KING GYANENDRA AND QUEEN KOMAL graced the Army Day function at Tundikhel on Sunday. The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) displayed its various weapons and its current action against terrorism in the show. Meanwhile, the royal couple also visited the Temple of Pashupatinath in the evening and prayed to Lord Shiva on the occasion of Mahashivaratri festival – one of the biggest festivals of Hindu. According to Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), around 250,000 pilgrims visited the shrine on Sunday.

CHIEF OF THE ARMY STAFF (COAS), Royal Nepalese Army (RNA), General Pyara Jung Thapa has called on to move on constitutional and legal path. In a message he delivered to the army on the occasion of Mahashivaratri and Army Day, General Rana instructed to become sensitive towards international humanitarian laws and human rights. He said the RNA moving ahead with the target of realizing the sovereign Nepalis’ aspiration for security and peace, is heading towards victory. Stating that the joint attempts by the King, people and the army had been successful to resolve crises faced by the nation since its unification, he added he was confident of similar success in facing the present crises. General Thapa lauded the patience, courage, dedication and incomparable contribution of the RNA personnel in the interest of the nation. He also praised the encouragement given by family members of the RNA personnel.

DISPUTE RAGING BETWEEN TAX OFFICERS and traders has been resolved after a meeting was held between them at the initiative of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) and Nepal Trans-Himalayan Traders’ Association. According to Durga Bahadur Shrestha, president of the association, dispute has now been resolved. “From Friday, shops will open,” he said. In the meeting, the tax officers agreed not to harass the traders by demanding different documents. They, however, will be authorized to demand invoices. Meanwhile, Dr. Roop Jyoti, Minister of State for Finance, said that problems cannot be resolved by coming out on streets. “Traders should rather abide by their tax duty,” he said. Dr. Jyoti claimed that the government and the tax office has no intention of harassing the traders. Earlier, protesting the mobilization of tax officers to raid shops, the traders and shopkeepers had closed down their shops in New Road area on Wednesday and Thursday (February 24).

AN INDIAN MINISTER HAS SAID that Nepal government has requested India for releasing the military assistance that remains stalled since February 1, 2005, reports Kantipur daily. Speaking at the meeting in Lok Sabha (Indian parliament), Indian Minister for State for External Affairs E. Ahmed said that India had received information that Nepal had brought military supplies from China, Pakistan and other third countries.

TWO FOREIGN DONORS HAVE JOINED HANDS with the objective of investing in programs aimed at strengthening sustainable democratic governance and internal governance reforms of political parties. Britain’s Department for International Development (DFID) and Swiss Development Cooperation (SDC) have announced joint program amounting to Rs 350 million. According to the donors, “Rights, Democracy and Inclusion Fund” will be implemented initially for three years. The donors expressed their steadfast support for multiparty democracy in the country.

SPEAKERS AT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT session in Brussels have demanded ‘smart sanctions’ against the King and his aides, reports Kantipur daily. Remarking that the rulers in Nepal have turned ‘deaf’ after last year’s royal steps, they also urged for stopping RNA from being deployed in the UN peacekeeping missions abroad. They also called for appointing special representative to initiate dialogue with all actors. The parliament had invited UN human rights office chief in Nepal Ian Martin and other Nepali human rights officials including Sushil Pyakurel and Gauri Pradhan to present their case. The government representative Diwakar Panta, head of the human rights committee at the Prime Ministers Office, was, however, not allowed to speak due to lack of time.

THE ROYAL NEPALESE ARMY (RNA) is all set to recruit about 3000 soldiers, a move that will pave way for the formation of Regional Corps in the near future. The cabinet recently approved the RNA’s proposal of recruiting 3000 soldiers and officers. “The recruitment of an additional 3000 soldiers will increase the RNA’s strength to 100,000, and that will suffice to form two Corps,” an official at the Ministry of Defense told The Himalayan Times daily. The Corps are being planned for the eastern and western regions. A source at the ministry said homework has been done for establishing the Corps, but due to senior RNA general’s ‘promotion-related matters’ it may take some time. “The RNA is also planning to separately recruit 6000 more soldiers this year for the division that provides security to National Parks and Wildlife Reserves,” said the ministry official. The cost of training one person in the first year of his/her recruitment, according to an army official, is about Rs 300,000, while the same amounts to about Rs 100,000 from the second year onwards. The RNA, which is currently busy drafting a National Security Policy through the National Security Council, operates from the Central Headquarters as well as Division Headquarters in the five development regions. “Only the Corps Headquarters are planned initially for the two regions (east and west). It will be expanded gradually,” the Ministry official said.