MOTHER, INFANT KILLED IN NUWAKOT AS TAXI FALLS INTO RIVER Kathmandu, 8 Aug.: A nursing mother and her new born baby were killed in a road accident that took place at Madanpur VDC-8 of Nuwakot district on Wednesday. Shobha Adhikari,25, of Manamaiju, Kathmandu and her 18-months-old baby were heading to their maternal home in Gerkhu VDC of Nuwakot when the taxi (Ba.1Ja.5255) they were travelling in met with an accident at Andherikhola. The taxi reportedly skidded off the road and fell 1,500 meters below. Three others injured in the accident have been taken to Kathmandu for treatment, police said. Meanwhile, in Syangja, 30-year-old Tek Prasad Gaire of Thumpokhara-4 died after the motorcycle he was riding was hit by a tractor at Nankedanda of Waling this afternoon. The tractor driver, Binod BK,22, of Waling-1 has been taken into police custody for necessary legal action. Nnnn CALL FOR PARTY OF INDIGENOUS Kathmandu, 8 Aug.: CPN (UML) leader Prithvi Subba Gurung has said that indigenous nationalities should have their own party to ensure their rights, RSS reports. Addressing a mass meeting organised by the National Indigenous Nationalities Women's Forum today, Gurung accused the Nepali Congress and the CPN ( UML) of ignoring the issues of indigenous nationalities. A separate party of indigenous nationalities should be formed if their issues were not addressed by the respective parties, he said. Chairperson of the National Indigenous Nationalities Women's Federation Ngimi Sherpa and General Secretary Soni Lama said the Federation had been fighting for the rights of the women from indigenous nationalities community. RSS nnnn BIJUKCHHE ASKS PRESIDENT TO ACT Kathmandu, 8 Aug.: Chairman of the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) Narayanman Bijukchhe has said the President should take a constitutional move to end the existing political deadlock in the country, RSS reports. Taking part in an interaction organised by the Rafat Sanchar Club here today, leader Bijukchhe urged the President to immediately do something to give an outlet to the country from the current crisis. "Now the President has become a mute spectator to the problems facing the country which he was not supposed to do," he added. "The nation is burning, but the fire engine is inside the Sheetal Niwas, now the time has come to take out the fire engine from there and use it for putting out the fire," said Bijukchhe. He said that political parties should picket the Baluwatar, the prime minister's official quarters, and compel Prime Minister Dr Bhattarai to step down in the context that the country's law and order and economic condition has worsened. He added that there was no alternative to the President's move in order to take the country on the right track by breaking the current political deadlock. RSS nnnn OLI ASKS NC TO NAME ITS CANDIDATE FOR PM Kathmandu, 8 Aug.: CPN-UML leader KP Sharma Oli has said that the Nepali Congress should immediately name its prime ministerial candidate for the leadership of the next government of consensus, RSS reports.. Speaking at a press meet organized by Press Chautari Nepal Bhaktapur chapter at his Balkot residence here on Wednesday, leader Oli said the Congress should not create obstacles to the formation of a national consensus government by not proposing the candidate for the post of the prime minister, owing to intra-party differences. On the occasion leader Oli also expressed the readiness to lead the next government if the Congress does not want to assume the leadership. "If the Congress fails to agree on the candidate, I am ready to chip in provided my party and other parties support it," he said. He also went further to say that as patron of the constitution the President should take a constitutional step to oust the present government. Reviving the constituent assembly for some days would be of no use when it failed to produce a constitution in four years, he said and added, "So we should seek a fresh mandate." Referring to his recent visit to neighbouring India, the UML leader said he shared with the Indian leaders about the latest political situation of Nepal and made it clear that a consensus government would be formed next. Also speaking at the program, President of Youth Association Nepal Mahesh Basnet said the Association would intensify the anti-government protest programmes. And throughout the protest, the Prime Minister and his cabinet members would be stopped from travelling in government-owned vehicles, he added. RSS nnnn NEPAL GETS STAMP OF APPROVAL FOR INDEPENDENCE FROM INDIAN ENVOY Kathmandu, 8 Aug.:: Indian Ambassador to Nepal Jayant Prasad has said that India always respects Nepal's independence as the country was an independent nation before many Asian countries gained independence, RSS reports. At the concluding function of the two-day national gathering of the Nepal-India Friendship Association in the capital on Wednesday, Ambassador Prasad said Nepal's independence is unique in the South Asia region and other countries should learn from this and act accordingly. He reminded that then Prime Minister of India Jawahar Lal Nehru had said Nepal was an elderly sister while India the younger one in terms of independence. India is ever ready to extend its help in the sectors of education, health and physical infrastructures in Nepal thereby strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries, he said, adding that India would not interfere in the domestic affairs of Nepal. Political leadership of Nepal should become active in concluding the peace process and constitution writing, he stressed. On the occasion, Association Chairperson Om Prakash Sarawagi said Indian assistance to Nepal was matchless and that continues to consolidate the relations between the two countries. Presenting a working paper on 'New Dimension in Nepal-India Relations', Professor Dr Lokraj Baral said comprehensive discussion and cooperation was needed to further consolidate relations between the two neighbours. Expert on water resources, Kumar Pandey said Indian assistance in Nepal's hydropower sector was very positive. On the occasion, he presented a working paper on 'Prospect of Hydropower in Nepal and Indian Assistance'. Vice-Chairman of the Association Bharatendu Kumar Mallik said the harmonious relations between the people of the two countries should be kept intact. Some 100 people including office-bearers of the Association participated in the gathering. nnnn