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| NEWS FLASH 2000- LAST UPDATED : Friday, February 02, 2001 03:17 PM + 5:45 GMT | |
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Two killed in collision
Kathmandu, 2 February: Two Nepalis were killed and 11 others injured, in a collision between a jeep and a tanker Wednesday near Nautanuwa in India, Indian police said. A report said most of the injured were ex-Indian Gurkha soldiers travelling to Gorakhpur to collect their pension. The tanker was on its way to Nepal. Nepalnews.com/br/at Policeman and two Maoists Killed Kathmandu, 2 February: One policeman and two Maoists were killed in a shoot-out Wednesday night when a group of rebels attacked the police post at Junbeshi in Solu Khumbu district, police said. The insurgents escaped with arms and ammunition after exchange of gunfire. This is the second attack on the outpost in three months. Armed Maoists also raided a festival at a village in Sunsari district Wednesday, local officials said. Nepalnews.com/br/at Shrestha named Chief of Armed Police Kathmandu, 2 February: Krishna Mohan Shrestha, Additional Inspector General of the Nepal police has been nominated as the first chief of the newly formed Armed Police Force (APF), a source close to the government said. Formal announcement of Shrestha’s nomination is expected Friday. King Birendra issued the ordinance to form the APF last month. The government has been criticised for issuing the ordinance before the winter session of parliament starting 8 February where a bill could have been presented. Nepalnews.com/br/at Kathmandu, 2 February: Mayor of Janakpur Bharang Prasad Shah was arrested at his home after he refused to answer questions from the district administration about suspected irregularities in the municipality. The mayor has also been charged with obstructing
the questioning of a ward chairman of the town. Kathmandu, 1 February: In an effort to placate rivals in the ruling Nepali Congress party, Prime Minister and Congress president Koirala appointed rival Sher Bahadur Deuba to the powerful Central Working Committee (CWC), a party announcement said Thursday night. Koirala also nominated Krishna Prasad Bhattarai to the same committee a few days ago. Of the 18 members elected to the CWC at the Congress convention last month, six were from the Deuba faction while 12 were Koirala supporters. The other half of the 37-member committee is being nominated by the party president. Analysts are watching to see how far Koirala will go to placate his rivals in the party and the government, even as they predict a cabinet reshuffle. "The mandate of the convention was for unity in the party. We will have to wait and see how the prime minister moves ahead," said a moderate Congress leader on condition of anonymity. Meanwhile, the main UML opposition is demanding
Koirala’s resignation as PM ahead of the winter session of parliament
beginning 8 February over the Lauda Air scandal. The opposition says Koirala is
responsible for approving the controversial deal, which has already cost
Minister for Tourism Tarani Dutta Chataut and chief executive officer of RNAC
Hari Bhakta Shrestha their jobs. Government agrees to talks with Maoists Kathmandu, 1 February: The government Thursday responded to an early-week Maoist offer of talks by inviting the rebels to come to the negotiating table. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Paudel said before embarking on a visit to Maoist-affected districts in western Nepal. Paudel said the insurgency has destroyed the development infrastructure in many areas and created a reign of terror. Earlier this week Maoist leader Prachanda asked
the government to fulfil certain minimum conditions to aid in the end
hostilities. He also called for all political forces to unite to oust Koirala. The government has also mobilised the army and formed a new Armed Police Force to combat the Maoists. Nepalnews.com/br/at PM Koirala
Appoints Deuba to Central Committee Koirala, who is also president of the party, also appointed ageing protégé of the only surviving founder member of the party Krishna Prasad Bhattarai to the committee. Koirala earlier appointed Bhattarai and former prime minister who is his nemesis to the central working committee. Among the 18 members elected to the central committee for the first time last month by a national convention, six rebels of the Deuba faction were elected while 12 other elected members were staunch Koirala supporters to ensure Koirala's control of the committee. The remaining 18 members will be nominated by Koirala as analysts watch to see to what extent the Prime Minister goes to placate his rivals in the party and government.Analysts said a government reshuffle in is expected any time. Koirala defeated Deuba convincingly last month for the party's presidency. " The mandate of the convention was for unity in the party. We will have to wait and see how the prime minister moves ahead," said a moderate leader of the ruling party who preferred anonymity. Strongman Koirala has not hesitated in the past to act against an increasingly affirmative opposition within his own party as the main opposition is demanding the prime minister's resignation ahead of the winter session of parliament over a controversial deal to lease a Boeing aircraft for the Royal Nepal Airlines beginning February 8. Opposition says Koirala is also responsible for approving the deal with Austria's Lauda Air through a cabinet decision that has cost the jobs of Minister for Tourism Tarani Dutta Chataut and chief executive officer of RNAC Hari Bhakta Shrestha. nepalnews.com br Government
Matches Maoist Offer for Talks " We request them to abandon violence and come to the negotiating table to end the conflict peacefully," Deputy Home Minister Ram Chandra Paudel told the National News Agency before enplaning for a visit to rebel affected districts of west Nepal. Paudel said the communist insurgency has destroyed development infrastructure in insurgency hit areas and created a reign of terror. Maoist strongman Prachanda earlier this week asked the government to fulfil minimum conditions to end hostilities while calling for a united front of all political forces to oust the government of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. Several attempts to begin a dialogue between the government and rebels have failed. Government has mobilized the army and for the first time formed an armed police force to combat the communist insurgency aimed to establish a communist state in Nepal. nepalnews.com br PM’s vehicle in near mishap Kathmandu, 1 February: The vehicle carrying Prime Minister Koirala narrowly averted a mishap when the driver was forced to brake suddenly to avoid hitting a woman who suddenly crossed the road near the airport Thursday morning, traffic police said. "Nobody was injured when the driver braked to save an old woman who suddenly crossed the road near Gausala. But the vehicle carrying the PM was grazed slightly when another vehicle hit it from behind," a policeman of the traffic police said over telephone. Koirala was driving to the airport to catch a flight to Lumbini, birthplace of Lord Buddha, to inaugurate an international conference on Buddhism. Koirala returned to the capital later this
afternoon as speculation gained momentum over a reshuffle of his 10-month-old
cabinet Thursday or Friday. Koirala held a series of discussions this week with
former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai on possible changes, political
sources said. International Buddhist conference begins Kathmandu, 1 February: The Second International Buddhist Conference began in Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, Thursday. Inaugurating the conference Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala stressed the importance of developing Lumbini for its religious significance. King Birendra also sent a message wishing for the success of the conference. More than 100 delegates from various countries are participating in the two-day conference.Nepalnews.com/yl/at Kathmandu, 1 February: Three persons including two Indians were killed when a passenger bus overran them at Nitanpur Chowk along the Tribhuvan highway in Bara district Wednesday. An irate mob stoned the bus and obstructed traffic on the road for several hours. The bus was travelling from Birgunj to Gaur. Nepalnews.com/br/at Democracy day to be celebrated Kathmandu, 1 February: A 251-member committee headed by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has been formed to celebrate the 51st National Democracy Day. The celebrations will take place on 18,19 and 20 February, an announcement said. A meeting chaired by Koirala Thursday also decided to institute a government fund to honour the families of martyrs and inscribe golden jubilee on inaugural plaques at all development projects sites launched during the year. Nepalnews.com/br/at Second development bank launched Kathmandu, 1 February: Development Credit Bank Ltd, Nepal’s second development bank, started operations Thursday. The bank has an authorised capital of Rs 320 million and paid-up capital of Rs 160 million. Promoters have a 51 percent stake in the bank while institutions and the general public will hold 19 and 30 percent equity shares respectively. Krishna Lal Maharjan is the chairman of the 11-member board of directors while Sudhir Khatri is president, Deepak Raj Sharma and Sashi Kiran Maskey executive vice-presidents. Nepalnews.com/br/at Kathmandu, 1 February: Chief District Officer of Banke Shyam Prasad Mainali has been recalled to the Home Ministry this week after a parliamentary committee probe said the police firing inside a prison in Nepalgunj that killed two inmates last month was unnecessary and recommended departmental action against him. The Foreign and Human Rights Committee said one inmate was shot dead after surrendering to authorities inside the jail. The prisoners were demanding better prison conditions. The government has formed a separate administrative probe, which is yet to report its findings. Nepalnews.com/br/at House Committee seeks information on Nepali quake victims Kathmandu, 2 February:The Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Committee of Parliament has directed the government to seek information on the situation of Nepalis in the Indian State of Gujarat where an earthquake killed over 25,000 last week. Sources also quoted the Indian Defence Minister George as saying that the toll could be as high as 100,000. Initial reports confirmed that some Nepalis too were killed, although the exact number remains unknown. The meeting also expressed sorrow over the loss of life and property and extended profound sympathy to the government of India. The second secretary at the Royal Nepal Embassy in New Delhi is in Gujarat to assess the situation. "It has been confirmed that several Nepalis died in the earthquake. However, it is too early to assess the entire situation. The secretary has visited Ahmedabad and will be in Rajkot after visiting Bhuj today where people are still believed to be buried under the rubble," an official of the Foreign Ministry told Nepalnews. HMG has contributed Rs 10 million in relief and is also sending a medical team to Gujarat as fears of an epidemic outbreak looms large.Nepalnews.com/br/at Hetauda textile mill to be privatised Kathmandu, 2 February:The government owned Hetauda Kapada Udyog Ltd, built by the Chinese, is to be closed down due to non-performance. "HMG has already sent a letter of approval as well as Rs 250 million to pay off salaries, provident fund, and gratuity of the 1050 employees before it is privatised," a senior management official at the Kathmandu office of the Mill told Nepalnews Friday. "Representatives of the ministries of Finance and Industry will visit the factory site next week to begin the closure process," he added.Nepalnews.com/br/at
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