Maoists preparing for launch of mass movement

Kathmandu, 30 Oct: One day after the cabinet asked Maoists to sit down for negotiations to end a five-month political stalemate, top party leader, including Chairman Prachanda, held a training camp for activists at party headquarters in the capital.
Internal preparations were being finalized for the launch of the movement from Sunday.
Maoists said they will blockade the Valley and surround the airport servicing the capital to disrupt flights.
Even while internal preparations were being finalized for the movement launch, Maoist Vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai said Friday the door was still open for talks with government.
Negotiations to end the stalemate look slim.
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Sri Lankan president on pilgrimage in Lumbini

Kathmandu, 30 Oct: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, on a pilgrimage, Friday offered prayers and puja at Maya Debi temple in Lumbini, the birthplace of The Buddha.
He is also scheduled to inaugurate a monastery built by Sri Lanka.
Nepal has leased land to foreign governments to construct monasteries at the sacred site.
Rajapaksa returns to the capital later Friday for talks with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
He flies back home Saturday, one day before the Maoist launch of nation-wide anti-government protests to dislodge government.
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Life in eastern region disturbed

Kathmandu, 30 Oct. Normal life in the hill districts of the eastern region was disturbed for the second successive day Friday by a Maoist strike call.
Vehicular movement on highways has come to a complete halt.
Maoists are demanding action against those responsible for the murder of an activist and compensation.
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PM Nepal’s brother appointed Hong Kong consul general

Kathmandu, 30 Oct: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal’s brother, a mechanical engineer at the industry ministry, has been appointed consul general of Hong Kong.
The cabinet Thursday endorsed the proposal to appoint Binod Kumar Pandey presented by Industry Minister Mahendra Yadav of UCP-UML.
A government rule was amended to facilitate the appointment of the prime minister’s brother who is from the technical service.
Normally, officials from the general service are appointed consul generals.
In a give and take between the three biggest ruling parties, Suresh Chandra Chalise, close to Nepali Congress, was appointed ambassador to United Kingdom while Shyam Lal Tabdar, affiliated with LMJF) was appointed ambassador to Egypt.
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Delayed foreign ministry denial of controversial Sujata statement

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 30 Oct: The foreign ministry Thursday denied a statement of Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala saying she had evidence Nepal’s Maoists were arming their Indian counterparts across the border.
The foreign ministry denied the report published by the Indian Express while it made no comments when the claim made by her in Nepalgunj were first published in the Nepali print media.
‘It is an outright concoction and has no truth whatsoever.
“The news report has malicious intention to put the word in the mouth of Koirala,” the statement said referring to the Indian Express report with the headline: I have evidence of Indian, Nepal Maoist links.
The ministry also said Sujata made no mention of the issue in Nepalgunj or elsewhere.
The foreign ministry went one step ahead of Indian Home Minister P Chidambaran who earlier said Indian Naxalites were receiving arms supplies from Myanmar and Bangladesh and ‘possibly’ from Nepal’s Maoists.
Sujata got embroiled in a controversy earlier saying there was no border problem with India even as lawmakers in parliament said India was encroaching the border.
The foreign minister is placating India.
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Kulshekhar Sharma dead

Kathmandu, 30 Oct: Kulshekhar Sharma died Thursday.
He was 84.
During a long as a civil servant career, he was government’s chief secretary, governor of Nepal Rashtra Bank and royal Nepalese ambassador to USA.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

Revenue collection up

Kathmandu, 30 Oct: Government collected Rs 34.32 billion if the first three months of the current fiscal year ending mid-October—up 53.7 percent compared to the same period the previous year.
The government hopes to collect Rs 177 billion in revenue this fiscal year.
But two successive governments haven’t been able to increase development expenditure despite increased revenue collection.
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Travel agents meet

Kathmandu, 30 Oct: The 43rd world congress of United Federation of Travel Agents Association (UFTAA) will be held in the capital from 20 to 23 November.
Tourism, entrepreneurs from 80 countries are participating in the congress.
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Foundation stone of Kulekhani-III laid

Kathmandu, 30 Oct: At a time when government is facing a power crunch, Energy Minister Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat Thursday laid the foundation of the Rs 2.43 billion 14MW Kulekhani III at Bhaise.
The project will be completed in 2012.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“The comprehensive peace agreement (CPA) was signed between the then seven party alliance and the rebel Maoists three years ago. The agreement is irrelevant in the changed context and the government wants to modify it. I think my proposal to revise the CPA is in favour of Nepal Army and the country.”

(Defence Minister Bidya Bhandari, The Rising Nepal, 30 Oct.)