Minister Khatiwada lobbies for foreign investment in UK Published on: February 23, 2019

KATHMANDU:  Finance Minister Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada met Michael Bates, the minister of state in the Department for International Development, UK and member of House of the Lords, at the House of Commons London. Khatiwada is  currently on a visit to the United Kingdom.

On the occasion, Minister of State, Bates inquired about Nepal’s development, states a release by the the Ministry of Finance. Finance Minister is on UK visit in a bid to bring British investment in Nepal.

During the meeting, the British Minister of State also inquired about the post-earthquake reconstruction, implementation of federalism and development-related issues.

In response, Finance Minister Khatiwada said Nepal’s constitution is one of the best democratic constitutions of the world and that Nepal has been practicing inclusiveness in its governance, adding that the women, dalit, indigenous nationalities, Muslim and marginalized communities had more than one-third representation in the parliament.

Minister Bates, during the meeting expressed commitment for continued British cooperation in Nepal’s development.

Minister Khatiwada on Thursday held discussions with the businesspersons and investors representing over two dozen British companies. On the occasion, he explained about the conducive investment climate, opportunities and returns in Nepal. He also urged the British entrepreneurs for their active participation in the investment conference being held in Nepal on March 29 and 30.

Ministers squander millions on foreign junkets Published on: February 22, 2019

Government ministers’ foreign junkets between January 15 to February 15 cost the nation over Rs6.56 million. That is not all. The government disbursed a total of Rs70 million in December last year from the state coffers against the foreign trips made by the ministers at different times.

A team led by Prime Minister KP Oli to attend the UN General Assembly incurred a cost of over Rs40 million to the state coffers.

According to the Ministry of Finance (MoF), it disbursed around Rs2.60 million to Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali for his trip to the United States of America in December last year. The amount includes the cost of his delegation.

Likewise, the government spent Rs 5.6 million in the inauguration of its Social Security Program last year.

Likewise, a record by the Ministry of Finance reveals that Foreign Minister Gyawali and his team spent over four million rupees during the visits to countries like Austria, Japan, and Thailand.

Similarly, the MoF disbursed a total of Rs3.7 million in the name of foreign trips of the MoF officials.

Minister for General Administration Lal Babu Pandit’s trip to Dubai to attend the “World Global Summit” of the Third Global Dialogue for Happiness Seventh Gathering cost the nation over Rs5.6 million.

Minister for Youth and Sports Jagat Biswokarma spent around Rs1.80 million during his trip to New Delhi to receive an international award last year.

Likewise, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Matrika Yadav’s trip to India’s Mumbai to attend the 25th Edition of the Partnership Summit 2019 cost the nation Rs2.5 million.

Similarly, the government disbursed Rs 4.27 million in the name of renovating the office and secretariat of the Minister for Energy and Irrigation, Barsa Man Pun.

What is more intriguing is that state coffers have resulted in the loss of Rs.7, 50,000 as part of releasing cabinet decision.

Likewise, the government spent Rs 5.6 million in the inauguration of its Social Security Program last year.

Likewise, a team led by Minister for Forest and Environment, Shakti Bahadur Basnet during the UK visit spent over Rs3.1 million last year. The team was in the UK to attend a program “Illegal Wildlife Trade’. Similarly, an informal visit of President Bidhya Devi Bhandari to Poland incurred the state coffers over Rs200 million.

In the same vein, Minister for Communication and Information, Gokul Prasad Baskota and his team spent around two million during its visits to countries such as India, Switzerland, and Germany.

What is more intriguing is that state coffers have resulted in the loss of Rs.7, 50,000 as part of releasing cabinet decision.

Whereas the cabinet decision would be released the government spokesperson on the same day of the decision taken, the provision was later altered such that the cabinet decisions are not released once a week.

New act in the offing to ease foreign investment Published on: February 21, 2019

KATHMANDU: The government is preparing to enact a new law in a bid to attract foreign investment and to ease technology transfer.

The new act replacing the existing act on Foreign Employment and Technology Transfer Act, 1993 shall provide many facilities to foreign investors.

For example, the new act shall provide identity cards as well as business visas to foreign investors. Similarly, those investing USD 10 million or more shall be provided with residential visa until their stay in Nepal. The investor, his/her family members, and relatives will also benefit from the provision.

The act envisages that either an individual or a group can invest in Nepal. Similarly, a foreigner can invest in Nepal by establishing a branch of its existing venture.

The government is working to enact the law ahead of Nepal Investment Summit 2019 slated for the last week of March.

The act puts no bar on the amount of foreign investment. Similarly, it shall guarantee that no foreign investment shall be nationalized. As such the new act shall incorporate many issues not addressed by the current act, according to a source at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

The act envisages that either an individual or a group can invest in Nepal. Similarly, a foreigner can invest in Nepal by establishing a branch of its existing venture.

Once the new act is enforced, any foreign national coming to Nepal for research and studies in terms of investment will be entitled to a non-tourist visa for a total of six months.

Over 300 active human traffickers in Embassy list Published on: February 20, 2019

NEW DELHI: Nepali Embassy in New Delhi, India is working on a list of over 300 agents active in trafficking gullible Nepali youths to third countries via India.

Earlier, Khabarhub had published a news about incidents of trafficking of Nepali youths to third countries via the southern neighbor.

The name-list, obtained by Khabarhub, has been collected following complaints by the victims that they were swindled by their agents, according to a source at New Delhi-based Nepali Embassy.

“We are currently collecting and analyzing a list of agents and trying to track them out on the basis of victims’ complaints who have been swindled by their agents,” said an official at the Embassy, adding, “We will soon send the list to the Nepal government for necessary action.”

The official went on to say that a big number of foreign job aspirants who came to India with the hope of third-country employment have been stranded in New Delhi.

“They have submitted a huge amount of money to their agents through mediators. Unfortunately, they do not even recognize who their agents are and where they reside,” he said.

Over 800 foreign jobs-related complaints have been filed at the Department of Foreign Employment in the last five months.

Khabarhub, in a recently conducted field-based reporting, had stated that a quite big number of human traffickers are active in sending Nepali youths to third countries.

Agents fleece a Nepali youth over Rs 2 million promising him/her of lucrative jobs in Poland, Malta, Hong Kong, Israel, the UAE, Brunei, Norway, and Canada.

What do legal provisions say?

An agent, who is found defrauding foreign job aspirants, is sentenced to five years in jail along with a fine as per the provision laid down in the Foreign Employment Act. 2007.

Over 800 foreign jobs-related complaints have been filed at the Department of Foreign Employment in the last five months.

“The DoFE has been stepping up efforts to curb incidences of frauds and anomalies surrounding foreign employment, Dilip Kumar Chapagain, General Director at the DoFE, told Khabarhub.

He said, “A big mafia is active in human trafficking targeting gullible Nepali youths by luring them into lucrative jobs in the third countries,” Chapagain said.

The following is the list prepared by the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi:

KMC reps embezzled over Rs. 3 million on logo purchase Published on: February 19, 2019

KATHMANDU: It may sound weird. But representatives of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), who have been elected by the people, have embezzled over three million rupees in the name of logo procurement.

A KMC source said each ward chairperson and seven executive members received Rs. 32,000 for the purpose. Similarly, a total of Rs. 17,000 has been allocated to the ward members to purchase the logo. The gold-plated logo is to be patched on the coat.

The KMC has a total of total of 32 wards. With each ward having one chairperson and four members, there are a total of 32 ward chairpersons and 128 ward members. Besides, there are eight nominated members. In aggregate, the total sum misused amount comes at Rs. 3,456,000.

KMC sources said that some of the ward chairpersons bought logos at a far cheaper price than the amount they received from the KMC, while most of the representatives did not procure logos at all.

The representatives elected by people with high hopes of development, prosperity and unhindered service in the metropolis have been found to be misappropriating millions of rupees.

Some received money but did not procure logos

KMC sources said that some of the ward chairpersons bought logos at a far cheaper price than the amount they received from the KMC, while most of the representatives, despite receiving the money some five months back, did not buy logos at all.

Earlier, the KMC representatives had come under fire for their involvement in mobile sets purchase graft-case.

Currently, KMC provides Rs 1,500 to the mayor and the deputy mayor as meeting allowance whereas a ward member gets Rs 1,000 each for the same.

Likewise, a nominated and an invited member receives Rs 1,000 each as a meeting allowance.

Ishwor Man Dangol, KMC Spokesperson

Ishwor Man Dangol, the spokesperson at KMC, denies irregularities on the purchase of the logo. “KMC made logo mandatory to its members as part of institutional identity. The amount allocated for logo purchase is reasonable and there are no irregularities involved,” he said.

Other sources at the KMC, however, revealed that the logos were procured at far lower price and that some of the members have not bought the logo yet.

Gifting your discerning Valentine! Published on: February 14, 2019

Doing something genuine today? Being a little bit dramatic and expressive for your partner is a good vibe. Giving a romantic gift today on this special Valentine’s Day will sure to fuel the fire.

If you are yet to buy a deserving gift to you Valentine, make a slapdash effort to get Teddy Bears. If not, chocolates, simple toys, red roses or a bouquet will work just fine. These gifts will please your partner, for sure and that the day goes off without a hitch.

Another idea would be to go for a nice dinner together.

The history of Valentine goes like this: The day may have taken its name from a priest named Valentine, who was martyred about 270 CE by the Emperor Claudius II Gothicus. Legends have to say that, the priest Valentine signed a letter saying “From your Valentine” to the jailer’s daughter, whom he had befriended and, healed from blindness.

Likewise, several other accounts say that it was St. Valentine of Terni, who was a bishop, for whom the holiday was named.

Another story says that St. Valentine defied the emperor’s orders and secretly married couples to spare the husbands from war. That is why his feast day is associated with love.

 

India vies for lower Arun hydro project Published on: February 12, 2019

India proposes to construct lower Arun Hydro

NEW DELHI : Indian government has expressed its interest in constructing the Lower Arun Hydropower Project (400 MWs) as per the Arun 3rd model. Indian Minister for Power, Raj Kumar Singh proposed the project to Barshaman  Pun, the minister for Energy, Water Resources and Energy in New Delhi. India is undertaking the construction of 900-MW Arun 3rd project.

“A proposal has been floated from the Indian side to develop the Lower Arun on the same model adopted by Indian Company while constructing the Arun 3rd. Nepal has put its stance for further discussion after observing the progress on the construction of Arun 3rd,” Minister Pun said.

Minister Pun noted that the government would make proper decision whether or not to award the construction of lower Arun to the Indian side after reviewing the progress in Arun 3rd.

Minister Pun arrived in the Indian capital city, New Delhi, to participate in the International Sustainable Development Conference beginning on Monday.

Nepali immigrants sue US over end to TPS Published on: February 12, 2019

SAN FRANCISCO: Immigrants from Nepal have filed a lawsuit alleging the Trump administration unfairly ended a program, a temporary protected status (TPS), that lets them live and work in the United States.  Similarly, immigrants from Honduras have also filed a lawsuit claiming that the decision taken by the Trump administration is ‘inappropriate’.

The lawsuit filed late Sunday in federal court in San Francisco alleges that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s decision to end so-called temporary protected status for the countries was motivated by racism.

The suit — which was filed on behalf of six immigrants and two of their American-born children — also alleges that the department changed how it evaluated conditions in these countries when determining whether immigrants could return there.

“We bring evidence the Trump administration has repeatedly denigrated non-white non-European immigrants and reviewed TPS designations with a goal of removing such non-white non-European immigrants from the United States,” said Minju Cho, a staff attorney at Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Los Angeles.

The group is one of several representing the immigrant plaintiffs, who live California, Minnesota, Maryland, Virginia and Connecticut. A message seeking comment was left for the Department of Homeland Security. The lawsuit is the latest in a series of court filings challenging the Trump administration’s decision to end the program for a cluster of countries whose citizens have lived and worked legally in the United States for years.

Last year, a federal judge in San Francisco temporarily blocked the U.S. government from halting the program for immigrants from El Salvador, Haiti, Nicaragua and Sudan. The suit filed by citizens of those countries, much like this one, cited Trump’s vulgar language during a meeting last year to describe African countries. The U.S. government grants temporary protected status, also known as TPS, to citizens of countries ravaged by natural disasters or war so they can stay and work legally in the United States until the situation improves back home.

The status is short-term but renewable and some immigrants have lived in the country for decades, raising American-born children, buying homes and building careers. Critics have said the program was meant to be temporary and shouldn’t be extended for so long.

The Trump administration announced last year that the program would be ending for Honduras and Nepal. Honduras was designated for the program after a devastating 1998 hurricane and about 86,000 immigrants from the country have the status, according to the lawsuit.

About 15,000 immigrants from Nepal — which was designated following an earthquake in 2015— are covered, the suit said. Together, these immigrants have more than 50,000 American children who would be affected by an end to the program, which lets those who are already in the United States stay in the country and obtain work permits, the suit said.

One of them is the 9-year-old daughter of Honduran citizen Donaldo Posadas Caceres, who came to the United States shortly before the hurricane in 1998. After Honduras was designated for the program, he obtained the status, and now works as a bridge painter and owns his home in Baltimore. He said he doesn’t want his children to return to a country they don’t know and where life is so dangerous. His elder daughter, he said, is in college studying to be a lawyer while the 9-year-old has plans of her own.

“She has the dreams of a child: she wants to be president,” he told reporters in Spanish during a telephone conference. “And I want to be here in the United States to support them, and see their achievements.” (Associated Press)

67 foreign companies hiring Nepali workers blacklisted Published on: February 10, 2019

KATHMANDU: The Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE) has blacklisted a total of 67 foreign companies hiring Nepali migrant workers.

The Department took action against them following complaints lodged by migrant workers, according to Dilip Kumar Chapagain, the director general at the DoFE.

Malaysian companies among those blacklisted top the list, taking the total number to 52 while the other companies are from Saudi Arab, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Acting on complaints from Nepali migrants, right organization, and Nepal’s missions, the DoFE decided to this effect accusing the companies of not complying with the contract signed with them. That means the department now will not issue labor permits to these companies.

“Even the diplomatic missions at the destination countries where the companies operate are notified of the action against them,” said Chapagain.

The black listed companies belong to Malaysia, Saudi Arab, Qatar and United Arab Emirates, among others.

A record maintained by the Department shows that over 2,000 workers were in trouble at the destination countries due to negligence on the part of the labor destination countries. The Department has already rescued over 50 migrant distraught workers from abroad.

 

 

 

National Enquirer owner defends reporting on Amazon’s Bezos Published on: February 9, 2019

NEW YORK – The owner of U.S. tabloid newspaper the National Enquirer pushed back on Friday against accusations of “extortion and blackmail” from Amazon.com Inc Chief Executive Jeff Bezos, saying its reporting on an extramarital relationship involving the world’s richest man was lawful and it would investigate his claims.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan is reviewing whether the alleged extortion violated a non-prosecution agreement, a person familiar with the matter said, confirming an earlier report by Bloomberg News.

Bezos on Thursday accused American Media Inc (AMI) of trying to blackmail him with the threat of publishing “intimate photos” he allegedly sent to his girlfriend unless he said in public that the American supermarket tabloid’s reporting on him was not politically motivated.

The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan is reviewing whether the alleged extortion violated a non-prosecution agreement, a person familiar with the matter said, confirming an earlier report by Bloomberg News.

AMI signed the agreement with federal prosecutors last year in connection with a $150,000 hush-money payment to a former Playboy model who claims she had an affair with U.S. President Donald Trump. Trump denies the affair.

Bezos opened an investigation into how the messages could have ended up in the hands of the tabloid, led by longtime security consultant Gavin de Becker. De Becker told media that the leak was politically motivated.

The agreement can be voided if AMI commits any crimes. If the agreement is nullified, AMI or its executives could face prosecution for the hush payment and its conduct with Bezos, legal experts said. AMI and its CEO David Pecker have had close links to Trump, who has attacked Bezos, Amazon and the newspaper he owns privately, the Washington Post, on Twitter.

“American Media believes fervently that it acted lawfully in the reporting of the story of Mr. Bezos,” the company said in a statement. Bezos and his wife announced last month that they were divorcing after 25 years of marriage. That same day, the National Enquirer touted it was publishing alleged intimate text messages between Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, a former television anchor whom he was said to be dating.

Bezos opened an investigation into how the messages could have ended up in the hands of the tabloid, led by longtime security consultant Gavin de Becker. De Becker told media that the leak was politically motivated.

In a blog post on Thursday, Bezos cited an email from AMI deputy general counsel, Jon Fine, to a lawyer representing de Becker. In it, AMI proposed a public acknowledgment from Bezos and de Becker that “they have no knowledge or basis for suggesting that (AMI’s) coverage was politically motivated or influenced by political forces.” In return for such an acknowledgment, according to the email, AMI offered “not to publish, distribute, share, or describe unpublished texts and photos,” Bezos said.

Bezos said the statement AMI was proposing was false and described the offer as an “extortionate proposal.” Bezos, Fine, and de Becker were not immediately available for comment. Amazon declined to comment. Shares of the world’s largest online retailer were down 1.8 percent at $1,584.74.

But criminal defense lawyer Page Pate said what AMI sought to gain from Bezos was “too fuzzy” and would not be enough to put them in violation of the non-prosecution deal. “I don’t think there is a clear enough hook to show that what they wanted from Bezos was a thing of value,” Pate said.

Extortion typically involves an effort to obtain property, services, money or some other benefit by threatening violence, reputational harm or other injury, although definitions can vary across state and federal laws.

In Florida, where American Media is based, extortion includes maliciously threatening targets with disgrace, or to expose their secrets. In Washington state, where Amazon is based, it includes threatening to expose secrets that may subject targets to hatred, contempt or ridicule, or reveal information that the targets wanted to conceal.

Federal law defines extortion as someone seeking or actually obtaining “property” through the “wrongful use” of actual or threatened force, violence or fear. “Property” can be something of value not limited to a tangible object or money.

Elie Honig, a former prosecutor, argued in a column on CNN that the actions alleged by Bezos amounted to extortion because the act of stopping Bezos’ investigation was of value to AMI and AMI’s threat of exposing lurid photos met the “wrongful” test.

But criminal defense lawyer Page Pate said what AMI sought to gain from Bezos was “too fuzzy” and would not be enough to put them in violation of the non-prosecution deal. “I don’t think there is a clear enough hook to show that what they wanted from Bezos was a thing of value,” Pate said.

On Friday, AMI said that at the time of Bezos’ allegations it was “in good faith negotiations to resolve all matters with him.” “In light of the nature of the allegations published by Mr. Bezos, the Board has convened and determined that it should promptly and thoroughly investigate the claims. Upon completion of that investigation, the Board will take whatever appropriate action is necessary,” it added. (Reuters)