Page 9 - Nepal

India, Nepal ink 10 MoUs worth NRs 625 million for development projects

India and Nepal have signed 10 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for high-impact community development projects in the Himalayan nation to be funded by Indian assistance amounting to NRs 625 million, according to an official release. The agreements were signed on Tuesday for development in the education, health, and culture sectors, the Indian embassy here said in a press release. "These High Impact Community Development Projects #HICDP are being built with (the) Government of India's financial assistance at a total cost of NRs 625.00 million in Education, Health and Culture Sectors under Nepal-India Development Cooperation'," the embassy said in a post on X. It added that implementing these projects will "help provide better educational, healthcare and cultural facilities to the people of Nepal." The projects undertaken include the construction of three schools, one monastery, one e-library at a school, and two health post buildings. With this, India has taken up over 573 HICDP

Former King Gyanendra Shah responsible for recent violence: Nepal's PM Oli

Nepal's Prime Minister K P Oli on Monday held former king Gyanendra Shah responsible for last week's violence here and said the guilty would not be let off. Addressing the House of Representatives, the prime minister demanded the former king to make public his views about the violent protests organised by monarchy supporters here in the Tinkune area on Friday. "Former king Gyanendra Shah was also responsible for the Tinkune incident," Oli said, expressing determination that "strict action would be taken against all those involved in the incident, irrespective of their cover". Two persons, including a photojournalist, were killed and more than 110 others were injured during the violent protest. So far, 110 people have been arrested in connection with the violent protests. "All these incidents make it clear that the former king has violated the agreement reached after the historic decision of the Constituent Assembly," he said. "The agreement said the former king would live a peace

Nepal crackdowns on pro-king activities; 51 monarchist leaders held

The chief coordinator of a pro-royalist movement, Nawaraj Subedi has been put under house arrest, and security agencies in Nepal

Curfew lifted in east Kathmandu, over 100 pro-king protestors arrested

Authorities in Nepal on Saturday lifted a curfew imposed in the eastern part of Kathmandu following violent clashes between the security personnel and the pro-monarchy protesters, as tensions eased in the area. Parts of Kathmandu on Friday witnessed a tense situation after pro-monarchy protesters pelted stones, attacked the office of a political party, set fire to vehicles and looted shops in the Tinkune area of the capital. Two persons, including a TV cameraman, were killed in the clashes between the security personnel and the pro-monarchy protesters. The Army was later called out to control the situation. The curfew imposed since 4.25 pm on Friday has been lifted from 7 am on Saturday, according to a notice issued by Kathmandu District Administration Office. Police have arrested 105 agitators who were involved in burning houses and vandalising vehicles during Friday's violent demonstration. The protesting monarchists were demanding the reinstatement of the monarchy and a Hindu

Army called as Kathmandu's pro-monarchy protests turns violent, killing one

The Army was called out and a curfew was imposed on parts of Kathmandu Friday after one person was killed and 30 injured as pro-monarchy protesters pelted stones, attacked the office of a political party, set fire to vehicles, and looted shops. District authorities said the curfew will be in force for about five hours, up to 10 pm. Nobody was to be allowed to move about in certain areas. About half of the people injured were police personnel, authorities said, as they tried to disperse protesters who pelted stones and tried to break through security barriers. Around the same time, in another part of the Nepal capital, people opposing any return of monarchy to the nation held a separate rally. Monarchy supporters carried Nepal flags and pictures of former king Gyanendra Shah in Kathmandu's Tinkune area. During the clash, the protesters burnt a house, torched eight vehicles, attacked the office of CPN-Unified Socialists in Baneshwor, looted the Bhatbhateni Supermarket in Chabahil an

Pro-monarchists to intensify agitation to reinstate monarchy in Nepal

Pro-monarchists in Nepal on Thursday announced to intensify their agitation by organising a protest rally on Friday with the aim of reinstatement of monarchy. Holding a press conference here, they also announced forming a Joint People's Movement Committee led by Navaraj Subedi, an 87-year-old staunch supporter of former King Gyanendra. The pro-monarchists said they will organise a grand protest rally at Tinkune area near the Tribhuvan International Airport demanding restoration of monarchy. Nepal's political parties through a Parliament declaration abolished the 240-year-old monarchy in 2008 and turned the erstwhile Hindu kingdom to a secular, federal, democratic republic. On Friday, the Socialist Forum, a four-party alliance, is also organising a demonstration in favour of republic system at Bhrikutimandap area of Kathmandu to counter the pro-monarchists. CPN-Maoist Centre, CPN-Unified Socialist among others are joining the demonstration with the aim of strengthening republic sys

PM Modi's 38 foreign trips since 2022 cost nearly Rs 258 cr: Govt data

Nearly Rs 258 crore was incurred on 38 foreign visits of Prime Minister Narendra Modi between May 2022 and December 2024, according to data shared by the government. Of these visits, the costliest one was the visit of the prime minister to the US in June 2023, which incurred over Rs 22 crore. Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita shared the visit-wise data in his written response to a query in Rajya Sabha on Thursday. Leader of Opposition in the Upper House Mallikarjun Kharge asked the government the total expenditure incurred by Indian embassies on arrangements for the prime minister's foreign visits in the past three years. He also asked for visit-wise details of expenses under major heads such as hotel arrangements, community receptions, transport arrangements and other miscellaneous expenditures among others. The data on "country-wise expenditure on foreign visits by the Prime Minister, including the expenditure on official, accompanying, security and media

Nepal's PM warns against forgetting monarchy's past 'autocratic rule'

Speaking at an event in the capital, Oli urged everyone to focus on strengthening the republican system while referring to the recent protests demanding the restoration of the monarchy

MCKT Beverages launches Nepal's Khukri Rum in India, sets expansion plan

MCKT Beverages aims to sell 20,000 cases of the premium drink by FY26

Mount Everest's new Sherpas? Drones will now do the heavy lifting

For the first time, drones will be used on Mount Everest to carry gear and clean up, helping Sherpas and improving safety

Gyanendra's push for relevance meets resistance in democratic Nepal

Nepal's recent political history tells us that the route to a return of monarchy cannot go through India despite friends in high places

UP CM's photo at pro-monarchist rally sparks controversy in Nepal

The rally was intended to demonstrate support for the reinstatement of monarchy in Nepal. Hundreds of loyalists riding motorbikes carrying Gyanendra's picture

1,000 students from Nepal returned to campus amid NHRC probe: KIIT

Amid the probe by the NHRC and Odisha Police into the alleged suicidal death of a B Tech girl student, KIIT University has claimed that 1,000 of the 1,100 Nepalese students who left the campus in the wake of the February 16 unrest have returned to the institute in Bhubaneswar. The private university made this claim on Friday after Odisha's Higher Education Minister, Suryabanshi Suraj, informed the Assembly that the state government formed a professor committee to ensure a proper academic environment on the KIIT campus. "As many as 1,000 Nepalese students out of 1,100 have returned to KIIT-DU to resume their academic pursuits after temporarily leaving the campus in the wake of the February 16 incident. The remaining 100 students are on their way and will be arriving soon," the KIIT said in a statement, adding that the students' return demonstrates the strong ties between the institute and its international student community, particularly from Nepal. The Nepalese students were alleged

KIIT University suicide case: NHRC orders probe, seeks report by March 10

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has ordered an on-spot inquiry into the death of a Nepalese girl student at KIIT University in Odisha and asked its officials to submit a report by March 10. The NHRC issued the order while acting on a complaint that 20-year-old Prakriti Lamsal died allegedly by suicide in her hostel room on February 16. The commission said that the investigation should be held in accordance with the provisions of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993. Considering the seriousness of the matter, the commission directs the Registrar (Law) to proceed for an inquiry in KIIT University, Bhubaneswar to conduct an on-spot inquiry along with a team consisting of two officers from the investigation division, one not below the rank of SSP and one officer/official from Law Division, and submit its inquiry report to the Commission by 10th March, 2025, the NHRC order said. Complainant Ashutosh B, in his petition, alleged that Lamsal, a Nepalese student at Kalinga .

Nepal's Rhino census becomes uncertain with suspension of USAID funding

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, which has been carrying out the census in collaboration with various agencies working with the park

Nepal's inclusion in FATF grey list sparks Oppn's call for Oli resignation

Nepal has two years to address these deficiencies and remove itself from the grey list; otherwise, it will face more international transaction hurdles and sanctions

Odisha govt vows to take action against those involved in KIIT case

The Odisha government on Saturday said all those responsible for the death of a Nepalese student of a private engineering institute KIIT and the alleged assault on the pupils from the Himalayan country would not be spared. Congress activists also held a demonstration, demanding the immediate arrest of KIIT founder Achyuta Samanta. A large number of youth and student activists of Congress staged the protest before the main gate of the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) and burnt effigy of Samanta. A scuffle broke out between the security personnel and the agitators when Congress workers attempted to barge into the KIIT campus. The Congress activists held the demonstration a day after the party MLAs in the assembly demanded a judicial inquiry into the death of a 20-year-old Nepalese student and subsequently, the alleged attack on pupils from the neighbouring country. Odisha's Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, however, said that the state government was ...

159 students of Odisha univ return to Nepal, claim were treated 'inhumanly'

Days after a Nepalese female student allegedly died by suicide at an Odisha university and the college administration ordered Nepali students to vacate the hostel, 159 students have returned to the country via Raxaul border, an official has said. Assistant Chief District Officer, Parsa, Suman Kumar Karki said that 159 Nepali students arrived home from the Raxaul border point till Thursday evening. Prakriti Lamsal, 20, a third-year B Tech (Computer Science) student at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT) in Odisha, allegedly died by suicide at her hostel room on February 16, leading to unrest on the campus. There are around 1,000 Nepalese students studying in KIIT, Odisha. Speaking to media at Reporters' Club in Kathmandu, a group of students who returned to Nepal said that they were subjected to inhuman treatment at the KIIT after the death of the Nepalese female student in the college hostel. After the mysterious death of Prakriti Lamsal, we were abused and got inhum

Nepali students have started returning to campus: KIIT additional registrar

Odisha government's Director of Higher Education said that the High-Level Committee has decided to conduct an inquiry into the alleged suicide of a student

Could US aid cuts open opportunities for China to expand global influence?

Experts argue that freezing foreign aid weakens USA's soft power, allowing China to strengthen its influence, especially in Southeast Asian countries