One shot dead, another injured in encounter

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 20 Dec: One terai rebel was shot dead and another was injured in an encounter with police overnight at Panbari in Siraha.
The rebel died while being rushed to hospital; a Chinese pistol was recovered from him.
Another injured rebel is undergoing treatment at Lahan hospital.
Two rebels have been arrested.
The rebels fired on the police patrol triggering the encounter.
Violence is escalating in the south as formal government, rebel dialogue is yet start on addressing regional demands.
Meanwhile, one person was injured Friday evening in a shooting incident in neighbouring Sarlahi district.
Prakash Rijal of hill descent was seriously injured in the firing.
Meanwhile, Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachedhar has been banned from entering the terai.
Gachedhar, a leader of the MJF, was banned by a front of the party after speaking against the concept of One Madesh, One Pradesh.
Gachedhar also charged Party Chairman and Foreign Minister Upendra Yadav for instigating people in the party against him.
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President to visit India in January

Kathmandu, 20 Dec: President Dr Ram BaranYadav will visit India in the last week of January during celebrations in New Delhi to mark Republic Day on 26 January, foreign ministry sources said.
Final dates are still being worked out.
A formal invitation was delivered by Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee during his Nepal visit.
Dr Yadav will be traveling abroad for the first time after becoming president.
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Korean built hospital handed over

Kathmandu, 20 Dec: A 50-bed $ 1,340,000 hospital constructed with Korean International Cooperative Agency (KOICA) investment at Thimi was handed over to the government Friday by Ambassador Hong Sungmog.
Ambassador Hong said the hospital was a symbol of friendship between South Korea and Nepal.
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CPN-UML hasn’t accepted PM Prachanda offer; other details

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 20 Dec: CPN-UML hasn’t yet accepted this week’s invitation of Prime Minister Prachanda to Madhav Kumar Nepal to head the 61-member constitution main drafting committee which is represented by all 25 political parties in the constituent assembly (CA).
The prime minister offered the invitation unilaterally to the former general secretary of the CPN-UML without consulting other political parties in the CA.
CPN-UML standing committee members Friday suggested Nepal should accept the invitation only after other parties back Prachanda’s offer.
The second party in the ruling coalition has taken the Prachanda offer cautiously.
Meanwhile, CPN (Maoist) Saturday is trying to promote consensus by holding separate discussions with main opposition Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML by discussing major issues including the delayed formation of a special committee for integration of Nepal and PLA.
CPN-UML has suggested in to days of successive meetings with CPN (Maoist) Thursday and Friday, the party leading the Maoist-led government should accept Congress demand for two seats in the special committee to break a deadlock.
Main opposition Nepali Congress has demanded two seats in the committee which also has representatives of Maoists, CPN-UML and MJF.
The committee hasn’t started work after the main opposition stayed away from it and CPN-UML and MJF opposed blanket integration of former Maoist combatants in the state army.
Top Maoist leader Mohan Baidya Kiran, given responsibility for party organization, indicated CPN (Maoist) may accept a CPN-UML suggestion to break the impasse.
“The demand [for equal representation] is not a big issue. We are discussing equal representation for the Congress in the party. We hold discussions with the Congress for a resolution,” Kiran told Bimarsha Friday.
CPN (Maoist) has two representatives in the special committee.
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Paddy production increases 5.2 percent

Kathmandu, 20 Dec: Paddy production increased 5.2 percent
in the current fiscal year according to preliminary estimates of the agriculture ministry, Kantipur reports.
Production is expected to increase to 4.52 million tonnes this year from 4.3 tonnes the previous year.
The production increased despite heavy crop losses to floods in the east and far-west.
Production increased because of timely and adequate monsoon and increased land under cultivation.
Maize production increased by 2.8 percent to 1.93 million tones; maize is the country’s second crop.
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Foreign ministry denies Pakistan newspaper report Mumbai terror suspect arrested in Nepal

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 20 Dec: Nepal’s foreign ministry Friday denied a Pakistani newspaper report a suspect held in India for the Mumbai terror attacks was arrested in Nepal and handed.
“The ministry hereby refutes the news report in the strongest terms and states Ajmal Kasab was either arrested in Nepal nor was he handed over to any other country,” a ministry report said.
A report in The News published 15 December claimed Kasab was kidnapped from Nepal before 2006.
The ministry said the report was baseless.
The Pakistani newspaper report appeared before a demand by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari western countries share information Mumbai raid was launched from Pakistan.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“There’s no alternative to the king for the country. The country is heading for civil war without monarchy. Those who said everything will flourish in a republic are now regretting.”

(RPP-Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa, Rajdhani, 20 Dec.)

“He [Girija Prasad Koirala] is only now searching for democrats through a national awareness campaign. He’s finally recovering his senses.”

(RPP-Nepal leader Padma Sundar Lawati, Rajdhani, 20 Dec.)

“If a situation arises where threw has to be 18 hours load-shedding a day, the country will collapse. Political speeches will be of no use then. It will also affect the peace process.”

(PM Prachanda, The Kathmandu Post, 20 Dec.)

“Our party leaders are not extending cooperation to the present government. If Prachanda is unsuccessful, Bamdeb can’t ever be a success. It’s not logical at all to even think UML will be safe by sinking a boat led Maoists.”

(UML Home Minister Bamdeb Gautam, Rajdhani, 20 Dec.)
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