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.

Indian Man Shot by Nepal Police not so "Innocent" - Video released

The video footage has emerged when An Indian was killed by Nepal police while firing on hundreds of protesters blocking a border crossing with India on Monday. He was identified as Ashish Kumar Ram from Raxaul in the Indian state of Bihar, by the officials.

Indian foreign office later released a statement arguing that the innocent Indian man was killed in the protest among Nepalese. However, the video footage clearly shows that the Indian was throwing stones to the Nepal Police and in response the Police fired who later died in the hospital.

At least 34 dead in Rasuwa bus accident

A passenger bus has skidded of the road falling down about 500 metres on Tuesday in Ramechhap, Rasuwa. The death toll is at least 34 and is likely to be increasing. The initial police report suggests that the bus was overcrowded due to the fuel shortage in the nation.
Shiva Acharya, who escaped the incident after jumping from the hood, said that the incident took place after the front wheel of the bus punctured. Security personnel from the Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force are carrying out rescue operation. The bus was carrying 100 passengers.