In general, politics is the most covered beat for Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu and Tuesday is not an exception. Parties preparations to finalise their National Assembly candidates have received the most significant attention in the front page of major newspapers today as the Election Commission has set the date of tomorrow to file nominations. Other contemporary political, socio-cultural and economic issues have also received significant attention.
Important
Major parties to finalise National Assembly candidates today
The Himalayan Times lead story for the day says three major parties—Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist Centre—are likely to finalise their National Assembly candidates today, one day before the date set by the Election Commission to file nominations.
The UML has already finalised its candidates for provinces 5, 6 and 7 whereas the Maoist Centre has assigned its top three leaders–Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Ram Bahadur Thapa–to make the selection, according to Naya Patrika. The report adds that the Nepali Congress also finalised four candidates.
Rajdhani says leaders of the Congress and the Maoist Centre are struggling hard to finalise their lists owing to a high number of aspirants.
Polls will be held on February 7 for 56 members of 59-member upper House whereas three will be appointed by the President.
Janata Post and The Kathmandu Post have also carried the issue in the front page today.
Transitional justice mechanisms get one-year extension
The government has extended the term of Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons, twin bodies formed to deal with decade-long conflict era issues, by one year. President Bidya Devi Bhandari enacted an ordinance to this effect yesterday upon a recommendation from the Cabinet, according to Gorkhapatra lead story.
The commissions’ term would expire after two weeks if the extension was not decided.
The transitional justice bodies were formed with a mandate of three years, but stakeholders have complained of their excessive slow pace in settling the cases as assigned.
Ignored
India blocks Nepali ginger
Republica lead story for the day informs that India has imposed an obstruction on Nepal’s export of agricultural products including ginger via Kakarbhitta check point in Jhapa district.
Trucks carrying Nepali ginger have been stopped by Indian customs personnel at the border point for last two weeks, citing an instruction from the higher authority, according to the report.
Did govt lie to people while presenting annual budget?
Nagarik in its lead story for the day claims the government lied to Parliament and citizens about the amount of balance it has from the last year while presenting the annual budget statement for this fiscal year.
The report says then Finance Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara had told the House that the government had Rs 102.73 billion saved from the past year, but a recent report from the Office of Auditor General says the balance amount was in negative.
957 Nepali workers died in the Gulf, Malaysia in 2017
In 2017, at least 957 Nepali migrant workers in Gulf countries and Malaysia died owing to lack of access in healthcare and knowledge about health hazards, Kantipur reports quoting Nepali missions in these countries. Of them, 32 are women.
Country-wise, Malaysia tops the chart with 354 death reports followed by Saudi Arabia (283) and Qatar (169).
The report lists major causes of deaths including heart attack, road accidents and suicide.
17 Nepalis disappear everyday on average
On an average, 17 Nepalis disappear from Nepal every day, according to Nepal Police. Naya Patrika lead story for the day informs that the national police organisation received reports of 18,918 disappearance cases in three last fiscal years.
The report adds that more women disappear than men. Women constitute 54.35 per cent of the missing population, according to the report. Likewise, the number of missing children is more than 3,000 in past three years.
Nepal Police seeks Interpol support to nab Silwal
Nepal Police issued a diffusion notice to the international police organisation, Interpol, requesting it to support them arrest ‘absconding’ former DIG Nawa Raj Silwal, according to Republica.
Silwal, who has been elected a member of House of Representatives from Lalitpur-1, representing the CPN-UML, is facing a forgery charge and he has been out of contact since police began searching for him.
Interesting
Governors confused about their assignments
Recently appointed province chiefs of all provinces have already administered the oath of office and secrecy to provincial lawmakers, but now they really do not know their next assignments, reports The Himalayan Times.
The report adds that lack of sufficient legal and administrative knowledge and insufficient human resources and infrastructure has also added to the uncertainty.
Gorkha man living in den for last 40 years
A man is living alone in a den in Kharibot Sisne, Ajirkot Rural Municipality-2 of Gorkha district, Jana Post narrates in its anchor story today. More interesting and disappointing is the fact that he invested the youth of his life in India.
Saabir Pakhrin came back home after around 60 years leaving the job halfway and is in den alone for last 40 years, according to the report. Locals of nearby villages have been supporting him with foods, clothes and other essentials.
Provincial lawmakers busy in house search
Annapurna Post has published reports dispatched from Hetaunda of Province 3 and Butwal of Province 5 that members of provincial assemblies are busy searching houses on rent after they were sworn in by province chiefs and provincial assembly sessions are likely to begin in next few weeks.
The reports inform that lawmakers are searching the houses with a hope that the cities made temporary provincial capitals now will also be endorsed by the assemblies as permanent capitals.
