Nepal comes right after India and China in US Student Visa Cancellation

 

March 25 Update: Since Trump took the office on January 20, 4700 student visas were terminated. Now the Trump administration has restored the student visa registrations of thousands of foreign students studying in the United States who had minor — and often dismissed — legal infractions.

The Justice Department announced the wholesale reversal in federal court Friday after weeks of intense scrutiny by courts and dozens of restraining orders issued by judges who deemed the mass termination of students from a federal database — used by universities and the federal government to track foreign students in the U.S. — as flagrantly illegal.

The USA has 1.1 million students in its database, which adds $44 billion to the US economy in one year.

March 22, 2025

Nepal comes right after India and China in US Student Visa Cancellation. Bangladesh and South Korea make up the top five countries in the list of students whose visas have been cancelled. Many of these actions are being taken without prior notice, often based on minor legal infractions or vague grounds, leaving thousands of international students suddenly out of status, unable to work, and uncertain about their future in the U.S. 

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has terminated 4,736 SEVIS records, the majority of which were linked to F-1 visa holders. Yet, only 14 percent of affected students received any formal notice from ICE, all of whom were on OPT. An additional 7 percent received no communication at all—neither from the government nor from their educational institutions.

Main target for the visa cancellations are students who were involved in political protest But some students whose visa have been cancelled had police records such as speeding, parking violations, seat belt violations, failure to yield to emergency vehicles etc. Some have serious crimes such as domestic violence.

Here is a list of countries that have been impacted:

1. India:
   • Number Affected: Approximately 163–164 students (based on AILA’s report of 327 total visa cancellations, with ~50% being Indian).
   • Details: Indian students, the largest international student group in the U.S. (331,602 in 2023–24), have been heavily impacted. 
     
     
2. China:
   • Number Affected: Approximately 45–46 students ( 14% of 327 cases). Additional reports confirm at least 19 students identified by Inside Higher Ed
     
     
   • Details: Chinese students (277,398 in 2023–24) are the second-largest group affected. High-profile cases include a Dartmouth Ph.D. student and an MIT student. Some revocations are linked to minor infractions or unclear reasons.
     
     
3. South Korea:
   • Number Affected: Not explicitly quantified, but  among the 327 cases likely fewer than 10 based on proportional estimates.
     
     
   • Details: South Korean students were mentioned in AILA’s policy brief as part of affected groups, but specific numbers are unavailable.
4. Nepal:
   • Number Affected: Not explicitly quantified, but it falls among “significant” countries and number is likely fewer than 10 based on proportional estimates.
5. Bangladesh:
   • Number Affected: Not explicitly quantified, but it falls among “significant” countries and likely fewer than 10 based on proportional estimates.
     
     
6. Kuwait:
   • Number Affected: At least 5 students (per  review of 515 student records).
     
     
   • Details: Kuwaiti students were identified in the dataset, though reasons for revocation (e.g., minor infractions or protests) were not specified.
7. Saudi Arabia:
   • Number Affected: At least 4 students.
      
8. Japan:
   • Number Affected: At least 3 students .
     
     
9. Turkey:
   • Number Affected: At least 2 students 
     
     
   • Details: Öztürk, a Tufts Ph.D. student, had her visa revoked, allegedly for pro-Palestinian activism. Another Turkish student was noted in data reviews.
10. Colombia:
    • Number Affected: At least 2 students (one high-profile case at the University of Florida).
      
      
    • Details: Felipe Zapata Velázquez was deported after traffic violations, and another Colombian student was part of a lawsuit challenging revocations.
11. Mexico:
    • Number Affected: At least 1 student .
      Details: A Mexican student was included in the legal challenge, with no specific reason for revocation provided.
12. Russia:
    • Number Affected: At least 1 student ,Petrova.
      Details: Petrova’s visa was revoked, possibly due to her opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, leading to detention and deportation proceedings.
13. Gambia:
    • Number Affected: At least 1 student ,Momodou Taal.
      Details: Taal faced visa issues linked to pro-Palestinian activism and chose to leave voluntarily while his case was pending.

गाँणतन्त्र कि गणतन्त्र ?

  गाँणतन्त्र कि गणतन्त्र ? मात्र एउटा प्रश्न। 

Do you want to learn new software?

People are always curious and they always want to learn something new. Software is among the ones that come to their mind so many times since we are rapidly evolving into new technologies. Here’s a list of software skills and tools that are good to learn in 2025, based on current industry trends and their high demand. These are rooted in the evolving tech landscape, where digital transformation, AI, and cloud solutions dominate. I’ll explain why each is valuable and sought-after.

1. Python

• Why It’s Good: Python’s simplicity makes it beginner-friendly, yet its versatility powers web development, data analysis, AI, and automation. It’s like a Swiss Army knife for coders—easy to learn, hard to outgrow.
• Why It’s In Demand: It’s the backbone of AI and machine learning (think TensorFlow, PyTorch), which are exploding—AI market growth is projected at 36.6% annually through 2030. Plus, 70% of data science jobs list Python as a requirement (per X posts and industry reports).

2. SQL

• Why It’s Good: SQL lets you manage and query databases, a skill that’s foundational for handling data—every company’s lifeblood. It’s straightforward but unlocks powerful insights.
• Why It’s In Demand: Data-driven decisions are king, with businesses hoarding 2.5 quintillion bytes of data daily. SQL skills are a must for data analysts and engineers, with a 36% job growth projected for data scientists by 2033 (U.S. BLS).

3. AWS (Amazon Web Services)

• Why It’s Good: AWS is the leading cloud platform, offering tools for storage, computing, and AI. Mastering it gives you a ticket to modern infrastructure management.
• Why It’s In Demand: Cloud spending is forecast to hit $723 billion in 2025 (Gartner), and 90% of firms will use hybrid clouds by 2027. AWS skills command high salaries—median cloud engineer pay is $120,000—because every industry’s migrating to the cloud.

नेपालमा राजा फर्काउने प्रयास

- बजारको गफ 

 नेपालमा हाल राजा फर्काउने प्रयासको सन्दर्भमा विभिन्न गतिविधिहरू भइरहेका छन्। सन् २००८ मा राजतन्त्रको अन्त्य भएर गणतन्त्र स्थापना भएदेखि नै समय-समयमा राजतन्त्र पुनर्स्थापनाको माग उठ्ने गरेको छ। खासगरी पछिल्लो समय, राजनीतिक अस्थिरता, भ्रष्टाचार, आर्थिक संकट र सरकारप्रति जनताको असन्तुष्टि बढ्दै जाँदा राजावादी समूहहरू सक्रिय भएका छन्।

पूर्वराजा ज्ञानेन्द्र शाहले विभिन्न अवसरमा आफ्ना अभिव्यक्ति र भ्रमणहरू मार्फत जनताको ध्यानाकर्षण गर्ने प्रयास गरिरहेका छन्। उदाहरणका लागि, मार्च ९, २०२५ मा काठमाडौंमा भएको र्‍यालीमा उनका समर्थकहरूले "राजा आऊ, देश बचाऊ" को नारा लगाएका थिए। त्यस्तै, मार्च २८, २०२५ सम्मको अवस्था हेर्दा उनी काठमाडौं फर्किएका थिए र समर्थकहरूले उनको स्वागत गरेका थिए। यी घटनाहरूले राजतन्त्रप्रति जनताको एक हिस्सामा नोस्टाल्जिया र समर्थन रहेको देखाउँछ।

राजावादी आन्दोलनलाई राष्ट्रिय प्रजातन्त्र पार्टी (राप्रपा) जस्ता दलहरूले समर्थन गर्दै आएका छन्। साथै, हिन्दु राष्ट्र र राजतन्त्रको पुनर्स्थापना गर्ने मुद्दालाई जोडेर नेपाल र भारतका हिन्दुत्ववादी समूहहरूले पनि अप्रत्यक्ष रूपमा प्रभाव पार्ने कोसिस गरेको अनुमान गरिएको छ, यद्यपि यसको ठोस प्रमाण भेटिएको छैन। मार्च २०२५ मा काठमाडौंमा भएको प्रदर्शनले यो आन्दोलनको बलियो उपस्थिति देखाएको छ।

तर, राजतन्त्र फर्काउने सम्भावना अहिलेलाई जटिल छ। ठूला राजनीतिक दलहरू, जस्तै नेकपा (एमाले), नेपाली कांग्रेस र माओवादी केन्द्रले यसको कडा विरोध गरेका छन्। प्रधानमन्त्री केपी शर्मा ओली र कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष शेरबहादुर देउबाले राजतन्त्र पुनर्स्थापना असम्भव रहेको बताएका छन्। संविधान संशोधन गरेर राजतन्त्र फर्काउन संसदमा दुई तिहाइ बहुमत आवश्यक पर्छ, जुन हालको राजनीतिक समीकरणमा कठिन देखिन्छ।

अर्कोतर्फ, विपक्षीहरूले राजतन्त्र फर्किए विगतको निरंकुश शासनको पुनरावृत्ति हुने तर्क अघि सारेका छन्। २०६२/६३ को जनआन्दोलनपछि राजतन्त्र हटाइएको इतिहास र गणतन्त्रले ल्याएका उपलब्धिहरू (जस्तै समावेशिता र लोकतान्त्रिक अधिकार) लाई जोगाउनुपर्ने पक्षमा पनि बलियो मत छ।

संक्षेपमा, नेपालमा राजा फर्काउने प्रयासमा राजावादीहरू सक्रिय छन् र जनताको एक हिस्साबाट समर्थन पाइरहेका छन्, तर संवैधानिक र राजनीतिक अवरोधका कारण यो प्रयास सफल हुने सम्भावना कम छ। यो बहसले देशमा अझै पनि राजनीतिक स्थिरता र सुशासनको खोजी जारी रहेको संकेत गर्छ।

Predictive modeling tells death toll could reach 10,000 people in Myanmar Earthquake

The death toll from a catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit Myanmar on Friday with reports of 1,600 dead. But Predictive modeling tells death toll could reach 10,000 people in Myanmar Earthquake. The quake struck around lunchtime on Friday, destroyed buildings and bridges. The epicenter was in Mandalay, Myanmar, the country's second-largest city. Even Bangkok, some 600 miles away, felt widespread shaking. 

 Myanmar is considered to be one of the most geologically "active" areas in the world because it sits on top of the convergence of four of these tectonic plates - the Eurasian plate, the Indian plate, the Sunda plate and the Burma microplate. There is a major fault called the Sagaing fault, which cuts right through Myanmar north to south and is more than 1,200km (746 miles) long. This earthquake was formed due to Sagaing fault releasing energy due to built up energy from Indian and Eurasian plates.

 The search and rescue operation has involved crews from the police, military and disaster relief, using drones, dogs and heavy equipment to search through the mountain of rubble, concrete, steel, dirt and rebar.

Lets pray for people in Myanmar and its surrounding that they quickly recover from  this devastating earthquake.

युवाहरू विदेश हिँडे

देश फेर्‍यो, भेष फेर्‍यो, 

दुइटै छोरा पराई भए!

आँखाले हेर्न, देख्न नसकिने!

बोल्न मन लागे बोल्न नसकिने!

कलेजोको टुक्रा हुन सन्तान भन्छन्

मनमै भए पनि छुन नसकिने!

यति टाढा भए सबै

फेरि एक हुन्न नसकिने!

यति भावविहीन भए आज

दुःख पर्दा रुन नसकिने!

भाव साभार -लक्ष्मी भट्ट

Is Tariff good for people?

Tariffs have long been a fundamental tool in international trade, shaping economies and political landscapes worldwide. A tariff is a tax imposed on imported goods, often used to protect domestic industries, generate government revenue, or retaliate against trade imbalances. While tariffs can provide short-term economic benefits for certain sectors, they can also lead to trade wars, increased consumer costs, and global economic disruptions.

The use of tariffs dates back to ancient civilizations, where rulers imposed duties on imported goods to fund governments and control trade. In the 18th and 19th centuries, tariffs became a central economic policy tool, especially during the Industrial Revolution. Countries like Britain and the United States implemented protective tariffs to foster domestic industry growth.

One of the most notable historical tariff policies was the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 in the United States. This act raised tariffs on thousands of imported goods, leading to retaliatory measures from other countries and exacerbating the Great Depression. The failure of protectionist policies in this era highlighted the dangers of trade restrictions, leading to a gradual shift towards free trade agreements in the latter half of the 20th century.

The Impact of Tariffs on Economies and Consumers

Tariffs can have both positive and negative economic consequences, depending on the context in which they are implemented:

1. Domestic Industry Protection: Tariffs can shield local industries from foreign competition, allowing them to develop and thrive. This can be beneficial for emerging economies looking to grow their manufacturing and production capabilities.

2. Increased Prices for Consumers: Since tariffs raise the cost of imported goods, businesses often pass these costs onto consumers, leading to higher prices for everyday products.

3. Trade Wars and Retaliation: When one country imposes tariffs, others may respond with their own, leading to trade wars that disrupt global supply chains. The U.S.-China trade war of recent years illustrates how escalating tariffs can affect multiple industries and international relations.

4. Revenue Generation for Governments: Tariffs provide a source of income for governments, especially in countries that rely heavily on trade taxes rather than income or corporate taxes.

5. Market Distortions: By altering the natural flow of goods and services, tariffs can lead to inefficiencies in the global market, causing companies to shift production or seek alternative supply sources.

What a fight!

 

Boxers were ready. The cameras were ready. The house was ready. People were cheering and supporting for their players. Both players were determined to win. Who is going to win, the home team or visitors?  The prize was high. It was lucrative. All we needed to see was some action. Each boxer was waiting for their time to punch. 

After some warm up, punches were thrown. They were ugly. They did not follow the rules. They just punched at the free style. The boxing match was cancelled. Nobody won. 

Did this match look like this? 

नेपालको अचेल

 अचेल मालपोत र यातायात कार्यालयमा नजान कर्मचारीहरुबीच लडाइँ हुने गरेको छ । घरजग्गा, गाडीको किनबेचमा मात्र मन्दी आएको छैन । व्यापार व्यवसाय ठप्पै भएको छ । उपत्यकासहित देशभर सटर, कोठा र फ्ल्याट खाली हुने क्रम बढेको छ । बजार सुनसान छ । अहिले दुई ठाउँमा मात्रै मानिसहरुको भीड देखिन्छ । एउटा राहदानी बनाउने ठाउँ, अर्को एयरपोर्ट । युवाहरु विदेशिरहेका छन् । गाउँदेखि शहरसम्म बूढापाका र बालबच्चा मात्रै छन् । देशमै बस्न चाहे पनि एकातिर रोजगारी छैन, अर्कोतिर काम पाए पनि तलब दिइँदैन । यसले देशका युवाहरु बाध्य भएर विदेश पलायन भइरहेका छन् । त्यसो त तिनै युवाहरुले पठाइरहेको रेमिट्यान्सले देशको अर्थतन्त्र धानिरहेको छ ।

सरकारमा बसेकाहरुलाई आफ्नो कुर्सीको मात्र चिन्ता छ ।  सत्तामा बस्न पाइन्छ कि पाइँदैन ? भ्रष्टाचार गर्न पाइन्छ कि पाइँदैन ? सरकारी ढुकुटीमा मोज गर्न पाइन्छ कि पाइँदैन ? सरकारी, सार्वजनिक जग्गा आफ्ना कार्यकर्तालाई बाँड्न पाइन्छ कि पाइँदैन ? 

नेपालको अचेल येस्तै छ !

क्रिप्टोको ठगी - Crypto Scam

 

करेन्सी कारोबारमा संलग्न एक गिरोहलाई प्रहरी पक्राउ गरेको छ। नेपालमा गैरकानुनी रहेको क्रिप्टो कारोबार तथा अनलाइन  ठगी गरेको गरेको कसुरमा प्रहरीले काठमाडौंका विभिन्न स्थानबाट  सात जनालाई पक्राउ गरेको हो। यो समूहले हालसम्म अभौतिक मुद्राको कारोबार गरेर तीन अर्बभन्दा बढी रकम ठगी गरेको पाइएको छ। यो रकम डिजिटल फरेन्सिक रिपोर्टको विवरणबाट प्राप्त भएको  थियो। विभिन्न बैंक तथा डिजिटल वालेट प्रयोगकर्ताहरूलाई समूहले झुक्याएर बैंक तथा वालेटहरूको आधिकारिक व्यक्ति भन्ने गरेको थियो।  प्रयोगकर्ताको ओटिपी/पिन माग गरेर अनाधिकृत रुपमा बैंक तथा वालेटहरूमा यो समूहले पहुँच पुर्‍याउँथ्यो। यो समूहले सोसल मिडिया ह्वाट्सएप, टेलिग्राम, फेसबुकहरूमा अनलाइन जब पाइने भन्दै ‘घरमै बसेर धेरै कमाउने सकिने’ भनी विज्ञापन गर्ने गरेको थियो।

केही महिना अघि सिङ्गापुरका 20 वर्षको एक व्यक्तिले ३० मिलियन अमेरिकी डलर क्रिप्टोकरेन्सी चोरेको आरोपमा अमेरिका को मायामी समातिएको थियो । रुजा इग्नाटोभा, बुल्गेरियामा जन्मेकी जर्मन व्यवसायी महिला 4 बिलियन यूरोको बिटक्वाइनको सबैभन्दा ठूलो घोटाला गर्ने व्यक्ति हुन्।

Friends of Nepal and former US president Jimmy Carter laid to rest in Plains, Georgia

 

Former US President and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jimmy Carter passed away at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday (local time) at the age of 100 in December 29. He was laid to rest in his home town after his body was brought to U.S Capital Rotunda this week. He was buried to his beloved wife of 77 years, Rosalynn Carter per his wish.

Carter leaves profound and enduring legacy in Nepal's journey from conflict to peace. He played an important role in facilitating the end of the decade-long armed conflict and helping the integration of Maoist Rebels into mainstream politics. He co-founded The Carter Center with his wife which facilitated dialogue and monitored Nepal's transition from monarchy to federal democratic governance. His work helped Maoist guerilla to delist from the terrorist list. He also introduced The Camp David Accords and signed with Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in September 1978 and established a framework for a historic peace treaty concluded between Israel and Egypt in March 1979.

After leaving the White House, he earned a reputation as a committed humanitarian. He was widely seen as a better former president than he was a president. He announced in 2015 he would build 100 homes in Gairigaun, Chitwan as a part of Habitat for Humanity. However, due to a massive earthquake in Nepal, he had to cancel the plan due to resource constraints. Habitat for Humanity has helped build or improve more than 39 million homes since its founding in 1976 and helped 13.4 million people build or improve homes in 70 countries. It relies in volunteers to build new homes and repairs existing homes.