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Several countries have urged their nationals to leave Lebanon, with the US warning its citizens to do so on “any ticket available”, as fears grow of a wider conflict in the Middle East. Iran has vowed “severe” retaliation against Israel, which it blames for the death of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday. Israel has not commented.

Haniyeh’s assassination came hours after Israel killed Hezbollah senior commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut. Western officials fear that Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia and political movement based in Lebanon, could play a key role in any such retaliation, which in turn could spark a serious Israeli response. Reacting to such concerns, the US, the UK, Sweden, France, Italy, Canada and Jordan urged their citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as possible, as a growing number of flights are canceled or suspended at the country’s only commercial airport in Beirut.

Nepal does not have an actual number regarding the Nepali citizens in Lebanon. However, organizations working for the welfare of Nepalis there estimate that there could be more than 5,000 Nepalis there. According to the Nepali Army, there are 1,900 Nepali peacekeepers in Lebanon. 

As of Sunday, Nepal has not taken any measure to bring back the Nepalis, who are in Lebanon and want to return due to the growing insecurity, although Nepali Embassy in Egypt has urged the Nepali citizens living in Lebanon to exercise caution.

Issuing a press note, the embassy that also looks after Lebanon said, “Nepalis living in Lebanon are urged to exercise caution in view of the possible escalation of war.” 

The embassy has also asked the Nepali citizens to contact the Honorary Consulate General of Nepal in Beirut to drop their necessary details via the embassy’s website.

It’s fantastic to have you all here—because we have so much to celebrate together. In December we marked the centenary of the UK-Nepal Treaty of Friendship signed in the Singha Durbar in 1923 pledging that our two nations will forever maintain peace, friendship and mutual respect. It helped establish Nepal’s sovereignty. 

The Treaty confirmed the UK’s proud status as Nepal’s oldest friend. There have been many events to mark the centenary over recent months. That’s a lot of daal bhaat, a lot of chiya, and maybe a bit of Raksi too! I’m delighted that we are hosting the culmination of these celebrations here this evening.

There is so much that brings us together. From His Majesty King Charles trekking in the foothills of the Himalayas as a young Prince, to our academic alliances, to the huge contribution that the Nepali diaspora makes here in the UK, even getting to the finals of Masterchef!

We’re partners in fighting climate change, in supporting Nepal’s development, with the £400m of support which helps Nepal capitalize on its strengths, including its people and its potential for clean energy and to overcome challenges posed by disasters, and through our growing business links as well.

At the Nepal Investment Summit last month, I was proud that the UK played a leading role in creating a more conductive enabling environment for foreign investment into Nepal which extended the bridge we are building between Nepal and global capital markets. 

And of course, I want to pay tribute to surely the greatest symbol of our friendship, proof that this bond is truly unique and that is the Gurkhas. I had the pleasure of addressing a Gurkha passing out parade at Catterick in my constituency, back in 2021, paying tribute to their courage, loyalty, and sacrifice. Their service is a reminder of the deep ties between our two nations and a promise that those ties will continue to endure.

We have come a long way together since 1923. So, let’s keep building all aspects of this remarkable friendship. And here’s to another one hundred years!

Speech delivered by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during a reception hosted at Number 10 Downing Street on 20 May to celebrate 100 years of the UK-Nepal Treaty of Friendship

Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud is scheduled to address the Raisina dialogue set to take place in New Delhi, India, on Feb 21-23. This a premier conference on geopolitics and geo-economics committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the global community. The conference is hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs of India.

Every year, leaders in politics, business, media, and civil society converge in New Delhi to discuss the state of the world and explore opportunities for cooperation on a wide range of contemporary matters, ORF said. The dialogue is structured as a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral discussion, involving heads of state, cabinet ministers and local government officials, who are joined by thought leaders from the private sector, media and academia.

Swarnim Wagle, economist and lawmaker, will also address the dialogue. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will inaugurate the conference on Wednesday. 

This is the ninth edition of the Raisina dialogue, organized by the MEA-ORF since 2016. Previous editions have had keynote addresses by leaders of Denmark, Rwanda, Israel, the European Commission, Italy, and others.

China has expressed concerns over the Nepal government’s decision to ban popular video app TikToK. On Nov 14, the government took the decision to ban it stating that it is disturbing social harmony and family structures. In a meeting with Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal a few days back, Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Chen Song, expressed the displeasure over the TikTok ban, sources said, he also expressed concerns whether there are geopolitical factors behind such an abrupt decision of Nepal government. In response, Dahal made it clear that the government was forced to shut down TikTok due to the misuse of this app to inflame anti-social contents.

Dahal further added that the government is in favor of regulation of this app instead of complete ban, and working on it. According to sources, the Chinese side is not satisfied with the Dahal’s clarification. TikTok is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd, which appoints its executives. 

TikTok has already expressed its displeasure over the government’s decision. More than dozens petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court. The SC has sought clarification from the government regarding the government's move.