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Yoga included in school curriculum In Nepal

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Kathmandu — The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology is all set to make yoga education compulsory for schoolchildren.

“The ministry has completed designing courses on yoga for Grades IX, X, XI and XII,” said Krishna Prasad Kapri, joint secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, The Himalayan Times writes.

“Through integrated approach certain topics about yoga will be included as part of the compulsory subjects such as English and Nepali. However the students can make choice between yoga, Ayurveda and natural medicine as optional subject at the school level,” said Kapri.

“The course is integrated in the school curriculum to promote healthy lifestyle,” said Deepak Sharma, spokesperson at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The courses will have credits similar to other subjects. These courses will be implemented from the upcoming academic session at schools. “Schools should also be willing to teach those courses as optional subject,” added Kapri.

Curriculum for three-year vocational course on ‘Technical School Leaving Certificate in Yoga, Ayurveda and Naturopathy’ has also been designed. The subject will be taught under three-year diploma programme under the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training. The courses will help students learn about yoga and its importance. The course will also instil moral values in students, help to maintain their mental health, according to Kapri. As school education lays foundation for knowledge on diverse subjects the ministry decided to introduce yoga in the school curriculum, according Kapri.

“Besides being helpful in the treatment of various ailments, Yoga, Ayurveda and naturopathy will also be helpful for further research,” added Kapri.

The curriculum will be timely revised as per the need. “Yoga and meditation serve as effective solution measures against growing depression and anxiety among people from all walks of life,” said Dr Kshitiz Barakoti, president of Academy of Yoga Graduates.

Nepal observes National Unification Day

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Kathmandu , ANI —  Nepal on Sunday observed the birthday of Prithvi Narayan Shah, the founding father of unified Nepal as the National Unification Day.
Hundreds of people poured onto the roads of Kathmandu and gathered in front of Singha Durbar to pay tribute to the statue of Prithvi Narayan Shah to mark the 298th birth anniversary of the late king.

“Today, we would like to remember the founder of unified Nepal who was born 298 years back. He is the one who unified the fragmented states and gave the identity of unified Nepal. We got the identity of Nepal due to him,” Durga Bikram Thapa, one of the participants of the tribute paying ceremony, told ANI.


“On the behalf of all Nepalis we are remembering him (Prithivi) as the founder of unified Nepal,” Thapa added.


Nepal Tourism Minister Yogesh Bhattarai attended the event at the western gate of Singha Durbar. (ANI)

Arrested Britain’s Ambassador to Iran denies he joined Tehran street protests

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London— After he was briefly arrested, Britain’s ambassador to Tehran on Sunday denied an Iranian claim that he had taken part in a demonstration that broke out at a memorial for the 176 people killed when a plane was shot down.

Students held a gathering at Tehran’s Amir Kabir University on Saturday evening to honor those killed, hours after Iran admitted the Ukrainian airliner was downed by mistake.

Iran’s Mehr news agency said the ambassador, Rob Macaire, was arrested for his alleged “involvement in provoking suspicious acts” at the gathering in front of the university, the timesofisrael reported.

“Can confirm I wasn’t taking part in any demonstrations! Went to an event advertised as a vigil for victims of #PS752 tragedy,” Macaire said on Twitter, adding he had been detained half an hour after leaving.

“Normal to want to pay respects — some of victims were British. I left after 5 mins, when some started chanting,” he said.

“Arresting diplomats is of course illegal, in all countries,” he added.

The British government reacted with outrage, with Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab saying “The arrest of our ambassador in Tehran without grounds or explanation is a flagrant violation of international law.”

Raab said the Iranian government was “at a cross-roads moment. It can continue its march towards pariah status with all the political and economic isolation that entails, or take steps to deescalate tensions and engage in a diplomatic path forwards.”

Authorities in Tehran have yet to make any statements about the incident.

Iran’s armed forces said on Saturday the Ukraine International Airlines Boeing 737 was mistakenly shot down, after denying for days Western claims it was brought down by a missile.

Police dispersed students who chanted “radical” and “destructive” slogans when the tribute to those killed in the air disaster turned into an angry demonstration, Fars news agency reported.

18 people are killed in Nepal due to road crashes every day, a new study says

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London– Up to 18 people are being killed in Nepal due to road crashes every day, a new study published in the prestigious British Medical Journal Injury Prevention has said.

This figure is three times more than average official estimate of death due to road crashes in Nepal.

A new study on burden of injuries in Nepal by the Researchers of the University of West of England and the University of Washington reveals that transport injuries altogether killed 3,394 people aged 15-49 years in Nepal – 9% more than that from HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria combined in the year 2017. The study used the Global Burden of Disease 2017 study data, estimated that there were 16,831 deaths caused by all kinds of injuries in 2017.

The Burden of Injuries in Nepal 2017 study has documented that Injuries remain an important cause of morbidity and mortality in Nepal, with transport injuries (45%) and falls (18%) being prominent causes of death in the country. Intentional injuries, mainly self-harm (suicides), also contribute a considerable burden (14%). According to the findings, transport related injuries claim 7,524 lives in a year (that is, more than 20 deaths every day) followed by 6,465 unintentional injuries (including deaths from falls, drowning, poisoning, fire burns etc) and 2,842 intentional injuries (including interpersonal violence, assaults and suicides). These figures are equivalent to a death rate of 56.3 per 100,000 population; with much higher rate for male population i.e. 76.2 per 100,000.

Talking to South Asia Time, UWE Research Fellow and lead author, Dr Puspa Raj Pant, said, “This is the situation of public health emergency in Nepal. We have been reading news of deaths and injuries along Nepal’s roads and other environments every day but little has been done to address the problem. This must be addressed urgently in a coordinated way by the top leadership of Nepal. The time for action is now.”

Dr Pant said that this is the first time that an account of the burden of all kinds of injuries – transport injuries, unintentional injuries and intentional injuries–for Nepal have been published as a single manuscript.

According to the World Health Organisation, “Injuries are caused by acute exposure to external energy interacting with the body in amounts or at rate that exceed the threshold of human tolerance. In some cases, injuries result from the sudden lack of essential agents such as oxygen of heat.”

The study also provides separate estimates for 6 sub-categories of transport injuries: pedestrian road injuries (48%), motor vehicle road injuries (18%), motorcyclist road injuries (17%), cyclist road injuries (6%), other road injuries (1%) and other transport injuries (10%). However, according to the Police records, only 2,451 people were killed (6.7 per day average) and 12,391 injured from 10,965 incidents of road crashes occurred during 2017/18 in the country. This number is much lower compared to road traffic deaths of 6,787 (18.6 per day average) estimated by this study.

Causes behind road traffic deaths in Nepal

The growing number of motorised vehicles, with majority of motorised two-wheelers, poor quality of roads that lack pavements for pedestrians, poor enforcement of traffic rules, and lack of road safety interventions and awareness have been suggested as possible explanations for increasing road traffic deaths in Nepal. Similarly, distracted driving – using mobile phones while driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs may also have further augmented the risk of road crashes and injuries.

“Obviously, there is an urgent need and very strong demand for improving road safety in Nepal and the very first this needed is demonstrable commitment for road safety by the government leadership; and the things will move forward,”  said Dr Pant.

The study also described the deaths and injuries due to unintentional injuries such as falls (45%), drownings (15%), injuries caused by venomous and non-venomous animals (7%), burns (6%), exposure to mechanical forces (5%), forces of nature (2%), poisonings (1%) and all other unintentional injuries cause 19% of total unintentional injury-related deaths. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the factors of fall injuries in population are associated to occupations, use of medications, alcohol and substances, underlying medical conditions, medical conditions that diminish balance and vision, and surrounding environment. Rising elderly population in Nepal can also be associated to increasing fall injuries.

Likewise, this study included self-harm or suicide (82%), inter-personal violence (17%) and conflict related injuries (1%) under the sub-group of intentional injuries. Although the GBD study design incorporated sophisticated statistical modelling technique, it is still possible that the true burden of intentional injuries is underreported, particularly among the females of reproductive age.

Indicating the urgent need for addressing the problem of injuries, the lead author Dr Pant said, “There is no doubt injuries are hindering our aspirations of achieving Sustainable Development Goals with their negative impacts on health as well as wealth of the nation. There is a strong need of recognising this problem as a major public health challenge and for very strong political commitment for its prevention and control.”

The study team comprised of Dr Spencer James from University of Washington, Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME); Dr Santosh Bhatta, Mr Amrit Banstola and Professor Julie Mytton from the University of the West of England, and 8 Nepali Collaborators of the GBD 2017 study.

The full text of the study can be accessed at https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/early/2020/01/08/injuryprev-2019-043309

SOUTH ASIA TIME List : Successful British Nepalese (Social/Charity Sector)

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SOUTH ASIA TIME List : Successful British Nepalese (Social/Charity Sector) 2020

Mrs Poonam Gurung: Mrs Gurung is the President of Non-Resident Nepali Association,  UK. She is known for social service, women activism and a successful entrepreneur. She is also a director of Gurung Property Service and has investment in Restaurant business.

Dr Pranab Gyawali: A Consultant Gastroenterologist working with the NHS, Dr Gyawali is chairperson of HELP NEPAL Network UK Chapter. Also known as ‘One Pound/One Dollar a Month Fund for Nepal,” HELP NEPAL Network is working in the areas of health, education and humanitarian emergency in Nepal.

Mr Nanda Jung Gurung – Gurung is the President of the largest community organisation of British Nepalese, Tamu Dhee UK. He is well known for his philanthropic and charitable activities and his efforts to promote culture and maintain harmony.

Mr Gyan Raj Rai –  A Gurkha rights campaigner, Rai one of the leaders of Gurkha Satyagraha. He took part in a hunger strike calling for equal pension and benefits for ex-Gurkha soldiers outside Downing Street in 2013. A parliamentary committee was formed to study the Gurkha’s demands after his strike.

Mr Krishna Kumar Rai – A Gurkha rights campaigner, Rai is affiliated with the Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen’s Organisation (GAESO) that has been fighting for the cause of ex-Gurkhas for more than past two-decades.

Mr Padam Bahadur Rai – Mr Rai is leading one of the dynamic cultural and community organisations, Kirat Rai Yayokkha. He has been contributing to the community to promote culture and philanthropy.

Mr Sunil Rana – President of Magar Sangh UK, Rana has been promoting cultural and charitable activities through the organisation.

Mr Tilbikram Sambahangphe : President of Chumlung, Tilbikram has been involved in promoting cultural activities.

Mr Rajan Kumar Chhetri – President of Chhetri Samaj UK, Rajan Kumar Chhetri is an ex-Gurkha soldier. During his Presidency, Swindon Nepalese Society collected   £24k to support earthquake victims of Nepal in 2015.

Mr Navin Gurung –Founder President of Sahara UK, Navin has been involved to promote tourism in Nepal for more than past two decades. He is passionate to  promote  volunteer tourism and is an active campaigner of Sports Tourism. He is also building a Social Welfare Centre in Syangja, Nepal, through his charitable campaign.

Mr Sushil Prajapati – Sushil has been actively involved in promoting Nepali culture in the UK. General Secretary of the Pasa Pucha Guthi UK, he is actively involved in preserving and promoting Newari traditional dance and instruments. He is also a successful businessman.

Mr Sher Bahadur Sunar – Founder President of Srijansil Nepali Samaj, Mr Sunar is involved in a number of charitable organisations. Former Vice President of NRNA UK, he runs a restaurant in Aldershot.

Mrs Isha Gurung – Isha is one of the most popular charity fundraisers among Nepalese living in Britain. She has many followers on social media and has raised a huge amount of funds to save many peoples lives in Nepal.

 

Two double amputees, Hari and Justin, successfully climb Mt Kilimanjaro

Posted on by SAT News Desk
Photo : Conquering Dreams

London—Ex-Gurkha, Hari Budha Magar, and ex-British Army soldier, Justin Davis, have  summited 5895 metre high Mt. Kilimanjaro,  the tallest mountain of Africa.

Hari and Justin both served in Afghanistan; Hari serving with the Royal Gurkha Rifles and Justin with the 2 Rifles. Both veterans lost their legs above the knee after IEDs were triggered and detonated.

“We were here to test our mind, body, emotion, kits, equipment, technology, team and limit. Thank you HST Adventure and Twende Africa for putting a team together to make this expedition successful.”  Hari said in his Facebook post.

He also thanked his team, Conquering Dream, and, To The Test, for allowing him to do this. “I also thank everyone around the world who have been supporting me in so many ways over the years,” he added.

It took them  6 days to cover 56km distance of the height of the mountain.

“I never walked this long after losing legs and never used crutches. I and Justin had to focus on every single step and work our way one step to another. Every part of our body is painful, many blisters in our hands, nose and face are peeling, our prosthetic legs are muddy, dusty and got icy. We didn’t come here to chill out, we came here to struggle, challenge and come out of our comfort zone,” Hari has written.

“Justin and I both believe that giving up should not be the option. Blaming someone, moaning and complaining won’t take us to any better place. Let’s get on with it and focus on what we got and can do with our lives, “ Hari added.

“We are grateful that we are still alive. Justin is set to climb Mt. Elbrus In Russia in July and I am set for the Mt. Everest in Spring 2020,” Hari said.

Hari already has a world record of first bilateral above knee amputee to climb 19,000ft.

This is what Hari has written:

Disability – I’m doing this for disability awareness because my life was changed in the blink of an eye, this is not my choice but this is what it is. We can’t run away with some problems but to face/challenge it in positive way. There are so much discrimination and stigma against people with disability around the world due to lack of awareness, so I am here to break the barriers, challenging myself and changing lives.

Communities – My communities where my route lies, my identity is from and I live my day to day life with my family. But it’s also where the problem lies, minds are developed and for some future holds. The better people in communities make better communities, so I am trying to be a better person and trying to make my communities proud.

Gurkhas & British Army – This was my profession. One-Day a Gurkha, Always a Gurkha. Some of my friends may confuse between Gurkhas and British Army, so clarifying (that) Gurkhas are a part of British Army. I served 15 years with this one of the most reputable institutions in the world and lost my both legs and sustained other multiple injuries but I have no regrets (and) I’m very proud.

Nepal & the United Kingdom – I was born and grew up to the age of 19 in Nepal, I haven’t given much to my country but I have dedicated some time of rest of my life to my motherland. I believe some of my time will change some lives in Nepal but also I will make Nepali people proud and (portray) Nepali identity in a positive way. I will always be Nepali but I served for the United Kingdom for 15 years and gave my both legs, why? I do little bit history but I simply don’t know and there is many politics goes around it and my job isn’t taking you that way. But what I know is I wanted a better life for me and opportunity for my family. Being honest (and) putting hands on chest, this is how I ended up in the United Kingdom. …. I am very proud of serving for the United Kingdom and (the UK has) given me the opportunity to serve the people around the world in many different ways.

It’s time for me to give something back to Nepal, United Kingdom and world through climbing mountains. My next stop is Mt. Everest, so please help me in whatever way you can, so we can help others.

These are what makes me the person Hari Budha Magar. Whatever happens in life, it happens for good if we take (it in a ) positive way. Life is very short “Let’s live our life than survive.”

To support Hari Budha Magar for his journey to Mt. Everest you can click on the following link :
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/hari-everest

Nepalese community support police in raising awareness of hate crime

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London— Members from the Catterick Nepalese community and Pandit Jyu have offered their help to translate the web page, which provides information on hate crime, how to recognise it and how to make a report to the police, northyorkshire police reported on their website.

The page is already available in nine languages, ranging from Punjabi to Lithuanian and thanks to the members of the community who assisted; the force can now add a Nepalese version to the ever-growing list of translations.

Special Constable Sharmila Malla, who worked with the local community to produce the translated version said:

“We’re really grateful to Pandit Jyu Atmaram Dahal, Gurkha Company for the use of their Temple and to the Nepalese community, who gave us their time and assisted us with the page.

“It’s really important that North Yorkshire Police raise awareness of hate crime and ensure that all communities are aware of the steps they can take to report it. If we can make information about hate crime as accessible as possible, we can hopefully help communities to feel empowered enough to make a report to police and make it stop.”

Police Sergeant Amanda Hanusch-Moore, Hate Crime Operational Lead for North Yorkshire Police said:

“Taking positive action to spread the word about hate crime, so that every community in the region knows that hate crime will not be tolerated by North Yorkshire Police, is a priority for us.

“The hate crime pages have already been translated into nine other languages, but we are always keen to add more resources to the page; to ensure we can make as many people aware of the fact hate crime is not just offensive – it’s a criminal offence.

“We’re working on other ways to make the page more accessible for more people and we are looking to launch a British Sign Language translation very soon.”

If you are a victim of hate crime, you can report it to North Yorkshire Police on 101. In the case of emergency always dial 999 ,  the North Yorkshire police write on their website.

Nepal expresses concern after India places restriction on palm oil

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New Delhi — Nepal and Indonesia said they were studying India’s decision to restrict import of palm oil products, which understandably is aimed at Malaysia that recently has criticised India’s actions in Kashmir and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019. The diplomatic comments poured in as the Commerce Ministry sources said the restriction of palm oil is not meant for a single country but aimed at the product itself, the Hindu Reported.

“The status of relationship between any two countries is something that they would look before they get into trading. Of course that [political relationship] happens to be a factor,” said official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs Raveesh Kumar indicating that the products were placed in the “restricted category” by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry because of the recent tension between India and Malaysia. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammed in recent weeks has repeatedly criticised Indian decisions regarding Kashmir, the CAA and the NRC.

India imports approximately 30% of palm oil, part of the vegetable oil requirement, from Malaysia. Nepal too in recent years has emerged as a major regional refiner and supplier in South Asia.

The decision is likely to hit the country’s exports as Nepal had exported palm oil worth Rs 10.33 billion, over 10% of its total export earnings, to India in Fiscal Year 2018/19, myRepublica writes.

As Nepal itself does not farm palm for oil, a sudden rise in the exports of palm oil in the last fiscal year caught many by surprise. Last year, Nepal spent Rs 11.86 billion to purchase crude palm oil from abroad.

Nepal court directs to take steps for the minimisation of risk of Nepali migrant workers’ death

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London— The apex court of Nepal has issued the order of mandamus against the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security of the Nepal Government, Department of Foreign Employment, and Foreign Employment Promotion Board to take steps for the minimisation of risk of migrant workers’ death.

Around 1,000 Nepali migrant workers declared healthy by medical test report in Nepal have suffered death in destination countries each year.
97 per cent of such deaths have occurred in the Gulf region. Cardiac arrest is found to be the most common cause of death, various media report says.

In other cases, the deaths are either said to be normal or the cause is unidentified. In majority of case, post mortem is not carried out citing natural causes. Due to this reason, actual cause of death cannot be identified and family of the deceased migrant workers are also deprived of accidental insurance facilities.

In the case filed by Law and Policy Forum for Social Justice (LAPSOJ) and Pourakhi Nepal, the SC has released a full text of its verdict on Deaths of Nepali Migrant Workers in various destination countries, the Himalayan Times reported.
Advocates Kedar Dahal, Barun Ghimire, Anurag Devkota, Hari Phuyal (now Judge at Supreme Court), and Milan Rai (now Judge at High Court), represented the case and litigated before the Supreme Court.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Announce Shocking Move to ‘Step Back as Senior Members of Royal Family

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London — The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have announced they will step back as “senior” royals and work to become financially independent.

In a statement, Prince Harry and Meghan also said they plan to split their time between the UK and North America, BBC reported.

The royal couple announced on Wednesday that they intend to “step back as senior members of the Royal Family,” and they are making plans to split their time between the U.K. and North America.

“After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution,” the Duke and Duchess of Sussex wrote on Instagram. “We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen. It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.

“We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages. This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity. We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.”

NEPAL: STATE FRAGILITY AND POLICY ANALYSIS BRIEF

Posted on by SAT News Desk

By Jennifer Coulthard, KC McLean, and Sarah Mackintosh

Since the end of the civil war in 2006, Nepal has maintained the peace, established a new constitution, held successful elections, and overall is on a trajectory towards stability and improvement of standards of living. Nepal was ranked the third most improved country on the 2018 Fragile States Index, and fourth most improved for 2019, yet it still ranks as a ‘High Warning’ country and faces a variety of challenges that threatens this improvement in the long term. Limited capacity to provide public services to all citizens, limited resilience to handle future environmental shocks, and persistent inequalities all demonstrate the weak governance that hinders Nepal’s progress. Nepal’s low capacity in turn weakens the legitimacy of the current government, presenting the potential for Nepal to fall into a capacity trap. This report provides the Canadian government with an analysis of the key drivers of fragility in Nepal, and offers policy options to help reduce fragility, strengthen government capacity, and keep Nepal on an improving trajectory.

 

This brief draws on a desk review of quantitative data, including indicators from key data-banks such as the World Bank, the Fund For Peace, the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Data is used from 2006 onwards for two reasons: lack of consistent data prior to this date, as well as a desire to track Nepal’s progress since the end of the civil war and the abolition of the monarchy. Qualitative data from various sources is used to inform our analysis. This includes news articles, reports, and scholarly publications regarding the Nepali context, regional analyses, as well as research on fragile states more broadly for a thorough representation of Nepal’s current position. A diverse range of sources and topics were used to ensure a nuanced, holistic understanding of Nepal’s trajectory.

Additionally, the Organization for Economic Development (OECD) multidimensional framework was consulted because it captures the major shift in how fragility is conceptualized. In this respect, it frames fragility as a combination of risks and coping capacities in economic, environmental, political, security, and societal dimensions. It offers a comprehensive and universally relevant perspective because it recognizes that each context faces its own unique combinations of risks and coping capacities.

Carleton University’s Country Indicators for Foreign Policy’s (CIFP) six key clusters are used to structure the analysis, exploring various indicators, intensity, and trends within each cluster. We find that Governance is the primary driver of fragility in Nepal, while Economic Development, Human Development, Demography and Population, and the Environment are secondary drivers. Relationships between the clusters were also considered, so as not to isolate any factors from the broader context. CIFP’s Authority, Legitimacy, Capacity (ALC) model is also used, with our analysis finding that Nepal is struggling in all three categories; however, Capacity presents the largest risk. This analysis led to the development of four related policy options to improve Nepal’s trajectory out of fragility.

Click here for Original report 

Nepali passport ranks 101 out of 107 nations, Holders can visit 38 countries without visa

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London— The Henley Passport Index on Tuesday released its first report of the new year, retaining the Nepali passport’s rank at 101 out of 107 over the paltry 38 nations that holders can travel to without visas.

Powered by the International Air Transport Association, the Henley Passport Index measures global access on the basis of nationality. It’s ranking of 200 countries provides an in-depth picture of travel freedom, including the countries a given passport allows people access to and the types of visas required.

In its latest report, the Index found that only 38 nations allow visa-free access to Nepal. The only countries with less travel freedom are Syria (with 29 visa-free options); Iraq (28); and Afghanistan (26). Neighboring India, meanwhile, ranks at 84 with 58 nations offering its nationals visa-free or visa-on-arrival access.

The strongest passport, meanwhile, was found to be that of Japan. According to the Index, the Japanese can avail visa-free, or visa-on-arrival, access to 191 destinations around the world. Singapore comes in second with 190; while South Korea and Germany are tied in third place with 189.

The report notes that the gap between the highest and lowest ranking states—Japan and Afghanistan—is the largest it has been since the Index launched in 2006. A Japanese passport holder can access 165 more destinations than a holder of Afghanistan’s, it noted.

The U.S. and the U.K., meanwhile, continued to slide down the rankings. They currently are tied in eighth place with 184 options for ease of travel—a dramatic drop from the number one spot they jointly held in 2015.

The report noted that the biggest success story of the past decade was the U.A.E., which has climbed 47 places in 10 years and is currently at 18th place, with a visa-free/visa-on-arrival score of 171.

Dr. Christian H. Kaelin, chairman of Henley & Partners and the inventor of the passport index concept, says the rise of Asian nations proves the benefits of “open-door policies and the introduction of mutually beneficial trade agreements.” The Index also cited political science researchers Uğur Altundal and Ömer Zarpli, of Syracuse University and the University of Pittsburgh respectively, to have found a strongly positive correlation between travel freedom and other kinds of liberties—from the economic to the political, and even individual freedoms.

“There’s a distinct correlation between visa freedom and investment freedom, for instance. Similar to trade freedom, countries that rank highly in investment freedom generally have stronger passports. European states such as Austria, Malta, and Switzerland clearly show that countries with a business-friendly environment tend to score highly when it comes to passport power. Likewise, by using the Human Freedom Index, we found a strong correlation between personal freedom and travel freedom,” Henley quoted them as saying.

The countries* that Nepalese can visit without going through grueling visa approvals are:

  • Bolivia: Visa on arrival -90 days
  • Burundi: i Visa on arrival – 30 days; obtainable at Bujumbura International Airport
  • Cambodia: Visa on arrival – 30 days
  • Cape Verde: Visa on arrival
  • Comoros: Visa on arrival
  • Djibouti: Visa on arrival
  • Dominica: Visa not required – 21 days
  • Gambia: Visa not required – 90 days
  • Guinea-Bissau: Visa on arrival – 90 days
  • Haiti: Visa not required – 3 months
  • India: Freedom of movement; Nepalese citizens may live and work freely in India under the 1950 Indo-Nepal Treaty of Peace and Friendship.
  • Kenya: Visa on arrival – 90 days
  • Laos: Visa on arrival – 30 days
  • Madagascar: Visa on arrival – 90 days
  • Malawi: Visa not required – 90 days
  • Maldives: Visa on arrival – 30 days
  • Mali: Visa on arrival
  • Mauritania: Visa on arrival
  • Micronesia: Visa not required – 30 days
  • Mozambique: Visa on arrival – 30 days
  • Myanmar: eVisa – 28 days. eVisa holders must arrive via Yangon, Nay Pyi Taw or Mandalay airports.
  • Pakistan: Visa not required – 1 month
  • Palau: Visa on arrival – 30 days
  • Philippines: Visa not required – 30 days
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: Visa not required – 30 days
  • Samoa: Entry Permit on arrival – 60 days
  • Serbia: Visa required -Visa free for a maximum stay of 90 days for valid visa holders or residents of the European Union member states and the United States.
  • Seychelles: Visitor’s Permit on arrival – 1 month
  • Singapore: Visa on arrival – 30 days
  • Somalia: Visa required -Visa on arrival for 30 days, provided an invitation letter issued by the sponsor has been submitted to the Airport Immigration Department at least 2 days before arrival.
  • Sri Lanka: Electronic Travel Authorization – 30 days; must hold return or onward ticket
  • Tanzania: Visa on arrival – 3 months
  • Timor-Leste: Visa on arrival – 30 days
  • Togo : Visa on arrival – 7 days
  • Tuvalu: Visa on arrival – 1 month
  • Uganda: Visa on arrival

 

Ukrainian passenger plane crashes near Tehran, Leaving no survivors

Posted on by SAT News Desk

London — A Ukrainian Boeing-737 with more than 170 people on board has crashed in Iran, officials say.

Iran’s Red Crescent said there was no chance of finding survivors.

The Ukraine International Airlines plane crashed just after take-off from Iran’s Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran, said the Fars state news agency.

The plane was flying to the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. Ukraine’s government said a crisis group was being set up to investigate the crash.

President Volodymyr Zelensky was cutting short a trip to Oman and returning to Kyiv, a statement said.

“My sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of all passengers and crew,” he said in a statement.

 

It was not immediately clear what caused the Boeing 737-800 aircraft to crash, but Iranian news agency Fars reported it was suspected to have been caused by technical issues, as did Iran’s official news agency IRNA.

Iran’s civil aviation spokesperson Reza Jafarzadeh said that an investigation team was present at the site of the crash close to the airport in the southwestern peripheries of Tehran, the Associated Press reported.

“After taking off from Imam Khomeini international airport it crashed between Parand and Shahriar,” Jafarzadeh said. “An investigation team from the national aviation department was dispatched to the location after the news was announced.”

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft have been involved in a number of fatal accidents over the years. In March 2016, a Flydubai 737-800 from Dubai crashed while trying to land at Rostov-on-Don airport in Russia. Sixty-two people aboard lost their lives.

The Boeing 737-800 is an older model than the Boeing 737 MAX, which has been grounded for almost 10 months following two crashes, one in Ethiopia and the other in Indonesia.

FlightRadar24 said the Ukrainian flight on Wednesday was not operated by a Boeing 737 MAX.

Iran has suffered a series of fatal air accidents in recent years. Decades of international sanctions imposed on the country has taken a toll on its commercial passenger aircraft fleet.( AFP , Reuters , BBC)

Tourism Minister led “Visit Nepal” rally stopped by Sydney City security officers

Posted on by SAT News Desk

London — Local police in Sydney have stopped a rally in the city aimed at publicising the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign.

Photo : Nepal Embassy , Australia

The rally, which had to be cancelled after the city council said it could not go on because the organisers had not sought government permission for the event.

The rally was being organised with a commercial motive and as a large number of people were participating, it would create obstacles for pedestrians, New South Wales police said.

The visit courted yet another controversy after security personnel in Sydney stopped a rally organized to promote much-talked-about Visit Nepal Year 2020, Australia-based news website southasia.com.au reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, the organizers had not taken permission to march a rally which was being led by Minister Bhattarai. Nepali Ambassador to Australia Mahesh Raj Dahal, Consul Consul General of Nepal in NSW Deepak Khadka and Consul General of Nepal in Victoria Chandra Yonzon were accompanying the minister during the rally.

However, Minister Bhattarai wrote on Facebook that the news reports regarding the tourism campaign were misleading and aimed at hurting ties with Nepal’s friendly partner Australia. “Such misleading reports also tarnish our country’s prestige,” he said.

Nepal’s Prince is in 14th position in world ranking

Posted on by SAT News Desk

London — Junior badminton player Prince Dahal from Nepal is in the 14th position in the world ranking of badminton players announced by the World Badminton Federation today.

Nepal’s Prince Dahal holds the trophy after the Dubai Junior International Badminton Series on Sunday, September15, 2019/ Source Dahal’s Facebook post 

Prince has improved in the ranking climbing four notches to 14th position from the 18th. This is the highest position any Nepali badminton player has achieved so far. Before this he was in the 32nd place.

Dahal  had recently won the title of the Dubai International Series held in the United Arab Emirates last September.

He has been performing well  in many international competitions.

France’s Christo Popov is in the top position in the WBF junior world rankings.

Dahal started playing badminton from as early as five. He draws inspiration from his father who played badminton with his friends every day in their hometown, Kalanga, in Darchula. “My father is someone I look up to a lot and still do actually. He is why I am a badminton player. He is who taught techniques and is probably the best coach I’ve had,” adds Dahal who says he played in a lot of local tournaments in his home town of Kalanga.

By the time Dahal was nine he had shown his parents he had the talent, but his parents knew that he didn’t have a chance to make it big in Darchula which is why they brought him to Kathmandu.

“All I wanted back then, and even now, is to play this sport. A reason why I told my parents that I would only study in a school which has a badminton court,” adds Dahal on an interview with Onlinekhabar, who in 2013 was admitted to Nepal Police School in Bhaktapur.

Dahal adds that he learnt a lot in school. He shares that the school had a better badminton facility and better coaches where he could refine his skills. Just a year after coming to Kathmandu, Dahal then took part in various age-level tournaments across the valley winning both the U-14 and U-16. However, he missed out on the U-19 title which he shares added fuel to his fire to become a great badminton player Nepal has ever seen.

“When you lose, you want to do better. You want to beat that person the next time you play. That tournament was alright for me but I wanted to more. Win more.”

Having won the first tournament he played in Kathmandu made Dahal’s confidence grew. That is why he started to compete in the open category at only 14.

“My father said I could excel in the open category and said that I was ready to play against the country’s best players,” he adds. His father’s prediction came true during the 2017 Krishna Mohan National Open Championships in which 14-year-old Dahal won a bronze medal beating one of Nepal’s best badminton players, Bishnu Katwal.

“Playing against such senior players has made me a better player. That tournament was a result of me and my father’s hard work. I still get goosebumps when I remember that tournament.”

Dahal says having played against such players has helped him in age level tournaments. But he knew that for him to get better, he had to train more which is why he took a two-year break from studies to focus on badminton.

“Out of the two years, I spent one year at the Banthongyord Badminton School in Thailand and the other I was here in Kathmandu preparing myself for Dubai International,” he shares adding that the decision to skip school wasn’t easy but it was one which had to be taken.

Nepal’s Prince Dahal holds the trophy after the Dubai Junior International Badminton Series on Sunday, September15, 2019.He adds it wouldn’t have been possible without his father who convinced his mother that it was the right things to do. “My mother didn’t want me to skip school. But my father understood. He knew that if I was to become a great badminton player I needed to sacrifice a few things. Looking back at the decision, to skip school wasn’t a bad one. Everyone is happy now,” he adds.

BoI pushing Thai firms to South Asia

Posted on by SAT News Desk

Bangkok — The Board of Investment (BoI) is encouraging Thai companies to expand their presence in South Asian markets, as many countries need new foreign direct investment in the renewable energy and construction sectors.

Ratanawimon Nareesukreekhet, deputy director for Thai overseas investment promotion at the BoI, said Bangladesh, the Maldives, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are targeted countries for BoI to support future investment from Thai companies., Bankok post reported.

“South Asia has opportunities and economic growth, while many countries are developing infrastructure projects,” she said. “The BoI has been approached by governments from that region, and we are working closely to bring Thai companies to visit and invest in those countries.”

Ms Ratanawimon said South Asia has developing countries where roads, buildings and power plants are planning to begin construction.

Moreover, the BoI is committed to encouraging Thai companies to continue their business presence in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam to capture dynamic GDP growth in neighbouring countries.

“There are many potential sectors in four neighbouring countries such as agriculture, textiles and garments, tourism and services, food and beverage, retail, and packaging, and Thai companies are capable enough to expand their businesses to serve consumers’ needs,” Ms Ratanawimon said.

This BoI division has had a policy to promote and encourage Thai companies to expand their businesses overseas since 2010.

Ms Ratanawimon said the BoI plans to use the policy for other regions such as Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia that have many emerging economies.

The baht’s appreciation is a boon for Thai companies looking to expand overseas, hoping they will benefit from the investment in the long run.

The recent hike in the daily minimum wage, on the other hand, is a negative factor for Thai companies, Ms Ratanawimon said.

“Companies have to move fast to take advantage of the strong baht and seek new markets where labour wages remain low,” she said.

The BoI has a Thai Overseas Investment Support Centre serving as a one-stop service and training hub for Thai companies eyeing foreign markets.

The centre will provide assistance for Thai companies, such as knowledge of each country and investment advice.

The centre has 17 training courses for 609 companies.

“Most companies are small and medium-sized enterprises or family businesses because the second or third generations aim to expand their companies in overseas markets,” Ms Ratanawimon said. “Some large companies also participate in the centre and bring their employees to be trained with the BoI, and most of them are from the construction, oil and gas, and electricity sectors.”