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☆ 'The Serpent' Charles Sobhraj due to be set to be free from Nepal prison
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] French serial killer Charles Sobhraj leaves Kathmandu district court after his hearing in Kathmandu May 31, 2011. Sobhraj denied killing the American woman and his lawyers said the charge against him was based on assumption. Nepal's Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered his release from prison, where he has served 19 years of his 20-year sentence, citing his age. Sobhraj is expected to walk out of a high-security prison in Kathmandu after 10 a.m. (0415 GMT), his lawyer Ram Bandhu Sharma, told Reuters. He was also known as "the serpent" because of his ability to disguise himself following his escape from a prison in India in the mid-1980s.

☆ Nepal court to release serial killer Charles 'the serpent' Sobhraj
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] French serial killer Charles Sobhraj leaves Kathmandu district court after his hearing in Kathmandu May 31, 2011. REUTERS/Navesh Chitrakar/File PhotoKATHMANDU, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Nepal's Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the release, due to his age, of Charles Sobhraj, a French national known as "the serpent" who police say is responsible for a string of murders in the 1970s and 1980s. Sobhraj, 78, is accused of killing over 20 young Western backpackers across Asia, usually by drugging their food or drink. Last year, the BBC and Netflix (NFLX.O) jointly produced a TV series dramatizing his crimes called "The Serpent." On Wednesday, Supreme Court judges Sapana Pradhan Malla and Til Prasad Shrestha ordered that Sobhraj be freed and deported from Nepal, after 19 years in prison.

☆ Nepal to end eight-month ban on imports of cars, phones as reserves rise
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KATHMANDU, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Nepal will end an eight-month ban on the import of cars, expensive mobile phones and liquor on Friday as the country's foreign currency reserves have increased, officials said on Thursday. The Himalayan nation, tucked between China and India, restricted imports of cars, gold and cosmetics in April saying its reserves could barely support imports for fewer than seven months. But the central bank said on Thursday that reserves had increased 1% to $9.63 billion as of mid-November from $9.54 billion in mid-July – sufficient to cover imports for 8.4 months. "The government feels that the reserves are in a comfortable position now," Commerce Ministry spokesperson, Narayan Prasad Regmi, told Reuters. Imports of seven other items, including cosmetics, were eased in September.

☆ Nepal's ruling party seen emerging as the single largest in elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The Nepali Congress of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has won 13 of 22 results declared, with three each going to the main opposition Nepal Communist Unified Marxist-Leninist (UML) party and the newly formed National Independent Party (NIP). A five-time prime minister, Deuba won his remote Dadeldhura constituency for the seventh straight time since 1991. The Maoist Centre, a dominant partner in the ruling coalition, is leading in 14 seats and has won just two seat in the parliament. But final results could be about 10 days away, as election officials need to count millions of paper ballots manually. read moreThe Nepali Congress party is seen as pro-India, while the UML is considered closer to China.

☆ Nepalis vote amid looming inflation, political stability concerns
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-20 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

There are no pre-election polls, but political analysts expect the ruling alliance to retain power. Polls close at 5 p.m. (1115 GMT), the Election Commission said. "Let us celebrate democracy by participating in voting," Deuba said. Political stability has proven elusive for the poor nation, wedged between China and India, discouraging many investors. The Election Commission has urged voters to cast their secret votes without fear of threat, intimidation and obstacle.

☆ Explainer: Key issues in Nepal's national elections
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-18 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

KATHMANDU, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Nepal will hold national and provincial elections on Sunday, which the ruling coalition, led by the centrist Nepali Congress party, are expected to win. MAIN CONTESTANTSPrime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, who leads the Nepali Congress party, has allied with the Maoist Centre party, the main group of former Maoist rebels. His Nepali Congress party is considered the closest to India. The Maoist Centre party led by supremo Prachanda could emerge as a kingmaker in case of inconclusive elections. CHINA, INDIA INTERESTNeighbouring China and India, with their strategic and economic interests, will be watching the election results.

☆ New Delhi’s air pollution leaves residents gasping for breath
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Gafira Qadir | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

By the first week of November, New Delhi’s air quality index was 472, high enough to affect healthy people while having a serious impact on those with existing conditions. In some areas of the city, the reading exceeded 800, according to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, a regulatory body. Experts say exposure to low air quality levels increases the risk of respiratory infections, heart disease and lung cancer. In response to the poor air quality, Delhi officials ordered the closure of primary schools and reduced outdoor activities for older students from Nov. 4 to 9. A government vehicle sprinkles water to control air pollution in New Delhi last month.

☆ Magnitude 5.4 earthquake strikes Nepal region
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

KATHMANDU, Nov 12 (Reuters) - An earthquake of magnitude 5.4 struck in Nepal on Saturday, shaking houses in the Himalayan country and neighboring India, authorities said, after a powerful earthquake earlier this week killed half a dozen people. Strong tremors were felt Nepal and in northern India, prompting residents to rush out of their homes, but there were no reports of casualties, they said. The epicenter of 5.4 magnitude earthquake was at Patadewal in Bajhang district, about 440 km (275 miles) west of Kathmandu, according to the National Seismological Center. The quake was at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said. Reporting by Gopal Sharma in KATHMANDU and Maria Ponnezhath in Bengaluru; Writing by Rajendra Jadhav; Editing by Andrew CawthorneOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

KATHMANDU, Nov 9 (Reuters) - An earthquake of magnitude 6.6 struck Nepal early Wednesday, killing at least six people, destroying multiple houses in the western district of Doti and shaking the Indian capital New Delhi, officials said. "Expressing my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who died in the earthquake," Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba wrote on Twitter. Nepal's seismological centre set the earthquake at a magnitude of 6.6. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) had pegged the earthquake at a magnitude of 5.6. Media reports after the quake showed tremors were also felt in New Delhi and surrounding areas, some 350km (220 miles) from Doti.

☆ Pollution curbs lifted in Indian capital although air quality 'very poor'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Altaf HussainNEW DELHI, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Primary schools will reopen in India's capital New Delhi this week and curbs will be lifted on certain construction activities, authorities said on Monday, after pollution levels improved to the 'very poor' category from 'severe'. Residents in the capital have been waking up in recent weeks to hazy mornings with the sky a shade of grey. The air quality index in nearly all monitoring stations in the city was between 300 to 400 or in the "very poor" category on Monday, which experts say leads to respiratory illness on prolonged exposure. "Directions for work from home amended and offices functioning at full capacity from today," Delhi state environment minister Gopal Rai told reporters. Air quality could worsen later this week, however, the System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research said on its website.

☆ Nepal’s Oli vows balanced ties with China, India if returned to power
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

KATHMANDU, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Nepal's main communist opposition party will balance the Himalayan nation's ties with neighbours China and India for mutual benefit if it is returned to power in a general election this month, its leader said. India, Nepal’s biggest trade and economic partner, sees it as a natural ally and has invested billions of dollars in its infrastructure. Sharma Oli, a two-time former prime minister and president of opposition Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), or UML, told Reuters in an interview on Wednesday. Our foreign policy will be based on mutual benefits and mutual respect,” Oli said as he sat in his office. "The high interest rates are not helpful to businesses and industries," Oli said, vowing to cut rates if returned to power.

☆ New Delhi wrestles with 'hazardous' air pollution, primary schools shut
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Tanvi Mehta | Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

NEW DELHI, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Authorities in New Delhi ordered primary schools to shut from Saturday, and told schools to stop outdoor activities for older children as air in the world's most polluted capital had become a severe risk to health. The chart below shows the daily maximum PM 2.5 concentration at the U.S. Embassy New Delhi since 2015. Delhi environment minister Gopal Rai said going forward 50% of Delhi government employees would be told to work from home, and he urged private firms to take similar steps. School girls walk towards a school as they reopened after remaining closed for nearly 15 days due to a spike in air pollution, on a smoggy morning in New Delhi, India, November 29, 2021. According to data compiled by the Swiss group IQAir, New Delhi has been the world's most polluted capital for the past four years.

☆ The crisis is over for the British pound, but analysts see further weakness ahead
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( Elliot Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS | AFP | Getty ImagesLONDON — The British pound is on firmer footing since the appointment of new Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, but Wall Street still sees further vulnerability over the next 12 months. "The U.K.'s external financing needs remain large and, on current market pricing, real yields are still too low compared to other major currencies. As long as the global risk environment remains weak this leaves the pound vulnerable and the likely trend lower," Gopal said. watch now"In all, we remain bearish on the pound and believe GBP weakness will return for the rest of the year," Gopal said. The government has also promised further details on a more targeted version of the Energy Price Guarantee scheme, which will reduce government spending but will further cement the U.K.'s likely recession.

☆ Farm fires big culprit as Delhi air quality worsens
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW DELHI, Nov 1 (Reuters) - The share of farm fires affecting Delhi's pollution has surged to more than 20% since the weekend, higher than the levels a year ago, government data showed on Tuesday as the Indian capital's air quality turned "severe" at many places. Delhi on Sunday suspended most construction and demolition activities, predicting a worsening of its air quality from Tuesday because of calmer winds and other meteorological conditions. Smoke from farm fires contributed to up to 26% of the tiny PM 2.5 lung-damaging pollutants in the city's air - the highest in the past two years during the period of mid-October to early November, according to data from the Ministry of Earth Science. Delhi's air quality index crossed the "severe" level of 400 at most of its monitoring stations on Tuesday as visibility dropped. "You don't need to add any filter on Instagram for Delhi sky photos.

☆ Diwali firecracker users face jail under New Delhi anti-pollution drive
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A woman and her son hold firecrackers during Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Mumbai, India, November 4, 2021. REUTERS/Francis MacarenhasNEW DELHI, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Festival-goers who let off firecrackers in New Delhi during this year's Diwali face up to six months in jail, the city's environment minister said on Wednesday, under a broader ban introduced to help combat extreme winter pollution. Firecrackers have for generations been an integral part of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, which takes place next week throughout India. Those found storing and selling firecrackers would face fines of 5,000 rupees and up to three years in jail. Some Hindus see the Diwali firecracker ban as an attempt to interfere with observance of their religion.

☆ Bhutan holds high-altitude race to highlight climate dangers
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

KATHMANDU, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Twenty-nine runners set off on a rare high-altitude race in Bhutan on Thursday to highlight the dangers of climate change to the Himalayan kingdom sandwiched between China and India, two of the world's biggest polluters. South Asia’s only carbon-negative country, with a population of fewer than 800,000 people, is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, which is speeding up the melting of its glaciers and causing floods and unpredictable weather patterns. Its government and the United Nations have blamed climate change. "I've probably completed maybe around 30 ultra marathons, but never like this,” American runner Sarah Keyes told the state-run Bhutan Broadcasting Service. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Gopal Sharma; Editing by Robert BirselOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Bhutan welcomes back tourists after COVID-19 with honey, turmeric and SIM cards
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-23 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A group of foreign tourists with a local guide walk past a row of shops selling handicrafts in Thimphu May 22, 2012. Wedged between China and India, the country known for its natural beauty and ancient Buddhist culture, first opened to wealthy tourists in 1974. In March 2020 it shut its borders to visitors - a major source of income - after detecting its first case of COVID-19. "We feel through tourism we can do that ... take advantage of their support and goodwill," he told Reuters from Bhutan, referring to the international community. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Gopal SharmaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Nepal in fresh political conflict as president declines to sign citizenship law
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-21 | by ( Gopal Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

President of Nepal Bidhya Devi Bhandari speaks during the COP24 UN Climate Change Conference 2018 in Katowice, Poland December 3, 2018. The bill proposed, among other changes, to give citizenship certificates to children whose parents' whereabouts were not known. The deadline for Bhandari, a ceremonial head of state under the 2015 constitution, to approve the amendment to the 16-year-old Nepal Citizenship Act, expired at midnight. Legal experts said the president was required to approve the changes, passed twice by a majority of parliament. Additionally, under the existing citizenship provisions, a foreign woman married to a Nepali men can get a citizenship certificate after she shows proof of her marriage and that she has initiated action to relinquish her foreign citizenship.

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