Submit your Article

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has expressed grief over the demise of literary writer Lil Bahadur Kshetri and extended homage to his departed soul.

The Prime Minister took to the social networking site, Facebook, to pay respect to the departed soul and express deep condolences to the bereaved family members, relatives and literary fraternity.

Lil Bahadur Kshetri's novel, Basain, touched the hearts of every college student once upon a time. His 'Basain' and other novels describe the pang of migration of entire villages from Nepal to Sikkim, Assam, Meghalaya and Bhutan during World War II.

"His novel 'Bahmaputra Ko Kinara', which won India's prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award, also tells the story of the struggle of Nepalis in northeast India", the Prime Minister wrote while posting an image of writer Kshetry and the cover page of his literary piece 'Basain'.

Kshetry passed away last night at the age of 93 in Assam's capital Guwahati.

 President Donald Trumpon Thursday threatened a 200% tariff on European wine, Champagne and spirits if the European Union goes forward with a planned tariff on American whiskey.

The European tariff, which was unveiled in response to steel and aluminum tariffs by the U.S. administration, is expected to go into effect on April 1, just ahead of separate reciprocal tariffs that Trump plans to place on the EU.

But Trump, in a morning social media post, vowed a new escalation in his trade war if the EU goes forward with the planned 50% tariff on American whiskey.

“If this Tariff is not removed immediately, the U.S. will shortly place a 200% Tariff on all WINES, CHAMPAGNES, & ALCOHOLIC PRODUCTS COMING OUT OF FRANCE AND OTHER E.U. REPRESENTED COUNTRIES,” Trump wrote. “This will be great for the Wine and Champagne businesses in the U.S."

The U.S. president has defined his opening weeks in the White House with near daily drama regarding tariffs, saying that taxing imports might cause some economic pain but would eventually lead to more domestic manufacturing and greater respect for America.

As of now, Europe seems unwilling to back down.

“Trump is escalating the trade war he has chosen,” Laurent Saint-Martin, the French delegate minister for foreign trade, said on X. “France, together with the European Commission and our partners, is determined to fight back. We will not give in to threats and will always protect our industries.”

Trump’s latest tariff threats suggested that even companies that have publicly stood by him could be collateral damage, raising questions about whether the wider business community would be willing to openly challenge a series of trade wars that have hurt the stock market and scared consumers who worry about inflation worsening.

Bernard Arnault, the CEO of French luxury goods company LVMH, attended Trump’s inauguration in January. His company’s wine and spirits brands, which include Moët & Chandon, Krug, Veuve Clicquot and Hennessy, could be subject to the retaliatory tariffs the U.S. president is seeking. The Italian company Campari could also be hurt, after the White House highlighted it at Tuesday’s press briefing for possibly opening a U.S. factory.

The Republican president on Wednesday had signaled that he intended to take the tariffs action.

“Of course I will respond,” Trump told reporters during an Oval Office exchange with reporters.

Trump, in announcing the new steel and aluminum tariffs on Wednesday, openly challenged U.S. allies and vowed to take back wealth “stolen” by other countries, and he drew quick retaliation.

He has separate tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, with plans to also tax imports from the European Union, Brazil and South Korea by charging “reciprocal” rates starting on April 2.

The EU announced its own countermeasures. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that as the United States was “applying tariffs worth 28 billion dollars, we are responding with countermeasures worth 26 billion euros,” or about $28 billion.

Those measures cover not just steel and aluminum products but also textiles, home appliances and agricultural goods.

European Commission spokesman Olof Gill said Thursday shortly before Trump’s announcement that the EU was “prepared for whatever might come, and we have been preparing for over a year.”

“We call on the U.S. to immediately revoke the tariffs imposed yesterday, and we want to negotiate to avoid tariffs in the future,” Gill added. “They bring nothing but lose-lose outcomes, and we want to focus on win-win outcomes.”

U.S. whiskey makers, meanwhile, urged Trump to broker a deal. 

“The US-EU spirits sector is the model for fair and reciprocal trade, having zero-for-zero tariffs since 1997,” Chris Swonger, president and CEO of the Distilled Spirits Council, said in a statement. “We urge President Trump to secure a spirits agreement with the EU to get us back to zero-for-zero tariffs, which will create U.S. jobs and increase manufacturing and exports for the American hospitality sector. We want toasts not tariffs.”

When Europe responded to Trump’s 2018 tariffs with a 25% tax on U.S. whiskey, exports to the EU fell by 20% through 2021, according to the Distilled Spirits Council. Trump’s separate 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico could put 31,000 jobs at risk in the sector. AP

Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba has reached New Delhi, the capital city of India, on Thursday afternoon on a visit.

According to her secretariat, the foreign minister reached New Delhi following her prayers and worships at Baba Baidhyanath Dham in Jharkhand, India.

Upon her arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, Munu Mahawar and Nepali Ambassador to India, Dr Shanker Sharma had welcomed Minister Rana.

During her visit, Minister Rana is scheduled to participate in the Raisina Dialogue programme organized by The Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in New Delhi from March 17 to 19 in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs of India.

Additionally, she will address separate sessions titled 'Status and Problems of Climate Change and What the South wants?' on behalf of Nepal, apart from addressing the 'Digital Public Infrastructure Conclave'.

Moreover, Minister Rana is also scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with her Indian counterpart Dr S Jaishankar and counterparts from other friendly countries, her secretariat informed.

Prime Ministers, foreign ministers, leaders and policy makers from various countries across the world will participate in the Raisina Dialogue.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has extended warm greetings and best wishes on the occasion of Phagu Poornima or Holi to all Nepalis living at home and abroad.

Taking to his social media account, he has expressed his best wishes to all Nepali brothers and sisters, calling the festival of joy and enthusiasm also as Basantaotsav and Madanotsav.

Stating that Phagu Poornima is celebrated during the full moon of the spring season and considered the day of the renaissance of nature, Prime Minister Oli has said in his Facebook page, "Best wishes to everyone on the occasion of Phagu Poornima, the festival of joy and enthusiasm. Happy Holi!"