Seven inmates arrested

Police have arrested seven inmates, who had absconded from different jails of Kathmandu Valley during Gen Z movement.   

A team from District Police Range, Kathmandu made them public today. 

They are Tenjing Bahadur Tamang (41) of Rasuwa; Pritam Gurung (20) of Lamjung; Babita Tamang (23) of Kanchanpur; Bikram Nepali of Kavrepalanchowk; Bhuwan Tamang of Dolakha; Bhuwan Tamang of Sindhuli; and an Indian national Roshan Sah, said Spokesperson at the Range, Superintendent of Police, Pawan Kumar Bhattarai. 

All of them have been sent to respective jails where they had been serving terms on various charges before Gen Z uprising, added the police.

 

Foreign Minister Sharma leaving for Dhaka today

Foreign Minister Bala Nanda Sharma is leaving for Dhaka, Bangladesh today to attend the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected government in Bangladesh.

The Foreign Minister's visit reflects Nepal's commitment to further strengthening bilateral relations and deepening the bonds of cooperation between Nepal and Bangladesh, reads a press statement issued by the Foreign Ministry. 

Foreign Minister Sharma would be accompanied by senior officials of the Ministry. 

Minister Sharma is scheduled to return home on February 19.

 

 

China to expands visa-free entry from Tuesday

Citizens of the United Kingdom and Canada can now enter China without a visa starting Tuesday, according to AP. The move brings the total number of eligible countries to 79. The policy aims to boost tourism and business ties.

AP reported that visitors can stay for up to 30 days. The visa-free entry covers travel for business, tourism, exchange programs and family visits. Most European nations already qualify under the scheme.

Citizens of countries such as the United States and Indonesia can enter China for up to 10 days if they are in transit. They must hold onward tickets to a third country. The broader policy has expanded significantly over the past two years.

The addition of the UK and Canada follows recent visits by Prime Ministers Keir Starmer and Mark Carney. Both leaders are seeking to improve relations with Beijing after several years of strained ties.

For most countries, the visa-free arrangement is set to expire at the end of this year. However, Chinese authorities have extended similar policies in the past.

ByteDance curbs Seedance after threat

ByteDance has pledged to curb its AI video tool Seedance after legal threats from Disney. The move follows complaints from several Hollywood studios over alleged copyright infringement. Seedance’s latest version has gone viral for its realistic clips.

According to Reuters, Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter accusing ByteDance of using a “pirated library” of copyrighted characters. These include figures from Marvel and Star Wars. Disney’s lawyers described the alleged action as a “virtual smash-and-grab” of intellectual property.

ByteDance said it respects intellectual property rights and is strengthening safeguards. The company did not give details on what measures it plans to introduce. It had earlier paused the option allowing users to upload images of real people.

Reuters reported, the Motion Picture Association demanded the tool immediately stop infringing activities. SAG-AFTRA accused Seedance of blatant infringement, while Paramount Skydance reportedly sent its own legal notice.

The controversy adds to wider tensions between AI firms and the entertainment industry. Last year, Disney and NBCUniversal sued Midjourney over copyright claims. Meanwhile, Disney has a $1 billion deal with OpenAI to use selected characters on its AI platforms.

Strike delays flights in Kenya

Flights were delayed on Monday at Kenya’s main airport after workers began a planned strike. AP reported, the action follows a labor dispute with authorities over pay and working conditions. Departures and arrivals were affected.

Kenya Airways issued a travel advisory to passengers. According to AP, the airline said air traffic control delays were disrupting schedules. It urged travelers to confirm their flight status before going to the airport.

The Kenya Airports Authority said contingency measures were in place. It added that it was engaging stakeholders to resolve the strike. Officials stressed they were open to dialogue. Workers gave a seven-day strike notice last week. They cited problems in implementing a collective bargaining agreement. They are demanding better pay, improved benefits and safer working conditions.

The strike has disrupted operations at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. The airport is a key hub for regional and international travel, trade and tourism.

EC receives 66 complaints of code of conduct violation

The Election Commission (EC) has reported that its Central Election Code of Conduct Monitoring Committee received 66 complaints related to violations of the election code of conduct so far. It has sought clarifications from the concerned political parties, organizations, media outlets and individuals. Of these, 32 responses have already been received.

According to EC Legal Officer Mohan Raj Joshi, clarifications were demanded from political parties, election candidates, government and non-government organizations, as well as media houses and journalists. In the case of registered media outlets and journalists, the EC sought responses through the Press Council Nepal.

The complaints of code of conduct violations have also been registered at the district level. These cases are currently under investigation and are being processed for necessary action.

To ensure effective monitoring and enforcement of the code of conduct, assistant chief district officers in all 77 districts have been assigned to oversee non-financial matters. Financial aspects are being monitored by the chief district treasury controllers and treasury controllers, in accordance with Clause 32 of the Election Code of Conduct.

Joshi added that stakeholders at the district level have expressed their commitment to ensuring the effective implementation of the election code of conduct.

 

Nepse plunges by 8. 16 points on Monday

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 8. 16 points to close at 2, 662. 91 points on Monday. 

The sensitive index, however, increased by 1. 06 points to close at 455. 66 points.

A total of 19,616,395-unit shares of 335 companies were traded for Rs 1. 52 billion.

Meanwhile, Buddha Bhumi Nepal Hydropower Company Limited (BNHC), Reliance Spinning Mills Limited (RSML) and Salapa Bikas Bank Limited (SABBL) were the top gainers today with their price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise,  Khanikhola Hydropower Co. Ltd. (KKHC) was the top loser as their price fell by 9. 38 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 47 trillion.

Child’s body recovered after crash

The body of a nine-year-old boy missing after a bus accident in Ramechhap has been found. Police said the body was recovered from the banks of the Sunkoshi River on Monday.

The child was identified as Krichan Tamang of Manthali Municipality-2, Piple. His body was found near the lower market of Golanjor Rural Municipality-7, according to the District Police Office Sindhuli. He was identified by his great-grandfather, Yubaraj Tamang.

With the discovery, the death toll from the Ramechhap bus accident has risen to 13. Earlier, the bodies of 12 passengers had been recovered from the Tamakoshi River after the bus plunged into the river.

The bus, bearing the number Province 3-01-005 Kha 9975, met with the accident on 10th Magh. The incident occurred near Benighat Bridge in Manthali Municipality-6. Police said further investigation into the accident is ongoing.