Kathmandu, Sept.23: King Birendra hoped the opening of a residential Norwegian Embassy in Kathmandu in January will enhance ties between Nepal and Norway. The opening of  the embassy would " further contribute to enhancing the  scope and level of interactions between the two countries in mutually beneficial areas in the days ahead," the King said.

" Government to government relations  have been substantially strengthened over the last few years, first when Nepal was made a priority partner country for Norwegian development co-operation in 1996 and again in January this year when  Norway opened an embassy in Kathmandu, " said Ambassador Mrs. Ingrid Ronnaug Ofstad while presenting her credentials to the King Friday. nepalnews.com br

67-year-old Man Joins School

Kathmandu, Sept.23: Age is no barrier when it comes to pursuing interests. A 67-year-old man  joined the fifth grade at Sarbodata Secondary School at Bhakimle Village in Syangja district inspiring  children in the School to study, the National News Agency said. Jhapat Bahadur Bika regularly attends school in uniform.

" He has rekindled interest in studies among other students by the sheer interest he has shown towards studies at his age," said Headmaster of the School Janak Nath Sharma. 
nepalnews.com br

King Launches South Asian Chief Justices Meet

Kathmandu, Sept.23: King Birendra Friday inaugurated the fifth conference of Chief Justices of  seven South Asian nations and the eighth South Asian Association for Regional Conference (SAARC) law conference.

The theme of the conference which ends Sunday  is " Good Governance for development: A Challenge of the New Millennium."

The first conference of chief Justices of SAARC was held in Nepal in 1995. The Chief Justices will discuss mutual judicial co-operation in the r region, exchange legal information and judicial activism. nepalnews.com br

Bangladesh Biman has Narrow Escape

Kathmandu, Sept.23: A Bangladesh Biman aircraft had a narrow escape as its pilot attempted successfully to avoid hitting a bird while landing at Tribhuvan International Airport of a flight from Dhaka to Kathmandu Friday, daily newspaper Himalayan Times reported Saturday quoting passengers and airport officials.

The aircraft nearly hit the tower, a passenger was quoted as saying. Similar incidents have been reported in the past.

Environmentalists have protested a recent government plan to dump Kathmandu's garbage near the airport arguing the waste will attract birds increasing risks of such collisions. nepalnews.com br

Nepal Tibet Highway Reopened

Kathmandu, Sept.22: The Arniko Highway, the only road link between Nepal and Tibet, was
reopened after a month Friday night.

The overland service came to a complete halt following landslides at Ghattekhola of Tatopani
village on August 18 near the border, the National News Agency said.

The opening of the highway had been delayed due to the construction of retaining wall which
had to be completed cautiously since the landslide had put the human settlement above the
damaged portion of the road and the Kodari high school under threat, the Agency said said.
Nepal and China are efforting to open new road links between the kingdom and Tibet. nepalnews.com br

Election Dispute Dismissed

Kathmandu,Sept.22: A case filed at the appellate court, Janakpurdham, alleging that Nepali
Congress candidate Smriti Narayan Chaudhari won the parliamentary elections from Dhanusha
district constituency -1 through unfair means in May 1999 has been dismissed, the National News
Agency said Friday.

Ram Chandra Jha, who was the CPN-UML's candidate from the constituency in the general
elections, had filed the case seeking the overturning of the election result. nepalnews.com br

Nepal-Bank of Ceylon Ltd. Opens Sixth Branch

Kathmandu, Sept.22: Nepal-Bank of Ceylon Ltd., a joint venture bank head quartered in Siddharthanagar, opened its sixth outlet in Banepa this week with plans to open another outlet in the branch in November, the management said Friday.

" We started our operations in Banepa with a soft opening Sunday," said an official of the Bank.
The seventh outlet of the Bank will be opened in New Road, Kathmandu, sometime in November, he said.

The New Road branch will be the Bank's third outlet in Kathmandu Valley. " This is part of our strategic plan to further expand our banking services out of Kathmandu Valley in order to make available our services to all the sectors of the economy," the Bank's Managing Director, U.O.Jayaratne said.

The Bank has outlets in Barabise Bazzar and Mahilawar in Rupandehi district as well. " Since its inception n 1996, Nepal-Bank of Ceylon Ltd. has contributed to foster and nurture the people to people contact between Nepal and Sri Lanka," Sri Lankan Ambassador Pamela J. Deen said. nepalnews.com br

One Dacoit Killed in Shoot-out

Kathmandu, Sept.22: A  notorious dacoit  was killed on the spot in a shoot-out with police near a forest in Bara district Tuesday night and other members of his gang fled, police said.

Shambhu Chaudhary was killed in aa encounter near Parasauna village, police said.

Chaudhary was wanted for his alleged involvement in various crimes, including the looting of passengers on a night bus travelling from Dharan to Kathmandu last month. nepalnews.com br

Metric Address System for Kathmandu

Kathmandu, Sept.22: The European Commission is helping the Kathmandu Municipal Corporation (KMC) to introduce a simple metric address system for the capital by replacing the present archaic postal addresses by  mid April 2001.

The Commission and the KMC are presently mapping the Kathmandu Valley to introduce the new system which will make it easier to identify houses.

The programme will cover the inner city and the outskirts of the rapidly expanding capital. nepalnews.com br

Metric Address System for Kathmandu

Kathmandu, Sept.22: The European Commission is helping the Kathmandu Municipal
Corporation (KMC) to introduce a simple metric address system for the capital by replacing the
present archaic postal addresses by mid April 2001.

The Commission and the KMC are presently mapping the Kathmandu Valley to introduce the
new system which will make it easier to identify houses.

The programme will cover the inner city and the outskirts of the rapidly expanding capital.
nepalnews.com br

Fresh Floods cause Damage in Sindhuli

Kathmandu, Sept.21: Fresh floods and landslides triggered by monsoon rains damaged crops

and houses in two villages in Sindhuli district, the National News Agency said quoting a village

chief Thursday.

Three houses collapsed and 12 others were badly hit by landslides at Thakani village, the Agency

said.

Floods damaged standing crops of maize, millet and paddy over 400 ropanis of land just days

before harvest at Bhotenamlang village besides destroying four houses there. nepalnews.com br

Health Officials from South Asia meet to Control AIDS

Kathmandu, September.21: Health officials from seven South Asian nations, including arch rivals

India and Pakistan, began a two-day conference in the Nepali capital Thursday to co-ordinate and

update educational and information materials to control tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS in the region.

The other members of the regional grouping SAARC, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka

and Maldives are also participating in the meet.

The two diseases kill millions of people in the seven nations of South Asia every year.

Chiefs of the national tuberculosis control and HIV/AIDS control programmes and the chiefs of

the national health education and information bureaus of these countries are discussing control of

the diseases.

Besides formulating new health education and information policy for the prevention and control

of the diseases, the conference will produce educational and information materials needed by health

workers working at all levels to prevent and control of these diseases, the National News Agency

said.

Nine Tibetans Arrested for Illegal Entry

Kathmandu, Sept.21: Nine more Tibetans travelling without travel documents were arrested

Thursday near Jiri in Dolakha district for illegal entry into Nepal, police said.

The group, including some children, will be bussed to the capital Friday for processing their

onward journey to the Dharamsala in India where their spiritual leader the Dalai Lama lives in

self-exile, local officials said.

The Nepal office of the UNHCR processes their onward journey.

Several hundred Tibetans transit through Nepal every year to India.

Strike Paralyses Life in Nepali Capital
Kathmandu, Sept.21: A nation-wide strike called by nine left parties and supported by
radical underground Maoists paralysed life in the Nepali capital and the adjoining towns of
Lalitpur and Bhaktapur Thursday as vehicles stayed off the roads and shopkeepers downed
shutters.
The capital's normally busy streets were deserted.
Police fired in the air at Bardibas in Mohottari as a group tried to erect roadblocks on a major
highway and five security personnel were injured in clashes and a petrol bomb was hurled at a
vehicle in Trigauli in Chitwan district injuring the driver and his helper who are being treated at
Bharatpur hospital, Home Ministry spokesman Gopendra Bahadur Pandey said.
At least 150 persons were arrested nation-wide during the strike and all but those involved in
violence will be released later Thursday, Pandey said.
Protestors stoned three vehicles in the capital and stoned a building belonging to the Everest
casino.
Organizers did not heed the calls of transporters and businesses to call off the strike ahead of
the festive season.
Government efforts to negotiate with the opposition communists also failed.
Government arrested thousands of communist activists who overnight defied a government
ban on torch light protests to drum up support for Thursday's strike.
Communists said such a ban infringed their fundamental rights while government said it
slapped the prohibitory order to protect life and property.
The nine left parties said they were protesting official corruption and inefficiency.
nepalnews.com br

Journalist Refuses to Reveal News Source

Kathmandu, Sept.21: A radio journalist Wednesday refused to reveal the source of a news that claimed that three members of the powerful Public Accounts Committee of parliament sought monetary favours from  officials of the Nepal Bank Ltd. to suppress investigations on irregulatries. Station Manager Prateek Bhandari of Sagarmatha FM radio station was called by the Committee Wednesday and asked to reveal the source of the news.

The radio citing unnamed Bank sources said Hridesh Tripathi, Binod Khatiwada and Birendra Kanauda sought monetary favours from Bank for suppressing investigations. The radio station has not retracted its story. The Committee has decided to summon the general manager and board members Monday to trace the news source.

Nepal Bank Ltd., partially owned by the government, is in financial crisis following failure to recover millions of rupees in loans. nepalnews.com br

Rupee falls Against Dollar

Kathmandu, Sept.21: The rupee fell to its lowest level against the US dollar with a dip of 80 paisa in the last two days.

The Nepal Rashtra Bank, the country's central bank,  fixed the buying and selling rates of one US dollar Tuesday at Rs.72.90 and Rs.73.60 respectively. The depreciation of the Nepali rupee follows the sinking of the Indian rupee against the greenback after heavy demand for the dollar in markets in India. The Nepali economy is closely tied to the Indian economy. nepalnews.com br

Nepal, Ukraine Business Accord

Kathmandu, Sept.21: The Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry ( FNCCI)  and Ukraine Chamber  of Commerce and Industry (UCCI) signed a memorandum of understanding Monday to establish the Nepal- Ukraine Council to promote business ties between the two countries.

Acting Chairman of the FNCCI Rabi Bhakta Shrestha and Vice Chairman of the Regional Commerce and Industry Organization Vladamir Sahpirko signed the memorandum. Business ties between the two countries are limited. nepalnews.com br

Aeroflot to Double Flights

Kathmandu, Sept.14: Aeroflot will double flights between Moscow and Kathmandu and  introduce a bigger aircraft on the route from October 29 every Sunday and Friday, daily newspaper The Rising Nepal said Thursday quoting the airline's General Manager for Nepal Vladamir I. Sokolov.

The Russian airline will introduce TU145M on the route capable of carrying 132 passengers to replace the smaller A310 and fly in more than 260 tourists a week with the additional flight.
Aeroflot began its Nepal operations on August 25, 1990.

"There is lack of publicity about Nepal ins Russia. More tourism related activities should be carried out in Russia," Sokolov said. nepalnews.com br

Strike Paralyses Life in Nepali Capital

Kathmandu, Sept.21: A nation-wide strike called by nine left parties and supported by radical underground Maoists paralysed life in the Nepali capital and the adjoining towns of Lalitpur and Bhaktapur Thursday as vehicles stayed off the roads and shopkeepers downed shutters.

The capital's normally busy streets were deserted. Immediate reports were not available from other parts of the country.

Organizers did not heed the calls of transporters and businesses to call off the strike ahead of the festive season.

Government efforts to negotiate with the opposition communists also failed. Government arrested thousands of communist activists who overnight defied a government ban on torch light protests to drum up support for Thursday's  strike.

Communists said such a ban infringed their fundamental rights while government said it slapped the prohibitory order to protect life and property.

The nine left parties said they were protesting official corruption and inefficiency. nepalnews.com br

Government forms Probe Commission

Kathmandu, Sept.21: Government formed a two member probe team under the chairmanship of a senior Home Ministry official Wednesday to investigate this week's death of a boy in clashes between police and locals in Parsa district after security personnel raided houses to recover illegal marijuana.

More than 400 villagers held 19 policemen during the clashes and delivered them to local politicians.

The team will also investigate assaults by a group of riot police on locals in southwest Nepal injuring more than 70 persons and damaging vehicles.

The team headed by Joint Secretary Tika Dutta Niraula will report to the government in five days. Senior Superintendent of Police Devendra Bahadur Malla is the second member of the probe team. nepalnews.com br

India provides over Rs.39 M assistance to PADT

Kathmandu, September 20: The government of India is to provide a financial assistance of Rs. 39.70 million to Pashupatinath

Area Development Trust (PADT) for the construction of a Dharamshala in Pashupatinath

Complex at Tilganga, Kathmandu.

The proposed Dharmashala is to be constructed in the area of 9660 square metres and provide accommodation facilities to more than 74 pilgrims every day, says a press release of Indian Embassy.

Pashupatinath temple is the most important shrine of Nepal. It has great religious and cultural

significance for Hindus all over the world. A large number of pilgrims apart from other tourists from

India and elsewhere in the world visit Pashupatinath. With a view to developing adequate

infrastructure and other facilities around the Pashupatinath Temple, the Pashupatinath Area Development

Trust (PADT) has drawn up a Master Plan .

As part of development of the Pashupatinath area, the PADT has a plan to construct a dharamshala at

Tilganga. For this, PADT had requested several donors for the assistance.nepalnews.com yl

Communists defy ban on torch-lit procession

Communists workers take to street in Kathmandu Wednesday on the eve of nationwide strike called by them to protest government's ban on torch-lit procession.

Kathmandu, September 20:

Defying government’s ban, communist protestors took out torch-lit processions in Kathmandu and other urban areas of Nepal Wednesday evening on the eve of Nepal Bandh ( Nepal closure) jointly called by nine leftist parties.

Nine leftist parties have called nationwide strike on September 21, Thursday.

A group of communist workers gathered in Ratna Park and took out the torch-lit procession. When police intervened in Sundhara, protestors clashed with police in which several leftist leaders and workers were injured.

Police baton charged on the protestors to prevent the torch-lit procession.

Kamal Chaulagai, central leader of CPN-ML, is one of the senior leaders injured in the baton charge. Similarly, police arrested several communist leaders and workers when they defied the government’s restriction on torch demos.

According to CPN-ML more than 200 communist workers and leaders including CPN-ML general secretary Bamdev Gautam were arrested Wednesday evening.

Similar incidents have taken place in other cities inside and outside the Kathmandu Valley. However, details have not yet been received from other parts of the country.

The government recently banned torch-lit procession in the densely populated urban areas effective from September 17. However, all communist parties condemned the decision and publicly announced that they would defy the government’s ban.

The government took the decision in order to prevent any untoward incident on the eve of nationwide strike called by an alliance of nine leftist parties.

Communists usually take out torch-lit procession on the eve of strike.

Nine leftist parties called the strike to press the government to fulfil their series of demands.

The underground Communist Party (Maoist), that has been waging an armed insurgency, has supported the strike.nepalnews.com yl

Two Nepalis Arrested with Counterfeit Indian Currency

Kathmandu, Sept.20: Two Nepalis were arrested in neighbouring Lalitpur Monday with 50,000 pieces of counterfeit Rs.500 Indian paper currency notes, police said.

Police said they recovered the fake currency from Madhukar Baruwal and Chakra Bahadur Shrestha, both residents of Kathmandu.

Police nabbed them as they were walking at Satdobato. Even dealing in genuine Rs.500 Indian currency is illegal in Nepal.

Earlier this year, Nepali Association of Travel Travel Agents protested the persecution of some Indians in  possession of several  thousand rupees in Rs.500 currency notes saying they were genuine tourists who were not aware of the regulations.The NATA said such acts would discourage Indian tourists.

The Nepal Rashtra Bank, Nepal's central bank, declared the currency illegal after the Reserve Bank of India refused to accept the notes even as Indian currency of other denominations is freely circulated in Nepal. New Delhi has banned the export of Rs.500 notes.

But travellers find it easy to commute between India and Nepal with the illegal currency and the notes are in demand despite the ban.

Indian officials especially try to picture a nexus between international smugglers and the high denomination notes in Nepal.

India also charges that Pakistan is attempting to destabilize the Indian economy by flooding India with fake Indian currency notes smuggled into India  through the open and porous 700 miles Indo-Nepal border. nepalnews.com br

Displaced Persons Return Home

Kathmandu, Sept.20: Forty families displaced by a Maoist insurgency returned home to their village near Maukilot in Kalikot district in west Nepal one day after a police post was re-established there Monday, state owned Radio Nepal said in its broadcasts Tuesday and Wednesday. The Radio has been highlighting the return of the displaced persons ahead of the festive Desain and Dipavali festivals and linking it with a pledge by  Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to create conditions for the internal refugees to return home before Desain.

After Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Paudel and Home Minister Govinda Raj Joshi's visit to five districts affected by a Maoist insurgency earlier this month, vigilante groups have been  formed in district headquarters in Kalikot and surrounding areas to deter attacks by communist rebels who aim to topple monarchy and multi-party democracy and establish a communist state in Nepal. Government has adopted a forward strategy to re-occupy abandoned police posts and establish new ones throughout the country to enhance security and gain public confidence. More than 1,430 persons, including civilians, have been killed on a four-year insurgency. Dhanraj Buda,27, commander of the rebel militia in neighbouring Bhajura district surrendered to the local administration this month, Chief District Officer  Krishna Prasad Paudel said. 

Meanwhile, nine moderate left parties supported by extreme Maoists said they will defy a government ban on torch light processions and bring out a protest rally Wednesday 12 hours ahead of a call for a nation-wide strike call to oppose perceived official corruption and abuses. Deputy Prime Minister Paudel met representatives of the nine communist parties Tuesday and tried to dissuade them from going ahead with the  strike. Transporters and businesses also asked the communists to call off the strike before the festive season. nepalnews.com br

Meat, Alcohol Banned around Pashupati Area

Kathmandu, Sept.20: Animal slaughter and the sale of meat and alcohol have been banned around the Pashupatinath temple area from Tuesday. " The decision will be strictly enforced. But it will not affect the culture and tradition of the people residing within the area," Basanta Chaudhary, Member Secretary of thePashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) said.

The Trust will seek the co-operation of local organizations and police to enforce the ban around the holiest Hindu temple in the Nepal, the world's only Hindu kingdom. The Trust and its three offices have more than Rs.200 million in banks in the form of deposits, shares and bonds, excluding the income of the temple, Chaudhary told a news conference. nepalnews.com br

Russian Climber Missing on Lhotse Shar

Kathmandu, Sept.20 :  A 35-year-old Russian rescue officer from Moscow is missing on the 8400 metres high Lhotse Shar after an avalanche hit on September 17, the Ministry of Tourism said Wednesday quoting base camp reports.

The seven remaining members of the expedition are searching for Vladamir Bondarev on the difficult south face of the peak in the Sagarmatha region, the Ministry said.

The avalanche hit the expedition at 4 PM on September 17 at 6500 metres this fall climbing season.

The expedition is led by Mykhaylo Turkevych,47. The autumn climbing season began in the Nepal Himalaya on September 1 and ends mid-November.

The Ministry of Tourism gave permits to 34 teams from 15 countries to attempt 20 peaks in Nepal including the 8848 metres high Sagarmatha this fall. nepalnews.com br

Bastola calls for Better Transit Facilities

Kathmandu, Sept.20: Foreign Minister Chakra Prasad Bastola Tuesday asked transit states  to provide landlocked and least developed countries like Nepal more transit points and security for their imports and exports.

Nepal's transit trade in routed primarily through India; some passes through Bangladesh.

" Landlocked developing countries need more transit points, more security in transit and ports more reliability in service, better transport and port facilities so that they can climb out of poverty and join the global economic mainstream in a globalilzing world.

"... it is only appropriate that we ask our neighbours to help us in the same spirit," Bastola told a  ministerial meeting of landlocked developing nations in New York.

Bastola asked for assistance to transit states without mentioning India and Bangladesh by name " to upgrade their transit transport infrastructure to build their capacity to help" the landlocked and least developing countries.

Bastola asked for debt relief and quota free access for products of countries like Nepal. nepalnews.com br

Pressure Continues against PM Koirala

Kathmandu, Sept.20: In continuing pressure against Prime Minister, six critics including Sher Bahadur Deuba, Tuesday submitted a memorandum to Girija Prasad Koirala, also the president of the ruling Nepali Congress party, alleging some members of the central committee were attempting to rig January's internal elections.

The committee is filled mostly with Koirala cronies. Former Prime Minister Deuba is an aspirant for the party's presidency; Koirala has not said whether he will seek re-elecion.

The six central committee members, including Khum Bahadur Khadka and Bijaya Gachedhar who defected to the opposition, alleged some powerful committee members sidelined decisions of superiors and dissolved regional bodies and  deleted names of some active members to influence the election.

" There are attempts to divide the party by trying to influence elections. Such acts should stop immediately and previous agreements should be implemented,' the memorandum said.

Agreement includes reshuffling the government and the party central committee to include Koirala critics.

In a related development, the party's central office Tuesday said the dates for filing complaints against shortcomings in the active membership list have been extended at the districts and party headquarters following allegations until the end of September, a press statement said.

The party said the list was first published on September 10 although the Koirala opposition, including former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, said they had not received the list.

Only active members can contest elections. nepalnews.com br

Eighty Persons Admitted after Food Poisoning

Kathmandu, Sept.20: Eighty persons were admitted to a hospital in Butwal for suspected food poisoning Monday after eating  sweets following a religious function at Madhaulia in Rupandehi district, daily newspaper Naya Sadak said Wednesday.

Fifteen are unconscious and are being treated at Lumbini Anchal Hospital. The sweets were offered after  Bishwakarma worship at a recycling plant in the village. nepalnews.com br