NEGLIGENCE OF GOVT. ROAD REPAIR WORKERS DISRUPT TELEPHONE SERVICE Kathmandu, 7 March:: The Code Division Multiple Access, popularly known as CDMA, phone services of Nepal Telecom (NT) has been disrupted across the country after the optical fiber cables planted along the Maitighar-Bhadrakali stretch was damaged in course of the road expansion drive on Thursday, RSS reports. . Officials said that the optical fiber was damaged this afternoon by a bulldozer used in the construction of the road, disrupting the CDMA (9741 and 97510) telephone service nationwide. Managing Director of NT Amarnath Singh said that all the CDMA services were disrupted due to carelessness of the bulldozer driver. Singh said the incident took place as the road contractor failed to coordinate with the NT in course of constructing the road adjoining the NT central office. However, NT Nepal National Employees' Chairman Sunil Mishra blamed sheer negligence on part of top leadership of the NT that led to the incident. Nnnn MORE ON BIRAT GOLD CUP Kathamandu, 7 March: Defending champion Himalayan Sherpa was defeated 7-6 in Birat Gold Cup in Biratnagar Thursday. nnnn BERLUSCONI SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR JAIL TERM Kathmandu, 7 March: An Italian court on Thursday sentenced former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to a one-year jail term for making public the taped contents of a confidential phone call in a case related to a 2005 banking scandal, Reuters reports from Milan. The sentence, which was read in court by the judge, came as Berlusconi is facing two other trials for alleged tax fraud and paying for sex with an underage prostitute. Prosecutors in the wiretap case had asked for a one-year jail term for the media tycoon. Berlusconi, who has denied any wrongdoing, can seek to have the decision overturned before a court of appeal. Under Italian law, he is not expected to serve any prison term until all possible appeal trials have been carried out. nnnn