Minister Pradhan interacts with Nepal Diaspora

Foreign Minister Sahana Pradhan has attended programmes organised by Nepali Diaspora in the US at the sidelines of the UN general assembly.
According to the UN mission in New York, Pradhan attended a discussion programme on US–Nepal Relations focusing on 'expectations and realities in a period of transformation' organised by America-Nepal Friendship Society (ANFS) on Sunday.
Addressing the function, Pradhan expressed satisfaction over the US support in areas of trade, tourism, infrastructure development, governance, human rights, and democratisation process in Nepal.
Minister Pradhan commended the role of the Nepali Diaspora in mobilizing active political support in the US during the peaceful democratic movement in Nepal and also in infusing dynamism in Nepal-US relations.
Minister Pradhan urged Nepal 's development partners including the US for more generous assistance for the reconstruction of economic and physical infrastructure demolished during the conflict.
On the occasion, Pradhan gave away ANFS Friendship Award to member of the US House of Representatives James T. Walsh and ANFS Community Leadership Award to Marvin Brustin, Honorary Consul General of Nepal to Chicago and Ashok Gurung, Senior Director of India China Institute at The New School in New York.
The Foreign Minister also attended a Nepali cultural programme organised by the Himalayan Foundation in New York

Blast near Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu

A bomb went off near the Japanese Embassy at Panipokhari, Kathmandu, Monday afternoon.
Police officials at the Metropolitan Police Circle, Maharajgunj, said the roadside blast, opposite to the embassy building, occurred at around 13:10 pm. There was no human casualty of physical damage in the 'minor blast'.
Eyewitnesses told Nepalnews that two persons on a motorbike threw a plastic bag on the pavement and made off. It exploded immediately.
Nobody has claimed responsibility for the blast. Police said they were investigating into the blast

City blasts: 13 involved, say cops

Kathmandu, September 30:Police today said 13 persons, including a police constable, were involved in planting bombs that exploded at Sundhara, Tripureshwor and Balaju in the capital on September 2.The police also said four persons — policeman Upendra Shah, 27, Jagat Narayan Thakur, 25, Sanjib Sah, 20 of Rautahat and Ramlakhan Thakur of Bara — were arrested 10 days ago on the charge of being involved in the blasts that killed two students and a woman and left 25 others injured. Nine others — mastermind Kaushal Sahani, alias Mr John, Ajay Sahani, 23, Babban Singh, 40, Ramakanta Thakur, 24, Raj Narayan Thakur, 25, Jagat Shah, 22, Rampriya Sahani, Dhuran Thakur, 28, and Parindar Baidha, 15, of Rautahat — are at large, police said.“The arrested men identify themselves as members of the Tarai Army,” Additional Inspector General of Police Keshav Baral told a press meet at the police headquarters held to make public a report on the blasts. “Investigations are on to ascertain the motive and identify elements that backed the incident,” Baral said.According to him, the group outlined the plan in Rautahat and arrived in the capital on August 29. While Raj Narayan, Dhuran and Parindar put up in a rented room of Jagat Narayan and Ramlakhan at Gursingal, Kaushal, Ramakanta and Jagat stayed somewhere else, the police said.“The group had originally planned to carry out the blasts at Singhadurbar, the Supreme Court, the Gongabu Bus Park and the Nepal Bangladesh Bank. It later changed its plans due to the security that was in place at these places,” Baral said.He said the men lured the constable with a motorcycle and acquired information on the police movement from him. “The arrested will be charged with murder,”he added.

EC sets new dates for filing nominations

Kathmandu, September 30:

Following a government request, the Election Commission (EC) today rescheduled the deadline for filing nominations for the constituent assembly election.The government today urged the EC to defer the deadline for submitting the closed-list of candidates for polls to be held under the proportional representation (PR) system till October 5 and for voting to be held under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system till October 8.A Cabinet meeting earlier today endorsed a proposal to request the EC to reschedule the dates.“Following the government’s request in writing and keeping in mind the peace process and national interests, the EC has rescheduled the programme,” Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokhrel said.Candidates of political parties and independent candidates contesting under the FPTP system must now file their nominations on October 8. While the list of candidates registered with the EC will be published on October 9, complaints against anyone will have to be filed on October 10. The EC will investigate the complaints and take a decision by October 11. It will also publish the list of candidates the same day. Candidates may withdraw their nominations on October 12, while the EC will publish the final list of candidates and grant election symbols on October 14.The parties must now submit the closed-list of candidates contesting under the PR system on October 5. The closed-list will be made public on October 20 and applications against the candidates may be registered on October 21. On November 4 the EC will notify if any candidate’s name has been removed from the list.Candidates wanting to withdraw their names can do so on November 6. The EC will then publish the final closed-list and grant election symbols to the candidates on November 7.No more changes, says CEC:Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokhrel today told political parties and the government that the EC cannot make any more changes in the election programme.“This is the last (time)... that we are rescheduling the election programme. We had to do so considering national interests and the peace process. The EC alone cannot make changes in the programme if any such request is made again,” Pokhrel told a press conference.“We decided to change the programme because the future of the Nepali people directly depends on this election,” he said.He also said that the government is now making efforts to see to it that the law and order situation is improved.Pokhrel said the EC expects support from all concerned including “the government, all Nepali people, political parties, media and other stakeholders of society, friendly countries and international organisations.”Asked what will happen if the election is to be held under the fully proportional representation system as demanded by the Maoists, he said the process will be a longer one as amendments have to be made in the Interim Constitution and other related laws.

latest updated......
sep-11-07 Congress leaders dismiss Kishunji's views as outdated
Following the statement by senior Congress leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai expressing displeasure at NC's drive for republic, leaders of both NC and NC-Democratic have dismissed it as 'outdated.'
On Sunday, Kishunji had urged the Congress to be guided by lessons of the past and collective thoughts for future and not by anything else including republicanism. He appealed for unity and reconciliation to achieve safe landing of the transition.
Terming his statement as a 'personal' observation, vice president of NC Sushil Koirala said it will not affect the moves by NC to formally adopt the line of federal republic through the Mahasamiti meeting.
Furthermore, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction and general secretary of NC, Ram Chandra Poudel said, "That is his old viewpoint. But NC will not abandon republic."
Another congress leader Narahari Acharya had said that justification of reconciliation with the King had ended. "Late BP had talked about reconciliation with the monarchy at a specific point of time. But the circumstances have changed now. It is more important to have unity and reconciliation with communist forces at this juncture," he said.
Even leaders of NC-Democratic have said that Kishunji's remarks will not affect the moves for unification.

sep-9-07 One student killed, over 20 hurt in Rupandehi jeep accident
A student was killed and nearly two dozen others injured when a jeep carrying students met with an accident at Devdaha area in Rupandehi district Sunday afternoon.
The overcrowded jeep overturned on the road, killing Tulsiram Chapagain, 14. The students were on their way to Butwal to attend the district convention of the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal National Independent Students Union - Revolutionary (ANNISU-R), reports said.
The injured students have been admitted at the Lumbini Zonal Hospital in Butwal for treatment.

sep 10-07
Saroj Mulmi, Niraj Thapa selected for 3rd Asian Indoor Games
Saroj Mulmi and Niraj Thapa have been selected for 3rd Asian Indoor Games as both entered the finals of National Snooker Championship being held at the Satdobato Sports Complex, Lalitpur.
Mulmi defeated Rajan Lama 5-4 in the nail biting show while Niraj Thapa registered 5-2 win over Buddha Lama to get a chance to compete in Macau. The final between them will be played on Thursday.
Nepal Billiards, Snooker and Pool Association will take both finalists to Macau to compete in the 3rd Asian Indoor Games being held in the last week of October

Parliament session prolongs.(kathmandu)
Although the eight parties had agreed to prorogue the session of the parliament on August 20, subsequent differences among them have stalled the process.
The Maoists want the parliament to announce the republic right away and has, therefore, been against ending the current session.
The Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) has indicated that the session can be suspended for three weeks but not ended.
The frequent meeting between the Speaker and the chief whips of the parliamentary parties could not reach to any understanding on this issue.

Maoist protest programmes draw worries from different quarters
Leaders of the various political parties and lawmakers today said the announcement of the protest programmes by the CPN (Maoist) would hamper the holding the constituent assembly election on time.
Speaking at an interaction programme organised by the Reporters' Club in the capital on Tuesday, vice president of Nepali Congress Democratic (NC-D) Gopal Man Shrestha questioned the intention of the Maoists who have announced "people's action" ahead of the polls.
He claimed the Maoists were not sincere towards the polls and that their activities would create hurdles in holding polls in a free and fair manner.
However, Maoist leader Chandra Prasad Gajurel defended his party's decisions saying the agitations were not intended to disrupt the polls rather to make it successful. He said their programmes were targeted against those who are against the polls.
Speaking at the same programme, People's Front Nepal chairman and former Deputy Prime Minister Amik Sherchan asked Maoist chairman Prachanda to clarify the meaning of initiating 'people's action' ahead of the polls.
Timely CA election is the only way out: Speaker Nemwang
Speaker of the legislature parliament Subas Nemwang has said there is nobetter way to institutionalise the achievement of the people's movement thanby holding the constituent assembly election on time.
Speaking at interaction organised by the parliamentary committee for state restructuring in the capital Tuesday, speaker Nemwang also advised the government to move ahead by addressing the valid demands of various agitating groups including Madhesis and Janajatis.
Saying that the people have gained many things through the great sacrifices they made in last year's people's movement, speaker Nemwang asserted that it could only be guaranteed by holding the constituent assembly election successfully.
NTC-(ktm)
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Nepal Telecom has revised the distance charges for GSM Mobile (Pre-Paid & Post-Paid) and CDMA to Re 1/- from Shrawan 01, 2064 (July 17, 2007).
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Salman Khan Arrested, Sent to Jail

Bollywood star Salman Khan was arrested by Indian police on Saturday and sent to jail after a court rejected his appeal against a five-year conviction for shooting an endangered species of gazelle.Television channels showed pictures of the muscular actor surrounded by policemen as he left the Jodhpur airport after arriving from Mumbai, as TV crews and fans jostled to get a glimpse of him. Police struggled to keep order."He has been arrested at the airport lounge and the arrest warrant was presented to him there itself," a police official said.Dozens of fans on motorcycles followed him in a police vehicle on the way to court, where he was ordered to be jailed, police officials said.The actor said earlier on Saturday he would surrender in Jodhpur after the rejection of the appeal against his 2006 conviction for killing several endangered species of antelope during hunting trips to the western state of Rajasthan in 1998.The animals are protected under Indian wildlife law.Khan was alleged to have slit the throat of the chinkara -- a type of gazelle that he shot before giving it to chefs at his deluxe hotel to cook.On Friday, a Jodhpur court rejected his appeal against the conviction, leaving him with the option of surrendering or being arrested.The court had also issued an arrest warrant against him.OTHER CASESEarlier on Saturday, Khan, wearing a tight-fitting white T-shirt and cargo pants with sunglasses, said in Mumbai he planned to surrender in Jodhpur "as a responsible citizen and somebody who abides by the law and respects the judiciary".He was accompanied by his lawyer and family members, including his actor-brother Sohail Khan. Television footage showed a worried-looking Khan talking to a tense Sohail and lawyers during the flight to Jodhpur.Known for his bad-boy image and romantic liaisons with several Bollywood leading ladies, Khan has several other cases hanging over him.He was convicted in 2006 for killing protected blackbuck antelopes during Rajasthan hunting trips, and given a one-year jail sentence.He was granted bail and has appealed against that conviction, but has also been charged with other counts of killing wildlife and of breaking gun laws.Khan is also facing trial over the death of a man sleeping on a pavement in Mumbai in 2002. Khan is suspected of drunk driving and has been charged over the man's death. The actor has denied being at the wheel.Khan is currently filming three movies costing about 1 billion rupees, according to film analyst Taran Adarsh.As the actor was taken to court, his fans were distraught."I wish he comes out fast from jail and gives us some good movies," one young man told NDTV TV news.

Anil Giri
New Delhi, August 25:;

rashant Tamang, 24, from Darjeeling has made it to the Top 4 of the popular television talent hunt show Indian Idol. With Mayang Chang being edged out of the competition, Prashant will now have to vie with Amit Paul, Emon Chatterjee and Ankita Mishra for the top spot.In an interview with The Indian Express, Prashant thanked all who had voted for him. Speaking from Dehradun, Prashant’s childhood friend Gyanendra Aryal said he has been running a pro-Prashant signature campaign in various Indian cities. Encouraged by reports of the huge number of votes Nepali people have given in his favour, Prashant intends to visit Nepal once the Indian Idol contest gets over, said Aryal who has managed to garner 1.5 lakh votes in favour of Prashant from people in Kolkata, Delhi and Mumbai.Aryal expects Prashant and Amit to face each other in the final round. A pro-Prashant wave is welling up among the thousands of Nepalis living in Uttaranchal, said Aryal, adding that seeing the vast number of Nepalis of Indian origin, it was likely that Prashant would emerge the winner.In the interview with Express, Prashant described himself as a humble person who used to sing in remote corners of his native district Darjeeling, adding that he had never thought that he would become a household name one day. He said he was thankful for getting a chance in the Indian Idol contest and grateful to his family, friends and well-wishers.SMS frenzy:Roshan SanwaDarjeeling, August 25Since 4 pm today, Darjeeling municipal councillor and Tungsung resident Tenzing Khampoche was SMS-ing “Prashant safe, Chang out” to acquaintances curious to know if Prashant was still in the Indian Idol contest. Khampoche himself got the news of Prashant making it to the final round of the contest from relatives in Mumbai.People from Ilam, Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari districts of Nepal and Kathmandu are going in droves to Darjeeling to send SMS votes for him. Noted hair stylist Neil David Katuwal presented Prashant’s mother and sister with Rs 7,500 to help them SMS for Prashant.

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