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Media Action Nepal (MAN), an organization which has been working for the last eight years to promote freedom of expression and media development in Nepal, has established press awards to recognize the invaluable work of journalists, press freedom advocates and media educators. Named ‘Media Action Nepal-Press Awards’, MAN, a member of the Media Freedom Coalition-Consultative Network, has established the honors to acknowledge exceptional individuals active in the fields of journalism, media training and education, media development and protection of media rights. The awards will be conferred every year under three categories – journalism, press freedom and media education – on MAN’s foundation day, that is, December 21, and will carry a purse of Rs. 25,000 each. They will also include a certificate of appreciation. According to MAN Chairperson Laxman Datt Pant, this award is pertinent step to appreciate and encourage the development of a free and responsible media in Nepal. “At a time when independent journalism continues to come under attack from many visible and invisible forces and media’s credibility is regularly questioned by various elements of the state and society, we hope this award shines a light on the distinguished individuals doing their best to foster a media environment that can speak truth to power, is empowered with the rights it needs to ask the necessary questions and is accountable to the people,” he said. In 2023 however, as the first year of conferral, MAN will provide a single award incorporating all three categories. This year’s award will be conferred on senior advocate Borna Bahadur Karki. Karki is the former chairperson of Press Council Nepal and has been a champion of freedom of expression and media freedom for many years. During his time in the Press Council, as well as before and after that, he has contributed to the strengthening of Nepal’s media sector in many ways. He will be awarded amid a program to be organized in Kathmandu on Monday, January 10. Since its inception in 2015, MAN has been contributing to the cause of independent and responsible press through research, dialogue, advocacy, publication and documentation and capacity building of journalists in collaboration with national and international organizations. It is present in all seven provinces of the nation and has worked with over 5,000 Nepali journalists to date. It has also maintained an international presence, most notably through the Media Freedom Coalition and continues to present Nepal’s media perspective and raise its voices at the global level.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal held a meeting with CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairman Madhav Kumar Nepal and Janata Samajwadi Party Chairman Upendra Yadav on Sunday. During the meeting held at the Parliamentary Party office of CPN (Maoist Center) in Singhadurbar this morning, the leaders discussed vote of confidence and other contemporary political issues, according to the Prime Minister's Secretariat. On the occasion, PM Dahal, also the Chairperson of the Maoist Centre, urged both Nepal and Yadav to give him the vote of confidence to continue his prime ministerial position. Dahal, who was elected the PM with the support of 169 lawmakers on 25 December, is scheduled to take the vote of confidence on Tuesday. There is a provision in the Constitution of Nepal that the PM should take the vote of confidence within 30 days of being appointed to the post.  

Rastriya Prajatantra Party Chairman Rajendra Lingden and Janamat Party Chairman CK Raut held a meeting with CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli in Balkot on Sunday. During the meeting held this morning, they discussed power sharing, contemporary political issues and the vote of confidence to be taken by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Oli told Lingden and Raut that Prime Minister Dahal should be given the vote of confidence. Saying that they made Dahal the prime minister by breaking the ruling coalition, Oli urged them to give the vote of confidence to Dahal without thinking of another alternative, a source at Balkot said. Prime Minister Dahal is confident that Oli will give him the vote of confidence. The trio also discussed the Common Minimum Program of the government. The prime minister needs 138 seats for a majority in the 275-member federal Parliament. Prime Minister Dahal, who is also the Chairman of the CPN (Maoist Center) has the support of more than 169 lawmakers.

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya has said the election to the House of Representatives and Province Assembly have contributed to institutionalize democracy. Inaugurating the Bagmati Province level election review program at Dolakha today, he said the review program will provide guidance as to making the elections more systematic in the coming days. The Chief Election Commissioner stressed that election is won on the basis of principles, integrity and ideology. "Suggestions were collected through consultations at the rural municipality level for making the voter list unblemished. We believe that the voter roll was flawless," he said, adding that if there are any errors in the voter list, you yourself are responsible for that. “I do not believe in the conjectures that the names of dead people were included in the voter list and votes were cast in their names in Dolakha. If that is the case, please explain how it happened and express the reality here”, CEC Thapaliya said on the occasion. Election Commission Under Secretary Kamal Gyawali had made a presentation on the election-related data, good practices, problems and challenges during the November 20 election. The Chief Election Officer, the Chief District Officer, chiefs of the district-based security bodies and the stakeholders were present in the review program. Group discussions will be held on voter lists, the voting process, human resources, election materials management, monitoring, election laws, monitoring of social sites, voter education, election observation, information technology use, gender inclusion, among other topics.