First phase of culling birds hit by bird flu successful (BREAKING NEWS)

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 20 Jan: The first of a three-day operation to cull 13,000 birds was successful Tuesday in Jhapa adjoining the Indian state of West Bengal, Nepali health authorities said.
The second phase will start immediately, they said.
The birds were buried in a forest in the district adjoining the communist-run state.
The disease has been detected in Sikkim state where Nepali Indians have a majority.
Nepali officials said Tuesday they will prosecute farmers who obstructed culling over compensation differences in Jhapa.
Nnnn


Upendra Yadav elected unopposed chairman of MJF

Kathmandu, 20 Jan: Upendra Yadav, foreign minister and chairman of Madesh Janaadhikar Forum (MJF), was Tuesday elected unopposed party chairman by the second general convention in Birjung Tuesday for a two-year term.
Election for other central committee members has been cancelled as leaders attempt to elect leaders without a vote.
Agriculture Minister Jayaprakash Gupta is expected to be elected vice-chairman, Sarad Singh Bhandari general secretary and Transport Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachedhar senior leader.
Nnnn

Delayed Maoist central committee begins

Kathmandu, 20 Jan: A first delayed meeting of the Unified CPN (Maoist) began Tuesday evening in the capital.
The meeting will approve the decisions of the politburo and central secretariat of two radical communist parties,-- CPN (Maoist) and CPN (Unity Center/Mashal) that united.
The secretariat meeting xtended for three days over differences on responsibility sharing as well.
Nnnn

Dr Baburam Bhattarai undergoes gallbladder operation

Kathmandu, 20 Jan: Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai underwent successful operation ot remove gall stones at TU Teaching Hospital in the capital Tuesday, hospital sources said.
He will be in hospital for a couple of days.
Nnnn

Task force to form local bodies

Kathmandu, 20 Jan: Twenty-five political parties in CA agreed Tuesday to form a task force to form local bodies.
Agreement on how to form the bodies was elusive though,
Government convened the meeting.
Nnnn



Former Prime Minister Bista calls for national reconciliation to resolve current political crisis

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 20 Jan: Former Prime Minister Kirtinidhi Bista has called for ‘national reconciliation as propounded by the late BP Koirala” and a ‘politics of broad national consensus born out of the historic movement have no alternatives’.
Bista, second minister in the royal regime didn’t elaborate further.
Bista said involvement of USA and EU with Indian collusion in system change that finally brought Maoists to power through election was unnecessary.
Ousted King Gyanendra and eight parties negotiated a
Regime and system change in April 2005 with Indian negotiation; the ‘revolution wasn’t total.
Eight parties later overthrew the constitution and monarchy through an unelected parliament reinstated by the king through a ‘political decision’ –an euphuism for an illegal act.
Bista went on to add in an article entitled ‘Whither Nepal’in newsfront.
“The Himalayan Blunder that our political leaders committed was not only in the selection of New Delhi as the venue for the historic 12-point agreement, and India as the main guide and mediator, but also the acquiescence in initiatives and unnecessary involvement of the US and European countries lining up behind India to build up an ideal democratic system now left to Nepalis’ fate.”
Outgoing US President in his first term pursued a policy to ‘ find, search and kill Maoists’ in Nepal
He trained and established a Nepali ranger unit to fight Maoists.
In the second administration, he abandoned the king, army and Nepal where Maoists head an elected government.
His Nepal policy failed totally.
Bista asked in the article ‘how long this country Nepal” will ‘continue to be the centre of instability, insecurity and lawlessness”.
He called Nepal ‘beautiful, charming and natural’ along ‘ with its glorious history’.
nnnn