MURDER SUSPECT OF UML YOUTH LEADER LEADER ARRESTED IN CAPITAL

MURDER SUSPECT OF UMLYOUTH LEADER ARRESTED

Kathmandu, 2 Dec. Yam Bahadur Tamang suspected for murdering UML Chitwan youth leader Sanjaya Lama 22 August was arrested from a restaurant in Sundhara in the capital Thursday.
Another unidentified person was also arrested.
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30th INTERNATIONAL POLO CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY

Kathmandu, 2 Dec.: The 30th International Polo Championship will be held at Meghauli. Chitwan, Saturday.
Tiger Tops Tuskers and EFG Bank of h4ve qualified for the final Saturday.
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GOVT. FORMALLY LAUNCHES VISIT LUMBINI YEAR-2012





Kathmandu 2 Dec.: The government Thursday made a formal announcement of ‘Visit Lumbini Year-2012’ amidst a special ceremony that was addressed by Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai here at Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, Rajesh C Rai, Bhuwan Karki report from Lumbini in The Riing Nepal.
Addressing the ceremony held near Peace Flame, Prime Minister Dr Bhattarai said that the Lumbini Visit Year would send the Buddha’s message across the globe in a new way.
He said that the government had expected to welcome millions of tourists during the campaign period.
The Prime Minister said that Lumbini area would be expanded and developed as per the previously formulated master plan. He said all the places related to the life of Budhha within the country would be developed as the area. The places include Tilaurakot of Kapilvastu district, Ramgram of Nawalparasi and Devdaha of Rupendehi.
Noting that there were many Buddhists in countries like Sri Lanka, Japan, China and Thailand, the Prime Minister said the government would prepare some special programmes to encourage such people to visit the birthplace of Gautam Buddha.
"The Buddha’s forward-looking message against ailment, hunger and oppressions is so valid today as it was in the past," PM Dr Bhattarai said.
He argued that religion should be seen relating it to development and prosperity. "All religions are good in their own respects. However, spread of the religion is linked with the prosperity of the followers of the concerned religion."
"Christianity became influential in the 19th century as the followers of this religion were prosperous. Islam religion got publicity worldwide with the harnessing of oil resources in the Arabian countries in the 20th century. Now, it is turn of the Buddhism in the 21st century for the sake of world peace."
Addressing the ceremony, Cultural Minister and coordinator of the visit year Gopal Kiranti unveiled

some programmes prepared to meet the objectives of the Visit Lumbini Year-2012.
He said that different sub-committees would be formed both nationally and internationally to hold interactions about Lumbini, informative signboard would be displayed at least at 108 places in different sections of Kakanvitta-Lumbini, Gadda Chauki-Lumbini and Tatopani-Lumbini roads, caps and t-shirts advertising the visit year would be made and sold in cheap price.
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BRINGING HIV PRELEVANCE TO ZERO A MAKOR CHALLENGE

Kathmandu, 2 Dec.: The government had placed a high priority to programmes aimed at controlling sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS, Minister for Health and Population Rajendra Mahato said Thursday, The Rising Nepal reports.
Speaking at an interaction, organized on the occasion of 24th World AIDS Day, Minister Mahato pointed out that HIV was a social health problem.
"Bringing HIV prevalence to zero is a major challenge," he said.
He stressed the need of mass awareness generating programmes, rehabilitation and proper treatment to bring down HIV prevalence in the nation.
So far, 18,396 people have tested HIV positive in Nepal.
"Three times more people may be HIV positive," he said. "In the absence of health access, they may have been out of count."
He asked the infected people to come for test and to help the government in treatment.
Health secretary Dr. Sudha Sharma said that the government should not depend on donor agencies for the HIV/AIDS programme.
"Business entrepreneurs should come forth with programmes for HIV control," she said.
On the occasion of World AIDS Day, Thursday, various awareness programmes, along with rallies, were organized with the main theme ‘Getting to Zero’, in the capital.
High level officers of the Ministry of Health and Population, representatives of various national and international non-governmental organizations, teachers and students participated in the rally organised to create awareness against HIV/AIDS and sexual diseases.
At the same time, the WHO South-East Asia said thirty years after the first reported case of human infection with the HIV virus, the profile of HIV/AIDS is undergoing a transformation from a life-threatening emergency to a manageable chronic disease. New strategies and initiatives have ensured that fewer people are getting infected with the virus, and more infected people are getting treatment and living longer.
On World AIDS Day 2011, WHO urged countries in South-East Asia to focus on eliminating the disease, particularly in children, by 2015.
Between 2001 and 2010, the number of people newly infected with HIV declined sharply by 34 per cent in WHO’s South-East Asia Region. The number of people living with HIV and receiving anti-retroviral treatment (ART) also increased 10-fold. This indicates that more people are getting access to treatment. With the expansion of facilities providing testing and counseling services, approximately 16 million people have been tested for HIV across the region, the release read.
"We are coming out of a transformative decade for the HIV/AIDS epidemic. With innovative treatment regimens, improved health services as well as political commitment, HIV-positive people who are on treatment are living longer and better lives," said Dr Samlee Plianbangchang, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia. He added, "We must learn from our experiences, and work to ensure that no child born gets infected with HIV."
Meanwhile, the European Union issued a statement from its headquarters in Brussels and reaffirmed its commitment to support people living with HIV and affected by the epidemic.
"The EU joins with the AIDS community and beyond in support of the UNAIDS ‘Getting to Zero’ strategies and takes the opportunity of the World AIDS Day to reaffirm the commitment to play its part in our share responsibility to put an end to HIV."
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WAR DECLARED AGAINST MONSANTO

Kathmandu, 2 Dec.: At a time when the ‘Stop Monsanto in Nepal’ campaign is picking up pace, the
All Nepal Peasants’ Federation has declared a war to prevent Monsanto from coming to Nepal, The Kathmandu Post.
The farmers’ wing has vowed that it would force the government and USAID to annul the agreement signed with the Monsanto company, a US-based producer of genetically engineered seeds, to introduce hybrid corn seeds for around 20,000 farmers in Kavre, Nawalparasi and Chitwan districts.
Speaking at a programme organised by the Nepal chapter of South Asian Food (SAFSN) Sovereignty Network in the Capital on Thursday, UML Vice-Chairperson Bam Dev Gautam, who also leads the federation, said the entry of the hybrid seed produced by Monsanto would not be allowed to enter Nepal. “We are against the multinational company’s involvement in agriculture,” said Gautam. “This issue will also be raised in the parliament. He also expressed his concern over government reluctance in formulating a food sovereignty act, as stated in the Interim Constitution of Nepal.
Speaking at the same programme, Ujjaini Halim, SAFSN coordinator, stressed for joint efforts from all stakeholders to ensure the Right to Food and Food Sovereignty in the South Asian region. Six South Asian countries except the Maldives and Bhutan are in the network.
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ARMY PREPARING TO INDUCT PLA FIGHTERS
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Kathmandu, 2 Dec.: With the regrouping process of ex-Maoist combatants heading towards completion, the Nepal Army (NA) has stepped up preparations for selection and training of the fighters to be integrated into it, Phanindra Dahal writes in The Kathmandu Post.
A team led by Maj Gen Daman Ghale, director general of Military Operations, is laying the groundwork for drafting a detailed army integration plan. The team will also recommend the structure and deployment area of the non-combat directorate as well as the training and courses that the combatants need to go through before serving in the national army.
In a seven-point deal signed on November 1, major political parties have agreed to set up a general directorate with mandates of rescue and relief operations, infrastructure development, and forest and industrial security for the integration of a maximum of 6,500 former Maoist combatants. However, more than 9,000 combatants expressed their willingness for integration during the two-week long regrouping process carried out in the seven PLA (People's Liberation Army) main cantonment sites across the country.
Army officials have said all the combatants willing to serve in the Nepal Army should be physically fit and go through written and medical examinations. They expect the number of combatants opting for integration to fall by the time the screening is over.
The Army plans to conduct strict screening to ensure that none of the deserters, human rights violators and combatants with criminal backgrounds is integrated into the Nepal Army. They want the Special Committee to take necessary political decisions on a mechanism that would prepare the bridging course for the combatants before they are recruited in the Army.
The NA plans to use its Trishuli-based recruitment centre with the capacity of conducting training for 1,500 personnel at a time and the Saljhadi-based Integrated Training Centre with the capacity of training 1,000 personnel, apart from other facilities, for training the selected combatants.
An NA general claimed that the national army could conduct training for all 6,500 combatants (if they are selected) at one go by making special arrangements. There are 90 battalions, including 68 with infantry responsibilities, in the NA, each of which can carry out training of 100 soldiers at a time, claimed the source, adding that arranging for training centres is not a big problem.
Combatants, according to Army sources, will get concession in education, marital status and age but will have to undertake training courses before deployment. Army plans to prescribe nine-month training for ordinary soldiers and a 24-month course for those who are selected for officers' ranks.
Army officials have said that apart from technical and logistical preparations, they should also consult stakeholders concerned on areas where the new directorate would be deployed. The Army plans to talk to Forest Ministry officials on forest areas where the troops can be mobilised and with Industry Ministry officials on industrial areas that need to be guarded.
"We are still doing basic homework. We are prepared to take our responsibility once the government makes a formal decision," said NA Spokesman Ramindra Chhetri.
The proposal on the formation of a new general directorate should be endorsed by the Cabinet. However, the Defence Ministry has not been activated so far towards that end. The government will proceed to set up the directorate after hearing from the Army, said a prime minister's aide.
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