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King launches Nepal Expo-2001

Kathmandu, April 10: King Birendra Tuesday  inaugurated the Nepal Business Expo-2001 at the
Bhrikuti Mandap coinciding with  anniversary of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI). Queen Aishwarya was also present on the occasion. The six day  exposition  is sponsored FNCCI, Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Lalitpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Bhaktapur Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Nearly 300 stalls at the fair display cottage,
industrial, agricultural and engineering goods to promote internal and international trade. nepalnews.com br

Maoists admit six losses

Kathmandu, April 10: Maoists admitted that six of their comrades were killed along with the 28 policemen when they attacked the police post Namaule village in Dailekh district Friday night. In a statement released by Comrade Sonam the rebels said five Maoists died instantly while the sixth succumbed to injuries. Government sources had earlier estimated that about 20 rebels had been killed in the fighting.

An attack in Nanglabhir village in Kathmandu district police post some 20 km east of the capital ended with no casualties in either side. Police beat off the first gun attack by insurgents on the outpost in Kathmandu district Monday night. In another incident at least a dozen people were injured in Sanischare, Morang district Monday in a stampede following police firings and lobbing of tear gas shells to disrupt a public meeting of the All Nepal National Peasant's Association-- a peasant wing of the underground rebel group, local officials said. Nearly 30 police abandoned a post in Ghurkot in Gulmi district west Nepal Sunday fearing an attack by 300 rebels, published reports said.

Meanwhile an expected announcement extending the ordinances forming an armed police force and devolving powers to five regional administrators did not come after Monday night's meeting between the king and the prime minister. The ordinances lapsed after the Parliament failed to approve the legislation by Sunday. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Nepal Bangladesh Bank Ltd records profit

Kathmandu, April 10: Nepal Bangladesh Bank Ltd recorded an operating profit of Rs 290.29 million in the current fiscal year 2056/57-up a whopping 75.45 percent from the previous year. The joint venture bank's annual general meeting Monday approved a board decision to issue bonus shares at one to one rate to increase the capital to Rs 500 million as per directives from the Nepal Rastra Bank. An announcement said the bank head quartered in Kathmandu will soon open branches in Dhangadi and Pokhara with plans to extend offices to Dharan and Lalitpur with the approval of the central bank. The bank has 13 outlets at present and will cover all the five development zones when extension plans are complete. Nepalnews.com/br/at

National football squad leaves for Iraq

Kathmandu, April 10: After a long period of uncertainty in the national football governing body, a 23 member Nepali soccer squad left for Iraq Monday to participate in the Asian Group-6 qualifying matches of the World Cup to be held next year in Japan and South Korea. Nepal, Iraq, Kazakhastan and Macao are in the grouping. Two coaches and two officials are accompanying the team captained by Upendra Man Singh. Tashi Ghale is the team leader. The team was selected only two weeks ago following a compromise between rival All Nepal Football Associations (ANFA), the National Sports Council (NSC) and the Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC). World soccer governing body FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) recognises ANFA headed by Ganesh Thapa while the government, NSC and NOC recognise another ANFA headed by Gita Rana. The dispute erupted seven months ago between the claimants and Nepal's most popular sport suffered as the venue of the group matches was shifted from Kathmandu to Iraq and Kazakhastan. NSC General Secretary Binod Shanker Palikhe and Thapa bid the team farewell at the airport as Rana stayed back. Sports commentators do not expect the team to do well because of the lack of preparation for the matches to be played later this month. The players had threatened to boycott the matches until the dispute between the two parties was resolved. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Conditions of Ganga, Jamuna stable

Kathmandu, 10 April: An operation to separate the 11-month-old Siamese twins Ganga and Jamuna Shrestha at a hospital in Singapore is continuing for an unprecedented fourth day Tuesday. Latest reports from the Singapore General Hospital said the twins were in a stable condition. Doctors began the operation Friday 0800 GMT.

Surgeons are encountering new challenges as the marathon procedure progressed. The twins joined at the head were born at the Prashuti Griha in Kathmandu. The twins underwent six months of meticulous preparation in Singapore for the rare surgery. "The girls vital signs have remained stable and both the surgical and anaesthetic teams are happy with the progress," the Hospital said in a statement. Nepalis in Singapore, island residents and Singapore Airlines are financing the operation and other costs. The Shresthas come from suburban Kathmandu. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Queen inaugurates conference

Kathmandu, April 9: Queen Aishwarya inaugurated the fifth international conference on "Adolescent Health: Strength for National Development" organised by the Nepal Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (NESOG) here Monday. 170 specialists from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Australia and Japan are participating in the three-day conference. The queen presented a letter of commendation to Prof Peter Elliot, the NESOG award to Dr Usha Shrestha, and an award to Dr Hira Tuladhar for significant contribution to gynaecology.Nepalnews.com/br/at

Indian graphic prints exhibition

Kathmandu, April 9: An exhibition of 81 contemporary graphic prints of 34 renowned artists like MF Hussain, Amitava Das, Laxman Gaud, Gogi Saroj Pal and other artists will be on display at the Nepal Association of Fine Arts (NAFA) from 15-30 April, the Indian Embassy said. The exhibition endeavours to build a bridge of compassion and understanding with the viewers and reaffirm humankind’s faith in the future thereby forging a common bond between India and other countries. The exhibition is arriving in Kathmandu after travelling to Havana, Lima, Bogota, Panama, Caracas, Venezuela, Hong Kong and Dhaka. NAFA, Indian Council of Cultural Relations and the Indian Embassy are sponsoring the exhibition.
Nepalnews.com/br/at

Seven children injured in blast

Kathmandu, April 9: Seven children were injured in a blast near the district headquarters of Pyuthan Monday afternoon, a Home Ministry announcement said. The Ministry said the explosive device was a bomb planted by Maoists along a trail. The injured school children are being treated at a hospital in the district. Nepalnews.com/br/at

NC CWC meeting begins; postponed until Thursday

Kathmandu, April 9: The emergency meeting of the Nepali Congress Central Working Committee (CWC) began today but was later postponed until 11 April Thursday. According to party spokesman Narahari Acharya, the meeting had to be postponed because Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had to go to the Royal Palace for a special meeting with the King. 

During the time that the meeting was conducted Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel and Defence Minister Mahesh Acharya presented reports on law and order and the security situation of the country after which the meeting started discussions on the report. The meeting condemned recent attacks carried out by Maoist rebels in different parts of the country in which numerous policemen were killed.

 Acharya also said the CWC recommended the government to take necessary measures including mobilisation of all bodies responsible for security in order to maintain law and order. Asked whether Prime Minister Koirala`s resignation was demanded in the meeting, Acharya said that this issue did not figure and no member raised the question of the premier’s resignation. The party’s parliamentary committee is meeting on 10 April while the CWC is meeting again on 12 April. Nepalnews.com/br/yl/at

Maoists ahead in human rights violation: INSEC

Kathmandu, April 9: Informal Sector Service Center, a human rights group says the Maoists have violated more human rights than the government. The Human Rights Year Book-2000 released by INSEC Monday in Kathmandu says Maoist rebels have outnumbered the government in human rights in 2000. Of the total 397 deaths in 2000, rebels killed 218 while police killed 179. Since the beginning of 2001, 90 people were killed, in which the share of Maoist rebels is more than 75 per cent. Subodh Raj Pyakurel, general secretary of INSEC said Maoists are ahead of the government in terms of numbers killed as well as the nature (cruelty) of the killings, briefing media persons on the book. However, the trend in human rights violation is increasing compared to previous years by both state as well as non-state parties.

INSEC has been publishing Human Rights Year Book annually since 1992 compiling human rights cases in all 75 districts of the country. The book states that there were 7349 cases of human rights violations in 2000. Of these, cases of human rights violations by the state are 3795, while those by non-state parties were 3550. The most cases of human rights violation are related to arbitrary arrest and personal security.

According to Pyakurel, the book contains primary sources of information only. "We have presented what we saw and found", said the general secretary. He also did not claim that information contained in the book were 100 per cent accurate. "The accuracy level of the information incorporated in the book is above 90 per cent", says Pyakurel. The main highlight of this year’s publication is conflict analysis and its resolution. "We have analysed the causes of Maoists insurgency and presented some suggestions for the resolution of this conflict", he said. "The military power of insurgents has increased tremendously and the government cannot control the insurgency by the use of force even if it used army", Pyakurel opined. Nepalnews.com/yl/at

Sir Ed hospitalised

Kathmandu, April 9: Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person to climb Mt Everest along with Tenzing Norgay, has been hospitalised for altitude sickness while he was in Khumjung on 5 April. Hillary was rushed to Patan Hospital in a helicopter and has been diagnosed with High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) that causes breathing problems. Mark Zimmerman the medical director of the hospital said Hillary’s condition has greatly improved and he will be discharged Tuesday. Hillary is scheduled to inaugurate the new children’s ward of the hospital Thursday. Hillary set up the Himalayan Foundation which helps to build schools and hospitals in Solu Khumbu. Nepalnews.com/at

Fire ravage continues

Kathmandu, April 9: Fires in different parts of the kingdom are causing havoc, killing people and destroying property, police and Home Ministry officials said Monday. The current dry spell plays a key role in the fires.

A 70-year-old woman died Friday when a fire destroyed more than 76 houses in Pakari village in Saptari, police said. 222 homes and property worth Rs 10 million were damaged in Saptari district in the last seven months, police said. Over 200 hectors of forest cover in Raniban, above Balaju, north west of the capital was destroyed due to a fire that started Friday. Fire fighters were fighting the blaze until Sunday, police said. 13 houses at Srikrishna Gandaki village in Syangjha was recently gutted out and property worth Rs 3 million destroyed due to fires there. Fires at Kerabari and Haucha villages in Morang district levelled 20 houses and caused material damage worth Rs 2 million. At least 23 persons have perished in fires nation-wide during the current Nepali calendar year that ends Friday, Home Ministry officials said. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Ganga, Jamuna receive front page coverage

Kathmandu, April 9: Newspapers in the capital Monday continued to give widespread front-page coverage on the attempt by doctors in Singapore to separate the 11-month-old Nepali Siamese twins Ganga and Jamuna. Reports from Singapore Monday morning said the marathon operation which began Friday was likely to continue into the fourth day. The procedure was originally expected to last 40 hours. The girls are joined at the top of the head and face different directions. They share a single skull cavity and their brains are partially fused. The condition is rare, but four similar operations have been previously performed, reports said. People here and members of the Nepali community in Singapore are financing the operation at Singapore General Hospital.

The twins were born at the Prashuti Griha in Kathmandu. Noted neurosurgeon Dr Upendra Devkota referred the case to doctors in Singapore. The twins have been in Singapore for the last six months to prepare for the surgery. They travelled there with their parents from suburban Kathmandu.
Nepalnews.com/br/at

The party will instead hold an emergency meeting of its central working committee on 9 April, and a meeting of its parliamentary party on 10 April to discuss the current political situation and work out a strategy to deal with it. There has been mounting pressure on Prime Minister Koirala, both from within the NC and from opposition parties to step down.Nepalnews.com/br/yl/at

CPN-UML holds rally, vows to oust Koirala

Kathmandu, April 8:The main opposition CPN-UML organised a rally in Kathmandu to observe the 11th anniversary of the Jana Andolan and to mobilise people against Prime Minister Girija Koirala’s government.

Processions from different parts of the Valley converged at Tundikhel for the rally at which UML leaders, including KP Oli and general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, vowed to continue their protest campaign until the Prime Minister steps down. Opposition leaders accused the Koirala government of failing on every front. "The country is a shambles, corruption is rampant and law and order is at its lowest. In this situation Koirala must resign and if he continues to cling to his position, the people will oust him," said Nepal. Other leaders said a sense of apathy towards democracy has developed among people because of misrule by the Nepali Congress. They added that Koirala’s resignation was necessary to safeguard democracy and ensure good governance and development in the country. Nepalnews.com/yl/at

NEPSE index dips again

Kathmandu, April 8: The NEPSE index dipped 1.63 points last week after a gain of 4.29 points the previous week. Trading opened at 375.95 points Tuesday and closed at 374.58 points Friday. The volume of trade also fell to Rs 31.5 million from Rs 34.7 million the previous week. The market was open for only four instead of five days last week. Altogether 35,329 shares of 33 enlisted companies were traded during the week. Commercial bank shares were again in highest demand during the week. Nepalnews.com/br/at

45 killed in Dailekh

Kathmandu, April 7: At least 29 policemen, one civilian and 15 Maoists were killed in a four hour exchange of gunfire at a police post in Dailkeh district about 450 km west of the capital Friday and Saturday, officials and independent reports said. 11 policemen were also abducted. About 500 Maoists attacked the police post at Naumale at 11.35pm Friday snapping all communications link. The injured 12 are receiving medical treatment at hospitals in Nepalgunj and the capital. Official sources say rebels decamped with fifty-nine 303 rifles, six magnums, three pistols, two shotguns and sophisticated communication equipment. The attack was timed with the anniversary to commemorate the overthrow the Panchayat system 11 years ago. At least 83 policemen, Maoists and civilians were killed in the bloodiest week of violence since the people’s war started. 

The names of policemen killed in the attack in Naumule village of Dailekh district Friday night are:
Inspector Dhruba Prasad Dulal, assistant inspector Karna Bahadur Salami, chief constables Nirab
Thapa, Bal Bahadur Balami, Harka Bahadur Chand, Sher Bahadur Sunar, Binod Bhujel, Bishnu
Khadayat, Man Singh Bista, Sher Bahadur Nepali, constables Bhakta Bahadur Basnet, Bhakta
Gurung, Mahesh Dhakal, Hari Prasad Gharti, Lokendra Giri, Shyam Shur Thapa, Chandra Bahadur
Pun, Gopal Khatri, Deepak Roka, Chhabi Lal Pariyar, Gagan Bahadur Rana, Janga Bahadur Nepali,
Dil Bahadur Sunakhari, Prakash Ghimire, Gopi Man Khadka, Hikmat Singh Rawat, Dhirendra Rana,
Nirmal Jung Shah and Tek Bahadur Bohora. 

The names of three missing policemen are assistant inspector Dhan Bahadur Bika, chief constable
Prem Bahadur Gurung and constable Karna Bahadur Khadka.  Nepalnews.com br/yl/at

Fresh attack leaves 28 policemen, one civilian dead

Kathmandu, April 7: A week after the worst Maoist initiated violence left 31 policemen dead in Rukumkot, the state-owned Radio Nepal early Saturday morning reported another attack in
Naumule village in Dailekh district where gunfire exchange between rebels and police left 28 policemen and one civilian dead, 12 critically injured and a further 12 missing. The radio said that the village police post in the far-west district of Dailekh, some 450 km from Kathmandu, had 72 police personnel stationed there and that an unknown number of rebels attacked the post Friday night at 11pm. The surviving 14 policemen are still in Dailekh. Further details are awaited. Nepalnews.com/yl/at

Vitamin A to be administered

Kathmandu, April 7: More than 3 million under 5-year old children are to be given vitamin A capsule in order to eradicate vitamin A deficiency related diseases. The National Vitamin A Programme is being launched nation wide on 19-20 April in collaboration with Ministry of Health, World Health Organisation and several other donor agencies. 40,200 health workers, volunteers and local women are being mobilised for the purpose. The government has been conducting the Vitamin A programme for the last couple of years, which has significantly reduced the number of Vitamin A deficiency related diseases, according to the Ministry of Health. Under the National Vitamin A Programme capsules are administered to children twice a year. Nepalnews.com/yl/at

Strike generally peaceful

Kathmandu, April 6: The nation-wide strike called by the underground Maoists to commemorate the fall of the Panchayat rule 11 years ago was generally peaceful except for a few incidences Friday. Life in the Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the kingdom came to a standstill, as vehicles stayed off the road, businesses, schools and industrial establishments remained closed. Rebels however set off explosions at the home of Water Resources Minister Baldev Sharma Majgaiya Friday morning in Dang, west Nepal, damaging his home although nobody was injured in the attack, a Home Ministry official said. Insurgents also attacked and injured activists of the ruling Nepali Congress party in Jumla Friday. A police post in Mugu was destroyed and a truck defying the strike call was torched in Chitwan. 

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel Friday told a news conference “Necessary homework is being done to launch an integrated security and development programme in places affected by terrorist activities,” without elaborating on what the integrated programme was. Answering a query on whether the army had been mobilised after Sunday nights daring attacks in Rukumkot and other places, Poudel said, “The army has not been mobilized as yet but the government has taken the latest developments seriously. We feel the terrorists are not serious about talks. The government is always prepared for negotiations and welcomes any efforts to bring the Maoists to the negotiating table. Maoists are just pretending they want negotiations.” 

Giving details of the casualties Poudel said altogether 1627 persons had been killed in the more then five years of internal violence and property worth over Rs 900 million damaged in rebel attacks. Nepalnews.com/br/at

22 people killed by fire

Kathmandu, April 6: Altogether 22 persons were killed and property worth over Rs 92 million were damaged by fires during this Nepali year 2057 which ends on 13 April, a Home Ministry source said. The fires that reduced 912 homes to rubble and destroyed 47 sheds affected 961 families. “Compared to the previous year, deaths and destruction to property this year was less,” the official said. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Kathmandu, April 6: All three crewmembers of a Yeti Airlines Twin Otter escaped unhurt when the aircraft hit a tree and two houses during takeoff from Tumlingtar airport in east Nepal, aviation officials said. The pilot lost control during takeoff for Lamidanda and crashed against a storehouse, tree and a canteen at the end of the airstrip damaging the aircraft. Captain P Shrivastav was in command; other crew members included co-pilot K. Silwal and flight attendant D Sherchan. The crew was airlifted to the capital for medical attention Thursday. A three-member probe committee has been formed to investigate the accident. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Five members appointed to Nepal Tourism Board

Kathmandu, April 6: The government has appointed five prominent persons in the tourism industry to the long vacant posts of directors of the Nepal Tourism Board, an announcement said. Shyam Bahadur Pandey, Mrs Ambika Shrestha, Yogendra Sakya, Kali Bahadur Adhikari and Bishwa Shanker Palikhey have been appointed for three-year terms. The Board funded by a two percent tourism tax promotes tourism. Nepalnews.com/br/at

General strike paralyses life in valley

Kathmandu, April 6: A general strike called by Maoists paralysed life in the Kathmandu valley Friday. All the shops in the capitals main marketing centres and streets were shut and streets were deserted as vehicles stayed off the roads. Schools and industrial establishments remained closed as well. Most government officials walked to work and tourists went to the airport in rickshaws to catch flights.

The insurgents timed the strike with the 11th anniversary of the overthrow of the party less Panchayat system and the restoration of multi-party democracy. "The general strike is linked to the demands and struggle launched for the future of the nation and the people," the Maoists said in a comment.

Immediate reports of the strike effect from other parts of the kingdom were not available. Nepalnews.com/br/at