Zara Phillips wedding: Ceremony at Edinburgh church

The Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips has married England rugby player Mike Tindall at a ceremony in Edinburgh.
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were among those at the wedding in Canongate Kirk on a sunny Royal Mile. Read more ....


India 'Slutwalk' sex harassment protest held in Delhi


A rally has taken place in India's capital inspired by the "Slutwalk" protests held in a number of countries.
Most of the marchers in Delhi were soberly dressed
The protest is to challenge the notion that the way a woman looks can excuse sexual abuse or taunting - "Eve teasing" as it is known in India.
Hundreds took part in Delhi, though there was little of the skimpy dressing that has marked protests elsewhere. Read more ......

Bhutan spreads happiness to UN

Lhatu Wangchuk admits his vision is
Utopian, but should be worked on

Bhutan has put the politics of happiness on the UN's agenda.
This week the General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution that aims to make happiness a "development indicator".
Bhutan's ambassador Lhatu Wangchuk told the BBC the next step was to help UN members better understand the concept.
He admitted some were sceptical when Bhutan started lobbying for the resolution 10 months ago. But ultimately it won 66 co-sponsors, including the UK. Read more....

Iranian sentenced to blinding for acid attack pardoned

Ameneh Bahrami said she had reprieved the man "for my country"

An Iranian man who was ordered to be blinded for carrying out an acid attack on a woman has been pardoned by his victim, state television has said.
Ameneh Bahrami had demanded qisas, a rarely used retributive justice under Sharia law, but the report said she had foregone that right at the last minute. Read more....

Afghanistan: Suicide attack in Lashkar Gah 'kills 11'

The attack targeted the gate of the police headquarters in Lashkar Gah

Ten Afghan policemen and a child have been killed in a suicide attack in the southern Afghan city of Lashkar Gah, officials say.
The attacker targeted the gate of the police headquarters in the city, the capital of Helmand province. Read more....

Syrian unrest: 'Many deaths' as army attacks Hama
Syrian tanks have stormed the northern city of Hama, killing at least 45 civilians, a leading rights group says.
Hama has been in a state of revolt and virtually besieged for the past month. Read more.....

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 Mehboob Asif Pak. embassy official shot in Nepal

Nepal: A Pakistani embassy official here was shot and wounded by unidentified motorcycle-borne gunmen outside the mission building, with Islamabad voicing concern over the attack. Read more....

Nepal: New Energy Minister Gokarna Bista is stabbed

Authorities in Nepal are looking for men who attacked a government minister in the capital, Kathmandu.
Gokarna Bista, who was appointed energy minister on Monday, was stabbed a few hours later outside his house. Read more....

Nepali channels banned in Darjeeling

WEST BENGAL, INDIA - The Election Commission (EC) of West Bengal, India has banned Nepali television channels in Darjeeling region, where a majority of people speak Nepali language, ahead of the 15th Vidhan Sabha election. The Vidhan Sabha election is slated for Monday in Darjeeling. Read more....
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Taskforce formed to draft minimum programme

Kathmandu- The ruling parties Sunday formed an eight-member high level task force to draft common minimum programme and code of conduct for the coalition government within three days. Read more....

Youths from Mid, Far-West being recruited in British army, Singapore police

KATHMANDU: The youths of Mid and Far-Western Development Regions are also going to get an opportunity to serve in the British Army and the Singapore Police.
Earlier, the youths of the two regions were deprived of the opportunity. Read more....

 

China tells US: Stop preaching on human rights

China has told the US to stop preaching on human rights, after the state department's annual report on the issue criticised China. Read more....

Why did LOL infiltrate the language?

The internet slang term "LOL" (laughing out loud) has been added to the Oxford English Dictionary, to the mild dismay of language purists. But where did the term originate? And is it really a threat to our lexicon?
"OMG! LOL's in the OED. LMAO!"
If you find the above string of letters utterly unintelligible, you are clearly an internet "noob". Let me start again.
Golly gosh! The popular initialism LOL (laughing out loud) has been inducted into the canon of the English language, the Oxford English Dictionary. Blimey! What is going on?
The OED defines LOL as an interjection "used chiefly in electronic communications... to draw attention to a joke or humorous statement, or to express amusement". Read more ....

AU Leaders to Mediate Libyan Crisis

South African President Jacob Zuma flies to the capital, Tripoli, Sunday, where he will be joined by the presidents of Mauritania, Mali and Leaders from the African Union are headed to Libya in an effort to resolve the political crisis between longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi and rebels attempting to overthrow him. Read more.....


Leading Bahrain activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja arrested

Abdulhadi al-Khawaja is one of Bahrain's most
prominent human rights activists
Security forces in Bahrain have arrested and beaten one of the country's leading human rights activists, his daughter says.
The activist, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, was seized in the middle of the night and taken away with his two sons-in-law. Read more...

 

 

Egypt: Army crackdown in Cairo's Tahrir Square

Egypt's army has cracked down on protests in Cairo's symbolic Tahrir Square, leaving at least one person dead and dozens injured.
The violence occurred overnight as the army tried to clear protesters calling for ex-President Hosni Mubarak and his family to be tried for corruption. Read more....
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Grammy Awards ceremony set for overhaul

Changes are to be made to next year's Grammys, in what organisers say is the biggest overhaul in the 53-year history of the US music awards.
The number of categories will be reduced from 109 to 78 with many existing categories merged, while some will be dropped completely.
Each category must now start out with at least 40 contenders instead of 25.
Grammy president Neil Portnow said: "It ups the game in terms of what it takes to receive a Grammy."  Read more....

Dramatic rescue in Ivorian city

French forces have snatched the Japanese ambassador to safety from near the besieged presidential residence in Ivory Coast's main city, Abidjan.
Soldiers exchanged fire with guards at the compound where Laurent Gbagbo is holed up, refusing to stand down.
His rival Alassane Ouattara's forces surround the residence, where fighting continued through the night.
French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe says Israel has now asked Paris to extract Israeli diplomats from Abidjan.
Mr Gbagbo has refused to step down despite being beaten in an election in November. Read more...

Japan tackles hydrogen buildup, cumulative radiation

Japan pumped nitrogen gas into a crippled nuclear reactor on Thursday, trying to prevent an explosive buildup of hydrogen gas as the world's worst nuclear disaster in 25 years stirred atomic safety debate and inspections in the United States.
Engineers worked through the night injecting nitrogen into the containment vessel of reactor No.1 at Fukushima Daiichi power plant, following success in stopping highly radioactive water leaking into the sea at another reactor in the complex.
"It is necessary to inject nitrogen gas into the containment vessel and eliminate the potential for a hydrogen explosion," an official of plant operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) told a news briefing. Read more....

 

Silvio Berlusconi and Ruby 'exchanged 53 messages in three months'

Silvio Berlusconi and Karima El Mahroug - Ruby the Heart Stealer - exchanged 53 phone calls and messages during a three month period last year, according to leaked prosecution papers. 

The latest details came as Mr Berlusconi's trial started and was adjourned after only eight minutes.
The prosecution papers, as reported by La Repubblica newspaper, allege that the pair exchanged messages between February and May last year, when she was only 17, the last of which came a month before she was arrested.
Mr Berlusconi denies any wrongdoing and the Moroccan-born teenager, Karima El Mahroug, also known by the stage name Ruby the Heart Stealer, insists she never slept with him. Read more ....

Prez Yadav crossing limit: MJF-N Chair

KATHMANDU- Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Nepal (MJF-N) Chairman Upendra Yadav Thursday accused President Dr Ram Baran Yadav of crossing the limit with his remarks.
MJF-N Chairman Yadav who arrived in Rajbiraj to resolve the issue surfaced within the party in Saptari Chapter said President Yadav seems more like the well-wisher of the Nepali Congress. Read more...

 

Sai Baba's health improving, say doctors

HYDERABAD, PUTTAPARTHI -  
There is a marked improvement in the condition of Sathya Sai Baba and he is responding to medication, doctors treating the spiritual guru said on Wednesday.
“His condition shows improvement and he is in a stable state of health. There are signs of improvement in the functioning of his kidneys although he is still on dialysis,’’ a statement from Dr A N Safaya, director of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences (SSSIHMS), said. Read more....

 

 'Idol' finalists branch out with rock tunes 

"American Idol" finalist Pia Toscano is on a high.
After weeks of expectedly performing ballads, the soaring 22-year-old songstress from Howard Beach, N.Y., earned praise from the Fox talent competition's judges for strutting around the stage while powering through Tina Turner's up-tempo tune "River Deep — Mountain High" on Wednesday's rock `n' roll edition. Toscano previously promised to sing that tune.
"Murderer! Murderer!" screamed "Idol" judge Steven Tyler. "Pia, you killed it."
Other singers who switched it up included 17-year-old high school student Scotty McCreery of Garner, N.C., and 22-year-old rocker James Durbin of Santa Cruz, Calif. Randy Jackson said he'd seen "a new Scotty" after McCreery jazzed up Elvis Presley's "That's All Right," while an emotional Durbin slowed down on George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps." Read more....

 ‘Would-be bombers’ held 

KATHMANDU- Police arrested five senior members of an underground armed group—the Communist Party of Nepal (Rebel) Maoist—from Baluwatar in the Capital and Jagati in Bhaktapur on Wednesday.

Police said the men were holding a meeting and making plans to bomb several places in the Kathmandu Valley when they raided the hideouts and arrested them. Acting on a tip-off, a special squad from the Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) raided the hideouts from where they also seized three pistols, some explosives and paraphernalia containing plans to carry out the bombings. Read more....

 

Dahal to stay as oarsman of statute drafting panel 

KATHMANDU- Despite opposition from the hardline faction of party Vice Chairman Mohan Baidya, the UCPN (Maoist) has decided to let Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal stay on as coordinator of the sub-committee under the Constitutional Committee (CC) of Constituent Assembly.

Earlier on Tuesday, Chairman Dahal had proposed Vice Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha as the new head of the sub-committee citing his tight schedule.
According to a Maoist leader, the party decided to send Dahal to the committee following requests from top leaders of other parties, including former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.  A meeting of Maoist office bearers held at the party headquarters in Parisdanda decided to give continuance to Dahal’s leadership of the subcommittee, after leaders of other political parties protested the decision to change the coordinator saying
that contentious issues cannot be settled without the top leader’s participation in the sub-committee. Read more.....

 

‘US will assist peace process’ 

KATHMANDU- The US Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Blake said on Wednesday that the US is ready to assist Nepal for the timely accomplishment of the processes of peace and statute drafting. Read more.....

  • PLA integration

The Maoist Standing Committee (SC) has taken positively the Nepal Army proposal to form a separate directorate comprising a proportional number of Maoist combatants and personnel from other security agencies for the integration of PLA combatants.
The party has decided to conduct a detailed study of the proposal once it gets a chance to have a look at the plan. Read more ......
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Russia drops move to ban sacred Hindu text

MOSCOW: A Russian court has upheld a decision to permit the publication of a sacred Hindu text whose initial ban sparked protests in India and threatened to strain Moscow's close ties with New Delhi.

A district court in the Siberian city of Tomsk said in a statement it had decided "to leave unchanged" a December lower court ruling stating that the "Bhagavad Gita" did not contain extremist material.

Prosecutors had been trying to ban the text's translation for months because it contained a prologue by Swami Prabhupada -- founder of the Hare Krishna movement that has had repeated run-ins with the law in post-Soviet Russia.

"This is a completely just, reasonable and -- most importantly -- legitimate decision," the movement's court representative Alexander Shakhov was quoted as saying by the Vesti news channel.

Prosecutors had asked for the ban in June after running a check on Hare Krishna's activities in the Siberian region. The Russian general prosecutor's office had also conduction national checks on the movement in 2004 and 2005.

The case threatened to create an unexpected roadblock in the traditionally close relations between Moscow and New Delhi.

Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna described the prosecutors' attempted ban as the work of "ignorant and misdirected or motivated individuals" that attacked a text defining the "very soul of our great civilisation".

Russia's foreign ministry had initially defended the ban by noting that it only referred to the disputed preface rather than the ancient text itself.

National prosecutors then mounted a furious campaign to outlaw the text in Russia amid fears that the Hare Krishna might threaten the Russian Orthodox Church's dominant sway in certain regions of the country.

The Russian prosecutor general's office released an assessment at the end of February concluding that the translation "had a very, very distant relation to the ancient text".

But a group of prominent Russian scientists and the official human rights ombudsman this week called on President Dmitry Medvedev to ensure the protection of religious freedoms and make a special note of the case.

A controversial 1997 law requires religious groups that have not been active in Russia for at least 15 years to register with the authorities and strictly limits foreign missionary work.
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Obama implores North Korea to 'pursue peace,' urges against nuclear weapons for Iran

President Barack Obama is warning North Korea and Iran that their options are few and their friends fewer as those nations refuse to back down from actions the world sees as menacing.

"By now it should be clear," Obama said, addressing North Korea from the South Korean capital only about 30 miles away. "Your provocations and pursuit of nuclear weapons have not achieved the security you seek, they have undermined it. Instead of the dignity you desire, you are more isolated."

Obama also met separately with leaders of the two nations -- Russia and China -- that have thwarted US diplomatic efforts on Syria, and to a lesser extent Iran. But the looming threat posed by nearby nuclear-equipped North Korea was the main event.
Seoul warned Monday that it might shoot down parts of a North Korean rocket if they violate South Korean territory, as worries about what Washington calls a long-range missile test overshadowed an international nuclear security summit. The summit of more than 50 nations opens with a dinner Monday.
In a direct challenge to North Korean leaders, Obama implored them "to have the courage to pursue peace."
Obama said the world has made progress in reducing the threat of nuclear material but cautioned "we're under no illusions."
He declared flatly that the United States has more nuclear weapons than it needs and can cut its arsenal without weakening its security or that of its allies. He pledged to keep trying to rid the world of nuclear weapons despite disagreements with Russia over the next phase of a largely successful disarmament program he sees as a hallmark of his presidency.
He also faces long if not impossible odds of winning Republican assent to new reductions in the US arsenal.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev noted as much, telling Obama at what will be their last meeting that progress on hard political issues is difficult "in an election year."
As Obama spoke of peace, tensions were rising in the Korean peninsula. Seoul warned it might shoot down parts of a North Korean rocket carrying a satellite if it violates South Korean territory. The United States maintains the launch amounts to a test of North Korea's long-range rocketry.
In unusually personal terms, Obama said he spoke of his wish for further nuclear reductions as the president of the only nation ever to use nuclear weapons, as a commander whose country's nuclear codes are never far from his side, and as a protective father eager to erase the threat of nuclear annihilation.
Obama was meeting on the sidelines of the summit with Chinese President Hu Jintao, holding talks expected to focus on U.S. frustrations with China's slow progress in pushing North Korea to comply with international obligations.
In brief remarks ahead of that meeting, Obama says he is looking forward to a constructive meeting. Obama says he and Hu will also discuss Iran and Sudan.
Obama and Medvedev concluded their meeting with a frank acknowledgement of continued tensions between their countries on key issues, including Syria and missile defense.
Obama met later Monday with the leader of Kazakhstan, crediting President Nursultan Nazarbayev for his work in securing nuclear materials.
In remarks at Hankuk University, Obama aimed his most stern remarks to North Korea's leaders, saying the internationally isolated country needs to change its ways because continuing down the same path will lead to "more broken dreams" and "more isolation." His blunt remarks came a day after he visited the Demilitarized Zone between North and South Korea and described the experience as akin to witnessing a "time warp" of despair.
"Even as we have more work to do, we can already say with confidence that we have more nuclear weapons than we need," he said. "I firmly believe that we can ensure the security of the United States and our allies, maintain a strong deterrent against any threat, and still pursue further reductions in our nuclear arsenal."
Obama also reiterated his warning to Iran, which the U.S. and its allies contend is defying its international obligations by pursuing an illicit nuclear program.
"Iran's leaders must understand that there is no escaping the choice before it. Iran must act with the seriousness and sense of urgency that this moment demands," Obama said. "Iran must meet its obligations."
Facing down Iran and North Korea, Obama said a "new international norm" was emerging to deal with the two nations' intransigence. "Treaties are binding. Rules will be enforced. And violations will have consequences," Obama said. "Because we refuse to consign ourselves to a future where more and more regimes possess the world's most deadly weapons."
Obama said the U.S. was also moving forward with Russia to eliminate enough plutonium for about 17,000 nuclear weapons and turn it into electricity. And he heralded an earlier agreement with Russia to reduce nuclear arsenals under the New START Treaty, which Obama called "the most comprehensive arms control agreement in nearly two decades."
"When we're done, we'll have cut American and Russian deployed nuclear warheads to their lowest levels since the 1950s," he said.
Obama also prodded Russia in a new way, saying he would seek discussions with Moscow on an unprecedented front: reducing not only strategic nuclear warheads, but also tactical weapons and warheads in reserve. He said he planned to discuss that proposition with former leader Vladimir Putin, who will return to the presidency later this spring after winning an election held earlier this year, when they meet in May.
After his meeting with Medvedev, Obama said the U.S. and Russia have "more work to do" to bridge their differences, including their approach to violence in Syria. The U.S. has sharply criticized Russia for opposing U.N. Security Council action calling on Syria's president to leave power.
Despite their differences, Medvedev says the relationship between the U.S. and Russia has reached its "best level".


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Tibetan in Delhi Sets Self Alight to Protest Chinese Leader’s Visit


A protest march in the capital took a fiery turn when a Tibetan exile self-immolated Monday afternoon.
“From head to toe, he was full of fire,” said Dorjee Tseten, the national director of Students for a Free Tibet, who  witnessed the act.
The exile, Jampa Yeshi, who is believed to be 26 years old, set himself on fire at Jantar Mantar, the site of frequent protests, at 12:25 p.m., shortly after a Tibetan rally made its way back from Ramlila Maidan, another popular ground for political demonstrations in New Delhi. The protesters were agitating against the India visit of Hu Jintao, the Chinese president, for the BRICS Summit, an economic meeting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, later this week.
Leaders of Tibetan groups said Mr. Yeshi had not told anyone he planned to set himself on fire. “It’s not planned by any organization,” said Tenzin Norsang, joint secretary of the Tibetan Youth Congress, who was leading the protest. But, he said, “we appreciate his courage.”
Mr. Yeshi was rushed to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital minutes after setting himself ablaze. Witnesses said that he was severely burned and that his scorched flesh was peeling off. Mr. Yeshi set himself afire behind one of the gates at Jantar Mantar and then streaked past the podium in a ball of fire and crumpled under a tree on the road in front of the protesters, they said. The police and Tibetan activists then rushed forward with clothes and water to douse the flames.
“He was shouting. I was in shock. There were women crying,” said Mr. Tseten. “It was very emotional. I don’t know what it would lead to in the coming days.”
Activists said that Mr. Yeshi, who left Tibet a couple of years ago, self-immolated while Inder Singh Namdhari, a minister in the lower house of Parliament, was speaking at the podium about the high number of self-immolations in Tibet.
Over the past year, about 30 Tibetans in Tibet have set themselves ablaze to protest Chinese rule in Tibetan areas. Of those, many of them monks and nuns, 22 have died.
In India, Mr. Yeshi, whose first name has also been spelled as Jamphel and Jamyang, is the third protester to self-immolate. In 1998, Thupten Ngodup self-immolated at the same spot, Jantar Mantar, and died later. Another protester suffered minor burns after setting himself alight outside the Chinese Embassy a few months ago.
“This is a call for the international community that Tibetans need their support,” said Mr. Tseten.
India is home to an estimated 120,000 Tibetans, including their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama. On Monday, hundreds of Tibetan supporters thronged Jantar Mantar. After Mr. Yeshi set himself on fire, they proceeded to march toward the Chinese Embassy to protest Mr. Jintao’s impending visit and draw attention to the self-immolation crisis.
Protesters said they were not against the BRICS Summit, just Mr. Jintao’s attendance.
“What we want? We want freedom,”  the protesters chanted as they wound their way through the streets, waving Tibetan flags.
“Who’s the killer? Hu Jintao.”
Some protesters also held placards over their faces – with the words “Hu Jintao is unwelcome” and a picture of a bloody hand smacked on the Chinese president’s face – to stave off the afternoon heat.
The police, however, stopped the protesters before they reached the Chinese Embassy, saying they could not continue because of their proximity to the Indian Parliament, which was still in session. Demonstrators settled down on the pavement at the mouth of Sansad Marg as Mr. Norsang, the protest leader, negotiated with the police.
“We will go peacefully, sir,” said one protester to the police officers.
The police officers were losing patience.
“Go to Jantar Mantar or be prepared to face the hostility of the Indian police,” an officer told Mr. Norsang.
The protesters remained seated, with the police, in helmets and shields, lined up next to them.
Mr. Norsang said that the protesters were willing to be arrested if they were not allowed to go the Chinese Embassy but maintained that he was trying to hold a peaceful rally. He said the agitators would wait at the spot until they received permission but that they would definitely protest outside the embassy.
“Hu Jintao’s policy is responsible for self-immolations,” said Mr. Norsang. He’s “unwelcome here.”
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The iron gate: SLC begins today, strict measures in place

KATHMANDU- This year’s School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examination is kicking off across the country on Thursday.
According to the Office of the Controller of Examination, 496,243 students are appearing in the examination for which 1,672 centres have been set up across the country. Of the total, 436,411 are regular examinees while 59,832 are exempted. Similarly, 8,140 students—7,794 regular and 346 exempted—are taking part in the exams from 89 open schools. This year, the highest number of students—32,860—appearing for the exam are from Kathmandu, while the least number of students —122—are from Manang.
A total of 47,242 personnel, including 1,672 superintendents, 2,395 assistant superintendents, 19,843 invigilators and 6,612 peons, have been deployed for the nine-day examination, Examination Controller Surya Gautam said.
The SLC Examination Board has decided to adopt tough measures in a bid to conduct fair exams. A board meeting chaired by Education Minister Gangalal Tuladhar last week decided to lodge public offence cases against parents who encourage their wards to adopt unfair means in the exams, while teachers, officials and security personnel involved in such practices will be booked. Speaking at an interaction, Tuladhar said anyone found breaching the norms of the exams will be liable to action. As per the Education Act, one adopting unfair means and breaching the exam code can be jailed for six months or fined up to Rs. 100,000 or both.
Nepal Electricity Authority has decided to reduce weekly load-shedding from 98 hours to 84 hours from Thursday in view of the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) exams that begin on Thursday. According to Chiranjivi Sharma, director at the Department of Systems Operation and Maintenance under the NEA, the power utility decided to reduce the power cut from the existing14 hours to 12 hours a day on an average for the SLC students for the next 10 days.
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Deepening ties: China gives Rs 1.42bn military aid

KATHMANDU- In a symbolic gesture aimed at strengthening cooperation with the Nepal Army, China on Wednesday signed a bilateral agreement with the Nepal Army pledging assistance worth Rs. 1.42 billion (130 million RMB).
A memorandum of understanding to this effect was signed between the Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Chhatra Man Singh Gurung and the visiting Chinese Army Chief Gen. Chen Bingde.
Chief of Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA),
General Chen Bingde (Left) meets his Nepali
counterpart General Chhatraman Singh Gurung
at the Nepal Army headquarters
on Wednesday, 23 March 2011.
China will provide medical equipment for the Birendra Sainik Hospital and logistics required for rescue operations worth 1.09 billion (100 million RMB) for the Nepal Army. The visit of the 15-member Chinese Army delegation at the invitation of the Nepali Army chief marks the highest-level of military exchange from China in recent years. China has said Gen. Chen’s visit will focus on deepening the military relationship between the two countries and ensure peace at the Tibet frontier.
The agreement, signed on the first day of the three-day official visit of the Chinese Army chief, also commits engineering equipment including heavy construction vehicles worth Rs. 327.6 million (30 million RMB) from China. Upon his arrival, the Chinese Army chief stressed the need of enhancing government and military-level relationship between the two countries.
“The Chinese government and the PLA (Chinese army) attach great importance to developing friendly relations of cooperation between our two countries and armed forces. To carry out mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Nepal not only serves the interests of both countries but also benefits the maintenance of peace, stability and development in the region,” said the visiting General at the Tribhuwan International Airport.
 “We are paying this visit for the purpose of further enhancing mutual understanding, promoting friendship, strengthening cooperation and propelling the China-Nepal Comprehensive Partnership of Cooperation featuring everlasting friendship to move ahead constantly,” he added.
This is the highest-level of military attention shown by China to Nepal in more than 11 years, according to a two-star General who attended the briefing with the visiting Army chief organised by the Army Headquarters.
“Given the security sensitiveness of Tibet and Nepal’s continued respect to the one-China policy, the Chinese side seems keen on increasing its assistance to Nepal Army and other security forces,” he said. “They have expressed desire to see a stable Nepal with social progress and economic prosperity.”
Before the meeting with his Nepali counterpart at the Army Headquarters, the Chinese Army Chief attended a wreath-laying ceremony at the Army Pavilion. The visiting delegation was briefed on the current role of the Nepal Army after his meeting with Gen. Gurung, where the Nepali Army chief reaffirmed commitment of the Nepal government towards the one-China policy.
The military delegation is scheduled to meet President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal and Defence Minister Bishnu Poudel on Thursday. “I am looking forward to exchanging in-depth views with leaders of the Nepalese government and its military and other issues of common interest. I am confident that with the thoughtful arrangement of our host, this visit will achieve its purpose and make a complete success,” the Chinese Army chief said in his arrival address.   
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Wiki leaks: India read EU interventionist mode in Nepal, say US cables

NEW DELHI - Indian mandarins took a dim view of European Union’s approach in South Asia. They felt EU’s policies in India’s “backyard” were “obvious, shabby, shortsighted and full of contradictions,” naive, overly proactive, and possessing a “tendency to go overboard” when it comes to delicate issues.
A US embassy cable dated Nov. 5, 2004 detailing conversation between the US embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Robert O. Blake, Jr. and Indian Ministry for External Affairs (MEA) officials, reports a huge gulf between EU and India on South Asia. “The EU has supported or pursued policies which will not help South Asia in the long run. The EU instinct is to internationalise issues, such as Nepal and Kashmir, that India believes are better located in the bilateral realm,” the cable quoted Europe Director of Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Dammu Ravi as saying. The cable leaked by WikiLeaks shows that India did not like EU maneuverings to “internationalise the issues such as Nepal and Kashmir” terming the efforts as “interventionist, UN-tinged approach.”
“The EU has not yet realised that when it comes to South Asia, India understands the issues best,” he (Ravi) opined. 
According to the cable, “Ravi echoed Joint Secretary of Nepal and Bhutan desk—Ranjit Rae’s recent assessment that the EU has illustrated “its naivete on Nepal by pursuing an interventionist, UN-tinged approach.”
“Whether regarding Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, or Kashmir, MEA officials have expressed annoyance with the EU approach to South Asia, describing the EU as too obvious, shabby, shortsighted and full of contradictions as well as naive, overly proactive, and possessing a tendency to go overboard….” read the cable.  India also observed the division inside EU regarding the political developments in Nepal, according to the cable sent three months before the takeover of erstwhile King Gyanendra Shah in 2005.
“Ravi also underlined the lack of unity within the EU on Nepal, observing that some member states believe the best approach is to support the Monarchy, while others argue for military intervention. Europe should carefully choose its words because what they say could have extreme consequences,” stated the cable classified by DCM Blake.
It also showed India was furious over the take of EU regarding Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. “He (Ravi) also emphasised the Indian perception that the EU is unbalanced when dealing with Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. Encouraging the sides to talk is one thing, but the EU has a reputation for being partisan in favour of the refugees, he stated."
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