Bus hit kills pedestrian in Makwanpur
A pedestrian died after being hit by a passenger bus at Master Chowk, Hetauda Sub-metropolitan City-9, Makwanpur, along the East-West Highway on Saturday.
The deceased has been identified as Ram Bahadur Bohara (37) of Devdaha Municipality-8, Rupandehi.
The bus (Ba Pra 03-001 Kha 2656) was heading towards Kathmandu from Janakpur when the incident occurred last night.
Seriously injured in the accident, he was taken to the Hetauda Hospital but the doctors pronounced him dead on arrival, Deputy Superintendent of Police Pushkar Bogati, spokesperson at the District Police Office, Makwanpur said.
Police have taken the bus driver, Sujay Kumar Singh (33) of Ramgopalpur Municipality-6, Mahottari under control for investigation.
Light rain, snowfall likely in Koshi and Gandaki Provinces
The weather will remain partly cloudy in the hilly areas of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces today. It will remain mainly fair in the rest of the provinces, says the Weather Forecasting Division.
There is a possibility of light rain and snowfall at one or two places of the mountainous regions of Koshi and Gandaki Provinces.
The meteorological analysis by the Division states that currently there is no significant effect of the weather system across the country.
Korean Embassy hosts Korean Food Festival in Kathmandu
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Nepal hosted a Korean Food Festival at the Ambassador's residence in Kathmandu on Saturday.
Nepali returnees from Korea and Global Korea Scholarship (GKS) Alumni participated and shared the memories of Korea through Korean food.
In his congratulatory remarks, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Nepal Taeyoung Park described the event as a valuable opportunity for returnee workers and GKS alumni to reconnect through Korean cuisine and share unforgettable memories of Korea with loved ones, reads a statement issued by the Korean Embassy in Kathmandu.
Ambassador Park expressed his gratitude to the participants and highlighted the growing influence of Korean culture in Nepal through K-Pop, K-dramas and K-Food. He emphasized that strengthening cultural ties between Korea and Nepal aims to provide an opportunity to relive their memories of Korea and share Korean food culture with friends and family in Nepal.
This event is part of the Korean government's ongoing Korea returnee worker's reintegration program, following the K-Food Entrepreneurship Training Program, organized in Kathmandu in August this year.
The Korean government pledged continued support for a sustainable start-up ecosystem for Nepali youth, aiming to create jobs and strengthen Nepal’s economy.
The event was attended by approximately 35 participants including Embassy staff.
International Relations Concern Community Launched to Promote Diplomatic Excellence
A new diplomatic initiative, the International Relations Concern Community (IRCC) Nepal, has been launched under the leadership of Dr. Hari Prakash Chand. The initiative aims to enhance the diplomatic acumen of the state and build a consensus on key issues of Nepal’s foreign policy.
The concept paper of IRCC Nepal was presented on Saturday during a seminar titled ‘Nepal’s Political System and Foreign Policy after the Gen-Z Movement.’ The paper emphasizes the urgent need to reform Nepal’s diplomatic appointment system to strengthen the nation’s international reputation.
“For the sake of Nepal’s international image, the appointment of diplomats representing the country must be conducted with utmost seriousness and careful consideration,” the paper states.
It warns that repeating past weak practices will only further deteriorate Nepal’s foreign affairs and diplomacy.
The concept paper proposes that Nepal adopt a merit-based system in which only qualified subject-matter experts are appointed as diplomats, following global standards and best practices.
According to the paper, eligible candidates should include:
- Professors or academic experts with a Ph.D. in International Relations, Diplomacy, Political Science, International Law, or Economics, who are actively engaged in teaching or research.
- Individuals holding a Ph.D. in any discipline with at least 15 years of service in the foreign service.
- For political appointments, those with a minimum of 15 years of active involvement and significant contributions in the foreign affairs departments of political parties, holding a Ph.D. in any field, or independent experts in the related disciplines.
- Individuals with at least 15 years of experience in other diplomatic missions, or those who have served as heads of diplomatic missions for at least one term.
- Researchers with a minimum of 10 years of experience in foreign affairs–related think tanks.
- Individuals who have led missions in international peacekeeping or other missions under the Nepalese Army.
The IRCC initiative seeks to institutionalize professionalism, academic expertise, and meritocracy in Nepal’s foreign service to strengthen the country’s diplomatic standing globally.
