Locals in Salyan start collecting rain water

Locals of Kupindedaha and Nigalchula in Salyan have initiated a campaign to collect rain water as an alternative source of drinking water, due to acute shortage of water.

The compulsion to walk five hours distance a day to fetch drinking water has been ended with the feasibility of collecting rain water as an alternative source through the use of bio-gas, locals said.

At the present, 40 households and students of two local schools have started the campaign to collect rain water as a reliable source of drinking water.

Under the campaign, the construction of 40 wells for community people and three wells for two schools and a sub health post has been in the final stage

Nepali girls forced to work in Tibet cabins, dance bars under vulnerable condition

Nepali girls are working under vulnerable conditions in different cities of neighboring country, China, RSS reports citing a recent study.
Nepali girls have been trafficked to China by luring them of dignified and decent jobs and are forced to work in cabins, restaurants, lodges and dance bars. However, the girls have been barred to return home though they wish so.
The study conducted in Khasa and Kuti of Tibet by Maiti Nepal for a month reveals that among 137 interviewed girls, 50 per cent said they were working under hardships against their interests.
The study further reveals that all the documents of the Nepali girls were taken under control by the owners of the dance bars and restaurants, thereby barring the Nepali girls to return home during their convenient time.

Discharge of retiring combatants from Friday

The Maoist leadership has assured the opposition parties that the discharge of former Maoist combatants opting for voluntary retirement will begin on Friday, said senior leaders involved in the negotiation.
UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai have told the Nepali Congress leaders that they would not backtrack from the Special Committee's decision to bid farewell to 7,365 combatants. The opposition parties had grown warier after some commanders of the Maoist army on Sunday pressed the party leadership to ensure tax exemption in cash package and a certificate from the government to the retiring combatants. Both NC and UML have bluntly rejected the possibility of meeting these demands.

Three Nepali pilgrims killed in Bihar road mishap

Three Nepali pilgrims were killed and four others critically injured when the jeep they were travelling in met with an accident in the Indian state of Bihar on Monday.
The accident occurred when the unidentified pilgrims from Janakpur of Dhanusha were returning home after offering prayers at the temple of Shiva at Deoghar of Jharkhand.

Police to seek life sentence against Koirala

Police have decided to take the case of DIG Ranjan Koirala, who is accused of killing his wife, to the court demanding life sentence with confiscation of all the properties.

Organising a press meet at the Metropolitan Police Commissioner's Office on Monday, police said all the evidence gathered during the investigation goes straight against Koirala who claimed that the death of his wife, Gita Dhakal, was an accident. Koirala had told the police that the death occurred during a husband-wife battering over economic issues and that it was not deliberate.

Workers forced to grease TIA officials' palms

Women leaving for Gulf countries for employment are forced to pay anything from Rs 10,000 to 60,000 to immigration officials at the Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu, victims have alleged.
A number of migrant workers interviewed by the Post claimed immigration and "other officials" at the TIA took bribe through employment agents in return for allowing the workers a "safe passage." They said the amount, which the agents refer to as the "setting fees," has become almost compulsory for female workers travelling to Gulf countries.

Cooperate, Dahal tells commanders

UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has directed commanders of the Maoist army to cooperate with the Special Committee in bidding farewell to combatants opting for voluntary retirement from Tuesday.
The instruction comes two days after the prime minister-led committee decided to send home the combatants. Dahal on Sunday invited PLA Chief Nanda Kishore Pun and commanders of all the seven divisions of the PLA at his residence.

PLA division chiefs tell Dahal to put combatants' discharge process on hold until agreement on rank determination

PLA division commanders of the seven main cantonments have urged the top leadership of UCPN (Maoist) to not make haste to start the farewell process of the 7,365 fighters who have chosen Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) and rehabilitation in the recent regrouping process.
During a meeting with Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the latter's residence in Lazimpat on Sunday morning, the PLA division commanders said the party leadership should put the discharge process on hold until the parties reach an agreement on rank determination.

Probe Committee reveals involvement of 26 persons in NAC spare parts theft

A probe committee formed to investigate the theft of the equipments and spare parts of the aircraft belonging to Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has identified 26 persons involved in the incident.
Organising a press conference in Kathmandu on Sunday, the Committee urged Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Lokendra Bista Magar to take action against those found involved in the theft as per the existing law.
However, the Committee has not disclosed the names of the accused persons.

UN inspectors visit Iran as nuclear tensions rise

The visit comes at a time of escalating tension between Tehran and the West over Iran's nuclear activities.
The director general of the IAEA, Yukiya Amano, says Iran needs to engage and answer the agency's questions.
Iran denies that it is trying to develop a nuclear weapon.
The head of the IAEA team said they hoped to "resolve all the outstanding issues with Iran" over its nuclear programme.

Demi Moore 'smoked something' before hospital dash

The 49-year-old actress is described as "semi-conscious, barely" in the recording, which was released by Los Angeles fire officials.
The tape captures the few minutes it took paramedics to arrive as friends gathered round the collapsed star.
In November, she ended her marriage to actor Ashton Kutcher, 33.
In the emergency call, a woman is asked by operators: "Is she [Moore] breathing normal?"
"No, not so normal," the woman says. "More kind of shaking, convulsing, burning up."

Gurkha soldier killed in Afghanistan

A Gurkha soldier serving in British army has been killed in Helmand province of Afghanistan on Friday.
The British embassy in Kathmandu Saturday said that the soldier serving with 1st Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment was killed during operations in the Khar Nikah area of Helmand province. However, his name is yet to be disclosed.
A British Army spokesman said that the soldier was fatally wounded in an insurgent attack while on a foot patrol to disrupt insurgent activity.

Lumbini promotion initiative

To mark Visit Lumbini Year -2012, the Embassy of Nepal in Paris yesterday organised a function in the French capital and urged diplomats from around the world to visit Nepal.

Guests from the French Foreign Ministry, ambassadors of India, Myanmar, Macedonia, Montenegro and Tanzania, senior diplomats from other missions, French dignitaries from different walks of life, including former ambassadors to Nepal, attended the programme, according to the Nepali Embassy in Paris.

Nepali consul general, professors, travel agencies, UNESCO professionals and long-term Nepali residents in France were also present.

President observes Basanta Panchami recital

President Ram Baran Yadav went to the Hanumandhoka Durbar Square and observed the recital of the Basanta (Hindu scripture).
Pandit Raghu Aryal had recited the Basanta.
Similarly, President Yadav received Tika and prasad from pandit at the Durbar Square, Bishnu Khanal.
Vice-President Parmanand Jha, Speaker Subash Nembang, Chief Justice Khilraj Regmi, ministers, high level government officials, and chiefs of Nepal Army, and Nepal Police were also present on the occasion.
Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Dinesh Hari Koirala welcomed the President and others at the Durbar Square.

More people on the job‚ under-secretaries replaced

The Prime Minister’s Office has hired fresh employees to man the government’s control room formed to receive complaints and suggestions from the general public in a bid to improve the room’s reaction time.
At one time there were over 5,000 complaints waiting to be processed, an official said asking not to be named.
“However, more than half of it has already been sent to offices concerned for the action,” he said.
“Now, the Prime Minister’s Office is planning to process complaints on the day they are lodged. The complaints from the past, which remain to be processed, are being sorted by new employees so that new complaints can be processed promptly,” said the official adding that the pending complaints will be cleared within a week.

Big three agree to change calendar of events

Leaders of the three major parties – UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML – had convened for a meeting to discuss on the contentious issues of the new constitution today.
The meeting convened in the presence of Speaker Subash Chandra Nembang and Constitutional Committee (CC) Chairman Nilabbar Acharya includes Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, NC Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poudel and UML senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal.
Speaking to the mediapersons after the meeting, UML leader Nepal said that the parties have agreed to change the calendar of events, as there are still four more issues to be solved.
The deadline allotted by the CC to solve the contentious issues ends on Sunday.

Nepali Model Shova Karki Spicy Photo Shoot

Sadbhawana party splits

Sadbhawana Party led by Rajendra Mataho has split again on Thursday. Two lawmakers split from the mother party formed a new party called Rastriya Sadbhavana Party.
Lawmakers Gauri Mahato and Ram Naresh Yadav announced that they have broken up from Mahato-led Federal Sadhbhawana Party. The lawmaker duo also informed Constituent Assembly (CA) Speaker Subash Chandra Nembang about the split today.

Government announces action plan

Government has unveiled its new plan of development and good governance. Organizing a program in Singhadurbar Prime minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai unveiled the package.
During the program PM Bhattarai said that government is trying to lit a light in darkness. Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai acknowledged that the government had failed to deliver as per the expectations of the people owing to deep-rooted old state structure and misuse of state resources. There are different

POLICE ARRESTS FIVE DEFENSE ARMY MEMBERS

  Kathmandu,  The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has made members of the Nepal Defense Army public, following their arrest in connection to their involvement in different incidents of bomb explosion.

PRESIDENT DR. YADAV STRESSES FOR CHURE AREA CONSERVATION

President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has expressed concern over the deforestation in the Chure Area and urged the sides concerned to work for its conservation. Inaugurating the Baijanath Mahotsav in Achham, today, President Dr. Yadav said if proper attention was not given for the conservation of the Chure Area the condition would further deteriorate.

Lifetime heart risks are higher than thought: study

A person's lifetime risk of getting heart disease may be much higher than previously thought, according to a major US study published on Wednesday.
A single risk factor -- such as smoking, having diabetes, high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol -- can significantly boost one's likelihood of having a heart attack or stroke at some point in life.
However, most studies to date have focused on how such risks play out over the short term, such as five to 10 years, giving an unrealistic picture of the longer term, said the study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Dahal says no to scrapping war-era deal

As pressure from hardliners in the party mounts, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday refused to take back the government's decision to legalise conflict-era property transactions without first finding an alternative arrangement.
The transactions were made by the parallel government during the Maoist insurgency.
Dahal also urged Nepali Congress and CPN-UML leaders to recommend an alternative to address problems faced by people who made such deals through the "people's government."

Movie Review: 'Loot'

“माचिस्....फिल्म त सहि रैछ,“ said a young guy while climbing downstairs from the theatre. Even I had the same feeling inside me. Till date, I had watched wide varieties of Nepali movies but ‘Loot’ was really awesome. To be frank, I was satisfied by the presentation.

After the movie I talked with few audiences, and found none of them not being satisfied. Well, but there was an odd man out. I assume that the man was in his late 50’s. Speaking to me he said, “फिल्म त नराम्रो भन्न मिल्दैन, तर भाषा-शैली अलि उच्छृङ्खल रहेछ।”

Well for some aged people and some very conservative people, dialogues used in the movie could be a matter of disgrace. But, personally speaking, it was the dialogue that made the movie livelier and entertaining to watch. And I assure that most have the same reaction.

In discontent‚ big oppons leave Prachanda's bungalow

KATHMANDU: The meeting of the three major political parties has once again failed to hammer out the differences on the Cabinet’s decision to provide legal status to the war-time transition channeled by the Maoist People’s Government during the period of insurgency

Ncell posts 122 percent growth in revenue

KATHMANDU,
Ncell has posted a 122 percent growth in revenue in fiscal 2010-11 in line with its fast expanding subscriber base.

The telecom operator’s income soared to Rs 17.53 billion, up from Rs 7.89 billion in fiscal 2009-10, according to the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA). Last year, it added 2.7 million new users to its network.

Students called off Bandh

KATHMANDU. The Valley Bandh called by the various student wings of political parties to protest agaist petro price hike has been called off from 5 this evening. Normal life in the Capital had been crippled throughout the day due to the strike.
Transportation came to a grinding halt and entire market areas, academic institutions, industries, had been shut down in the Capital

One killed in bomb blast

KATHMANDU. A man is killed during a bomb explosion in Pokhara.
The incident took place on Wednesday afternoon as a plastic grenade exploded inside godown of Crystal Light House at Sabhagriha Chok.

हत्याको सूचना पाएलगत्तै डीआईजीकी प्रेमीका टाप

काठमाण्डौ । सशस्त्रप प्रहरीका डीआईजी रञ्जन कोइरालाले आफ्नो श्रीमती गीता ढकालको हत्याको सूचना पाएलगत्तै उनकी प्रेमीका तारा रेग्मीले मुलुक नै छाडेको पत्ता लागेको छ ।
आफुले माया गरेको ब्यक्ति नै हत्यामा संलग्न भएपछि ताराले नेपाल छाडेर मलेसियातिर लागेको आजको राजधानी दैनिकले छापेको छ । कोइरालाले २७ गते गीताको हत्या गरेको थाहा पाएपछि उनी पुस ३० गते नै मलेसियातिर लागेको जानकारी आएको अनुसन्धानमा संलग्न प्रहरीले जनाएको छ ।

मूल्यबृद्धि पूर्ण रुपमा फिर्ता नभएसम्म विद्यार्थीले आन्दोलन नरोक्ने

१३ विद्यार्थी संगठनले पेट्रोलियम पदार्थमा भएको मूल्यबृद्धि पूर्ण रुपमा फिर्ता नभएसम्म आन्दोलन जारी राख्ने भएका छन् । जारी बैठकले सरकारले केही घटाएको मूल्य स्वीकार्य नभएको निष्कर्ष निकालेको छ ।

जारी बैठकमा आन्दोलनको कार्यक्रमबारे छलफल भइरहेको क्रान्तिकारीका उपाध्यक्ष जागि्रत रायमाझीले जानकारी दिनुभयो । वाणिज्य मन्त्रालयले बिहीबार खाना पकाउने एलपी ग्याँसमा प्रति सिलिण्डर ८५, डिजेल र मट्टतिेल प्रतिलिटरमा ४/४ रुपैयाँ र पेट्रोलमा प्रतिलिटर ३ रुपैयाँ घटाएको छ ।