FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE HISTORY OF NEPAL, Prime Minister received the credentials of the foreign envoy. As per the interim constitution, PM Girija Prasad Koirala received credentials from the newly appointed Chinese ambassador to Nepal Zheng Xiangling on April 20 at the State Hall of Singhdurbar. In the past, the King used to receive such credentials. As the interim constitution has also handed over the duties of Head of State to the Prime Minister, the PM will now have to receive credentials of foreign envoys. Following the ceremony at the State Hall, PM Koirala held brief talks with the new envoy who was later given a guard of honor by the army band.
THE BRITISH COUNCIL WILL CELEBRATE the World Book Week on April 23-25- with events marking the importance of reading books. UNESCO has designated World Book Day as an annual worldwide celebration of books and reading, which takes place on 23 April. “The World Book Day is about helping children and adults to discover the pleasures of reading and encouraging reluctant readers to read. For the last nine years the British Council has celebrated this event throughout our global network,” states press release by the British Council in Nepal. According to the press release, this year the Council will exhibit 200 new fiction titles for children and adults from 23-25 April 2007. In addition to the exhibition, there will be a bookmark painting competition for children between10 am - 5 pm and talk programs on the importance of reading for adults on 24 and 25 April. “There will be three winners for each category of the bookmark painting competition and winners will receive a years free library membership and a book gift voucher of Rs. 3000/-, Rs. 2000/- and Rs. 1000/- as first, second or third prize. Nine winners will be announced on our Website on 1 May 2007. All the exhibited books will be available in our library from 1 May 2007,” the release adds.
THE COMMISSION OF INVESTIGATION of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) intervened to curb the growing incidents of red sandalwood smuggling from India to China via Nepal. On Wednesday (April 18), it summoned senior government officials and directed them to curb the smuggling. The CIAA summoned Secretaries of Forest, Home and Finance Ministries as well as officials of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Department, Customs Department, Revenue Investigation Department, Forest Department and Police Headquarters. The Commission asked the officials to take necessary steps to stop the smuggling.
THE US DEPARTMENT OF STATE’S Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons is awarding a total of $672,610 in assistance to three organizations in Nepal working to combat human trafficking, according to a press release by the American Center in Kathmandu. “The US Government is committed to the fight against trafficking in persons, which includes modern-day slavery involving victims who are forced, defrauded, or coerced into labor or sexual exploitation,” it stated. The Save the Children and Maiti Nepal will get a one-year $197,750 grant to strengthen and expand community-based anti-trafficking strategies through awareness and safe migration initiatives and bolster district anti-trafficking committees formed by the Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Welfare. They will also provide training to ward and district level law enforcement officials. Daywalka Foundation will get $465,360 in two grants; the first project is to improve the investigation, management and prosecution of trafficking cases. The Foundation will build capacity in the collection of data on trafficking investigations, prosecutions, and criminal judgments. The project will provide training to the police, the attorney general’s office, judicial offices, and other branches of the government, as well as offer assistance on building trafficking cases. The second project by the Daywalka Foundation is for training Women’s Cell officers on the investigation and proper handling of trafficking cases. It will provide technical assistance in the form of digital and video cameras, fax machines, cell phones, and a van. The program also includes the construction of a Women and Children Service Center at the Central Level Police District Headquarters in Kathmandu. Likewise, the Nepal Institute of Development Studies will get a $9,500 grant for data collection on the nexus between trafficking and foreign employment of Nepali citizens.
