Students receive training on HIV/AIDS

Students of 30 schools in Bhaktapur have received four day training on HIV/AIDS and its prevention.

According to a press statement, the training was held in four centres from November 6 to 9. Nepal Red cross Society, Bhaktapur organised the training session. nepalnews.com mr Nov 11

Speaker says he will resign

Speaker Taranath Ranabhatt said Tuesday he will resign in March/April 2004 when his five-year mandate ends.

"My five-year term ends in March/April. If the present situation persists, I will have to resign then," he told Kantipur.

Ranabhatt continues to be speaker even after dissolution of parliament. A constitutional provision says the speaker continues to hold office until fresh elections.

He called for elections in March/April 2004 if parliament will not be reinstated. nepalnews.com br Nov.11

Cable operators permitted to run CAS

Government Monday permitted the Valley's cable operators to implement a conditional access system (CAS) on an experimental basis, published reports said.

Clients can now pay for channels of their choice. "Clients will benefit and transparency will be maintained in revenue collection as there is a computerised data base of all the clients under this system," the Ministry of Communications said. nepalnews.com br Nov.11

Maoists kill defector, other details

Maoists killed a defector at Kerabari in Rupendhaei, a radio report said. Rajesh Gurung was a instructor in the party.

Many houses were damaged in a bomb blast at Beshishar in Lamjung overnight, another report said. nepalnews.com br Nov.11

King appoints Brig. Gen. Limbu military secretary

His Majesty the King has in accordance with the Royal Palace Service Regulations, accepted with effect from November 7, 2003 the resignation submitted to His Majesty voluntarily by acting chief of the Military Secretariat, Military Secretary Lieutenant General Bibek Kumar Shah.

Similarly, His Majesty has in accordance with the Royal Palace Service regulations, designated Brigadier General Gajendra Bahadur Limbu, who had been on assignment from Royal Nepal Army Headquarters to the post of Royal A.D.C., as acting military secretary at the Military Secretariat, with effect from November 10, 2003.

This is stated in a notice issued Monday by the Press Secretariat of His Majesty the King, RSS said. nepalnews.com br Nov.11

Govt. to fight discrimination

The government has asked local bodies and police to fight social offences like untouchability, caste discrimination and those who accuse others of witchcraft and black magic.

The Home Ministry said this in statement Monday. The Ministry said it was committed to stop and abolish social crimes. The Ministry said untouchability, caste discrimination and belief in superstitions like witchcraft and black magic are something the modern and civilised society should not accept.

The Ministry asked people to inform and report to the regional administration, district administration or the police such practices. nepalnews.com br Nov.11

Raj Parishad conferences to advise King

His Majesty's advisory body, the Raj Parishad is organising political conferences in all the five development regions to collect advice from people and to pass it unto the King regarding the current political problems, Kantipur daily said Tuesday. 

This is the first time, after the restoration of democracy in 1990, that the Raj Parishad is organising such assemblies in the country, the daily said. Of late, such a conference was held in 2032 B.S by the then Raj Sabha (predecessor of Raj Parishad). 

The Raj Parishad conference is scheduled to kick off from Dhangadhi this Wednesday, the newspaper said. "The three-day long Dhangadhi conference will discuss social, economic and other issues, including the Maoist problem and forward the outcome to His Majesty the King," said Parsu Narayan Chaudhary, chairman of Raj Parishad Standing Committee.

The present Constitution has not mentioned the rights and duties of Raj Parishad, the daily said. "So it is unclear whether such conferences will be constitutional." nepalnews.com mr Nov 11

House restoration unconstitutional: PM

Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa said Monday the restoration of the dissolved House of Representatives, as demanded by the parliamentarian parties, is unconstitutional.

In an interview in Dishanirdesh, Nepal Television, the PM said the government is undergoing preparations to hold the elections at the earliest.

PM Thapa further said the 1990 Constitution is still alive and the delay in appointing some constitutional heads, despite the Constitutional Council's recommendations, was solely due to him.

"Things went worse due to the parties' egos," the PM said, adding, "The King is open to have talks with the parties.

PM Thapa also dismissed the allegations that he "militarised" the country in the name of unified command. "Mobilisation of security forces for curbing terrorist activities cannot be termed militarisation," he said. nepalnews.com mr Nov 11

Former PM Bista stands for referendum

There should be no hesitation to go for referendum, if it solves the problems of the country, former Prime Minister Kirti Nidhi Bista said Monday.

"The general will of the people is the last option," Bista said in an interaction program Monday. "For the time being, election and referendum are the minimum and maximum mechanisms, respectively, to test the people's general will."

"The state, Maoists and parties have been claiming that the general people are supporting them. Referendum is needed also to end this uncertainty and to make things clear," the former PM said.

Bista is second after UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal to express his views in support of referendum. nepalnews.com mr Nov 11

We have two options, says Deuba

We have just two options, former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said Monday. "Either the palace and the parties should unite, or the nation should be handed over to the Maoists."

"We cannot imagine the defeat of Maoists unless feuds between the palace and the parties come to an end," Deuba said at an interaction program organised to mark the 89th birthday of Ganeshman Singh on Monday.

"The army alone cannot control Maoist activities. For this, the palace and parties also need to unite," the former PM said. He further said his party is ready for constituent assembly, if it can solve the problems of the country.

On unification of his party, Nepali Congress (Democratic), with the Nepali Congress, Deuba said it cannot be materialised while there is "Girija Prasad Koirala in Nepali Congress." nepalnews.com mr Nov 11

'Unified command deployed in highways'

Giving a concrete shape to the concept of the unified command, the government has deployed security forces on the highways to combat the Maoists, the Himalayan Times said Tuesday.

"Security forces have been stationed at 25 km intervals along the highways across the nation," the daily quoted a cabinet minister, as saying. "The government was criticised for leaving the highways unattended, to the benefit of Maoists. This move will now address the problem," he said.

Joint forces under the unified command have already been stationed in Parsa, Sarlahi and Rautahat districts where the people had stood against the Maoists, the daily said.

"Government's initial announcement of deputing security forces at the constituencies will probably cover Kapilvastu, Nawalparasi, Rupandehi, Bara, Rautahat and Sarlahi districts." nepalnews.com mr Nov 11

Bhutan's diplomatic offensive

Bhutanese Ambassador to Nepal, Dago Tsering, has launched some sort of diplomatic offensive with hectic schedules with Kathmandu-based diplomats and donor representatives, briefing them on, among other things, the "progress" made in the repatriation of Bhutanese refugees, a published report said Tuesday.

The New-Delhi-based Tsering's offensive is particularly targeted to members of the European diplomatic community here in the light of the mounting European pressure on Thimpu to produce a "timeframe" for the repatriation of the Bhutanese refugees languishing in camps in eastern Nepal, the Himalayan Times said.

European diplomats are learnt to be "closely monitoring" progress on the refugee repatriation issue, the daily said. nepalnews.com mr Nov 11

Rabindra Nath Sharma's remand extended

Kathmandu special court Monday extended the remand of former minister and senior RPP leader Rabindra Nath Sharma for an additional 15 days, court sources said. 

The CIAA which is preparing corruption charges against Sharma sought the extension after Sunday's expiry of a 20 day remand. Sharma was arrested after he landed at the airport from the United States. 

CIAA is preparing corruption charges against former minister Gobinda Raj Joshi of the Nepali Congress under custody. nepalnews.com br Nov.10

King accepts resignation

The King has accepted the resignation of chief of Nepalgunj appellate court Dhruba Nath Upadhaya, an official announcement said. 

The resignation was submitted through the judicial council. Upadhaya resigned citing domestic reasons. nepalnews.com br Nov.10

Three Maoists killed

Three Maoists were killed in fresh clashes with government troops in Sankhuwasabha and Panchthar Monday, Radio Nepal said. The districts are in east Nepal. 

Two rebels were killed in Sankhuwasabha and one in Panchthar, Radio Nepal said. nepalnews.com br Nov.10