Kalpit Parajuli

On the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the Communist regime, the borders between China and Nepal have been sealed off. Tight controls are also imposed on Kathmandu. The Nepali government wants to prevent any anti-Chinese demonstrations by the country’s large Tibetan refugee community.

The roof collapsed overnight while people slept in the building. Over 100 injured. Isu Jung Karki, president of the Nepal Christian Forum: "Our first concern is to rescue the wounded and treat them. Discussions on the causes of the incident will follow”.

At least 30 Nepali districts have experienced hunger in the last several months. More than 300 people have died in the country’s western regions from an outbreak of dysentery in late August.

The terrorist is the head of the Nepal Defence Army behind last May’s attack on the Catholic Cathedral of Kathmandu. Fr. Robin Rai, pastor of the church hit by the bomb, thanks the government for “having done its duty. " But it warns: "This does not mean that threats and risks for Christians in the country are over”.

More than two thousands demonstrators protest against the decision to put Indian monks in charge of an important temple. According to the protesters, the “government has insulted Nepalis by appointing Indian priests.” The authorities dismiss the complaints, saying they will not go back on their decision, which respects a century-old tradition.

Ten delegations, including China and India, are trying to address the fragile Himalayan region and prepare for UN conference on climate change next December in Copenhagen.

Parmananda Jha took his oath of office in Hindi. The Supreme Court has ruled it was unlawful, demanding he retake it in Nepali or resign.

From August 22 to 24 thousands of women celebrate the annual festival of Teej and pray for their husbands. The gesture, made by wives and girlfriends is also an opportunity to highlight women's rights often violated behind closed doors.

The Society of Jesus mourns the death of the priest, a missionary for over 40 years in the country at the feet of the Himalaya. One of his former students: "Now that he has left us I hope to be able to pass on to my children what he taught us."

After Mass in Kathmandu’s cathedral, Bishop Anthony Sharma related the story of his vocation to the 19 priests who operate in eastern Nepal and the valley where the nation’s capital is located. Fr George Kalapurackal, parish priest at the Cathedral of the Assumption, says that “lay people, by praying for priests, find more courage.”

The improvised explosive device blew up inside the ruling party’s headquarters. A second bomb was found and defused inside the Bagmati Zonal Office of the Department of Transport Management. The Hindu fundamentalist Nepal Defence Army, a group opposed to the country’s secularisation, is suspected.

The death toll stands at 240 according to official sources; at least 500 according to other sources. Affected areas lack safe food. The traditional festival of Rakshya Bandhan (Holy Thread) to ward off evil and ensure long life is cancelled.