Seven killed, four missing in Nepal landslide =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - Seven members of one family were killed in a landslide brought on by incessant rainfall in eastern Nepal, police said.

   Four others went missing in the incident that swept away three houses in Taplejung district.

   Security personnel with the help of locals were searching for the missing. Three people were rescued.
dpa pt ses

Protesters demand end to "slavery" in western Nepal =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - Former child labourers are demanding the government abolish Nepal's kamalari system of bonded labour that protesters called a form of slavery, Wednesday.

   Girls from poor communities in the western plains region are often sold by parents into indentured servitude.

   Nepal outlawed slavery in 1921, but the practice continues in various forms, enslaving families for several generations.

   A strike called by the Freed Kamalari Struggle Committee affected 22 western districts, shutting schools, markets and industries this week.

   The protesters also demanded an investigation into the murder of a girl who was allegedly burnt to death by her employers.

   On Tuesday, police broke up demonstrations and arrested protesters.
dpa pt tlo

15 killed in Nepal bus accident=

   Kathmandu (dpa)- Fifteen people were killed in Nepal on Wednesday, when a passenger bus skidded off the road, plunging into a gorge, police said.
   More than 20 people were injured in the accident in Sindupalchowk district,some 20 kilometres north-east of the capital Kathmandu.
   Police said the bus had fallen some 100 metres downhill.
   Accidents caused by bad roads, reckless driving and use of old vehicles is common in Nepal.291521 dpa pt

LEAD: Everest diamond jubilee celebrates apex of mountaineering

Eds: Adds events and quotes at awards ceremony, epa photos =
   Kathmandu (dpa) - The diamond jubilee celebrations commemorating the first ascent of Mount Everest ended Wednesday with a ride in a horse-drawn chariot and medals for those who made "human history at the top of the world."
   Relatives of Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, who were the first to top the world's highest mountain on May 29, 1953, were taken around Kathmandu in the chariot as the four days of festivities drew to an end in Nepal.
   They were taken to the ancient palace area in the capital, where Hillary, a New Zealander, and Tenzing, A Nepalese Sherpa, had been honoured after their descent.
   "Two people worked together to take human history to the top of the world," said Amelia Rose Hillary, Edmund Hillary's granddaughter. "This is the celebration of that story."
   At least 4,364 people have since summited the 8,850-metre Everest, while more than 300 have reportedly died trying. As the climbing season ended Wednesday, 512 people had reached the peak this year while six deaths were reported, officials said.
   The awards ceremony at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace honoured Everest summiteers who had set records.
   "It is good to see the government acknowledge people's passion," said Hilary Carlile, Edmund Hillary's niece and deputy chairwoman of the Himalayan Trust he established.
   Speaking on behalf of the recipients, mountaineer Reinhold Messner, who made the first ascent without oxygen and the first solo summiting of Everest, said the mountain was cleaner than it had been 15 years ago.
   Garbage had become a problem on the mountain, known as the "Roof of the World," as traffic increased, but the government made it mandatory for climbers to bring back their garbage 15 years ago. There have been cleaning campaigns have also been conducted on the peak.
   "I greatly appreciate the initiative taken by the veteran mountaineers and mountain lovers in philanthropic actives in and around Everest region in improving conditions of local communities," said Khilaraj Regmi, the chairman of the Ministerial Council, who also acknowledged the work of rescue workers and doctors.
dpa pt lns ncs

NEWS FEATURE: Everest: too easy? Anniversary celebrated with debate

By Pratibha Tuladhar, dpa
Eds: epa photos =
   Kathmandu (dpa) - Mountaineer Reinhold Messner, the first person to scale Mount Everest without supplementary oxygen, on Wednesday slammed the peak's large number of climbers as "high-class mountain tourism."
   Messner, who first climbed the world's highest mountain without oxygen in 1978 and solo in 1980, charged that what is happening now on Everest isn't mountaineering.
   "As an alpinist, I climbed on my own line," he said, "but Hillary Step now has ropes going over it, so that people can go up and down more easily."
   Hillary Step is a sheer 12-metre rock face at 7,760 metres that represents the last main obstacle on the way to the 8,848-metre summit.
   The first climbers to top it were Edmund Hillary and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay. As the 60th anniversary of their first ascent of Everest was celebrated Wednesday, a debate was also going on in the climbing community about the commercialism of the peak, the large number of climbers its draws and whether the ascent has become too easy.
   So far this year, 512 people have reached the summit during a climbing season that began in mid-April and ends at the end of May.
   Last year, overcrowding on the "Roof of the World" made headlines when nearly 200 people tried to go up at once, causing what was dubbed the "world's highest traffic jam."
   Climbing has become less difficult as equipment has improved, and more importantly, the local Sherpa people prepare the mountain every year for the climbers and now lay rope ladders for climbers to use.
   "You don't have to be a climber any more to climb a mountain," said Messner, who was the first person to reach the summits of the world's 14 mountains taller than 8,000 metres. "You pay and someone prepares the mountain for your climb."
   Sherpas earn 3,000 to 5,000 dollars for every expedition they join. A climber pays 10,000 dollars for the climbing permit from the government.
   "It is very difficult for the Sherpas," said Messner, who is from the German-speaking region of South Tyrol in Italy. "They do the high-risk job."
   Wednesday's anniversary was marred by an altercation in early May between Sherpas and a group of European climbers.
   "The Sherpas do the hard work of putting up the climbing ropes on the mountains, but there are climbers who do not give them any regard for it but still use their services for free, so it had been building up, and it showed in that incident," said Tashi Jangbu Sherpa, former president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association.
   Messner agreed: "It is not a clash between Sherpas and Europeans but a clash between commercial expeditions and alpinists."
   For the Sherpas, Chomolungma, as they call Everest, is sacred.
   "We consider Chomolungma the mother goddess of earth, so we ask her forgiveness by saying we are compelled to climb her for sustenance and ask her to protect us and save us from any mishap," Tashi Jangbu said.
   Sherpa porters carry more than 35 kilograms during the expeditions while also guiding clients. The job comes with a high risk of injury and death.
   "In the past, mountaineering used to feel like a serious challenge, but climbing now has changed completely," said Temba Chirri Sherpa, who lost his fingers to frostbite in 2001 when he became Everest's youngest climber at 16. "You don't climb anymore. People make you climb."
   During the anniversary celebrations, the government said it would implement strict policies on licenses and line control to prevent overcrowding.
   "We'll take health and age into consideration from now on while issuing permits," Minister for Tourism Ram Kumar Shrestha said.
   Meanwhile, some mountaineers in Nepal were contemplating putting up a ladder on the Hillary Step to make it easier for climbers — a move that doesn't have government approval.
   Putting up a ladder wouldn't be a question of right or wrong, Messner said, adding that mountaineering is a question of self-determination.
   "It's your enthusiasm that should make you climb a mountain and not because your sponsor is saying it," he said.
dpa pt sgb lns

Nepal's Everest diamond jubilee to culminate in awards ceremony

Eds: epa photos =
   Kathmandu (dpa) – Nepal's Everest diamond jubilee celebrations will culminate Wednesday with an awards ceremony for record climbers at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace.
   Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay, a Nepalese Sherpa, became the first to reach the peak of the world's highest mountain on May 29, 1953.
   At least 4,364 people have since summited the 8,850-metre Mount Everest, while over 300 have reportedly died trying. This season, 512 people reached the peak, while six deaths were reported, officials said.
   Relatives of Hillary and Norgay were taken around Kathmandu in a horse-drawn chariot, as the four days of festivities drew to an end in Nepal.
   They were taken to the ancient palace area in the capital Kathmandu where Hillary and Tenzing had been honoured after their descent.
   "This has been absolutely fantastic," said Hilary Carlile, Sir Edmund's niece and deputy chairwoman of the Himalayan Trust he established.
   "It is good to see the government acknowledge people's passion and to be a part of this event."
   The last surviving member of the 1953 Everest expedition, Kancha Sherpa, was to be honoured at the palace ceremony.
   Italian climber Reinhold Messner, who made a solo ascent and later without oxygen, record summiteer Apa Sherpa were also due to receive medals.
dpa pt bve

Keeping Hillary's dream alive in shadows of Everest

By Pratibha Tuladhar, dpa =
   Kathmandu (dpa)- When Elizabeth Hawley came to Nepal in 1959 as a journalist, the country had just opened up to the world, following the success of the first ascent of Mt.Everest in 1953.
   She came back the following year ‘to see how Nepal would cope with the 20th century’ and never left.
   Seated in her Kathmandu office in a neatly-ironed mauve shirt and khaki skirt, the 89-year-old maintains an archive of all expeditions that have climbed the Nepalese Himalaya, called the Himalayan Database. She also runs the Himalayan Trust, carrying forth the philanthropic work started by Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the first two men to climb Mt.Everest.
  When Hillary and climbing partner Tenzing Norgay reached the summit in 1953, the New Zealander laid the foundation of a lifelong relationship with the people of Nepal.
  
“He considered Sherpas his friends,” Hawley says of the man who became an honorary Nepali citizen. “When he was physically capable he traveled to Khumbu [the Everest region] all the time.”
   Hillary contributed in building 26 schools and two hospitals in Solukhumbu district, the seat of Everest. He also built several footbridges in the district and raised funds to rebuild the Thangboche monastery, which was destroyed by fire in 1972.
   “Hillary understood the importance of the monastery for the people of Khumbu. It was their cultural centre,” explains the octogenarian, who is responsible for "maintaining the schools, sending up food, books, medical supply and equipment."
   “Hillary raised the funds we needed while he was alive.”
   Peter Hillary, his son and five-time Everest summitter, does that job now.
   Hillary had made Khumbu his second home, returning every other year to make sure the schools and hospitals being established near the roof of the world.
   “The impact Hillary had on the region is judged by the fact that during the Maoist revolt, there was not a single resident Maoist in Khumbu,” says Hawley, a former journalist.
   Nepal witnessed a decade-long civil war from 1996-2006, during which villagers across the country joined the rebels.
   The southern part of the district, Solu, remains relatively poor, with people trying to scrape out a living from the land. Many head abroad in search of work.
   “For them, the Maoist promise of change was very attractive. But in Khumbu (northern part of the district), they had developed lodges for foreigners who went there for trekking and life was more comfortable.”
   Today’s Everest scene, however, is a far cry from what the “modest and honest” Hillary had imagined.
   From the "first innocent climb," as Tenzing Norgay Sherpa’s grandson Tashi Tenzing put it, the sport has changed. Each year, hundreds of people scramble up the world’s highest peak, fighting for a place on the summit or in record books.
   “Too many people who don’t belong there and don’t know how to climb are going up. It’s slowing down others. You don’t start learning how to climb after you get on the mountain, which is what people are doing now!” Hawley said.

   In 2013 alone, 515 successful summits were made, taking the total to 4,336 since 1953. Six deaths were added to a record of roughly 300 confirmed or suspected.

   “The mountain doesn’t mind. It’s a rock. It’s insensitive. But it’s just a problem of how it affects the climbers themselves.  They’re going to kill themselves if they don’t know what they’re doing,” Hawley draws a niche in the air with a hand.
   The government has been under some pressure from environmentalists to limit the number of climbing permits and to manage the garbage on the mountain.
   “There was no system of monitoring in the past, but since we made it mandatory for climbers to bring back garbage, things have improved in last 15 years,” says Sharad Pradhan, the spokesman for Tourism Board.
  “Climate change has led to thinning of snow on the mountain because of which garbage and dead bodies have surfaced.”
  Last year, Everest made headlines as experiencing the "world’s highest traffic jam as nearly 200 people competed to go up the mountain. But no criteria have yet been set by officials.
 
   For Hawley, who has been keeping a count of the expeditions on 300 peaks since 1980, the spring gets busier each year as more and more people attempt to climb during the brief season.

   Her job involves meeting with expeditions, getting bio-data of the climbers and meeting them again upon their return from the Everest, to record the successful summits made.
   Reinhold Messner, the first man to climb Everest solo and later without oxygen, once reportedly said that Hawley knows Everest better than any climber.
   Elizabeth Hawley first learned about mountains from Lt Colonel Jimmy Roberts, a retired British officer who was the first to set up the business of commercial treks in 1955. But she has never climbed a mountain.
   “What for?” shrugs Hawley, who prefers her warm bed and meals at the table to trekking. “I never thought of climbing. I grew up in towns and cities. It’s not the thing for me.”
   And yet, she worked closely with men like Tenzing and Hillary. Did they ever prod her?
   “They knew better,” she says.
    Hawley has only left Nepal three times since 1960, once for medical treatment in Bangkok, once to visit her family in the United States and the last time to attend Sir Hillary’s funeral in 2008.
dpa pt tlo

Nepal celebrates 60 years of first successful Everest ascent =

   Kathmandu (dpa)- Nepal began a four-day celebration to mark the anniversary of the first successful ascent of Mount Everest, in 1953, officials said Sunday.

   Dipendra Poudel, section officer at the Mountain Department, said the celebrations opened with a conference in Khumjung among climbers to address the impact of climate change on the Himalayas.

   The events would conclude Wednesday, the 60th anniversary of the ascent by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa.

   By Sunday, 515 climbers had been atop Everest this season, taking the total of those who have reached the summit to 4,367.

   Nearly 300 people are said to have died trying to scale the world's highest mountain, with six deaths recorded in 2013 alone.
dpa pt tlo

In his grandfather's footsteps: Tashi Tenzing Norgay

By Pratibha Tuladhar, dpa
Eds: Anniversary of first successful Everest climb is Wednesday, infographic 19179 =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - One of Tashi Tenzing Sherpa's favourite memories of his grandfather is, fittingly, following him up a mountain.

   “I was 12 when I tagged along on a trek in Kanchanjunga in Sikkim, where he was guiding a group of American tourists,” Tashi, now nearly 50, says of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, one of the first two men to successfully climb Everest.

   “We had to walk up the jungle to the alpine region and herds of yaks were running down the hill and we were petrified!” Tashi raised a hand as if to wave them off.

   “Grandfather ran to the top of the hill and said something to the yaks, and they stopped!

   “I thought that was cool!” he said of Tenzing's skills learned as a boy yak-herder in his Nepali hometown of Khumbu.

   “At 5 feet 10 inches (1.77 metres), my grandfather stood out,” said Tashi, who is also taller than most Sherpas. His mother, Pem Pem, was Tenzing Norgay’s eldest child, his English tutor and traveling partner.

   Sherpas migrated to Nepal from Tibet 800 years ago, and form the majority of the country's Himalayan population.

   Some moved on to Darjeeling, India in search of work, which is how 12-year-old Tenzing arrived in his new home.

   British-run expeditions to attempt to climb Everest were run out of the northern Indian city, and Tenzing got his first job with them aged 18, but it wasn't easy, Tashi explained.

   “You had to be recommended by a friend who was working for the British in Darjeeling, which Tenzing didn’t have,” Tashi said, pointing at a faded photograph of his grandfather standing with other Sherpas outside the Planters Club in Darjeeling in 1935.

   Tenzing was passed over twice by English climbers Eric Shipton and Bill Tinman, but "he persisted with Eric who had seen him standing there to put him in the team.”

   “He had carried stones to build a chapel in Darjeeling, so he knew he could take hard work.

   “Eric said, 'We’ll take one more and that’s you' - and Tenzing was hired,” Tashi said. “I think it was his persistence and his smile that won.”

   Shipton wrote that he saw Tenzing as a "different" Sherpa, with a competitive desire to impress and, he suspected, four lungs.

   Shipton took Tenzing on his first attempt at Mount Everest, from the northern face in China. But it would be many more years before success from its southern face in Nepal in 1953.

   “Learning the ropes of mountaineering was different, but Tenzing was a fast learner,” said Tashi, who co-authored a book with his wife called Tenzing Norgay and the Sherpas of Everest.

   In 1938, Tenzing was decorated with the Tiger of the Snow medal for his work with British expeditions.

   Sherpa renown grew when Tenzing paired with Edmund Hillary, who selected him for the successful 1953 attempt on Everest after Tenzing saved his life during an earlier expedition.

   “The mountain people worship the mountains and when they heard Norgay climbed Everest the Nepalis thought he was like a god. They wrote songs and poems about him.”

   Tenzing Norgay was awarded the Nepal Tara by King Tribhuvan, the highest civilian award at that time. Britain's Queen Elizabeth II gave him the George Medal when Edmund Hillary was knighted.

   “Knighthood didn’t matter to him because he wasn’t an educated man,” Tashi explained, and spoke of his grandfather's "culture shock" when the queen placed a drawn sword on his climbing mate's shoulder.

   “He didn’t expect there to be so much drama about climbing Everest,” the grandson said.

   Tashi himself has summitted Everest three times.

   “Next year, I will attempt my fourth climb,” he points at a collage poster of him, his grandfather and his uncle - who also reached the summit. “I will turn 50 and my grandfather would have been 100, had he been alive.”

   Aside from professional mountaineering, Tashi also gives motivational talks.

   “When people invite me to do these talks, I tell them a simple story - the story of my family.

   “My grandfather came from nowhere to become a world famous man, but no one knows how hard life was for him, or my own dream of climbing Everest was for me.”

   The part-time photographer, who worked with the Happy Feet penguin documentary team in Antarctica, has also set up free schools in Nuwakot, one of the poorest districts in Nepal.

   Tashi’s next door neighbor in Kathmandu is Hillary's granddaughter  Amelia Rose Hillary, who is following in Sir Edmund's footsteps with her own philanthropic work in Nepal.

   “The Everest region has benefited a lot from mountain tourism, so Amelia and I are focusing on other parts of the country that need more attention.”

   When Tashi was growing up, it never occurred to him that his grandfather was a star.

   “We don’t have a culture of asking questions of elders, but as children, we used to love watching him move around the house.

   “He was a handsome, tall man, very humble, very loving and you could see by his face he had a confident, positive energy. And he never abandoned his old friends,” Tashi recalled.

   “Tenzing was a man born in the shadows of Everest and destined to climb Chomolungma (the Tibetan name for the mountain).”
dpa pt cds tlo

Five killed on Nepal mountain =

Published on May 24, 2013
   Kathmandu (dpa)- Five people were confirmed dead on Kanchenjunga mountain in eastern Nepal, officials confirmed Friday.

   The two Hungarians, one Korean and two Nepalis went missing Monday in bad weather at an altitude of around 7,900 metres, said Dipendra Paudel, an officer at the Mountain Department of the Tourism Ministry.

   At 8,586 metres, Kanchenjunga is the third-highest mountain in the world.
dpa pt cds

Nepali climber's Everest record equalled =

Published on May 23,2013
   Kathmandu (dpa) - Phurba Tashi Sherpa reached the summit of Mount Everest summit for the 21st time on Thursday, equalling the record set by Apa Sherpa.

   According to mountaineering officials, Phurba Tashi made two climbs this season to complete the feat.

   Last year, Apa, who goes by his first name, said he was retiring. However, he has since been back at the base camp, continuing his campaign of clearing garbage from the Everest region.
dpa pt npr

First Saudi woman climbs Mt Everest =

   Kathmandu (dpa)- A 25–year-old university graduate has become the first woman from Saudi Arabia to climb Mt Everest, authorities in Nepal confirmed on Saturday.

   Raha Moharrak arrived at the world's highest peak at around eight in the morning, said Tilak Pandey, an official at the Nepal Mountaineering Department.

   Saudi Arabia, which is ruled by a conservative Sunni Muslim monarchy, strictly restricts the rights of women.

   Moharrak was part of a group that included the first Qatari man and first Palestinian man to attempt to reach the summit.

   The "Arabs with Attitude" group posted a message on its Twitter account congratulating Moharrak.

   "The first ever Saudi woman to attempt Everest has reached the top!! Bravo Raha Moharrak. We salute you," the message read.

   Moharrak also became the youngest Arab to reach the summit.

   Altogether, 35 foreigners and 29 Nepalis scaled the mountain on Saturday.

   The month of May is a busy time on Mt Everest, as it is the best time of the year to climb.

   More than 3,000 people have climbed Mt Everest since it opened to the world in 1953. Hundreds have lost their lives attempting to climb it.
dpa pt jln

2nd LEAD: Nepal flight crashes, no fatalities reported

Eds: Updates numbers of injured, adds quotes =

   Kathmandu (dpa)- An eight-month-old baby survived a plane crash in Nepal on Thursday, along with the mother and the rest of the passengers on board, police confirmed.

   A Nepal Airlines plane crashed into the Kali Gandaki River as it tried to land in the north-western town of Jomsom.

   “Three crew members were seriously hurt because they fell into the river when the plane crashed and had to be pulled out,” said Jomsom police officer Dharmaraj Giri.

   “An eight-month old baby and the mother were safe and we managed to rescue them along with the others in the aircraft.”

   Giri said there were eight Japanese tourists on board the plane, which had 22 people in all. The rest were Nepali citizens.

   The flight from Pokhara, 150 kilometres north-west of Kathmandu, fell into the river next to the airport after it hit a strong gust of wind while landing, according to former airlines officer, Chandra Mohan Gauchan, who helped with rescue efforts.

   The rescued passengers were being flown to Pokhara hospitals by another domestic airline.

   Last May, 15 people were killed when a flight from Pokhara landing at Jomsom airport crashed.

   Jomsom is a popular trekking destination for its dramatic landscape. Muktinath temple in Jomsom is also an important Hindu pilgrimage site and draws many tourists.

   Nepal has a poor flight safety record due to its mountainous terrain and low visibility during the monsoon. Located on steep mountains, most of the airports in the northern region of the country have little more than narrow airstrips.
dpa pt cds

LEAD: Nepal flight crashes, injures five

Eds: Adds injured, quotes =

   Kathmandu (dpa)- At least five people were injured when a Nepal Airlines plane crashed into a river Thursday as it tried to land in the north-western town of Jomsom, local media reported.

   The flight from Pokara, 150 kilometres north-west of Kathmandu, fell into the river next to the airport, according to the government-run Nepal Television.

   There were no fatalities reported among the plane's 19 passengers, including a child, and three crew, but five people on board were in serious condition with injuries, news reports said.

   “The plane skidded off the runway as it was trying to land and then it fell into the Kali Gandaki River,” said Chandra Mohan Gauchan, a former airline officer who helped with the rescue work.

   “Its nose and wing are broken but the full body landed in the river and we were able to pull out everyone alive.”

   Eight of the passengers were Japanese tourists.

   The rescued passengers were being flown to Pokhara hospitals by another domestic airline.

   “The swift rescue was possible because Jomsom airport is right next to the army barracks, and the locals helped with the rescue work," Gauchan said.

   Nepal has a poor flight safety record due to its mountainous terrain and low visibility during the monsoon.
dpa pt rdp cds

Nepal Police busts alleged kidney trafficking racket =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - Ten members of a gang accused of kidney trafficking have been arrested in Nepal, police said Tuesday.

   Kidney trafficking has been a problem in some villages in Nepal, where criminals force poor villages to sell a kidney with the promise of a hefty sum, which never gets paid in full.

   At least 300 people have been identified as having sold a kidney. Racketeers are believed to have lured the poor to hospitals in India, where their kidneys was then sold. In some cases, the victims said they were led to Indian hospitals under different pretexts and would find out about a missing kidney only after it had been removed.

   The arrests are the first of its kind since the crime started spreading in Nepal villages two decades ago.

   “We had been working on it for a long time and had assigned officers to work closely with the victims so that we could nab the gang members,” said Kamal Gharti, one of the police officers in charge of the case.

   The arrests were made over the period of one month.

   Nepal shares a porous border with India. While organ donations can only be made by a relative in Nepal, the law is more relaxed in India.
dpa pt npr

Women demolish sheds where they are confined during menstruation =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - Women in Nepal's far-western region have started destroying cow sheds where they are confined during menstruation, local media reported Sunday.
   The tradition known as "chaupadi" requires women to be confined during their monthly periods, as they are barred from going inside  houses or temples.
   "We have already pulled down more than three dozen chaupadi sheds," Deepa Karmi was quoted by the Republica newspaper as saying.
   Several women have lost their lives due to snakebites, cold or heavy bleeding during the time of isolation, while some have also been raped.
   The age-old practice is said to derive from a Hindu belief that regards menstruating women as impure.
   Official figures say two dozen women are reported dead each year while observing the tradition.
   Local women involved in the protest have also been going door-to-door to urge others to give up the practice.
dpa pt tlo

Everest brawl prompts Nepali investigation =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - A probe into a weekend brawl between a group of European climbers and their local Sherpa guides during an attempt to scale Mt Everest will be launched soon, local authorities assured Monday.

   "The government is investigating the matter for obvious reasons," said the spokesman of the Nepal Tourism Board, Sharad Pradhan.

   "But it is not a big issue and the climbers are preparing to start their climb once again."  According to media reports, the three climbers - a Swiss, a Briton and an Italian - got involved in a fight with their Sherpa guides between Camp 2 and Camp 3 on the world's highest peak Saturday night.    

   According to some accounts, the foreign climbers ignored the request of Sherpas trying to fix the rope on the climbing route to wait until they were finished.

   The Sherpas alleged ice fell on them when the foreign climbers tried to move ahead. The climbers said ice had not fallen and accused the Sherpas of pelting stones at them and kicking them.

   A group of Sherpas later went to the tent of the foreign climbers, after which an altercation broke out.

   Swiss Ueli Steck, a four-time-Everest-climber, and Italian Simone Moro were reportedly injured in the brawl. Steck flew back to the base camp on Monday, after receiving treatment in a Kathmandu hospital.

   Authorities said there would be arrests after an investigation and assured security arrangements for foreigners. Foreigners who come to Nepal to climb Mt Everest contribute heavily to the Nepali economy.    

   Sherpas, who are known for their climbing skills offer guiding services to climbers on Nepal's mountains.

   More than 3,000 people have climbed Mt Everest (8,848 metre), since it opened to the world in 1953. Hundreds have lost their lives attempting to climb it.
dpa pt ncs

Monuments erected to link Earth's high, low points =

Published on Aprivl 24, 2013
   Kathmandu (dpa) - A monument containing a stone from the Dead Sea was placed on Mount Everest in a symbolic link between the lowest and highest points on Earth Tuesday.

   The monument is part of an exchange programme between Nepal and Israel. A stone from the highest mountain will be placed in a matching monument by the Dead Sea on May 16.

   “The main objective of these projects is not only to promote natural beauty and cultural heritages of the two countries but also to mark the longstanding and the friendly relations between the two countries,” the Israeli embassy in Kathmandu said.
  
   A similar cultural exchange programme saw the simultaneous issuance of stamps bearing images of Mount Everest and the Dead Sea in both countries last year.
dap prb tlo

Nepal TV host attempts to set Guiness record for longest show =

   Kathmandu(dpa)- Nepali TV host Rabi Lamichhane completed a talk show on Saturday after more than 60 straight hours, in an attempt to set a new world record for the longest marathon talk show.

   The show, themed, "Lord Buddha was born in Nepal," opened Thursday morning and was brought to an end on Saturday night as Nepal welcomed the new year on the Nepali Bikram Sambat calendar.

   Lamichhane said he hoped to set a Guiness world record by holding the longest marathon talk show, aired on local broadcaster News24.

   During the show, Lamichanne ate on set, taking only five-minute breaks between interviews. He interviewed politicians, celebrities and journalists, and took Skype calls from Nepalis worldwide, discussing religion, politics and social issues.

   His initially clean-shaven face showed stubble by the time the show came to a close.

   "If Rabi completes the 60 hours, it will be difficult for anyone to break that record easily," Pravin Patel, a Guiness World Record Deciding Commitee member, said while the show was on.

   The body is yet to confirm Lamichhane's record. The previous record holders are Ukraine's duo of Pavlo Kuzheyev and Tetiana Danylenk, who hosted a joint show on Ukraine's Channel 5 for 52 hours.
dpa pt fff

Sherpa guide dies on Mount Everest =

   Kathmandu (dpa)- A Sherpa climbing guide was killed in Nepal as he was trying to fix a rope on Mount Everest, the country's mountaineering association said Monday.

   "Mingma Sherpa was trying to fix the rope on the climbing route when he fell into a crevasse on Sunday," association official Zimba Jangbu Sherpa said.

   His body was recovered several hours after the accident but had not yet been airlifted to the capital Kathmandu.

   The death at the start of the annual climbing season was the first recorded this year on the world's highest mountain.

   Nearly 250 people have died on the mountain since it opened to climbers 57 years ago. About 3,000 people have summitted and returned successfully, according to government officials.
dpa pt tlo

Anti-rape protests in Nepal enters 100th day =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - Anti-rape campaigners in Nepal staged their 100th day of protests on Saturday, with organizers vowing to continue demonstrating until the government meets their demands for stricter laws against rapists and a fast track court to oversee the cases.

   The daily protests near the prime minister's residence in the  Baluwatar neighbourhood of Kathmandu began in December after the rape and robbery of a young woman by government officials at the airport.

   Protesters on Saturday voiced frustration with the government's response to their demands.

   "This demonstration is not only against violence against women, but also against a government that has turned a deaf ear to people's voices," said Kanak Mani Dixit, a journalist who was participating in the protest.
dpa pt sdl

Nepal parties reach agreement on new government =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - Political parties in Nepal on Wednesday agreed on the formation of a new government to be led by the country's chief justice and govern the Himalayan republic until elections.

   The leader of the country's four biggest parties reached the agreement after late-night negotiations in the capital, Kathmandu. Chief Justice Khilraj Regmi was expected to be sworn in as prime minister Wednesday night.

   The parties also set June 21 as the date for elections to the constituent assembly, despite June being a monsoon month. The election commission had warned earlier that it is unprepared for polls given vacancies in election commissioner posts.

   In an acknowledgement of the difficulty in meeting the June goal, the parties left open the possibility of a postponement until November-December. The new 11-member cabinet is mandated to govern until mid-December.

   Wednesday's agreement ends weeks of negotiations on the formation of an administration to replace the caretaker government, in place since May 2012.

   The opposition had argued against appointing the chief justice as head of government, saying to do so would breach the separation of powers.

   The small parties have criticized the move of the major parties to appoint the chief justice as the prime minister.

   Nepal had announced election for November last year, which did not materialize. The parties then said they would hold election in May.

   The latest announcement comes as a breakthrough after the parties have squabbled for months about a new government, amid tensions regarding integration of former Maoist rebels into the military.
dpa pt cfb ncs

Dozens arrested over cannabis use during Hindu festival =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - Police in Nepal on Sunday arrested more than 80 people for smoking cannabis at a festival dedicated to the Hindu deity Shiva whose most devout followers consume the drug as an act of reverence. 
   "We arrested 85 people from the Pashupatinath temple," said Uttam Subedi, a metropolitan police range officer. 
   "Most of them were smoking cannabis and a couple of them were arrested for pickpocketing and creating public disturbance."
   Shiva devotees in Nepal smoke cannabis in a bid to please the deity and invoke his blessings during the annual Shivaratri festival. 
   Under Nepalese law only holy men, or sadhus, are permitted to smoke cannabis during the festival and dealing in it is illegal.
    Every year hundreds of pilgrims make their way to Pashupatinath temple in the capital Kathmandu, which is dedicated to Shiva, which features cannabis-smoking Naga sadhus with their matted dreadlocks and ash-smeared bodies.
   Some 4,000 sadhus from Nepal and India participated this year, authorities said.
   About 5,500 security personnel were deployed at the World Heritage Site.
dpa pt rer bve

15 die in Nepal bus accident =

March 4,2013
   Kathmandu (dpa)- Fifteen people were killed when a bus carrying wedding guests crashed down a hillside in  south-western Nepal, police said on Monday.

   At least 25 people were injured in the accident in the district of Palpa,  police officer Sthaneshwor Regmi said.

   The bus tumbled about 300 metres into a river Sunday night.

   Police suspected the driver was under the influence of alcohol.
dpa pt tlo

Nepal police criticized for arresting long-haired youths =

March 3,2013
   Kathmandu (dpa) – A Nepalese police campaign to curb crime came under criticism Saturday after the arrests of youths with long hair and studs in their ears.

   Angry youths protested in Kathmandu against "police brutality."

   "Calling it a campaign to curb theft, robbery and hooliganism, Metropolitan Police on Monday rounded up 711 young people, mostly males, sporting long hair and wearing ear studs or earrings from different parts of the city," a posting on Facebook said.

   Police said youths aged 16 to 25 years are mainly involved in criminal activities in Nepal.

   "We arrested 1,200 students in three days time, but only took action against 15 who were involved in criminal activities," Kathmandu police chief Rana Bahadur Chand said. "We released the others who were found to be innocent."

   Some newspaper editorials criticized the campaign as a misdirected use of police resources.
dpa pt tlo

Sherpa woman honoured for climbing Everest twice in one season =

Woman honoured for climbing Everest twice in one season =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - A Nepalese woman who climbed Mount Everest twice in the same season was recognized for her achievement by Guinness World Records in Kathmandu on Monday, the Nepal Mountaineering Association said.

   Chhurim Sherpa, 29, summited the world’s tallest mountain for the on May 12, 2011, and then repeated the feat a week later.

   Sherpa told a press conference she would continue to try to climb other mountains.

   The first successful ascent of Everest was in 1953. Several thousand climbers have summited the 8,848-metre mountain since then.
dpa pt ses tlo

Nepal's former crown prince suffers heart attack =

Feb 19,2012
   Kathmandu (dpa) - Nepal's former crown prince Paras Shah has suffered a heart attack, local media reported late Tuesday.

   The 41-year-old Paras was admitted in serious condition to Samitivej Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, according to Kantipur Television.

   Paras, known for his playboy lifestyle, has always been at the centre of controversy.

   In December he made headlines after he was arrested on charges of drug possession and later for smashing property at a luxury apartment in Bangkok, where he is resident.

   Paras became the heir to the throne after his cousin Dipendra Shah allegedly shot dead nine members of his family members in the infamous "royal family massacre" in 2001. But he lost the position when the monarchy was disestablished through a popular movement in 2008.
dpa pt mga

Nepal opposition party enforces general strike =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - Schools and markets were closed Tueday and transportation was stalled in much of Nepal by a general strike called by an opposition political faction.

   A breakaway group of Maoists enforced the strike to protest a  decision by the major parties to form a consensus government headed by the Supreme Court chief justice to conduct elections for a new Constituent Assembly.

   On Monday, the caretaker government and four main parties agreed to form the new administration that was expected to be formally endorsed Tuesday with Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai's resignation.

   Nepal has been mired in a prolonged political crisis as the previous assembly failed to write a constitution before its term expired in May.
dpa pt tlo

Anti-rape demonstrators arrested in Nepal =

   Kathmandu (dpa)- Police arrested more than 20 anti-rape protesters in Nepal on Saturday for breaching a security cordon in front of the prime minister's residence, police said.

   "Police made arrests as some of the protests started chanting slogans and walking toward the residence gate," demonstrator Jaggannath Lamichanne said.

   "There was confrontation between police and demonstrators and some of the protestors were injured."

   For more than 50 days, people from different backgrounds have been demonstrating near the prime minister's residence in the capital.

   The protests, which came on the heels of similar protests in India, were triggered by the alleged rape and robbery of a young woman by government officials at the airport.

   On Saturday, the demonstrators said they were marking the ninth anniversary of the alleged torture and killing of Maina Sunuwar, a 15-year-old girl who disappeared after she was arrested by security personnel during the civil war.

   The government issued a report last month that demonstrators rejected because it didn't meet their demand to amend rape laws.
dpa pt tlo

Tibetan monk sets fire to himself in Nepal =

February 13, 2013

   Kathmandu (dpa) - A Tibetan monk who set himself on fire in Kathmandu early Wednesday was in serious condition, police said.

   "We put out the fire and took him to hospital after he had set himself on fire," said Keshav Adhikari, spokesman for the police.

   "The man hasn't spoken yet and the doctors have said his condition is serious."

   Police said the man entered a restaurant in Boudhanath area, which is home to many Tibetan refugees, poured petrol over himself and set himself on fire when leaving the restaurant.

   The monk is in his early 20s and immolated himself as a protest against the Chinese rule of Tibet.

   Twenty thousand Tibetans live in Nepal as registered refugees, with hundreds more living there without documentation.

   Nepal's government supports the one-China policy and forbids protests against China in Nepal.
dpa pt ses


LEAD: Tibetan man dies in Nepal after self-immolating
Eds: Adds reference to other self-immolations, changes slug, see NEWS FEATURE epa 017 =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - A Tibetan protester who set himself on fire in Nepal died Thursday, police said, bringing the total of deaths from protest self-immolations in the region to 101 in the last four years.

   The man in his early 20s died due from multiple organ failure as a result of his burns sustained Wednesday, when he poured petrol over himself in a restaurant, ran into the street and set himself on fire, apparently in protest against China's rule of Tibet.

   The incident happened in Kathmandu's Boudhanath area, which is home to many Tibetan refugees. Police took him to hospital in critical condition.

   Twenty thousand Tibetans live in Nepal as registered refugees, with hundreds more living there without documentation.

   Nepal's government supports Beijing's one-China policy and forbids protests against China in Nepal.

   A 37-year-old former Tibetan monk in China died this month from self-immolation, a Tibetan rights group said Wednesday, the 100th death in four years.

    Tibetans complain that they are forced to speak only Chinese at school and in public places. They also say they are not allowed to leave their region without a permit and are more poorly paid than Chinese workers.
dpa pt cds


2ND LEAD: Tibetan man dies in Nepal after self-immolating
Eds: Adds comments from Tibetan government-in-exile =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - A Tibetan protester who set himself on fire in Nepal died Thursday, police said, and the Tibetan government-in-exile called for a UN investigation into the continued self-immolations.

   The man in his early 20s died from multiple organ failure as a result of burns suffered Wednesday, when he poured petrol over himself in a restaurant and set himself on fire - apparently in protest at China's rule of Tibet.

   The incident took place in Kathmandu's Boudhanath area, which is home to many Tibetan refugees. While some 20,000 are registered refugees, hundreds more live there without documentation.

   Nepal's government supports Beijing's one-China policy and forbids protests against China in the country.

   A 37-year-old former Tibetan monk in China died this month from self-immolation, a Tibetan rights group said Wednesday, calling it the 100th death in Tibet in four years.

   Lobsang Sangay, prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile, urged world leaders to send a United Nations representative to Tibet to investigate the "real cause" of continued self-immolations.

   Sangay said Thursday that 100 Tibetans in Tibet had burnt themselves since February 2009 and urged the international community to actively engage with China to stop the "deteriorating situation".
dpa pt cds su ar

Nepal government hires Pinochet lawyer to fight wartime case =

January 23, 2013 
 Kathmandu (dpa)- Nepal has hired the British law firm that handled a human rights case against Chilean ruler Augusto Pinochet to defend an army colonel arrested in Britain on charges of war crimes, local media reported.

   Colonel Kumar Lama has been in custody since January 3.

   “Kingsley Napley and its top solicitor, [Michael] Caplan, have already taken up Colonel Lama’s case," the Kathmandu Post quoted Nepali Ambassador Chandra Chalise as saying.

   "With the help of such a reputed law firm, we now hope that we will be able to get proper legal counsel."

   Lama was arrested on allegations of torture committed during the Maoist insurgency in Nepal, which lasted from 1996 to 2006.

   The next hearing is scheduled for January 24.

   The case has divided public opinion in Nepal. Human rights activists lauded the arrest, while the government and its supporters argued that the nation should deal with its own wartime cases through a future Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

   Pinochet who was arrested in by British authorities in 1988 but was later released on medical grounds and repatriated to Chile.
dpa pt tlo

Nepal's Maoists urge opposition to join April election =

Feb 2, 2013
   Kathmandu (dpa) - Nepal's Maoist party on Saturday called on the opposition not to boycott an election in three months to choose a constituent assembly.

   Nepal has been in a political deadlock since May, when the term of the Constituent Assembly, or parliament, expired after it failed to draft a new constitution.

   A caretaker Maoist government has been in power since.

   The political deadlock has been deepened by disagreement between the Maoists and the opposition over who should lead a national unity government.

   Opposition parties this week held rallies to protest the election in late April and vowed to boycott the vote.

   Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, who's the vice chairman of the party, called on the opposition to reverse its decision.

   He was speaking at the party's first general convention in 21 years. The party, which led a decade-long insurgency starting in the mid-90s, joined mainstream politics in a 2008 election.
dpa pt sdl jln
Author: Pratibha Tuladhar

Man-eating leopard killed in Nepal =

   Kathmandu (dpa) - A leopard blamed for killing 15 people in Nepal has been shot dead, local media reported Friday.

   The leopard that allegedly killed mostly women and children in the western district of Baitadi last year was killed Thursday by a police team, the Kathmandu Post reported.

   The big cat was trapped when it entered a shed to prey on a domestic animal and was shot, police said.

   Local authorities had ordered the animal to be killed last year. It killed its last victim in October.

   Police, soldiers and forestry officers were deployed and a bounty announced for the capture or killing of the leopard.
dpa pt ses lns

Nepal bus accident leaves 30 dead =

  January 12, 2013

 Kathmandu (dpa)- Thirty people died on Saturday when a passenger bus plunged off a mountainous road in Nepal's western Doti district, police confirmed.

   The bodies were recovered from the accident site and 12 survivors were admitted to hospital.

   The bus carrying more than 40 people dropped about 300 metres off the road while traveling through dense fog.

   Bus accidents, blamed on poor roads and reckless driving, are common in Nepal, with 15 people having died in a similar crash in December.
dpa pt tlo sdl

Nepalis lose patience with violence against women

By Pratibha Tuladhar, dpa

   Kathmandu (dpa) - In the Nepalese capital, nearly three hundred demonstrators are gathered outside the prime minister’s residence, huddled against the morning cold.

   "We don’t want rapist police!" shouts Sudha Maharjan. "We want justice!" says another.

   Every morning for more than two weeks, the crowd has assembled for two hours before dispersing around 11 am to get on with their respective days.

   Neither their numbers nor their anger show any sign of abating, inspired by recent demonstrations in neighbouring India against the gang-rape and murder of a student in December, and violence against women more widely.

   “Rape is an issue globally,” says Bijaya Subba, a protester. “The recent Delhi protests gave people courage to speak out against it.”

   Women in Nepal fare little better than in India, experts say.

   Official figures are hard to come by, but women’s organization WOREC says 88 cases of rape, murder, battering, sexual abuse and trafficking were reported in the four weeks from mid November to mid December.

   In December, 16-year-old Shiba Hasmi, from south-western Nepal’s Bardia, was burned to death, allegedly by her relatives - now in custody - because of a love affair.

   Public outcry over the incident brought to media attention the earlier case of Sita Rai, who on November 21 was allegedly raped by a police officer who offered to help her after she was robbed by airport officials as she returned from Saudi Arabia.

   The case sparked an outcry in news and social media, and a group started the daily protests outside the prime minister’s residence. Several officials have been arrested but not charged.

   “So many people who have faced violations have joined the protest just to speak out,” says Bidushi Dhungel, a journalist.

   The demonstrations and their media coverage appear to have increased awareness of violence against women, with three cases of burning and more than 10 of rape - including two against minors - reported in the press this week.

   “The cases wouldn’t have surfaced in the media if it wasn’t for the protests,” Dhungel says.

   Some protesters are demanding a fast-track court and stronger laws to deal with rape cases. Others say the legislation is not the problem.

   “The problem isn’t our laws, but the fact that they do not get implemented,” says Aman Maharjan, a law student and a demonstrator.

   “Impunity is institutionalized and if there is money and power, people can get away with anything,” says Mandira Sharma, a lawyer and rights activist.

   Dhungel agrees, saying there is no effective legal recourse because "criminals are backed by politicians."

   Some blame Nepal's current caretaker government, paralyzed by the suspension of parliament, for the lack of action at legislative level.

   Others say the country's entrenched patriarchy plays down violence against women.

   “If there were more women in the political process, the likelihood of resolving the problem would be way higher,” Dhungel says.

   Although Nepal reserves a third of its parliamentary seats for women, all top leadership positions are held by men.

   Women victims of violence also have to confront a tradition that considers speaking out against their aggressors as shameful.

   “There is this feeling that women shouldn’t complain because it is a matter of prestige,” explains Mohna Ansari, Nepal’s first female Muslim lawyer and member of a Gender-based Violence Monitoring Team formed by the government in the wake of the protests.

   Women who speak up about being raped can be labelled as "seeking attention," she adds.
  
   "I feel worried that people will accuse me of getting into a situation like this," Sita Rai told BBC Nepali Radio. "People won’t understand," she said, adding that she underwent an abortion after the rape.

   Uma Devi Adhikari is the mother of domestic worker Saraswati Subedi, who was allegedly sexually abused and killed by her employers.

   Adhikari was encouraged to speak out for her daughter by the recent demonstrations and media coverage.
  
   "I do not want money, I want justice for my daughter," she said.

   Adhikari has rejected the autopsy's verdict of suicide, saying the evidence had been tampered with. The family says they are under pressure from the employers to accept money and withdraw their case.

   With an increasing number of cases emerging, people say they are furious the government isn’t acting faster.

   “No institutions are working accountably,” says Sharma. "Police don’t do basic work like registering or investigating, instead they use their power to pollute and manipulate evidence."

   “The basic rule of law is missing.”

   Ansari's team is to present its report on violence against women on Sunday.

   “We might not be able to change laws but making sure these families get access to a full investigation and legal recourse is something that can be done, if there is will on the part of political actors,” she says.

   Rai says she wants her rapist to be punished but that she also wants to be left in peace. "May this never happen to anyone else."
dpa pt cds hl

Hundreds demonstrate against rape in Nepal =

January 3, 2013
   Kathmandu (dpa) - Hundreds of protesters in Nepal were Thursday demanding stringent and swift government action against officials who allegedly robbed and raped a woman at an international airport.

   The protests, in their eighth day, echoed those in neighbouring India over the gang rape and death of a 23-year-old woman in New Delhi, for which five men were formally charged Thursday.

   As in several cities across India, the Nepalese demonstrators came from varied social and professional backgrounds.

   The woman was allegedly robbed by airport officials and raped by a police officer on November 21 at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, as she returned to Nepal from Saudi Arabia. Her father told media she is pregnant.

   Two airport officials accused of robbing her and the police officer who allegedly raped her were arrested and were being charged with corruption. But demonstrators say they want the government to act faster to set a precedent.

   Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai on Monday said he was "deeply ashamed" by the incident and ordered an investigation.

   "I have already directed the Home Ministry to release the report at the earliest and bring the culprits to book," he said.

   The protests were initiated by a small group of youth but have drawn hundreds of people through the week outside the prime minister's residence.

   "I have my mother, sisters and niece at home and this could have been the plight of any one of them," said protester Sherab Sherpa.

   "I have joined the protest so that I can fight for a safer and just society for the women in my life," said Sherpa, a web designer.

   Student Prakrit Nepal said: "This isn't about violence against women, but about human rights. We all have to speak out against such insane acts."

   On Wednesday, a college student was gang-raped in the eastern district of Jhapa district.

   There is little official data on reported rapes and conviction rates in Nepal. According to WOREC, a women's rights organization, 88 cases of violence against women - including rape and murder - were recorded in November-December.

   "People want to see stern and prompt action against the perpetrators,” said journalist Dewan Rai.

   The premier has tasked the government with forming a monitoring committee on violence against women, which is expected to release a report on cases of rape and other violations after 11 days.
dpa pt ar

Nepal bus plunge into river kills 13, injures 20 =

Dec 28,2012
   Kathmandu (dpa)- Thirteen people died and at least 20 were injured in western Nepal Friday when a bus skidded off a road and plunged more than 50 metres into a river, police said.

   The accident occurred in Surkhet district, western Nepal, around 700 kilometres from capital, joining the many such incidents in the country blamed on steep, poorly built or maintained roads, reckless driving and old vehicles.
dpa pt bgp cds

FEATURE: African footballers adding some colour to Nepal football

December 24, 2012
By Pratibha Tuladhar, dpa =



   Kathmandu (dpa)- For the past four months, Ndoe Mbarga Pierre Herve, 30, has been waking up to mildly chilly Kathmandu mornings, in a room on the top floor of a three storey football club house.

   When he steps out of bed, he has to stoop to make sure his head does not hit the ceiling of the five and half feet traditional house in the heart of old Kathmandu, Nepal’s capital.



   Herve, popularly known as Peter, is one of 51 African footballers who play for the 16 Nepalese football clubs. In his youth he played alongside Samuel Eto'o, who is one of the highest paid players and now plays for Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala.



   “Eto'o and I trained at the same academy as youngsters,” Peter flashes a neatly set row of teeth.



   “He’s out there and I’m here, but that’s how life is!”

   Peter’s new home, the bustling Sankata courtyard, where he sometimes sits drinking coke and conversing with the locals, is surrounded by 50 odd houses, with two Hindu temples at the centre - a marked change from his surroundings in his home city Yaounde.



   Football is the most popular sport in the Himalayan nation, but the sport has been struggling to carve a niche for Nepal on the international map.



   “The number of football clubs has been multiplying even as there is a dearth of players in the country,” said Indra Man Tuladhar, Chief Executive Officer of All Nepal Football Association (ANFA).

   To make up for the lack of good players, the clubs have started signing foreign football players.



   “It’s cheaper for the clubs to get African players because you have to issue a full year contract to Nepali players, which costs a lot of money.”

   Nepal’s football clubs are packed with African players mostly from Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Nigeria.



   “Most of the clubs sign African players for the league season only, which costs much less.”



   The African players are lured to Nepal by agents who promise them 5,000 dollars per month.



   This often does not happen and they receive only 1,000 dollars a month and admit that they arrived in Nepal without much information.



   “Only after getting here I started knowing about Nepal,” said Peter.



   “I find that the people are friendly, I get gifts and I get invited for Nepali festivals.” When Nepal was celebrating some major Hindu festivals last month, Peter was invited by his neighbours to share in the Nepali feasts.



   Peter shares his apartment with two other Cameroonians, a Nigerian and a South African, as well as several local players, at their Sankata Club’s house. But the experience of living in Nepal is subjective.



   Unlike Peter, his South African room-mate Lindani Mbambo says that his experiences of living in the largely Hindu South Asian nation have not always been pleasant.



   “Since we are foreigners, the referee and the crowd is against us, so we’re always under pressure to deliver 100 per cent,” says Mbambo, who has been living in Nepal for 18 months.



   The 29-year-old, who wears his hair in braids says he’s uncomfortable walking around the streets of Kathmandu because people always shoot a long glance at him and sometimes children laugh at him.



   For a country that opened to foreigners only in the 1950s, African residents are rare in Nepal.



   "But the world is a global village and if I’m in Nepal, I should try to make it my home.”



   Some African footballers travel around South Asia, playing league seasons in Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India.



   For fellow Nepali players, playing with the foreigners has also been a learning experience.



   “We can learn from their toughness and strong game,” says Jagjeet Shrestha, who is a midfielder for Friends club.



   “We don’t have a big number of good players and their football culture is better than ours.”

   The trend of African players playing in the country began some five years ago as clubs signed players without the correct paper work. But ANFA soon changed the rules and started signing only players who had work permits.



   “The African footballers are very hardworking and disciplined, so they are respected by their peers,” Tuladhar claims. He says for some Africans, the lure of a Nepal is simply the opportunity to play first division football.



   With the leagues season on in Nepal, many foreign footballers, who are Christians are on the field during the holiday season.

   “On Christmas Day, all the black players will get together and chill out,” says Peter, who’s been trying to locate a Church in Kathmandu to visit on Christmas.



   “You need to explore the world outside Africa,” says Peter, who is keen on returning to Nepal for future season if he can strike a good deal.



   “I think it’s good for African players to come to this part of Asia and find out more about life and to see the style of play here.”



   “And maybe I’ll meet my soulmate here!”dpa adh ptu

Nepalese village protests against killer elephant =

December 19,2012
   Kathmandu (dpa) - Residents of a village in south-western Nepal were on strike Wednesday to urge authorities to kill a wild elephant said to have claimed 15 lives in three years, local media reported.

   The streets of Madi in the south-western district of Chitwan were deserted as public transport, markets and schools were closed for the day, television footage showed.

   Locals called for faster action after authorities on Tuesday gave the order to shoot the animal on sight, following protests outside government offices that day in Madi, the Republica daily reported.

   The elephant has killed seven people in the last three months, including an elderly couple in their hut on Saturday night, the paper said.

   His first clash with humans was when he tried to mate with a female kept near a police post three years ago, the report said. He destroyed the police post, or dhruba, earning him the nickname Dhrube.

   His victims have been in and around the Chitwan National Park where he lives. He is also reported to have assaulted some local domesticated elephants.

   “The attacks are a result of the encroachment on the elephant paths” by human activities, Ganesh Pant, a conservation officer at the Department of National Parks, was quoted as saying by the ekantipur news portal.

   “The need of the hour is to manage the human settlements properly.”

   A task force of 30 park rangers and soldiers has been dispatched to track the rogue elephant down. Authorities have said they are making an exception to the prohibition on shooting elephants as human lives are at risk.

   Around 200 wild elephants live in Nepal, as well as 100 domestic ones used for safaris in Chitwan.
dpa pt cds