Dalit woman priest works silent revolution in Nepal (Feature with images)

KATHMANDU - As Nepal’s parliament remains paralysed due to bickering among the major parties and the task of drafting a ground-breaking constitution by next year seems doomed to fail, a stone’s throw away from the august house Sukmaya Rokaya is working a silent but real revolution.

Secular Nepal celebrates first Eid with independent moon-sighting

KATHMANDU - Clad in white clothes and white caps, thousands of Muslims thronged to mosques to pray and celebrate as a newly secular Nepal announced the first public holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr and the first Nepali moon-sighting committee independently heralded the rise of the moon that marks the start of the festival after a month of fasting and intense prayers.

Prachanda warns of decisive revolt again in Nepal

KATHMANDU - Maoist chairman Prachanda has threatened to launch a decisive revolt in Nepal if the Maoist-floated resolution motion on civilian supremacy were not debated in the Parliament.

Nepal Maoists greet their PM with black flags

KATHMANDU - Unified CPN (Maoist) cadres waved black flags and pelted stones at Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal as he attended the 34th convocation ceremony of the Tribhuvan University on Wednesday.

Nepal Maoists want to change national flag

KATHMANDU - A fresh dispute over the Nepal national flag has erupted between the UCPN (Maoist) and the other parties.

India ready to implement 34-point agreement with Nepal

KATHMANDU - Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao here on Tuesday said that India would give priority to implement the recently concluded 34-point agreement with Nepal.

India’s Rao sought new PM for Nepal, Maoists claim

KATHMANDU - Reacting to Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao’s two-day visit to Nepal, the opposition Maoist party Wednesday claimed her “unofficial agenda” was to assess a new prime minister for the Himalayan republic.

Deadlock continues in Nepal between Maoists and others

KATHMANDU - The meeting between the Nepal Government and the Maoists to end the ongoing deadlock ended inconclusively as Maoists stuck to their demand on passing a resolution against President Ram Baran Yadav.

Maoists unlock Pashupatinath temple trust office in Nepal

KATHMANDU - Maoists re-opened the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) office of centuries-old Pashupatinath Temple here on Tuesday.

Nepal has assured safety of Pashupatinath priests: Nirupama Rao

KATHMANDU - Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, who Tuesday wound up her two-day Nepal visit with a trip to the revered Pashupatinath temple here, said the Nepal government has reassured her protection for the two newly-appointed Indian priests there.

Indian Foreign Secretary avoids Hindi controversy in Nepal

KATHMANDU - Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, whose two-day visit to Nepal witnessed two attempts by unidentified people to bomb the residence of Hindi-speaking Vice-President Paramananda Jha, Tuesday adroitly avoided fanning the controversy, choosing to answer all questions asked by journalists in English.

Rao’s Nepal visit highlights India’s security concerns

KATHMANDU - Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao’s Nepal visit will be followed by a meeting between the home secretaries of the two countries to discuss the ‘entire gamut of bilateral security issues’, underlining New Delhi’s growing security concerns in Nepal, especially after the terror attacks in Mumbai last year that killed over 170 people.

Nirupama Rao discusses India, Nepal ties in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU - Visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao met Nepal Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala and discussed various bilateral issues including greater sharing of vital information between the two countries.

Bomb found near Nepal vice president’s home as Hindi war rages

KATHMANDU - Nepal’s first vice president Paramananda Jha, whose status remains uncertain after being caught up in a row for taking his oath of office in Hindi, came under fresh attack Monday with a bomb being found near his personal residence.

500 Indian teachers pin hope on Rao’s Nepal visit

KATHMANDU - As new Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao Monday began her two-day visit to Nepal, 500 Indian teachers are hoping the senior official’s consultations with Nepali authorities would take them closer to their dues, for which some of them have been fighting for nearly three decades.

Indian foreign secretary arrives in Kathmandu

KATHMANDU - Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao who arrived here on a two-day visit, will meet President Ram Baran Yadav and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala today.

Maoists block Nepal Finance Minister’s convoy

KATHMANDU - Nepal police faced a tough time in providing security to the country’s Finance Minister, Surendra Pandey as Maoist protestors pelted stones at his vehicle on Saturday.

Nepal PM says peace can’t be possible till Maoists shed arms

KATHMANDU - Nepalese Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said here on Saturday, that peace cannot be established as long as the Maoist rebels do not surrender all their weapons.

Nepal PM expands cabinet while Maoists raise war cry

KATHMANDU - As the opposition Maoist party staged a show of strength in the capital Friday, unveiling nearly four dozen demands and warning to unleash a ’storm’ if not heeded, the coalition government chose to ignore the show and instead inducted two more new ministers.

India, Nepal air pact to open up sky

KATHMANDU - Air connectivity between India and Nepal is poised for a tremendous leap with the two neighbours inking an air pact that boosts weekly flight seats five-fold and opens 10 new destinations.

20 killed as bus falls into Nepal river

KATHMANDU - Twenty passengers died and dozens more are feared to have perished as an overcrowded bus plunged into a river in northern Nepal Thursday, in the worst road accident in the Himalayan republic this year.

11 killed, dozens missing as bus falls into Nepal river

KATHMANDU - At least 11 passengers died and dozens more are feared to have perished as an overcrowded bus plunged into a river in northern Nepal Thursday.

Nepal Army chief Gurung assumes office

KATHMANDU - General Chhatra Man Singh Gurung has formally assumed the post of new Nepal Chief of Army Staff (CoAS).

Indian foreign secretary to visit Nepal

KATHMANDU - New Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao will be arriving in Nepal Monday for consultations with the republic’s leaders and senior officials.

Nepal PM assuages India’s concerns, says won’t allow fake note smuggling

KATHMANDU - Nepal Prime Minister Madhav Kumar has said his government is really concerned about the Fake Indian Currency Note (FICN) racket and would take proper action against anyone who indulges in the practice.

UNHCR says over 20,000 Bhutanese refugees resettled abroad

KATHMANDU - UN refugee agency UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) on Tuesday announced that over 20,000 Bhutanese refugees have left camps in Nepal for resettlement countries since the beginning of the programme in November 2007.

Nepal FM on visit to China to reduce trade imbalance, enhance regional peace

KATHMANDU - Nepal’s Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala left for China on Tuesday. Before embarking on her trip, she said the visit would focus on reducing the trade imbalance between the two countries and to seek support from Beijing on promoting regional peace and timely completion of the constitution-writing task.

After Pashupatinath, war over Buddha begins in Nepal

KATHMANDU - After the dispute over the hallowed Pashupatinath shrine in Kathmandu, Lumbini, the Buddha’s birthplace, has become the new bone of contention in Nepal.

‘Chennai graduate’ led armed outfit in Nepal

KATHMANDU - A 41-year-old civil engineer, who claims to have received his degree from India’s Chennai city, has been arrested in Nepal for allegedly planning a series of explosions in four major cities with the avowed aim of reinstating Hinduism as the state religion.

Nepal home ministry report says only 12 out of 110 armed groups political

KATHMANDU - According to a report prepared by the Nepal home ministry, only 12 out of 109 armed groups active in the country are political, while 70 of them are purely criminal groups.