Air Arabia establishes first low-cost carrier in Nepal
Aiming to gain access to new destinations in India and South Asia, Sharjah-based Air Arabia has started a joint venture with a Nepalese airline to launch the Himalayan nation's first low-cost carrier.
FlyYeti.com's inaugural flight took off from Kathmandu Airport yesterday to Sharjah Airport. The low-cost carrier is a joint venture between Air Arabia and Nepal's Yeti Airlines.
Air Arabia, a major shareholder in the new company, will apply its successful low-cost business model to the management and operation of FlyYeti.com.
"This newest hub will give air travellers, who use Air Arabia access to new destinations in India and wider south Asia, as well as the Far East and central Asia," said Mr Adel Ali, Board Member and Chief Executive of Air Arabia.
Blaze In Passenger Bus, Seven Killed
At least seven people have been killed and two dozen others injured, on Friday (Jan 18), when a passenger bus was engulfed in fire near Pathlaiya along the East-west highway in Bara district. Those killed include five men, one woman and one kid. The fire engulfed the bus when it was crossing a bridge over Pasaha River at around 5:15 p.m. The bus was heading from Birgunj from Janakpur. Police teams have reached the incident to carry out rescue operations. Injured passengers have been taken to Narayani Sub-regional hospital. Many of them are undergoing treatment in critical condition. The fire started from back seats due to which many passengers sitting in front could escape the incident it is said.
Some reports suggest that there was arson involved in the incident. Meanwhile, some reports have said that Terai Army has owned up responsibility for the incident saying they resorted to the attack against the bus for flouting local bandh. Compiled form reports
Police Nab Two In Connection With Bhotahity Blast
Police have arrested two persons said to be involved in the bomb blast in Bhotahity, Kathmandu early this week. The Metropolitan Police Office organized a press meet, Friday (Jan 18), to make public the two persons – Santosh Kumar Basnet and Megh Bahadur Khatry - whom it said were involved in carrying out the attack. Police said they also seized a detonator from their possession. The persons are said to have belonged to an organization called National Defense Army. A third person also involved in the incident, however, is still at large, the police said. A bomb had exploded in a minibus carrying Maoist workers after the joint mass meeting of seven parties ended in Khula Manch on Monday. Half a dozen persons were injured in that incident. Compiled from reports
NC Dissidents Cry Foul
Nepali Congress (NC) dissidents have criticized the party leadership for its 'leaning' towards what they call communist agendas. Holding a meeting Thursday (Jan 17), the NC dissident leaders, who had opposed the declaration of federal republic from the parliament recently, came down heavily against the party leadership, saying it had uncharacteristically, and increasingly, become close to communists. Govinda Raj Joshi, one of the vocal NC dissidents, said that the meeting decided to remind the party leadership not to be swayed by the communist agendas. "That said, we [dissident leaders] are not against the party's decision to go for republican order after the constituent assembly polls," he said. The meeting held at central leader Bijay Gachhedar's residence in Satdobato, Lalitpur, also arrived at the conclusion that CA polls are not possible without first addressing the grievances of Madhesi groups. Some 40 central working committee members and parliamentarians including party general secretary K.B Gurung, Binay Dhoj Chand, Dr Narayan Khadka and Palden Gurung attended the meeting. Some reports add that the dissidents warned of "Terai's disintegration" if the government held the CA election in two phases by deploying security forces. "Holding CA polls in two phases by deploying a maximum number of security personnel can be disastrous," said Joshi. The meeting decided to draw the attention of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala towards 'untowards incidents' if the government ever did a mistake by 'imposing meaningless' election in Terai by deploying security personnel. Compiled from reports
Dr. Bhattarai Fears 'Democratic Coup'
A senior Maoist leader has said that there is a fear of what he called as 'democratic coup.'
The Maoist number two Dr. Baburam Bhattarai said that his party would resort to resistance if such coup occurred. Without taking her name, Dr. Bhattarai accused that newly appointed minister without portfolio Sujata Koirala could be advanced by some elements in the army to stage such a coup. He was speaking at a program in the capital, on Thursday (Jan 17). "There is a lady who still sings praises of the monarchy," he said referring to the daughter of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. Sujata had recently said that monarchy as an institution is necessary for the country. She had also indicated that 1990 constitution could be revived if the Constituent Assembly (CA) election did not take place for the third time. Dr. Bhattarai added that some generals of the Nepali Army could also be dreaming of such regression. Nepalnews.com sd Jan 17 08
Poudel Assures Strong TRC
Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel Thursday (Jan 17) said that the government is going to introduce a bill for the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to take strong action against those involved in crime against humanity during the armed conflict. He said that the proposed TRC would not exonerate those involved in crime against humanity and serious human rights abuses during the decade-long armed conflict in the country. Addressing a consultative workshop on the TRC bill at Nepalgunj on Thursday, Minister Poudel further said that the upcoming bill should ensure that such crimes do not recur and the culture of impunity would end for good. Compiled from reports
Vandalism In Apex Court
Police have arrested over two dozen persons after they resorted to vandalism and sloganeering inside the Supreme Court (SC) where a hearing was underway on a land integration project. People said to be favoring the Chamati land integration project shouted slogans against presiding judges Balram KC and Tapa Bahadur Magar during the hearing process. According to Supreme Court (SC) spokesperson Ram Krishna Timalsena, the interruptions at the hearing were of 'criminal nature.' "If someone files petition on contempt of court on this issue, the court will entertain the issue. Otherwise, we will also take notice of this event and take necessary action ourselves," he said.
The vandalism in the court occurred a day after authorities had set in place the special security in court following the concerns over insecurity made by judges a few days ago. Compiled from reports
Govt Calls Madhesi Groups For Dialogue
Following the directive by the seven party taskforce, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel, renewed the government's call for dialogue to all the armed and unarmed Madhesi groups. Poudel said that long-term solution of all the problems can be found through the Constituent Assembly (CA) election. Therefore, he urged, the agitated groups to come forward for talks to resolve any grievance they have, at present. He said that the government had resolved citizenship issue, ensured population-based proportional seats for the Madhes region, accepted autonomous federal structures, provided a million rupees each as compensation to those killed during Madhes agitation, amended laws for ensuring proportional participation of Madhesis in all organs of state and so on. He said remaining issues could be sorted out through talks. He said that the government had also written letters to two factions of JTMM but received no reply. He reiterated the call for dialogue with them. "This is a big opportunity for dialogue. If this opportunity is missed, regressive elements will get space and even the rights that have been received may disappear," Poudel said. Earlier, the meeting of taskforce chaired by Maoist chairman Prachanda had decided to ask the government to hold talks with all disgruntled groups. The parties also agreed to strengthen seven party unity. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports
Sujata's Remarks Draws Flak
At the meeting of the Seven Party Steering Committee held on Tuesday (Jan 15), leaders demanded that Nepali Congress (NC) should provide explanations for what they called as "anti-constitutional remarks" made by its new minister Sujata Koirala. An outspoken central member of NC, Sujata, who is also the daughter of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, had last Saturday said that though an individual King could be wrong, the monarchy as an institution cannot be. At the same time, she had raised many eyebrows by saying that the Constitution 1990 could be revived if the Constituent Assembly (CA) election is not held in April also. In the steering committee meeting held at the Maoist central office in Buddhanagar, the seven-party leaders also raised their objection to NC's decision to appoint the first daughter as cabinet minister without consulting with other alliance partners. In response, the NC representatives in the meeting only said that the party had "taken note" of Sujata's remarks, but refused to say anything further on the matter, according to sources. There was discussion on nine different important topics in the meeting of the steering committee formed to look after the implementation of the recent 23-pt agreement signed by the seven parties. As per previous understanding, Maoists put forth the draft of the committee's work procedures for perusal at the meeting. The alliance partners have agreed to come to a decision on this after further discussion. The taskforce also decided to request the Election Commission (EC) to postpone by 15 days the date for implementation of election code of conduct. Earlier, the EC had unveiled its poll schedule and stated that it would start enforcing the election code of conduct from January 16. For the government and the non-government organizations, the election code of conduct will be effective from January 16; for parties following the submission of the closed list of candidacies for proportional voting system while, for election candidates, it will come into effect after the registration of candidacy, the EC had said. Similarly, there has also been an agreement to form a taskforce to decide on the formation of local bodies. The steering committee meet would again take place Wednesday at the same venue. Compiled from reports
