Nepalinews

BENI, MYAGDI:  Cheer pheasant, an endangered species of bird in the world, is likely to vanish for lack of environment conducive and proper habitat in Myagdi. Keshav Chokhal, an MSc student from Tribhuvan University (TU), has carried out his research in the district for a year confirming as high as 60 cheer pheasants living in Myagdi. The total number of the bird is around 1000 in Nepal, he shared.Chokhal conducted his research on situation, number and reasons of extinctions of cheer pheasants in the district with supports from the National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) and other organisations. Known as Catreus Wallichii as its scientific name, the bird is named Cheer Kaliz in Nepali and Cheddu in the Far-Western regions. The bird is enlisted in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and Nepal’s National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act as well. Research

KATHMANDU:  Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has committed to hold the upcoming federal and provincial elections on stipulated time. He further said that government was committed to extend all kinds of essential support for the elections.  According to Election Commission’s spokesperson Nawaraj Dhakal, in a meeting with Election Commission’s office bearers at PM’s official residence, Baluwatar today, PM Deuba committed to reach all kinds of support for elections to the commission. PM Deuba expressed happiness on the preparations going on for the elections and directed the EC officials to work in full speed for remaining preparations as well.Chief election commissioner Dr Ayodhee Prasad Yadav briefed PM Deuba about their preparations for elections. He informed PM Deuba that the political parties submitted their closed lists of candidates for the proportional system under the federal and provincial elections in the stipulated time with enthusiasm. On the occasion, PM and

KATHMANDU:  Minister without portfolio Mahendra Bahadur Shahi has clarified that CPN-Maoist Centre will withdrew its support offered to PM Deuba-led government within few days. Speaking at an interaction programme in the Capital on Wednesday, Maoist leader Shahi said they will also quit the government within few days.“We are in the government to ensure timely polls, otherwise we do not want to remain in power without any portfolios,” Minister Shahi added. Leader Shahi also accused PM Deuba of making mistakes by extending cabinet without Legislature-Parliament despite our full support to the government. Referring to PM Deuba’s indication of postponing the elections, Shahi warned that they would resort to protest if the elections are not held on time. Minister Shahi also clarified that the broader leftist alliance was on the interest of people and nation. “No party could secure majority in the local level elections, it is sure no party will get majority in the upcoming prov

KATHMANDU:  Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on Tuesday has reshuffled his cabinet. PM Deuba, who exerted pressure on CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal to ask resignation from his ministers, adjusted them without any portfolios in the incumbent government.Deuba has taken Home Affairs, General Administration, Ministry of Livestock Development from Maoist Ministers. He has also appointed Rastriya Prajatantra Party Chairman and Deputy Prime Minister Kamal Thapa as Minister for Energy today itself. Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Democratic leader Deepak Bohara, who was appointed as Minister for Science and Technology has been assigned the duties of Minister for Health. PM Deuba appointed RPP leaders Jayant Chand as Minister for Supplies, Dilanath Giri as Minister for Urban Development, Bikram Bahadur Thapa as Minister for Women, Children and Social welfare. Earlier, these Ministries were headed by CPN-Maoist Centre leaders. Meanwhile, PM Deuba appointed Bhaskar Bha

KAPILVASTU:  Kapilvastu district, which is believed to be the habitat for the highest number of Crane in Nepal, has emerged as the main breeding centre of the endangered bird species. Crane is the World’s rare and disappearing bird species. According to the latest updates, as many as 250 out of total 400 Cranes habituating in Nepal are found in Kapilvastu, Nawalparasi and Rupandehi districts which is more than 50 per cent.                                                                                                           Locals said, lately the Cranes are increasingly noticed in and around Jagadishpur Lake of Kapilvastu district – which was enlisted in the World Wetland Area. They said the arrival of number of Cranes has increased probably due to food, availability and security for the species in the area. Some of the Cranes are seen laying eggs and hatching chicks in different places of Kapilvastu district. Crane is one among nine endangered bird species as per the Wil

DHADING:  At least one person has died and 54 others have sustained injuries after a bus they were travelling on met with an accident near Dhadingbesi, district headquarters of Dhading district, on Tuesday. Dhading District Police Office identified the deceased as Hom Bahadur Ghale of Gangajamuna Rural Municipality-3 in the district. Ghale died on the way to the Trauma Centre in Kathmandu, according to police. 23 out of 54 injured passengers are being rushed to the Trauma Centre in Kathmandu for treatment. Meanwhile,  the other injured passengers are receiving treatment at the District Hospital in Dhading, police said. A bus (Ba 3 Kha 478) was heading to Dhadingbesi, district headquarters of Dhading, from Gumdi of Gangajamuna Rural Municipality skidded off the road after it lost control at bend and fell below onto a paddy field at Kumal village in Nilkantha Municipality-12 this afternoon. Over crowded bus with high speed plying in rural road lead to an accident, DSP

POKHARA:  A woman has been arrested on charge of swindling Rs 500 million from more than 50 persons in Pokhara from Jaisidev of Kathmandu recently. Kaski District Police Office in coordination with Kathmandu Police arrested Devi Kumari Bhujel (42) and her husband Laxman Thapa from Jaisidev.Bhujel is a permanent resident of Bhat Khola in Syangja district was residing in Chaude along with her husband who is a retired Indian Army pensioner, informed the police. DSP and Spokesperson of Kaski District Police Office Khagad Bahadur Khatri said the duo have been brought to Pokhara on Friday and were presented before the court. They have been remanded in custody for further investigation, Khatri added. The couple disappeared from Pokhara on August 30, however, with the help of call tracking, Kaski District Police Office arrested Bhujel after she frequently called a local trader Dandapani Subedi in Mahendrapul in the City. With the help of Subedi police arrested Bhujel. However, po

KATHMANDU:  At least 21 climbers successfully climbed the world’s eighth highest peak in an alpine style this autumn, according to the expedition organiser. Managing Director Chatur Kumar Tamang at Makalu Extreme Treks & Expedition informed that 25 expedition members along with 7 climbing Sherpas stood atop Mt Manaslu last month. “Among the team members, 21 climbers scaled the mountain without obtaining support from high altitude workers,” he said, adding that most of them were Russian climbers. Russian climbers including Oksana Morneva, Ivan Aristov , Aznaur Akkaev, Gennady Dolgov, Andrei Glush kov, Pavel Chernov, Andrei Dergachev, Iurii Panov,  Oleg Afanasyev, Alexander Eliseev,  Anton Pugovkin, Vitali Lazo, Vladimir Zadokhin,  Volodymyr Roshkov, Ivan Yuriev Tomov and Nikolai Kadoshnikov scaled the peak. Tamang who also stood atop the peak for third time said that Yarsolav Nosa, Volodymyr Roshko, Taras Pozdnii, Sanya Nooson and Dmytro Necheporenko from Ukraine, Asset

KATHNANDU:  The CPN-UML is to enter into electoral alliance with other political parties in the election to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies taking place on coming November 26 and December 7. A meeting of the standing committee  members convened at party chairman KP Sharma Oli’s residence at Balkot on Sunday has decided to forge electoral alliance and collaboration with leftist parties as far as possible. Although it is said the  electoral alliance would be forged with the ruling CPN Maoist Centre, decision has not been taken on this.

CHITWAN:  CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has stressed the need of an alliance among the leftists in the upcoming elections to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies. Speaking at a press meet organised by Press Chautari Nepal, Chitwan Chapter today, he said there was no possibility of a single party garnering majority in the elections so as to run the government that is why an electoral alliance among the leftist parties was necessary. The former Prime Minister Nepal said the UML was ready for the leftists’ alliance if the CPN Maoist Center (CPN MC) was positive. He asserted the party ‘policy’ of taking part in the election alone if there was an electoral alliance between the Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN MC. On a different note leader Nepal said he would compete either from Kathmandu or Rautahat in the upcoming elections. Giving his reaction about the party’s position in the recently held third phase of local level election in Province 2, he argued the part

JANAKPURDAHAM:  Rastriya Janata Party Nepal has clinced the deputy and mayoral posts of Janakpur Sub-Metropolitan City in the third phase of local level elections in province number 2. RJPN candidate Lal Kishor Sah has been elected as the mayor of the Metropolis as he collected 21,277 votes while his closest competitor Nepali Congress Manoj Sah mustered 10,639 votes.Similarly, RJPN dupty mayoral candidate Rita Jha was elected as the deputy mayor of the Sub Metropolitan city. She collected 16,617 votes while her competitor received 10,109 votes. Out of 25 wards in the Sub-Metropolitan City, RJPN has won in 12 wards, NC clinched 7 victories in ward, FSFN in 3 wards, the main opposition UML has won in 2 followed by one win for independent candidate. After being newly elected as the Mayor of the City, Sah pleaded to make the historical and cultural city to make it clean and managed city as his first priority. He also said Janakpurdham would be developed as the multi-cultural ci

BIRGUNJ:  Nepali Congress mayoral candidate Ajaya Kumar Dribedi is maintaining a lead over other candidates in the vote counting of Birgunj Metropolitan City, according to Election Commission. NC Dribedi has garnered 4,949 votes, while, NC deputy mayoral candidate Shanti Karki has bagged 5, 774 votes. They both are leading for the top position of the Metropolis.However, Rastriya Janata Party Nepal who was following the NC in the mayoral election has slid further down to third after the Federal Socialist Forum Nepal leapfrogged with slim vote margin. Federal Socialist Forum Nepal mayoral candidate Bijaya Kumar Sarawagi has collected 4,344 votes and leads RJPN candidate Rajeshman Singh by 43 votes margin. Meanwhile, CPN-Maoist Centre leader Rahambar Ansari has mustered 2,743 votes. As of now, altogether 22,498 votes of the Metropolis has been counted and results of 8 wards have been published. NC Manoj Sah Kanu was elected as ward chairman of Birgunj-1, Federal Socialist Fo

KATHMANDU:  The results of the vote count of 24 local levels of Province No. 2 have been announced this evening, the Joint Election Operation Centre at the Election Commission said. The elections were held in 135 local levels of Province No. 2 on September 18.As per the details made available from the JEOC, Nepali Congress (NC) candidates have won in nine local levels, UML and Maoist Centre four each, Rastriya Janata Party Nepal in three levels, Federal Socialist Forum Nepal in two local levels and Nepal Loktantrik Forum candidates in two levels. Spokesperson of EC Nabaraj Dhakal said that so far results of 610 Wards have been finalised. The EC said that the vote count in all 111 local levels is going on well except in some local levels and efforts are on to continue the vote count by forging all-party consensus. Likewise, the EC said that election in Rajbiraj Municipality-15 was held in a peaceful manner Thursday. It was postponed after the demise of RJP Ward Chair candida

KATHMANDU:  Minister for Supplies Shiva Kumar Mandal has urged that all the guilty party will be booked in the Nepal Oli Corporation land purchase scam. Speaking at an Interaction programme in the Capital on Wednesday, Minister Mandal said that no one would be spared after the NOC chief Gopal Bahadur Khadka was relieved off duties by the Cabinet decision.“There has been corruption in the NOC land purchase deal, we are further investigating in the matter, full preparation have been made for the same,” Mandal shared. “Many people are involved in the scam, Khadaka alone cannot hatch the heist, no one will be spared, all guilty people will be booked,” Mandal added. “I do not want to name individuals, or any party involved in the scam, as a Minister i will book all the guilty. I have got some information regarding the involvement of big fishes in the NOC land purchase deal, no matter who ever he/she is i will book them as per the existing laws,” Mandal shared. “I have personally

RAJBIRAJ:  Of the total 18 local units in Saptari district, the vote counting is underway in 17 local bodies from Tuesday, District Election Office said. However, the vote counting of Rajbiraj Municipality is yet to resume.The Election Office is preparing to count the votes of Rajbiraj Municipality on Friday. Earlier, Rastriya Janata Party Nepal candidate for ward chairman Mahantha Yadav died of cardiac arrest on September 16 prompting to postpone the elections of the Rajbiraj-15. The elections of that ward will be held on Thursday, according to Election Office. As per the preliminary report, RJPN has taken lead in 3 local bodies, Federal Socialist Forum in 2 local units, Nepali Congress in 2 local bodies followed by UML in 2 local units. UML Narayan Kumar Acharya was elected as ward chairman and his panel won in Saptakoshi Municipality-1. UML Mayoral candidate Uttam Sharma is leading with 595 votes to his closest rival of CPN-Maoist Centre Dhruba Karki with 279 votes i

At least nine people were injured when two microbuses collided head-on in Aathkilo of Thankre-7 in Dhading district on ThursdaY. Two of the injured are said to be critical. A microbus en route to Bhairahawa from Kathmandu (Lu 1 Ja 3150) and another one coming from opposite direction (Lu 1 Ja 2761) collided in Thankre after which the later fell some 30 metres off the road. Khanikhola Police Inspector Jivan Niraula said the injured passengers have been sent to Kathmandu for treatment.

The Ministry of Education on Thursday unveiled its accomplishments made in the first 100 days in office. In a press statement today, the Ministry of Education said a high-level education has been formed under the leadership of education minister to improve and modify education policies, programmes, and the form of organisation. A draft of safe school policy was prepared and is in the decision making process. This will help to ensure education in DRR-friendly school. The ministry has reviewed the 2012 TEVT policy. A TEVT policy dialogue draft report was prepared by deploying three experts. A negotiation of USD 60 million was made between Nepal government and World Bank for the second phase of Nepal’s Education and Training Sector Improvement Programme, the statement read. First tranche of grant has been allocated to develop 197 secondary schools as model schools. Four districts—Sindhuli, Manang, Ilam and Gorkha—declared fully literate districts, read the stateme

KATHMANDU:  The Election Commission has begun consultation on ceiling of election expenditure for the candidates for the upcoming elections to the House of Representatives and of provincial parliament. The EC has proposed that the election candidate under the FPTP category would spend up to Rs 1.4 million in the election of the House of Representatives.Similarly, for the election of the provincial parliament, the candidate under the FPTP category would be spending half the amount set maximum for the candidate of the House of Representatives election. Every leader filing nomination under the closed list of the proportional election system for the House of Representatives has been proposed to spend Rs 200,000. The EC further said it has proposed Rs 1,50,000 for the candidate aspiring to a member of the provincial parliament. It was informed during the consultation that the EC proposed the ceiling of the election expenditure in a bid to make the election free, fair, and frugal

KATHMANDU:  Increasing global warming caused by greenhouse effect and its subsequent impact has posed a grave threat to the Nepal’s mountain ranges, experts said. They stressed the need of taking timely interventions to minimise the impact of climate change on the mountains.The experts shared their views at an interaction programme on ‘challenges f mountaineering tourism and environmental impact’ organised by Management Association of Nepal on Tuesday. Former President of Nepal Mountaineering Association Ang Chhiring Sherpa revealed the fact that increasing atmospheric temperature caused rampant snow melting and mountains were in the gradual process of turning into just rocky hills. “This situation is dangerous for the entire mountain ecosystem. Mountaineering tourism is certain to be severely hit by this. Some settlements in the mountain region are in the need of relocation, following the water crisis there.” After the 2015 April earthquake, natural water sources in the h

KATHMANDU:  DIG Navaraj Silwal on Tuesday announced his resignation from Nepal Police after the Supreme Court quashed his writ petition filed against IGP appointment. Issuing a press statement this evening Silwal said he reached to this decision after the apex court annulled his writ and approved DIG Praksah Aryal promotion to the Inspector General of Nepal Police.“It was a long battle for justice to professional right,” Silwal said in the statement. An extended full bench including Chief Justice Gopal Parajuli and Justices Om Prakash Mishra, Kedar Prasad Chalise, Sharda Prasad Ghimire, Mira Khadka, Prakashman Singh Raut and Purospottam Bhandari made the decision today. He thanked all his well wishers, citizens and Nepal Police for their continual support.