PM Koirala administers oath of office to Deputy PM Amik Sherchan.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER K.P. Sharma Oli will lead Nepalese delegation at the first meeting of UN Human Rights Council in Geneva . The Council was formed two months ago replacing the UN Human Rights Commission. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oli will present Nepal situation in a changed context. Sources at the Ministry inform that although there would be general discussion on Agenda Item 19 resolution that was passed with regards to Nepal last year, there would not be any stricter resolutions this time. The council is 47-member strong body.

THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (ADB) has agreed to provide Rs 734.5 worth of loan assistance to Nepal . The assistance is aimed at all-round economic, social, legal and political empowerment of rural women of Nepal . An agreement to this effect has been signed on Friday (June 9).

IN A SHOW OF GROWING CONFIDENCE, Nepalese Under 15 team bagged the title of Elite Cup tournament held in Malaysia . Nepal collected 16 points compared to 8 of the United Arab Emirates with whom they played the final match. The tournament – of 2-day type – ended with Nepal winning the one-sided match against UAE as the latter were made to chase an impossible target of 302 runs after losing all 10 first inning wickets for 75 runs. Nepalese batsman Suvendu Pandey was declared the man of the match as well as the best batsman of the tournament. Nepal has been displaying consistently well in the cricket matches among the non-test playing nations. This time its team, which comprised of all new players who did not have much time to practice due to political situation in the country, once again won a prestigious tournament.

THE SUPREME COURT (SC), on Wednesday (June 7), refused to test the constitutionality of the Declaration of the House of Representatives. Stating that the petitioner advocate Achyut Prasad Kharel could not cite a provision to test the constitutionality of the Declaration, officiating Registrar of the SC Dr. Ram Krishna Timalsena formally rejected a writ petition challenging the proclamation. “Since Clause 9 of the Declaration states that the provisions of the 1990 Constitution and existing laws would be automatically nullified if they contradicted the House proclamation, there is no need to test the constitutionality of the Declaration,” the rejection directive passed by Timalsena said. The petition was rejected as per Rule 27(2)(3) of the SC Regulation, 1992. Kharel had filed the petition a few days ago stating that since almost all the provisions of the Declaration contradicted the 1990 Constitution, the apex court should test its constitutionality. He also claimed that as the declaration was not a constitution and as it did not amend the 1990 statute, it cannot be taken as superior to the existing Constitution. He also claimed that the Declaration passed by the House on May 18 cannot be legal as it is only a political document.

IN A RACE TO ADD NEW telecommunications facilities and services, Nepal Telecom (NT) is soon going to introduce Internet mobile cards (Y-Max Card) based on wireless telephone technology. Once the service is introduced, one can have access to email and internet across the country, where wireless telephony service based on CDMA technology is available. Moreover, one can download and transfer data at a faster rate than the conventional dial up system, even if there is no telephone and electricity connection. “The service is primarily developed for laptop users and one can have access to the service in areas that fall under the CDMA coverage,” said a senior official at NT. The data transfer rate through Y-Max Card is also much higher (up to 230 kilo bites per second) compared to 56 kbps in conventional dial up system. Telephone calls also can be made using the card through laptop. Officials informed that NT has successfully conducted technical tests of the Internet mobile card in the Kathmandu valley. “However, it will take about four months for the commercial launch, as we are calling for a global tender for about 5000 Y-Max Cards in the first phase,” said Sunil Pokhrel, director at NT.

OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CHILD domestic workers of 415 in Kathmandu , 275 are girls and 140 boys. According to a study by an NGO, 61.2 percent of the domestic workers were between the age of 11 to 15 years. It stated that 76.39 percent of them belonged to ethnic community, 14.46 percent belonged to Chhetri community, 8.19 percent to Brahmin community and 0.96 percent to Dalit community. The study also showed that children came from 41 different districts. Only 5.78 percent of them hailed from Kathmandu district, 29.4 percent came from neighboring districts, and 57.35 percent came from other districts. Around 67.47 percent of the domestic workers said they wanted to pursue formal school education.

STRONGLY OPPOSING THE CONTINUED imposition of syndicate system by truckers and transporters, entrepreneurs based in Bhairawaha along with industrial and commercial firms have stalled transport of goods to the capital and other parts of the country. After the truckers continued to impose syndicated system and hiked the transport fare despite an understanding with the entrepreneurs, the latter have decided to stall the transport and refuse to use the vehicles. Due to this decision, transport of construction materials like cement, rod, machinery equipment and also retail products have been disrupted.