Journalists protest murder

Two journalists were injured in a police baton charge and two dozen others were detained Thursday morning when they defied prohibitory orders in the capital and took out a demonstration to protest the murder by Maoists of RSS reporter Gyanendra Khadka at Melumchi in Sindhupalchowk this week, eyewitnesses said.

Press Chatauri  issued an open letter to Maoists signed by more that 200 journalists condemning the murder. The detained journalists were later released.

CPN-UML chief Madav Nepal visited them at a detention center. nepalnews.com br Sept.11

Soccer team selected

The All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) Wednesday announced an 18 member national squad for a two-week selection programme for the qualifying round of the Asian Cup China-2004 to be held in South Korea from September 25 this year, an announcement said.

Team members are: Ritesh Thapa, Ujjwol Manadhar (goalkeepers), Rakesh Shrestha, Sagar Thapa, Narayan Manandhar, Navin Neupane, Sunil Tuladhar Bal Gopal Maharjan, Deepak Lama (defenders), Kumar Thapa, Anant Thapa, Rajesh Shahi, Sukra Tamang, Basant Thapa, Hari Khadka (midfielders),
Jeevesh Pandey, Ramesh  Budhathoki and Surendra Tamang (forwards). nepalnews.com br Sept.11

South Asian Film Fest in Kathmandu

A film festival, "Film South Asia 2003" will be held in Kathmandu from September 25 to 28, featuring 43 documentaries from six South Asian nations, a report said Thursday.

The film festival will feature documentaries produced in the past two years in Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives, The Rising Nepal said.

The festival is in fact a competition and a three-member jury comprised of media personnel will decide the best documentaries. The documentary adjudged the best will receive the "Ram Bahadur Trophy" with a purse of US $ 2000.

The 43 films selected for screening at the festival were chosen from an unprecedented 230 entries, the report said. The film festival is an endeavour of Himal Association, Nepal, the report added. nepalnews.com mr Sept 11

Journalist Basnet receives Tuborg Award

Junar Babu Basnet of Gorkhapatra daily has won the Tuborg Business Outstanding Journalist Award - 2059/60.

Basnet writes on economic and business issues. Basnet was chosen from among 15 competitors for the award. The award carried a felicitation certificate and a purse of Rs.25,000. nepalnews.com mr Sept 11

B. P. Journalism Award to Watsayan

Senior cartoonist Durga Baral, renowned as Watsayan, received the B. P. Koirala Journalism Award 2059 amid a function Wednesday.

This is the biggest journalism award in Nepal that carries a purse of Rs.61,001 and a felicitation certificate. Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala gave away the prize to Watsayan for his remarkable contribution in journalism. nepalnews.com mr Sept 11

Govt. committed to hold elections: Dr. Lohani

The government is committed to hold elections for the House of Representatives and local bodies, Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani said Wednesday.

Dr. Lohani said this in a meeting with the representatives of diplomatic missions and donor agencies at the Finance Ministry, according to reports. "The main interest of the government is election and restoration of democratic process," he said.

Earlier, donor agencies' officials said the democratic process was obstructed due to the lack of political representation in the local bodies. nepalnews.com mr Sept 11

NIBL chosen No. 1 bank

The Banker, a publication of the London-based Financial Times Group, has awarded Nepal Investment Bank Ltd. (NIBL) as the "Bank of the Year 2003" for its outstanding performance, a report said Thursday.

NIBL was formerly known as Nepal Indosuez Bank and is the first all-Nepali-managed bank to receive this prestigious award, according to The Himalayan Times.

On behalf of the bank, the bank's Chief Executive Officer Prithvi Bahadur Pandey received The Banker Award 2003 in London Tuesday.

"We received the award due to our quality growth in terms of deposit collections, lending and reduction of non-performing assets (NPAs)," said J. Basnyat, general manager of the bank. nepalnews.com mr Sept 11

Nepal not arrested: UML

In a statement Wednesday, the CPN-UML said the security forces failed to arrest its General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal during the protests and that the party successfully defied the prohibitory order.

"Our party activists provided strong security to General Secretary Nepal and the security forces could not arrest him," the statement said.

Earlier reports said Nepal courted arrest after dodging the security force for half an hour Wednesday.
Talking to a newspaper on the last day's anti-King protests, Nepal said it was a big success.

"I was out in the open," Nepal said, "But what can I do if they do not come to arrest me?"

Meanwhile, the Home Ministry said all the arrested were released in the evening. nepalnews.com mr Sept 11

Refugees plan rally in New Delhi

Bhutanese refugees have decided to demonstrate in a peace rally in New Delhi to demand India's involvement to resolve the Bhutanese refugee issue, a published report said Thursday.

The program will be organised by the Youth organisation Bhutan, according to The Himalayan Times. nepalnews.com mr Sep 11

WLL phone service launched

United Telecom Limited (UTL), the first private telephone company in Nepal Wednesday launched the Wireless Local Loop (WLL) service, breaking the 3-decade old monopoly of Neal Telecommunications Corporation in basic telephony. 

The WLL basic telephony service was inaugurated amid a function in the capital. The new service is a joint venture of Nepal and India. 

The phone provides wireless basic telephone service through a local loop. Its main feature is that the phone can be moved from one place to another. nepalnews.com mr Sept 10

Curfew in parts of Kathmandu

Local authorities announced a five-hour night curfew around Kalanki in the capital beginning at 11 p.m. Wednesday night, officials said. The curfew also covers area around Thankot and Balaju.

The curfew follow a Maoist attack on a government building Monday: security forces defused a bomb place in front of a policeman's home in the area Wednesday morning. Kirtipur and Bhaktapur are the two towns that are curfew-free in the Valley.

Earlier police had announced night curfews in parts of Thimi and Lalitpur. nepalnews.com br Sept 10

King, Queen return

King Gyanendra and Queen Komal returned home Wednesday after a medical check-up at London's Cromwell Hospital.

Other members of the royal family returned home with the royal couple. Crown Prince Paras, Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa and other members of the government welcomed the King and Queen at the airport.

An earlier announcement said the health condition of Their Majesties is satisfactory. The King is expected to start a dialogue with opposition to defuse the current  political crisis. nepalnews.com br Sept.10

Govt, donors meet

Government officials and donors Wednesday discussed Nepal's development plans at a meeting, Radio Nepal said. 

Development priorities of the 10th five-year -plan, economic issues, poverty alleviation and peace and development were discussed. Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani launched the meeting. 
Government officials and donors are meeting for the first time after an outbreak of violence between last month following the breakdown of peace talks.

Government's development priorities will receive a setback after renewed violence; Dr. Lohini in June prioritized government development investments and reconstruction of damaged infra-structure on the presumption that a cease-fire between government and rebels would hold.

Dr. Lohini asked donors and lenders to continue investments. The Finance Minister said the Maoist insurgency will be resolved through negotiations, the Radio said. nepalnews.com br Sept.10

Army, Maoists clash in Dhading, other details

A soldier and two Maoists were killed in a gun battle near Gajiri in neighbouring Dhading district Wednesday morning, a radio report said quoting security sources.

A child was injured in a cross-fire, the report said. The child has been airlifted to the capital for treatment.

Meanwhile, NC activist Moti Ram Silwal was cremated at district headquarters Dhadingbesi Wednesday following his murder by insurgents this week. nepalnews.com br Sept.10

Koirala, Nepal court arrest

Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala and UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal courted arrests by defying prohibitory orders on the last day of the seventh phase of the anti-King protests Wednesday afternoon.

Koirala courted arrest at around 2 p.m. from the Kamaladi area. The Congress supporters initially disrupted Koirala’s arrest, but the police managed to reel him in. Earlier, Koirala delivered a short speech at his residence at Maharajgunj before departing for the rally. 

Nepal, on the other hand, with help from his supporters dodged police for half an hour before courting arrests at around 2:30 p.m. from the Ratna park area.

Nepal, holding a hand mike, appeared from Bagbazar followed by a huge crowd of supporters. Police tried to put him and others into vehicles immediately, but could not due to the huge crowd. The rally then went through the road ahead of Ratna Park towards Bhotahiti chanting “anti-regressive” slogans for half an hour.

Nepal also managed to deliver a short speech. Nepal finally courted arrest when the rally returned to the Ratna park area.

Congress workers including Dr. Ram Baran Yadav were seriously injured when the side wall of a hired truck that police had packed them into gave way and they were thrown into the ground at Kamaladi. Some people received head and arm injuries, reports said. 

Hundreds of other party leaders and workers were also arrested. Some of them were Krishna Prasad Sitauta, Bharat Mohan Adhikari, Gopal Rai, Amrit Kumar Bohora and Keshav Badal, among others.

Parties or Home Ministry have not made public the number of arrested so far. More than 500 were arrested, according to initial estimates.

The protest today was a bit aggressive resulting in laathi-charges by police over half a dozen times. No one was injured seriously in these charges.

The protest lasted for an hour and obstructed traffic till 3 p.m. nepalnews.com mr Sept 10