Submit your Article

The Royal Saino Restaurant and Bar at Durbar­marg is one of the oldest establishments in the area that has stood the test of time and the change in preferences of the customers. Royal Saino is run by a business family with more than three decades of history in hospitality and the restaurant itself is a part of the glorious history of Durbar Marg, one of the poshest locations in Kathmandu. Royal Saino is a multi-cuisine restaurant offering everything from Continental to Chinese, Indian to Nepali food. It is also famous for its “Belle Mo:Mos” which have quite a reputation among locals and for­eigners alike. Check out Royal Saino’s Trip Advisor page and you’ll find people swearing by its food on the reviews section. Consistency in food through all these years and quality in service along with its multiple seating arrangements help Royal Saino maintain its legacy and thrive at a time when dozens of restaurants are opening and closing every year in and around Durbarmarg.

THE MENU

Chef’s Special:

- Royal Saino Special Roasted Duck

- Mo:Mo Platter

- Sizzler

Opening hours: 10 am - 10 pm

Location: Durbarmarg, Ktm

Cards: Accepted

Meal for 2: Rs 1500

Reservations: 01-4230890

Annapurna Post daily presented a motorcycle to the first month’s winner of its subscriber scheme. Kavre’s Paanchkhaal’s Bipin Balakha was given TVS Stryker Motorcycle key by Hari Bahadur Thapa, editor-in-chief of Annapurna Post, at a program in the Annapurna Corporate Tower in Tinkune.

Balekha runs Palpali Lumbini Bhojanalaya in Pep­sicola. He won a motorcycle after just two days after subscribing the newspaper. Overjoyed, he said, “I regularly read the Annapurna Post, as do my clients in my eatery.” On getting the key, he said, “I have won something for the first time in my life. Many thanks to the Annapurna Media Group.”

In this one-year subscriber scheme, there will be 10 lucky draws each month. Among them, seven will be held in Kathmandu and three in other prov­inces. One lucky winner will get scholarship worth Rs 3 million

There is little not to like about the contribu­tion-based social security scheme unveiled by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Nov 27. From now on, all working Nepalis in formal or informal sector, and both private and public enter­prises, will contribute 11 percent of their basic monthly salary to the new Social Security Fund. This will in turn be topped by another 20 percent by their employers. As workers will be entitled to nearly two times more money than they have to deposit, it will be in the interest of all working individuals, irrespective of their income size, to enlist.

Of the 31 percent, 1 percent will cover medical treat­ment; 1.4 percent will cover accidents; 0.27 percent, dependent family members; and 28.33 percent, old-age pensions. While other coverages will be activated after six months of paying into the social security pool, the old-age pensions may be claimed by those over 60 who have contributed to the fund for 15 years. Any way you see it, the start of the first-of-its-kind universal social security scheme is a landmark for Nepal. It is also perhaps the first major step towards the creation of the kind of socialist, welfare state envisioned by the new constitution.

It is indeed a monumental development for low-wage workers who heretofore had it hard, many of them unaware where their next meal would come from. Now, for a minimal contribution, they will be able to better plan their future. But first, the scheme needs to work. Questions have been raised regarding the potentially trillions of rupees that could be collected. With such gigantic sums involved, how will transparen­cy and good governance be ensured? And when that is cared for, what will be done with the money? One good idea is to invest it in big-ticket national projects.

But before all that, how will the ‘basic salary’ of each contributing worker be determined? Many industries and businesses don’t pay their workers mandated basic salary. These employers will now have to increase their salary bill, an issue over which they have tussled with successive governments. Nor was the way PM on Nov 27 Oli took nearly all the entire credit for the scheme seemly. But however the scheme was unrolled, there is no gainsaying its potentially life-changing impact on millions of Nepalis.

Q. Three words others use to describe your personality

A. Extrovert, sensitive, quick-learner

Q. Favorite actresses

A. Keki Adhikari and Benisha Hamal

Q. Someone that you would love to work with

A. Saugat Malla

Q. Best compliment that you’ve received

A. That I have the best smile in the world

Q. Most attractive quality in a person

A. Sense of humor and their communication skills

Q. Outfit that you cannot go wrong with

A. Jeans or saree

Q. Your pet-peeve

A. People saying ‘no’ to me

Q. A question you wish people would stop asking

A. About whether I am dating someone

Q. An advice you would like to give to your younger self

A. Stay healthy, stay happy and work harder

It’s a mammoth undertaking. Around 1,500 delegates from 45 countries are taking part in the ‘Asia-Pacific Summit 2018’ being held in Kathmandu from Nov 30-Dec 3. Among the notable dignitaries will be Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Myanmar State Counsellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Aung San Suu Kyi, senior BJP leader Vijay Jolly from India, and other Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim and Christian reli­gious leaders. The event is being hosted by the Nepal chapter of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF), a New York-based INGO of South Korean origin. The UPF has five stated guiding principles: one, everyone belongs to one human family created by God; two, the high­est qualities of human beings are spiritual and moral; three, the family is the school of love and peace; four, each person is created to live for others; and five, peace entails coop­eration beyond ethnic, religious and national boundaries. With national chapters in nearly every country in the world, the UPA runs on voluntary donations. Impressive. But why is such a gigantic summit being held in Nepal, and by an organization most Nepalis had not even heard of? And what is the Nepal government’s role in it?

 Why is such a gigantic summit being held in Nepal ?

The choice of the venue is not coincidental. There are few other countries in Asia-Pacific where an oft-controversial INGO can so easily rope in vital government officials, who have long grown accus­tomed to free all-expenses-paid foreign trips, often spon­sored by INGOs like the UPF. That the UPF has friends in high places in Nepal is evident from the inclusion of senior ruling party leader Madhav Kumar Nepal as among the ‘welcoming party’ for the Kathmandu summit. This despite the suspicion that the UPF has been involved in evangelical activities in Nepal, something the communist government promises to tamp down.

 Opposition parties have berated the government for its association with an organization with a questionable history in country, and have vowed to break the odd-even rule for vehicles imposed in lieu of the summit. There was another curious coincidence though. On the day the odd-even rule came into effect, yet another NGO-hosted international sym­posium, on Mahatma Gandhi, was being held in the Nepali capital. BJP heavyweights like ex-Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha and actor-turned federal MP Shatrughan Sinha were in attendance. With the government in a mood to tighten alcohol regulation, Nepal may not be able to lure in the tar­geted 20 million tourists come 2020. Its prospects as a host of high-profile international jamborees appears brighter.

Yes, the plotline isn’t original. You might have read many books with similar stories, especially if you are a fan of spy thrillers. But what makes Need to Know exceedingly refresh­ing is the fact that Karen Cleveland, the author, is a former CIA analyst herself and the inside knowledge with which she writes makes the story very nuanced. A year before publication, the novel was set to be adapted into a film with Charlize Theron starring in and producing the project.

The espionage element is spot-on and, as a working mom who wrote the debut novel during a yearlong unpaid maternity leave from the CIA, Cleveland also manages to get the domestic tension just right. The only downside is that Cleveland lacks writing flair. However, she adds an extra dose of suspense with Vivian finding out that there is a mole in the CIA. As Vivian desper­ately tries to figure out who she can trust, she becomes embroiled in something that could very well end in her losing her job and getting a jail sentence as well.

The confusion and chaos make up for the jarring writing. Matt, perfect husband and father, comes across as the perfect liar at times and as the perfect victim all the other times. The thrill of the suspense lies in finding out or rather deciding which one. Cleveland keeps you guessing till the end while also making you come to the realization that nothing in life is black or white but actually a shade of gray. Need to Know is a compulsive read that you will race to finish and when you do you will wish you could turn back time to relive the thrill.

NEED TO KNOW

Author: Karen Cleveland

Genre: Fiction

Published: January 2018 Publisher: Ballantine Books

Language: English

Pages: 310, paperback

 “Barud Mathi Udda”, a literary work of Captain Rameshwor Thapa being published by Bookhill Publi­cation, will hit the bookstands in the first week of December.

The book is based on the pilot and entrepreneur’s extensive fly­ing career, including during the 10 years of the Maoist insurgency. Thapa had as a pilot back then saved the lives of numerous army personnel. According to him, the book offers vivid portrayals of the battlefields and describes his experience of flying during those tumultuous times.

Former AIG Rajendra Bahadur Singh offers insight into Thapa’s role during the Maoist rebellion. “The pilots in the army were not able to supply arms and ammunition to the contingent that was defending the village of Khara from the Maoist forces. Notwithstanding the chal­lenge presented by the chaotic bat­tle, Captain Thapa was able to safely land the aircraft, ensuring that the army had enough supplies and that the injured got essential medical care. Were it not for him, the battle at Khara would have taken a heavy toll on Nepal Army.”

Singh isn’t the only one to appre­ciate Thapa’s flying prowess. Nepal Police DSP Yogeshwor Rom Thami says in the book, “Captain Thapa’s audacity and skillful maneuvers helped us survive Maoist sieges many times.”

The book provides descriptions of Thapa’s flying experiences throughout Nepal. It revisits Tha­pa’s rescue and supply missions in various corners of the then war-torn Nepal such as Khara, Rukum; Bhi­mad, Sindhuli; Bethan, Ramechhap; and Nomu, Dailekh.

It is also a rich story that explains Thapa’s life-altering experiences and frustrations that characterize his journey

But the book is more than just a compendium of Thapa’s experiences during the Maoist insurgency. It is also a rich story that explains Thapa’s life-altering experiences and frustrations that characterize his journey from a kid born into an ordinary farming family to the renowned entrepreneur that he is today. The book has been edited by Rajaram Gautam, former editor of the Annapurna Post.

The aptly named Butterfly Effect, whereby even the smallest of chang­es today can alter or even revolu­tionize the future, is helping raise awareness about gender-based vio­lence, sexuality, and human rights through music.

The Butterfly Effect is bringing together female- headed bands in a celebratory concert, part of its three-phase event that also involves key personnel and celebrities pledg­ing their support through hashtags and photographs over social media. Donations raised through the Cel­ebration Phrase of live concert will be utilized in awareness programs in urban and rural areas of the country. Videos of the concert will appear on TV and social media to further spread the word.

Organized by Sangeet Pathsha­la, in association with Dristi Nepal, a non-profit working for women affected by drugs, HIV and AIDs, the concert will feature Nattu with 11.11 OST, Samriddhi Rai, Mental Radio, Somiya Baraily, Space, Didi Bahini, Faithom, and Superfuzz. The Anna­purna Express is the media partner for the event.