Dr. Thapa rejects meeting with Rijal

Ambassador at large Dr. Bhek Bahadur Thapa has rejected an immediate meeting with visiting Bhutanese leader Tek Nath Rijal, Nepal Samacharpatra said. 

The newspaper said former foreign ministers Chakra Prasad Bastola and Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat tried to arrange meeting but Dr. Thapa did not respond because of the up-coming 15th ministerial level talks with Bhutan on the refugee issue in Thimpu from Monday. 

Dr. Thapa refused to meet Rijal Bhutan could make it "an issue," the newspaper said. nepalnews.com br Oct.17

Shelter for elderly in Debghat

A 200-bed shelter for the elderly will be built at Debghat. The FNCCI and the US-based Indira Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding for its construction Thursday.

The Foundation will bear the construction cost while the land will be provided by the government and local bodies. Parties agreed to construct the shelter at the first conference of NRNs in the capital this week. nepalnews.com br Oct.17

Police role appreciated

Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa Friday said Nepal Police, which is always working for maintaining peace and security in the country without wavering from its duty, is the servant and protector of Nepali
society, RSS said.

The Prime Minister made this remark in a message of best wishes on the occasion of Police Day-2003 Friday. The role of Nepal Police in maintaining peace in society and guaranteeing security to the people despite limited means and resources at its disposal is always laudable, Thapa said.

Meanwhile, PM Thapa said government is always ready for talks with Maoists, Radio Nepal said.
"The only condition is they renounce violence," he told a Police Day function. nepalnews.com br Oct.17

Mayor and deputy abducted

Maoists Friday morning abducted the newly appointed mayor of and his deputy in Friday of Ratnanagar sub-municipality in Chitwan, police said.

Rebels kidnapped Nanda Prasad Bhattarai and his deputy Rudra Dhakal. They were to be installed Friday. They were abducted on motorcycles. nepalnews.com br Oct.17

Panels formed to curb Maoist activities

A Cabinet meeting on Thursday has formed four high-level committees under the direct coordination of the Prime Minister and other ministers to effectively carry out action against the Maoists, Space Time daily said Friday quoting government sources.

PM Surya Bahadur Thapa chaired the Coordination Committee, which will coordinate the functioning of all security bodies, the newspaper said.

Likewise, Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani has been handed over the responsibility of financial reforms in the security bodies. He chaired the Finance Committee. 

The other members of the committee are Ministers Buddhiman Tamang and Sarbendra Nath Shukla.

Similarly, Communications Minister Kamal Thapa is the coordinator of the Political Committee. The fourth committee is the Social Rehabilitation Committee chaired by Education Minister Hari Bahadur Basnet, the daily added. nepalnews.com mr Oct 17

101 computers missing from KMC

A total of 101 computers are missing from Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) office. Kathmandu Valley Mapping Project provided those computers to KMC, Nepal Samacharpatra said Friday.

The Project, funded by European Union, had handed over a total of 121 computers to KMC, when the project was over. The remaining computers are also not in good shape, the newspaper said. 

"Some of them do not have hard disks. KMC's confidential information has also been deleted from the computers." "Officials, on condition of anonymity, said irregularities and commission are rampant inside KMC," the news report said. 

On the other hand, Shivabhakta Sharma, the then executive chief at the KMC said the allegations of irregularities were nothing but political vendetta. nepalnews.com mr Oct 17

'Country unlikely to meet UN goal on AIDS'

Should the government fail to realise the gravity of HIV/AIDS epidemic, the country will lack overall development and fail to meet the target of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal by 2015, a published report said Friday.

"Political commitment is lacking and the government is yet to take HIV/AIDS as a national issue," The Himalayan Times quoted Dr. Nirmal Prasad Pandey, former member of the National Planning Commission, as saying.

Nepal is currently in the grip of 'concentrated HIV/AIDS epidemic, which means the disease is concentrated to certain groups particularly, injecting drug users and commercial sex workers, the newspaper said.

"The Global Fund has committed Nepal to provide 11 million dollars for fighting the epidemic, which on regional basis, is concentrated in the western districts including Kaski and Syangja."

So far, the government data shows that 3,124 people are HIV positive and 660 are infected with AIDS. 182 died of AIDS and as many as 60,000 are estimated to be living with HIV, the daily added. nepalnews.com mr Oct 17

Mayors, deputies' conference on Oct. 21-22

The newly appointed mayors and deputies of the 58 municipalities will have a two-day national conference on October 21-22 this month, published reports said Friday.

The conference will discuss the priority and functions of the municipalities in general, the reports said.The government, so far, has appointed mayors and deputies in 57 municipalities. Mayor and deputy will be soon appointed in Mahendranagar municipality also, reports said.

Most of the newly appointed chiefs of the municipalities are RPP activists. nepalnews.com mr Oct 17

More Chinese assistance to Nepal

A visiting Chinese delegation has agreed to invest in new projects such as extension of trolley bus services, upgrading of ring road and construction of a hospital for civil servants, a published report said Friday. 

"Such a consensus from China came during the fifth round of Nepal-China Consultative Mechanism meeting that kicked off here on Thursday," The Kathmandu Post reported.

China helped Nepal construct the 27.2-km ring road and establish trolley bus services in the country. The construction of civil servant hospital is a new Chinese project, the newspaper said.

Foreign Secretary Madhu Raman Acharya and Wang Wei, Deputy foreign minister of China are leading their respective delegations in the meeting.

"The Chinese delegation also expressed commitment in the development of tourism in Nepal," the newspaper quoted sources as saying. China has recognised Nepal as one of the limited destinations for Chinese tourists. However, a positive outcome of this development is yet to be realised, the daily said. nepalnews.com mr Oct 17 

Rs.270m for girls, dalits' education

The government has unveiled a Rs.270 million education package to boost the enrolment rate of girls and backward groups in 20 districts, which fare abysmally poor in educational achievement, a published report said Friday.

"The amount will be provided to schools under the Community School Support Program and will be used entirely by schools in improving access to girls and dalits in schools," The Kathmandu Post reported quoting Education Department officials.

The officials further said part of the amount will also go towards disbursement of the teachers' salaries, according to the daily.

"The government has already completed an action plan and criterion is being set to allocate the money to schools by November this year," Janardan Nepal, Director of the Department said.

The government is also providing Rs.400,000 as grant to each of the government schools, which produce over 50 percent pass percentage in SLC examinations, officials said. "This is expected to boost the performance of public schools in SLC exams." nepalnews.com mr Oct 17 

Crown Princess blessed with second daughter

Crown Prince Paras and Crown Princess Himani have been blessed with their second daughter, a Royal Palace announcement received by Nepalnews said. 

She was born at 8:33:55 Thursday evening at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace through cesarean section, the Radio said quoting a Palace announcement. 

The King has conferred the title of " Sri Panch Yubarajkumari " on the newborn princess. The Princess and child are doing well, the Palace said. The child weighs 2.85 kgs, the Palace said. The royal couple have two daughters and one son, who is second in line of succession to the throne. 

A visitors' book will be placed at the main gate of the Palace for three days from 11 am to 5 pm from Friday for well-wishers to offer their best wishes, the Palace said. nepalnews.com br Oct.16

New appointments to 11 municipalities

The government has appointed the third lot of mayors and deputies in 11 municipalities, according to the Ministry of Local Development and Administration.

The 11 municipalities were Inaruwa, Byas, Itahari, Janakpur, Panauti, Birendranagar, Tikapur, Amargadhi, Kalaiya, Lekhnath and Bhaktapur. 

With today's appointment, a total of 57 municipalities have received mayors and deputies, so far. There are 58 municipalities in Nepal including a metropolitan and four sub-metropolitan cities. 

Of the 58 municipalities, Mahendranagar is the only city where the appointments are still to be made. nepalnews.com mr Oct 16

Shobraj freed, rearrested

In a dramatic turn of events Thursday, the Kathmandu District Court ordered the release of infamous Charles Shobraj, whom the police re-arrested instantly.

The court used some "diplomatic" language in the order related to the fake passport case and told the police administration to release Shobraj from the judicial remand, "if the police had no any other investigation to be carried on him." 

In the charge-sheet, the police said they have other investigation to be carried upon Shobraj, apart from the fake passport case. In this connection, the police had demanded the court to give back Shobraj to them, if he is released on the fake passport case. "Court agreed with the police demand and handed over Shobraj back to them," said a court official.

"Today's release order was not a complete release order for Shobraj from the fake passport case," said a lawyer. "The order has freed him from judicial custody, as well as, it has asked him to make an appearance at the court on whatever date the court asks him to do so, until the final verdict of the case is delivered," he said.

"I am vindicated," cheerful Shobraj told media personnel after the court issued the release order for him. "I will be freed from other charges also," confident-looking Shobraj said.

On photojournalists' request, Shobraj removed the cover from his face and gave a pose with a smile for a few seconds before being taken back to the police custody. Police has suspected Shobraj of a dual murder case in 1975. 

Judge Bir Singh Mahara delivered today's order. nepalnews.com mr Oct 16

16 Maoists killed, other details

Sixteen Maoists were killed Thursday in an encounter with security forces at a village in Sarlahi, a radio report said.

The Defence Ministry later confirmed 16 rebels were killed in Sarlahi. Security forces raided a house where they were sheltering in Chataul. 

The Ministry said 14 other rebels were killed in five districts Wednesday. The Ministry said some rebels died in a bomb explosion in the house where they were hiding. 

Rebels raided a branch of the SBI Nepal Bank 12 kms away from Pokhara and decamped with Rs.2.7 million Thursday, a radio report said. 

Bodies of two more Maoists who attacked an armed police training center at Bhalubang Sunday have been recovered, Radio Nepal said. 

Ten security personnel were injured in a motor vehicular accident in Dhanusha Thursday, Radio Nepal said. A soldier and a policeman were killed in insurgent attacks in Dhanusha Thursday, Radio Nepal said in another report. 

A Maoist was killed and a security man was injured in an encounter in Kailali Thursday. nepalnews.com br Oct.16

King congratulates Chinese President

The King Thursday congratulated the Chinese President for the successful launch of China's first manned aircraft, Radio Nepal said.

The King, through the President, congratulated the Chinese government, people, persons involved in China's space programme and the astronaut, the Radio said. nepalnews.com br Oct.16