NARENDRA BASNET TAKES CHARGE AS SECOND PRESIDENT OF CNI FRIDAY Kathmandu, 21 Dec.: Senior Vice-president of Confederation of Nepali Industries (CNI) Narendra Basnet will takeover as President of the umbrella of Nepali industries Friday at a 10th annual general meeting Basnet takes charge from Basanta Chaudhary the founding chairman of CNI. Nnnn VALLEY’S MINIMUM TEMPERATURE TO SLIP TO 2 DEGREES CELSIUS Kathmandu, 21 Dec.: Minimum temperature is expected to fall to 2 degrees Celsius n the Valley Friday. Mercury will rise to 18 degrees Celsius in the afternoon. Nnnn NEPAL ARMY PLAYS BANSBARI IN FOOTBALL LEAGUE Kathmandu, 21 Dec.: Nepal Army plays Bansbari in the A Division Martyrs Memorial A Division Football League Championship Friday´at Dashrath Rangashala. Nepal Police plays Friends Club in another match. Friends Club Dilkazi Gurung resigned after the loss. Nnnn BHAIRAHAWA, APF IN FINAL OF NATIONALONE DAY CRICKET Kathmandu, 21 Dec.: Region No 4 (Bhairahawa) and APF Thursday entered the final of the National One-Day Cricket Tournament. Bhairawa beat by Region 7 (Janakpur) by eight eicket. AFP scored a 120-run victory over Region No 2 (Birgunj). The final match will be played at the TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur Friday. nnnn PRACHANDA ASSURES CONSENSUS BY SATURDAY Kathmandum 21 Dec 21: Major political parties have reiterated to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav that they would reach consensus by Saturday-- the fifth deadline given by the president, Kosh Raj Koirala writes in Republica. At a meeting held at the President´s Office in Shital Niwas Thursday evening, top leaders of UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) assured the president that he would be able to fly to India leaving a full-fledged government back home. The president is scheduled to fly to India on Monday. According to the president´s press advisor Rajendra Dahal, leaders of all political parties told the president that they would reach consensus by Saturday. "We have almost reached close to agreement. We will reach an agreement by Saturday," Dahal quoted the leaders as saying to the president. Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who left the meeting venue a little earlier, said the parties would reach consensus. "I can now say with confidence that the country is heading toward consensus," Dahal told media persons. The commitment of the top leaders to the president came hours after the ruling Federal Democratic Republican Alliance reiterated its stance that Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai wouldn´t step down unless there was package deal among the parties. "The prime minister has said that he would abide by the agreement between the political parties. I am fully confident that the prime minister would play a role to help forge consensus and implement it," NC General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula told Republica after the meeting. Top leaders of major parties involved in negotiations have reached an understanding to forward a package deal directly to the president for endorsement if the prime minister decided to reject it. But if there was a positive response from the prime minister, parties have decided to first forward it to the prime minister and then to the president. While Chairman Dahal and another senior leader Amik Sherchan participated in the meeting from Maoist, President Sushil Koirala and General Secretary Sitaula were present in the meeting from the NC. Likewise, Tarai Madhesi Democratic Party (TMDP) Chairman Mahantha Thakur and Madhesi People´s Rights Forum -Democratic Chairman Coordinator Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar from United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) and Chairman Jhalanath Khanal from UML attended the meeting that lasted for about two hours. TMDP Chairman Thakur said parties are trying to find a prime ministerial candidate acceptable to all. NC General Secretary Krishna Sitaula had held a series of meeting with various leaders including Maoist Chairman Dahal, Gachchhadar, UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato earlier in the day. Situala said they have almost reached a package deal on all issues including formation of a new government, amendment to the election-related laws and constitutional provisions and announcement of the date for fresh CA polls. Nnnn 'OPERATION DHRUBE MAY AFFECT OTHER ANIMALS SAY EXPERTS Kathmandu, 21 Dec.: : Although the relatives of those killed by Dhrube are all praise for the local authorities´ decision to hunt down the insane elephant, conservation experts have warned that the way security personnel are chasing the elephant could seriously affect other endangered species, Chandi Hamal writes in Republica from CHitwan.. Two days after the local administration decided to kill Dhrube, who has reportedly killed seven people in less than three months, a team of Nepal Army (NA) personnel has reached Sukebhara area of Chitwan National Park (CNP). The team, accompanied by some CNP technicians, has used a truck and several domesticated elephants to track down Dhrube. According to Bishnu Thapaliya, a CNP ranger, the team reached Sukebhara area on the basis of information sent by a radio device fitted on Dhrube. Conservation experts say activities related to ´Operation Dhrube´ may frighten dangerous wild animals like tigers and rhinos. "Gunshots intended to kill Dhrube could frighten wild animals out of their natural habitats," said Ramprit Yadav, former CNP warden. "The frightened animals can enter human settlements, posing serious threats to the locals." The hunt for Dhrube in Sukebhara is risky also because this area is a hotbed of endangered species. "A single bullet is not sufficient to kill Dhrube," said Yadav. "The NA men need to fire several bullets which will definitely frighten tigers and rhinos." In Sukebhara area, which is rich with grasslands and thick forest, the CNP has prevented vehicles, which are used by tourists for jungle safari, from honking horns to ensure that wild animals do not get disturbed. However, under the pretext of killing Dhrube, CNP has allowed gun-toting NA men to parade indiscriminately in the conservation-sensitive area. Jhamak Karki, the CNP warden, tries to play down the negative impacts of the ´inappropriate´ hunt for Dhrube. "Many are riding elephants; only some people are in the truck," said Karki. "So, the hunt will not have adverse impact on other endangered species." Bote couple cremated The family of the deceased Bote couple, who had died in tusker´s attack on Saturday evening, has finally cremated the bodies Thursday. They had refused to expedite finals rites for the trampled couple, demanding immediate killing of Dhurbe, the killer tusker, along with an additional Rs 1 million compensation for each person killed. As per an agreement, the victim families in the first phase will receive Rs 3,000,00 in compensation and the remaining amount will be distributed after consulting with the ministry. nnnn