30 pc street kids suffering from eye infections

Thirty percent of the street children in Kathmandu Valley are suffering from various kinds of eye infections, published reports said Saturday, quoting health experts.

This was revealed during a free eye camp jointly organised by the Child Workers in Nepal Concerned Centre (CWIN) and BP Koirala Lions Centre for Opthalmic Studies in the capital on Friday, the reports said.

Altogether 188 street children had their eyes examined during the camp, the reports added. nepalnews.com mr Feb 07 04

Man found dead in Lalitpur

Lalitpur police has found a body of an old man at Jyamirekot, Lubhu-7 of Lalitpur district on Friday, reports said Saturday. 

The body has been identified as that of Koile Ramtel, 70, the reports said adding that further investigations were underway to ascertain the cause of Ramtel's death. nepalnews.com mr Feb 07 04

Four bombs go off near civic reception site

Two days before the scheduled civic reception of Their Majesties, four powerful bombs went off in the busy places of the host city, Nepalgunj, on Friday, a newspaper reported Saturday.

The bombs, which exploded between 8:00 pm and 8:30 pm in Choulika, Jaispur and Ranitalau of the city area has created terror among the populace, according to the Kathmandu Post.

Security forces repelled one more attempt by the Maoists to burn down the welcome gate at Surkhet road, the daily said adding that the security officials have held the Maoists responsible for the explosion.

Security has been highly beefed up in the city after the incident that occurred at about six kms' distance from the regional headquarters of Royal Nepali Army (RNA), other reports said. 

Presently, Their Majesties are staying at the same RNA headquarters, the reports added. nepalnews.com mr Feb 07 04

Govt. warns of 'severe action' if monarchy is debated in schools

Education Minister Hari Bahadur Basnet said Friday the government will take "severe action" against those who debate the relevance of monarchy in schools and educational institutions. 

"The debate is creating confusion among young the students, who are yet to learn many things" the minister said speaking at a face-to-face program organised by the Reporters Club in the capital on Friday.

"Student activists have the rights to follow a political path, but they don't have the rights to turn educational institutions into a political arena," the minister said. 

On the same occasion, officials of private schools' organisations, guardians and teachers were of the same view that the demand for republicanism is not justifiable. 

"School students should not be imposed the views which are not acceptable even to the society," they said. 

Student activists, at the same program, defended their campaigns, saying, "Students of private schools should also be informed of what is happening in their own nation." 

Student activists have now shifted their protest programs from the streets to various schools, as they could not face police action against them on the streets, according to experts. nepalnews.com mr Feb 06 04

Doctors in black bands protest police intrusion 

Doctors at the Bir Hospital and medical centers elsewhere in the country wore black bands during their duty hours Friday in protest of police intrusion into the hospital premises few days ago. 

Today’s protest was called by Nepal Medical Association, an umbrella body of doctors. The association has said that police personnel barging into hospital premises and manhandling people was utterly condemnable. 

Following the incident, the Bir Hospital administration had issued a statement condemning the police action and asked the government not to let such activities repeat in future. 

Owing to pressures from all sides, an investigation team led by SSP Surender Pal was formed on Wednesday to see into the incident. 

Last Monday, police personnel had entered into Bir Hospital premises chasing the protestors during a strike carried out by five agitating parties. Numerous people including caretakers were injured in the police action. nepalnews.com mbk Feb 06 04

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Singh assures players about participating in SAF Games

Member Secretary of National Sports Council (NSC), Kishor Bahdur Singh in a program organized by NSC on Friday, assured the athletes and other sports authorities about Nepal’s Participation in the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games. 

Speaking at the function, Singh, referring to the sacked Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC) members, said that incompetent people are trying to destroy sports of the nation, but that NSC wont let that 
happen. 

Talking to Nepalnews, Singh reiterated his commitment to send 
players to Islamabad to participate in the upcoming SAF Games. 

He said, “We will never put our athlete’s future at stake because of the row.” “Besides, we also cannot waste the nation’s investment made in the training and other preparations of the players,” he added. 

In response to the Vice president of NSC, Ganesh Thapa’s statement, of 'if the sacked NOC are ready to conduct re-elections fairly, the conflict could be settled,' Singh said, “It is not possible.” 

“To hold re-elections of NOC members who were sacked by government for their misdeeds, is not a good idea,” he said. 

In the function, Ganesh Thapa and Mohan Kumar Rai also  expressed their views and assured the players and sports authorities present about their participation in the SAF Games. 

However, the international sports governing bodies has neither replied to the NSC letter nor conformed their own decision yet. nepalnews.com rs Feb 06 04

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Deuba charges agitating parties of blowing hot and cold 

Nepali Congress (Democratic) president and former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba Friday charged the five agitating political parties of not having a firm stand.  

“The five parties are always on the lookout for a green signal from the palace. They take to streets only when they see no chance to grab power,” Deuba said, speaking at a program organized by the party’s student wing at Tribhuvan University. 

He blasted the five parties for provoking the King to oust him on one hand and suggesting to postpone polls, on the other. 

Deuba at the same time made it a point to criticize the King’s October 4 move, saying what he did was not fitting with the constitutional norms. 

“In democracy, it is the people that decide the fate of an elected prime minister, not the King,” he stated, insisting the King’s move to oust him was not just. 

The former PM added that the King should take an initiative to end the existing political impasse. “He must act towards ending the crisis,” he said. nepalnews.com mbk Feb 06 04

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Maoist strike hits normal life in the mid-west

Normal life was hit in some districts of the mid-western region following strikes (closure) announced by the Maoists intended at disrupting the civic reception of the King and Queen in Nepalgunj slated for February 8. 

Vehicular movement was negligible in Nepalgunj, Dang and few other places while most of the marketplaces were shut throughout the day, reports said. Though security has been massively beefed up in the entire far-western region, ordinary people have opted to respond to the Maoists' strike fearing backlash. 

The Maoists have declared strikes in 10 mid-western districts on Friday and Saturday and bandh (closure) on Sunday. 

In an encounter that took place on Thursday night, one militant was shot dead near Kachanapur area of Banke. Similarly, on the same day, the rebels detonated a bomb at the Agricultural Development Bank in Gularia, Bardia district, damaging parts of the building. 

Meanwhile, preparations are at the final stage for the civic felicitation program of the King and the Queen. In an interview with the Nepal Television, Minister for Information and Communication Kamal Thapa today said that no stone would be left unturned in terms of security arrangements for the royal felicitation. 

“District administrators have assured me of good security arrangements,” said he, informing that security forces are on patrol even in rural areas and air patrolling are also being carried out. nepalnews.com mbk Feb 06 04

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NHRC to probe Ex-MP’s murder 

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said that it is sending an investigation team to Siraha to probe into the murder of former parliamentarian and UML district leader Hem Narayan Yadav. 

Reports quoting NHRC secretary Kedar Prasad Poudel said that the commission is initiating a separate investigation over the incident. “We are mulling to launch our own investigation,” he said, adding that a team of two NHRC officials will leave for the district within a couple of days. 

A delegation of the CPN-UML had met NHRC members on Thursday urging them for a detailed inquiry over Yadav’s murder. The party has been asking for a judicial inquiry into the murder. 

Yadav’s bullet-riddled body was found near a canal on Tuesday. Initially, it was suspected to an act of Maoists but later they denied their involvement. Following the Maoist claim, the government is under tremendous pressure for an inquiry. nepalnews.com mbk Feb 06 04

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Climbing Mount Everest among BBC's 50 things to do before you die

A press release by the Nepal Tourism Board has stated that climbing Mount Everest has made its place in the 26th position in a poll by the BBC in 2003 on 'the top 50 things everyone should do in their life.' 

After Nepal, seeing India's tigers in the wild is the only entry from South Asia in 45th place. BBC asked online readers to vote on 50 things to do before dying. Swimming with dolphins in Florida, USA has been voted first.

BBC has quoted Dorian Hempleman who says, "I think that for anyone who loves the outdoors and has a passion for culture, the Himalayas has got to be the pinnacle of ambition. The raw energy and vastness of this region mixed with the Nepalese culture must combine to offer a truly unforgettable experience."

Meanwhile, the BBC has also chosen Nepal among '10 best in the wild and wonderful holidays of a lifetime' theme. Nepal has been placed eighth in this theme. India's Ranthambhore National Park has been voted as first in this theme that is famous for tiger watching. nepalnews.com dr Feb. 06 04

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