Sushil Koirala announced candidacy for Congress presidency

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 10 July: Sushil Koirala Friday announced his candidacy for the presidency of Nepali Congress.
He is cousin and acting president of the party of which Girija Prsad Koirala is president.
Girija is unlikely to contest the presidency at the coming general convention; dates for the meeting haven’t been announced.
Girija didn’t contest the leadership of the parliamentary party leader in which Ram Chandra Paudel defeated Sher Bahadur Deuba.
Sushil Koirala didn’t contest the leadership of the parliamentary party as he was not a member of parliament.
nnnn

Three more swine flu cases reported

Kathmandu, 10 July: Nine cases of swine flu have now been detected in the capital after traces of the disease was found in three more persons, health officials said Friday.
Their identities weren’t revealed.
An American family flying in from the Gulf brought the disease to Nepal.
Nnnn

One more student dies

Kathmandu, 10 July: One more student from Bhaktapur died Friday while undergoing treatment for injuries during a gang fight this week.
The family refused to claim the body until culprits are booked.
The death toll has increased to three and one more youth is being treated for serious injuries.
Police denied charges the students were involved in a kidnapping attempt.
Nnnn

President briefed on budget

Kathmandu, 10 July: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav was briefed on the annual budget for the fiscal year 2009/010 by Finance Minister Surendra Pandey Friday.
The budget is being presented next week.
Officials of the finance ministry and national planning commission were present.
nnnn

RPP-Nepal lawmaker, son injured in bomb attack

Kathmandu, 10 July: RPP-Nepal lawmaker Ram Naraian Sinha and his son were injured Friday morning in a bomb attack on their home in Sarlahi.
Two bombers were also injured.
nnnn


Army deployed to contain diarrhea outbreak in Jajarkot

Kathmandu, 10 July: Nepal Army (NA) has been deployed probably for the first time to fight and contain an outbreak of diarrhea in the country.
NA has been deployed in the mid-West hill district of Jajarkot where an outbreak of the disease has claimed at least 88 lives in two months; more than 2,000 locals of nearly all 30 VDCs have fallen sick.
The epidemic has spread to neighbouring Rukum where a dozen lives have been lost.
The NA, in the past, was deployed to help people hit by floods and landslides.
“As the diarrhea has reached epidemic proportions and it’s somehow impossible for the health ministry alone to contain it, I have directed the army chief to send army medical teams with medicine to the areas,” Defence Minister Bidhya Bhandari told The Himalayan Times.
Nnnn

Ruling Congress dissatisfied with govt. policy and programme

Kathmandu, 10 July: Nepali Congress, coalition partner of the CPN-UML, is dissatisfied with the policy and programmes of the Madhav Kumar Nepal government.
The presidential Thursday outlined Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal government’s policies and programmes prioritizing the completion of the delayed peace process, drafting the constitution within the deadline of June 2010,maintaining law and order and implementing social welfare schemes.
Fears have been expressed a constitution will be drafted in another 10 months to replace an interim constitution after the 1990 constitution was shred to pieces by the current political players who drafted it.
Maoists, the country’s biggest political party, said they will enforce a people’s republic opposed by other political parties.
Leaders of Nepali Congress, senior coalition partner of CPN-UML, opposed the government programme.
Except for three lawmakers, Maoists, the largest party in parliament, boycotted the presidential address.
Nepali Congress leader Dr Ram Sharan Mahat and former finance minister said the party’s suggestions weren’t incorporated in the government document.
“Tattered clothes have sown up,” former Maoist Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai said.
nnnn

Pramod Karki appointed secretary at council of ministers

Kathmandu, 10 July: Pramod Karki was Tuesday appointed secretary at the council of ministers, Nagarik reports.
Karki is from the judicial service.
Nnnn

Nepal out of women ACC Twenty20 cricket tournament

Kathmandu, 10 July: Hong Kong bowled Nepal our of the women ACC Twenty20 cricket tournament in Kuala Lumpur by six wickets.
Nepal Friday scored 76 runs for six wickets in the semi-final of the ACC women Twenty20 cricket tournament in Kuala Lumpur.
Nepal was sent in to bat after losing the toss.
Nepal is playing Hong Kong Friday in the semi-final.
Nepal lost to Thailand in its fourth outing and qualified for the semi-final from Group A and is competing for a place in the final.
Nepal will now play for third position.
nnnn


MEDIA GOOGLE

“”I haven’t had political meetings and don’t have such plans. I’ve just been visiting hospital for treatment.”

(CPN-UML leader KP Sharma’s comments on second New Delhi visit in one month, Kantipur, 10 July)

‘The UCPN (Maoist) will have to take on the mantle as the UML-led government will topple soon.”

(Maoist leader Agni Prasad Sapkota, The Himalayan Times, 10 July)


“Because of special relations and the open border, changes in Nepal will impact India directly. We have special interest in obstructions to the peace process.”

(Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna, Annapurna Post, 10 July)
nnnn

Group, not individual liaison officers to be attached to expeditions

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 9 July: A group .not individual liaison officers, will be attached with expeditions to popular Himalayan peaks like Mount Everest, Ama Dablam, Manaslu and other peaks, Kantipur reports.
Altogether 326 Himalayan peaks have been categorized in three groups.
The new arrangement has been made after repeated complaints liaison officers weren’t going to designated peaks with expeditions.
“One group will be attacked to popular destinations,” Under-Secretary Surendra Prasad Sapkota at the Tourism Ministry said.
The group of ten will have one chief liaison officer [LO], at least two assistant Los, one to four security personnel and health workers.
A group will be attached with expeditions for 45 days after which the first team will be replaced by another group.
The old LO system will continue for peaks where junior government officers are sent.
Military and police personnel and trained sherpas will be sent in groups,
A concept paper has been prepared and could be implemented in another 45 days.
The remuneration of persons being attacked to groups is being fixed stop bargaining for facilities by LOs now prevalent.
Nnnn

No casualties in two Jhapa bombings

Kathmandu, 9 July: Kirat Workers’ Libearation Party set off to powerful cooker bombs at two places in Jhapa overnight..
There were no casualties.
nnnn

Govt. union demands minimum wage

Kathmandu, 9 July: A union of government union Thursday demanded minimum and maximum wage of Rs 12,000 and Rs 45,000 respectively for employees ahead of the presentation of the annual budget 2009/10 next week.
The union also demanded reduction in pay scale difference between the low and high-ranking officials.
nnnn

Bhaktapur outrage

Kathmandu, 9 July: For the second consecutive day, students and supporters of two slain students came out on the streets disrupting movement of vehicles on the highway between Bhaktapur and the capital.
Movement of vehicles was also disrupted on the Kaathmandu-Kodari highway linking Nepal and Tibet.
Police denied charge the two slain students were child abductors.
The two youth were lynched to death in an apparent gang fight.
Ten suspects have been arrested as home ministry asked people not to law into law into their own hands.
nnnn

Maoists to boycott presidential address

Kathmandu, 9 July: Maoists are preparing to boycott President Dr Ram Baran Yadav’s address to parliament Thursday in the afternoon.
Maoists, the main opposition and the largest party in parliament, will be represented by only a few members protesting what they call a presidential coup.
Unified CPN (Maoist) opposed presidential intervention to retain sacked Army Chief Gen Rukmangud Katawal.
Prssident Dr Yadav will present the government’s programmes and policies.
Cabinet Wednesday approved the programme and policy.
Maoists, after a two-month disruption, this week stopped the disruption to let the government present the annual budget in the legislature.
nnnn

Maoists move office headquarters to own building

Kathmandu, 9 July: Maoists Wednesday shifted their headquarters from a rented complex at Buddhanagar to their own Rs 30 million building at Koteshwor.
Chairman Prachanda inaugurated the new office complex bought by All Nepal National Trade Union Federation (Revolutionary) two months ago.
The trade union is affiliated with UCPN (Maoist).
Nnnn

Govt. appointments

Kathmandu, 9 July: Chiranjibi Nepal was appointed foreign ministry advisor by the cabinet Wednesday.
Diganbar Raya is the chairman of the Extended Janakpur Development Committee.
Prof Surya Prasad Subedi has been selected member of International Law Commission.
Chairman Om Gurung of the committee to reform list of indigenous castes and castes has been given state minister rank.
nnnn


Sujata Koirala leaving on first foreign outing

Kathmandu, 9 July: Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala leaves Thursday for Portugal in her first foreign outing.
She will attend a meeting there of member countries of the ‘Community of Democracies’.
The meeting will discuss progress and difficulties in promoting democracy in member countries, according to the foreign ministry.
Sujata will proceed to Egypt from Portugal to attend a summit on non-aligned countries.
nnnn

Administrative committee to recommend secretary appointments


Kathmandu, 9 July: Cabinet’s administrative committee meeting Thursday is meeting to recommend the appointment of 22 secretaries to vacant positions.
A committee has recommended 62 names for top positions in government.
Cabinet Wednesday asked the administrative committee to suggest names for promotions.
nnnn

Task force recommendation

Kathmandu, 9 July: A task force headed by Pushpa Rajkarnikar Wednesday submitted a draft of a new foreign investment and technology transfer policy to Industry Minister Mahendra Raya Yadav.
The recommendation opens all industries, except cottage and micro enterprises, for foreign investors.
Non-resident Nepalis have been bracketed as foreign investors.
“NRNs will be given all facilities enjoyed by foreign investors,” Rajkarnikar said.
nnnn

MEDIA GOOGLE

“..the former rebels [Maoists] have largely desisted from personal attacks on the former king. Instead, they have chosen to zero in on the presidential-rule bogey.”

(Maila Baje, People’s Review, 9 July)3

“As the largest party in parliament, it (Maoists) had failed to lead the government when it had got the opportunity.”

(CPN-UML General Secretary Ishwor Pokhrel, The Himalayan Times, 9 July)

“NHRC cautions that such activities [of government for appointing or promoting officials under investigation of rights abuses] can increase impunity and raise questions about the government’s commitment to protection of human rights.”

(Recommendation of the rights protection body, The Kathmandu Post, 9 July)
nnnn

Lawmaker Baban Singh escapes assassination bid

Kathmandu, 8 July: An unknown group Tuesday evening shot at lawmaker Baban Singh at Bhramapuri in Rautahat, Rajdhani reports.
Bullets missed him.
Singh was charged police for setting off a bomb in the capital.
The report was denied by Rautahat CDO
Singh said three persons attempted to assassinate him.
Nnnn

Secret agreement between Girija and Prachanda

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 8 July: It’s now definite Chief of Army Gen Rukmangud Katawal will be retiring, Janaastha reports.
Girija Prasad Koirala assured Maoist Chairman Prachanda at a meeting Monday morning his term won’t be extended after one and a half months.
Following the, parliament proceedings ran smoothly after two months.
Maoists and CPN-UML signed a four-point agreement following Koirala’s secret assurance.
Katawal goes on leave one month before retirement.
nnnn

Nepal defeated by Thailand

Kathmandu, 8 July: Nepal was defeated Wednesday by Thailand in the women’s ACC Twenty20 cricket tournament in Kuala Lumpur.
Nepal will now play Hong Kong for the runner-up in the tournament.
Thailand scored 80 for the loss of nine wickets while Nepal was bowled out for 57 runs.
Nnnn



MEDIA GOOGLE

“Nobody can stop the drafting of a constitution for a people’s republic. Such a republic will come soon in 10 months. People’s republic will be mentioned in the constitution.”

(Maoist leader CP Gajurel, Ghatana ra Bichar, 8 July)
nnnn

“Prachanda failed to form a national government. Now a government cannot be formed under his leadership.”

(Congress parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Paudel, Annapurna Post, 8 July)

“The peace process will be completed soonest in three to six months with the management of the Maoist army and resettlement.”

(PM Madhav Kumar Nepal, Nagarik, 8 July)
nnnn

Budget session starts

Kathmandu, 8 July: The delayed budget session of parliament starts Wednesday after a two-month obstruction by Maoists.
President Dr Ram Baran Yadav is expected to address the session Thursday presenting the government’s policies and programmes.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal discussed the address with the president overnight.
nnnn

Maoist central committee meet begins Wednesday

Kathmandu, 8 July: Maoist central committee meet will discuss the political report of the party approved recently by the politburo.
The political report will be presented to the committee by Chairman Prachanda.
The politburo called for a national government led by Maoists.
The meeting will finalize dates for the party’s national convention and discuss current issues.
Nnnn

Sixth swine flu case detected

Kathmandu, 8 July: The sixth swine flu case was detected this week in the capital.
An unidentified 25-year-old youth who arrived from Australia is being treated under isolation.
Five members of an American family who flew in from the Gulf brought the disease to Nepal.
They have recovered after treatment.
Nnnn

Nepal plays Thailand

Kathmandu, 8 July: Thailand batted first after winning the toss Wednesday in the ACC Women Twenty20 cricket tournament in Kuala Lumpur.
Nepal qualified for the semi-final after beating Bhutan Wednesday in the last match of group A in its fourth outing of the tournament.
Nnnn

Supreme court stays recruitment in NHRC

Kathmandu, 8 July: A one-man bench of the supreme court Tuesday ordered the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) stayed the permanent recruitment of 76 temporary staff.
The bench asked the rights body to justify in writing its plan within two weeks.
The bench acted in response to two PILs filed at the apex court prioritizing the case.
nnnn


Probe panel starts work

Kathmandu, 8 July: A three-member probe panel headed by joint attorney general Durga Bahadur Pokhrel to investigate a firing incident this week at Tri Chandra Campus injuring two student activists of Nepali Congress started work Wednesday.
Nepali Congress has blamed CPN-UML supporters for the firing.
The government probe will report its findings in one week.
CPN-UML leads a coalition government with Nepali Congress.
nnnn