Briefs (Spotlight Weekly)

SPOTLIGHT family prays for long and glorious life for Her Majesty Queen Komal Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah on the auspicious occasion of her 53rd birthday

KATHMANDU WILL NOW have seven digit telephone numbers with effect from March 13. According to Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC), three codes 4, 5 and 6 will have to be dialed before dialing the existing number. Telephone numbers in Kathmandu will start from 4, that in Patan from 5 and those in Bhaktapur from 6. The NTC will also be upgrading the telephone numbers outside Kathmandu valley to six digits with effect from the same date. NTC officials said the decision was taken in order to cater to the growing demand for telephone services within the country. There are nearly 350,000 telephone connections made available to consumers within the country using land, MARTS, VHF and cellular mobile services. The new system would be able to incorporate up to 25 million numbers in future, officials said.

NEPAL IS TO OPEN Royal Nepalese Embassy in Malaysia, an official announcement said. According to the Foreign Ministry, the decision to this effect was taken during a cabinet meeting last week. The report said the decision was taken in view of ever growing number of Nepalese nationals travelling to Malaysia in search of work. A Foreign Ministry official said that preparations for opening the embassy in Kuala Lumpur were almost complete. About 80,000 Nepalese are said to be working in Malaysia. Malaysia will now become the second country in South East Asia, after Thailand, where Nepal will have a permanent mission.

OFFICIALS WITH THE state-owned Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) have refuted reports that already high power tariff in Nepal would be hiked upward following a restructuring plan endorsed by its board of directors this week. Upward revision in electricity tariff was one of the major conditions laid down by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) while sanctioning loan for the country's power sector some three years back. Official sources said that the NEA board approved the restructuring and re-engineering plan Monday so as to prevent any unwarranted hike in domestic electricity tariff under ADB pressure. The NEA has also decided to provide semi-autonomous status to 18 of its distribution centers in order to make them competitive and efficient, reports said.

NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS Commission (NHRC) has brought out a draft code of conduct for both the government and Maoist insurgents to stick to during the proposed peace negotiations. The six-point draft asks the Maoists not to engage in activities like extortion, kidnapping, planting landmines and murder. Similarly, the Commission has asked the government to order the army back to the barracks and repeal anti-terrorist act, among others. The Commission has asked both the government and rebels to form separate monitoring groups to observe the maintenance of the code of conduct from both sides. The Commission sent the draft to Maoist supreme, Prachanda, and premier Lokendra Bahadur Chand last week.

THE INTERNATIONAL POLICE (Interpol) has withdrawn "Red Corner" notices against over a dozen Maoist leaders as per the request from the Nepalese government, Space Time daily reported. The Nepalese government had withdrawn terrorist tag and decided to withdraw "Red Corner" notices against the rebels in an announcement on January 29. A Nepal Police official confirmed that the Interpol had withdrawn the notices following request by HMG/Nepal. The former Sher Bahadur Deuba government had requested Interpol to issue such notices against 17 senior Maoist leaders, including Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, last year.

PRIME MINISTER Lokendra Bahadur Chand will be leaving for Malaysia to take part in the meeting of Non-Aligned Movement during February 23-24, a news paper report said. This will be the first foreign trip of the premier after he assumed power in October last year. A formal announcement to this effect is yet to be made.

THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT Bank (ADB) has approved a technical assistance worth USD 400,000 to prepare a project for improving vocational and technical education in Nepal. The TA will help analyze the subject and produce a feasibility report on a skill development project. The TA will also review existing labor market studies and identify skills best suited for support. A decade-old study found that unemployment in Nepal was higher among educated than the uneducated lot.

Aarushi Saran and Kohili Jati performing Saraswati Vandana at cultural program held by Indian Citizens Association of Nepal to celebrate the 54th Republic Day of India.