70 MW mid-Marshyangdi hydel project complete

Kathmandu, 7 Nov: Amid likelihood of 10-hour load-shedding during the winter, test run of the long delayed 70 MW German-aided mid-Marshyangdhi hydro project start Friday.
The project was delayed for four years.
Construction has finally been completed.
The power plant can generate 35 MW electricity during the lean winter season.
Regular generation will begin from November.
The project was launched in 2001 and was scheduled to be completed in 2004.
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CA meets after dasain, tihar recess

Kathmandu, 7 Nov: The CA met Friday after a long dasain, tihar recess.
Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai is answering questions raised on appropriations for different ministries sin the budget 2008/09.
The assembly hasn’t begun work on drafting a constitution even nearly eight months after the 10 April assembly election rasing doubt and concern if the basis law will be completed within remaining 16 months.
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Last issue of popular Samya hits newsstands

Kathmandu, 7 Nov: After four years of regular publication, the last issue of popular independent weekly newsmagazine Samya hit the newsstand Friday morning.
“A long struggle for existence has been laid to rest for now,” the newspaper said in a brief front-page announcement.
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Indian Gurkhas being deployed in Congo

Kathmandu, 7 Nov: India is sending Gorkha troops to join a UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo where rebel forces have tightened their grip on a key town, officials said Thursday, according a AFP report from New Delhi.
The announcement came after New Delhi said it was ‘very concerned’ over the safety of some 8,000 Indian troops in the UN mission in the DR Congo (MONUC) as continued clashes between rebels and government forces threatened a fragile ceasefire.
An Indian army spokesman told AFP that an entire battalion of 1,200 Gorkha soldiers would be sent to join MONUC ‘within the month’.

[Note: Peacekeepers of the Nepal Army are also deployed in Congo.]’
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Permission finally given for additional flights

Kathmandu, 7 Nov: Tourism Ministry has finally given airlines permission to operate four additional weekly until March 2009, during the peak tourism season Annapurna Post reports.
The routine decision this year was delayed for three months.
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Ambassador to Russia recalled


Kathmandu, 7 Nov: Ambassador to Russia Surya Kiran Gurung has been recalled as Prime Minister Prachanda wants to give him new responsibility, Annapurna Post reports.
Prachanda wants to use Gurung’s long experience as general secretary of parliament’ he’s being given special responsibility in the constituent assembly.
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Embassies being opened in Canada, Kuwait

Kathmandu, 7 Nov: Embassies are being opened in Canada and Kuwait, Nepalpatra reports.
Prime Minister Prachanda has directed the finance ministry to release funds.
Foreign ministry officials recommended the opening.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“The operators of educational institutions have responsibility to pay the tax from their profits. The money collected will be utilized for the welfare of children in remote areas.”

(Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, The Kathmandu Post, 7 Nov.)

“Our friends who could not continue their education due to involvement in the armed conflict but have necessary skills and knowledge should receive due academic recognition.”

(Dr Baburam Bhattarai saying the degrees will be awarded through an open university, The Himalayan Times, 7 November)


“King Mahendra was a man who understood situations; he acted according to his felling; he understood where there was and where there wasn’t people’s support.
“King Birendra was very gentle; he was a democrat; he wasn’t as sharp as Mahendra.
“Prime ministers who met him [Gyanendra] without preparation repeatedly returned like fools, Gyanendra also put me in difficulties even when I used to meet him with adequate preparations.”

(Six-time Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa, Naya Parika, 7 November)

‘The present political situation is like an interval in a film. a film moves towards a climax after intermission; political climax has started in Nepali politics. Nepali people, like in Hindi films, will defeat the villain in the end.”

(Prime Minister Prachanda, Annapurna Post, 7 November)