PN NEPAL TO CONTINUE DISCUSSIONS

Kathmandu, 26 Dec. Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal is continuing political discussions for the second consecutive day Sunday to convene a normal session of parliament.
He held separate dialogues first with ruling coalition partners and then with Maoist Chairman Prachanda.
Nepal and Prachanda discussed a package solution to concluding the peace process, constitution drafting and power sharing in hour-long discussions at Baluwatar.
The Maoist chief also asked the premier to extend the UNMIN tenure that ends 15 January 2011; ruling parties have rejected the main opposition party request.
Coalition partners told Nepal to call a normal session only after agreement on a ‘collective solution’.
Government agreed to convene a normal session after Maoists and five parties after an agreement was reached to convene a normal session within one week to take up demands.
Agreement was also reached to form a national government in the two point agreement.
Maoists and five parties called a special session to elect a l successor of PM Nepal and amend parliamentary procedure to elect his successor.
Nepal’s successor hasn’t been elected even in 16 rounds of parliamentary vote.


UML LAWMAKER KILLED IN ACCIDENT

Kathmandu, 26 Dec.: UML lawmaker Dambar Bahadur Khadka died Saturday while undergoing treatment at TU Teaching Hospital for injuries in an accident.
His motorcycle collided with a bus at Kaushaltar in Bhaktapur Saturday night.
Khadka was elected from Sankhuwasabha No.2 constituency.
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SATURDAY COLDEST DAY OF WINTER

Kathmandu, 26 Dec.; Saturday was the coldest day this winter,
The Valley’s lowest temperature was 0.8 degree Celsius while the maximum was 18.2 degrees Celsius, according to Meteorological Forecasting Division.
Mean temperature is likely to fall further, meteorologists said.
Minpchas or the peak 50 days of winter ends in another 30 days.
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FIRST ORDINARY MRP FOR ANURADHA KOIRALA

Kathmandu, 26 Dec.: Anuradha Koirala, the recipient of the Hero of The Year 2010 Award from CNN will be the first recipient of an ordinary machine readable passport (MRP) Sunday.
President Dr Ram Baran Yadav will receive the first recipient of a diplomatic MRP from the foreign ministry.
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PHOTOGRAPHY BANNED IN MAYA DEBI TEMPLE COMPLEX

Kathmandu, 26 Dec.: Clicking photographs in the inner sanctum of sacred Maya Debi temple in Lumbini has been named from Satauday 1 January 2011.
Lumbini Development Trust (LDT) said the area around the Maya Debi temple is on the world heritage list.
It’s board took a decision 16 December, a public notification said.
Photographing historical, archaeological and religious objects has been banned.
The idol at the temple depicts the nativity of The Buddha.
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RUSSIAN HELD

Kathmandu, 26 Dec.: Russian national Alaksendar Silkin was detained at the capital’s airport Friday night attempting to illegally fly out with $ 42,089.
He was nabbed before boarding a Qatar airways flight for Doha.
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THREE INJURED IN CYLINDER BLAST

Kathmandu, 26 Dec.: Three workers were seriously injured in a cylinder blast at Siddhartha Acetylene Industry in Kapilvasthu Saturday.
They’re undergoing treatment at a Bhairahawa hospital.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECON0MY

VISIT NEPAL YEAR 2011 TO BE LAUNCHED 14 JANUARY

Kathmandu, 26 Dec. Visit Nepal Year 2011 will be officially
launched at Dashrath Rangashala 14 January.
“All preparations have been completed with plans to bring in one
million tourists in 2011,” said Aditya Baral, Spokesman of Nepal
Tourism Board (NTB).
Ministers from more than one dozen countries are attending the official launch.
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NEW LEADERSHIP IN NCCCI

Kathmandu, 26 Dec.: Rajesk Kazi Shrestha has been unanimously elected president of Nepal-China Chamber of Commerce and Industry
(NCCCI) by the 11th annual general meeting.
Thribhuvandhar Tuladhar, Joyti Kumar Begani, Raju Babu
Shrestha, and Pancha Ratna Sakya were elected fist, second, third and fourth vice-presidents respectively.
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NEPSE GAINS 8.57 POINTS

Kathmandu, 26 Dec.: Nepse gained 8.57 points at the end of
five-day trading Thursday ending a four-week bearish trend.
Indices of commercial banks, hotels, manufacturing and processing companies, development banks and hydropower companies gained
14.92, 13.56, 6.87, 4.13 and 1.45 points respectively.
Finance, insurance and other companies shed 1.58, 0.47 and 1.17 points respectively.
But total market turnover dropped.
Shares valued at Rs. 116.70 million were traded compared to a
Rs. 126.90 million turnover the previous week.
Altogether 7.4 million shares of Jyoti Bikash Bank and 2.4 million
Shares of Gramin Bikash Bank were listed with Nepse last week.
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SPORTS

NABIL THREE STAR CLUB LIFT BRITISH GURKHA CUP

Kathmandu, 26 Dec.: Nabil Three Star Club defeated Laxmi Hundai Manang Marshangdhi Club Saturday 3-1to lift the British Gurkha Cup for
the second consecutive year in the capital.
Three Star Club collected Rs 1 million while runner-up received
Rs 500,000.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“The UNMIN has been monitoring the peace process for the past
three years. It’s logical to extend the UNMIN’s term for the completion of the peace process.’

(Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, The Kathmandu Post, 26 Dec.)


“At separate meetings, the Maoist leaders have proposed to make me, Ram Chandra Paidel and Sher Bahadur Deuba the prime minister. This is a ploy to create rifts in the Congress and we should be alert.”

(NC President Sushil Koirala, The Himalayan Times, 26 Dec.)
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BIG HAUL OF FAKE NEPALI CURRENCY NOTES IN JHAPA


Kathmandu, 26 Dec.: In a big seizure, Rs 111,400 counterfeit Nepali currency notes were recovered from Hemraj Nemwang in Birtamodh, Jhapa, Jhapa, Friday, Nagarik reports from Birtamodh.
Nemwang was rested from Kanchan Hotel where the fake notes were concealed.
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BUS SERVICE UNTIL 11 AT NIGHT

Kathmandu, 26 Dec.: Night bus service in the capital until 11 at night
will star from 15 January 2011, Nagarik reports.
An agreement has been reached between Transport Management Department and transport entrepreneurs.
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NEPAL TO BE SELF-SUFFICIENT IN ANTI-RABIES VACCINE

KATHMANDU, Dec 26: The Rabies Vaccine Production Laboratory of the Animal Health Directorate looks set to make Nepal self-dependent in rabies vaccine for humans as well as animals in near future, By Arjun Paudel in Republica.

It has completed production of the ninth batch of human rabies vaccine and the vaccine can be sent to public hospitals for trial on human beings after receiving approval for its 10th batch from the World Health Organization (WHO). The vaccine should first be approved by WHO´s laboratory in France before it is sent for trial on human beings.

"We have already completed the ninth batch of production. We will send the ninth batch samples to the WHO after getting the report of the eighth batch," Dr J N Rai, consultant at the laboratory, said. "It will take more than two months to get the report from the WHO lab," Deputy Coordinator of the National Zoonosis Program Narayan Shah said.

But Rai was bullish about getting the WHO approval for even the ninth batch of the vaccine which, he claims, is advanced. "We have used the latest reagents and kits recommended by the WHO, and we have been careful about quality control," Dr Rai claimed.

The government purchases 200,000 vials of human rabies vaccines that cost more than hundred million rupees every year. The laboratory has already made the animal´s rabies vaccine which is commercially sold in the market. While the imported animal vaccine costs over Rs 250 per vial, the Nepal made costs just Rs 45.

Nepal requires over 200,000 vials of animal vaccines every year but the laboratory can produce just 20,000-30,000 due to lack of infrastructure and manpower and has to import the rest.

Dr Rai, who has been working as consultant on government´s request following his retirement, claimed Nepal can even export the animal vaccines with adequate government support. He said the Sri Lankan government has already expressed its interest to import the vaccines from Nepal.

"Due to the lack of manpower we cannot make for ourselves. If the government invests more on manpower and infrastructure we can export it," he said.
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PM: LOKTATRA ENDANGERED BY ULTRA-LEFTISTS





Kathmandu, 26 Dec.: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Saturday said that loktantra faced danger from ultra-leftist individuals, The Rising Nepal reports.
Speaking at a zonal level meeting of CPN-UML cadres, organised by UML’s Narayani Zonal Liaison Committee, Nepal referred to the case of Cambodia where ultra-leftists put democracy in jeopardy.
He asked his own party leaders not to be the pawns at the hands of Maoists.
"Learn to be UML by heart, not only by physical presence," he said.
Talking about the latest political situation, Nepal said that the summoning of the regular session was delayed as the Maoists called the special session in haste.
"The Maoists called the special session when the government was mulling a regular session within the month of Poush," he said.
He informed that programmes were made to hand over the Maoist cantonments to the Army Integration Special Committee on Monday.
Nepal said he proposed this for Sunday, but Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda deferred it by a day.
He said that leaders of 15 political parties asked why Nepali Congress and UML needed to please the Maoists in withdrawing their proposal for the special session which could be easily foiled.
He said that progress was made in constitution drafting and added that 127 of the 210 contentious constitutional issues were finalised.
PM Nepal said that if the parties agreed on the formation of government, forms of governance and structure of federalism, other issues would be resolved.
He condemned the growing trend of extortion.
UML leaders Dr. Banshidhar Mishra, and Dr. Bhisma Adhikari also spoke on the occasion.
Prime Minister Nepal distributed certificates to blood donors at the programme.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nepal Saturday asked Constituent Assembly members and political party leaders to focus on shouldering their responsibility to write the new constitution for its timely promulgation.
Speaking on the occasion of Christmas Day at a function organised in the capital in the evening, Premier Nepal suggested the political parties should reach consensus at the earliest possible by discarding their individual or party-based self-centeredness and arrogance.
"We have the historic

responsibility of writing the constitution within its timeframe; now we must utilize the remaining five months to meet the challenge," Nepal said.
In another context, PM Nepal, hinting at the main opposition party UCPN-Maoists, said the Maoists must discard their party’s pride in weapons and combatants.
"Maoist inclination towards arms and violence can never give the country peace and prosperity," Nepal said.
On the occasion, Nepal also urged Christian followers to be Nepalese Christians and spread the peace message across the world.
At the Christmas festival, Minister for Information and Communications and spokesperson of the government Shankar Pokharel, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sujata Koirala, chairman of the Constituent Assembly Subash Chandra Nemwang, Minister for Culture Minendra Rijal, and Law Minister Prem Bahadur Singh were also present.
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OPINION

UNMIN & FALTERING PRACE PROCESS
By Former Prime Minister Kirti Nidhi Bista in Republica

The world has been witnessing calamities of different kinds like volcanic eruptions, devastating earthquakes, shattering hurricanes and floods from time to time. Those upheavals were natural and will continue to occur but the turmoil that has started severely affecting vital parts of the Nepali society is of a unique character and entirely political in its making.

It is a proven fact that no society can remain static because of its dynamic nature. It should be properly guided and taken forward not only by mending past mistakes but also by introducing new elements objectively to shape the changes in the overall interests of the country and its people. In the case of Nepal, everything seems to be going topsy-turvy though a golden opportunity was afforded to it by the people after the successful movement to build a new and vibrant Nepali society. What is really painful is not to make any attempt to learn from others in a similar situation as to what a nation should do in times of crisis and distress. What is deplorable in the case of Nepal is not to provide immediate relief to the aggrieved and mitigate their pains even for the time being, forget about devising ways and means to minimize and control the damage as far as possible by following the right course for a bright future.

In the context, it is pertinent to remind ourselves that four years have already elapsed and yet those genuinely affected people during the decade-long conflict are struggling to survive against heavy odds because of gross negligence and indifference of our present leaders toward their plight. The political leaders who had to demonstrate and prove their caliber, commitment and sincerity in managing the state affairs following death, destruction and deprivation in various forms have largely failed because of their differences, attitude, distrust and hardheadedness. At a time like this when national consensus, understanding and cooperation could resurrect a dilapidated and docile society and take the country toward peace, stability and progress, ignoring this reality is causing the collapse of the national agreement.

Whatever the arguments presented to the people in defending their weaknesses, misdeeds, corrupt and undemocratic practices, they now stand very little chance of regaining people’s trust and support. The fear that is haunting every Nepali and foreign friend is the kind of civil unrest and violent conflict that might start anytime in coming days with dire consequences to and from neighboring countries India and China.
The government’s insistence on bidding adieu to United Nations Mission in Nepal prematurely proves that its eyes are yet to open.

Instead of acknowledging their failures publicly and sending a clear message of ‘no more irresponsible behavior and squabbles’, the same leaders are trying to divest and distract the attention of the people by creating an atmosphere of fear of foreign interference, intervention and dominance. After all, who is to take the responsibility of managing the state affairs and solving the internal problems of the country?

The latest report presented to the United Nations Security Council and the concern shown by the Assistant Secretary General Mr B Lynn Pascoe at the delay in completing the peace process within the constituent assembly’s extended four-month period should have opened the eyes of the Nepali government and political party leaders to the seriousness of the matter. But the government’s insistence on bidding adieu to United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) prematurely proves that its eyes are yet to open. If it were confident of taking the peace process to a logical end on its own, why did it seek UNMIN’s presence and cooperation at the start of the peace process? Finding fault with the conduct and attitude of UNMIN (being lenient to Maoists) after taking its service for nearly four years is simply a lame excuse to escape from popular wrath and condemnation for its own serious mistakes and failures.

If the present leaders fail to work out a reasonably acceptable agreement by themselves, which is not within sight right now, where will they turn to? India? China? From a strategic and geopolitical point of view, would it be right to ask them to help us in our internal affairs? This is the time to think about Nepal’s interests first and then decide which way to go. So, do not make haste. Take your time. The best option right now is UNMIN as far as Nepal is concerned. In fact, it has been a source of strength and asset to crisis-ridden Nepal for almost four years. Remember that it is never late to revise and correct wrong decisions and start afresh with renewed zeal and team spirit for the greater interests of the country and its people.
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