UML STUDENT WING ELECTION

Kathmandu, 1 Oct. The 20th national convention of Akhil Rashtriya Swatantra Bidyarthi Union, a student wing of the UML, will elect a new leadership in Janakpur where a meeting begins Friday.
There are 2009 delegates attending the meet that will be launched by UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal.
Madhav Dhungel and Soviet Dhakal are aspirants for chairman.
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SHRI KRISHNA UPADHAYA AWARDED

Kathmandu, 1 Oct.: Shri Krishna Upadhaya, 65, has been awarded the Right Livelihood Award-2910 for the “Alternative Nobel”, AP reports.
Upadhaya is founder of Support Activists for Poor Producers of Nepal established in 1991.
He was declared joint winner along with human rights activists from Nigerian Brazil and Israel.
Upadhaya was honoured for his fight against poverty in Nepal.
“Upadhaya had been on the shortlist for thee award for many years and the magnitude and quantity of what he has been doing means he really deserves to be recognized,” AP said quoting Ole Von Uexkull, executive director of Right Livelihood Award Foundation.
The award will be presented in the Swedish parliament 6 December four days before Nobel prizes are distributed.
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NA DIVISION CHIEF MEET BEGINS

Kathmandu, 1 Oct.: A two-day coordination meet of Nepal Army (NA) principal staff officers, regional division chiefs ad director generals began in the capital Thursday.
The meeting was convened by Army Chief Gen Chahtraman Singh Gurung to discuss institutional problems and formulate policies.
Regional commanders will presented reports with recommendations and suggestions.
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HARI SHARAN MAHAT DEAD

Kathmandu, 1 Oct. Panchayat-era minister Hari Sharan Mahat,74, died in the capital Thursday.
He’s survived by three sons and three daughters.
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MISS NEPAL ’10 LEAVES FOR CHINA

Kathmandu, 1 Oct.: Sadichha Shresths, Miss Nepal 2010, leaves for China Friday to participate in the Miss World pageant 2010.
The final will be held at Sanya 30 October.
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PRACHANDA LEAVES FOR MALAYSIA FRIDAY

Kathmandu, 1 Oct.: Maoist Chairman Prachanda leaves for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Friday to participate in a meeting of Asia Pacific Exchange and Cooperation Foundation.
He’s accompanied by son Prakash and Foreign Department Chief Krishna Bahadur Mahara,
Following his return home, Prachanda will travel to China to attend the closing of Shanghai Expo.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECOOMY

4,180 PASS KOREAN LANGUAGE TEST

Kathmandu, 1 Oct.: Altogether 4,180 candidates have been declared eligible for jobs in Korea after passing the Korean language Test (KLT) conducted by Human Resources Department of South Korea.
Altogether 36, 181 job aspirants sat for the examinations.
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SPORTS

NEPALI WOMEN CRICKET TEAM LEAVES FOR SINGAPORE

Kathmandu, 1 Oct.: Nepali women Twenty20 cricket team leaves for Singapore to participate in the ACC U-19 Women’s Championship from 4 to 12 October.
Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) Thursday announced an annual calendar of events.
Nepal will participate in five international and organize six national events in 2067/69.
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RAJESH HARI JOSHI IN FIDE

Kathmandu, 1 Oct.: Nepal Chess Association (NCA) President Rajesh Hari Joshi was Thursday unanimously elected board member of FIDE, the international governing bodyof lchess.
He was elected at the 81st congress of FIDE in Khanty, Russia.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Koirala [Girija] took the country towards a republic without discussion and on assurances of borrowed presidency.”

(RPP-Nepal Chairman Kamal Thapa, Nagarik, 1 Oct.)

“Hindus are being converted spreading rumours that Adibashis, Janajatis and Dalits were exploisted when the country was a Hindu state .It’s necessary to be alert to this in time.:

RPP-Nepal Chairman Kamall Thapa, Annapurna Post, 1 Oct.)
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CA to keep parties on statute toes

Kathmandu, 1 Oct.: Concerned by the snail-paced constitution drafting process, the Constituent Assembly (CA) is going to press top leaders of all political parties into service from next week, The Kathmandu Post reports.

It has decided to resolve the political deadlock and speed up statute-drafting. CA Chairman Subash Nembang has invited the parliamentary party leaders of all the 27 parties represented in the CA on Sunday for discussion on the reports of eight thematic committees. The reports of eight of the 11 thematic committees are in dispute among parties.

The decision comes after a 15-member panel formed to study the concept papers submitted by the 11 thematic committees to the CA submitted its report to Nembang on Thursday. The panel led by lawmaker Agni Kharel has prepared questionnaires regarding 220 contentious issues that should be agreed by political leadership to finalise the new constitution. An all-party mechanism will function as per the Article 70 (3) of the Interim Constitution, which states the parliamentary party leaders in the CA shall consult each other to forge consensus if unanimous decision can’t be taken on the preamble or bill relating to the new constitution.

“The mechanism was supposed to work sooner or later for forging unanimous agreement among parties on the new constitution. Its early reactivation would help prepare the first draft by resolving the disputed issues,” said Nembang.

Upon receiving the report, Nembang stressed for consensus among major parties to conclude the peace process and constitution drafting. He said that constitution writing process can’t reach to conclusion unless the parties resolve their differences.

The panel, in its 16-month tenure, It has prepared questionnaires on the disputed issues among parties over the concept papers prepared by other seven thematic committees apart from Committee on the Restructuring of the State and Devolution of State Power.

“The differences on constitutional issues can only be resolved with the engagement of the political leadership,” said Kharel. “The constitution writing process can only move ahead if the senior leaders resolve the row.”

The revised CA schedule endorsed in July had planned to forward the CA directives on the report of the thematic committees to the Constitutional Committee (CC) by Oct. 17.

The scheduled has given Nov. 17 deadline to the CC to prepare the first draft of the new constitution.
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SC limits prez to ceremonial role

Kathmandu, 1 Oct.: In a first ever verdict related to the president’s action since the country was declared republic, the Supreme Court today [Thursday] categorically said the president as the Head of State neither has the constitutional privilege nor immunity under the interim constitution, Ananta Raj Luitel writes in The Himalayaan Times..

While issuing a verdict on President Dr Ram Baran Yadav’s May 2009 move to reinstate the then Chief of the Army Staff Rookmangud Katawal, a full bench of Justices Top Bahadur Magar, Prem Sharma and Mohan Prakash Sitaula stated that the Head of the State does not enjoy privileges and immunity in his action — like the king during the earlier regime used to. The bench observed that nor could he ‘justify’ the move citing any principle, such as Doctrine of Necessity.

President Dr Yadav had reinstated Katawal a day after the then government led by UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal sacked the army chief and appointed second-in-command Kul Bahadur Khadka as CoAS.

Today’s precedent-setting verdict bars the president from taking any decision (or action) on his own. Stating that the president’s authority is limited to recommendations by the authorities—the Council of Ministers, the Constitutional Council, the prime minister and the Speaker—the bench stated ‘the recommending authority should be answerable for any

kind of decision taken by the Head of the State’.

As the constitution does not provide any privilege or immunity to the Head of the State — the way the 1990 Constitution did to the king — any action of the the president can be tested by and at apex court, the judgement text read.

Advocates Sri Krishna Subedi and Ram Krishna Kafle on behalf of INHURED-International had filed a public interest litigation seeking the apex court intervention into the president’s move.

The bench, however, quashed the writ petition challenging the president’s move, as Katawal and his then successor both have retired and the government has already amended the Army Act.

“Since the lacunae in the Army Act have already been removed, making the Act compatible with the fourth amendment of the interim constitution, and the provisions for the president have been inserted, the situation has significantly changed, rendering the apex court intervention meaningless. Moreover, the government has already rectified the decision of sacking the then CoAS on June 18, 2009. So, an apex court order to nullify the letter of the president (of overriding the govt decision) is not required,” the bench observed.

What he can do on recommendation

• Call and prorogue parliament session

• Address the parliament

• Appoint PM, CJ, parliament’s general secy, CoAS, ambassadors

• Authenticate Bills

• Issue ordinances

• Appoint chief justice

• Appoint constitutional heads and members

• Control, mobilise army

• Grant pardon and commute or remit sentence

• Remove constitutional anomalies
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DENGUE VECTOR FOUND IN HOSPITAL PREMISES

Kathmandu, 1 Oct.: Even as Chitwan continues to grapple with dengue fever, Bharatpur Hospital premises have been found infested by its principal vector, Chandni Hamal reports from Chitwan in Republica.
A team from Insect Transmitted Disease Investigation and Training Center, Hetauda, found Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in water collected in the hospital compound.
The team also found mosquito larvae in flower pots in the general ward, administrations section, store and doctors’ quarters and disposed tires, drums and containers.
“Patients are not secure even in the hospital. There is no point talking about stat of other places,” head of the team Dr Sishir Panta said.
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Fourth Estate in what state!
When news media and media workers are in the news, people sit up to attention. When these same media and folks occupy lots of space and airtime for days, something terribly is wrong. This is precisely what has happened in the Nepali media world these past few weeks. At a dinner hosted by a prominent business establishment, a motley crowd gathered, some of them journalists. Black Label talk produced interesting information, Trikal Vastavik writes in People’s Review..
The Chief National Information Commissioner, Vinay Kasajoo, is in a state of shock. Ever keen to prove that he is a doting father of two sons Avinav and Dipankar who did not do academically well but went on to have a reasonable understanding of information technology, Kasajoo received a wave of sympathies from his friends recently when police booked the apples of his eyes for questioning. The charge was copyright piracy. The Kasajoo siblings suffered detention not even his family’s political connections and affiliation with Home Minister Bhim Rawal’s UML could do much about initially. Someone at the UML headquarters at Balkhu was overheard complaining that the party failed to treat the affected properly. "After all, Kasajoo (the Senior) writes in our party’s official paper (Budhabar weekly)."
Meanwhile, "Republica" and "Nagarik" that succeeded in netting regular advertisement orders from an Indian beverage company reportedly with Indian Ambassador’s blessings and policy (See for conclusion: "Himal" magazine, September 17-October 1, 2010, p. 32-33, and "Janadesh" weekly, September 21, 2010, p. 1) have a story of their own. The two broadsheet dailies have their online incarnations run by their combined media grouping. One day, the photos of the Kasajoo brothers figured along with the story of their arrest, the next day the photos vanished, reportedly at the intervention of one of the poorly educated editors.
Interestingly, "Republica" gave the names of the alleged culprits involved in copyright piracy referring that they were the sons of the nation’s Chief Information Commissioner. There were debates as to whether the name of the senior Kasajoo should have been dragged in such manner.
Indisputably the country’s largest circulating daily, "Kantipur" did not give the senior Kasajoo’s name but named the alleged culprits. Was it an outcome of organizational policy or an isolated case of "favor"? If the paper’s past serves any guide, the Kasajoo episode is an exception. If the incident heralds a new policy, the future will surely tell us that Kantipur group of media have changed their gear.
But then how are we to take the manner in which a recent Beauty Contest was blacked out by the media house. An Indian company-dominated business group triggered anger in the Kantipur House whose publications, radio and television went full blast against the company products. It may be no coincidence that the business company had stopped giving advertisements to Kantipur media for about a year. When translated into Nepali, it means an annual depletion of seven million rupees, according to sources in breakaway group "Nagarik". However, according to Kantipur Television sources, the revenue loss amounted to eleven million rupees a year. If that were the case, Kailash Sirohiya’s anguish emanating from pocket-burning experience can be weighed.
Sirohiya deludes himself with the conclusion that he made the "most" contributions to ending monarchy in Nepal and bringing in "loktantra". Actually, Sirohiya’s heydays are over. He may be hobnobbing with the Maoists now but, according to his senior editors, he will not hesitate to quarrel with Lainchaur embassy but make a one-sided pact scripted by the South Block in New Delhi. The latest charade he tries to exhibit is one of serving "national interest" even as he rages over not only losing millions of ad revenue from the Dabur company but that he could have slept well partially if the advertisement had not been funneled to his one time inseparable pal friend now turned archrival.
It was Sirohiya who led the campaign against foreign investment in Nepali media. He paid for a major media gathering to allow voices to be raised against foreign investment in media. Some of the participants raised concerns out of conviction. Sirohiya looked worried more about the compulsion of competition for circulation and ad revenue than anything else, after the "Himalayan Times" made entry and "Annapurna Post" followed suit. Bulk advertisement from Indian companies is guaranteed for the latter two. This alone has made "Himalayan Times" a profit-making paper, even if "Annapurna Post" continues to lose money.
Nepali media have always been in the know about the Indian embassy using Indian company advertisements for political purposes in Nepal. "Kantipur" chaps were also in the know. It is only that they did not raise the issue as long as the dinner was good. They were in glee when the ad dried up to other daily and weekly papers for writing critical comments on Nepal-India relations. The situation has changed, as the "Kantipur" bosses should realize.
That is why, Kantipur House looked so isolated from much of the rest of the media. Pro-Maoist media raised some voice because it suited their political purpose at a time when Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has been making a spate of critical statements on Indian interference in Nepal’s domestic political affairs.
"Nagarik" has made significant inroads into the "Kantipur" turf, although "Republica" is yet to make proportionately similar dent on its archrival "The Kathmandu Post". But both the "Post" and the "Republica" are proving to be a drag on their parent company. Their editors experiment with gimmicks that do not work with the public, except the foreign community whose sympathies do not lift the publications from the red.
"Post" editor Akhilesh Upadhyay’s penchant for articles and statements pouring in from UNMIN and especially American agencies and writers is being linked with his previous work experience at INGOs. Prateek Pradhan, with his limited knowledge and limited writing skills, should vouchsafe for such accounts. His years in Kantipur group and "Republica" establishment did not give anything much to make the country’s first broadsheet daily business paper run even at a snail-like pace. Is it because of the resultant anguish that this someone who considers himself as a professional joined the Nepali Congress publicity committee for the party’s general convention recently?
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10th ROUND VOTE FOR PM 6 OCTOBER

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: Tenth round voting for prime minister will be held
6 October.
The 9th round of voting in parliament was inconclusive Thursday.
NC Vice-president is the only candidate in the race.
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WRIT AGAINST PRESIDENT DISMISSED
Kathmandu, 30 Sept: A three-judge bench of the supreme court Thursday a dismissed a writ petition filed 17 months ago challenging the legality of ceremonial President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to retain sacked Army Chief Gen. Rukmangud Katwal.
Yadav acted on therequest of 18 political parties.
Katawal was sacked by a Maoist government led by Maoist Chairman Prachanda.
The apex court rules the presidential move isn’t relevant because Katawal and his successor General Kul Bahadur Khadka appointed by Maoists have retired.
Maoists sacked Katawal 3 May, 2009.
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JOURNALISTS IN SPOTLIGHT

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: The recent troubles of two journalists have put the spotlight on the new pains gripping the profession. Not that the tribe ever really had it easy in Nepal. Under the Ranas, the only place where the dissemination of news and views stood a chance was in exile, Maila Baje writes in Nepali Netbook.
The dawn of democracy promised to bring a new morning for the fourth estate. Publications competed with politicians to capture the public domain. Newspapers became instruments to attain power as well as places to settle scores after the fall.
With the rise of the Panchayat system, the press and the parties fell together. But a new breed of scribes came up. The joie de vivre of the private-sector papers compensated for the staidness of the government press. Many editors masqueraded as critics of the partyless system, while the real crusaders were hurting.
If the palace press secretariat emerged as the chief national editorial board, it did its job with some semblance of order. In the 1960s, one key official was an academic while another had a degree in journalism. The man at the top during much of the 1970s and 1980s at least came to the job with a letter to the editor published in TIME magazine in defense of the crown.
The year of the referendum brought a new spring. Although the Panchayat system got a decade-long extension, the papers, like the still-banned parties, refused to let go of their freedoms. Opposition grew from within the liberal flank of the Panchayat system and was reflected in the weekly press.
When a pancha-cum-turned journalist was shot, the clumsiness of the perpetrator did not diminish the arrival of the new peril. But you still had legions of boisterous men in safari suits raking in their Dasain allowances and government advertisements, while the real opposition was toiling away. So these latter journalists participated as well as covered the movement to restore multiparty democracy in 1990.
The advent of private-sector media houses brought a new breed of young and enterprising people who tended to consider themselves only behind the king, queen and crown prince in the national order of precedence. (Not Maila Baje’s characterization but an actual assertion by a member of that group, made with a tinge of cynicism.)
Times had changed in less assuring ways. A Maoist editor was one of the early high-profile victims of that convulsion. In the aftermath of the Narayanhity carnage, the editor of the largest daily was arrested for printing an opinion piece by a top Maoist. It was perfidious alright but also provided a critical foray into the geopolitical maneuvering preceding the tragedy.
When a tabloid printed that damaging picture that forced the ostensible subject, an aspiring actress, to commit suicide, the editor’s life seemed to hang in the balance. Shortly thereafter, Nepal turned into an internationally certified death zone for journalists.
Sadly, journalists continue to lose their lives. But the increasing danger is one of a death by a thousand cuts. An editor who also happens to be an advisor to the vice-president, who has not endeared him to anyone, is arrested for having printed an advertisement for recruitment in a banned armed outfit.
Another reporter, visible on the increasingly rancorous water resources beat for a leading daily, is prosecuted for sexually harassing a co-worker. There are just too many holes. The story behind the stories is probably already having a chilling effect in the trade.
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PLA WANTS INTEGRATION MODALITY

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: People’s Liberation Army (PLA) commanders in the cantonments have sought from their leadership a clear cut modality for integration and rehabilitation and a credible assurance of the writing of the new constitution before they are formally brought under the command and control of the special committee- a government formed body for supervising, integrating and rehabilitating Maoist combatants, Kiran Chapagain reports in Repbulica.
PLA commanders forwarded their conditions to their deputy commanders who have been touring different cantonments to prepare PLA members for the much awaited process of integration and rehabilitation of over 19,000 Maoist army personnel.
“They asked us about the modality of their integration and rehabilitation and sought credible assurance about the writing of a new constitution that will reflect their aspirations for change, including a guarantee of state restructuring,” Janardhan Sharma, a member on the special committee who visited the cantonments to brief combatants about the recent developments concerning management on ex-Maoist fighters, told Republica Tuesday.
All PLA deputy commander have been touring major cantonments to brief commanders about the September 16 decision of a the special committee to in principle disassociate the PLA from the Maoist party.
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DEUBA SIDE TO BE DENIED IMPORTANT PARTY POSTS

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: Newly elected NC President Sushil Koirala won’t give the vice-presidency and general secretary posts to rival Sher Bahadur Deuba group, Kantipur reports quoting an unidentified senior party source.
Deuba side has been demanding either the post of vice-president or general secretary and joint general secretary.
To forge party unity—a message given by the general convention—Deuba faction will be accommodated in the central committee, parliamentary committee and business advisory committee.
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9TH ROUND VOTING FOR PM THURSDAY

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: Ninth round voting for prime minister to replace caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal is being later Thursday.
NC Vice-president is the sole candidate in the race after Maoist Chairman Prachanda withdrew from the contest.
Thursday’s contest will also be inconclusive after Maoists and UML decided not to participate in the vote.
Paudel can’t get the 301 majority to ensure his victory.
Paudel says he won’t withdraw from the contest until constitution drafting and the peace process are ensured with Maoist cooperation.
The decision of UML to stay neutral has embittered relations with its present coalition partner—NC which fears a communist takeover jointly my Maoists and UML.
Eleven parties, including Maoists and UML, Wednesday asked Speaker Subash Nemwang to intervene and exercise special powers to break the deadlock by beginning a new process even by amending parliamentary procedures.
Nemwang says he doesn’t have such power adding the process will continue until Paudel withdrawn from the contest.
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SUSHIL KOIRALA RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: Newly elected NC President Sushil
Koirala was released Wednesday from hospital where he was undergoing treatment for pneumonia.
He’s been advised a week’s complete bed rest.
Meanwhile, NC is distributing certificates to 64 elected office bearers and central working committee (CWC) members.
The president will nominate 21 office bearers and CNC members to strengthen his grip over the party.
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VERDICT ON PRESIDENTIAL ACTION THURSDAY

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: A special bench of the supreme court is scheduled to give its verdict on a controversial action by ceremonial president Dr Ram Baran Yadav to retain sacked Army Chief Gen. Rukmangud Katawal by the Maoist government led by Chairman Prachanda,
The presidential action was challenged in a writ filed 10 months ago.
The apex court has taken a long time to give its verdict.
Essentially, petitioners claim the presidential action was unconstitutional.
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ARMY CHIEF VISITING UK

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: Army Chief Gen. Chatraman Singh Gurung begins a four-day official visit ot the United Kingdom 3 October.
He will lead a four-member delegation.
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THREE JAPANSE, ONE NEPALI MISSING OF DHAULAGIRI

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: Three Japanese and a Sherpa guide are missing on Dhaulagiri.
They were caught in an avalanche.
Two Japanese were rescued by helicopter to the capital Wednesday and two others are safe.
Osamu Tanabe, Toshio Yamamoto, Daisukr Honda and their guide went missing soon after they began their assault of the peak from base camp.
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RADHA KRISHNA MAINALI JOINS MAOISTS

Kathmandu, 30 Sept. Radha Krishna Mainali, a top UML leader who joined hands with then King Gyanendra, entered UCPN (Maoist) Wednesday.
He was welcomed into the main opposition by Chairman Prachanda.
Mainali was education minister in the royal government.
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DANISH, UNDP HELP FOR NEW VOTER REGISTRATION SYSTEM

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: Danish embassy and UNDP Wednesday gave the election commission a $2.1 million grant to implement a project to develop a new voter registration system with photos and fingerprints of citizens.
Madesh parties have opposed the drive.
The election commission says the voter’s list for the2008 constituent assembly elections can’t be a basis for the proposed new system as five million fraudulent voters were enlisted.
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SHIVANI AIR CHIEF ARRESTED

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: Manindra Lal Ranjitkar, chief of Shivani Air
was arrested Wednesday in the capital.
He was arrested following complaints from aspiring pilots who were duped Rs 42.7 million.
Shivani Air promised them pilot training.
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JANAMORCHA LEADER HELD LFOR ATTEMPTING TO BRIBE POLICE

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: Janamorcha Nepal treasurer Krishna Prasad Jarti was arrested Wednesday from the office of SP Ramesh Kharel for attempting to bribe him Rs 25,000 to get some persons enlisted in Nepal Police.
Driver Sunil Kumar Shrestha was also arrested.
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HOME MINISTER RAWAL RETURNS THURSDAY

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: Home Minister Bhim Rawal returns home Thursday from New York where he led the Nepali delegation to the current UN general assembly session.
He deputized Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala couldn’t attend the session because of her preoccupation with the NC general convention.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

SAARC TRADE FAIR 15 DEC.

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: The 15t SAARC trade fair is being held at Bhrikito Mandap from 15 to 18 December.
The fair slogan is: Regional Development Through Trade.
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OMAN AIR BEGINS OPERATIONS

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: Oman Air Wednesday began direct flights to Kathmandu from Muscat becoming the 27th airline to fly into Nepal.
The airline will operate four weekly flights using a Boeing 737-800.
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JUNKO TABEI GODWILL AMBASSADOR FOR NTY 2011

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: Junko Tabei, the first woman to climb the 8848 meters high Mount Everest in 1975, has been appointed goodwill ambassador for Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2011 by government.
She was appointed during the first launch of a campaign in Tokyo 27 September by Nepal embassy and the secretariat of the campaign.
Japanese Everest climbers Yuchiro Miora, Gora Miura and Mikohito Fujomori were also appointed goodwill ambassadors.
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CHINA TO EXTEND RAILWAY NETWORK TO NEPAL BORDER

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: China has started the extension of Qinghai-Tibet railway line from Lhasa to the Nepal border, RSS reports from Beijing.
The 253-kmlong railway project that aims to link Tibetan capital of Lhasa to the region’s second largest city, Xigaze, will take about four years to complete, according to Chinese media,
Xigaze, located southwest of Lhasa, lies at the Mount Everest foot and borders Nepal.
China said the extension of the railway is a key project in the country’s long and medium-term railway network expansion and will speed up Tibet’s social and economic development.
A railway project that will link Lhasa to the eastern Tibet city of Niyngchi and another route to Nepal border are currently in the planning phase.
In October last year, Nepal had urged China to extend the Beijing Lhasa railway line till Kathmandu.
Nepal and China share more than 1,400 km of border, The extension of the railway line up to the Nepal-China border will greatly facilitate bilateral trade, tourism and solidify the foundation of bilateral relations.
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SPORTS

NO EXTENSION FOR ROY LUKE DIAS

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: The tenure of Sri Lankan cricket coach Roy Luke Dias won’t be extended after it ends December.
Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) took the decision Wednesday.
Dias, who came to Nepal in 2001, played a lead role in developing and popularizing cricket in Nepal.
He will coach the Nepali team for the 16th ASIAD in China later this year.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Resignation of the majority government led by UML was not the party’s decision, but a suggestion from foreigners.”

(Bhaktapur communist leader Narayanman Bijukakchaya, The Himalayan Times, 30 Sept.)

“Nepal is not in chaos, its transition may by messy and confusing but they are not anarchic. There is an order within the political change, albeit one that can be mysterious and unappealing to outsiders, the resilience of Nepal’s political process acts against fundamental transformations.”

(Latest International Crisis Group report on Nepal, The Kathmandu Post, 30 Sept.)
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SC rejects limits imposed by constitution

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: The Supreme Court today [Wednesday] rejected a limitation imposed by the Interim Constitution on it to interpret the constitution with the spirit of Jana Andolan-II in mind, The Himalayan Times reports..

Rejecting the limitation, a division bench of Justices Bala Ram KC and Gauri Dhakal said the apex court cannot be limited within the spirit of the Jana Andolan-II. Rather, it has to exercise its authority within the periphery of internationally accepted judicial standards and norms. “If the limitation remains intact, the judiciary will lose its independence,” the bench stated.

In a bid to bring the judiciary under its control, the parliament had imposed the limitation on SC after the success of Jana Andolan-II. “Verdicts of the court will turn into political decisions if it is to decide disputes without considering the Constitution and law and if it is forced to decide with only consideration of Jana Andolan-II. Such a situation means the judiciary shall lose it independence and impartial and competent character,” the bench observed.

Making the full text of judgment in relation to the recruitment row of army personnel public, the bench said that the apex court cannot be politically biased. The Supreme Court, however said that the judiciary shall take the movement in its judicial notice because the Constitution itself is the outcome of the movement .

“Judges cannot consider the power, authority and influence of any person while deciding a case, but their decisions must be accountable to the constitution and they must keep the oath they have taken in their mind while deciding on disputes,” the bench observed.

Stating that recruitment of Nepali Army personnel is a matter of the Joint Monitoring Coordination Committee (JMCC) as per the agreement on Monitoring of the Management of Arms and Armies, the bench said that it does not hold jurisdiction on such non-judicial matters.

The writ petition

challenging recruitment

in Nepali Army filed by

INHURED international was quashed, stating that the issue of recruitment in the army was not a judicial job. The bench said that the both signatory parties — the government and Maoists — have to seek

solution from the JMCC

as both parties have agreed to settle such disputes through the JMCC if

any arises.

The bench also added that the judiciary always performs its work equally and it cannot evade its duty of providing justice to people by protecting human rights and life and liberty of the public. The bench stated that the Comprehensive Peace Accord is not a part of the Constitution, and anything mentioned in the CPA does not hold the importance of a constitutional provision.

“Though the situation is in transitional phase, the judiciary cannot stop the process of providing justice based on the existing Constitution, law and the accepted judicial norms.”
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Nepali students fear double Danish whammy

Kathmandu, 30 Sept.: In the wake of the call of the Danish People’s Party (DP) to the parliament, Nepali students in Denmark are worried that the Danish government will stop free healthcare services offered to immigrants, The Kathmandu Post reports from Copenhagen.

The party recently proposed that non-Western immigrants be denied all social benefits, including free healthcare, for the first seven years that they are in the country. The proposal is currently under discussion.

“If we are to pay for our medical expenses, then there is no way we can pay our college fees,” said Nawaraj Mainali. He fears that the parliament could approve the DP proposal, noting that the party wields substantial influence in the government legislation.

If the benefits are cut Nepali students will be hit hard, an official at the Nepali Embassy said. Unlike immigrants from many other countries, Nepali immigrants do not receive tax waiver.

In other words, Nepali students are paying more tax to the Danish government compared to non-residents from other countries.

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GOVT. NOT TO FUND FOREIGN TRIPS

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: Following a financial crunch without the presentation of full budget even by the end of September, cabinet Tuesday decided not to finance foreign trips of ministers and officials until presentation of a new budget.
Communication Minister Shanker Pokhrel made the announcement after a cabinet meet.
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RS. 16B IN NA WELFARE FUND

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: There’s Rs 16 billion balance in Nepali and foreign currency in the Nepal Army’s (NA) welfare fund, according to Brig. Gen. Purna Chandra Thapa, Chief of the Directorate of Welfare Schemes.
“Four billion has yet to be reimbursed from UN peacekeeping missions,” Thapa said.
The money has been deposited in 60 financial institutions, mainly commercial banks yielding a Rs 930 million interest.
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NC CHIEF SECRETARY RESIGNS

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: NC Chief Secretary, Jivan Prem Shrestha, a close associate of Sher Bahadur Deuba, resigned Tuesday.
He was defeated in last week’s election for the central working committee.
Panel of President Sushil Koirala swept elections.
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$2M UN GRANT FOR NEPAL

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: UN Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valarie Amos announced a $2 million grant to UN agencies in Nepal to fund seven life-saving humanitarian projects.
The money will be funded through Central Emergency Relief Fund.
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NC ready to pull out of PM's race

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: Nepali Congress is keeping all options open, including withdrawal from the ongoing prime ministerial race, to end the current political deadlock. The party will hold talks with the Unified CPN-Maoist tomorrow to find a way out of the deadlock, Prakash Acharya writes in The HimalayanTimes..

However, the party said at least the three major parties would have to reach an agreement on prominent issues of the peace process and new constitution before it took a decision.

A meeting of the party’s top leaders held today at its Parliamentary Party office in Singha Durbar, took the decision to this effect. The parliament has failed to elect new prime minister even after eight rounds of polling. NC’s Ram Chandra Paudel is the sole contender in the race after Unified CPN-Maoist’s Pushpa Kamal Dahal withdrew his candidacy on Sunday. The PM’s post has been lying vacant since Madhav Kumar Nepal resigned on June 30.

The ninth round of polling is slated for Thursday.

NC will prepare a draft of the party’s bottom-line by tomorrow morning to end the political stalemate. The party’s top leaders will again meet tomorrow morning to finalise possible alternatives, according to sources. “We will hold a meeting with Unified CPN-Maoist tomorrow. Talks with CPN-UML and other parties will continue,” said NC leader Arjun Narsingh KC.

NC PP leader Ram Chandra Paudel said, “We will hold talks with big as well as fringe political parties to resolve the crisis.” He, however, said the consensus would not be achieved until the parties agreed to address its concerns on peace and constitution.

KC said, “We are ready to withdraw from the prime ministerial race. But we can neither form a new consensus government nor address the national problems without reaching an agreement on the issues of peace and new constitution. Our talks will focus on that.”

“Both — withdrawing from the race for PM without a concrete agreement and sole candidate continuing the race — are meaningless. The only way out is to reach consensus on main agendas,” KC said.

Paudel, new general secretary Prakash Man Singh and other leaders — Arjun Narsingh KC, Bimalendra Nidhi, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Mahesh Acharya and Laxman Prasad Ghimire — were present during the meeting. NC leaders’ meeting followed a meeting of the top-brass of major political parties called by Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Nembang at his office. The meeting was attended by the leaders of UCPN-M, NC, CPN-UML and United Democratic Madhesi Front. It had ended inconclusively.
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PM asks acting CEC to elaborate stance

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Tuesday asked the Acting Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nilkanta Upreti to explain his remarks that the electoral roll used during the 2008 Constituent Assembly election had listed 25 to 30 percent more voters than the actual number of eligible voters, Kamal Raj Regmi writes in The Kathmandu Post..

The prime minister’s move follows a strong objection from the Madhes-based parties over Upreti’s remarks on Monday.

Upreti, however, defended himself saying that his claims were based on EC reports and that in the absence of any other document, citizenship certificate is the only credible basis for a new electoral roll. As the head of a constitutional body, the CEC is outside the purview of the government.

“We strongly believe that citizenship certificate can be the only credible basis for preparing new electoral roll. But if the government can give us any other credible basis, we are ready to accept it,” Upreti told the Post.

The Madhes parties, which have demanded that citizenship should not be the basis for preparing a new electoral roll, have been obstructing the EC project to update the electoral roll.

Upreti, however, said the electoral roll project was started with the consent of the political parties, including the Madhes-based ones.

On Tuesday, leaders of Madhes-based parties had asked the prime minister to inquire of the EC about the media reports that quoted Upreti as saying that the old roll was found to have listed around 5 million voters than the actual number.

Upreti said the old list showed a higher number of voters because of multiple voter registration of a single

person and failure to delete names of the dead and those who had migrated to another country, and those who were listed on fake citizenship certificates.

According to EC records, of the total 17.9 million voters listed in the old roll, only 10.5 million voted, which Upreti said, is an indication that the roll had listed more names than the actual. The Madhes-based parties have warned that they would not accept the new list unless it is prepared after distributing citizenship certificates in the Tarai through yet another campaign. Home Ministry officials say a new citizenship campaign in such a short span of time will have serious implications on national security. The government had distributed 2.6 million citizenships through a nationwide door-to-door campaign before the electoral roll was prepared for the CA polls.

The Madhes-based parties have demanded that the old list prepared before the CA polls be the main basis for the new electoral roll instead of citizenship. Upreti, however, questioned the rationale: “Why should we prepare a new electoral roll if we are to copy and paste the same old list?” The Madhes-based parties, however, argue that there should be no problem in making the old roll a basis if the EC is to prepare a new one with photograph of each individual. “Besides, if the citizenship has to be the basis, the government should first issue a public notice asking people to take citizenships before preparing a new roll,” said Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato.

He also argued that since the information collected for the new roll is going to be used in issuing national ID cards, it must be prepared after distributing citizenship certificates to those who have not acquired it them yet.

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IMPASSE WORSENS AMID NC STAND

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: The protracted deadlock has become further complicated as leaders from major political parties stuck to their respective stances and failed to make any headway at a meeting called by Speaker Subash Nemwang on Tuesday, Thira L. Bhusal writes in Republica.
The meeting was convened with the objective of pushing the leaders to end the protracted deadlock in government formation, constitution writing and the peace process.
UCPN (Maoist) and UML leaders urged Nepali Congress (NC) prime ministerial candidate Ram Chandra Paudel to withdraw his candidacy and pave the way for forging consensus among the parties on electing a new prime minister.
But Paudel turned down the proposal outright. He said he would pullout of the race only after settling contentious issues surrounding the peace process.
“Implementation of past agreements on the peace process is a precondition for creating the environment for power sharing. We must do that before we enter into the agenda on government formation.” Paudel told reporters outside the speaker’s chamber at Singha Durbar, where the meeting convened.
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SENATORS APPEAL HILLARY CLINTON
•

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: While the US ban on inter-country adoption from Nepal continues, a group of U.S. Senators and members of the House last week sent a letter to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, calling on her department to expedite the approval of cases that are close to being decided, The Kathmandu Post reports.

“These families are enduring extreme emotional and financial burden while their adopted children’s cases are being investigated further,” the American newspaper Chicago Tribune quoted the lawmakers’ letter as saying.

In August, the United States banned inter-country adoptions from Nepal citing malpractices in the process. The U.S. has the highest number of adoptive parents vying to adopt Nepali kids.

At least 82 American adoptive parents have already been affected following the ban. Despite approval from the ministry, some 12 adoptive parents are stranded in Kathmandu after the U.S. Embassy here refused to move the adoption petition files.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MoWCSW) Tilak Ram Sharma said the ministry is doing homework

to make the inter-country adoption process more reliable along with

the formation of a high-level committee under the Secretary to the ministry. “The government will act in accordance with the recommendations of the committee to make the adoption process more transparent,” Sharma said.

Officials admitted that overhauling the whole adoption process was a Herculean task. “However, the ministry will do its best to comply with the Hague Convention on adoption,” Sharma added. Asked what the Nepali government can do to lessen the pain of adoptive parents, Sharma said the government has done its part and that the final decision is not in Nepal’s hands. “The decision on whether to allow their citizens to adopt Nepali children must be taken by the respective countries,” Sharma said.

According to ministry officials, at least 106 new applications

from American parents have already been rejected following the ban. Not only Americans, many prospective parents from other countries

also have been affected as the U.S. ban follows similar restrictions declared by Canada, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Britain.

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57 JUDICIAL KILLINGS IN TERAI

Kathmandu, 29 Sept.: The heads of the missions of the EU, Norway, Switzerland have expressed their deep concerns over alleged extra-judicial killings by security agencies in the Tarai where myriads armed groups have threatened law and order, Republica reports.
The diplomats from the European countries became alarmed over the rights situation in the southern plains after the Office of the High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal accused the security agencies of committing extra-judicial killings in the region.
OHCHR-N, UN rights body, in its report released last week said it documented 57 extra-judicial killings allegedly committed by security forces in the terai between January 2008 and June 2010. It also recommended to investigate the abuses and address the problem of impunity in the region.
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PM CONVENES MEETING OF 10 RULING PARTIES

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal is convening meeting of 10 ruling parties Tuesday to discuss difficulties being encountered by government is running the administration without a full budget even by the end of September.
The meeting is being held as Maoists have failed to form a government in more than two months even after forcing the resignation of Nepal.
NC has become wary Maoists and UML are attempting to form a majority government.
The conclave is being held the same day Speaker Subash Nemwang has convened a meeting of Maoists, NC, UML and Madesh parties government formation and statute drafting.
No progress has been recorded in four months in completing a draft of a constitution to institutionalize a republic even exactly four months after the tenure of the elected constituent assembly (CA) was extended by one year 28 May.
Nemwang is attempting to end the political deadlock.
The meeting has been called as the CA is again reconsidering rescheduling programme to promulgate a constitution.
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RAM CHANDRA PAUDEL HURLS CHARGES AGAINST MAOISTS UML

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: NC Vice-President Ram Chandra Paudel, the only candidate remaining in the race for prime minister, Tuesday charged Maoists and UML for trying to ‘corner him”.
“Why should I quit? It’s for parliament to decide,” Paudel told Kantipur Headliners Tuesday morning.
He charged the two powers at attempting to grab power.
“UML is making mockery of democracy,” he charged as UML remained neutral in voting,
The ninth round voting will be held Thursday; the parliamentary election will again be inconclusive if parties persist with their positions.
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NEXT MOVE OF SUSHIL KOIRALA BEING WATCHED

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: Following the election of the NC party president, general secretary, treasurer and 61 central working committee (CWC) members, analysts are watching the next moves of Sushil Koirala who is expected to be discharged from hospital Tuesday.
The newly elected president was admitted to hospital for treatment of pneumonia.
Koirala can appoint 21 members to the CWC to strengthen his grip of the organization; political analysts are watching how he’ll accommodate Sher Bahadur Deuba in the party where his supporters were elected CWC members although the panel of the three-time prime minister failed to capture the presidency and the powerful position of general secretary.
Prakash Man Singh, son of Ganesh Man Singh, has strengthened his hold on the country’s oldest political party by capturing more vote than Koirala.
The Sushil panel won 35 while the Deuba panel won 29 seats in the CWC.
The Koirala clan did well in the election.
Sujata and Shekhar Koirala, who were defeated in the April 2008 election were elected in party elections; Shashanka Koirala, son of BP, was also elected along with relative Amod Upadhaya and Mahesh Acharya.
Ram Krishna Tanrakar, Shobakar Parajuli and former IGP DB Lama lost elections.
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PARAS SHAH RECEIVES TIKA FROM GODDESS KUMARI

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: Former Crown Prince Paras received tika and prashad from Goddess Kumari on the last day on Indrajatra Monday.
President Dr Ram Baran Yadav also visited Kumari Ghar to receive tika and Prasad.
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HIMANI TRUST REGISTERED

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: Former Crown Princess Himani Shah Monday registered “Himani Trust” in her name at the Kathmandu district administration office.
She collected the registration certificate personally with a retinue of former royal family members.
The trust will work for the welfare of children, women, destitute and promote skill development projects.
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PRESIDENT CONSULTS NEPAL BAR ASSOCIATION MEMBERS

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav Monday consulted members of the Nepal Bar Association members amid a deepening and prolonged political crisis.
A concerned president had consulted other lawyers.
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TWO INJURED IN BARA BLAST

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: Two persons were injured in a bomb blast at Simraungadh in Bara Monday.
Bimal Mahoto, 40, and Bihari Mahoto, 45, were injured.
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CIAA SEEKS DETAILS

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: CIAA Monday wrote a letters to the parliament secretariat and the Office of the Prime Minister seeking names of ministers and lawmakers who haven’t submitted their property details.
Letters were sent to Chief Secretary Madhav Ghimere and Secretary General of Parliament Manohar Bhattarai.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

INDIA ASSIST FOR CDS

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood Monday handed over a Rs 51.2 million grant to Nepal Stock Exchange (Nepse) to establish a central depository system (CDS).
The grant will be used to develop software to operate CDS at the Nepse.
Nepal has signed an agreement with CMC India Ltd to develop the software.
India is supporting the project with a Rs 150 million grant.
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MUTUAL FUND REGULATION ENFORCED

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: Securities Board of Nepal (Sebon) Monday enforced the Mutual Fund Regulation after the finance ministry last week approved it.
With the enforcement, companies floating shares in the market, will have to set aside five percent shares for the mutual funds.
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12 NAXALITES KILLED

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: Around 12 Maoists have been killed in a massive anti-Naxal operation launched jointly by security forces of Jharkhand and Orissa since Saturday in Samanda forest, a top official said, according to a PTI report from Jamshedpur Monday.
Jharkhand Director General of Police Nayar Ahmad said that ten to 12 Maoists have been killed since Saturday, with some of the bodies having been found.
Meanwhile, the Maoists blew up a hostel and panchayat bhawan at Anandpur and triggered three landmine blasts in the Tirilposhi jungle this morning [Monday].
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NEPALI COMMNITY LEADERS PICKED IN HONG KONG

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: Hong Kong Police has made 18 Nepali youths community ambassadors in a bid to better relations with the community that deteriorated following the death of Dil Bahadur Limbu 18 months ago, Purna Basnet reports from Hong Kong in Republica.
Although the coroner’s inquest gave clean chit to the police officer who shot Limbu in March 2009, the police seem to have learnt a lesson and have also formed a special Nepali task force to mend fences and control crime in the community.
The initiative started as the Nepalese Crime Prevention Ambassador last year has been renamed Nepalese Engaging the Community Ambassador and it has included youths from the field of journalism, teaching , medicine and social services. Half of these ambassadors are female.
Similarly, the Nepali task force aims to curb crime in the community that is on top in drug abuse among minorities, The police have also been recruited persons five different minority communities, including Nepalis.
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HOME MINISTER RAWAL MEETS INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: India has expressed interest to seen Nepal’s peace process reach a logical end as quickly as possible, The Kathmandu Post reports from New York.
India’s External Affairs Minister SM Krishna expressed such an interest in his meeting with Home Minister Bhim Rawal here.
“India hopes Nepal’s peace process will wrap up successfully within the slated time,” Rawal said, quoting Krishna.
Rawal, who attended a reception organized by Krishna on Saturday evening, also briefed Krishna on the latest developments in Nepal’s peace process.
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EC sends SOS on voter ID card plan

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: In wake of the Madhes-based parties continuing protests in various districts against the Election Commission’s (EC) undergoing attempt to distribute new voter identity cards based on citizenship certificates, the Commission on Monday held discussions with top leaders of nine political parties elected through the first-past-the-post electoral system, The Kathmandu Post reports..

During the discussion, Madhesi leaders said EC shouldn’t ask for citizenship certificates while collecting the details for voter ID cards and asked the government to sent a team to distribute citizenship.

“Large numbers of Madhesi people are deprived of citizenship,” said Vice Chair of Sadbhavana Party Laxman Lal Karna. “The Madhesi people’s right to vote shouldn’t be curtailed in the name of citizenship.”

Chairman of Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum Loktantrik Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar said the Commission must go ahead with the campaign making last year’s voter list the basis.

However, leaders of major parties expressed diverse opinions and stressed for the need of producing legal documents for voter-list.

UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal louded the EC’s initiative. However, EC spokesman Rajendra Sharma said, “Political leaders should sit together to solve the citizenship related problems in the southern plain areas.”

Nepali Congress chief whip Laxman Prasad Ghimire, however, ruled out the Madhesi leaders’ demand of granting voter ID cards without producing citizenship.

“Producing citizenship is the most important thing. Only the Nepali citizen will get chance to get the voting right,” Ghimire said. “Those people who haven’t got citizenship should visit the respective District Administration Offices and get it done.”

Senior leaders, including Dahal, Gachhadar and Karna were Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel, Prakash Man Singh, and CPN UML Chair Jhal Nath Khanal, Ishwor Pokhrel, Bidhya Bhandari and Nepal Majdoor Kishn Party leader Narayan Man Bijukchhe, attended the discussion.

EC on Monday informed that the collection of voter-list has come a cropper in some districts, including Kapilvastu, Nawalparsi, Parsa, Rupandehi and Banke. Election officials said that voter-list cannot be provided to those who cannot produce citizenship.

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Worst deforestation in three decades!

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: Money does grow on trees...That’s what a House committee report has surmised after conducting a field study on deforestation and rampant corruption in the forest sector. The parliamentary Committee on Natural Resources and Means report claims that last year country saw the worst deforestation in 30 years, Ramesh Prasad Bhusal writes in The Himalayan Times reports.

The committee today endorsed a detailed study report on deforestation in last one year — comparing the depletion of forests in the lower plains and Churia range to that in 1979, widely believed to be the worst year in terms of deforestation — and forwarded it to the parliament for deliberations.

“I felt like crying after reading the report prepared by the committee. I strongly urge the authorities concerned to bring the wrong-doers to book,” said Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Nembang.

The report prepared by seven sub-committees under the parliamentary committee after visiting 27 districts — Jhapa in the east to Kanchanpur in the west — claimed that deforestation, especially in the Tarai region, was at its worst. The report in its introductory part states ‘tree felling in 1979 during the Panchayat regime was rampant. Last year gave the glimpses of the same’.

“It took us three months to prepare the report and the corruption in the forestry sector has been found to be at its peak. It needs immediate addressing,” said Chairperson of the Committee, Shanta Chaudhary.

The report has concluded that the forests in the country were still in the grip of a few feudals, and bureaucrats were playing the role of a mediator and were highly engaged in irregularities.

The 51-page report has accused the government of turning a deaf ear to such a huge issue. Blaming all — political parties, government officials, community forest users — for turning the green forests into barren land, the report said no one should be spared.

It quotes Morang District Forest Officer Lal Narayan Singh: “The forest minister and director general of Department of Forests had sought money from me for my transfer, and in addition, officials at the Ministry of General Administration too wanted me to grease their palm to get consent for my transfer.”

The report terms government employee unions the catalyst for rampant corruption in the forest sector, adding that the leaders of the union are misusing their authority. They opt to stay in the most lucrative areas, mostly in the Tarai, where tree felling is high, added the report. “The union leaders are hardly working to protect employees’ rights; their ultimate aim is to benefit themselves and their near and dear ones,” mentions the report.

The report recommends that the government should bring about a radical change in the organisational structure of the Ministry of Forest, if it were to save at least 40 per cent of the total land covered with forests.
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LAW TO EXTRADITE THIRD COUNTRY NATIONALS PREPARED
Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: Law ministry has prepared enabling the extradition of third country nationals and will be sent this week to the cabinet for approval, Kantipur reports.
Parliament will then have to approve it for enforcement.
The road then will be paved for extradition of such nationals to countries with which Nepal has extradition treaty.
“When the law is enforced, if a third country national is living in Nepal after committing a crime in another count, such a person can be extradited to a country where the crime has been commected,” a senior government source told Kantipur.
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FIVE MILLION VOTERS FRAUD
Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: Acting Chief Election Commissioner Nilkantha Uprety said five million voters in the 2064 voters’ list are fake, Kiran Bhandari reports in Nagarik.
“The voters’ list of the 2008 constituent assembly election is flawed.” Uprety told reporters after a meeting with leaders of nine political parties. ”If data is collected making that a base, non-nationals can vote.”
He said 25 to 30 percent fake voters will again be Madeshis if a voters’ list is prepared as demanded by Madeshbadi parties making the voters’ list three years a base.
“To make the next election impartial and flawless, a voters’ list with finger prints and photos is being computerized. A new list is being prepared to remove past mistakes. The old list can’t be a basis,” he said.
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PRACHANDA GOING TO MALAYSIA FRIDAY

Kathmandu, 28 Sept.: Maoist Chairman Prachanda is going Friday to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to attend a conference of Asian Pacific and Exchange Cooperation Foundation, Naya Patrika reports.
He’ll be accompanied by Chief of Foreign Department Krishna Bahadur Mahara and son Prakash.
Prachanda is also going to China to attend the closing ceremony of Shanghai Expo.
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New NC central leadership elected

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: NC youth leader Gagan Thapa and educationist swept elections And father-in law and Spokesman Arjun Narsingh KC swept elections for the NC central working committee (CWC) collecting the most votes .
Elections were held six days ago for a four-year term.
Khum Bahadur Khadka, a supporter of Sher Bahadur Deuba tallied third lby garnering 1791 votes.
Relatives of the Koirala family fared well.

Sashank Koirala, son of BP Koirala, Suhata Koirala, daughter of Girija, were elected.
But former foreign minister and ambassador to India Chakra Prasad Bastola was defeated; he’s a nephew of the Koirala family.
Bastola exposed the Indian link to sign a 12-point agreement with Maoists to topple monarchy following Girija’s death this year and supported the candidacy of sided of third candidate Bhim Bahadur Tamang as president.
Chiranjibi Wagle and Gobinda Raj Joshi were also defeated.
Ideologue Pradip Giri was elected along with Chandra Bhandari and Shankar Bhandari.

Newly elected NC office bearers

1. Sushil Koirala, president, (1,652)

2. Prakash Man Singh, general secretary, (1,656)

3. Chitra Lekha Yadav, treasurer (1,559)

Newly elected NC CWC members

Open competition category:

1. Gagan Thapa (2,061)

2. Arjun Narsingh KC (2,034)

3. Khum Bahadur Khadka (1,791)

4. Dr. Sashank Koirala (1,767)

5. Pradip Giri (1,741)

6. Sujata Koirala (1,739)

7. Ram Chandra Paudel (1,703)

8. Dr Ram Sharan Mahat (1,699)

9. Bal Krishna Khad (1,606)

10. NP Saud (1,556)

11. Shekhar Koirala (1,531)

12. Mahesh Acharya (1,501)

13. Dr Minendra Rijal (1,435)

14. Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat (1,386)

15. Krishna Sitaula (1,373)

16. Chandra Bhandari (1,368)

17. Dr Narayan Khadka (1,340)

18. Gopal Shrestha (1,286)

19. Bal Bahaldur KC (1,286)

20. Purna Bahadur Khadka (1,246)

21. Shankar Bhandari (1,219)

22. Kul Bahadur Gurung (1,155)

23. Manmohan Bhattarai (1,080)

24. Gyanendra Bahadur Karki (1,168)

25. Deep Kumar Upadhyay (1,026)

Zonal category

1. Naredra Bikram Nembang, Mechi.(1,300)

2. Amod Prasad Upadhyaya , Koshi (1,275.)

3. Ram Kumar Chaudhary, Sagarmatha (1,075)

4. Ananda Prasad Dhungana, Janakpur (1,159)

5. Navindra Raj Joshi, Bagmati (1,375

6. Ramesh Rijal, Narayani (1,089)

7. Surendra Pd Pandey, Gandaki (1,017)

8. Arjun Pd Joshi, Dhaulagiri (1,289)

9. Krishna Chandra Nepali, Lumbini (1,080)

10. Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, Karnali (1,308)

11. Deepak Giri, Rapti (1,409)

12. Kishor Singh Rathor, Bheir (1,049)

13. Badri Pandey, Seti (1,124)

14. Dilendra Pd Badu, Mahakali (1,427)

Reserved quota:

Women:

1. Pushpa Bhusal (1,470)

2. Mina Pandey (1,419)

3. Kamala Devi Panta (1,242)

4. Ambika Basnet (1,103)

5. Mahalaxmi Upadhaya Dina (1,007)

6. Ishwori NeupaneDina (832)

Indigenous nationality

1. Bhishmaraj Angdambe (834)

2. Suryaman Tamang (724)

3. Dhanraj Gurung (667 )

4. Sita Gurung

5. Ratna Sherchan

Dalit:

1. Min Bahadur Bishwokarma (1,445)

2. Man Bahadur Bishwokarma (1,421)

3. Jiban Pariyar (959)

4. Sujata Pariyar (1,640)

5. Kabita Sardar (1,237)

Madhesi

1. Umakanta Chaudhari (1,089)

2. Ajaya Chaurasia (963)

3. Mahendra Yadav (914)

4. Parbati DC Chaudhari (1,414)

5. Minakshi Jha (1,395)

Muslim

1. Mohammed Aftab Alam
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PRESIDENT RECEIVES TOKA FROM KUMARI
Kathmandu, 27 Sept. President Dr Ram Baran Yadav received tika and prashad from Kumari or Living Goddess at Humari Ghar Monday evening on the last day of Indrajatra.
People were inconveniences with the movement of the president.
Traffic in and out of the city center was held up for nearly three years—never seen during the royal regime.
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PRACHANDA, PM MEET
Kathmandu, 27Sept.: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal held discussions with Maoist Chairman Prachanda and discussed integration and resettlement of 19,000 PLA combatants delayed for more than three years.
Prachanda asked Nepal to convene a meeting of the special committee headed by the premier to begin the processes, Prachanda’s aide said.
The meeting comes one day after failure to elect Nepal’s successor Sunday in the 8th round vote in parliament.
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LAWYER AND SUPPOSED WIFE OF SHOBRAJ JAILED
Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: Nihita Biswas, who claims she’s wife of convicted French serial killer Charles Shobraj and her mother and lawyer of Shobraj Shakuntala Thapa were convicted of contempt of court charge by a two-man bench of the supreme court Monday.
They protested a decision of the supreme court on July 30, upholding a conviction and life imprisonment awarded to him in a murder case in 1975 handed by a lower court.
The mother and daughter charges justices of taking bribes on awarding the sentence/
The bench awarded them a seven-day imprisonment .
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SUSHIL KOIRALA BEING DISCHARGED TUESDAY

Kathmandu, 27 Sept: NC President Sushil Koirala is being discharged Tuesday, according to Dr. Karbirnath Yogi who is treating him.
Koirala was admitted to TU Teaching Hospital for treatment of pneumonia.
He’s undergoing blood, urine, heart and lung examination Monday before discharge.
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INDRAJATRA FESTIVAL ENDS TUESDAY


Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: Indrajatra festival ends Monday evening with the pulling down of Indradhawaja at Basantapur Monday evening,
The chariots of Kumari, Ganesh and Bhairab will be pulled to Nanichayatra Yetkha tole Monday during the Nanicha yatra before the end of the festivities.
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TWO STAMPS RELEASED

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.; Two postage stamps related to climbing activities in Nepal were released by Postal Services Department Sunday.
Communications Minister Shanker Pokhrel affixed the first day cancellation mark on a postage stamp depicting the 8137meters high Dhaulagiri in the mid- West conquered for the first time by a Swiss expedition 50 years ago.
A stamp with a portrait of Pemba Doma Sherpa waas also released Sunday.
She is the first Nepali woman to climb the 8848 meters high Mount Everest, the world’s tallest peak, from the north and the second Nepali woman to climb Everest from the north and south as well.
She also scaled two other 8000 meter high peaks—Cho Oyu and Lhotse.
She died in a climbing accident on 27 May 2007.
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NEW LEADERSHIP IN TRANSPARENCY NEPAL

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: Former Attorney General Bishnu Bahadur KC was Sunday elected Chairman of Transparency Nepal by the 15th general assembly.
Members elected are: Shrihari Aryal, Komal Chitrakar, Ananda Raj Mulmi, Dr Ram Dayal Rakesh, Bharat Bahadur Thapa, Usha Nepal and Padmini Pradhannanga.
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SHRAWAN KUMAR AGRAWAL HEADS MARWARI SEWA SAMITI

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: Shrawan Kumar Agrawal, a constituent assembly member, has been unanimously elected Chairman of Marwari Sewa Simiti.
A 16-member executive committee has also been elected.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

CHINA EXTENDS BEIJING LHASA RAIL NETWORK TO SHIGATSE

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: China began work today [Sunday] on a rail spur that will connect the Tibetan capital of Lhasa wih Shigatse, the monastery town that is the seat of the Panchen Lama, the second-most powerful figure in Tibetan Buddhism, Reuters reports from Beijing.
The $ 1.98 billion spur follows the 2007 completion of a rail link to Lhasa, which critics charged would speed the Sinofication of Tibetan plateau and enable a sharp increase in mining and other industry in the environmentally fragile region.
The spur will ‘play a vital role in boosting tourism and promoting the rational use of resources along the line,” the Xinhua news agency cited Railway Minister Liu Zhijun as saying.
The spur which will take four years to complete, is designed to transport 8.3 million tones of freight annually.
(Note: The extension of the rail link finally up to the Nepal border will boost Nepal-China trade and have a strategic impact giving land-locked better access to mainland China.)
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NASA CHIEF ARRIVING

Kathmandu, 27 Sept. Charles F. Bolden, Chief of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), arrives 4 October from India for a visit, Naya Patrika reports quoting foreign ministry.
His visit is being coordinated by ICIMOD and USAID.
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44,000 GOATS BEING BROUGHT IN

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.” Government and private entrepreneurs are preparing to bring in 44,000 goats and sheep for Dasain, Rajdhani reports.
Private traders alone are bring in 40,000 goats.
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MADESH PARTIES OPPOSE DISTRIBUTION OF ID CARDS

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: Madesh parties have demanded scrapping a campaign of national election commission to distribute voter ID cards with photographs, Rajesh Sharma writes in Annapurna Post.
They have asked the government to end the campaign to distribute with photographs making citizen certificates the basis for distribution of such cards.
‘We’ve asked the government to stop the campaign because most terai residents won’t be include in the campaign to distribute cards based on citizenship certificates,” said MJFN Chairman Upendra Mahoto.
Reports from Nepalgunj and Parasi say distribution has been disrupted in these two areas, according to Annapurna Post.
In Nepalgunj three laptops and files have been seized.
Madesh parties started campaigning against the election commission work at Ramgram in Parasi.
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9TH ROUND VOTING FOR PM THURSDAY

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: Ninth round voting for prime minister to elect the successor of Caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal will be held in parliament Thursday 30 September.
The 8th round vote Sunday in which NC Vice-president Ram Chandra was the sole candidate couldn’t muster the required 301 majority vote.
Maoist Chairman Prachanda Sunday withdrew from the contest by withdrawing his candidacy.
Paudel collected only 116votes; altogether 102 lawmakers voted against him while 71 legislators stood neutral.
‘If Maoists abandon their politics of arms, I’m ready at any time to withdraw my candidacy,” said Paudel after the vote.
Nepal resigned more than two months ago under intense Maoist pressure and the country administered by a caretaker government that hasn’t been able to make important discussions like presenting the annual national budget in parliament which isn’t in session.
The budget session normally runs from June to the beginning of the festive season until the end of September.
For four months, the extended constituent assembly (CA) session hasn’t met to draft a proposed constitution to institutionalize a republic which has to be promulgated in another eight months.
Maoists and UML now favour mending parliamentary procedure to end the deadlock.
UML parliamentary party Sunday decided to amend parliamentary rules.
“We’ll push a proposal for an amendment. The rule must be amended now..’UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal said and called Maoist withdraw of Prachanda’s candidacy ‘positive’.
Before the vote Sunday, chief whips and leaders of parliamentary parties discussed ways of ending the extended deadlock and an amendment to house regulations at the legislature’s business advisory committee (BAC).

Congress and small parties questioned Maoists and UMl on a three-point accord between them to sty neutral in voting.
Maoists and UML asked the NC to pull out of the prime ministerial contest; Congress didn’t respond.
Congress is suspicious of he three-point deal between the two communist parties; The establishment of the UML led by Khanal is attempting to snap its ties with old coalition partner—UN.
Maoists and UML command a majority in parliament –making NC suspicious.
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PARAS VISITS KISHUNJI IN HOSPITAL

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: Former Crown Prince Paras Shah Sunday visited Former Prime Minister visited ailing Former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai at Norvic Hospital where he’s undergoing treatment.
Paras spent 10 minutes with Bhattarai and inquired about his from doctors as well.
“He’s been steadily improving since he was admitted two to three days ago,” for former Crown Prince told reporters after emerging from hospital.
“We had good relationship with him,” Shah said in reply to another question.
Bhattarai is a staunch supporter of multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy; he quit the country’s oldest party when it adopted a republican stance under Girija Prasad Koirala.
He rejected an invitation to attend the just concluded 12th general convention that elected Sushil Koirala for a four-year term callimg the organization ‘nakalli or ‘sham’.
‘They [people] should be allowed to follow their religion,” the former crown prince said in response to another question whether citizens should be allowed to follow their faith.
One day before Indjrajatra, government restricted movement of his father, former King Gyanendra, confining him to Nirmal Niwas and preventing him from going to Basantapur to facilitate four Living Kumaris or living Goddesses.
Government is also considering restricting access to the then king to temples by introducing a rule/
Government, unable to institutionalize a republic in the last two years, is feeling uncomfortable with Gyanendra’s visits to temples wince March this year drawing huge crowds shouting pro-monarchy slogans.
The local administration and the home ministry showed excessive force in restricting the free movement of the former king curtailing his right to movement and worship.
“We’ll accept the advise given to us,” Paras said in reply to a question whether his father would have accepted the decision of the government to restrict his movement.
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MAOIST MEET POSTPONED, VENUE CHANGED

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: The venue and date of the Maoist expanded central committee has been changed after an outbreak of dengue in Chitwan that has claimed fore than 19 lives.
The meeting was to have taken place in Chitwan from 23 October.
The pot party body will now meet in Gorkha 29 October.
A meeting of party office bearers took the decision Sunday.
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NEPALI, UKRAINIAN MISSING ON NARAYANI RIVER

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: A Nepali and an Ukrainian national have gone missing on Narayani river in Chitwan where they were bathing Sunday,
Hari Prasad Timalshina and Denzi Hulen are reported missing.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

NEPAL, CHENGDU AGREEMENT

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and Chengdi Tourism Bureau (CTB) have signed an memorandum of understanding (MoU) to promote travel between Nepal and Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan province.
The agreement was signed in Kathmandu Sunday.
The two organizations will promote Nepal-Lhasa-Chengdu single package tour.
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NRB TO AUCTION GOLD FROM TUESDAY

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: Nepal Rashtra Bank (NRB) will auction gold every Tuesday beginning 28 September.
Central bank officials and representatives of gold traders’ associations held a meeting Sunday and discussed procures for auction.
NRB decided 17 September to auction 1,000 kg to meet shortage.
The bank will sell 100 kg yellow metal and silver every Tuesday after two in the afternoon—one kg to each trader.
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Gagan Thapa holds lead in NC vote count

Kathmandu 27 Sept.: Nepali Congress youth leader Gagan Thapa has maintained a lead in the vote count of the party's Central Working Committee membership elections under the open category [until Sunday night], Keshav P Koirala lreports in The Himalayan Times..

Senior leaders of the party Arjun Narsingh KC, Khum Bahadur Khadka, Pradip Giri, Sujata Koirala and Dr. Sashank Koirala among others have followed him in the vote tally.

Interestingly, Thapa is KC's son-in-law. Three members of the Koirala family--Dr. Sashank, Dr. Shekhar Koirala, and Deputy Prime Minister Sujata--have also held lead. They are cousins.

The counting is being carried out at the party central office in Sanepa, Lalitpur for 25 seats under the open category and 14 under the zonal.

Dilendra Prasad Badu of Mahakali, Badri Pandey of Seti, Kishor Singh Rathaur of Bheri, Deepak Giri of Rapti, Jeevan Bahadur Shahi of Karnali, Bharat Kumar Shah of Lumbini, Surendra Prasad Pande of Gandaki, Ramesh Rijal of Narayani , Arjun Prasad Joshi of Dhaulagiri, Ananda Prasad Dhungana of Janakpur, Navindra Raj Joshi of Bagmati, Ram Kumar Chaudhari of Sagarmatha, Amod Prasad Upadhyay of Koshi and Nerendra Bikram Nembang have held lead over their rivals.

Above 3,000 National General Convention (NGC) representatives of the party had cast their votes on the final day of the NC's 12th NGC in Kathmandu on September 21.

Sushil Koirala has already been elected the party's president, Prakash Man Singh the general secretaray and Chitralekha Yadav the treasurer.

Under different reserved quotas, 16 leaders have already made it to the Central Working Committee of the country's largest democratic party.

Open category (25 seats)

With 2200 votes counted

Gagan Thapa: 1461

Arjun Narsingh KC: 1428

Khum Bahadur Khadka: 1296

Pradip Giri: 1278

Sashank Koirala: 1226

Sujata Koirala: 1221

Ram Chandra Paudel: 1208

Ram Sharan Mahat: 1194

Bal Krishna Khad: 1149

N P Saud: 1127

Shekhar Koirala: 1054

Mahesh Acharya: 1041

Minendra Rijal: 1033

Prakash Sharan Mahat : 1016

Chandra Bhandari: 993

Krishna Sitaula: 963

Gopal Man Shrestha: 951

Narayan Khadka: 928

Purna Bahadur Khadka: 924

Bal Bahadur KC: 917

Kul Bahadur Gurung: 800

Manmohan Bhattarai: 796

Shankar Bhandari: 894

Gyanendra Bahadur Karki: 780

Deep Kumar Upadhyaya: 713

Govinda Raj Joshi: 710

Jeep chhiring Lama: 708

Pradeep Paudel: 689

Shobhakar Parajuli: 660

Chiranjivi Kumar Wagle: 650

Chakra Prasad Bastala: 642

D B Lama: 622





Zonal Category

With 2094 votes counted

Mahakali

Dilendra Prasad Badu: 945

Ramesh Lekhak: 931

Seti

Badri Pandey: 709

Arjun Jang Bdr Singh: 630

Bheri

Kishor Singh Rathaur: 799

Hridaya Ram Thani: 505

Rapti

Deepak Giri: 956

Rajendra Bdr Shah: 495

Karnali

Jeevan Bahadur Shahi: 889

Din Bandhu Shrestha: 799

Lumbini

Bharat Kumar Shah: 728

Krishna Chandra Nepali: 710

Gandaki

Surendra Prasad Pande: 715

Raghu Nath Paudel: 515

Narayani

Ramesh Rijal: 760

Rajendra Bdr Amatya: 656

Dhaulagiri

Arjun Prasad Joshi: 869

Kiran Paudel: 742

Janakpur

Ananda Prasad Dhungana: 755

Devi Neupane: 536

Bagmati

Navindra Raj Joshi: 913

Dhyan Govinda Ranjit: 604

Sagarmath

Ram Kumar Chaudahari: 691

Subas Pokharel: 532

Koshi

Amod Prasad Upadhyay: 864

Umesh Jang Rayamajhi: 673

Mechi

Naredra Bikram Nembang: 898

Sudhir Kumar Siwakoti: 619
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Majority for Sushil camp likely

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: As counting for the votes progressed, at a rather slower pace than expected, the final composition of the Nepali Congress (NC) Central Working Committee (CWC) has become more or less clear, The Kathmandu Post reports.
Though the counting for 39 seats was not complete by 8 pm on Saturday (the time counting was stopped for the day), the picture it gave pointed to a comfortable majority for party President Sushil Koirala’s camp with approximately 55 percent of the seats in the CWC.

The final outcome is also likely to see a return of a majority of old faces. The consolation for Deuba camp is that more new faces have returned there. For the 25 seats in the open contest, the Sushil camp is leading in 14 while the Deuba group is holding on to 11 seats. For the 14 zonal seats, the establishment faction has maintained a lead in nine seats. In the seats reserved for marginalised groups and nationalities, the Deuba faction has already grabbed 12 seats, while 10 establishment candidates have become victorious. If the present lead remains unchanged, the final tally would give the Sushil camp a total of 33 and the Deuba camp 28.

Among the declared winners for the remaining five reserved seats on Saturday, Bishnu Raj Angdambe and Sita Gurung won from the Deuba camp, while Suryaman Gurung, Dhan Raj Gurung and Ratna Sherchan won from the Sushil faction.

Familiar faces leading the vote count include Arjun Narsingh KC, Ram Chandra Poudel, Gagan Thapa, Sujata Koirala, Shekhar Koirala, Ram Sharan Mahat, and Shashank Koirala from the establishment faction, while Khum Bahadur Khadka, Pradeep Giri, Bal Krishna Khand, Minendra Rijal and Prakash Sharan Mahat are leading in the Deuba faction.

If the leads are anything to go by, the CWC will be dominated by a majority of old hands.

The “third faction” has so far failed to win a place on the NC’s top table. Former Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola, a third front candidate, who was expected to win, was trailing too.

Counting will resume at 8 a.m. on Sunday.
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MAOISTS TO DISCUSS HYDRO ISSUE

Kathmandu, 27 Sept.: Barely five days after the Maoists’ Department of Water Resources and Energy demanded that the 14 hydropower projects to be constructed under foreign investment be halted, a top Maoist leader has said that the issue is yet to be taken up by the party, Republica reports.
Maoist Vice-chairman Narayankazi Shrestha said the party is yet to look into the report that has been prepared by the water resources and energy department of the party.
“The report prepared by the energy department has been taken as a preliminary study,” Shrestha told Republica, adding,” The party is yet to go through it seriously.”
Chief of the department Lilamani Pokhrel on September 21 had said that the 14 hydropower projects must be shelved as they had received the government’s nod violating parliamentary procedures. He had further claimed that most of the projects were against national interests.
“We had not yet drawn conclusion as to which of the hydropower projects among the 14 is against our national interest,” Shrestha said. He, however, maintained that those water resources-related treaties and agreement that are against national interest should either be abrogated or rectified.
The report had also claimed that the Maoists had to resort to such measures as most of the projects were export-oriented. It said that it would not be reasonable to export electricity when the people were bearing the brut of acute power shortage. The report also argued that electricity was a sort of raw material and no country has become rich by exporting the raw materials.
“Though the issue primarily falls under the jurisdiction of the department, the party will discuss the report as it is national issue,’ he further clarified.
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MAOISTS TO WITHDRAW FROM RACE FOR PM (UPDATE)

Kathmandu, 26 Sept.: Maoist Chairman Prachanda is to withdraw from the race for prime minister Sunday when 8th round vote will be held in parliament.
NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel is the only candidate to remain in the contest which again will be indecisive.
Maoist meet of office bearers took the decision Sunday morning.
It will be communicated to parliament’s business advisory committee before the vote.
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Teenage girl shot dead
Kathmandu, 26 Sept.: Susma Tumrok, 17,a teenage girl, was shot dead in Fidim Panchthar Sunday, police said.
A boy fled after shooting her.
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TERAI OUTFIT LEADER SHSOT DEAD

Kathmandu. 26 Sept.: Ishtiyak Ahmed Muslman, central committee member of Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha was shot dead Friday night at Gonaha near Bhairahawa.
He was killed in retaliatory firing by police.
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NEPAL TURKEY AIR AGREEEMT

Kathmandu, 26 Sept.: Nepal and Turkey have signed an agreement in Ankara to begin direct air service between the two countries.
Fourteen weekly flights can be operated between the two countries,
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Majority for Sushil camp likely

Kathmandu, 26 Sept: As counting for the votes progressed, at a rather slower pace than expected, the final composition of the Nepali Congress (NC) Central Working Committee (CWC) has become more or less clear, The Kathmandu Post reports.
Though the counting for 39 seats was not complete by 8 pm on Saturday (the time counting was stopped for the day), the picture it gave pointed to a comfortable majority for party President Sushil Koirala’s camp with approximately 55 percent of the seats in the CWC.

The final outcome is also likely to see a return of a majority of old faces. The consolation for Deuba camp is that more new faces have returned there. For the 25 seats in the open contest, the Sushil camp is leading in 14 while the Deuba group is holding on to 11 seats. For the 14 zonal seats, the establishment faction has maintained a lead in nine seats. In the seats reserved for marginalised groups and nationalities, the Deuba faction has already grabbed 12 seats, while 10 establishment candidates have become victorious. If the present lead remains unchanged, the final tally would give the Sushil camp a total of 33 and the Deuba camp 28.

Among the declared winners for the remaining five reserved seats on Saturday, Bishnu Raj Angdambe and Sita Gurung won from the Deuba camp, while Suryaman Gurung, Dhan Raj Gurung and Ratna Sherchan won from the Sushil faction.

Familiar faces leading the vote count include Arjun Narsingh KC, Ram Chandra Poudel, Gagan Thapa, Sujata Koirala, Shekhar Koirala, Ram Sharan Mahat, and Shashank Koirala from the establishment faction, while Khum Bahadur Khadka, Pradeep Giri, Bal Krishna Khand, Minendra Rijal and Prakash Sharan Mahat are leading in the Deuba faction.

If the leads are anything to go by, the CWC will be dominated by a majority of old hands.

The “third faction” has so far failed to win a place on the NC’s top table. Former Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola, a third front candidate, who was expected to win, was trailing too.

Counting will resume at 8 a.m. on Sunday.



Candiates leading in open competition

Arjun Narsingh KC

Gagan Thapa

Pradip Giri

Khum Bahadur Khadka

Shashank Koirala

Ram Chandra Poudel

Suajata Koirala

Ram Sharan Mahat

N P Saud

Mahesh Acharya

Bal Krishna Khad

Prakash Sharan Mahat

Gopal Man Shrestha

Minendra Rijal

Shekhar Koirala

Krishna Sitaula

Purna Bahadur Khadka

Chandra Bhandari

Narayan Khadka

Gyanendra Bahadur Karki

Kul Bahadur Gurung

Bal Bahadur KC

G P Chiring Lama

Shankhar Bhadari

Gobinda Raj Joshi



Zonal seats

1. Mechi - Narendra Bikram Nembang

2. Koshi - Amod Prasad Upadhya

3. Sagarmatha - Ram Kumar Chaudhary

4. Janakpur- Ananda Prasad Dhungana

5. Bagmati - Nabindra Raj Joshi

6. Narayani- Ramesh Rijal

7. Gandaki - Surendra Pandey

8. Lumbini - Krishna Chandra Nepal

9. Dhaulagiri - Arjun Joshi

10. Rapti - Dipak Giri

11. Karnali - Jiwan Bahadur Shahi

12. Bheri - Kishor Singh Rathor

13. Seti - Badri Pandey

14. Mahakali - Dilendra Prasad Badu

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PM NEPAL EXPRESSES CONCERN
Kathmandu, 26 Sept. : Prime Minister Madav Kumar Nepal has expressed concern towards the security of business community members here on Monday, RSS reports from Parsa..

The Prime Minister poured out such concern while meeting a delegation of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Hotel Viswa.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Nepal pledged that he is ready to take any steps in favour of industrialists so as to make investment-friendly environment in the country, informed Birgunj Chamber Chair Om Prakash Sikariya after the meeting with the Prime Minister.

In the meeting, Prime Minister Nepal apprised on the business community that the government is mulling to establish separate industrial security force after holding consultations among the parties

The Prime Minister also articulated his concern over the closure of big industries in Birgunj corridor, informed industrialists, who participated in the meeting.

Business community members drew attention of the Prime Minister regarding security along with various problems they have been facing.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nepal directed Parsa Chief District Officer Nagendra Jha to ensure smooth public service delivery.
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CHINESE GOODS DEARER IN FESTIVE SEASON

Kathmandu, 26 Sept.: A large segment of Nepali consumers who go for cheaper supplies coming from China could have a setback this festive season, Republica reports.
Importers and wholesalers of Chinese goods informed Republica that the prices of such goods will go up at least 15 percent his season—thanks to price hikes by the Chinese suppliers themselves and frequent obstruction of the Arniko highway, the main overland import route.
‘Both internal and external factors have contributed to jack up the prices,” said traders. Among the internal reasons, frequent obstruction of Arniko Highway has caused substantial delay in delivery of shoes and garments—items on high demand during Dasaain, adding cost to importers and wholesalers.
Apart from that, garment prices in China have itself increased 27 to 40 percent, said readymade garment wholesaler Arjun Karki..
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DEATH BY A THOUSAND CUTS
Kathmandu, 23 Sept.: The recent troubles of two journalists have put the spotlight on the new pains gripping the profession. Not that the tribe ever really had it easy in Nepal. Under the Ranas, the only place where the dissemination of news and views stood a chance was in exile. The dawn of democracy promised to bring a new morning for the fourth estate. Publications competed with politicians to capture the public domain. Newspapers became instruments to attain power as well as places to settle scores after the fall.
With the rise of the Panchayat system, the press and the parties fell together. But a new breed of scribes came up. The joie de vivre of the private-sector papers compensated for the staidness of the government press. Many editors masqueraded as critics of the partyless system, while the real crusaders were hurting.
If the palace press secretariat emerged as the chief national editorial board, it did its job with some semblance of order. In the 1960s, one key official was an academic while another had a degree in journalism. The man at the top during much of the 1970s and 1980s at least came to the job with a letter to the editor published in TIME magazine in defense of the crown.
The year of the referendum brought a new spring. Although the Panchayat system got a decade-long extension, the papers, like the still-banned parties, refused to let go of their freedoms. Opposition grew from within the liberal flank of the Panchayat system and was reflected in the weekly press.
When a pancha-cum-turned journalist was shot, the clumsiness of the perpetrator did not diminish the arrival of the new peril. But you still had legions of boisterous men in safari suits raking in their Dasain allowances and government advertisements, while the real opposition was toiling away. So these latter journalists participated as well as covered the movement to restore multiparty democracy in 1990.
The advent of private-sector media houses brought a new breed of young and enterprising people who tended to consider themselves only behind the king, queen and crown prince in the national order of precedence. (Not Maila Baje’s characterization but an actual assertion by a member of that group, made with a tinge of cynicism.)
Times had changed in less assuring ways. A Maoist editor was one of the early high-profile victims of that convulsion. In the aftermath of the Narayanhity carnage, the editor of the largest daily was arrested for printing an opinion piece by a top Maoist. It was perfidious alright but also provided a critical foray into the geopolitical maneuvering preceding the tragedy.
When a tabloid printed that damaging picture that forced the ostensible subject, an aspiring actress, to commit suicide, the editor’s life seemed to hang in the balance. Shortly thereafter, Nepal turned into an internationally certified death zone for journalists.
Sadly, journalists continue to lose their lives. But the increasing danger is one of a death by a thousand cuts. An editor who also happens to be an advisor to the vice-president, who has not endeared him to anyone, is arrested for having printed an advertisement for recruitment in a banned armed outfit.
Another reporter, visible on the increasingly rancorous water resources beat for a leading daily, is prosecuted for sexually harassing a co-worker. There are just too many holes. The story behind the stories is probably already having a chilling effect in the trade.
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RESULTS OF WHAT IS SOWN
That some of our political leaders are clamoring against what they suddenly see as foreign interference makes dull reading. Every now and then these politicians wake up to note the blatant prevalence of foreign interference. This has been going on since 60 years and will continue to be likewise for long, Trilak Vastavik writes in People’s Review/.
There is little doubt that foreign powers have made Nepal their playground. The Americans want to use the China card through the latter’s soft underbelly, Tibet. For the first five decades since the 1950s, it was communist ideology that the US and its Western allies feared and abhorred. Their fears could be gauged from the manner in which they ostracized their own citizens who gave any hint of calling for greater social welfare measures and benefits for the economically poor class.
There is no such thing as caste system in the Western world. But they have a rigid class system that stinks raw. The Cold War years saw academics, artistes, writers, entrepreneurs and such other professionals suffer from persecutions of numerous forms for their political views. Quite a few of them were maltreated merely on suspicions and allegations.
In the 1990s, the Berlin Wall was brought down, and East and West Germanys reunited. Perhaps, China would not have attracted much attention by then, considering that the Soviet Union had broken up into a dozen independent states and Beijing had since the 1980s begun adapting market economy with great caution but definite action that produced results. The pressure on Beijing would have been there but not to the extent the Western media and governments have been mounting.
The rise of a communist country emerging as the world No. 2 economy and overtaking Japan this year and, according to the World Bank and American economists, expecting to take the world No. 1 spot within the next two decades gives heartaches to the US and other Western countries. In fact, these countries are at a loss as to how to describe the Chinese success story considering the free market economy that Beijing has begun adopting at great speed to become competitive.
But to say that China has shed its communist ideology would be far from the truth. The West, too, would not like to do that. Likewise, to say that a “communist economy” has guided that country to become the world’s No. 2 economic powerhouse would also be unpalatable.
China’s gradual economic reforms in the last 30 years paid off rich dividends. In less than 20 years the world’s largest population will also be the No. 1 economy, a “communist” system outstripping the very best of capitalists’ capital. The prospect is not very relishing for especially China’s rivals within and outside its immediate region.
With such development, it is no surprise that an Indian lieutenant general responsible for the northwestern state of India’s Kashmir was refused a visa to travel to China last month. This caused an outrage in India’s main opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “This is the worst kind of insult inflicted upon India,” reacted a BJP spokesman.
India wanted to protest the presence of Chinese troops in Azad Kashmir recently. Instead of summoning the Chinese ambassador accredited to New Delhi, the Indian government preferred to submit a formal letter to Beijing, for which a Chinese vice-minister gave an audience. That was no warm gesture but then New Delhi could not afford to complain, as it was diplomatically a correct move. The Indian government can reciprocate in like manner but it does not seek to match the Chinese gesture for good or worse.
India and China have border disputes in Kashmir and the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh. The two countries fought a short war in 1962. The presence of Tibet’s spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, in India has contributed to an atmosphere of suspicion in Beijing.
Beijing sends strong signals every now and then indicating the level of bilateral ties with New Delhi. Two years ago, the Chinese government summoned the Indian envoy to Beijing at an unearthly hour after 01:00 hours. The Indian government could have used the occasion to protest against the presence of the Chinese troops in Azad Kashmir to summon the Chinese ambassador residing at New Delhi’s Chankyapuri. But it preferred to maintain “quiet diplomacy”.
In fact, South Block is known for parceling out briefings to Delhi-based Indian correspondents and editors at special briefings, known as “deep backgrounder” to attack Beijing’s “undiplomatic” acts. But it preferred maintaining silence to exhibiting valor.
India and China have been recording dramatic growth in bilateral trade in the last decade. But this does not indicate the intensity of the actual state of rivalry and competition between the two neighboring countries that account for one-third of the world’s total population. That every third man or woman on Earth is either a Chinese or an Indian speaks for the potential for cooperation and also underscores difficulties if the two failed to main necessary working relationship.
And in Nepal, political leaders have no qualms of bending over backwards to please foreign forces. Any third rate foreign team or an envoy is given a royal treatment in a country that is supposed to be a republic while the guests unhesitatingly throw to the winds minimum diplomatic niceties. Foreign embassies based in Colombo or Dhaka, let alone Islamabad, dare not issue the sort of statements their counterparts in Kathmandu do as a matter of habit and easily get away with the same.
Any Indian ambassador to Kathmandu has been treating the government and the many obliging political leaders of the host country in a casual manner. The various INGOs that press ahead with their agendas through mushrooming NGOs in Nepal choose to pursue any dubious cause they otherwise would not take up in the rest of South Asia with such audacity. Bangladesh, too, is known for tens of thousands of NGOs but NGOs in Nepal outperform their Bangaldeshi counterparts in this respect.
It was the Marich Man Singh government that first summoned the Indian ambassador to register its protest against government’s policies towards Nepal back in 1989. No other government in a supposedly more democratic set-up has been able to match the action. Judging from the recent trend, the prospect of some government emulating Marich Man is getting remoter than ever before.
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