GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUEISSUE 252252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 20182018 NEWSLETTER

Shipping Companies and Ships Linked to Us

We are working with 21 shipping companies, and have 750 men and 173 women on ships, a total of 923 crew and staff under management.

We welcome:

Nepalese Crew:

Sangita Ghalan Sapna Gurung Kumar Gurung We publish this month a photograph of the AIDAvita of AIDA cruises. Uttam Lamsal If you have pictures or postcards of your ship, please send them in to us for future Newsletters. Myanmar Crew:

Za Hre Lian Khant Hein Aung Salai Samuel

The month has been a routine one, with no big news to report, but with a number of new crew reaching ship.

!1 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018

CONTENTS

01 The Last Month in Brief, Shipping Companies

03 World Security

08 Nepal News

14 Hong Kong News

18 Conclusion

GI (HK) BUSINESS

We are providing security services for 27 Hong Kong Clients and have 97 security staff employed.

GURKHA INTERNATIONAL Website: gurkha.com.hk

Editor of Newsletter: Kiki Li !2 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018

WORLD S&CURITY

••••• •••••••• WORLD SECURITY !3 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018 &CONOMICS

The summer period has continued to be a quiet one economically, though the reduction in credit worldwide has begun to affect weak economies, such as Turkey, where the currency has fallen in value. The reduction in Venezuelan oil production due to the collapse in their economy, and the recent re-imposition of sanctions on Iran by the US, threaten to cause an increase in the price of petroleum products, which will hurt countries damaged by the current trade wars and reduction in credit as both the US and EU central banks stop flooding the market with money.

NUCL&AR

There have been no developments, either in the North Korean or Iranian nuclear issues. &UROP&

The European Union announced that Greece had emerged from its financial “rescue” programme, which has left the country more devastated than any developed economy in peace time. Greece remains bankrupt and will never, if it remains inside the Euro, repay its debts. Italy has commenced disputes with the European Union over its plans to spend cash to reboot its economy (which has not grown since it joined the Euro in the 1990s) and over the influx of immigrants from Africa. Tension between Russia and NATO countries, and between Russia and the Ukraine, remains high. US President Donald Trump has attacked European nations for not doing enough in their own defence and for relying on the US while buying, and so becoming dependent upon, Russian gas.

An Islamic fundamentalist attacked police officers in a police station in Barcelona, and was killed. In Russia, in a knife attack against a police station, at least seven police officers were injured and two terrorists shot dead. Another terrorist was detained when his explosive charge was partially detonated. A Syrian and an Iraqi stabbed and killed a man and injured two in a public festival in Chemnitz, Germany.

••••• •••••••• WORLD SECURITY !4 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018 TH& MIDDL& &AST & TH& ARAB WORLD

Conflict continues in Syria, Libya and Yemen. Iraq continues to suffer a large number of terrorist attacks.

Saudia Arabia and its allies in the Gulf Cooperation Council have continued the blockade of Qatar. Terrorists raided a bank in Kesserine, Tunisia. A suicide bomber attacked a church in Shubra El Kheima in Egypt, killing only himself and injuring two others. At least four terrorists were killed during an attack against a police station next to Al-Arish, in the Sinai peninsula, Egypt. The attackers also detonated several bombs, killing four police officers and injuring 10. An al-Qaeda bomb killed a child and wounded six others in Algeria.

PAL&STIN&

The US cut its aid budget for Palestinian refugees.

AFGHANISTAN & PAKISTAN

Violence remains endemic in Afghanistan, with the Taleban conducting many terrorist attacks against government and civilian targets throughout the month. There is no major news from Pakistan this month; the country is seeing campaigning for a presidential election. Schools were attacked and set on fire by Islamic militants in the Diamer district of the administrative of Gilgit-Baltistan.

ASIA

Tension continues in both the South China Sea around the Spratly and Paracel Islands and in the Sea of Japan around islands held by Japan but claimed by China and South Korea.

••••• •••••••• WORLD SECURITY !5 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018 THAILAND

The Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand, near the Malaysian border, continues.

INDIA

Kashmir remains disturbed and terrorist attacks continue in many rural areas of India.

TH& MALACCA STRAITS

There is no news this month of piracy in the area.

SOMALIA

There are no more reports this month of Somali piracy. Fighting continues in the country between the government and its foreign allies and Islamic militant al- Shabaab fighters. Al-Shabaab terrrorists killed soldiers and civilians in Kenya.

AFRICA

Nigerian and forces in the neighbouring states of Niger and Chad continue to battle Boko Haram Sunni Muslim terrorists. Seven people were beheaded in a raid by on a village near Maiduguri in north Nigeria and about 17 Nigerian soldiers were killed in an attack on a military base in the country's northeast. Ten people were killed in twin suicide bombings which wounded another 20 in Madagali, Nigeria. Civil conflict continues in South Sudan and the Central African Republic. Fourteen people were kidnapped and killed by the Allied Democratic Forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Six people were killed by a landmine in Burkina Faso.

••••• •••••••• WORLD SECURITY !6 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018 MYANMAR

There is no new security news this month.

TH& AM&RICAS

A drone carrying explosives exploded near Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro at a military parade. Seven National Guard soldiers were injured in the incident. Terrorist activities have recommenced in Colombia.

••••• •••••••• WORLD SECURITY !7 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018

N&PAL N&WS

••••• •• • • NEPAL NEWS !8 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018

India gifts 20 ambulances, four buses to Nepal on Independence Day

India on Thursday gifted 20 ambulances and four buses to various hospitals, charitable organisations and educational institutions in Nepal on the occasion of the India's Independence Day.

India on Thursday gifted 20 ambulances and four buses to various hospitals, charitable organisations and educational institutions in Nepal on the occasion of the India's Independence Day.

Ambassador of India to Nepal Jayant Prasad handed over the keys of the vehicles to the recipient organisations from 16 districts at a special ceremony held at the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu.

The remaining six ambulances and one bus were gifted by the Consulate General of India, Birgunj, according to the Embassy. Also, Ambassador Prasad presented books to 50 educational and training institutions located in different regions of the country.

The Indian envoy unfurled the national flag and read out a message of President Pranab Mukherjee in the Embassy premises to mark the 67th Independence Day. - 15 August 2018 - - NEWS18 -

••••• •• • • NEPAL NEWS !9 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018

Nepal urged to repeal new law over press freedom concerns

New criminal code makes sharing confidential information an offence that deserves prison sentence.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged Nepal's government to repeal or amend a new criminal code adopted last week in order to remove provisions that threaten press freedom.

The law introduced on August 17 makes sharing confidential information an offence resulting in a prison sentence, sparking concerns among journalists that the laws could be used to muzzle the press.

The code criminalises recording and listening to conversations between two or more people without the consent of the persons involved, as well as disclosing private information without permission, including private information on public figures.

It also prohibits photographing a person outside of a public space without their consent. New regulations also ban satire that disrespects an individual.

••••• •• • • NEPAL NEWS !10 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018

Depending on the infraction, journalists could face fines of up to 30,000 rupees ($270) and imprisonment of up to three years, according to the CPJ quoting the new code.

"Nepal's new criminal code marks a giant step backward for press freedom," said Steven Butler, CPJ's Asia programme coordinator, said in a statement by the New York-based group released on Monday.

"Legislators need to go back and scrub the law of these overly broad provisions that effectively criminalise the normal newsgathering activities of journalists.”

Booming industry

Nepal's media has grown dramatically since the monarchy was overthrown a decade ago following a brutal civil war, spawning dozens of newspapers and news channels.

A new constitution passed in 2015 enshrines the right to press freedom and bans censorship of news, which was common under the monarchy.

However, the Himalayan nation is ranked just 106 out of 180 countries in the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index.

Journalists face intimidation and arrest, particularly if reporting on issues deemed by authorities to affect national unity.

- 22 August 2018 - - Al Jazeera -

••••• •• • • NEPAL NEWS !11 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018

1 Dead as Nepal Protests Against Teen's Rape, Arrest of 'Scapegoat'

Anger boiled over after police arrested a man who reportedly has severe learning difficulties and whom protesters say is a scapegoat allowing officers to shield the real culprit.

One person was killed and dozens injured in Nepal when police opened fire on protesters demanding action over the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl, officials said on Saturday.

Angry crowds took to the streets in the country's remote west on Friday accusing police of protecting the person responsible for the brutal crime.

Police officer Krishna Raj Ojha told AFP that 17-year-old Sani Khuna was killed "in firing to contain the violent protest". An indefinite curfew has been imposed in the area, he added.

The victim went missing in late July and her body was found the following day in a sugar-cane field.

Anger boiled over after police arrested a man who reportedly has severe learning difficulties and whom protesters say is a scapegoat allowing officers to shield the real culprit.

The victim's family have also accused police of failing to take action over her death.

"The state has not taken the cases of rape and violence against women seriously," woman's rights activist Hima Bista told AFP.

"Protection is being provided to the rape-accused time and again," she added.

Further rallies are planned for Saturday across Nepal, including in the capital Kathmandu where around 1,500 people staged a silent protest under a heavy police presence.

••••• •• • • NEPAL NEWS !12 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018

"The so-called democratic government couldn't give justice to the rape and murder victim instead they killed an innocent boy," Twitter user Sunel GC posted.

There were 1,480 reported rapes in Nepal last year, according to recently released police data, almost double the number reported in 2016.

Activists say the rise is due to more women reporting violence to the police, but also say many more still go unreported in deeply patriarchal Nepal.

- 25 August 2018 - - NEWS18 -

••••• •• • • NEPAL NEWS !13 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018

HONG KONG N&WS

•••• •••• •• • • HONG KONG NEWS !14 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018

(Asian Games) Golden hour for gymnast Shek Wai-hung

Gymnast Shek Wai-hung has bagged Hong Kong's second gold medal at the Asian Games in Jakarta.

Shek – who had won the gold in Busan four years ago – kept his title intact with a score of 14.612 to easily overcome South Korea's Kim Hansol and Agus Prayoko of Indonesia, RTHK reports.

This is the second gold for Hong Kong in as many days. Jacqueline Siu won the first gold medal for Hong Kong when she came up tops yesterday in the Equestrian Individual Dressage competition.

Earlier today, Hong Kong rowers had picked up three medals.

- 24 August 2018 - - The Standard -

•••• •••• •• • • HONG KONG NEWS !15 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018

Warning on new wave of dengue

Cheung Chau schools have stepped up mosquito eradication efforts as a doctor warns of a possible second wave of infections following the start of new school term next week. As the government expands its anti-mosquito operation to the entire island, schools are also gearing up preventive measures.

With the newest cases confirmed on Saturday, the number of Cheung Chau cases rose to nine and the citywide number to 26 in two weeks. The other 17 patients are believed to have been infected in Lion Rock Park, which has been closed since August 17. The Church of Christ in China Cheung Chau Church Kam Kong Primary School has installed mosquito zappers inside classrooms.

Principal Tsang Wai-hon said the school has done all preparatory work, including clearing stagnant water and changing the fences at the boundary of the campus to prevent the growth of weeds and grass. He said the school is also allowing students to wear long sleeves and trousers.

Kwok Man Vernacular Normal Anglo-Chinese Kindergarten has canceled all outdoor visits, including planting activities, and will reduce the time pupils spend outside classrooms.

•••• •••• •• • • HONG KONG NEWS !16 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018

The Cheung Chau kindergarten's head, Cheng Kai-yin, said the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department sent officers to the school for pest control operations last Tuesday.

He said the kindergarten has alerted parents about the outbreak. Since the school term started in mid-August, most students have been using mosquito repellent and stickers, and the school has also installed mosquito zappers in classrooms. He said the school and parents are nervous, but parents still wanted their children to go to school.

"Even if they don't go to school, the kids still face threats when they go outdoors. The school is a centralized and safe place," he said.

Buddhist Wai Yan Memorial College principal Lee Cheuk-hing said the Cheung Chau secondary school had bought 40 mosquito lamps.

Leung Chi-chiu, chairman of the Medical Association's advisory committee on communicable diseases, warned about a second wave of dengue fever infections after schools open next week.

There may be cases of dengue fever where patients do not demonstrate strong symptoms. Despite this, they may still spread the disease and trigger a second wave of infections, he said.

However, he said government measures are coming into effect. Among the nine cases believed to have been infected on Cheung Chau, five showed symptoms between August 17 and 19. He believed blocking off the Lion Rock Park has been effective in controlling the outbreak.

- 28 August 2018 - - The Standard -

•••• •••• •• • • HONG KONG NEWS !17 GURKHA INTERNATIONAL GROUP ISSUE 252 Website: gurkha.com.hk AUG 2018

A photo with the members of Genting Cruise Line on Star Pisces.

Nigel Collett Managing Director

•• •••••••• CONCLUSION !18