BABY OF 11-YEAR-OLD DIES Kathmandu, 30 May : An infant born to an eleven-year-old mother after rape died on Wednesday night, RSS reports.. A girl from Sisne of Khudunabari-1 in Jhapa who was raped by a forty-year-old man gave birth to an immature baby boy at Koshi Zonal Hospital, Biratnagar in the morning of Wednesday. The girl with Bishwakarma surname gave birth to the baby weighing 1,200 grammes at seven months of pregnancy. According to doctors assigned at the maternity ward, the premature baby died of infection. The girl, however, was discharged on Wednesday and her condition is normal. She is now under the protection of Biratnagar-based ABC Nepal, a non-government organization fighting for the rights of women. Rapist Surendra Bishwakarma who is the victim´sb brother-in-law is on the run since the incident came into the public a few days ago. Nnnn Ma ABDUCTORS IN PARSA ARRESTED Kathmandu, 30 May:: A patrol team of the Ward Police Office, Shreepur has arrested four abductors including two Indians on the charge of abduction of a child, RSS reports from Birgunj.. Those arrested are Rajendra Patel and Bijay Patel of Parsa Bhawanipur. Likewise, Om Prakash Sahani and Gopal Patel of Raxaul, a neighboring Indian town, have also been arrested in that connection, said Inspector Ganesh Chanda at the Area police Office. They were arrested while demanding for ransom after abducting a six-year old son of Alparan Devan of Bishrampur-8, Parsa last night, said Inspector Chanda. The arrestees have been detained in the District Police Office Birgunj and investigation was on in this connection. Nnnn NEXICAN SETS EVEREST RECORD Kathmandu, 30 May: A veteran Mexican climber was confirmed on Thursday as the first person to climb Everest from both sides of the mountain in the same season, AFP reports from the Nepalese capital.. David Liano Gonzalez, 33, reached the top of Everest on May 11 from the south side, and days later started his second successful ascent of the world´s highest mountain from the north side. Gonzalez, who says he has now climbed Everest five times in total, was awarded the official record certificate from Guinness World Records at a ceremony in the Nepal capital on Thursday. "I am very happy to have set this record," Gonzalez told reporters. Confirmation of the feat comes after Nepal on Wednesday marked 60 years since the first ascent of Everest, with celebrations honouring the now legendary climbers Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay. Around 3,500 people have reached the top of Everest since the first conquest in 1953, and climbing to the roof of the world has become a lucrative industry for impoverished Nepal. "He (Gonzalez) summited Everest on 11 May 2013 from Nepal (the south side) and on May 19 from Tibet (the north side), becoming the first person in one single expedition season to do so," said Ang Tshering Sherpa, founder of Asian Trekking, the company that organised the expedition. Gonzalez said that after his first ascent from the Nepal side, he descended to the Everest base camp and flew to Kathmandu, before making an overland trip to Tibet for his second successful bid. There are at least four routes to the top of the 8,848-metre (29,029 ft) mountain. But most commercially guided expeditions follow the Southeast Ridge in the Nepal side and the Northeast Ridge in the Tibetan side of China. The summit season on Everest begins every year in late April, when a small window between spring and the summer monsoon offers the best conditions for making the ascent. Around 540 have reached the top this year, including an octogenarian, the first female amputee, the first women from Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, and the first armless man. Nnnn ________________________________________ MONARCHICAL ATTITUDE DISMAYS MJFL LEADER Kathmandu, 30 May: Things have changed a lot in the last seven years. The country is turning into a federal democratic republic from a constitutional monarchy. Narayanhiti Royal Palace has been replaced by Shital Niwas, Gani Ansari writes in Republica.. However, a popular singer who played a crucial role in attracting masses to the anti-monarchy movement in 2006 is dismayed to find “monarchial attitudes” among the top leaders of major political parties. The country on Wednesday marked the 6th republic day amid a souring of relations between civil society and the present technocratic government formed after the 11-point deal reached between the four political forces--UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML and United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF). “Though monarchy has been abolished, monarchial attitudes persist among some top leaders,” says Rabin Gandharba, who was at the forefront during the people´s movement in 2006 along with the political leaders. While the government was marking republic day amid a function at Tundikhel, Kathmandu, members of civil society held a separate function in the capital to mark the day. Like common people across the country, Gandharba is also not happy with ongoing political developments. “Some leaders of the four political forces evince the attitude that they are now kings but what they should remember is that people power, which ousted the 240 year-old monarchy, can topple such political leaders also,” he warns. At a time when the major political parties are being accused of riding roughshod over the people´s aspirations and democratic norms and values, Gandharba, 22, also suggests to the top leaders of the four political parties to mend their ways. “Common people are frustrated with the political parties,” he maintains, adding, “If the leaders do not remain worthy of the public trust, it will become dangerous for them.” So, where did the big parties slip after the announcement of the republic? “The dissolution of the Constituent Assembly (CA) without delivering a new statute was a most tragic event,” says Gandharba, adding, “And now the chief justice is also head of the executive branch, which is against the principle of separation of powers.” He terms the agreement between the four political forces ´unfortunate´. He also warns of dictatorship in the country if Khil Raj Regmi keeps holding on to the posts of head of the executive branch and of the judiciary simultaneously. “Abolishing the 240-year-old monarchy was no mean achievement but people´s expectations are yet to be fulfilled while the political leaders remain too busy serving their personal interests,” Gandharba says. He is unhappy over the gap between the rhetoric of the top leaders and what they are doing in practice. “While speaking in public they present themselves as concerned for the people´s cause but in reality it seems they are being guided by some other forces,” he laments. He maintains that there is uncertainty in the country and the common people do not know where things are headed. Gandharba, who was then about 14, came in contact with student leaders including Chandra Shahi and Ram Kumari Jhakri at the time of the people´s movement, and he also joined the movement. Asked if the political leaders still keep in touch with him, he said, “Times have changed a lot; at a time when the political parties need Rekha Thapa and Bhuwan KC, I may not be as important as before.” However, some political leaders including Madhav Nepal and KP Oli often phone him to inquire about his studies, he says. Gandharba is currently studying at the higher secondary level in the capital. The government provides him Rs 7,000 monthly as a scholarship. Nnnn FIRST OSTRICH FARM EXPANDING Kathmandu, 30 May : Ostrich Nepal - the operator of country´s first ostrich farm in Nepal - is on an expansion spree, Sher Bahadur KC reports from Butwal. . The company based in Gangolia of Rupandehi is planning to expand farming to Beljhundi of Dang with additional investment of Rs 50 million. “We have decided to expand farming to Dang as the existing farm that sprawls over 14 hectares can no longer serve our business plan,” CP Sharma, managing director of Ostrich Nepal, said. Ostrich Nepal has taken around 100 hectares of land owned by Mahendra Sanskrit University in Beljhundi on a 20-year lease. “We will shit parent flocks in our new farm at Beljhundi,” said Sharma. As per the plan, 1,000 parent ostriches will be transferred to Beljundi from Ruapandehi within three weeks. The company plans to raise the number of parent ostriches in Beljhundi to 3,000 within three years. In line with the capacity expansion plan, Ostrich Nepal is importing 1,000 parent ostriches from northern Africa within a few months. The company has spent Rs 50 million to develop the new farm. It has completed fencing works on the entire property, set up drinking water system and built sheds, staff quarters and office building. According to Sharma, the old farm in Gangolia will be used only for meat processing, feed production and producing parent chicks once the new farm commences operation. The farm´s hatchery has been producing 100 chicks per week. It has the capacity to hatch 100 eggs per day. Sharma said his company will also encourage local farmers to start ostrich farming. Ostrich Nepal has already invested around Rs 60 million since it commenced operation by importing 600 chicks from Australia some five years ago. It sells 20 tons of ostrich meat a year. “There is good market for this product. Big hotels in the country are importing ostrich meat products from abroad to fulfill supply deficit,” he said. Ostrich Nepal has set a target of substituting ostrich meat imports with domestic production by 2015. Ostrich meat fetches around Rs 2,000 per kg in the local market. The company is also planning to export eggs, skin and feathers. Sharma, however, said the government is not doing enough to promote ostrich farming. “Ostrich farming can make big contribution to national economy. If the government facilitates farmers by arranging concessional loans from banks, many will jump into ostrich farming,” he added. Nnnn