News

SLanka prez sacks parliament

AFP — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:17:36 -0500

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka's president Mahinda Rajapakse on Tuesday sacked the national parliament, clearing the way for a national election two months ahead of schedule, his spokesman said.

Rajapakse, who won re-election in presidential polls last month, signed a decree dissolving the national assembly with effect from midnight Tuesday, spokesman Lucien Rajakarunanayake said.

"It ...

Joint secy handed jail term for graft

Ananta Raj Luitel — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:02:07 -0500

KATHMANDU: The Special Court today convicted a joint secretary of the Ministry of Finance in a corruption case.
A two-member bench of Judges Gauri Bahadur Karki and Om Prakash Mishra convicted Narendra Man Shrestha, who had served
as the Deputy Chief of customs at the Tribhuvan International Airport, the chief of Birgunj Customs Office
and as the Director General of Depa ...

Mobike found, four cops suspended

Himalayan News Service — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:00:57 -0500

KATHMANDU; Police today said they have recovered a motorcycle used by unidentified gunmen who killed Jamim Shah, the chairman of Space Time Network, on Sunday.
The maroon 125 CC Yamaha mobike was recovered today from Futung Village Development Committee, north-west of Kathmandu on the way to Nuwakot, police said. The partially damaged motorcycle (BA 17 Pa 8733) belongs to the Lalitpur-ba ...

Beijing avers support for Nepals peace, security

Himalayan News Service — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:59:51 -0500

KATHMANDU: China today assured Nepal its commitment to support the ongoing peace process and continued cooperation in the economic, social and cultural spheres and in security-related matters.
In a meeting at the Great Hall of the People with Home Minister Bhim Rawal, who is on a six-day official visit to China, Meng Jianzhu, State Councillor and the Minister of Public Security, fully a ...

Heavy snowfall, rains lash country

Jagadish/Gopal — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:58:48 -0500

BAJHANG/MYAGDI: Snowfall accompanied by heavy downpour affected life in various districts, including the Tarai regions, across the country today, also causing a sharp drop in the temperature.
Dolpa and Mugu received as much as four inches of snowfall while Simikot in Humla received one-and-a-half-feet and Jumla one-feet snow. Life in the districts of the Far West-Doti, Bajura, B ...

Nepali Congress mulls post-statute scenario

Prakash Acharya — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:49:46 -0500

KATHMANDU: As the countdown for the promulgation of new constitution begins, Nepali Congress (NC) is busying itself mulling over tackling the post-May 28 upshot.
"If the party could not give new lifeblood to its organisation from local to central level, it will be unable to face mainly two challenges-regaining the party's earlier position in the general elections to be held after t ...

Snowfall adds to fire victims woes

Himalayan News Service — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:48:39 -0500

PYUTHAN: Fire victims of Syaulibang VDC have been left stranded following the rain and snowfall that started since yesterday evening. The fire victims sheltered in makeshift tents are chilled considerably following the rain and snow.
At least 53 households of ward no 5,6 and 7 of Syaulibang VDC had become homeless after their houses were gutted in fire on January 8. The resettlement of ...

Mechi shut

HNS — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:47:04 -0500

DAMAK: The Kirant Janabadi Workers' Party (KJWP) on Tuesday called the Mechi bandh demanding the release of its cadres-Om Mishra and district commander Gopal Thapa- arrested for their alleged involvement in opening gunfire at industrialist Dinesh Mittal on January 27. The police have already filed a case against Mishra and Thapa under the arms and ammunition act.

China-funded conservation centre handed over to Nepal

Himalayan News Service — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:45:28 -0500

KATHMANDU; The biodiversity conservation and research centre constructed with support of the Chinese government was handed over to Nepal amidst a programme here today.
The building to be owned by the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), a semi-government conservation organisation and which cost Rs 35 crore, is located at Khumaltar in Lalitpur district.
"Environment ...

Befuddled officials in bind as to where they belong in reshuffled civic body

Bishnu Prasad Aryal — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:44:20 -0500

KATHMANDU: A new structure in the administration and management by doubling its departments, divisions and sections in the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has created a chaos drawing flak from its staffers.
According to the KMC, there were about 2,200 staffers in six departments, 14 divisions and 35 sections in the civic body. The number of departments was upped to 11, divisions to 24 and se ...

FNJ protests Shahs killing

HNS — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:42:55 -0500

KATHMANDU: The Federation of Nepalese Journalists on Tuesday led a rally in Kathmandu protesting the murder of Jamim Shah, the chairman of Space Time Network.
Media persons and others associated with mass media took part in the rally that demanded legal action against against the culprits.
The participants also demanded resignation of Home Minister Bhim Rawal.
They said R ...

Tamangs to protest federal structure

Himalayan News Service — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:41:39 -0500

KATHMANDU: The Unified Tamang National Liberation Front-Nepal has announced a struggle plan against what they called the "erroneous" demarcation of Tamsaling State by the Constituent Assembly committee on state restructuring.
At a press conference here today, Surya Man Dong, president of the UTNLF, said, "The demarcation of the 14 states by the CA has split the Tamsaling s ...

Govt will nab killers

RSS — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:40:21 -0500

KATHMANDU: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sujata Koirala on Tuesday said the government is committed to arresting the killers of media baron Jamim Shah. After meeting Shah's bereaved family at their residence in Panipokhari, DPM Koirala said the security forces have launched a manhunt to arrest the killers. Shah was shot dead in Lazimpat on Sunday. The killing of ...

UML cadres used arms in Sindhuli clash: Report

Himalayan News Service — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:23:09 -0500

KATHMANDU: The CPN UML cadres had used arms during the scuffle with the UCPN Maoist cadres at Jhangajholi of Sindhuli district on January 29, a preliminary report based on a field visit conducted by human rights activists stated here today.
"We have found that the UCPN Maoist cadres had recovered pistol, swords, rods and other deadly weapons from the three buses which were heading ...

No need for new govt

HNS — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:22:12 -0500

BANKE: Central Committee member of the Nepali Congress Khum Bahadur Khadka on Tuesday said there was no need to form a new government under the leadership of his party. Speaking at a press meet organised by the Press Union's Banke chapter in Nepalgunj, Khadka said the present government was capable of solving all the problems of the country. "He also urged to manage the disqualifie ...

Rape accused principal in police net

Himalayan News Service — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:21:10 -0500

ITAHARI: Police today detained Bidur Bhattarai, headmaster, Mahendra Secondary School in Bharoul VDC-3 of Sunsari district alleging him of attempting to rape his own student. Bhattarai attempted to rape the student yesterday afternoon when she was preparing for her SLC exam. The victim was in her friend's house at Bharaul-3 at the time of the incident. The victim's friend is a relative of the h ...

Controversy-mired monkey farming put on hold

Ramesh Prasad Bhushal — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:20:16 -0500

KATHMANDU: The idea of wild animal farming, breeding and research as enunciated by the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation (MoFSC) has aroused considerable controversy.
The controversy arose after more than 200 monkeys that were farmed by Prabesh Man Shrestha were not allowed to be exported to the United States. In contrary to the working policy on Wild Animal Farming, Breeding and ...

Water level in Kulekhani dips

Bhanubhakta Acharya — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:18:26 -0500

HETAUDA: Water level in the Kulekhani reservoir built to produce electricity during the peak hour has gradually been decreasing. The water level has been depleting at the rate of 30 centimeters a day as the project has been running round-the-clock to compensate the effectsof increasing load-shedding.
Nepal Electricity Authority has been using Kulekhani project as a back up for power sho ...

Britain to help restructure Defence Ministry

Himalayan News Service — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:15:16 -0500

KATHMANDU: British Army Chief General Sir David Julian Richards today said there is a need to make the Nepali Army more professional and to restructure Nepal"s Defence Ministry.
In a meeting with Defence Minister Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Gen Richards, who is on a six-day official visit here, said that the United Kingdom would soon send a task force to Nepal to study how it could help ...

Nembang on constitution

RSS — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:14:07 -0500

KATHMANDU: Chairman of the Constituent Assembly (CA) Subas Chandra Nembang on Tuesday urged CA members to speed up the constitution drafting process as, according to him, all basis and drafts of the new statute were ready.
"Thematic committees have already submitted concept papers and drafts to the CA and discussions have also been held. All those drafts need to be integrated and t ...

Tymoshenko to challenge Ukraine vote

Associated Press — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:10:56 -0500

KIEV: Ukraine"s Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko has refused to concede the presidential race to opposition leader Viktor Yanukovich and plans to legally challenge the results, Ukrainian and Russian media reported today.
Tymoshenko told officials with her party that she will "never recognise" the legitimacy of the election, the respected Ukrainskaya Pravda Web site and R ...

Broadcaster fined for rat-eating show

Associated Press — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:09:55 -0500

ADELAIDE: A British broadcaster has been convicted of animal cruelty after two reality show contestants skinned, cooked and ate a rat during filming in Australia.
ITV Studios, producer
of "I"m a Celebrity ...
Get Me Out of Here," was fined 3,000 Australian
dollars ($2,615) after pleading guilty on Monday, the Australian RSPCA said today.
T ...

Iran starts uranium enrichment

Agence France Presse — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:08:33 -0500

TEHRAN: Iran announced today the launch of work to produce 20 per cent enriched uranium, defying world powers which have warned of new sanctions unless Tehran halts its sensitive nuclear drive.
In Paris, a spokesman with US Defence Secretary Robert Gates who was winding up a visit said Washington is now aiming for a fresh United Nations sanctions resolution against the Islamic
re ...

Michael Jackson doctor out on $75,000 bail

Associated Press — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:07:07 -0500

LOS ANGELES: Michael Jackson"s doctor returns to court in April to find out the date for the next major step in the case - a proceeding that will reveal for the first time the evidence the prosecution believes will show his "gross negligence" was the direct cause of the pop star"s death.
Dr Conrad Murray pleaded not guilty on Monday to a charge of involuntary mans ...

Lenswoman goes on trial for slander

Agence France Presse — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:05:48 -0500

TASHKENT: A photographer whose award-winning work documents the daily struggles of ordinary people went on trial
in Uzbekistan today, charged with slandering the image of the ex-Soviet state.
Umida Akhmedova, 54, stands accused of portraying people in the Central Asian nation as backward and impoverished in a collection of her photographs and a documentary film, both financed by ...

Editorial

HNS — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:04:24 -0500

Short of expectation
The marathon Legislature-Parliament"s sixth session popularly dubbed as the "budget session" has finally been prorogued. The session had begun on July 8 last year which incidentally came in the last week of the fiscal year 2008/2009. This meant that its foremost task from the start was to see the presentation of the budget for the f ...

UK visa processing issue Get over the hue and cry

Mana Prasad Wagley — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:02:46 -0500

Recently, the UK government stopped its visa process in Bangladesh, Nepal and some parts of India considering the unusual growth in visa applicants aspiring for education in UK. Another context in this regard that is also remarkable is the suspension of about 150 colleges by UK government charging them as being below standard. With these two incidents, Nepalese who have already been adm ...

The three responsible

Dinesh Khanal — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:01:06 -0500

After immense pressure from peers (influential and at times it"s positive), overwhelming response from the crowd (viewers) and acute promotion through the media I was lured to get into the theater after decades to witness the blockbuster "Three Idiots". I was curious, and filled with thrill for the much awaited show made more popular globally by the social networking s ...

Bhandari erases bitter experience of 10th SAG

Ritesh Rijal — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:57:16 -0500

DHAKA: Participating in the first international event since he was caught in doping during the 10th South Asian Games in Colombo, athlete Rajendra Bhandari gave Nepal the eighth gold medal in marathon in a bizarre circumstances here at the 11th South Asian Games today.
The 10th SA Games double gold medallist, Bhandari finished the shortened course in world record time of one hour, 59 min ...

Dhaka Games comes to an end with promise to meet in India in 2012

Himalayan News Service — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:56:20 -0500

DHAKA: The 11th South Asian Games ended here on Tuesday with a promise to meet again in India in 2012.
Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi was handed over the torch and the Games flag during the closing ceremony here at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. The South Asian Olympic Council meeting last week had chosen India as the hosts of the 12th edition of the regional game ...

Ambani group denies Reds bid

Agence France Presse — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:52:22 -0500

NEW DELHI: India's wealthiest man, Mukesh Ambani today denied a British newspaper report that he was in a race to take over the English Premier League side Liverpool.
But another Indian businessman reportedly in the running for the Merseyside club appeared more circumspect. The Times of London reported that Ambani, the world's seventh-richest man, was one of two tycoons from the subconti ...

NPC reach Budha Subba semis

Himalayan News Service — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:51:25 -0500

DHARAN: Nepal Police Club (NPC) carried their superb form reaching the semi-finals of the 12th Budha Subba Gold Cup with a comfortable 4-0 win over ANFA Under 16 Team here at the proposed Eastern Stadium today.
Pankaj Shahi scored a brace while Dipen Shrestha and Roshan Karki added one each for the departmental team of Nepal Police.
The Policemen, who clinched the eighth Aaha Go ...

Simra Gold Cup

HNS — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:50:22 -0500

SIMRA: The Sahid Smriti Majdur Club of Kathmandu reached to the final of the first Simra Gold Cup Football Tournament here on Tuesday. Sahid Smriti defeated Makwanpur-XI 4-1 to inch closer to the title.
Ganesh Lama opened the account for Sahid Smriti in the fourth minute but waited long to find their second. In between, Rabin Shrestha brought the equaliser for Makwanpur in the 49th minu ...

Cut off from family: Fonseka wife

AP — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:48:14 -0500

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka"s defeated presidential candidate and former army chief has been cut off from family and friends after being arrested for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government while serving as army commander, his wife said on Tuesday. Fonseka"s wife, Anoma, told reporters that she has not been allowed to meet her husband or told where he is being held. Military spokesman ...

Arrested Fonseka faces court martial

Agence France Presse — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 11:46:52 -0500

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka"s former army chief and defeated presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka is to be court-martialled, officials said today, a day after he was hauled from his office by armed troops.
Hours before his dramatic arrest, Fonseka told reporters he would face any international probe into alleged war crimes committed by Sri Lankan troops
last year in the final stage ...