CIAA lodges graft case against ex-NRB Governor Rawal

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has lodged a corruption charge-sheet against three officials of Nepal Rastra Bank including former Governor Tilak Rawal for their alleged involvement in bribery while awarding the contract to print polymer banknotes.

A corruption charge-sheet of Rs 9.1 million each was filed at the Special Court on Thursday against then Governor Rawal, then chief of currency management department at NRB Upendra Keshari Paudyal, and local agent of Australian company May Flower Limited Himalaya Bahadur Pandey.

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Khokana, Bungamati locals protest against government’s move to demolish historical settlements

Residents of Khokana and Bungamati, traditional Newar settlements in Lalitpur district, staged a demonstration at Maitighar Mandala in the Capital on Thursday protesting against the government’s move to take ahead the development project by demolishing their settlements that have cultural and religious importance.

The government is planning to construct the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway encroaching the farmlands and heritage sites of Khokana and Bugamati.

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Congress Mahasamiti meeting resumes at Sanepa 

The Mahasamiti meeting of the Nepali Congress (NC) has resumed at the party central office in Sanepa, Lalitpur, on Thursday.

The meeting resumed after the Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting agreed to resolve the issue of office bearers till this evening, party spokesperson Bishwo Prakash Sharma said.

Earlier, the meeting was delayed after leaders failed to forge a consensus on the issue of party’s central office bearers.

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Nijgadh International Airport: Fresh report may cost state coffers Rs700m

The National Concern and Coordination Committee of the Upper House has directed the Tourism Ministry to prepare a fresh detailed project report of the proposed international airport in Nijgadh, Bara that may cost the government an ‘unnecessary’ financial burden of nearly Rs700 million.

The committee, which is entrusted with overseeing national pride projects, led by its Chairman Dil Kumari Rawal prepared the field report of the highly complex and controversial airport project. 

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US says Nepal is part of its Indo-Pacific strategy

United States officials have said Nepal is a part of their ambitious Indo-Pacific strategy, a new strategic initiative undertaken by the Trump administration that focuses on developing opportunities across a range of issues across the broader pan-Asian region.

The announcement was timed with the visit of Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali to Washington, where he met with US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo. In a statement released by the State Department on Tuesday, Robert Palladino, the deputy spokesperson, said Nepal’s “central role” in a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific among others was discussed during the meeting between the two leaders.

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