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The agitation of the seven political parties intensified in New Road area on Sunday (September 11) even as police stepped up brutalities by resorting to lathicharge, water cannons and use of tear gas. On Sunday, student leaders including Tanka Rai, Gagan Thapa and Padam Thapa were injured after they were hit by shells of tear gas. Padam even had to undergo emergency surgery after he was hit by the shell on head. Despite the police intervention, the demonstrators engaged in sloganeering demanding the restoration of full democracy. Leading dailies report.

The Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) has concluded that the ‘wrong policy’ adopted by the current government aimed at ending the existence of parties has resulted in ever-narrowing circle of monarchists. The political resolution approved by the party states that the dangerous polarization between extreme rightists and extreme leftists have begun. “Concluding that the nation is being polarized in extreme directions, our party has decided to pursue proactive and dynamic middle path,” said RJP president and former prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa. The party has disagreed with the recent decisions by the Nepali Congress (NC) and UML to abandon the policy favoring constitutional monarchy saying that the decision would only push the country towards extreme direction. The party has, however, accused the current regime’s intolerance and regressive attitude and thinking for the current polarization. The party also expressed grave seriousness over the government’s policy that is pushing even neutral sectors like press, litterateurs and actors to come to the streets. Leading dailies report.

Yagya Prasad Acharya, a member of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee, has said that the recent change in the party policy of NC and UML and the subsequent announcement of unilateral ceasefire by the Maoists were made under the guidance of the Indian establishment. “The latest developments have come after India arranged talks between the leaders of the political parties and the Maoists in New Delhi a few months ago,” Acharya said at an interaction program at Reporters’ Club on Sunday (September 11). He also said it was not necessary for the government to respond to the Maoists’ ceasefire because it has not formally invited the establishment for reciprocity. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey visited the injured victims of fire in Doha apartment at a hospital in Doha . FM Pandey, who reached Doha en route to New York on Saturday (September 10), visited the injured Nepalese workers. He instructed Nepalese ambassador to make arrangements to return the dead bodies of seven Nepalese workers. Leading dailies report.

The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) will soon be recruiting around 7000 more soldiers to form the Army’s Corps in the eastern and western region. “It is being done as per the Army’s Corps concept,” a senior official at the Ministry of Defense (MoD0 said. RNA’s proposal, which was forwarded by the MoD, is currently being reviewed by the Ministry of Finance. Officials are confident the finance ministry will approve the proposal soon. When the defense budget was being finalized, recruitment of 13,000 more soldiers was planned, but as the MoD could not get the expected budget (Rs 18 billion) for this fiscal year, it has revised the recruitment drive bringing the size down to 7000. Currently, soldiers are commandeered from Division Headquarters in the five development regions and the Valley Division. Though the RNA’s strength has crossed 85,000, it has to reach at least 100,000 in order to form the Corps. So, the next phase of recruiting a mere 7000 more persons will not be enough to form a full-fledged Corps. “The Corps Headquarters will be based in the two regions initially, and installations will be expanded gradually,” said the official. It may be mentioned that the cost of training one person in the first year of recruitment, according to an army official, is about Rs 300,000 and the same is reduced to about Rs 100,000 from the second year onwards. Meanwhile, Lt. Gen. Of US Army Asia Pacific Command, John Brown, will arrive here on a two-day visit. “The Asia-Pacific Commander will be here on a visit to inform himself about the current situation here,” confirmed Robert Hugins, spokesperson of the US Embassy in Kathmandu . According to Hugins, the purpose of the visit of “three-star general” is also to express US view and concerns on development in Nepal . The Himalayan Times daily reports.

The multilateral aid agency - the World Bank – has threatened to significantly cut down aid to Nepal because of deteriorating pace of economic reforms. The bank has given the warning in the draft evaluation report of Second Country Assistance Strategy. The bank has expressed concern over the poor Public Expenditure Management, good governance and financial sector reforms. The recently prepared report has been provided to government officials for feedbacks. The report states that pace of reforms decelerated after February 1. It concludes that political conflict and complications have negatively affected the environment for reforms. The report also threatens to downgrade Nepal from base case to lower case scenario – which would result in cutting down of annual aid by over 50 percent. Till now, Nepal is receiving Rs 8.14 billion of aid from World Bank every year. Once it is downgraded, Nepal would only receive around Rs 3.5 billion. Kantipur daily reports.

The Ministry of Education and Sports has issued a notice to all the five Regional Education Directorates (RED) to terminate services of all non-Nepali public school teachers who have been teaching here since 1992. The notices have been issued according to the government’s recent decision that requires public schools’ teachers to have compulsory teacher’s license. “The Ministry issued notice this week to all the five REDs to fire all non-Nepali teachers who have joined after 1992. Non-Nepali teachers who have been teaching since before 1992 are to be kept by providing them with temporary teachers’ license,” said Ram Prasad Basyal, chief of the School Administration Union of the Ministry. Upon implementation of the notice, schools in the Terai belt and eastern hill districts will face shortage of teachers as schools there rely on teachers from India for subjects like English, mathematics and Science. It is estimated that services of around 10,000 teachers will be terminated by this new rule and only around 2000 teachers will be eligible for the temporary license. The Himalayan Times daily reports.

Around 44 percent of Indian tourists who come to Nepal do so repeatedly. This has been revealed by a survey conducted by Nepal Tourism Board (NTB). The survey conducted two weeks ago among 100 Indian tourists who arrived in Kathmandu came up with the result. As per the survey results, 50 percent of Indian tourists come here in package tour – of which 30 percent come in casino package tours. Likewise, 41percent of Indian tourists come along with their families. Those coming with families, friends and colleagues occupy 93 percent while only 7 percent come in individual basis. The survey was conducted to find out the huge surge by 80 percent in Indian tourist arrival in August. 40 percent of Indian tourists hail from New Delhi , 12 percent from Mumbai, 9 percent from Kolkata, 8 percent each from Punjab and Haryana and 6 percent from Rajasthan. Likewise, 40 percent come for entertainment while 34 percent for holidaying. Natural beauty and easy access are primary reasons for them to come to Nepal , the survey showed. On average, Indian tourists stay for 5.5 days here. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.

The Maoists have accused the government of trying to sabotage the ceasefire, which has been welcomed by the international community as a positive development. Issuing a statement signed by Prachanda, the Maoists have reiterated that they are committed to peace and a democratic solution. The party has also singled out clashes reported from Bardiya, Kanchanpur, Jajarkot, Dailekh, Taplejung and Kaski as “preplanned” activities that are a part of misinformation campaign. They have alleged the government is keen to see them (Maoists) break the ceasefire as a part of counter-attack. The statement adds, “This shows the royal regime is not interested in any political solution.” The statement has expressed need on the part of political parties, members of intelligentsia, civil society to protest against what it has called ‘royal conspiracy against our ceasefire.’ The call has also been issued to ensure the ceasefire is monitored and facts published. The Maoists have also called to the international community, including the UN, to raise a voice in favor of a democratic solution and peace in Nepal . The Himalayan Times daily reports.

The Supreme Court (SC) has stayed the decision of the Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) to take action against the contractors for the construction of access road for Melamchi project. The apex court, on Thursday (September 8), asked the government not to implement the RCCC decision to take action against contractor Jip Chhiring Lama. The single bench of judge Badri Kumar Basnet issued the order. Meanwhile, the hearing of the legitimacy of the RCCC began in special bench of SC from Thursday. The bench comprises acting chief justice Kedar Prasad Giri and justices Min Bahadur Rayamajhi, Ram Nagina Singh, Anup Raj Sharma and Ram Prasad Shrestha. Leading dailies report.

Following their announcement of three-month-long unilateral ceasefire, the Maoists have made public their protest programs during the period. In a press statement issued by Maoist chairman Prachanda, during the truce period the Maoists would allow the agitating political parties and civil society to hold programs within their base areas. The statement added that the Maoists would politically defend criticisms hurled at them by the parties. The protest programs of the Maoists include massive public campaigning for the formation of interim government, constituent assembly elections and democratic republic; and holding of big rallies and public programs. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.

Maoist Chairman Prachanda has said that there are prospects for holding dialogue with the current government only if it also declares ceasefire and clarifies its willingness to let the Nepalese people decide their fate themselves. In an interview he gave to online edition of pro-Maoist newspaper Janadesh, Prachanda said that he does not see any possibility of holding talks with the government in present circumstances. Prachanda has also denied that he declared ceasefire under instructions from officials of New Delhi , India . He challenged to show proof of his reported meeting with Indian officials. Indian newspaper The Pioneer had recently reported that Prachanda announced ceasefire after consultations with officials of Indian Foreign Ministry in New Delhi and in effort to pressure the Nepalese King. Nepal Samacharpatra daily reports.

The army has claimed that the Maoists have not stopped violence despite their ceasefire. In a statement issued by the Public Relations Directorate of Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) on Tuesday (September 6), the army has pointed out five separate cases of violation of ceasefire. According to its statement, the Maoists exploded an ambush in Pokharichaur of Ramechhap on Monday killing one security personnel. Likewise, a policeman Krishna Ram Bika has been abducted from Hapure when he was on his way to relatives’ home. On Sunday, the Maoists took over 14 vehicles in Sagarnagchowk of Sarlahi in Mahendra highway and looted cash and kind from the passengers. Likewise, on Saturday, the Maoists looted electricity cables being carried by a truck near Butwal. Kantipur daily reports.