of the mountains in our region are melting."

Scientists, in a study Hindukush Himalaya Assessment, have warned that the two-third of Himalaya glaciers, the world's Third Pole, could melt by 2100 if global emission are not reduced or controlled timely.

PM Dahal stated that impoverished families, small time farmers, marginalized ethnic communities, women, children, elderly people and physically-challenged ones were most vulnerable to the climate change.

He further asserted that climate change had massively impacted thematic areas such as agriculture, hydro resources and tourism as well as food security, health, water supply, means of livelihood and security sectors that contribute to the national economy.

According to him, due to the decline in the socio-economic sector, increasing health and food security problems, there was a likelihood of an increase in the climate crisis and risks in future.

Nepal, in its capacity as a state party to the UNFCCC, is participating in the dialogue process of the states parties.

The PM said that dialogue is continuously taking place with the international community on challenges of climate change and opportunities via various forums, stating that COP-28 is approaching as both a challenge and an important opportunity to make this dialogue richer and result-oriented.

The Prime Minister also stated that Nepal has made arrangements for and formulated and implemented programs related to the appropriate policy, legal and institutional and financial provisions for promoting climate resilience as per the provisions of UNFCCC.

PM Dahal said the National Climate Change Policy 2076, the Environment Conservation Act 2076 and Regulations 2077, the National Framework on Local Adaptation Plan of Action 2076, the Climate Resilience Plan and Budget Formulation Directive 2077 and the Climate Change Related Gender and Social Inclusion Strategy and Action Plan 2077/2078 have been formulated and implemented.

"The National Adaptation Plan 2021-2050 and the Nationally Determined Contribution in line with the Paris Agreement will make us further stronger. The leadership of the federal, provincial and local levels and the support and collaboration of development partners and stakeholder agencies are needed for implementing the national policy, plans and programs on climate change adaptation and mitigation that we have prepared to fight the climate change effects and impact," he asserted.

The PM also called on the national and international organizations to focus their cooperation towards the programs contained in the National Adaptation Plan and the Nationally Determined Contribution Implementation Plan that have been prepared by including our needs and priorities.

He mentioned that Nepal called attention of the world community through the 78th UNGA held this year to provide the climate financing as climate justice to Nepal and the LDCs.

PM Dahal said that in his upcoming address at COP28, he plans to address significant issues such as climate finance, adaptation, transfer of mountaineering technology and capacity building, loss and damage, and climate empowerment. These issues, crucial to Nepal's sustainable development and environmental preservation, deserve attention and action on the global stage.

"The recent visit of UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres to the Khumbu region serves as a poignant reminder of the urgent need to address climate change issues faced by Nepal. Guterres's inspection of the impacts of climate change and interactions with local communities contribute significantly to globalizing the problems faced by this region. It amplifies Nepal's call for recognition and support in the international community's efforts to combat climate change," he added.

Prime Minister Dahal also reflected on his address at the 76th United Nations General Assembly in New York, where he highlighted the profound impacts of climate change in Nepal. This reiteration underscores the government's dedication to addressing climate-related challenges and implementing initiatives for the development of tourism infrastructure in vulnerable regions such as Khumbu.

"There is a need for changing the structural system to incorporate the financial grants provided for the promotion of adaptability, upliftment and loss and damage concept in the government budgetary system in a line with the national interests of Nepal, but not in the interests of superpower nations and donors," said the PM. Such grants Nepal receives as climate justice have not been mobilized in the national interests as they are directly gone to the hands of social organizations, and individuals, which they spend as per their own interests, being excluded from the government's regulatory system, he said.

Initiatives would be taken in receiving such grants directly to the state fund by stopping the practice of distributing and spending them randomly, he said.

Stressing the need for drawing the global attention to identify and address problems of Himalayan nations, the PM clarified that Nepal would strategically raise the problems facing the Himalayan nations with the same problems, and take a leadership to make a strategy for cooperation.

Strong pressure would be created through cooperation among the countries with the same climate problems for the world's major carbon emitters to immediately reduce emissions, to remind the developed countries to provide climate finance, increase financial grants and address loss and damage, he said.

Maintaining that Nepal needs USD 21 billion for the implementation of adaptation priorities by 2030, he emphasized the need for Nepal to lay the claim in a factual manner for the country's easy access to the established adaptation fund.

Least developed countries like Nepal should strongly advocate to simplify the application process for their access to the green climate fund and other funds, remove capacity barriers and improve direct access to the climate fund, said the PM.

"There is a challenge to bring in benefits from the international climate finance mechanism. On the other hand, there is a need to focus on invest in concrete programs and activities while effectively mobilizing climate finance within the country and reaching out to the affected areas and communities."

The conflict-affected communities have demanded the passage of the proposed bill to amend the transitional justice act immediately and the establishment of a credible and victim-centered commission on transitional justice.

Although the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) enters into the 18th year of its signing, ending the decade-long armed conflict, the conflict survivors have been denied justice so far, they have complained.

In a statement issued today by various 20 related organizations, including the Conflict Victims Common Platform and the Conflict Victim Women National Network, they have demanded justice by immediately endorsing the bill and establishing a credible commission centering the victims. 

"A commission should be formed after forming an independent and impartial recommendation committee for the establishment of a credible and victim-centered transitional justice mechanism. We want to draw the serious attention of the government to ensure the rights of truth, justice and reparation and implement the reparation-related programs based on the short and long-term needs of the victimized communities," read the statement.

The affected communities have demanded that the parliamentary committee and the entire parliament pass the bill tabled to amend the act that is sub-judice in the parliament by using their sovereign rights in a way that is compatible with the comprehensive peace agreement, the verdict of the Supreme Court, the concerns of the victimized communities and the state's international human rights law.

The sub-committee formed under the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee of the House of Representatives tabled the bill in the committee around five months later.

Twenty members of the National Assembly, the Upper House of the Federal Parliament, including Chair Ganesh Prasad Timilsina are retiring on March 4, 2024.

The National Assembly has 59 members and the six-year term of one-third of them is ending on March 4. They belong to the group of members whose term was determined through a draw for the first time after the formation of the Assembly in 2074 BS.

Also called the Elders' House, the National Assembly plays an important role in enriching the bills and legislations, holding rich discussions and giving its feedback, suggestion and advice on the decisions of the House of Representatives, the Lower House of parliament. The Assembly which is alleged of becoming only the shadow of the Lower House has, however, sometimes sent messages to the HoR calling for review on some important bills.

Those members whose term is terminating on coming March 4 include Anita Devkota, Jitendra Narayan Dev, Prakash Pantha and Ramesh Jung Rayamajhi of the Nepali Congress, Indu Kadariya, Deepa Gurung, Dil Kumari Rawal, Kumar Dasaundi, Narapati Luwar, Bhairab Sundar Shrestha and Ram Chandra Rai of the CPN (UML) and Bina Pokharel, Mahesh Kumar Mahara and Hariram Chaudhary of the CPN (Maoist Centre), Pramila Kumari of the Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP), Nanda Chapain and Singa Bahadur Bishwakarma of the CPN (Unified Socialist), Dr Khim Lal Devkota (Independent) and Dr Bimala Paudyal who was nominated by the President.

Among them, Dasaundi and Dr Devkota had been elected from the by-election held on February 8, 2023 for the remaining term after the resignation of Ram Bahadur Thapa and Khimlal Bhattarai.  

The term of all the National Assembly members, whose tenure was determined for two, four and six years through lottery system for the first time after the formation of the Assembly in 2074 BS, is expiring on March 4, 2024. Among them, eight belong to the CPN-UML, four to Nepali Congress, three to Maoist Center, two to Unified Socialist and one to JSP while one each is an independent and nominated.

Meanwhile, the election to pick new members will be held in January.