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US Ambassador to Nepal Dean R. Thompson called on Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka on Monday.

During the meeting held at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, various issues of Nepal-US relations including support to the development of the energy sector of Nepal were discussed.

Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba said that the Government of Nepal was making utmost efforts for the safe release of Bipin Joshi, a Nepali student in Israel, supposedly under the control of Hamas militant group.

Minister Rana shared this to the father of the missing Joshi, Mahananda Joshi, and his family members in a meeting held at the Ministry in Singha Durbar today.

The family of missing Joshi appealed to the newly appointed Minister Rana to take initiatives for Bipin's release. 

During the meeting, Minister Rana said that she received the information that Joshi was under the control of Hamas group and was safe.

The Minister also informed the visiting family that they came to learn that all those taken under control by Hamas after the attack in Israel were safe and her Ministry was making utmost efforts for Joshi's release.

The Minister said that she recently took stock of Joshi from the Israeli Ambassador to Nepal and all those held by the Hamas group following the attack were safe, Minister Rana said the Israeli envoy as saying.

According to her, the Israeli Ambassador was also working on the release of Joshi and assured that they were leaving no stone unturned for his release.

"We hope that he will be released safely from the control of Hamas," she expressed her hope.

According to her, she has been working on this issue ever since she assumed the office. She also admitted that she has been urging all foreign ambassadors who come to meet her for their necessary support and effort for the release of Bipin.

She recalled the appeals made with the Qatari Emir during this visit to Nepal for taking initiatives for Joshi's release. According to her, her Ministry will make an appeal with the Qatari government for necessary support towards this.

Joshi, who is reportedly under the control of the Hamas group, has been out of touch since the Hamas launched an attack on Israel last October.

Krishna Man Pradhan, who is proposed to the post of Election Commissioner, has informed the Parliamentary Hearing Committee that he wished to withdraw his candidacy to the proposed post.

In a letter to the Committee today, Pradhan said that despite his sincerity to the recommendation of the Constitutional Council, he did not have the motivation and wish to carry out works remaining in the post for which he has been recommended for in the midst of propaganda centered on him.

Through the letter, he has also expressed his commitment to remain honest towards any responsibility that the State provides him in future.

The Constitutional Council on June 16 proposed Pradhan's name for appointment to the post of Election Commissioner and forwarded a proposal to this connection to the Parliament Secretariat for parliamentary hearing.

The Committee conducted a hearing of Pradhan, the former Executive Director of Nepal Law Society, on July 24.

Four complaints were filed at the Committee against Pradhan charging him of violence against women.

A delegation led by Takebe Arata, Japanese parliamentarian, called on President Ram Chandra Paudel on Monday.

In the meeting held at the Office of the President, Sheetal Niwas today, President Paudel said to the visiting Japanese delegation that Nepal had a suitable environment for investment in sectors such as hydropower, tourism and agriculture.

Apprising that the Government of Nepal had recently reformed the law to create an enabling environment for investment, the Head of the State urged the Japanese investors to consider investment in Nepal, according to the Secretariat of President Paudel.

Expressing his gratitude towards Japan's 'unconditional and selfless' support towards Nepal, he thanked Japan's support especially in the areas of infrastructures, agriculture and health.

Mentioning that Nepal's relationship with Japan was culturally connected through the medium of Lord Buddha, the light of Asia, he viewed that the relation between Nepal and Japan was strong at people-to-people level as well.

He further asserted that the two countries shared a close bond due to the fact that both countries express the same voice in the international forums on the political agendas such as democracy, human rights and rule of law, stated the President's Secretariat.

Furthermore, President Paudel expressed his satisfaction over the performance of the Nepali students returning from Japan after learning skills there.

The Japanese delegation, on the occasion, drew the attention of President Paudel, towards enabling a favorable environment for the Japanese companies willing to invest in Nepal.

They shared that they were happy to meet Nepali students aspiring to travel to Japan for further studies who were eager to return home after learning skills there.

Arata, also Chairperson of Standing Committee on Judicial Affairs, House of Representatives in Japan, said that the Japanese delegations suggested the government of Nepal for economic decentralization and for creating a favorable environment for such returnees to retain in Nepal and work here.