Nepal to hold general poll on Thursday
Kathmandu, March 4: Voting will be held on Thursday for the general elections, the first one to be held after a Gen Z youth led protest toppled the K P Sharma Oli-led government in Nepal last year.More than 18.9 million eligible Nepalese will exercise their franchise to elect 275 member House of Representatives (HoR) from among the 3,406 candidates vying for 165 seats under direct voting and 3,135 candidates vying for 110 seats through proportionate voting. The election campaign concluded mid-night of Monday, March 2. The Gen Z youth through their two-day intensified protests on September 8 and 9 overthrew Prime Minister Oli, chair of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxistâ-Leninist)- CPN-UML- who was heading a coalition government with the backing of Nepali Congress that enjoyed nearly two third majority support. After Oli was forced to resign from the post, President Ramchandra Paudel dissolved the House of Representatives on September 12 and appointed Sushila Karki as the caretaker PM. The major issues raised by Gen Z are anti-corruption, good governance, end to nepotism, generational change in political leadership etc. (PTI)
China kicks off its annual political season amid US-Iran war
Beijing, March 4: China on Wednesday commenced its annual parliament season amid international turmoil over the US-Iran war, massive purges of the military by President Xi Jinping and major plans to develop new productive forces like AI to revitalise the slowing-down economy. Xi, 72, who is into his unprecedented third term in office with little indication of any organised political challenge from within the ruling Communist Party and the powerful military, attended the opening session of the national advisory body – the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), comprising over 2500 civil society, party, and military officials. The opening session marks the beginning of a fortnight-long annual political season in China during which the leadership appears in public and takes part in internal debates. (PTI)
3 men held by London police on suspicion of spying for China
London, March 4: Three men suspected of spying for China were arrested on Wednesday, London police said. The three were arrested for allegedly assisting a foreign intelligence service in violation of the National Security Act of 2023. Police did not name the suspects because they haven’t been charged. But they said one was a 39-year-old arrested in London, another was a 68-year-old arrested in Powys, Wales and the third, a 43-year-old, was arrested in Pontyclun, Wales. They are the latest in a number of arrests in the UK of people accused of spying or causing political interference on behalf of China. The domestic intelligence agency MI5 issued an alert to lawmakers in November, warning that Chinese agents were making “targeted and widespread” efforts to recruit and cultivate them using LinkedIn or cover companies. (PTI)
