Bheri, Karnali anchals closed down

Kathmandu, 29 Dec.: Nine districts of Bheri and Karnali anchals were forcibly closed down by Rashtriya Janamukti Morcha (RJM) opposing federalism.
Normal life in the far-West has been disrupted.
The communist party that lends support to the government from the opposition bench earlier protested in Gandaki and Dhaulagiri anchals Sunday.
RJM is holding phase-wise strike in all 14 anchals.
The closure comes at a time when Maoists declared 13 federal autonomous republics as the main opposition charged other parties for opposing such a structure.
RPP-Nepal calling for a referendum of federalism, Hindu state and monarchy has collected more than three million votes to decide the discuss.
Even though major political parties claim the people want a federal stricture, a recent reliable public opinion poll said more than 54 percent people either oppose or don’t know federalism.
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PM Nepal holding talks with Chinese counterpart

Kathmandu, 29 Dec.: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal is holding talks with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao in Beijing Tuesday.
An agreement on a 150 milllion yuan grant is also being penned Tuesday, doubling Chinese assistance to Nepal.
Nepal confers with President Hu Jintao Wednesday before leaving for Shanghai.
The premier returns home Thursday.
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More details on swine flu outbreak in Nepal

Kathmandu, 29 Dec.: The Ministry of Health and Population has confirmed 150 pandemic H1n1 virus infection cases across the nation, The Rising Nepal reports.
Among them, 106 are males and 44 females. Around 60 percent of the cases have been found in people aged between 15 and 45.
Kathmandu district has the largest number of cases.
The virus has been founding nine districts including Kathmandu.
Two swine flu deaths have been reported so far.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

Parliament committee stops Airbus purchase

Kathmandu, 29 Dec.: Public accounts committee of parliament Monday asked Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) to scrap a deal to purchase two Airbuses saying the deal was irregular.
The committee also asked the refund of Rs 600 in advance payment.
The Finance Ministry had also objected to the deal saying the government couldn’t guarantee the purchase.
Employees’ Provident Fund was extending a loan for the purchase for the troubled state airline.
British, French and German envoys, lobbying the government on behalf of Airbus, said the deal between airbus and NAC was regular.
American embassy has been lobbying on behalf of rival Boeing.
The committee has urged a transparent budding process.
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Perk for Nepali workers in Qatar

Kathmandu, 29 Dec.: Qatar companies wanting to hire Nepali workers are required to feed them or pay them a monthly food allowance of 200 riyal (equivalent to Rs 2,000) from 1 January, 2010, The Kathmandu Post reports from Qatar.
The Nepal embassy is Qatar will not approve the demand letter of companies for Nepali workers otherwise.
With this provision, salary of unskilled Nepali workers will go up to 800 riyal (Rs 8,000), including food stipend.
Travel expenses for migrant workers flying to Qatar are likely to go down with the Nepal embassy here making it mandatory for their employees to provide them return air tickets.
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CHATTER

“You’ll be rejected by UN agencies and western embassies these days even if you are the best qualified for the job. Unqualified Dalits and other will be recruited. To save yourself embarrassment, don’t apply for jobs there if you aren’t in that group.”

(Jiban Sharma)

MEDIA GOOGLE

“Attempt is being made [by Maoists[ to please expansionist India being their agent; but the master doesn’t believe them.”

(Matrika Prasad Yadav of rebel Maoists, Naya Patrika, 29 Dec.)

“Maoists have committed much more heinous HR violations [than Nepal Army] and the international community should encourage the government as well as the Maoists to adopt a common standard and approach on them,.”

(Sher Bahadur Deuba, newsfront, 29 Dec.)

“Again, he [Lt Gen Toran Bahadur Singh] wasn’t in Nepal when the case in which he is being implicated happened.”

(UML General Secretary Ishwor Pokhrel, Annapurna Post, 29 Dec.)

‘Government is probably joking by recommending the supreme commander of Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala for the Nobel peace prize. Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has reaped three benefits. He has pleased Koirala and the people fed up with politics while revealing how ‘important decisions’ are made by the government.”

(Yubaraj Gautam, Tarun, 29 Dec.)
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