Goverment not repairing border pillars

Even though some of the border pillars in Nepal’s Ilam and India’s West Bengal areas have gone missing and some are in dilapidated state, the Nepal government has not paid any heed to their maintenance.

While, the Indian side has been repairing border pillars on its territory on a regular basis, Nepal has not done anything so far.

According to Tejindra Gautam, Chief of Pashupatinagar Border Administration, there are 116 pillars, including main, medium and normal, from Maimajhuwa to Jirmale of

भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस् 

Ilam.”Of them, nine have vanished and the remaining are in urgent need of repair,” he said.

Likewise, nine of the 16 pillars from Chhabbise to Tarai region have been swept away by the Mechi River so far. But, there is no exact information on when they were lost.

“Along with the main pillars, there are 46 medium and 36 normal pillars. Many of them are on the verge of collapse. Pillars disappear due to lack of timely repair,” said Gautam. According to him, one main, three medium and two normal pillars were reported missing in a study report.

भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस् 

He further urged authorities of both countries to sit for negotiation regarding the repair of pillars and fixing of border territories.

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Casino Shut-down

All casinos and electronic gaming companies in the country will not be allowed to conduct businesses from Sunday. The government took a decision to this effect today, as the casinos failed to obtain new operating licences by paying due royalty fee before the deadline.

The government had previously asked seven casinos and three electronic gaming companies — also known as mini casinos — that are in operation to obtain new operating licence by tomorrow. But since tomorrow is a public holiday, it had asked them to complete all the formalities to remain in business by today.

“Since most failed to approach us till today and few that filed applications lacked documents, operating licences of all casinos and electronic gaming companies will expire on Sunday. Against this backdrop, it would be illegal for any casino or gaming company to continue carrying out their businesses from Sunday onwards,” reads a statement issued by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, which regulates casino and gaming business in the country.

भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस् 

The tourism ministry has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to monitor whether casinos and gaming companies comply with its directive from Sunday. “If they do not, it would be the responsibility of the Home Ministry to take legal action,” the statement adds.

The ministry has, however, clarified that the government’s intention behind shutting down the casinos and gaming centres was not to render over 11,000 people employed in casinos jobless.

“The ministry has been holding discussions with the Ministry of Finance on how to deal with issues related to royalty. We will continue to hold discussions with other stakeholders to make the sector more organised,” adds the statement.

Operators of casinos and gaming centres have been at loggerheads with the government since the beginning of this fiscal year after annual royalty amount for each casino and gaming company was raised to Rs 40 million and Rs 30 million, respectively. At that time the government had also directed them to pay the royalty amount in advance within two months of the beginning of the fiscal year.

Casino and gaming centre operators had declined to abide by the new provision on royalty, stating, ‘100 per cent increment in royalty for casinos and almost 600 per cent hike in royalty for gaming centres would push casino and gaming businesses to the verge of collapse’.

Then on July 22, the government came up with the first Casino Regulation in the country. Since the regulation was introduced for the first time, the government had asked all casinos and gaming companies to obtain new operating licences by paying due royalty amount of previous years and advance royalty amount for this fiscal.

भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस् 

Scenario so far

• Casinos had to obtain licences by November 20. But they refused to abide by government directive

• The deadline was extended thrice

• Ten casinos, including Casino Nepal, Casino Pokhara and Casino Fulbari, which have already been shut down, owed the government Rs 657.67 million in due royalty amount as of mid-July 2013

• Each of the seven casinos in operation, including Casino Mahjong which acquired Casino Nepal, has to pay another Rs 40 million in royalty amount for this fiscal

New regulation

• Minimum paid-up capital requirement for casinos— Rs 250 million

• Application fee — Rs 500,000

• Licence fee — Rs 20 million

• Licence renewal fee — Rs 10 million

Due royalty amount of casinos as of mid-July 2013

Casino Dues

Casino Nepal Rs 266.80m

Casino Fulbari (already closed) Rs 160.86m

Casino Anna Rs 152.68

Casino Royale Rs 49.50m

Casino Everest Rs 17.19m

Casino Venus Rs 3.51m

Casino Rad Cleared

Casino Tara (now Casino Star) Rs 2.96m

Casino Pokhara (already closed) Rs 827,500

Casino Shangri-La (already closed) Cleared

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12 killed in Everest avalanche

UPDATE IV: Three of the injured Sherpas have been airflifted from the Everest region to Kathmandu for treatment this afternoon.

A Nepal Army helicopter was also used in the rescue operation.

भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस् 

UPDATE III: Everest Avalanche: 12 bodies recovered‚ 8 rescued alive



Altogether 12 bodies have been recovered from the avalanche-hit area till this noon, and one body has been sighted buried in the snow. Eight persons were rescued alive, while five Sherpas are still missing, authorities said.

Nearly 100 Sherpa guides and climbers have been trapped above the avalanche site.

All climbing activities have been stopped for the time being after the disastrous avalanche this morning.

Currently, a Simrik Air chopper is airlifting the bodies and injured.

Five of the Sherpas who were killed in the avalanche were employed by the Shangr-la Shangri-la Nepal Trek Pvt. Ltd. The deceased have been identified as residents of Khumbu region.

“Around 25 persons were swept away by the avalanche. We have rescued eight alive, and 12 bodies have been recovered so far,” Dipendra Poudel of the Trekking and Mountaineering Section under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) said.

He said rescue mission was underway under the coordination of contact office that the Tourism Ministry started form this season.

“Liaison officers, personnel of Nepal Army and Armed Police Force as well as guides from Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) and icefall doctors are involved in rescue operations,” he added.

Climbers of as many as six expeditions were swept away by the avalanche.

“These expeditions were operated by expedition operators like Shangri-la Nepal, Alpine Ascent, Summit Nepal, Himalayan Guides and Beuyl, among others,” added Poudel.

Grief-stricken Sherpas from Khumbu region have gathered at the base camp after the news of tragedy spread.

भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस् 

Everest expedition in figure

This year 85 expedition teams have been issued permit to climb different mountains. A total of 334 mountaineers -- 87 from the US alone -- representing 31 teams are headed for Mt Everest.

As of 2013, there were 6,871 ascents — 4,416 from the Nepali side and 2,455 from the Tibetan side — by 4,042 summiteers.

In 2013, 539 summits were recorded from the Nepali side, while the Tibetan side recorded 119 summits.

There were 248 casualties, including 161 of foreigners, according to the Himalayan Database.

UPDATE II: 7 bodies recovered, 5 seen buried in snow



Four of the deceased have been identified. They are Tsering Sherpa, Dorjee Sherpa, Tenzing Sherpa and Mingmar Sherpa of Namche area of Solukhumbu district.

UPDATE I : Everest Avalanche: 7 bodies recovered‚ 5 seen buried in snow

Seven bodies have been recovered, while five others are buried in the snow at the area hit by an early morning avalanche in Mt Everest, Jiban Ghimire, Managing Director of the Shangri-la Nepal Trek Pvt. Ltd*., told THT Online, referring to members of his trekking agency who are currently in the Everest region.

Some Sherpas, who went to fix ropes and ferry logistics for other climbers, are still unaccounted for after the avalanche, according to him.

Earlier, it was reported that 14 bodies were found from the incident site.

Helicopters have been sent from Kathmandu to the Everest region to assist in the rescue operation.

Eight of the victims have been rescued alive and brought to the base camp for treatment, Ghimire informed.


Everest Avalanche: 7 bodies recovered‚ 5 seen buried in snow

Everest Avalanche: 7 bodies recovered‚ 5 seen buried in snow
Avalanche in Mt Everest: "14 killed‚ scores missing"

KATHMANDU: An avalanche hit Khubuche area, near Camp 1, of Mt Everest this morning, killing some mountaineers, most of them Sherpas.

About dozen others are missing in the incident that took place before sunrise at around 5:30 am.

Some of the victims have been rescued and brought down to the base camp, and rescue operation is underway.

The avalanche came sweeping from the Khubuche Icefall and hammered over at tents of Sherpas, who were heading to Camp I to ferry logistics and fix ropes for the climbers of different expedition teams.

The site is at an elevation of 5,800 metre, in between the base camp and Camp I.

According to Jiban Ghimire, Managing Director of the Shangri-la Nepal Trek Pvt. Ltd., 14 bodies were found.

He said 10 of the victims were from his trekking agency.

At least five persons have been rescued alive and are brought to the base camp where they are receiving primary treatment, said Lakpa Sherpa, a local medical staff.

Helicopters will be sent to the incident site from Kathmandu to help the rescue operation shortly, according to Ang Tsering Sherpa of Nepal Mountaineering Association.Camps being set up for the spring summit at Everest base camp earlier this month.

Krishna Lamsal, Under Secretary of Tourism Ministry, said 15 persons caught in the avalanche belong to the Alpine Expedition.

Most of the climbers were at the base camp for acclimatisation.

Nearly 800 persons have arrived in the upper Khumbu and base camp area for acclimatisation before climbling the world's highest mountain, Lamsal informed.

More than 600 support staff, most of them are Nepali Sherpas, are assisting over 300 foreign climbers who have been permitted to summit Mt everest in this spring.



(* Correction: This version corrects the name of the trekking agency. It is Shangri-la Nepal Trek Pvt. Ltd., and not Peace Nepal Treks. We apologise for the mistake made earlier.)

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East region 209 police personnel punished

After the implementation a fresh policy on immediate reward and punishment to Nepal Police personnel in Eastern Region, as many as 209 police personnel were punished in the last six months.

Under the policy initiated by DIG Nawa Raj Silwal, Eastern Regional In-Charge of Police, departmental actions were taken against the officials involved in corruption and other extra-disciplinary activities.

भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस् 

Of the punished, 28 were expelled, 27 were suspended and 74 were given different punishments including warnings, halt of promotion and grade, among others, DIG Silwal said, at a press meet organised here on Wednesday.

There are as many as 12,140 personnel in the region.

DIG Silwal said police implemented the reward and punishment policy considering feedback and suggestions from citizens of all 16 districts in the region.

Police in the district has announced a cash prize for any civilian who can inform the higher police authority about corruption of police officials, with evidence.

On the other hand, as an immediate reward programme to police officials, the Eastern regional police headquarters has also started selecting "Police of the Month". The photograph of the 'Police of the Month' is put on display on a reflection stand at the regional office.

भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस् 

Silwal shared that they are also working on strengthening public-police relationship with programmes like public hearing.

“We have largely succeeded in controlling hooliganism, small arms, drug trafficking and activities of underground groups,” claimed Silwal.

Meanwhile, Silwal said that they are establishing a unit in each district with only women staff to encourage women leadership in the organisation and create a conducive environment for reporting of cases of violence against women.

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Electronic share trading in Nepal

For the first time in the country, electronic share trading began on Tuesday, with two stockbroker companies—Kalika Securities and Trishakti Securities—carrying out trading of 30 units of dematerialised shares of Agriculture Development Bank.

Nikesh Neupane sold his dematerialised shares through Kalika, which was purchased by Sushil Sapkota through Trishakti.

भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस् 

Narendra Raj Sijapati, Managing Director of Kalika Securities, said they started the paperless system of transaction also to pressure the authorities concerned to adopt a full-fledged online trading system.

Government authorities, including the CDS and Clearing Limited and Securities Board of Nepal, have to bring the entire listed companies into demat system of share trading within six months after the first transaction of dematerialised shares, according to CDS Bylaws 2012.

The government had been considering adopting online stock trading system for the last few years. Although the Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) was established two decades ago to facilitate stock trading, there had not been any digitalised system of transaction.

The government then set up CDS four years ago to promote online clearance of stock trading. CDS had announced to start a full-fledged online clearing system by October, 2013, but failed to do so due to various reasons, including companies’ reluctance to acquire licences of clearing members (CMs) and depository participants (DPs).

भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस् 

Only 16 out of 235 listed companies have entered into an agreement with CDS to dematerialise their shares. So far, just 6,392 share certificates have been dematerialised, while only 10 companies have acquired the DP license.

With the launch of the paperless transaction, investors will now have to register their selling orders only after converting their share certificates into the paperless format, which can be done through DPs. Both CMs and DPs are directly linked to CDS through software, which helps settle stock transaction instantly.

Sijapati, who is also president of Nepal Stockbrokers’ Association, said investors have to wait for just three days to get the ownership transferred under the online trading system. “Apart from reducing the clearance time, the paperless shares transaction system is also expected to boost stock transactions from outside the valley.”

Nepse stable

KATHAMNDU: Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) remained fairly stable on the first day of the Nepali New Year. The market gained 0.93 points to close at 818.58 points. Narendra Raj Sijapati, president of Nepal Stockbrokers’ Association, said investors were awaiting third quarter reports of listed companies. “Despite positive indicators, investors in a wait-and-see mode,” he said. Of the nine trading groups, five posted gains, with hotels leading the gainers’ side with a gain of 50.92 points. It was followed by the insurance group. The overall market transaction stood at Rs 257.54 million from the trading of 572,411 shares. Chilime Hydropower Company posted the highest individual transaction of Rs 31.2 million for the day.

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Ship Collapse In South Korea

About 160 passengers, including high school students, were plucked to safety on Wednesday in a dramatic rescue from a South Korean passenger ferry sinking with 475 on board, officials said, although at least two people had died.

South Korean officials said the rescue operation was still underway and it was difficult to offer any confirmed information about the remaining 300 or so people on board.

The ferry , identified as the Sewol, was carrying 475 passengers and crew and 150 vehicles, according to Korean port authorities, when it began to list badly as it neared Jeju island, about 100 km (60 miles) south of the Korean peninsula.

भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस् 

Within hours, television pictures showed the Sewol lying on its port side. Soon after the ship had completely capsized, with only the forward part of its white and blue hull showing above the water.

An official from the Danwon High School in Ansan, a suburb in the capital Seoul, said all its 338 students and teachers had been rescued safely but that could not be confirmed by the coast guard or other officials involved in the rescue.

The students and teachers were on a field trip to Jeju, said the official, who asked not to be identified.

A distress signal was sent from the ship early on Wednesday, the South Korean coast guard said, triggering a rescue operation involving dozens of ships and helicopters.

There was no immediate indication of what caused the ship to list and roll on its side, although one witness told YTN television there had been a "loud impact and noise" before it started sinking.

भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस् 

The coast guard later said one person had been found dead inside the sinking ferry . An official from the Mokpo Hankook hospital on the mainland said another person had died soon after arriving at its emergency ward.

Television and still pictures showed the badly listing ferry surrounded by debris, rescue ships, helicopters and at least one inflatable lifeboat.

Chang Kyung-hak, a crew member on a ship sent from a nearby town to help with the rescue, said his vessel was carrying dozens of people, including students who had been saved from the ferry , and that most were in fair condition.

However, two people were suffering minor burns, Chang told Reuters by telephone.

Weather conditions were fair, he said, and the sea appeared calm.

The ferry had left from the port of Incheon, about 30 km (20 miles) west of the capital, Seoul, late on Sunday.

A government official said the rescue operation involved 18 helicopters and 34 navy and coast guard vessels.

The ferry , which also carries cars and trucks, has a capacity of about 900 people and has an overall length of 146 meters (480 feet) and weighs 6,586 gross metric tons (1 metric ton = 1.1023 tons). Shipping records show it was built in Japan in 1994.

A passenger on board told YTN television the first rescue helicopter had reached the vessel soon after the distress signal was sent.

The unidentified passenger, who spoke before people were evacuated, sounded calm and said those on board were in their cabins but were having trouble keeping their balance.

Heavy fog had set in overnight off the west coast, leading to the cancellation of many island passenger ferry services.

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Al-Qaeda’s New Threat To USA

The leader of Al-Qaeda’s wing in Yemen has vowed to attack the United States, in a video apparently showing a gathering of the group celebrating a mass jailbreak of fighters. In February, attackers mounted a bomb, grenade and gun assault on the main prison in Sanaa in which 29 inmates, including 19 jailed for terrorism-related crimes, escaped.

भिडिओ हेर्न तल क्लिक गर्नु होस् 

The 15-minute video, dated March 2014 and posted on a website, shows masked men waving Al-Qaeda’s black flag and celebrating the arrival of the freed prisoners.

“The Crusader enemy, dear brothers, still possesses cards which he moves around. We have to remember that we are always fighting the biggest enemy,” says a man speaking in the open in a mountainous area, whom the video identifies as its leader Nasser al-Wuhaishi.

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