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CIAA files cases against 10 persons in Lauda deal

Kathmandu, May 25: The Commission for the Investigation the Abuse of Authority (CIAA) filed cases at Patan appellate court Friday against 10 persons, including former Tourism Minister Tarini Dutta Chataut and two senior officials of Austria's Lauda Air for "corruption and irregularities" amounting to Rs.380.3 million, Commission sources said. The registration of the cases marks the
culmination of over six months of investigation also involving Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala who challenged the Commission's authority to question him in a letter.

Cases were also filed against Executive Chairman of Royal Nepal Airlines (RNAC) Hari Bhakta Shrestha and Board Director Tirtha Lal Shrestha who are being held for failure to furnish a bond of Rs.50 million each. Others charged are senior officials of the state airlines. Further details will emerge at a Commission news conference at 3 PM. Ten opposition parties have called a three-day nation-wide strike beginning Sunday calling for Koirala's resignation for his alleged involvement in leasing a Boeing 767 aircraft for RNAC at inflated prices. nepalnews.com br

NHRC awards first compensation

Kathmandu, May 25: For the first time, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Thursday awarded compensation to the families of two inmates killed in a police firing inside a prison in Nepalgunj this year, the national rights watchdog body said. The families of Ghanshyan Oli and
Vijay Chowdhary will be compensated Rs.100,000 each; five percent of the compensation will be borne by the then Chief District Officer Shyam Prasad Mainali and 2.5 percent by the then Superintendent of Police Aran Kumar Singh.

"The rest of the compensation will have to be borne by the Home Ministry. This is obligatory," an official of the NHRC  said. "We found there was a violation of human rights after our investigation," NHRC Chairman Nayan Bahadur Khatri told reporters. The firings were unjustified, the Commission said. The Commission was formed last year to oversee human rights violations. Critics say it lacks teeth. nepalnews.com br

Oldest man climbs Everest

Kathmandu, May 25: A 65-year-old American set foot on Mount Everest Friday morning at 8.15 AM to become the oldest man to climb the world's tallest peak, a web site report said. Shearman Bull launched the assault with a Sherpa guide from the fourth camp site at the South Col at 8000m,
climbing all night Thursday and Friday to step on the 8848 metres high summit shortly after dawn. Bull broke a record set by Japanese Toshio Yamamoto when he climbed from the Tibet side at 63 years and 311 days old. Armenian Lev Sarkicov is now the third oldest man to climb Everest when he did it in spring 1999 from Nepal at 60 years and 161 days old. nepalnews.com/br

Background of Erik Weihenmayer

Kathmandu, May 25: An abortive attempt on Ama Dablam last year did not deter Eric from coming back to Nepal to climb Everest; he plans to climb all the seven tallest summits in seven continents. He has already climbed Mount Vinson, Aconcagua, Denali, Mount Kilimanjaro, Mount  McKinley, El
Captain and Polar Circus. Eric's feats have earned him national awards in the United States such as ESPM ARETE for courage in sports, the Gene Autrey award, Connecticut's Most Courageous Athlete award; he has been inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame; he delivered the pledge of allegiance at the Republican National Convention in Philadelphia last year.

His expedition is sponsored by the National Federation for the Blind (NFB). "The climb will make a bold statement about the capabilities of blind people, their right to assume first class citizenship, and the fact that, given the proper training and opportunity, blind people can do just about anything," said  NFB President Dr.Mare Maurer before the expedition left the United States for Nepal. Eric completely lost his sight by the age of 13 from a degenerative disease. His other remarkable athletic
pursuits are SCUBA diving, long-distance cycling, acrobatic skydiving, marathon running and skiing. nepalnews.com br 

Oldest man climbs Everest

Kathmandu, May 25: A 65-year-old American set foot on Mount Everest Friday morning at 8.15 AM to become the oldest man to climb the world's tallest peak, a web site report said. Shearman Bull launched the assault with a Sherpa guide from the fourth camp site at the South Col at 8000m, climbing all night Thursday and Friday to step on the 8848 metres high summit shortly after dawn. Bull broke a record set by Armenian Lev Sarkicov in spring 1999 when he climbed the peak from Nepal when he was 60 years and 161 days old.

A 32-year-old blind American is also approaching the summit and was last reported at the south summit just about 60 metres below the summit. Eric Weihenmayer from Golden, Colorado, will be the first blind person to climb Everest if he succeeds. Eric follows a tingling bell of a lead climber to guide him on the tricky slopes of mountains. He has already climbed four of the world's seven tallest peaks in seven continents.

Temba Chiiri Sherpa broke a 28-year-old record this week to became the youngest climber to climb Everest from the north 18 days after his 16th birthday. The climbs have not been confirmed by the Ministry of Tourism as yet. Final results will be available in several hours. nepalnews.com br

ILO to fund two rehabilitation centres

Kathmandu, May 25: International Labour Organization (ILO) will give Maiti Nepal $90,000 for the construction of two rehabilitation centres for abused children and women in Kakarvitta and Bhairawa. 
Maiti Nepal will help reintegrate 180 children and women into society at the two centres through education and counselling. The organization has been doing commendable work trying to stop the
trafficking of thousands of women and children to India every year and also rehabilitating them after rescue. nepalnews.com br

Two VC recipients fly to London

Kathmandu, May 25: Two recipients of the Victoria Cross, Great Britain's highest award for bravery, flew for London Friday to attend the Victoria and George Cross Reunion in the British capital, the British embassy said.

They will be hosted by the British Brigade of Gurkhas in Schomeliffe, Kent, which is the home of the 2nd battalion of the Royal Gurkha Rifles. They are accompanied by two members of their families and will return home in June. Rambahadur Limbu won the the VC for bravery in November in 1965 in Sarawak at the Bomea confrontation against Indonesia and Lachhiman Gurung received the medal in May 1945 following a battle against Japanese  in Burma during World War II. There are four surviving Nepali recipients of the Victoria Cross. It was not clear why the other two veterans were not attending the function in London. nepalnews.com br

Rawal resigns from party post

Kathmandu, May 24: Central leader of the main opposition party CPN-UML and former Minister Bhim Bahadur Rawal resigned from the central leadership of the party Thursday after being implicated by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament in the deal between Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) and China South West Airlines to lease a Boeing jet aircraft. In a letter to General Secretary of CPN-UML, Rawal said he resigned from the central committee member of the party as the PAC implicated him in the case. He has also requested the party leadership to terminate his general membership of the party if the court found him guilty.

Rawal was Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation when the deal was first signed between RNAC and the Chinese airlines. PAC, which has long been investigating into the deal, gave its decision Tuesday saying that there were irregularities and mal-intention in the deal to lease the aircraft. PAC said that Rawal and another former minister, Tarini Dutta Chataut were involved in the deal. Chataut, during his tenure as Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation, gave continuity to the earlier decision. PAC has also instructed the government to take maximum action against the two former ministers as well as other officials involved in the deal.

Meanwhile, CPN-UML has opposed the decision of Public Accounts Committee saying it lacked through investigation. "We are surprised to hear the decision of the Public Accounts Committee", says a statement issued by the party Thursday. nepalnews.com/yl/at

Temba Chiiri becomes youngest climber to climb Everest

Kathmandu, May 24: Temba Chiiri Sherpa broke a 28-year -old record of another Sherpa to become the youngest climber to set foot the on highest point on Earth Monday, Nepal Television quoted his his sponsor as saying. 

The indomitable lad from the foot of Gauri Shanker succeeded in his second attempt from Tibet 18 days after his 16th birthday even as he lost several fingers to frostbite last spring during a failed bid from the south in Nepal just 22 metres short of the summit. Sambhu Tamang climbed Everest with an Italian expedition in May 1973 when he was 17 years, six months and 16 days old. Arvin Timalshina made a failed bid to climb the peak two years ago when he was just 15. French teenager Bertrand Roche climbed Everest in the more difficult autumn season when he stepped on the summit on October 7,1990. Temba has successfully descended to base camp after his historic ascent. The climb was also confirmed by a club of Everest climbers who congratulated the student for his feat. nepalnews.com br

Novel attempt to clean Everest garbage

Kathmandu, May 24: Nepali organizers said Thursday they will continue a novel effort to clear garbage from Mount Everest regularly after the first such attempt succeeded this spring. The government, the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) and Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) paid Nepali porters and guides working for 20 expeditions camped at the base camp of the world's tallest peak nearly Rs.4 million to carry down more than 4000 kilos plus garbage. The guides received Rs.450 for one kilo of garbage lifted off the 8848 metres high peak. Previously, expeditions were launched to do the job. An international effort also involving Nepalis is doing a cleaning job on the north in Tibet this spring. "This was a low cost effort with maximum results," said Ang Phurba Sherpa and Ang Phuri Sherpa, co-ordinators of the Everest Rejuvenation Campaign, Spring 2001.

"Continuity and permanent partnership to clean Everest is important," said Subash Niraula, Director, Nepal Tourism Board. Degradable rubbish was buried below the base camp of the peak while 211 oxygen and gas cylinders recovered from the South Col (8000m) were airlifted to the capital for sale; proceeds will go to the NMA. nepalnews.com br

One Austrian dead, more climb Everest

Kathmandu, May 24: One Austrian died Wednesday during a summit bid on Everest and 19 more climbers with two expeditions climbed the 8848 metres high peak Thursday, the Ministry of Tourism said. Peter Gerfried Ganner, 5, fell 500 metres from 8500 metres to his icy grave, the Ministry said.
He was climbing with a Japanese team. One Indian soldier, a Peruvian, one American, three Canadians and 13 Sherpa guides with two expeditions again climbed the peak raising to 56 the number of climbers who scaled the mountain from the south east ridge in Nepal in three consecutive days.

Peru's Maximo Henstraroza Zambrano, 44, stepped on the summit Thursday; Peruvian climbers are visitors to the Nepal Himalaya. Vivianne Cug Maggi, 38, one of three women who made the first
Chilean female conquest of Everest Wednesday stepped on the summit with her 32-year- old brother Christian. Eric Weihenmayer, a blind American, is making a summit bid Friday, the Ministry said.
nepalnews.com br

South Asian states adopt Kathmandu Understanding

Kathmandu, May 24: Seven South Asian states, including warring India and Pakistan, Wednesday adopted a nine point Kathmandu Understanding to co-operate and work together at the United Nations in September to uplift the plight of children in the region. Ministers and senior officials from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal and Sri lanka also adopted the declaration after a two-day meet sponsored by the Nepali government and the UNICEF.

The nations asked development partners to enhance aid and assistance to children in the region while agreeing to increase national investments. The understanding will be discussed by the regional foreign secretaries meeting in Colombo for two days beginning June 8 to revive the SAARC process which received an additional boost after Pakistan and India agreed to a summit Wednesday to revive bilateral ties. Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee suggested the summit with Gen. Musharraf coinciding with the end of an unilateral cease-fire by India that did not end hostilities in the troubled state of Kashmir. "We pledge to work together to implement this understanding," regional leaders said ahead of the special UN General Assembly session on children. The meeting urged donors to consider debt relief measures and monitor the impact of international sanctions on children and "ensure humanitarian exemptions that are child focussed," an announcement said. The conference called for protection of adolescents and young people from HIV/AIDS and children affected by armed conflict. nepalnews.com br

Lukla airport black topping complete

Kathmandu, May 24: Tourists can now fly by fixed wing aircraft to the foot of Mount Everest anytime of the year after the black topping of Lukla airport was complete this week. "A dry run was successful Tuesday. Flights will now commence any day," said a senior official of the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation.

Only helicopters were flying in and out of one of Nepal's most popular destinations inconveniencing tourists for the last six months. The Asian Development Bank funded the renovation of the now all-weather airport; the ADB funded modernization of six airports including airstrips at Jomsom and Jumla soon to be completed. The Lukla airport is 527 meters long and 20 meters wide.

Sir Edmund Hillary helped construct the Lukla airport in the 1960's several years after he climbed the 8848 meters world's tallest peak for the first time with Tenzing Norgay Sherpa in May 1953. nepalnews.com br

Kathmandu, May 24: Budget deficit in the first nine months of the current fiscal year widened by 35.3 percent because of higher government spending although resource mobilization was up 20.8 percent during the period, the Nepal Rashtra Bank said. Total government expenditure was Rs.43865.6 million while revenue collection during the period under review was Rs.32594.7 million. Government has cut budgeted allotments to meet mainly unexpected internal security costs as economists expressed fears at the widening deficit.

Government issued national saving bonds worth Rs.2000.0 million, development bonds worth Rs.1000.0 million, treasury bills worth Rs.1276.2 million and mobilized foreign cash loan totalling Rs.3372.0 million to meet the gap. Inflation was 2.2 percent compared to 3.4 percent the same
period last year. Foreign exchange holdings in the banking sector increased by 14.1 percent to Rs.102871.0 million as of mid April; enough to meet 11 months imports; 79.4 percent holding was in convertible currency. Trade deficit during the period declined five percent to Rs.41676.2 million.

The King has not yet called the budget session of parliament that began last year on May 2 indicating the volatile political situation and the uncertainty of the beleaguered government of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, political analysts said.

Parliament normally meets two weeks after the King calls it into session; the House of Representatives, therefore, will not meet this year before June 8. nepalnews.com br