Susta residents to launch decisive movement

Kathmandu, 15 Nov: Residents of Susta, claimed by Nepal and India, said they will launch an indefinite ‘decisive movement’ 18 November to restore the sovereignty over 14,000 hectares of land seized by India in Nawalparasi district.
They will obstruct movement to vehicle on the Mahendra Highway to exert pressure on the government to press restoration Nepali sovereignty and control on the borderland.
Susta residents accused government of negligence while ignoring past protests highlighting Indian encroachment.
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Congress Birgunj rally

Kathmandu, 15 Nov: Nepali Congress is to hold an anti-Maoist public rally in Birgunj Saturday as part of its national awareness programme.
Party President Girija Prasad Koirala arrived in the town Friday to address rally that was launched from his hometown Biratnagar.
Congress says democracy is under threat under Maoists.
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$1.3 million UN assistance

Kathmandu, 15 Nov: Nepal and UNDP Friday signed a $1.3 million deal to prepare a project and implement a national adaptation programme of action on climate change.
Besides UNDP, Great Britain’s DFID is contributing $ 875,000 and Denmark $250,000 to help Nepal take leadership to harmonize donor approach to climate change issues in Nepal.
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CA approves finance bill

Kathmandu, 15 Nov: The CA Friday approved by majority the finance bill 2065 empowering the Maoist-led government to enforce its tax proposals.
Private schools has opposed a 5% education tax to be paid by school management to fund public schools in remote regions, including Karnali.
Schools say the tax amounts to double taxation.
In a controversial decision, Maoist-led government says it will nationalize private schools.
Supreme court didn’t intervene in the dispute between
government and management of private schools.
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ADB Ltd Q1 net profit Rs 188.7m

Kathmandu, 15 Nov: Agriculture Development Bank (ADB) Ltd earned a net profit of Rs 188.7 million in Q1 of fiscal 2008/09 ending mid-October.
It earned a net profit of Rs 269.3 million in the previous year quarter ending.
The bank, which is going public soon, earned a net profit of Rs 1,618 million in the fiscal year 2007/08.
Nepal Bank Ltd, Nepal’s oldest commercial bank, entered the 72nd year on operation Saturday.
The bank has 99 branches.
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Bhutanese leader expelled from Thimpu; arrives in Nepal; unlikely to return homeland

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 15 Nov: After a 17- year imprisonment, Bhutanese leader Dhan Kumar (DK) Rai arrived on Kathmandu Friday, Parsuram Kafle reports in Naya Patrika.
Rai was freed 1 November; he was serving a life term in jail after being charged for terrorism.
He quit his homeland the third day after gaining freedom. “I’ll first undergo treatment; I’ll then study political developments and then speak,” Rai told Naya Patrika..
Sick Rai is suffering heart and mental problems.
“By brother signed a paper and then he accepted me
.I didn’t sign any papers. My brother signed a paper saying I won’t go back to Bhutan,” Rai said.
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Prachanda tells Manmohan Singh UNMIN mandate to be extended

Kathmandu, 15 Nov: Premier Prachanda said Friday he told his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh mandate of UNMIN was being extended by Nepal after it expires 23 January 2009.
Prachanda said the integration of PLA and Nepal Army cannot be completed within that period requiring the extension.
Singh didn’t give any reaction, Prachanda said.
Prachanda revealed only unofficial talks we held with his Indian counterpart oin New Delhi and asked Bhutan for formal written suggestions to break an impasse.
Prachanda made th eomments after returning from the Indian capital where he attended the 2nd summit of the eight-nation BIMSTEC.
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Schedule announced for drafting constitution

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 15 Nov: Nepal’s republican constitution will be promulgated 28 May 2010 after the constituent assembly (CA) begins drafting it Sunday.
CA Chairman Subash Nemwang and 25 political parties represented in the CA agreed Friday to a business schedule on drafting and releasing the constitution.
Nemwang and political parties agreed on a schedule to elect a CA vice-chairman within November and conclude parliament session 30 November.
Relevant committees will be formed and members elected to draft the constitution after 30 November when the fourth session of the CA will be prorogued.
CA has the dual responsibility of legislative parliament and drafting a constitution.
The draft of the law will be taken to the people for support and suggestions.
A draft will be secretly drafted by a 61-memberconstitution drafting committee after suggestions are collected form grassroots.
The president will
Declare the enforcement of the constitution signed by CA members and certified by the Chairman; the CA will approve the constitution.
Constitutional practice hasn’t developed in Nepal where
the basic law and been trampled on by rulers.
The 1990 constitution drafted by most of the present rulers in the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML and described by them as one of the best in the world was thrown into the wastepaper basket after 2005 by an unelected parliament—not the king or the army.
The world watched silently without comment at the constitutional coup be persons and parties fighting for democracy and rule of law.
CPN (Maoist) the biggest party in parliament is pushing for a Stalinist people’s republic while Nepali Congress, charging Maoists want to impose a totalitarian system, is pushing parliamentary democracy described as unsuited for Nepal by Maoists.
This is the challenge in drafting the constitution; there’s no agreement on what form the document should take.
Again, precedent has been established to throw away the constitution through street protests as Nepal enters an extended period of uncertainty.
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MEDIA GOOGLE


“After going federal, government, the management of administration, parliament and other until will be expensive. That’s why decentralization will be good. Kathmandu shouldn’t take all decisions.”

( Danish Ambassador Finn Thilsted talking against federalism adopted in the constitution, Annapurna Post, 15 Nov.)

“Nepal’s development process is being dubbed as donor-driven, which is not good for both the donor and Nepal.”

(Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai, The Rising Nepal, 15 Nov.)

“The assumptions of the CPN (Maoist) and the Nepali Congress on PLA integration are extremist ones.”

(CPN-UML General Secretary Jhalanath Khanal, The Himalayan Times, 15 Nov.)

“I met the former king [on Wednesday]; I can’t say what transpired. The meeting with his was normal like meetings with you, the prime minister and leaders of political parties; this always happens.”

(RPP-Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa, Naya Patrika, 15 Nov.)