Five persons killed in Kailali bus accident
By Nepal News Correspondent 2000 hrs NST
Kathmandu, July 24: At least five persons were killed, 3 on the spot and 2 on way to
hospital,
and 53 injured when a passenger bus collided with a transport truck in Chomala Rajpur of
Kailali district, about 550 kilometer west of Kathmandu, today, police in Kailali said.
Of the five killed, only two have been so far identified, said sub-inspector of police in
Kailali Bhuvan Chand. Those two identified are helper of the bus Govinda Khatri, 24, of
Nayabasti, Butwal and helper of the truck Sudarsan Nepal of Padampokhari, Makwanpur.
The injured are undergoing treatment in Seti Zonal Hospital in Kailai. The condition of 17
injured is critical, according to medical superintendent of Seti Zonal Hospital K.K Rai.
According to hospital source, 17 persons returned home after treatment today.
The Mahendranagar bound passenger bus bearing the registration No Lu Aa Kha 1350 collided
with a transport truck with registration No Na Aa Kha 2138 today in Chomala Rajpur of
Kailali district causing such a big human tragedy. The bus had left Bhairahawa for
Mahendranager of Kanchanpur district this morning, said police.
Other details are not known.
Nepali Congress parliamentary
party elects executive committee
By Nepal News Correspondent 2100 hrs NST
Kathmandu, July 24: Nepali Congress
parliamentary party unanimously elected its executive committee today. Its meeting was
held today in Prime Minister's residence and election was conducted.
Those who are elected to the NC parliamentary
party executive committee are Benup Raj Prasai and Shiv Kumar Basnet from Eastern
Development Region, Ananda Prasad Dhungana and Farmullah Mansoor from Central Development
Region, Duryodhan Singh Chaudhari and Romi Gauchan from Western Development Region, Shiva
Raj Joshi ( Surkhet) and Baldev Sharma Majgaiya from Mid-Western Development Region and
Arjun Jung Bahadur Singh and Ganga Dutta Jaisi from Far-Western Development Region.
According to the constitution of Nepali
Congress Parliamentary Party, two MPs have to be elected from each five development
region. Prime Minister is the chairman of the parliamentary party, and other members.
The executive committee is to chalk out
strategy regarding the role to be played by the party in parliament and prepare agenda to
be discussed in parliament.
Earlier addressing the meeting of the
parliamentary party, Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai said that the country had
limited resources and people's aspiration and needs of the people and the countries to be
fulfilled immediately are enormous. Thus, he called upon all the MPs of Nepali Congress,
party workers and civil servants to cooperate the government.
He also informed that a four-member committee
consisting of two members from the government and two from the party would soon be formed
to maintain coordination between the party and the government.
Regarding Maoist insurgency, Prime Minister
Bhattarai said they ( Maoist insurgents) are also our own citizens and if they want to
denounce arms, they would be welcomed. " But if they continue to raise arms, the
government will take stern action against them", Prime Minister Bhattarai said in
response to issue raised by some Nepali Congress MP in today's meeting.
According to NC Chief Whip Gopal Man
Shrestha, 27 MPs raised various issues in the meeting.
11 MPs including assistant
minister demand increase in pay and pension of British Gurkhas
By Nepal News Correspondent 2100 hrs NST
Kathmandu, July 24: Eleven ruling party members of parliament including one Assistant
Minister
issued a statement today and asked the British government to raise the pay, pension and
other facilities of British Gurkhas at par with that of other British nationals serving in
the British Army are entitled to get.
Those, who issued the statement today, are Assistant Minister for Tourism and Civil
Aviation Narayan Singh Pun and MPs Gopal Rai, Sukra Raj Samyok, Dil Bahadur Lama, Komal
Ghale, Narendra Bikram Nembang, Prakash Bahadur Gurung, Sarbadhan Rai, Mahadev Gurung,
Tanka Rai and Romi Gauchan.
In a statement, they have said that the compensation the family of Sergeant Bal Ram Rai,
who died in Kosovo serving the British army, is to get is far less than what other British
national of the same position get.
Such discrimination does not suit to a country, which is regarded as the mother of
democracy, liberty, equality and human rights. Thus, we request the British government to
put this discrimination to an
immediate end and provide the British Gurkhas equal pay, pension and other facilities at
par with British nationals get.
RELATED STORIES:
Nepal's noted writer Bijaya Malla passes away;
last rites to be performed today
By Nepal News Correspondent 0700 hrs NST
 |
Adieu
! |
Kathmandu, July 25: A renowned literary figure of Nepal
Bijaya Bahadur Malla passed away Saturday evening while undergoing treatment in Bir
Hospital.
He was 74.
Storywriter, playwright and novelist Malla had been suffering from diabetes. He had been
admitted to hospital Saturday morning. Late Bijaya Malla has written several books in
different fields of Nepali literature.
Late Malla was former vice chancellor of Royal Nepal Academy. He is survived by a wife and
8 daughters. According to his family sources, his body would be kept in Royal Nepal
Academy for four hours to pay last respect to late Malla. His last rites will be performed
in the afternoon today.
King Birendra congratulates new Moroccan King;
condoles death of his father
By Nepal News Correspondent 1000 hrs NST
Kathmandu, July 25: His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev congratulated King Sidi
Mohamed on his accession to throne of the Kingdom of Morocco.
Sidi Mohamad acceded to throne after his father King Hassan II passed away
on Saturday. In a message of congratulation, His Majesty the King wished King Sidi of
Morocco all success and expressed confidence that cordial and friendly
relations exising between Nepal and Morocco would further grow in the
future.
Earlier, His Majesty King Birendra also sent a message of condolence to King Sidi of
Morocco on the untimely death of his father Hassan II. In his condolence message, His
Majesty King Birendra expressed grief and condolences to King Sidi, members of Moroccan
royal family, the government and the people of Morocco.
Similarly, Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai expressed sorrow and over the death of
King Hassan II of Morocco. In a message of condolence to Moroccan Prime Minister
Abdellatif Filali, Prime Minister Bhattarai said, " King Hassan II of Morocco will
always be remembered as an architect of modern Morocco and for his contribution to the
peace process in the Middle East".
Prime Minister Bhattarai also asked the Moroccan Prime Minister to convey his
congratulation to the new King of Morocco Sidi Mohamad on his accession to the throne.
Meanwhile His Majesty's Government has decided to fly the national flags in half-mast in
all government offices and Royal Nepalese Embassies abroad for
today to mourn the death of Moroccan King Hassan II.
Police arrested six persons involved in Thahiti
gold shop robbery
By Nepal News Correspondent 2000 hrs NST
 |
DIG
Dhal Man Thapa breifng the press. |
Kathmandu, July 25: Police have arrested six persons
believed to have been involved in Thahiti gold shop robbery and continued search to catch
two more culprits. Those arrested by the police are Krishna Hari Parajuli, Basanta Lama,
Jeevan Thapa, Asish Rai, Rajesh Rai, and Umesh Shrestha.
Earlier police had arrested more than a dozen people for interrogation.
However, others were released, as they were found innocent. Police also recovered Nepali
Rs 16,86,353 million, US$ 9,650, Indian Rs 8,700, and Dutch Mark 600. Similarly, 46 tola
of gold, 5 silver bars, 113
pieces of silver coins, and a silver case were found from the residences of the accused.
 |
The
Main accused: Standing from left to right: Rajesh Rai, Umesh Shrestha, Jeevan Thapa.
Sitting from left to right: Krishna Hari Parajuli, Deepak Lama alias Basanta Lama, hari
Rai alias Aasish Shrestha. |
Deputy Inspector General of Police Dhal Man Thapa
giving information to the journalist in a press conference today, said they recovered four
khukuries (Nepali traditional knives), pistol-like thing, a cordless telephone set, and
two motorbikes from the accused.
DIG Thapa also said that the two other accused would also be caught soon. The accused have
admitted their crimes. Some of the accused are professional criminal who have already been
involved in robbery and murder incident. Two of them are convicted in a murder case, said
police.
Some masked persons had robbed cash and gold worth over 8.5 million rupees (5 million cash
and gold worth of more than 3.5 million) from the wholesale gold shop of one Sudan Shakya
in Thahiti, Kathmandu in a broad daylight on July 20, 1999.
Minister for Home also gave the same information in parliament today and said that the
investigation would soon be complete and the culprits of the incident would be brought to
book.
Related Story:
Koirala reconstitutes Nepali Congress Central
Working Committee
By Nepal News Correspondent 2000 hrs NST
Kathmadu, July 26: Chairman of the Nepali Congress Girija
Prasad Koirala exercising the authority provided by the constitution of the party,
reconstituted the Central Committee of the party today.
Chairman Koirala, nominated Sushil Koirala as the General
Secretary, most powerful post after the chairman of the party. Koirala also nominated
Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai as the Central Committee Member.
In the newly reconstituted apex body of the Nepali Congress,
there are thirty members, including the chairman and other five elected members as per the
constitution of the party. The Chairman and five members are elected to the Central
Committee, one each from the five developmental regions.
The five elected members are Bijay Kumar Gacchadhar from the
Eastern Developmental Region, Bhim Bahadur Tamang from the Central Developmental Region,
Ram Chandra Poudel from the Western Developmental Region, Sushil Koirala from Mid-Western
Region and Sher Bahadur Deuba from Far Western Developmental Region.
Chairman Koirala also formed different central department
headed by Central Committee members. The following are the department and the members:
| MEMBER |
DEPARTMENT |
| Baldev Sharma
Majhagaiha |
Convenor
Organizing department. |
| Nona Koirala |
Convenor Women
department |
| Dhundi Raj
Shastri |
Convenor
Research and Evaluation department |
| Bhim Bahadur
Tamang |
Convenor
Intelluctial and Proffession department |
| Arjun Narsing
K.C |
Convenor
International Relations department |
| Nar Hari
Acharya |
Convenor
Training department |
| Jaya Prakash
Prasad Gupta |
Convenor
Publicity department |
| Shiva Raj
Joshi |
Convenor
Parliamnetary and Local Body department. |
Nepal prepares draft Kathmandu
Declaration to be adopted at the end of 11th SAARC Summit
By Nepal News Correspondent 2000 hrs NST
Kathmandu, July 27: Nepal prepared the draft
Kathmandu Declaration to be adopted by the 11th SAARC Summit to be held in Kathmandu this
year.
The government of Nepal had formed 11th SAARC
Summit Preparation Advisory Committee headed by former Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sailendra Kumar Upadhyay and given the responsibility of preparing the draft Kathmandu
Declaration to be adopted at the end of 11th SAARC summit.
Mr Upadhyay submitted the draft Kathmandu
Declaration to the Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai today.
Prime Minister Bhattarai thanked the
committee for preparing the report concerning draft Kathmndu Declaration.
However, Foreign Ministry officials said that
the report was not the draft Kathmandu Declaration but a set of suggestion to be included
in the Declaration.
" If member states found its suggestions
valid and appropriate, they would incorporate in the Kathmandu Declaration, otherwise
not", said an official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The dates of the SAARC Summit to be held in
Kathmandu have not yet been fixed. However, it is expected to be sometimes between mid
November and Mid December.
In the SAARC ( South Asian Association for
Regional Cooperation), seven members of the South Asia ( Nepal, India, Bhutan, Bangladesh,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Maldives) are the members.
The SAARC Summit is held every in which heads
of the State and Government meet and discuss regional cooperation in South Asia.
The South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation was founded in 1985 with the objective of accelerating regional cooperation
among the members of SAARC.
King Birendra arrives in Qatar
By Nepal News Correspondent 2100 hrs NST
Kathmandu, July 27: His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, accompanied by Queen
Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah and Prince Nirajan, arrived at Doha, Qatar today en route
to Nepal, said Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
At Doha International Airport, their Majesties the King and Queen were received by Chief
of protocol of Qatar Seikh Mahammad Bin Fad Al Thami. His Majesty the King had left London
yesterday for Doha after completing medical check up in Cromwell Hospital in London.
His Majesty had undergone stent insertion last year in the Cromwell Hospital as His
Majesty suffered a mild stroke. According to doctors, attending His Majesty in Cromwell
Hospital, His Majesty's health condition is satisfactory. However, doctors have suggested
His Majesty to have another medical check next year.
Their Majesties are to arrive at Kathmandu on July 29th Thursday.
RELATED STORY :
King Birendra
leaves for London for medical check up (July 14 / 99)
Supreme Court issues show cause
notice to govt. & parliament
By Nepal News Correspondent 0900 hrs NST
Kathmandu, July 28: In response to a writ petition filed by Swatanra Bichar Manch
(Independent Opinion Forum) chairman Bharat Jangam challenging the legality of the
provision of providing special allowance (pension) to ex-members of parliament, the
Supreme Court issued show cause notice to Council of
Ministers and Parliament Secretariat.
In the writ petition, petitioner argued that since the Act concerning the
remuneration and facilities of the members of parliament is in contravention of Article 67
of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, the clause of the Act, which provides pension
to ex-MPs should be declared null and void.
There has been heavy criticism from the general public as well towards the decision to
provide pension to parliamentarians.
King Birendra returning today
By Nepal News Correspondent 0730 hrs NST
Kathmandu, July 29: His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, accompanied by Her
Majesty Queen Aishwarya and Prince Nirajan, is returning home today after completing
follow up medical check up in Cromwell Hospital of London.
His Majesty had gone to London two weeks ago for the first routine medical check up after
His Majesty underwent stent insertion last year after
suffering a minor stroke.
According to doctors involved in treatment and check up, His Majesty's
health is satisfactory. However, they have suggested His Majesty to undergo another
routine medical check up within a year.
While returning home, His Majesty stayed two days in Qatar. His Majesty had arrived at
Qatar on Tuesday.
In Doha of Qatar, His Majesty met with the Amir of Qatar Seikh Hamad Bin
Khalifa al-Thani Wednesday.
Oppn lawmakers accuse govt. of
turning official media into forum for India against Pakistan
By Nepal News Correspondent 0900 hrs NST
Kathmandu, July 29: Opposition politicians and lawmakers have accused the government of
tilting its foreign policy towards India and making the official media as the forums for
India to use against Pakistan.
Lawmakers of the main opposition CPN-UML raised the issue in parliament and
sought clarification of the government whether Nepal's foreign policy has
changed.
Pradip Nepal and Subash Newamg, both CPN-UML lawmakers said in parliament
yesterday that the government in its annual policies and programmes has said that its
foreign policy would be based on non-alignment and friendship with all the countries in
the world. However, the developments and the activities of the government do not comply
with the spirit of non-alignment.
They objected to an article of Indian Minister for External Affairs Jaswant Singh
published in the official English daily The Rising Nepal on Tuesday and said that the
government used the official media as a forum against Pakistan.
Both India and Pakistan are our friends and we should not allow the use of our forums
against any of the friends, said Pradip Nepal. In the article written by Jaswant Singh
published in The Rising Nepal on Tuesday held Pakistan responsible for creating recent
Kargil and Kashmir conflict as a whole. The article says it was not only Pakistani
military but the entire state machinery was involved in the recent Kargil conflict.
It hurt our national interest as well as the spirit of our foreign policy, said Pradip
Nepal. |
