Nepal

The Nepali PM’s visit is being read as an attempt by the Himalayan nation to tread lightly and carefully while chalking its ties with India and China.

Nepalese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has stepped up preparations for Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s visit to India, which is expected to begin on April 6.

Nepal finally framed a new constitution through a Constituent Assembly after four years of debate and discussion on the constitutional issues; however, for all the toils, it could not do justice to women.

The Left alliance’s Party Unification Coordination Committee is likely to form two joint task forces on January 9, to work on the unified party’s structure and political ideology, according to The Himalayan Times.

Hardnews looks back at its year-long in depth reporting on China. In April, we looked at the growing tension between between India and China after the Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh. We provided a detailed account on the visit, its implications and China’s desperate need to co-opt Tibetan Buddhism. In July and August, in the backdrop of the Doklam stand-off, our reporters travelled to Nepal and Sri Lanka to ascertain the impact of the fallout on the neighbourhood.

Nepal’s oil import bill for October-November jumped 40 percent due to a surge in demand during the federal parliament and provincial assembly elections with candidates hitting the campaign trail in motor vehicles, helicopters and airplanes.