CONTROVERSIAL STATE MINISTER LAMA RESIGNS

CONTROVERSIAL STATE MINISTER RESIGNS (BREAKING NEWS WITH UPDATE)

Kathmandu, 21 April: Minister of State for Finance Lharkyal Lama resigned Thursday morning.
Lama tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal.
The state minister was appointed in the third expansion of the cabinet by Khanal and was dragged into controversy immediately after his appointment.
The prime minister sought explanation from Lama even as he initially defended the appointment arguing the newly appointed was came into UML party hierarchy when archrival Madhav Kumar Nepal was prime minister.
Lama has been accused for supporting a Free Tibet Movement with links to Tibetan exiled spiritual leader Dala Lama in India.
China has always pushed Nepal to crackdown on the Tibet freedom movement from Nepali soil –a request of the northern neighbour difficult for any Nepali government to ignore.
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CPN (ML SAMAJBADI) RETURNS TO MOTHER PARTY

Kathmandu, 21 April: CPN (ML Samajbadi) has returned to CPN (ML).
Four lawmakers, including former minister Jagat Bahadur Bogati, defected from CPN (ML) eight months ago.
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12 MORE LAWMAKERS UNDER WATCH

Kathmandu, 21 April: About one dozen more lawmakers are under watch by police for misuse of red or diplomatic passports, Annapurna Post reports.
Their names have been kept confidential not to influence outcome of the investigation.
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MORE DETAILS OF FOREIGN SM KRISHNA VISIT

Kathmandu, 21 April: India has again stared exerting pressure to conclude an extradition treaty and deployment of sky marshals on Indian aircraft, Santosh Ghimere writes in Naya Patrika
Indian Foreign Minister SM Krishna expressed dissatisfaction with Nepal more than half dozen Indian proposals related to security weren’t getting attention.
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THOUGHTS OF ANUJA BANIYA WHO RETURNED RS 91 MILLION TO RIGHTFUL OWNER; FOLLOW-UP STORY ON A RARE ACT OF HONESTY

Kathmandu, 21 April: Anuja Baniya from Bhojpur but currently living in Dharan says it was her duty to return belongings of somebody she found in a bus.
“It was my duty. What did I do? I asked for a chocolate and they gave me one,” Auuja told Somnath Bastola of Annapurna Post after returning Rs 91 million and a diamond necklace to the rightful owner Purusottam Pokhrel of Kathmandu.,
“I bought the father and son a Fanta with Rs. 50,” she said after handing over the lost bag with money rejecting a Rs.200,000 reward.
They counted the money after it was delivered in Dharan even as she told them everything was intact.
“Purusottam put his hand on my head and broke down in tears. He told me I was his daughter and asked I visit him when I was in Kathmandu. I stopped my tears when I saw a person like my grandfather crying,” the 23-year-old girl said.
“I didn’t tell anybody in the family what I found in the bag because I thought the matter was routine. I found somebody’s belongings and I had to return it.
“In life, money is no great deal. Earning through hard work is the biggest thing. I was taught by my family from childhood to work and live. I have been receiving best wishes of all over with the incident came to light. I feel such appreciation can’t be bought even with 10 million rupees.”
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POLITICAL INSTABILITY OVERSHADOWS VITAL ISSUES SAYS SPEAKER





Kathmandu, 21 April: - Constituent Assembly Chairman Subash Chandra Nemwang said on Wednesday that the major national issues have remained in shadow due to political instability, The Rising Nepal reports.
He said that the Legislature Parliament was unable to endorse the important bills directly related to the aspirations of the people.
Speaking at a workshop on the issue of new bill of National Human Rights Commission jointly organised by National Human Rights Commission and Joint Forum for Human Rights, he said that most of the national problems would be resolved through the collaboration of the political parties.
Nemwang said that the Constituent Assembly was making headway in the direction of constitution drafting but the political parties were unable to reach a consensus to finalise the constitution drafting process.
He expressed concern that some political parties were trying to create an obstacle to the constitution drafting process and urged them to maintain unity and reconciliation.
Nemwang said that the political parties, human rights activists and civil society should provide support to establish independent National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). He added that the new NHRC bill would help for independence of the NHRC.
He said, "NHRC would not run if we fail to establish the international standards, norms and values."
NHRC Chairman Kedar Nath Updhayay said that without granting working independence and autonomy, NHRC would not able to work for the safeguard of human rights.
He said, "An autonomous and independent NHRC is not for the benefit of its officers and staffers but to safeguard human rights of the people."
Civil Society leader Daman Nath Dhungana said that without maintaining the international standards, the NHRC would not be able to protect human rights.
Joint Forum for Human Rights Chairman Charan Prasai stressed the need for change in the structure of NHRC to improve the quality of its services.
Lawmaker Dhirendra Bahadur Shrestha said that the bill drafting sub-committee was studying various aspects of NHRC.

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KUWAIT FIRM TO LEGALIZE NEPALI WORKERS


Kathmandu, 21 April: Bowing to the persistent pressure from Nepali migrant workers, the Regional Gate Company of Kuwait, which recently came under heavy criticism in the face of 60 laborers´ no work protest, has agreed to legalize them within a couple of weeks, Om Astha Rai reports in Republica.

According to Pushpa Bhattarai, the second secretary at the Nepali Embassy in Kuwait, 84 Nepali workers -- who did not stop working even after 60 Nepali workers revolted against the company -- have already got their visit visas converted into work visas.

However, Bhattarai says, they are still not considered as legal workers. "They should have work residence visas to be eligible for obtaining medical cards and driving licenses," Bhattarai said. "Conversion of visit visas into work visas alone does not help them if they face legal hassles."

In a recent meeting held with the embassy officials, the company executives agreed to help all its Nepali workers immediately obtain driving licenses and medical cards. "For this matter, Nepali workers need police clearance certificates through the embassy," Bhattarai said, adding, "Therefore, we have started providing such certificates to them. On Tuesday, at least 15 workers obtained such certificates."

The company had hired altogether 160 Nepali workers through an illegal channel. A Kuwait-based Nepali agent, Ram Chandra Subedi, had taken all of them to Kuwait as heavy vehicle drivers on visit visas. They were promised that they would get work visas upon reaching Kuwait. However, they did not get work permits even months after entering Kuwait. It was only after 60 Nepali workers refused to work without legal status that the company helped remaining workers convert their visit visas into work visas.

Of the total workers hired by the company, 76 have already returned. While 60 workers returned after being sacked by the company, others had to return upon failing medical tests in Kuwait. The company has already been blacklisted by Nepal´s Ministry of Labor for using illegal channel to import Nepali workers.

Similarly, in a verbal agreement with the embassy, the company has said that it will provide money for last rites of two Nepali workers recently killed in a road accident. "We have claimed 1,000 Kuwaiti dinar for each dead worker," Bhattarai said. "However, we have not received the money until now. The company has also said that the deceased workers will be compensated by the insurance company."
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