Author: space4knews

The question arises: Is the predicament faced by Viktor in the movie ‘The Terminal’ purely a fictional story, or does such a problem occur in real life? An official from the Nepalese Embassy in Delhi states that the issues depicted in the film are far less severe compared to what they have observed in reality. Sunaina Sijapati, a Nepali woman married to an Indian citizen, has been stateless for over 15 years due to her inability to acquire citizenship. Former Ambassador to India, Dr. Shankar Sharma, revealed that during his tenure, he met 15 to 20 Nepali women confronting similarly complex citizenship problems.

On May 31, in Kathmandu, among passengers landing at John F. Kennedy Airport in New York was Viktor Navorski from the fictional Eastern European country of Krakozhia. Before leaving his country, Viktor had to attend a dramatic event. A sudden military coup occurs, and since the U.S. does not recognize the new government, Viktor’s passport becomes invalid. U.S. immigration officers confiscate his documents and return ticket, leaving him unable to return home or leave the airport. He is forced to take refuge at a terminal gate.

What kind of situation did Viktor face during his nine months of statelessness there? Armed only with a box of peanuts and some belongings, his story is portrayed in the Hollywood film ‘The Terminal.’ This tale is fictional, with both Viktor and Krakozhia being imaginary. This prompts the question: does such a situation occur in real life?

“The problems we have witnessed are many times more painful than those shown in the film,” said an official from the Nepalese embassy in New Delhi. Sunaina Sijapati’s Nepalese citizenship was revoked as she did not fulfill the required seven years of continuous residency in India according to Indian law, preventing her from acquiring new citizenship and rendering her stateless.

Dr. Shankar Sharma stated, “During my term, at least 15-20 Nepali women came forward seeking help for complicated citizenship issues.” Sunaina married in Dehradun in 2011. To obtain Indian citizenship after marriage, she had to renounce her Nepali citizenship. She initiated the process through the Nepalese Embassy in Delhi, and her Nepali citizenship was annulled in 2015.

According to the Indian Citizenship Act (1955), obtaining citizenship by marriage requires that the spouse must be an Indian citizen and the applicant must reside in India continuously for seven years. Sunaina did not meet this residency criterion, which led to her loss of citizenship. Due to the absence of citizenship, traveling by air became difficult, and she had to rely on road transport. Even then, she must present proof of citizenship or passport.

Sunaina, unwilling to wait seven years, has now been stateless for over 15 years without any resolution. She has sought assistance from authorities in both Nepal and India, but the problem persists.

An official remarked, “Until the legal position regarding citizenship for those married into a country is clarified, it is exceedingly difficult to obtain Indian citizenship. Citizenship restrictions have tightened since the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power.” Victims also report increased strictness from the Ministry of Home Affairs, citizenship authorities, and security agencies.

Dr. Surendra Thapa, Acting Ambassador at the Nepalese Embassy in New Delhi, said the embassy is actively coordinating on Sunaina’s case. “We are making every possible effort to facilitate coordination with all relevant parties,” he stated. He added, “Previous governments could not provide such assurance, but I hope the current government will address this issue seriously.”

Sunaina expresses hope for government-level intervention since personal initiatives have not resulted in any solution. “I want to resolve my long-standing citizenship issue, legally obtain nationality, and live with dignity. I expect support and guidance from the Nepalese government for this,” she said.

Cases like this reveal that the relationship between Nepal and India, often described as ‘bread and daughter’ ties, involves more than emotional connections; legal and administrative complexities are deeply intertwined. Dr. Shankar Sharma advises paying attention even to minor procedures and emphasizes safeguarding citizenship or passports once obtained.

Although ‘The Terminal’ is a fictional story, it is believed to be inspired by the true experience of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, an Iranian refugee. Nasseri was stranded at Terminal 1 of Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris from 1988 until 2006 due to lack of valid documents, effectively trapped in the airport. He was hospitalized in 2006 due to deteriorating health and lived in various shelters. Nasseri passed away in 2022 at Charles de Gaulle Airport from a heart attack. When ‘The Terminal’ was released in 2004, Nasseri was still at the airport.

In the film, Viktor’s passport is restored after nine months following a war in Krakozhia, allowing him to return home with honor. However, in real life, how much longer must individuals like Sunaina and other stateless people continue struggling to obtain citizenship?

As the United States and Iran prepare to sign a deal intended to end their conflict on Sunday, protests have erupted across Iran opposing the agreement. Nevertheless, US President Donald Trump has announced that the signing will take place on Sunday, signaling an end to hostilities between the two nations. After Iran expressed uncertainty about the timeline for signing, Trump set a definitive date. Pakistan, a key mediator in the negotiations, also expressed optimism about finalizing the agreement within 24 hours and revealed they are ready for an “electronic signature.”

Before Trump’s comments, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ismail Bagheri cautiously addressed the timing, stating on Saturday, “We are waiting for a definite date to sign the agreement, but it will not be tomorrow (Sunday).” In a post on social media, Trump wrote on Saturday, “The signing is scheduled for tomorrow and after that, the Strait of Hormuz will be open to all.”

What is driving the protests in Iran against the deal? According to BBC Persian, some opponents of the agreement have taken to the streets, chanting slogans against Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. The protest held in Tehran’s Ibn Sina Square mainly included demonstrators linked to Iran’s hardline and extremist group, the “Persistence Front.” Additionally, dozens gathered on Saturday evening in front of the Foreign Ministry building to protest statements made by Abbas Araghchi regarding the potential deal with America.

President Trump has warned of taking tougher measures if the current deal preparations fail to progress. He stated, “If things don’t proceed quickly, smoothly, and easily, Washington will have a last resort—hopefully, one that will never have to be used again.” Earlier on Saturday, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif remarked, “We are very close to a peace agreement like never before.”

Kathmandu – Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has acknowledged making some mistakes during the company’s ongoing transformation towards artificial intelligence (AI). In an internal memo obtained by Reuters, Zuckerberg addressed employees highlighting these issues. He emphasized that Meta is investing billions of dollars to adapt its internal operations to AI technologies. Discussing the rapid developments and challenges of AI, he wrote in the memo, “Due to the complexity of these changes, we have made some mistakes and there is a possibility of more mistakes in the future.”

Zuckerberg also committed that the company will focus on providing as much stability as possible to employees amid upcoming organizational changes. However, he clarified that given the rapidly evolving world, he cannot promise full certainty. Earlier, in May, Meta – the parent company of Facebook – had conducted a major restructuring, which involved a 10 percent global reduction in its workforce.

According to Zuckerberg, the company will strive to find new roles for employees whose responsibilities have shifted or who are involved in training AI models. He assured that there will be no additional national or global layoffs at Meta this year. The company is also aware of complaints regarding increased workload and responsibilities among managers and plans to limit the scope of managerial oversight accordingly.

To strengthen employee relations and collaboration, Meta is considering increasing budgets for corporate and various employee engagement programs. Zuckerberg informed that a large-scale “hackathon” event is planned for July. In April, Meta raised its annual capital expenditure forecast from $12.5 billion to $14.5 billion. When contacted by Reuters, Meta declined to comment on the memo.

Globally, children are becoming less active than before, which may have long-term effects on their health. Reports indicate that one in every ten children and adolescents suffers from obesity. Prolonged sedentary behavior, stress, food quality, and decreased participation in sports play significant roles in this condition.

The encouraging news is that various strategies have been identified to encourage children to be more active, which will benefit them both now and in the future. It is recommended that children engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity daily, although many do not meet this guideline.

A study focused on 712 World War II veterans found that those who participated in sports during secondary school remained more physically active in old age. Individuals active in sports also tend to rely less on medical services.

According to Professor Nicole Logan of the University of Rhode Island, “Physical exercise helps enhance cognitive functioning during adolescence.” For this reason, researchers emphasize increasing physical activity among children and adolescents while reducing prolonged sedentary periods.

31st Jestha, Kathmandu – Nepal Rastra Bank has set the foreign currency exchange rates for today (Sunday). According to the central bank, the buying rate for the US dollar is set at 151.88 Nepalese rupees, while the selling rate is 152.48 rupees. Similarly, the buying rate for the European Euro is 175.80 rupees, with a selling rate of 176.50 rupees. The British Pound Sterling’s buying rate is 203.73 rupees, and the selling rate is 204.54 rupees, while the Swiss Franc’s buying rate is 190.78 rupees and selling rate 191.53 rupees.

The Australian Dollar’s buying rate is fixed at 106.92 rupees, with a selling rate of 107.35 rupees. The Canadian Dollar’s buying rate is 108.58 rupees and selling rate 109.01 rupees. The Singapore Dollar’s buying rate is 118.30 rupees and selling rate 118.77 rupees. For the Japanese Yen (per 10 units), the buying rate is 9.48 rupees and selling rate 9.52 rupees. The Chinese Yuan’s buying and selling rates are 22.46 and 22.55 rupees respectively. The Saudi Arabian Riyal has a buying rate of 40.47 rupees and selling rate of 40.63 rupees, while the Qatari Riyal’s rates are 41.66 rupees for buying and 41.82 rupees for selling.

According to the central bank, the Thai Baht’s buying rate is 4.64 rupees and selling rate 4.66 rupees. The UAE Dirham’s buying rate stands at 41.35 rupees, with a selling rate of 41.52 rupees. The Malaysian Ringgit’s buying rate is 37.43 rupees and selling rate 37.58 rupees. The South Korean Won (per 100 units) has a buying rate of 10 rupees and selling rate of 10.04 rupees. The Swedish Krona’s buying and selling rates are 16.10 and 16.16 rupees respectively, and the Danish Kroner’s buying rate is 23.52 rupees, selling at 23.61 rupees.

Nepal Rastra Bank also set the Hong Kong Dollar’s buying rate at 19.38 rupees and selling rate at 19.46 rupees. The Kuwaiti Dinar’s buying and selling rates are 494.32 rupees and 496.27 rupees respectively. The Bahraini Dinar’s buying rate is 402.78 rupees, with a selling rate of 404.38 rupees. The Omani Riyal’s buying rate is 394.47 rupees while selling rate is 396.03 rupees. The Indian Rupee (per 100 units) has a buying rate of 160 rupees and selling rate of 160.15 rupees.

The central bank has indicated that it reserves the right to revise these exchange rates at any time if necessary. It has also noted that commercial banks may quote different rates, and updated exchange rates will be available on the Nepal Rastra Bank’s official website.