Minister mauls Parsa Chief District Officer (CDO)

Kathmandu, 11 Nov: State Minister for Agriculture Karima Begum from LMJF assaulted Parsa District Officer (CDO) at his office premise Tuesday.
The minister charged the top district officer Durga Prassad Bhandari responsible for law enforcement in the district for disrespecting a Madeshi by providing her a old government vehicle at Simara airport for her movement after arriving from the capital.
The incident comes after a Maoist Minister Matrika Yadav, who has since launched his own party after defection, hut a government in a restroom in Singha Durbar.
Calling for her dismissal, officials have called movement and closure of offices in Narayani anchal Wednesday; Birgunj customs office has been closed down in protest.
Home ministry regretted the attack in the statement.
But officials asked for a government apology; a memorandum is being submitted to the prime minister later Wednesday by officials.
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Girija admitted to hospital

Kathmandu, 11 Nov: Ailing octogenarian Nepali Congress President and five-time prime minister was admitted to hospital Tuesday for treatment of a chronic lung problem.
His scheduled departure for Singapore for treatment Wednesday was cancelled.
Doctors believe Koirala endure the long flight to the island republic.
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Jhalanath Khanal returns Wednesday

Kathmandu, 11 Nov: Chairman of ruling CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal returned Wednesday from New Delhi where he held consultations Tuesday with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
He discussed Nepali internal politics with Singh and other even as 18 parties, including CPN-UML opposed a call of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for a government of national unity,
In meetings with Nepali leaders, Indian parties have been issuing directives on the form of government and later saying it’s up to the Nepali people to decide their future.
After the meeting, Khanal said,” Indian leaders want to see progress and the new constitution in Nepal.
If the constitution I drafted in the next six months within the 28 May deadline, Nepal will have four constitutions in 20 years—an average of one constitution every five years.
The present interim constitution was promulgated by an unelected self-appointed parliament after current ruling parties shred a 1990 constitution they drafted into pieces.
The 1990 basic law replaced a panchayat constitution.
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Proposed cabinet meeting at Everest base camp called off

Kathmandu, 11 Nov: A proposed cabinet at Everest base camp Wednesday has been called off without assigning any reason.
The cabinet meting could have been held at the foot of the world’s tallest 8848 meters peak even though Prime Minister Madhab Kumar Nepal is ill with viral fever.
There was a proposal to issue a declaration there to highlight the adverse impact of climate change on the Himalayan region ahead of a world summit on climate change in Denmark.
Nepal was clearly attempting to emulate Maldives where a seabed cabinet meet was recently held to draw the world to the possibility of the island being swept away from the map with the rising sea level.
A meeting in the rarefied air at 19,000 by flying directly there without acclimatizing to the height could have been dangerous for ministers with possibility of developing altitude sickness when water collects in the lungs.
Sick PM Nepal has cancelled his proposed Italy visit to attend a FAO conference in Rome later this month also citing the ill health of Girija Prasad Koirala and the political impasse.
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Maoists continue anti-government protests

Kathmandu, 11 Nov: Maoists Wednesday continued the second phase of their anti-government protests for the 11th day.
They Tuesday obstructed the entry of vehicles into the Valley by blocking entry points in their continuing anti-government protests.
The movement of vehicles inside the capital wasn’t obstructed.
Maoist central leaders Tuesday decided to intensify their protests.
Meanwhile, Kathmandu district administration Tuesday declared additional areas around Kalikasthan and Padmodaya School near Singha Durbar prohibited areas where rallies and protests have been banned.
Areas immediately around the central secretariat were already prohibited areas.
Maoists announced they will seize the secretariat for two days as part of their protests demanding correction of what they call unconstitutional presidential reinstatement of sacked Army Chief Gen Rukmangud Katawal while demanding ‘supremacy of civilian rule’.
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Former crown prince in Mustang

Kathmandu, 11 Nov: Former Crown Prince Paras returned to the capital Tuesday after a flying visit of Mustang, Nagarik reports.
In Mustang, he met former Mustang Raja Jimmy Parbal Bista.
Friends from Singapore accompanied the former crown prince.
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Hone minister Rawal going to New Delhi, Beijing

Kathmandu, 11 Nov: Home Minister Bhim Rawal next Wednesday is leaving for New Delhi as a head of a delegation at the invitation of the Indian government, Janaastha reports.
According to a source, during the visit India will resurrect the extradition treaty that awaits signature.
The treaty didn’t figure as a top agenda item during the just concluded talks of home secretaries of the two countries in Kathmandu.
Rawal returns 5 December and then heads for Beijing.
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Prime minister, defence minister not on speaking terms

Kathmandu, 11 Nov: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Defence Minister Bidya Bhandari aren’t on speaking terms for nearly eight week, Ghatana ra Bichar reports.
The prime minister is ‘bravely’ sitting on a proposal of the defence minister to promote Maj Gen Toran Bahadur Singh.
The defence minister at a cabinet meeting two months ago asked to end uncertainty in the army by promoting Singh but the prime minister called off the meeting even as she was speaking.
Bhandari has boycotted cabinet meetings since then.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

Direct Kathmandu, Mumbai flights

Kathmandu, 11 Nov: India’s Jet Airways, will start direct flights between Mumbai and Kathmandu from 2 December, the airline said.
The daily flight will be operated by a Boeing 737.
The airline also links Nepal’s capital with New Delhi; it will operate two daily flights between the capitals from 17 November.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Indian Prime Minister asked [Jhalanath Khanal]: Is the environment right to draft a constitution?”

(Headline in Kantipur, 11 Nov.)

“During meetings, Indian leaders talked along these lines with me. I was surprised; they [Sher Bahadur Deuba, Surya Bahadur Thapa and KP Sharma Oli] proposed to Indian leaders the dissolution of the constitutional assembly, declaration of presidential rule and the drafting of a constitution by forming a constitution drafting commission.)

(MJF Chairman Upendra Yadav, Janaastha, 11 Nov.)

“Our relationship to the CA is a mother-child relation and we will stand against all the conspiracies being hatched to dissolve it.”

(Dr Baburam Bhattarai, The Rising Nepal, 11 Nov.)

‘There was no strength here to remove the king. Where has the UN resolved the problem? It should be sent baack.”

(Prakash Koirala, Janaastha, 11 Nov.)