CPN-UML holds rally in capital

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: CPN-UML held a rally Friday which will turn into a public meeting at open air theatre in the capital to drum up support for its general convention in Butwal 16 February.
The rally is also being held to put public pressure on constituent assembly members to draft a constitution within the deadline in 16 months.
Top party leaders, including ailing Deputy Prime Bamdeb Gautam, are addressing the public meeting.
Gautam is returning Friday from Bangkok where he underwent medical treatment.
More than 2000 volunteers have been organized for the rally and public meeting.
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International media mission meeting PM

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: An international media mission is holding discussions with Prime Minister Prachanda Friday to discuss human rights and the security situation for journalists after a series on killings of journalists at work.
The mission held discussions Friday with main opposition leader Girija Prasad Koirala.
Koirala told the mission Maoist-led government is attacking the judiciary and journalists, an aide said.
The mission Thursday visited Janakpur where woman journalist Uma Singh was murdered.
First reports said her family and a hired Maoist were involved, according to police reports.
She hailed from a rich high class Rajput family in the terai.
Maoists had earlier abducted and probably killed her father and brother.
The supreme court Thursday asked the home ministry and police for written clarification within three days on alleged charge of Rishi Dhamala’s involvement in bombings and extortion in collusion with Ranabir Sena in the capital.
Three blasts were set off in the capital last year by the Sena demanding a Hindu state.
Police searched Dhamala’s home Thursday and took away his computer, notebook and other belongings.
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Paramilitary structure of YCL disbanded: PM Prachanda


Kathmandu, 6 Feb: PM Prachanda told a visiting parliamentary delegation Thursday Maoists have disbanded YCL-- its paramilitary structure.
“‘The YCL has given up staying in groups and has dismantled its paramilitary structure. They will now be engaged in development work,” the government and party chief
reportedly told the delegation, The Kathmandu Post quoted Om Sharma as saying.
Sharma is Prachanda’s press advisor.
But main opposition Nepali Congress hasn’t accepted the Maoist claim.
Congress had demanded YCL be disbanded as a pre-condition for cooperation to take the peace process to its logical conclusion.
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Actor Rajesh Hamal denied US visa

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: Leading popular actor Rajesh Hamal has been denied a visa by the US embassy.
According to Nepal Samacharpatra Hamal was told by the embassy consular officer, “Sorry, please come next time.”
Hamal was invited by Guild of Musical Artistes.
Hamal had applied for a visa to attend the screening of a movie.
Producer, director of the movie on addicts Shankar Ghimere was also denied a visa.
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TRADE, ECONOMY, COMMERCE

International recession hasn’t hit Nepal: ADB

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: Nepal Bank Ltd, the country’s oldest commercial bank, recorded a Rs 458.8 million net profit in Q2 of the current fiscal year ending 13 January—an increase of 546 percent during the period.
The bank managed by central bank Nepal Rashtra Bank registered a net profit of only Rs 69.9 million in the corresponding the previous year.
Major commercial banks have recorded good profits in the first two quarters despite an international recession.
Nepal hasn’t been hit so far by world recession.
“There will be a drop in demand in the tourism sector but till India—the major trading partner of Nepal, is doing well, there will not be a major impact,” said Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director Barry J Hitchcock.
Nepal has been shielded from the recession impact because it isn’t linked to the world economy.
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ADB to double investments in Nepal

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: Asian Development Bank (ADB) will double its investments in Nepal in 2009, 2010 pumping in $200 million in loans and grants.
Bank investments averaged $ 100 million in the past, according to the bank’s country director Barry J Hitchcock.
The bank projected Nepal’s GDP growth in 2009 at 3.5 percent lower than the seven percent predicted by Nepali officials.
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Govt. won’t extend deadline for scheme to declare taxes

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: Before leaving for Japan Thursday to draw government and private investments, Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai said the Maoist-led government won’t extend a scheme to voluntarily declare taxes by 11 February.
Politicians and professionals have been asked to settle dues by the deadline.
Only limited persons have responded to the government offer.
Refusal comes immediately after a business delegation asked Prime Minister Prachanda to extend the deadline.
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Traffic on Mahendra Highway resumes

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: Movement of vehicles on Mahendra Highway was restored Thursday in Sunsari after a disruption of more than five months by monsoon floods in 2008.
Floods washed away 780 meters of the highway in the district.
The restoration of the highway will enable the movement of the highway from Jhapa in the east to Kanchanpur in the west.
The movement of vehicles started after the construction of a diversion road to enable one-way movement of vehicles for another 20 days.
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Budget in third week of May

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: The annual budget for fiscal year 2009/10 will be presented by government in the third week of May, Annapurna Post reports.
Budgets were normally presented in mid-July.
The budget is being presented early to improve implementation of development expenditure which was below average this year.
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Govt. for reservation in security agencies, including army

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: Amid opposition from CPN-UML, the cabinet for the first time Thursday decided on reservation in security agencies, including Nepal Army, through an ordinance.
But the move was hailed by terai parties MJF and Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP).
“ The move for reservation in the army is an important step to ensure inclusiveness in all state mechanisms, said Agriculture Minister Jayaprakash Gupta of MJF.
‘This is the first step to ensure inclusiveness in all state organs,” said Supply Minister Rajendra Mahoto of NSP.
Ishwor Pohkhrel said reservation was unacceptable to CPN-UML.
“UML ministers objected to the ordinance on inclusiveness in the public sector saying political consensus must be reached before such a decision,” The Kathmandu Post reported Science Minister Ganesh Shah as saying.
Forty-five percent vacancies in security agencies will be reserved for women, ethnic and backward communities, Madeshis and Dalits.
In civil service and government corporations, 33 percent will be reserved for women, 27 percent foe ethnic communities, 22 percent for Madeshis, nine percent for Dalits, five percent for physically-challenged and four percent for backward communities.
The cabinet decided to issue three ordinances to establish a commission on forced disappearances , preparation of voters’ list for six by-elections for CA and ensuring inclusiveness in government bodies.
Moist-proposed ordinances on appointing an investment board, special economic zone and formation of a truth commission weren’t approved by the cabinet.
Civil society, international human rights groups and main opposition Nepali Congress have opposed that they call rule through ordinances; Congress has asked government to convene parliament to discuss the ordinances, especially ordinances on establishing truth and forced disappearance commissions.
Trust commission is an attempt to establish South Africa-style group where people confessed crimes after the end of apartheid rule.
CPN-UML leader Madhan Kumar Nepal, contesting the party’s chairmanship at a general convention, also objected to the ordinances Friday and demanded parliament be convened.
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Disqualified Maoists to be sent out of UNMIN administered camps

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: In the first progress at a special committee on integration of armies, four major parties, including main opposition Nepali Congress, agreed Thursday to send back 4,000 Maoists disqualified mostly as minors.
UNMIN kept them in 28 camps and cantonments despite their disqualification after 25 May 2005.
There are now 19,000 Maoist combatants in the camps.
They will be discharged with the help of donors, including the UN.
The first progress was reported after the eight-member committee headed by PM Prachanda met Thursday.
Three major ruling parties and Congress are represented by two members each in the committee.
The meeting approved a code of conduct for members who are disqualified from airing controversial statements in public.
Government Chief Secretary Dr Bhojraj Ghimere has been nominated committee spokesman.
The committee has to complete integration of the armies in six months.
As Maoists push integration in the state army, three other parties are opposed to blanket integration.
Defence Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal threatened to take action against Army Chief Gen Rukmangud Katawal if he doesn’t stop recruitment of 2,800 personnel to fill in army vacancies.
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Ambassadors’ conference to discuss effect of international recession

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: A conference of Nepali ambassadors from the Gulf, Korea and Malaysia is being held soon in the capital to discuss the impact of international recession on Nepali workers there, Annapurna Post reports.
The two-conference begins 12 February.
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Nepali ambassador in Great Britain recalled

Kathmandu, 6 Feb: Nepali Ambassador Murari Raj Sharma to Great Britain has been recalled through a letter of the foreign ministry Thursday, Annapurna Post reports.
The letter charges Sharma for asking the prime minister to appoint him ambassador to Norway without informing the foreign minister and the foreign ministry.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“We won’t stay quiet. The issue of greater Nepal will now be a one-point of movement of all parties and Nepalis.”

(Chairman Dr Phanindra Lohini of United Rashtriya Nepal, Janadharana, 6 Feb.)
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