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Census day on June 22 declared national holiday

Kathmandu, May 30: National census day of June 22 has been declared a national holiday, a spokesman of the Home Ministry said Wednesday. The collection of census day has been declared a national programme. Census is conducted in Nepal once every 10 years. The major challenge for the government this time around is to collect data from at least seven of 75 districts completely controlled by Maoist rebels fighting for a communist state in Nepal as reports trickle in of rebels turning back enumerators and other officials from west Nepal collecting data. nepalnews.com br

Temba Tshiri Sherpa receives tumultuous welcome

Kathmandu, May 30: Temba Tshiri Sherpa, 16, the youngest conqueror of Mount Everest, received a tumultuous welcome from well-wishers and others when he returned home Wednesday from Tibet after recording a historic ascent of the world's tallest peak this month. "I remembered my country, my family and prayed to the Buddha on the summit," the student said as he was mobbed by the crowd. Temba succeeded in his second attempt on Everest after losing several fingers to frostbite last year from Nepal during a failed summit bid. Temba broke a 28-year-old record held by Shambhu Tamang who climbed the peak at 17 years of age. Temba Sherpa was given the Phasang Lhamu Award Wednesday; Phasang Lhamgu was the first Nepali woman to climb Everest. Temba said he will have another crack at Everest as he ages. nepalnews.com br

Ukrainians record maiden ascent of Peak Two

Kathmandu, May 30: Five Ukranians made the first maiden ascent of the 6251 metres high Peak Two in west Nepal through the north ridge on May 17, the Ministry of Tourism said Wednesday quoting late reports from base camp. The Ministry of Tourism opened the virgin peak to climbing only this year. Serge Pugachov,39, Mstislave Gorbanko,54, Vadym Leontyev, 50, and Mykhaylo Zagiryk, 54, recorded the ascent at 4 PM local time. They were led by Valentyn Symonenko, 61. Three other members of an Ukranian expedition also led by Valentyn Symonenko, scaled the 8163 metres high Manalsu on May 22, the Ministry said. nepalnews.com br

Four government vehicles torched in capital

Kathmandu, May 30: Unidentified persons vandalized four vehicles of the Department of Roads at Teku in the heart of the capital Wednesday morning, police said. Assailants fled shouting pro Maoist slogans, eyewitnesses said. The vehicles were vandalized one day ahead of a nation-wide strike called off by minorities at the last moment, demanding rights for nationalities; the strike was called for Thursday.

Fresh reports from Kailali in west Nepal said three Maoists have been killed in a Maoist attack on a border police post. Two others are missing; some rebels may have been killed in an exchange of
gunfire. nepalnews.com br

Sushil Koirala appointed party General Secretary

Kathmandu, May 30: In a move to strengthen his grip on the ruling Nepali Congress party, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Wednesday nominated Sushil Koirala to the vacant post of party general secretary, an announcement said. Sushil Koirala is a cousin and confidante of the prime minister. As party president, PM Koirala also nominated eight more members, mostly loyalists as
central committee members. Lila Koirala, a woman, and neutrals in the internal power struggle Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat and Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola got berths in the powerful committee.

Altogether 31 committee members have either been elected or nominated in the 37-member committee. The party's national convention elected 19 members, including its party president in February. nepalnews.com br

Two children drown, two rescued in Pokhara

Kathmandu, May 30: Two children caught in a storm drowned but two others were rescued from Begnas lake in Pokhara Tuesday, police said. Surendra Dhungana, 8, and Manoj Paudel, 7, panicked and jumped into the river following a storm; Dhungana's body has been recovered while search for Paudel continues. Fishermen saw and rescued Bidur Pandel and Japsambhu Adhikari. The children hailed from Lekhnath. nepalnews.com br

Normalcy returns after three-day strike

Kathmandu, May 30: Normalcy returned to Kathmandu Valley, including the capital Wednesday, after a three-day violent communist sponsored strike pressing for the resignation of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala for his alleged involvement to lease a Boeing 767 from Austria's Lauda Air  for Royal Nepal Airlines at inflated rates. Vehicles were back on the streets, shops reopened and children returned to schools after the forced closure by six communist parties and supported by four others.

In a related development, the Racial Front Co-ordination Committee (RFCC) withdrew a strike called Thursday to press demands of nationalities saying people "were not mentally prepared" but without mentioning it was cancelled because of the inconveniences caused by the just concluded strike. The protest was supported by Maoists and the regional Nepal Sadbavana party. But organizers said they will hold protest demonstrations Thursday to oppose a Supreme Court ruling two years ago striking down the use of Newari and Maithili languages as optional languages in Kathmandu, Rajbiraj and  Dhanusha metropolitan and sub-metropolitan offices. Counter demonstrators Tuesday chased away protesters forcing closure of businesses in several parts during violent protests that claimed at least four lives and injured 150 others. The Nepal Communist party (UML), the main opposition in parliament, called the strike a success while the ruling Nepali Congress party criticized the UML for irresponsibility saying it will never call such strikes. nepalnews.com br

Three policemen killed

Kathmandu, May 30: At least three policemen were killed and a police outpost at Prithvipur on the Indo-Nepal border in Kailali district was completely destroyed Tuesday night in a rebel bombing. Another policeman was injured when  reinforcements sent to the border from district headquarters at Dhangadi were trapped in an ambush, police said.

Rebels Saturday shot at and slightly damaged a Royal Nepal Army helicopter on a reconnaissance flight to locate a site for barracks ahead of deployment in Rukum, a weekly newspaper reported Wednesday quoting unnamed military sources. A group of 400 Maoists Monday made an abortive
attempt to overrun a remote police post at Bhulingtar in Nawalparasi district, another published report said. nepalnews.com br

Clashes reported on last day of anti-government protest

Kathmandu, May 29: More than 40 persons were injured Tuesday in violent incidents on the third and last day of communist protests nation-wide demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala for his alleged involvement in a deal with Austria's Lauda Air to lease a Boeing 767 for Royal Nepal Airlines, government and other reports said. More than 25 persons, including several policemen, were injured in clashes between rival groups opposing and supporting the strike at
Biratnagar, the hometown of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. Policemen were injured as they tried to separate the rivals, a Home Ministry spokesman said. 

Irate businessmen and others drove away activists of the UML in Pokhara and Parbat district as the protesters tried to force the closure of businesses, independent reports said. Twenty-two persons, including three policemen, were injured in stone throwing incidents at Chautara in Sindhupalchowk district Tuesday when police attempted to stop demonstrators from forcibly closing offices at district headquarters. Two females, including a pregnant woman, died in Shyanjha district, when they could not be rushed to a hospital in Whaling for emergency treatment in the absence of vehicles, Radio Nepal reported. Demonstrators forced the closure of offices and stoned government establishments nation-wide and abused officials, reports said. The ruling Nepali Congress party statement Tuesday claimed businesses and other establishments closed out of fear and not willingly; the party was "seriously concerned," the statement added. 

Four persons were killed and more than 140 persons were injured during the three-day strike called by six left parties including the UML with the outside support of four other left parties. The strike caused millions of rupees in losses and damaged property and infra-structure. In Nepalgunj, a peace rally was taken out Tuesday to protest continuing strikes hampering the national economy. nepalnews.com br

Health workers vaccinated against hepatitis B

Kathmandu, May 29: Doctors and health workers are being administered hepatitis B vaccination gratis by the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division to protect them against infection, an
announcement said. Altogether 60,000 vials have been received from Chel Jedang Corporation of South Korea, an official of the Department of Health said. Hepatitis B vaccination is being administered to the medical doctors and paramedics, who comes into direct contact with the patients suffering from hepatitis B. The disease is widespread in Nepal and is highly contagious.
nepalnews.com br

Protesters demand PM Koirala's resignation

Kathmandu, May 29: Groups of communist demonstrators paraded down the streets of the capital on the third and final day of a three-day nation-wide protest Tuesday and demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala for what they call his personal involvement in a controversial deal to lease a Boeing aircraft from Lauda Air at inflated prices. The streets of Kathmandu were again deserted as protesters set up roadblocks disrupting vehicular movement. "There has been no violence so far," a policeman said over telephone. At least two persons were killed and more than 100 persons, including policemen , have been injured in clashes as protesters vandalized offices and stoned vehicles defying the strike and forced the closure of offices. Some patients died because they could not be rushed to hospitals for emergency treatment, several newspapers reported.

The International Press Institute (IPI) Nepal Chapter "protests the condemnable act of attacks on journalists and vehicles belonging to newspapers in the capital as well as in various parts of the country," a press statement said. The strike has caused millions of rupees in losses.

The Newars of the capital could not celebrate their Sithinakhaa festival Monday normally to worship their family deity. Organizers have abandoned plans to celebrate the 48th anniversary of the historic conquest of Mount Everest by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary Tuesday  because of
the strike, an announcement said. The strike spearheaded by six communist parties including the main opposition in parliament, the UML, is supported by four other left organizations. nepalnews.com br

Police, leftist demonstrators continue clashes

Kathmandu, May 28: Police and leftist demonstrators pressing the resignation of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala clashed for the second consecutive day nation-wide killing at least two persons and injuring more than 100 others, police and independent reports said. Police lobbed tear gas shells and fired in the air as communist sympathizers of 10 left parties vandalized government offices and forced the closure of offices and disrupted ongoing school examinations from Jhapa in east to Kailali in west Nepal.

Demonstrators stoned a government vehicle and two ambulances as staff of the Teaching Hospital in the capital issued a statement condemning an attack on a hospital vehicle injuring some medical staff Sunday. Police and demonstrators clashed in the capital for the second  day as security officials tried to clear roadblocks set up by agitators. Violence was reported from Kavre, Sindhupalchowk, Bhaktapur, Chitwan, Baglung and other districts. The Government is trying to minimize the effect of the theee-day strike as a Home Ministry spokesman was giving only limited information of the nation-wide violence. Litter has not been picked off the streets of Kathmandu for two days. The communists are demanding Koirala's resignation  for what they call the government chief's personal involvement in leasing an aircraft for Royal Nepal Airlines at inflated prices and bleeding the state airline to death. An adamant Koirala is refusing to budge. nepalnews.com br

Maoists attack development project in Dailekh

Kathmandu , May 28: Maoists Monday morning set ablaze a training institute run by the United Mission to Nepal at Dallu in Dailekh. A group of more than 100 insurgents smashed computers, other equipment and set the building ablaze, police said.  The United Mission Christian missionaries run hospitals and conduct other charity work but they have also been charged for converting mostly Hindu Nepalis to Christanity; the charges been have denied.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minster Ram Chandra Paudel promptly condemned the arson attack and assured security for workers and development projects. The Maoist attack at a police striking force in Dailekh last month killing at least 32 policemen prompted the government to mobilize the army for the first time against rebels outside the seven district headquarters in an escalation of the internal conflict. nepalnews.com br

 Expeditions withdraw from Everest

Kathmandu, May 28: All 13 expeditions have started withdrawing  from Mount Everest after a record 100 climbers climbed the 8848 metres high world's tallest peak from Nepal this year in four consecutive days beginning Tuesday, the Ministry of Tourism said.

Two Americans, an Australian and three Sherpa guides of the IMG Everest Expedition 2001 also climbed the peak Friday, the Ministry of Tourism said. Americans Ronald Wilson, 44, John Waechter, 38, Australian James Sampson, 39, and three guides climbed the peak through the normal south east ridge Friday, the Ministry said. "Expeditions have started pulling out ladders from the Ieefall. We do not expect further attempts," an official of the Tourism Ministry said. A blind American climbed the mountain for the first time and a 65-year-old American climbed the peak to become the oldest climber to set foot on the highest point on earth; the feats were recorded from the Nepali side of the peak shared by Nepal and Tibet. nepalnews.com br  

Kathmandu's streets deserted, no violence so far

Kathmandu, May 28: On the second day of a three-day nation-wideprotest, no vehicles were moving on the capital's streets. There were sporadic demonstrations but no violent incidents in the first hour after government offices reopened after the weekend, police said. Six left parties, led by  the main parliamentary opposition UML, supported by four other communist parties  had threatened to smash government vehicles if they tried to break the strike Monday.

The communists have  launched parliamentary and street protests demanding the resignation of beleaguered Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala for their perceived involvement of the government chief in a deal to lease an aircraft for Royal Nepal Airlines at inflated costs. An anti corruption body last week charged 10 persons, including former Tourism Minister Tarini Dutta Chataut, for corruption and irregularities in leasing a Boeing 767 with Austria's Lauda Air; Koirala was questioned through a letter. At least two persons were killed and 35 others injured in the first day of violent protests Sunday. nepalnews.com br

One Maoist killed, other details

Kathmandu, May 28: One Maoist was killed and four others were killed when police fired on a farmer rally of rebel loyalists at Banbarsa in Kailali in far west Nepal recently, insurgents said. Rebels fighting for a communist state bombed the office of the Agriculture Development Bank Saturday and decamped with money and documents at Athrai in Tehrathum district in east Nepal, police said. Maoists abducted two chiefs of Laxmipur and Dakadam villages in Dang district Friday, police said. nepalnews.com br

Space Time Daily hits news-stands

Kathmandu, May 28: Space Time Daily, the city's third English language daily newspaper, hit the news-stands Monday. The broadsheet is a publication of the Space Time Network, Nepal's biggest cable television network. The Network also publishes a vernacular daily newspaper Space Time Dainik. Government, on a technicality, has stopped the company's effort to telecast through a satellite hook-up despite receiving permission.. Such a hook-up will give it reach to 52 countries. "It shall be our effort to reflect collective national sentiment and act as a bridge between the government and society with a view to lend support to nation building efforts," a publisher note said.
nepalnews.com br