My surprise matches with Ashu's surprise that ranking Nepal just on top of communist regime is terribly hard to believe. One of the reason of Nepal being 160th in list is the Nepal Govt.'s double standard inside Kathmandu and outside Kathmandu valley. I can guess that the CDO's who are so powerful to do anything on anyone who reports things that is beyond the expectation of the CDOs. Who are CDOs? Those who passed PSC's exam as a "ratante" and without any real PA (Public administration) training to other basic knowledge in the administration. Most of the CDOs are appointed using hook and crook. I have seen several classmates and senior students from university in India when passed the equivalent Public Administration job in India used to say that they were taken to 3 years training camp before giving any responsibilities. Training matters, education matters when it comes to crucial decision making level. Why a peon of CDO office can claim that "CDO ko kaam ta ma pani chalai dina sakchhu, kehi ta garnu pardaina. Just say no to everything, and all the problems". What lies the difference between good governance and current governance is that current administrators don't try to solve problem what a citizen expect, but, by using the notion of "you should not this and that". "You are not allowed to do this" is the only solution that comes from CDO office. So, outside Kathmandu there is complete absence of real journalism because of fear of Maoist and also of CDOs and security officers. I never realized that it was so extreme to rank us just on top of communist regime. So, we are completely inside a communist regime w.r.t. press freedom. Well, if the press freedom in Kathmandu alone has to be ranked, I am sure it will be within top 50. Kathmandu alone is not Nepal. Kathmandu is still "amarabati kantipur nagari for Nepali journalists". GP