Nepal's Capital City to be Changed to Butwal.

KATHMANDU, April 1: The lawmakers in Nepal today publicly announced the plans to make Butwal the new capital city of the new Nepal.

The decision came after the rigorous debate and consultaion with the reknowned intellectuals, professors and all stakeholders.

The new constitution of Nepal have been amended to codify the new milestone in Nepalese history. Speaking in the parliament today the PM Oli said, " we are happy with the new decision to make Butwal our new Capital city. It will not only take pressure away from Kathmandu and also provide us with a potential to make our new capital city an example in the world arena."

The joint statement from the top leaders also highlighted the plan to make Butwal a model city in the world which will have chinese train line running along with the Tinau river and an international airport in Lumbini.

Happy April Fool !!!

Full Information about Nepal Visa

Visa can be obtained on arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Kathmandu, at border entry points in Kakadvitta, Birgunj, Bhairahawa, Nepalgunj, Gaddachowki on Nepal-India border and Kodari on Nepal-China border. Visa can also be obtained at the nearest Nepal Embassy or Diplomatic Mission. Visa can also be obtained (renewal purposes) at Department of Immigration, Kalikasthan, Kathmandu. A valid passport and one passport size photo with a light background is required. Immigration Department has not specified the size of the passport size photo.

Visa can be obtained only through payment of cash in the following currency:Euro, Swiss Franc, Pound Sterling, US Dollar, Australian Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Hong Kong Dollar, Singapore Dollar and Japanese Yen. Credit card, Indian currency and Nepali currency are not accepted as payment of visa fee.

A. Tourist Visa

Visa Facility Duration Fee
Multiple entry 15 days US$ 25 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry 30 days US$ 40 or equivalent convertible currency
Multiple entry 90 days US$ 100 or equivalent convertible currency

B. Gratis (Free) Visa

For first visit in one visa year (January to December) , gratis visa for 30 days is available only for nationals of South Asian countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. However, visa can be extended from the Immigration Department on payment of visa fee as specified above.

Indian nationals do not require visa to enter into Nepal.

C. For Indian National

Indian nationals do not require visa to enter Nepal.

As per the Nepalese Immigration, Indian Nationals Traveling to Nepal must posses any One of the following documents.

1. Passport
2. Driving License with photo
3. Photo Identity card issued by a Government Agency
4. Ration Card with Photo
5. Election Commission Card with Photo
6. Identity Card issued by Embassy of India in Kathmandu
7. Identity Card with Photo issued by Sub- Divisional Magistrate or any other officials above his rank

Also, please check with your nearest travel agents for documents required by the Indian Immigration for Indians travelling to Nepal.

D. Other Information

Nationals from Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan will need to obtain visa from Nepal Embassies or Diplomatic Missions in their respective countries, as they do not get visa on arrival at the immigration entry points of Nepal.

E. Visa Extension

Tourists can stay for a maximum of 150 days in a visa year (Jan 1 to Dec 31).

For further information, please contact:
Department of Immigration
Kalikasthan, Kathmandu
Tel: +977-1-4429659/4429660/4438862/4438868
Fax:+977-1-4433935/4433934
Email: mail@nepalimmigration.gov.np
Website: http://www.nepalimmigration.gov.np

[Source : Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation]

Illegal Immigrants Sheltering in Nepal

KATHMANDU, March 31: Over 500 'illegal migrants' from various countries are staying in various parts of Nepal, according to available data. These migrants entered Nepal on various pretexts over a period of time.

Records at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) show that the number of such migrants, often categorised as urban refugees, has reached 533. However, the government doesn't have data on this category as it recognises refugees from Bhutan and Tibet only.

Altogether 261 people from Pakistan were sheltering in Nepal as refugees as of March end 2015, according to UNHCR data obtained from MoHA. The second highest number of 'illegal migrants' by country is 156, from Myanmar. People from Sri Lanka, Somalia, Iran, Iraq, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Bangladesh are also among the 'illegal migrants'.

Under Secretary at the Local Administration Section at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA), Kosha Hari Niraula, said that the government does not recognise refugees from any country except Bhutan and Tibet.

"We don't recognise refugees from countries like Pakistan, Iran, Iraq or anywhere else. They are categorised as illegal migrants and no law obliges us to ensure their resettlement or repatriation," said Niraula.

He added that people are entering Nepal thanks to the effortless visa processing and they overstay their visas for years on various excuses.

Nepal doesn't issue on-arrival visas to the citizens of 11 countries: Nigeria, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Cameroon, Somalia, Liberia, Ethopia, Iraq, Afganistan and Syria, and Palestine.

Neupane further clarified that UNHCR has categorised such 'illegal migrants', who have entered Nepal due to lack of security in their respective countries and other political problems, as urban refugees.

Officials at the National Unit for Co-ordination of Refugee Affairs (NUCRA) at MoHA opine that the penalty of five dollars per day for overstaying in Nepal should be waived for such migrants to facilitate their departure.

According to government data, there are 17,134 Bhutanese refugees and 12,540 Tibetan refugees remaining in Nepal. The government has carried out third country resettlement for 101,222 Bhutanese refugees.

However, Gopal Siwakoti, chairman of the International Institute for Human Rights, Environment and Development (INHURED), an organisation working on human rights and refugee issues, told Republica that the government should provide legal identity to all refugees, be they Bhutanese or Tibetan, as a durable solution.

He also informed that there are around 9,000 Tibetan refugees languishing in Nepal without any legal status because of the diplomatic pressure from Nepal's northern neighbour, China. "The government should come up with a comprehensive policy in regard to urban refugees as we are not a signatory to the Refugee Convention 1951."

Source: SHREEJANA SHRESTHA, My Republic Media

EGYPTAIR passenger plane hijacked and forced to head to Cyprus.

Airline and Egyptian government sources are quoted as saying that the domestic flight travelling from Alexandria to Cairo was taken over by at least one armed hijacker.

They asked for the flight to land in Cyprus, an EgyptAir spokeswoman is quoted as saying.

The Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation reports that 55 people are on board.

There were earlier reports of more than 80 people on board.

source: BBC

Update: There are reportedly 55 people are on board, with a crew of 7. One man is believed to be armed.

Nepal-China Relation, India Worried

Both China and India know that it is vital to keep making influence in Nepal from the strategical point of view. Nepal's more and more reliance to India because of its geographical limitations has provided India the upper hand in manipulating most of the internal affairs in Nepal. The prime example of which can be seen in the recent Indian blockade to Nepal done with the intention to give political pressure to change its fair and democratic constitution.

Nepali PM KP Oli's week long official visit to China has yielded some of the most significant Chino-Nepal deals of our times. The transit agreement between China and Nepal is expected to end the Indian monopoly of trade over Nepal. It will now also provide Nepal with the bargaining power in dealing with India.

Further, two highways from Nepal to Tibet, Chinese rail line linking Kathmandu and Lumbini, financial support to build international airport in Pokhara are included in the joint Nepal China statement.

Indian officials in Delhi observe this kind of prospect as a threat to its big brother attitude in the south east region. When asked about the subject to India's external affairs ministry spokesman, he said "now, we are not in the comparison business and even if you are, do ask yourself, is there any other country in the world which can have the kind of relationship that Nepal has with India?"

Pakistan explosion kills at least 69 people in Lahore.

The bomb went off in a children's park and most of the victims are believed to be women and children.

"When the blast occurred, the flames were so high they reached above the trees and I saw bodies flying in the air," said Hasan Imran, 30, a resident who had come to Gulshan-e-Iqbal Park for a walk.

A Pakistan Taliban faction, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, has said it carried out the attack.

New iPhone is Out : iPhone SE

Apple CEO Tim Cook unveiled the iPhone SE calling it “the most powerful 4-inch phone ever”.

Apple has returned back to its smaller sized model saying many customer didn't like the bigger screens. The iphone SE is almost identical in size with the 5s and has all the features of an iphone 6s.

It has an Apple A9 chip, which is the same processor as the iPhone 6S and double the speed of the iPhone 5s.

The Apple iPhone SE will be available in space grey, silver, gold and rose gold metallic finishes in 16GB and 64GB models.

Once the phone becomes available for sales it can be purchased from these apple authorised sellers in Kathmandu. 

Nepal Free To Use Chinese Ports

China has agreed to allow Nepal to utilise Chinese ports, putting an end to the landlocked country’s dependency on India for international trade.

On the first day of Prime Minister KP Oli’s official visit to China, Foreign Affairs Minister Kamal Thapa signed an agreement to this effect with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi in Beijing on Monday. The deal was signed following a meeting between PM Oli and Chinese premier Li Keqiang.

Nepal also signed nine additional agreements with China at various levels. But PM Oli tweeted that the transit agreement was especially important for Nepal’s economic development.

Nepal has relied so far just on the Kolkata port in India for international trade. Last year when India imposed a blockade against Nepal to force Kathmandu to address Madhesi demands, the landlocked nation began exploring other transit routes to plan for future embargos.

The transit deal with China might not immediately help Nepal in importing essential commodities from across the Himalaya, but Nepali authorities believe that it is an important step towards reducing over-dependency on India.

Nepal is surrounded by India on three sides, and New Delhi has tried to use this advantage to put pressure on Kathmandu on three occasions since 1971. Nepal shares its northern border with China, but the Chinese mainland remains far away.

In the wake of the Indian blockade, Nepal has tried to increase road connectivity with China, hoping to lessen the impact of future Indian embargos. In the five months of the recent blockade, Nepal suffered a humanitarian crisis as people were deprived of fuel and cooking gas.

Amidst the blockade, Nepal decided to import one third of its fuel needs from China, and PM Oli was expected to sign an agreement to this effect during his China visit. But the fuel deal was struck off his agenda just a few days before he flew to Beijing. Many believe that Oli the fuel duel on ice because of Indian pressure, but he has said it is because of the lack of time for preparation.

The other agreements that Nepal signed with China include the exploration of petroleum reserves, free trade and the development of Pokhara International Airport. China has also agreed to build a bridge in the remote Hilsa village and donate 32,000 solar plants to Nepal.

China Agrees To Build Railway In Nepal

China agreed on Monday to consider building a railway into Nepal and to start a feasibility study for a free trade agreement with the impoverished, landlocked country, which has been trying to lessen its dependence on its big neighbour to the south, India.

Meeting in Beijing's Great Hall of the People, Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Oli told Chinese Premier Li Keqiang he had "come to China with a special mission" when it came to strengthening relations. He did not elaborate in front of reporters.

Hou Yanqi, deputy head of the Chinese Foreign Ministry's Asia Division, said Oli raised the possibility of two rail lines, one connecting three of Nepal's most important cities and two other crossing the border from China into Nepal.

Hou said the government would encourage Chinese firms to look at the internal rail plan, and that China was already planning to extend the railway from the Tibetan city of Shigatse to Gyirong on the Nepal border.

Why China Won't Invade Nepal

The bilateral relations between Nepal and the People's Republic of China have been friendly and defined by Nepal's policy of balancing the competing influence of China and Nepal's southern neighbour India, the only two neighbors of the Himalayan country.

One of the main reasons why China is not considering claiming any parts of Nepal is because there is a strategical tug-of-war on play between India and China for influence in Nepal. China has been significantly successful in reducing Indian influence in recent years. China's effort in doing so is even made easier by the vehement dislike by Nepalese people of the Indian interfence in Nepal's internal matters.

China saw this anti-India sentiment as an opportunity, and has exploited it with astonishing success. Now, however, if they start claiming parts of Nepal's territory, all this soft power will simply vanish, and Nepal will turn to India in order to counter the Chinese threat -- exactly as it had turned to China to counter what it saw as intrusive actions of India in Nepal.

In fact, this to-and-fro between China and India has been going on in Nepalese politics even when India was still British India. It resumed with new enthusiasm after the Chinese annexation of Tibet. India, however, was rather obtuse and instead of gradually increasing real influence in Nepal, repeatedly acted in ways that could be construed as interfering in Nepal's sovereign matters.
If China were to consider claiming Nepalese region(s) the foremost on the list would be Mustang region of Nepal. After all, the people of Mustang speak Tibetan, and consider themselves to be Tibetan in all socio-cultural dimensions.

But doing so now would be premature, and will definitely undo the inroads they have made into Nepal over the last three decades. Unlike India, I find it highly unlikely that China will act bluntly until its influence in Nepal is indisputably strong.

Nepali Mother Lost in Australia

An elderly woman who arrived in Australia from Nepal one week ago has been reported missing.

Police in Victoria are appealing for help to locate Jamuna Nayak. She does not speak any English and was last seen on Hilda Street, Glenroy, about 6.30pm on Sunday.

Police are concerned for the 71-year-old's welfare as she requires medication for a medical condition. 

"Jamuna is described as Indian in appearance, 150cm tall, medium build and greying black shoulder length hair," police said in a statement.

She was wearing a pink jumper and a long colourful skirt.