NC TO DISCUSS COOPERATION WITH DEMOCRATUC PARTIES IN ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS Kathmandu, 29 March: NC central committee meets Thursday to discuss co constituent assembly elections even as firm dates haven’t been announced for it by the newly installed government of retired civil servants led by Khil Raj Regmi who continues to be chief of the supreme court. Spokesman Dilendra Prasad Badu said the party committee will discuss working with democratic parties. Top three leaders have attempted to project a united party while visiting districts UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal Wednesday also said his party will cooperate with parties pushing a democratic agenda for a democratic, federal constitution with wih multi-party system. NC meets Thursday amid calls for the resignation of Rejmi as chief j Justice. Critics said one person can’t hold two jobs—chief of government and judicialy. Nnnn UML POLITBURO, CENTRAL COMMITTEE TO MEET Kathmandu, 29 March:: UML has convened a meeting of its politburo 8/9 April to discuss assembly elections. The meeting was called by Wednesday’s meeting of the standing committee. A thee-day meeting of the central committee has also been called on 15 April. The partyhas decided to participate in the electios announced by government and four leading political players but opposed by 33 other parties. nnnn. NO MADESHI ALLIANCE WITH UCON MAOIST Kathmandu, 28 March:, March 28: A week after the Federal Democratic Republican Alliance (FDRA) - an alliance of the UCPN (Maoist), Madhes-based and other fringe political parties - decided to go to polls with a common manifesto, common candidates and a common agenda, leaders of the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) have ruled out any possibility of forging an electoral alliance with the UCPN(Maoist), Gani Ansari writes in Republica.. Accusing the UCPN (Maoist) of double-dealing on issues of Madhes, Rameshwor Raya Yadav, senior vice-chairman of the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D) - a constituent party of UDMF - said they cannot forge an electoral alliance with the UCPN (Maoist). “Madhesi people still do not trust the UCPN (Maoist) completely,” stated Yadav, adding, “Madhes-based political parties must remain cautious of the UCPN (Maoist).” Yadav said that it would be difficult for the Madhes-based parties to forge an electoral alliance with the UCPN (Maoist), which has earned disrepute for double-dealing. Joint General Secretary of TMDP Jitendra Sonal said forging an election with UCPN (Maoist) is not possible given that even an alliance between the Madhes-based parties has not materialized so far. Dan Bahadur Chaudhari, general secretary of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party-Nepal (TMDP-N) - another constituent party of UDMF - maintained that they can cooperate with the UCPN (Maoist) on certain issues but cannot forge an electoral alliance with them. “The idea of an electoral alliance between UDMF and UCPN (Maoist) is completely fictitious,” added Chaudhari. Senior leader of MPRF-Republican BP Yadav said UDMF had forged an alliance with the UCPN (Maoist) only for the coalition government. “The alliance between the UCPN (Maoist) and UDMF has been terminated with the dissolution of the Baburam Bhattarai-led government,” he stated. However, BP Yadav maintained that Madhesi leaders may forge an electoral alliance with the Maoist leaders individually. “If a Madhesi leader forges electoral alliance with Pushpa Kamal Dahal on the basis of his personal relation with the latter, we would have no objections,” he said, adding, “UDMF has already made it clear that there will not be any alliance with the UCPN (Maoist) for the purpose of election.” General Secretary of Sadbhawana Party Manish Suman said UDMF has not taken any decision on electoral alliance with the UCPN (Maoist). “If any decision on alliance between UDMF and UCPN (Maoist) has been taken, the decisions are only of two leaders -- Mahantha Thakur and Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar,” he argued. Suman said the last meeting of UDMF held on February 12 had not held any discussion regarding electoral alliance with the UCPN (Maoist). Nnnn ________________________________________ S KOREA TO RECRUIT 6,000 NEPALIS THIS YEAR Kathmandu, 28 March : A senior South Korean official has said at least 6,000 Nepalis would be employed in Asia´s third largest economy under Employment Permit System (EPS) in 2013, Republica reports.. “As most of the Korean employers have appreciated the works of Nepalis, we are planning to place demand for over 6,000 workers this year. The number is higher than last year´s figure as some quotas will be shifted to Nepal because of reduction of quotas for some other countries,” Choon-Bok Lee, vice-president of Human Resource Development Service (HRDS) of South Korea, told media persons on Wednesday. Last year, South Korea had received around 5,800 Nepalis. “We will also try our best to take all the workers listed in the roster of HRDS prepared in 2011.” Choon is in Nepal to inspect the newly established Korean language test exam center in Lalitpur. EPS Nepal section and HRDS Korea are jointly conducting computer-based test (CBT) of Korean language at the center on Thursday for workers who returned from Korea. The CBT has been introduced for Nepalis who returned from Korea after working there for more than four years and 10 months under EPS. South Korea has sour around 200,000 workers from 15 countries under EPS so far. “We have introduced CBT to ensure transparency and effectiveness in language testing,” Choon said. He asked workers to enhance their basic skills related to works they are supposed to do in Korea. “We want a win-win situation in which both Nepali workers and Korean employers are satisfied. This will create more demand for Nepali workers,” he added. Around 16,000 Nepali workers have been working in Korea under EPS. Choon also cautioned Nepali workers not to overstay their visa. “We have stopped recruiting workers from Vietnam after Vietnamese were found overstaying their visa. We don´t want to see Nepali workers making the same mistake,” added Choon. Nepalis work in Korea´s agriculture and manufacturing sector. Choon, however, hinted that South Korea might recruit Nepalis in other sectors as well. South Korea recruits foreign workers under EPS in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, fishery and service sectors. Meanwhile, Minister for Labor and Employment Hari Prasad Neupane on Wednesday inaugurated the CBT Exam Center in Gwarko, Lalitpur. Speaking on the occasion, Neupane requested the Korean authority to recruit all the workers who have passed Korean language test. Around 8,000 workers, who have passed the language test, are still waiting for an opportunity to leave for South Korea. Neupane also urged the Korean government to increase quota for Nepali jobseekers for the year 2014. Of the 15,678 Nepalis, who have passed the language test, around 8,300 are still waiting for Korean jobs, according to Suresh Man Shrestha, secretary at the Ministry of Labor and Employment. Korean language test from Thursday EPS Nepal is conducting examination of Korean language test under CBT system for 246 workers, who returned home after working in Korea under EPS, on Thursday. According to Gyan Nath Dhakal, an officer at EPS-Nepal section, around 60 candidates will sit the exam every day in the newly inaugurated hall. Workers, who have completed four years and 10 months in Korea under EPS, are eligible for re-entry in Korea if they passed the CBT language test. Spoken and listening proficiency will be tests under CBT, according to officials. Nnnn SUMMER MIGRATORY BIRDS START ARRIVING Kathmandu, 28 March: Summer migratory birds have started arriving in Nepal with the Chestnut-headed Bee-eater, already ascending in Chitwan National Park in early March. This species is the earliest of summer visitor, The Rising Nepal writes. . According to Dr Hem Sagar Baral, noted bird scientist and Chief Technical Adviser of Himalayan Nature, several other species have also already entered or preparing to enter the country. Asian Paradise Flycatcher, one of the most beautiful birds of Nepal, has also made its way to Chitwan, said Baral. A variety of cuckoos will be making their presence in Nepal by the last week of March till the second week of April. According to Baral, the Asian Koel, another summer migrant, has already reached Kathmandu. “If you live near the woodlands or city parks, you will constantly hear the calls of cuckoos throughout the Spring and early Summer,” said Baral. Summer migrants are coming in variety and bulk, so expect a heavy traffic around you, he said. Baral said that the longest journey among Nepal's summer migrants is perhaps carried out by the Pied Cuckoo. Some of these birds come from Sub-Saharan Africa, involving a travel of more than 5000 km just one way. Most of our summer birds stay till the month of October prior to their departure to their winter quarters, said Nepal’s top ornithologist. Every year Nepal witnesses two bird migration, winter migration and summer migration. While 150 or more species enter Nepal during winter, barely 30 to 40 species make their way to spend their summer in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal. Winter migration in Nepal means that birds mostly come from the north, soon after completing their breeding cycle. On the other hand, summer migrants visit for breeding. Most of these birds come from the southern India and Southeast Asia. Nnnn