Here are some of the top stories from The Kathmandu Post (October 18, 2019).

China to provide Rs 2.5 billion in military aid to Nepal

Just days after Chinese President Xi Jinping returned to Beijing after completing a two-day state visit, Nepal and China are already set to sign a fresh agreement regarding 150 million RMB (approximately Rs 2.5 billion) military aid to the Nepal Army.

This is the first time that China has pledged back-to-back annual military support to the Nepal Army. Beijing extended a similar kind of military assistance to the national defence force in October last year.

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Supreme Court directs information commission to respond to writ regarding Lal Commission report

The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the National Information Commission to respond to an application regarding the publication of a report by the Lal Commission, which was formed to investigate the deadly violence involving police and protesters in the run-up to the promulgation of 2015 constitution. Nearly 50 people, including both protesters and police, had died in confrontations.

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Nepali citizens detained during Xi Jinping’s visit for Tibetan signage on clothes and accessories

At least a week before Chinese President Xi Jinping was scheduled to arrive in Kathmandu, Nepal’s security forces were already on high alert, detaining dozens of people, primarily Tibetan refugees. But also caught in the dragnet were a number of Nepalis, who were taken into custody for sporting signage related to Tibet.

Although there were informal reports of numerous such instances, the Post was able to corroborate at least two incidents, one involving a 14-year-old Nepali girl and a 65-year-old Nepali woman who were both detained by police for their clothing and accessories. The teenager was wearing a shirt that said ‘Free Tibet’ and the woman was carrying a bag that had Tibetan lettering, which she couldn’t read.

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Cyclists aim big in South Asian Games despite dearth of domestic opportunities

For beginners, cycling is an expensive sport. “Cycles are very expensive and it is difficult to start with,” says cyclist Okesh Raj Bajracharya. Another cyclist Usha Khanal says cycling, especially, cross country is also risky and not everyone can afford it given the high expenses in maintaining the cycle and purchasing necessary gears.

Bajracharya, Khanal and around 14 other cyclists are currently in closed camp training for the upcoming South Asian Games where they hope to win some medals in the sport. Cyclists Bajracharya and Khanal will both contest at the mountain bike competition in the upcoming South Asian Games from December 1-10 in Nepal. They say they are training well and aim of winning the medal. “There are a number of factors one should consider to win and I can’t say I am going to win simply because I am training well. But I will give my best and hopefully win something,” said Bajracharya.

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