NEPAL LOSES PRSIDENCY OF UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO QATAR

Kathmandu, 26 Feb. Nepal lost the presidency Friday of the 2011 presidency of the UN general assembly to the tiny but rich state of Qatar; a secret vote to choose the Asian candidate by a caucus in New York UN headquarters was to be held but Nepal withdrew its candidacy at the last moment,
The final election will be held in September when the assembly meets in the third week of September.
Nepal withdrew the candidacy when it was certain the Himalayan state would lose the caucus vote in the 53-nation grouping
Retired UN employee Kul Chandra Gautam lost to Qatar’s Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser.
Nepal was contesting against Qatar that succeeded in a bid to host the football world cup; the country, without much international clout, put up by the candidacy at a time when there was no effective government since 30 June 2010 when Prime Minister Madhab Kumar Nepal resigned under Maoist pressure.
His successor Jhalanath Khanal hasn’t .assembled a full government when after his election 3 February with Maoist support.
In the international arena, a sense of uncertainty prevails with likely possibility of a complete communist takeover.
Nepal was contesting the presidency for the first time; it was routed in elections for the membership of the non-permanent seat of the security council earlier.
Nepal was twice member of the council—the first time in the panchayat era.
The loss indicates the fall of Nepal’s stature in the world.
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FIRST GROUP OF NEPALI WORKERS FROM LIBYA MAY ARRIVE SATURDAY

Kathmandu, 26 Feb.: The first group of about five dozen Nepali workers from Libya could be airlifted home Saturday by a chartered flight, a according to officials.
The workers crossed over to Alexandria from Libya this week for their homeward journey.
A group of 562 Nepalis arrived in the port city of Alexandria this week, according to foreign ministry officials.
Another group is expected to return via China.
As anti-government swell in Libya, government has started a crackdown. An estimated 4,000 Nepali workers are in Libya.
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MAOISTS FORM DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE

Kathmandu, 26 Feb.: A five-member disciplinary committee was formed by the Maoist standing committee.
The committee is headed by Post Bahadur Bogati.
The committee will oversee the strict implementation of a party of conduct.
The disciplinary committee was formed as Vice-chairman Dr. Baburam Bhattarai publicly challenges the establishment faction led by Chairman Prachanda.
A gag order has been issued against Bhattarai not to discuss intra-party differences in public.