PM consulting Asian ambassadors

Kathmandu, 17 June: Beleaguered Prime Minster Madhav Kumar Nepal is holding separate consultations with ambassadors from China, Bangladesh and Pakistan in Singha Durbar Thursday.
Main opposition Maoists have been demanding the resignation of the year-old government to be replaced by a government of national unity.
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Brigadier General Pande promoted

Kathmandu, 17 June: Brig Gen Pawan Bahadur Pande was promoted to major general by the cabinet Wednesday.
He has been appointed Chief of the mid-division at Bhimphedi.
Nine lieutenant colonels were also promoted to colonels.
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Govt. bans tree felling for two months

Kathmandu, 17 June: The cabinet Wednesday banned felling of trees nation-we for two months until mid-August.
The decision came amid an existing rule that bans the entry into forests for two months during the monsoon.
The ban won’t affect government-run projects.
The cabinet formed a probe body headed minister for forest and soil conservation to investigate rampant deforestation, poaching of endangered rhinos and other animals.
The body has been asked to suggest effective measures stop the destruction of forests and poaching.
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Jimba Jangbu Sherpa elected NMA chairman

Kathmandu, 17 June: Jimba Jangbu Sherpa was elected Chairman of the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) Wednesday.
Dibas Bikram Shah was elected general secretary.
Fifteen executive members were elected.
NMA is one of the richest NGOs in Nepal.
The main source of income is royalty it collects from climbers for issuing permits for ‘trekking peaks’ leased to it by government.
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Fresh US State Department travel advisory of Nepal

Kathmandu, 17 June: US State Department Wednesday cautioned its citizens not to travel to Nepal after months of street protests and political turmoil..
The fresh warning said United States was concerned about the security situation in Nepal.
The warning to citizens comes as Nepal prepares to attract one million tourists in 2011.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

Tourist arrivals up 30 percent on Q1 of 2010

Kathmandu, 17 June: International arrivals in Nepal jumped 30 percent inQ1 of 2010 while arrivals in South Asia increased 17 percent, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) said.
All the destinations in the sub-region rebounded strongly from the relatively poor first quarter of 2009 when, in the cases of India and Sri Lanka, were severely impacted by the lingering effects of the Mumbai attacks and the civil war respectively, PATA said.
Arrivals in Maldives and Bhutan jumped 21 and 57 percent respectively.
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Megh Nath Neupane joins CNI

Kathmandu, 17June: Megh Nath Neupane has been appointed director general of Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI).
He was director general of FNCCI until a few months ago.
The two umbrella organizations of commerce and industry haven’t been working in harmony.
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SPORTS

ICC lifts ban on international matches at TU cricket ground

Kathmandu, 17 June: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has lifted a ban on international matches at the Tribhuban University (TU) cricket ground in Kirtipur.
This was conveyed by ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgart in a letter to Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) President Binaya Raj Pandey Tuesday.
Chief of the legal department David Becker inspected the ground in May following crowd trouble during a match between Nepal and USA in the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Division 5 in February,
“I am pleased to confirm that international matches can continue to be staged at the ground with immediate effect. Mr Becker has reported that the work has been carried out is satisfactory and reasonable having regard to the nature and location of the g round.
“I would ask that CAN continues to monitor the stadium walls and ensure appropriate safety and security measures at the ground on an ongoing basis in future,” the letter said.
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PM Nepal asks Congress to take over leadership; preparing to resign

Kathmandu, 17 June: It has come to light at a Nepali Congress central committee meeting Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal is in a mood to resign and a new premier should be found from the current coalition within one week, Rajdhani reports.
General Secretary Bimalendra Nidhi at a meeting Wednesday
said an alternative should be sought within the ruling coalition if Maoists don’t come to an understanding.
A Congress source Nidhi told the meeting said Premier Nepal in a roundabout way suggested Congress should take the leadership.
Most leaders supported Nidhi when he suggested Congress should take over leadership even through majority vote.
Prime Minister Madhab Kumar Nepal is in a mood to resign if parties don’t come to an agreement soon, Nepal Samacharpatra reports.
He has even given parties time until the first week of Ashad [third week of June] to come to an agreement.
It’s learnt he has decided to resign after parties haven’t even held meetings.
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SLC results by 9 July

Kathmandu, 17 June: The Controller of Examinations at Sanothimi said this year’s SLC results will be published by 9 July, Nepal Samacharpatra reports.
Examination Controller Mitra Prasad Devkota said,” Results will be announced between 4 to 9 July.”
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MEDIA GOOGLE

‘Use the pen against the ultra-leftist tendency and expose it.”

(UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal, The Rising Nepal, 17 June)

“When prime ministers and ministers feel shaky they make political appointments and shift bureaucratic cronies to places where they can wield power and make money.”

(Former Chief Secretary Bimal Prasad Koirala, The Kathmandu Post, 17 June)

“Dasta [Tarun] is necessary because Maoists are committing murder, abduction, donation terror and land seizure.”

(NC central committee member Khum Bahadur Khadka, The Himalayan Times, 17 June)
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