By Rudra Raj Koirala
The differences are apparently visible in seat-sharing deal and the coalition partners are not budging from their viewpoints in Nepal. The task force members say they can’t work out a formula until the top leaders themselves reach settlement on seats adjustment. The sharing of provincial and federal election seats among the five ruling parties is getting harder by the day by day.

On August 5, the task force, which has 11 members, was formed by a meeting of the ruling parties to recommend a seat-sharing formula. The government has previously stated elections will be held on November 20. A meeting of the ruling alliance asked the task force to make a joint idea for seat-sharing and will prepare a framework on how to adjust parties for the seats of both federal and provincial constituencies.

There are 165 seats under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system for federal elections and 330 FPTP seats for provincial elections. After being incapable to chalk out a formula for distribution the seats, a meeting of the task force earlier on Monday had agreed to consult the top leaders of the alliance. According the convener of the task force, a Congress leader said it could take ten days to remove the differences among the parties as each party wants more seats for itself.

The convener of the task force is tasked with coordinating with the top alliance leaders in bid to make flexible each party on seat-sharing. In this regard, he has already met with Congress President and Prime Minister, CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman CPN (Unified Socialist) chair Nepal, Janata Samajbadi Party chair, and Rastriya Janamorcha chief .

On Monday a meeting of the task force chalked out standards for sharing seats among the five partners and started assessing on the basis of their previous performance votes secured by each in the last two elections the 2017 elections and this year’s local elections.

As the FPTP seats won in the 2017 elections, PR seats won in the 2017 elections, performance in last May’s local elections, and priority to top leaders of the parties. It seems, the task force will not make recommendations until it receives a clear direction from the top leaders since fixing the number is a complex work.

The Nepali Congress is claiming around 100 FPTP seats for itself, the CPN (Maoist Center) wants 50, the CPN (Unified Socialist) is looking for 25 seats and the Janata Samajbadi Party is seeing for 16 seats. The alliance plans to divide provincial assembly seats on the same ratio as federal parliament seats. However, Maoist Center and other alliance members are not ready to concede 100 seats to the Nepali Congress.

It is also expected that, if the congress bargained on fewer than 100 seats, then there will be a rebellion inside the Congress party as disappointed candidates could challenge the alliance. There must be understanding between the alliance members regarding this problem of the Nepali Congress.

The general secretary of the Nepali Congress also agrees that the task force is unlikely to complete its task until the top leaders themselves reach a concrete agreement on seat-sharing. After knowing the differences concerning the seats to share among the alliance partners, the Nepali Congress has dropped the idea of inducting Loktantrik Samajbadi Party into the alliance.

So the possibility of the Loktantrik Samajbadi joining the alliance has ended. And if the Congress doesn’t get enough seats, then the UML will take advantage of its weaknesses. The Maoist Centre has been insisting on sharing seats based on the results of the 2017 elections. Out of the 165 FPTP seats, the Maoist Center had won 36; Nepali Congress 23; and the current Janata Samajbadi Party that contested the 2017 elections under the banner of the Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum had won 10 FPTP seats.

At the task force meeting, members from the Maoist Center and the Unified Socialist had proposed sharing only the 81 FPTP seats won by the UML in 2017 while leaving the seats won by member parties for themselves. Nonetheless the task force was incapable to come to a decision due to tenacious differences between its members. If all the parties stick to their guns, then there will not be any agreement.

Meanwhile, a new seat-sharing formula was making rounds among top leaders. According to a Maoist Centre leader formula, the Congress would get 85 seats and the remaining 80 would be distributed among the remaining four members plus Samajbadi and Ekata Rastriya Abhiyan parties freshly announced to fight the elections under the Maoist Centre’s election symbol and manifesto.

Currently, the senior Maoist Centre leader said it will take around ten days to settle the seat-sharing tussle. However, no party appears ready to cooperate and the problem more days more than expected.

DHAKA, 23 August 2022, (TON): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday urged Qatar’s businesspeople and entrepreneurs to invest in Bangladesh’s Special Economic Zones.

She also sought more cooperation from Qatar in importing LNGs and fertilizer from the Gulf country.

The premier sought the cooperation when visiting labour minister of Qatar Dr Ali bin Saed bin Smaikh Al Marri who called on her at her official residence Ganabhaban.

Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim briefed the reporters after the call.

DHAKA, 23 August 2022, (TON): The government has worked out a plan to send 810,000 Bangladeshi workers abroad and provide skills development training to 520,000 in the 2022-23 fiscal year.

Besides, to train up more workers for meeting the demands overseas job market it expected to start the operation of some 100 technical trainer centres in different parts of the country.

According to an official document, it is necessary to provide necessary training to workers for their skills development and ensure their better jobs abroad.

To this end, all the training programs of technical training institutes and institutes of marine technology are conducted under the National, Technical and Vocational Qualification Framework from the last fiscal year 2021-22.

DHAKA, 23 August 2022, (TON): The UK will continue to provide Bangladesh with duty-free access to its market after the country’s graduation from the LDC category.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Robert Chatterton Dickson, said this while responding to a query from acting President of BGMEA Shahidullah Azim about the duty-free market access for Bangladesh after the LDC graduation.

The British government has announced a new scheme named “Developing Countries Trading Scheme” in place of the existing GSP.

According to the new scheme, 98% of Bangladesh’s products will be eligible for the duty benefit after LDC graduation.

KABUL, 23 August 2022, (TON): According to the sources “US President Joe Biden's administration will press ahead with talks on releasing billions of dollars in Afghanistan's foreign-held assets despite the late al Qaeda leader's presence in Kabul and foot-dragging by the Islamic Emirate and Afghan central bank.”

The decision to pursue the initiative to help stabilize Afghanistan's collapsed economy underscores growing concern in Washington over a humanitarian crisis as the United Nations warns that nearly half the country's 40 million people face "acute hunger" as winter approaches.

At the core of the US-led effort, as Reuters reported last month, is a plan to transfer billions in foreign-held Afghan central bank assets into a proposed Swiss-based trust fund.

Disbursements would be made with the help of an international board and bypass the Taliban, many of whose leaders are under US and UN sanctions.

DHAKA, 23 August 2022, (TON): UN special envoy for Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer arrived in Dhaka Monday on a four-day visit.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs “she is expected to call on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Enamur Rahman, and Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen.”

Ahead of her mission to Bangladesh, Noeleen said she plans to consult with the Bangladesh government and visit the refugee camps in Cox's Bazar that host about 1 million Rohingyas and other forcibly displaced people.

She highlighted Myanmar's responsibility of ensuring a conducive condition for the voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable return of Rohingyas.

DHAKA, 23 August 2022, (TON): British High Commissioner Robert Chatterton Dickson said “the United Kingdom is ready to send independent observers to the national election of Bangladesh if the country's Election Commission allows for it.”

he added "To ensure democratic institutions are effective, fair and credible elections are a must. A fair election must ensure that all parties are allowed to participate. Everyone should be able to cast their vote freely, and the results of the election must be accepted by all parties.”

"However, no foreign nation can tell Bangladesh how to conduct its election, and the demand for a fair election must come from the people of Bangladesh."

By Ermeya Afshain

“The United Nations is committed to a world free from terrorism. On this International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, and on all days, let us stand in solidarity with all victims and survivors so we may support them in healing their trauma and bring them hope”. António Guterres

In its resolution 72/165 (2017), the General Assembly, laid out the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism to be celebrated every year on 21 August, to respect and support the people in question and overcomers of psychological warfare and to advance and safeguard the full happiness regarding their basic liberties and key opportunities

In April 2020, ordered by GA goal 73/305, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres distributed his report on the 'Progress of the UN framework to help Member States in helping survivors of psychological oppression' (A/74/790), which requires the 'improvement of worldwide collaboration to help casualties of psychological warfare'.

The last four result goals of the survey of Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/RES/66/282, A/RES/68/276, A/RES/72/284 and A/RES/75/291) play underlined the significant part of survivors of psychological warfare in countering psychological oppression, advancing worldwide fortitude, forestalling vicious radicalism, perceiving and maintaining their basic liberties, and supporting their unmistakable requirements.

Since the 6th survey of the Strategy (2018), improvements at the worldwide, territorial, and public levels have progressively shown that help to casualties has moved past emblematic fortitude towards a more vigorous commitment to propel their privileges and needs. This is reflected in the foundation in 2019 of a Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, co-led by the Permanent Representatives of Iraq and Spain to the United Nations, and General Assembly goal A/RES/73/305 on the improvement of worldwide participation to help casualties of psychological warfare.

The seventh survey goal, took on 30 June 2021 (A/RES/75/291) noticed the significance of maintaining the freedoms and supporting the requirements of survivors of psychological warfare, specifically of ladies, youngsters and those impacted by sexual and orientation based brutality committed by fear mongers. It urges all Member States to foster public complete help plans for survivors of illegal intimidation and their families to address the quick , short-and long haul needs of casualties of psychological oppression.

The goal further invites the principal Global Congress of Victims of Terrorism, which will be held in September 2022 at UNHQ, and energizes the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism, through the Global Victims of Terrorism Support Program and the United Nations Victims of Terrorism Support Portal, to keep on bringing issues to light on casualties of psychological oppression and the advancement and assurance of their privileges. This incorporates further fortifying the limit of, and giving specialized help to, Member States to help survivors of psychological oppression and reinforce their commitment with important common society and confidential area associations, which can assume a significant part in helping and supporting casualties of terrorism.Acts of psychological warfare spreading a large number of contemptuous belief systems keep on harming, mischief and eliminate great many honest individuals every year.

Notwithstanding global judgment of psychological oppression, casualties frequently battle to have their voices heard, their requirements upheld and their privileges maintained. Casualties frequently feel neglected and ignored once the prompt fallout of a psychological oppressor assault blurs, with significant ramifications for them. Scarcely any Member States have the assets or the ability to satisfy the medium and long haul needs of casualties to empower them to completely recuperate, restore and once again coordinate into society. Most casualties can recuperate and adapt to their injury through long haul multi-faceted help, including physical, mental, social and monetary.

Part States have the essential obligation to help casualties of illegal intimidation and maintain their privileges. The United Nations plays a significant part in supporting Member States to execute the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy by remaining in fortitude and offering help to casualties of psychological warfare, offering limit building help; laying out organizations, and offering backing to common society associations, especially casualties' affiliations, and empowering Member States to advance, safeguard and regard the freedoms of survivors of psychological oppression. With giver support the United Nations gives specialized help and limit working to Member States and casualties' relationship to more readily address the requirements of survivors of psychological oppression.

By Muhammad Ali

Recently, china announced Rs15 billion (800 million RMB) grant to Nepal to invest in projects designated by Nepal for the year 2022. The announcement was made by Chinese Foreign Minister, who is also the state councilor of China, during the bilateral visit of Nepal Foreign Minister to Qingdao.

The foreign minister of Nepal was on a visit to China, the first high-level visit from Nepal to the north since the formation of the incumbent Nepalese government in July last year. This new grant is further to the grant declared by the Chinese President to Nepal in October, 2019.

During official level talks between Nepalese President and Chinese President in October 2019, the latter had announced a 3.5 billion RMB grant to Nepal for two years. However, both sides were unsuccessful to negotiate on how to use the amount in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Nepal has yet to choose the schemes to be funded under the financial contribution announced by the Chinese president.

The foreign minister of Nepal visit to China follows two trips from the north in March and July by the Foreign Minister of China and head of the international department of the Chinese Communist Party, respectively. During the meeting the foreign ministers of Nepal and china also deliberated the developing condition in the Taiwan Strait.

The Chinese foreign minister is learnt to have said that the US House Speaker visit to Taiwan a complete political provocation. According to Chinese side the move extremely dishonored the commitments made by the United States and violated China’s sovereignty. The trip o US House Speaker was considered against the Chinese sovereignty and territorial integrity, maintaining non-interference in internal affairs. As the trip also violated the rudimentary standard of international relations, while siding with the Taiwan Strait.

The foreign minister of Nepal reiterated Nepal’s commitment to the one-China policy and guaranteed that Nepali territory will not be permitted to be used for any activity against China. The Chinese side also guaranteed that it will positively consider Nepal’s request for chemical fertilizer and a feasibility study for founding a chemical fertilizer plant in Nepal. Previously too, Nepal and China had held several rounds of talks on supplying chemical fertilizers from China.

The state councilor and foreign minister of China agreed to assist Nepal’s agricultural sector. He also agreed to reassure Chinese investment in developing the manufacturing capacity of Nepal and improve collaboration in the export of Nepali tea and traditional medicinal herbs.

On the opening of border points between Nepal and China that have seen restricted movement of goods and cargo since the start of the Covid pandemic, the two foreign ministers decided to form a joint mechanism for pandemic control at border ports.

Nepal and china sides also agreed to form a mutual technical committee to make required arrangements for running the present mechanism of Nepal-China Joint Boundary Inspection Committee. This was in principle agreed last month during a virtual meeting between officials from the two sides.

The foreign minister of Nepal and china also decided to open Rasuwa-Kerung and Tatopani-Khasa ports for two-way trade and Hilsa-Pulang port for one-way trade, which will take place as soon as the fresh wave of Covid pandemic in Tibet Autonomous Region of China is controlled.

In support of the people affected by disasters and natural calamities in different parts of Nepal, the Chinese foreign minister announced a package of RMB3 million worth of disaster relief materials as per Nepal’s request. Furthermore, China will also provide Nepal with medical items and logistics worth 2million RMB.

The Foreign Ministry said Wang also announced that China will provide additional Covid vaccines and Covid-related medical assistance as much as Nepal may need. The foreign Minister of Nepal requested further support towards consolidation of health infrastructure and services as well as transfer of new skills in cancer treatment in Nepal.

The Chinese foreign minister announced that China would provide support to the formation of Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cells (CAR T cells) manufacturing lab at the Civil Service Hospital, Kathmandu to treat blood cancer and provide necessary training to Nepali health professionals. This is hailed as a huge step between the two countries in the health sector.

The Chinese foreign minster also announced that all the Nepali students seeking to return to China following the disruption caused by the pandemic can proceed for visa procedures, while fulfilling the health procedures, to resume their studies.

Hundreds of Nepali students studying in China who returned home after the pandemic have been stuck in Nepal owing to Chinese restrictions and are desperate to return to their universities to continue their studies.

The Chinese foreign minister and the foreign minister of Nepal discussed the implementation of past accords signed during Chinese president visit to Nepal, jointly advancing the Belt and Road Initiative with high quality projects. Nepal and China signed up the BRI in May 2017 but both sides have failed to execute a single project.

The two sides will negotiate and sign the implementation plan for the joint construction of projects under the BRI as soon as possible, and hold a joint economic and trade committee and a working group on unimpeded trade within this year, according to a Nepali official who was present during the ministerial meeting.

The foreign minister of Nepal reiterated that Nepal firmly adheres to one-China policy and will never allow the use of Nepali territory to engage in any activities that oppose China and harm Chinese interests. This firm commitment will never finish.

Nepal supports China's genuine position on internal affairs such as Tibet, Xinjiang and Hong Kong. The Chinese statement also claimed that Nepal agrees with the concept of the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, and is willing to actively study and participate in the venture.

The Chinese foreign minster on behalf of his government appreciated the adherence of successive governments of Nepal to the one-China principle and abidance by their commitment to not allow any forces to use Nepali territory to engage in anti-China activities, according to the Chinese foreign ministry statement.

China and Nepal decided to pursue the non-interference in internal affairs of other countries , the ‘excellent rule’ of international relations.In addition, the two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in judicial affairs, combating cyber cross-border crimes, border management, joint prevention and control, and ports.

The Chinese foreign minister announced that China will use the aid to Nepal to support the feasibility study of the China-Nepal cross-border railway, and send experts to Nepal to conduct surveys within this year. The zero-tariff treatment for 98 percent of the tax items that China has granted to Nepal will come into effect on September 1, and support the Nepali side to make good use of the dividends of this policy to expand exports to China.

LONDON, 22 August 2022, (TON): Tory leadership favourite Liz Truss downplayed Sunday the prospect of a UK recession, while the man tipped to be her finance minister vowed help is coming over the soaring cost of living.

Truss, the frontrunner in polls to beat rival Rishi Sunak and become Britain’s next prime minister, pledged in an interview to lead a “small business and self-employed revolution” if in power.

Truss told “there is too much talk that there’s going to be a recession.”

“I don’t believe that’s inevitable. We can unleash opportunity here in Britain.”

She argued that the UK should create the economic conditions to produce “the next Google or the next Facebook”.