Here are some of the top stories from The Kathmandu Post (October 13, 2019).

On his first day in Kathmandu, Xi announces Rs 56 billion in economic assistance over the next two years

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Kathmandu on a two-day state visit on Saturday, in what Foreign Minister Pradeep Gyawali described as a “big diplomatic success” of the KP Sharma Oli administration.

About an hour after landing at Tribhuvan International Airport at 4:46 pm, Xi started his official engagements, beginning with delegation-level talks with President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

“In an atmosphere of utmost cordiality and friendship, President Bhandari and President of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, held bilateral talks at Office of the President,” tweeted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting with Bhandari, Xi announced that China will provide Rs 56 billion in aid for Nepal over the next two years, according to a Nepali official who was present at the meeting.

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Nepali migrant workers returning home from labour destination countries without wages

Every year, a large number of Nepali migrant workers return home after not being paid or facing other forms of exploitation from their employers. Even if they manage to escape from their exploitative conditions in countries where they reached after making huge personal investments, they are never paid their dues after they return to Nepal.

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Health Ministry launches detection programme to curb tuberculosis spread

In a bid to prevent tuberculosis from spreading, the Ministry of Health and Population has begun a nation-wide active case detection programme. The programme is in line with the government’s ‘End TB by 2035’ plan, according to the National Tuberculosis Centre.

“Systematic screening will be carried out to find the new and hidden TB cases,” Dr Sagar Kumar Rajbhandari, director at the National Tuberculosis Centre, told the Post. “We have already started TB screening of people in all risk groups.”

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With Xi’s visit, Pokhara entrepreneurs hopeful business will grow

Businessmen in Pokhara say they are hopeful the number of Chinese tourists visiting the lake city will increase following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s two-day state visit.

Bikal Tulachan, chairman of the Western Regional Hotel Association in Pokhara, said that with the visit, he hopes Nepal-China relations will strengthen and Chinese investments will come in for the development of the tourism sector in Pokhara. “It is obvious that the number of Chinese tourists will increase more now, following Xi Jinping’s visit,” said Tulachan.

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Nepal, India officials to hold power trade talks from Monday in New Delhi

Officials of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation and state-owned Nepal Electricity Authority have flown to Delhi to attend the Seventh Joint Steering Committee and Joint Working Group meeting on Nepal-India Cooperation in the Power Sector.

The two-day meeting which will begin on Monday is expected to resolve issues related to financing and implementation modality of the second high capacity cross-border transmission line and energy banking mechanism between the two South Asian neighbours, among others.

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