Landslides claim more lives in mid and far-West

Kathmandu, 7 Oct: Landslides Wednesday claimed seven more lives in Accham and Parbat districts in the mid and far-West, local officials said.
Landslides buried alive at least three more persons at a village in Accham Wednesday morning as bad weather hampered search and rescue work.
Eighteen residents of three villages were killed by landslides Tuesday morning.
Four members of a family were killed by a landslide in Parbat Wednesday morning as two were rescued but mud debris.
Landslides triggered by incessant rain since Sunday have killed at least 40 people in five hill districts of the region.
Meteorologists said the monsoon with retreat to the east from the mid and far-West.
Heavy rains have triggered floods in the plain districts along the Indo-Nepal border; hundreds of homes have been inundated by flood waters as the Mahakali river which has overflowed its banks displaced hundreds of people to safer areas.
Hundreds of homes in dozens of villages in Kanchanpur, Badria and Kailali have been inundated.
Floods and landslides have left behind a trail of death and destruction with widespread damage to standing crops.
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Minister of state for Home Rijwan Ansari visiting China

Kathmandu, 7 Oct: Minister of State for Home Rijwan Ansari is visiting China for six days beginning 10 October.
Ansari is visiting China after government decided to deploy Armed Police (APF) along the Nepal-Tibet border to increase border vigilance and control criminal activities.
Beijing has agreed to equip the APF.
China, concerned with activities exiled Tibetans, has asked Nepal to deploy APF along the entire Nepal-Tibet border.
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Nepali Congress central committee meet begins

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 7 Oct: An informal meeting of the Nepali Congress central committee began Wednesday morning at the residence of party President Girija Prasad Koirala.
Koirala called the meeting after a political storm erupted when he held discussions with Chairman Prachanda at the residence of Lokman Singh Karki, chief secretary during the royal regime.
Rumours spread Prachanda offered Koirala the post of prime minister by toppling Madhav Kumar Nepal.
Prachanda denied he made the offer while Koirala remains silent.
The meeting comes ahead of the resumption of parliament session Wednesday following a long dasain recess.
Maoists, who have been obstructing parliamentary proceedings for four months, demanding a discussion of a censure motion against President Dr Ram Baran Yadav.
Maoists have charged a ceremonial president intervened and acted unconstitutionally to retain sacked Army Chief Gen Rukmangud Katawal on the request of 18 political parties.
Maoists upped their demand Tuesday by calling for a package solution, including the formation of a joint national government led by Maoists to resolve a four-month deadlock.
Prachanda said Maoists will present two ruling parties for discussion and agreement a censure motion after rejecting one drafted by CPN-UML and Nepali Congress.
The Maoist chairman said the summit of three parties could find a solution by incorporating points raised in both drafts.
The Congress central committee meeting will also be discussing Koirala’s proposal to postpone the 31 October party general congress meeting in Birgunj.
Most central committee members oppose the proposal of Koirala who is attempting to strengthen daughter Sujata Koirala’s position in the party ahead of a general convention meeting in the capital 10 March 2010.
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Surya Bahadur Thapa begins political meetings in New Delhi

Kathmandu, 7 Oct: Former Prime Minister and Chairman of Rashtriya Janasakti Party Surya Bahadur Thapa began political meetings in New Delhi Tuesday after a preliminry medical check-up, a political aide said.
Thapa started discussions by meeting main opposition BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani, Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao and Shyam Saran.
Saran was special advisor to the prime minister and a pointman to implement a republican agenda in Nepal by ousting King Gyanendra with the help of parliamentary parties and Maoists.
For the first time in Nepal’s history, political parties invited foreign intervention in Nepal which is withering a political even four years after transition.
The political parties even invited UN for a political role even as they now criticize the world body for its performance in Nepal.
Thapa is scheduled to meet minister Prajab Mukherjee Wednesday and Sonia Gandhi Wednesday, the aide said.
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Direct air service between Nepal, Europe resumes

Kathmandu, 7 Oct: Direct air service resumes Wednesday between Nepal and Europe after five years.
Arkefly, a subsidiary of Dutch company TUI, is flying between Amsterdam and Kathmandu reducing flying time to Europe by nearly 10 hours.
Martin Air and Transavia withdrew from Nepal in 2001 during the Maoist people’s war which adversely impacted the tourist industry.
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Father sacrifices son on God’s call

Kathmandu, 7 Oct: A father hacked to death his 11-year-old son with an axe, Naya Patrika reports.
Mahadeb order the father, in a dream, to sacrifice the child.
Ram Bahadur Gharti,42, of Narayanpur-3, Dang, hacked to death his son Gobinda Monday at 5 PM.
He put the head in a plastic ban and threw it by a river and returned home saying Mahadeb’s wish had been fulfilled.
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