Dr. Lohani’s ancestral home destroyed

Maoists hurled bombs and set ablaze the ancestral house of government talks convener and Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani in Thansing VDC of Nuwakot at around 1:00 a.m. Friday, reports said.

A group of over 100 Maoist ultras detonated a powerful bomb at the minister’s home which is 100 kilometers from the district headquarters, Bidur. The two-storey building given in rent was completely destroyed by the explosion. The Maoists also set fire on the remnants of the house after bombing it. A family staying at the house escaped unhurt, reports said. 

Meanwhile, reports have it that fighting has erupted between the Maoists and the patrolling security forces in Jogbudha area of Dadeldhura district Friday. One soldier has been wounded in the incident. nepalnews.com mk, Aug 29

NTC retracts caller ID facility from ISPs

Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC) Thursday withdrew caller identity facility from the hunting telephone numbers, the telephone lines to connect to the Internet, provided to Internet Service Providers (ISPs), a report said Friday.

While the ISPs say that the facility has been withdrawn from all telephone lines given to them, NTC says it has scrapped the facility extended only to the fixed telephone lines being used as hunting lines by the service providers, the Kathmandu Post reported.

"The facility is retracted against the backdrop of bypassing the long distance international calls from the gateway of NTC by some ISPs," said Surendra Prasad Thike, NTC spokesman.

However, ISP say that withdrawal of the facility from all the telephone lines given to them would make controlling cyber crime more difficult and would increase the charge of internet service, which would ultimately affect the users.

"Withdrawal of the facility would make it difficult to cut costs and control cyber crime," said Rupesh Shreshta, General Secretary of ISPs' Association of Nepal.

Earlier, NTC and ISPs had some debate on the operation costs of e-1 lines, which are special lines provided to ISPs, and charge of caller ID, but the service providers had agreed to bear the cost, the report said.

The corporation charges Rs 500 per line for providing caller ID facility to the subscribers, but it had been offering the service to the ISPs free of cost, according to the report. nepalnews.com mr Aug 29

Broadsheet editorials

Most of the editorials of Kathmandu-based broadsheet dailies Friday gave sole priority to the ceasefire break and terrorist labelling to the Maoists.

The editorial headline of Nepal Samcharpatra was "Ill motive to plunge the nation into war again." It was "Gloom and hope" in The Himalayan Times."Costly decision, need of tolerance and self-observation," read the editorial of Kantipur. 

State-run media The Rising Nepal wrote the editorial under the headline "Highly Unfortunate". Similarly, vernacular Gorkhapatra said, "Wise and serious thinking needed." nepalnews.com mr Aug 29

Their Majesties in London

His Majesty King Gyanendra and Her Majesty Queen Komal reached London on Wednesday for medical check ups, RSS reported Friday.

Princess Prerana, Princess Dilasha and Kumar Raj Bahadur Singh are accompanying Their Majesties.

Royal Nepal Ambassador to the United Kingdom Prabal Shumshere JBR and the special representatives of the British Foreign Secretary welcomed Their Majesties at Heathrow Airport.

Officials of the Royal Nepali Embassy in London were also present on the occasion, the report said. nepalnews.com mr Aug 29

NC cadre killed in Nuwakot

An armed gang of Maoists Monday brutally murdered Nepali Congress worker Bhadra Bahadur Tamang of Sanogolfu, Betini VDC-5, RSS reported Friday quoting locals.

The group comprising about 50-60 Maoists forced Tamang out from his house and slit his throat, the report said. nepalnews.com mr Aug 29

No information about Nepalis in Kumbha mela

The condition of Nepali pilgrims who took part in the Kumbha fair in Nasik, Maharastra, India, remains unknown, RSS reported Friday.

Forty-nine pilgrims were reported to have died and hundreds injured in stampede there on Tuesday. nepalnews.com mr Aug 29

Hepatitis 'B' in Morang

An entire village, Chandbela VDC, in Sunsari has become terrorised with the diagnosis of Hepatitis 'B' in two villagers, a report said Friday.

Gulab Mohammad Miya of ward no. 1 and Mairun Khatun of ward no. 2 were diagnosed with the highly-contagious disease. nepalnews.com mr Aug 29

Three killed in landslide

At least three members of a family lost their lives in landslide in Daduwa VDC of Ramechhap district Thursday, reports said Friday. 

Mangele Thami, 27, his 5-year-old daughter and one-year-old son were killed as torrential rains hit the area. In the same village, two others have been injured and six houses have been swept away. 

Meanwhile, vehicular traffic remains blocked from Thursday afternoon in Munglin-Narayanghat section of Prithivi Highway due to landslide. nepalnews.com mk Aug 29

'Emergency not ruled out'

Following the unilateral ceasefire break from Maoists and terrorist labeling to them, the possibility of declaring a state of emergency from the government side cannot be ruled out, two Kathmandu-based broadsheets reported Friday.

"The government reportedly received suggestions from various quarters since the emphatic Prachanda statement on Wednesday. (Imposing) emergency was one of them, according to a minister," the Himalayan Times reported. 

The report further said, "A high level official, said on condition of anonymity that a spell of emergency could not be ruled out."

Another newspaper Spacetime daily said the Central Security Committee Thursday had recommended the government to impose emergency.

"The cabinet could not agree upon the recommendation," the report said, quoting sources close to Prime Minister. "However, emergency cannot be ruled out if the Maoist activities go on swelling." nepalnews.com mr Aug 29

Four Ramsar sites by this year

Three ecologically important wetlands, Ghodaghodi (Kailali), Beeshazar (Chitwan) and Jagdishpur (Kapilvastu), will receive international status of Ramsar sites by the end of 2003, a report said Friday.

These internationally important wetlands were proposed for inclusion in the Ramsar List last year, the Kathmandu Post reported, adding, "Koshi Tappu is the only Ramsar site of Nepal, so far."

"All the procedures are almost complete, by the end of this year we will have four Ramsar Sites in our country," said Surya Bahadur Pandey, the concerned government official.

International Community adopted "Convention on Wetlands of International Importance especially as Waterfowl Habitat" in 1971, which is popularly known as Ramsar Convention. Nepal became signatory to the convention in 1987.

According to the Convention, all contracting parties should identify the potential wetlands in the country and propose them for the Ramsar List.

At present, 10 internationally important wetlands, including the proposed three, have been identified in the country to date, the report said. nepalnews.com mr Aug 29

Peace march of 50,000

Amid growing threat to peace and security, an estimated 50,000 schoolchildren, teachers, parents and many more are set to march for peace on Friday, which will begin at 9 a.m. in Kathmandu, a report said Friday.

The rally will begin from Tundikhel and end at Bhadrakali, the Kathmandu Post reported, quoting officials of Private and Boarding Schools' Organisation of Nepal (PABSON).

Around 300 different organisations including the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Nepal Chamber of Commerce, Hotel Association of Nepal, Trekking Association of Nepal, Mountaineering Associations and Nepal Scouts are expected to join the peace march.

The peace march will call both the government and the Maoists to restrain from violence and resolve the differences between themselves, according to PABSON President Umesh Shrestha. 
nepalnews.com mr Aug 29

Maoists' 3-day Nepal bundh

After being labeled terrorists again, the Maoists Thursday announced a 3-day general strike starting September 18 next month.

The general strike was announced in a three-page circular signed by Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, the convener of "United People's Revolutionary Council".

The Maoists plan to launch propaganda activities between August 28 and September 10, followed by "people's mobilisation" and people's action (janakarbahi), according to a report in the Himalayan Times.
nepalnews.com mr Aug 29

Army-Maoist clash in Rolpa

Two Army-Maoist clashes took place at two different places in Rolpa district Thursday, reports said. 

The first clash occurred around 11 a.m. and the second around 6 p.m. Both the incidents took place near Holeri village, according to reports. 

The clashes occurred when nearly two hundred Maoists heading towards Dang attacked an army patrol. Security sources said half a dozen Maoists were killed in the incident and some army personnel were injured in the conflict. nepalnews.com mr Aug 28

US, Japan condemns ceasefire break

In two separate statements, Kathmandu-based embassies of the United States of America and Japan have condemned the Maoists' unilateral ceasefire break.

The U.S. Embassy statement said "these attacks demonstrate the Maoists' rejection of the Nepalese people's overwhelming call for peace and the Maoists' continued willingness to resort to brutal crimes to achieve their objectives."

The U.S. Embassy also has condemned the Maoists' attack on the Rastriya Banijya Bank in Dang District .  The U.S. Embassy has extended its heartfelt sympathy to the family of Colonel Kiran Basnyat who died from the terrorist assault, as well as to the families of those injured. 

The statement has also stated that terrorist acts like these are exactly what earned the Maoists a place on the U.S. Terrorist Watch List.

The Japanese embassy statement also condemned the Maoists' unilateral ceasefire break. The statements also urged the Maoists to reconsider their decision.  

Issuing different statements, various non-government organisations, civic society members and business community, among others, have also denounced the Maoists' move. nepalnews.com rh/mr Aug 28

Curfew in six districts

Curfew has been imposed in at least six district headquarters Thursday evening. According to latest media reports, district administration offices of Udaypur, Ramechap, Baglung, Dhading, Rukum and Tehrathum have issued curfew notices in and around the district headquarters. 

The decision came in the wake of Maoist attacks in different parts of the country. Public mobility has been restricted in a few other places where security prospects are said to be vulnerable. nepalnews.com mk Aug 28