REMAND OF TWO LAWMAKERS EXTENDED FIVE MORE DAYS

MORE DETAILS ON MAOIST LAWMAKER SLAPPING INCIDENT

Kathmandu, 2 May: Coffee shop owner Prem Raj called Maoist lawmaker to his facility at Teenkune and slapped him twice.
Prem Raj expressed no remorse.
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BUDGET SESSION ADJOURNED UNTIL SUNDY 8 MAY UPDATE

Kathmandu, 2 May: The budget session of parliament was disrupted by four lawmakers of small parties of the first day Monday after speaker Subash Nemwang read out a message of President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav calling the parliament into session.
The session was adjourned until Sunday 8 May.
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REMAND OF LAWMAKERS EXTENDED

Kathmandu, 2 May: Remand of lawmakers BP Yadav and Gayatri Sah was extended Monday by five more days by Kathmandu district court on police to prepare charges of misuse of their diplomatic passports.
Police requested an extension of their four-day remand.
Immigration authorities at Abu Dhabi returned them to Kathmandu while they were heading to Australia on their passports of the lawmakers.
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PRESIDENT HOLDS DISCUSSIONS WITH THREE TOP PARTY LEADERS

Kathmandu, 2 May: Ceremonial President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav held collective discussions Monday with Maoist Chairman Prachanda,, NC President Sushil Koirala and Prime Minister Jhalanath Lhanal, who is also UML chairman.
The president expressed concern with slow progress in completing the peace process and promulgating a constitution, president’s press aide
Rajendra Dahal said.
There’s very little the president can do constitutionally to complete the processes and constitution drafting by 28 May.
But Maoists have especially expressed fears the president may slap to fill any constitutional or political void presidential rule, which they said, will be opposed.
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TOURIST ARRIVALS JUMP IN APRIL JUMP 34.3 PERCENT

Kathmandu, 2 May: Visitor arrivals in April, compared to the same month last year, have increased by 34.3% to 51,969, an announcement said.
Between January to April 2011, international tourist arrivals to Nepal rose 18.4% to 168,958.
“The upward trend which is already seen in January 2011 continues in the fourth month of the year 2011 showing clearly the rising travel demand towards the destination. Nepal has enjoyed a sustained positive growth in the international visitor arrivals since June 2009,” an announcement of Immigration Office said Monday.
Arrivals from Asia (other than South Asia) recorded positive growth of 18.4% in aggregate.
Visitor arrivals from China increased by 42.2%. Similarly, arrivals from Japan, Thailand, Singapore and South Korea have also increased by 13.1%, 5.6%, 37.3% and 3.7% respectively. But arrivals from Malaysia declined 9.6%.

An overall positive growth of 45.4% has been observed from the European markets with arrivals from major generating markets such as the UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Russia up by 56.2%, 30.4%, 47.7%, 7%, 49.5%, 58.6%, 70.5%, 23.8% and 16.5% respectively.
Tourist arrivals from Australia and New Zealand have increased by 47.3% and 46.7% respectively. Also, the arrivals from USA and Canada saw positive growth of 25.7% and 36% respectively.
A total of 55,630 foreign tourists departed from TIA in April 2011. The number of Nepalese arrivals stood at 56,069 while 67,251 Nepalese departed from TIA in April 2011.
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