SENIOR NA OFFICER CONVICTED, JAILED FOR SMUGGLING RED SANDALWOOD TO CHINA

SENIOR ARMY OFFICER CHARGED, SUPSENDED FOR SMUGGLING RED SANDALWOOD TO CHINA

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Lt. Col. Ramjee Thapa, Chief of Aridaman Battalion Langtang National Park was court martialed by Nepal Army’s Summary General Court Martial (SGCM) Friday, an official army announcement said.
He was sentenced to two-year prison term and declared unfit for future government service.
He was charged for helping smuggle red sandalwood to China through the park.
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US HELPS IMPROVE CUSTOMS PRACTICES

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has teamed with the Department of Customs to align Nepal’s customs valuation systems and procedures with international standards, an official USAID announcement said.
.A week-long training on Customs Valuation and a National Seminar on Customs Management concluded Friday.

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Implemented by USAID’s Nepal Economic Agriculture and Trade (NEAT) program, the training improved the understanding of Nepali Customs Officers and other participants of the provisions and mechanisms of the World Trade Organization (WTO) Customs Valuation Agreement and of the Nepalese legislation that has implemented that Agreement.
The National Seminar provided a platform to discuss and identify the regulatory requirements and customs procedural improvements that the Customs administration will begin to follow.

USAID Mission Director David C. Atteberry said, “The World Bank’s ‘Doing Business Report’ ranks Nepal at 116 out of 183 economies for the ease of conducting business overall and 164 for trade across borders. This is a sobering statistic and signals the need to do much more to improve Nepal’s business environment. USAID’s Economic Growth program is closely collaborating with the Government to modernize the Department of Customs and make Nepal a more inviting country for international trade and foreign investment.”

Forty customs officers and senior customs officials participated in the training and seventy customs officials and senior officers from different departments of the Ministry of Finance participated in the National Seminar.
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INDIA ENTERS SEMI-FINAL OF SAFF U-16 FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: India Friday entered the semifinal of the SAFF U-16 Championship Football Tournament trouncing Maldives 5-0 at Dasharath Stadium, Kathmandu.

India is a runner-up in group ´A´while Pakistan topped the group.
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