Three-party summit begins

Kathmandu, 8 Jan. A summit meeting of three major parties began Friday morning to launch what has been called a high-level political mechanism.
The leaders of Nepali Congress, UCPN (Maoist) and UML agreed in principle two days ago to form such a mechanism to untie a prolonged a political deadlock.
Chairman Prachanda returned from Hong Kong Thursday night to participate in the meet.
Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala and UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal are participating.
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Nepal elected

Kathmandu, 8 Jan.: Nepal has been elected to the coordination bureau of LDCs in New York this week.
Nepal was elected unanimously by a meeting of ambassadors of LDCs at UN headquarters for two years.
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Maoists close down three central terai districts

Kathmandu, 8 Jan. : Maoists Friday closed down Bara, Parsa and Rautahat for the second consecutive day demanding compensation for activists killed and injured in Bara Wednesday.
At last two Maoists were killed and two others were injured in a shootout initiated by rebel Terai Mukti Morcha.
Two trucks were vandalized for defying the strike ban.
Maoists are demanding compensation for relatives of the dead.
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UN says it sent back Nepali peacekeeper from Chad on pressure of rights groups

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 8 Jan.: UN said it hurriedly sent back Major Niranjan Basnet from Chan on pressure of human rights groups, Kantipur reports.
The UN said this in response to a government query why the officer was returned without consulting the home country through the Nepal Army and foreign ministry.
According to a high military source, UN has accepted its fault indirectly.
‘Because of all-round pressure of human rights groups, Basnet was sent back without consulting a member state. This also happened because of time constraint,” a source said quoting the UN reply.
Foreign ministry spokesman Dinesh Bhattarai said the reply has been sent to NA through defence ministry.
‘The reply is vague. It does not say the mistake won’t be repeated and no apology has been tendered. We’re discussing further action,” one brigadier general said.
UN wrote a letter to UN charging NA and Nepal were being defamed, Annapurna Post reports.
Basnet was only leader of a team that arrested Maina Sunwar who died in custody at a military barrack in Kavre during the Maoist insurgency.
A military court has cleared Basnet of charges of human rights abuses.
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Doctors report for work at Bir Hospital

Kathmandu, 8 Jan.: Striking doctors reported for work at Bir Hospital Friday after two weeks.
All services have been resumed.
Government conceded 11 demands, including security at work.
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President’s concern

Kathmandu, 8 Jan.: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav says he constantly prays the country shouldn’t face a grave constitutional and political crisis and stop an impending grave situation from happening, Nagarik reports.
“An emergency can’t be slapped after not taking interest in promulgating a constitution within the deadline and by preparing ground to extend thee mandate of the constituent assembly,” an advisor to Dr Yadav told Nagarik quoting a conversation between the president and the prime minister.
“I’ve also heard there’s a provision to extend the mandate by declaring an emergency. But I don’t think that’s just or constitutional.
“I am for the promulgation of the constitution in time to stop a political crisis,”
“The combatants should be before the constitution promulgation.”
“The CA will be dissolved if the constitution isn’t promulgated in time. There will be no prime minister, chairman. The president will continue until a new constitution is promulgated, “ the advisor said quoting lawyers.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

Kathmandu, 8 Jan.: The price of LPG cylinder has been hiked by Rs 125
with immediate effect.
A cylinder will now cost Rs 1,250.
NOC says it was incurring a Rs 333 loss per cylinder justifying the hike.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Tell me who’s there. After Girijababu, it’s me.”

(Sher Bahadur Deuba, Naya Patrika, 8 Jan.)

‘The name Ram Baran sounds jarring enough for the first president of a secular Nepal. Wouldn’t Ram Raja have been doubly weird?”

(Maila Baje, People’s Review, 8 Jan.)

‘There’s a clear divide between those who want to draft a new constitution and those who don’t.”

(Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Annapurna Post, 8 Jan.)
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