Bhadrapur: The Jhapa district court has sentenced two persons convicted in a murder case to life imprisonment and confiscation of all their property.

According to the Jhapa District Court, Ramesh K.C., Alias Talram Khadka, a resident of Prithivinagar VDC-5, Jhapa district has confessed to the jury that he had killed Krishna Kumar Rai of Kaku VDC-6, Solukhumbu district by using a sharp weapon.

A bench of district court judge  Balkrishna Upreti handed down the sentence to the two.

It is learnt that Khadka had killed his friend near the deuniya stream six years ago.

Khadka was earlier convicted of women trafficking and sentenced to 20 years prison term and a fine of Rs 80,000 by the Udayapur District Court and 15 years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 28,000 for the second time by the Jhapa district court on the same charge.

Likewise, the court sentenced Mrs. Lokmaya Karki, a resident of Bahundangi VDC-4, to life imprisonment and confiscation of property in a case relating to the murder of Tej Bahadur Karki.

The court also sentenced Phul Maya Ghale to life imprisonment in the same case for complicity in the murder. The bench of district court judge  Khadka is also learnt to have handed down a prison sentence of six years six months and confiscation of half his property to Raju Thapa, a resident of Bhaktapur district Tathali-2 for raping a 14-year-old girl and trying to sell her off to a brothel in India. The court also ordered half of the property be given to the rape victim.

Kathmandu: A seven member media delegation comprising of senior editors, journalists and representatives of media institutions, P.S. Karki, Tara Nath Dahal, N.N. Pandey, Shambhu Shrestha, Gokul Pokharel, R.K. Regmi and Shri Kanak Mani Dixit visited India at the joint invitation of B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation and Editor’s Guild of India. This is stated in a press release issued by B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation Embassy of India today.

The team participated in a seminar on ‘Reaffirming India-Nepal Relations’ which was held at Gurgaon near New Delhi.

The two day seminar focused on various areas of bilateral relationship such as open border, relations with neighbouring countries, natural resources, media academic and cultural infrastructure, trade, transit and tourism. The team also visited Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan.

The seminar was inaugurated by Shri Inder Kumar Gujral, former Prime Minister of India and was attended by representatives of academics and media.

At the invitation of B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation, a five member delegation of Nepal Press Council consisting of Harihar Birahi, Yub Raj pandey, Yogesh Upadhayay, Suresh Acharya and Bishnu Prasad Sharma would be visiting Mumbai, New Delhi and Agra in April 2000, the press release said.

The team would be visiting Audit Bureau of Circulations, Mumbai and host of media institutions such as Press Information Bureau, Press Council, Press Club and Board for Working Journalists in New Delhi. Towards the end of their stay in India, the delegation would be visiting the fabled Taj Mahal in Agra.

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and singer/musician Natikaji might be of the same age but Prime Minister Koirala looks quite agile and active compared to his contemporaries.

Today, Mr Koirala went to the stage briskly and honoured singer and musician Natikaji by embracing him.

At a golden jubilee evening organised by Radio Nepal on the occasion of its golden jubilee celebrations today, Natikaji tried but failed to complete a national song.

Natikaji, who was sitting on a chair at the stage tried, after a while, to go to the audience gallery. But the Prime Minister himself went to the stage to honour him.

The veteran singer broke into tears and the whole atmosphere was charged with emotion.

Meanwhile, Radio Nepal golden jubilee festival evening was organised as part of golden jubile celebrations of Radio Nepal here today.

Renowned and senior singers and musicians including Nati Kaji, Amber Gurung, Shiva Shanker and others presented their songs on the occasion.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala also attended the function.

Also present at the programme were Minister for Information and Communications Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta, ex-ministers and Ministers of State for Information and Communications and other distinguished persons.

Kathmandu: Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) Gerhard Schroder has congratulated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his re-appointment as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

In a message of congratulations, the FRG Chancellor has expressed the hope that the traditionally excellent relations and friendly ties between the two countries will be further deepened in the years ahead.

Mr Schroder also wished Mr Koirala every success in carrying out the challenging tasks that awaits him.

Likewise, Mr Mikulas Dzurinda, Prime Minister of the Slovak Republic has congratulated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his appointment as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

In a message of congratulations, Mr Dzurinda has hoped that the friendly relations between Slovakia and Nepal will continue to grow to the mutual benefit of the peoples of the two countries.

The Slovak Prime Minister also wished for Mr Koirala’s success, good health and happy well-being.

Prime Minister of Denmark Poul Nyrup Rasmussen has congratulated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his appointment as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

In a message of congratulations, Mr Rasmussen has extended best wishes to Mr Koirala and the people of Nepal.

In the same manner Mr Ahmed Benbitour, head of the government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria has congratulated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his appointment as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

In a congratulatory message, Mr Benbitour has extended best wishes to Mr Koirala in performing successfully his future tasks in the interest of the friendly people of Nepal and their prosperity and progress.

Mr Benbitour also assured Mr Koirala of his keen desire to work together for the development of bilateral cooperation to enhance the friendly relations existing between Algeria and Nepal.

Similarly, Mr V. Putin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation has congratulated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his appointment as the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

In a message of congratulations, Mr Putin hoped that the traditional relations of mutual understanding, friendship and cooperation between the two countries will even further develop to the benefit of the peoples of Russia and Nepal, in the interest of peace and stability in Asia.

The Russian Prime Minister also wished Mr Koirala happiness and well-being, and progress to the Nepalese people.

Likewise, Begum Khaleda Zia, leader of the opposition in the Bangladesh Parliament has felicitated Mr Girija Prasad Koirala on his appointment as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

The excellent relations that exist between Bangladesh and Nepal are a product of relentless efforts of the two peoples towards promotion of friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation, Begum Khaleda Zia said, adding that the people of Bangladesh remain committeed to the realization of these bilateral objectives and hope to continue to promote regional cooperation within the framework of SAARC.

Expressing confidence that Mr Koirala’s long political experience and as Prime Minister for the fourth time will further the common cause, Begum Khaleda Zia wished Mr Koirala good health, happiness and long life and for the people of Nepal further progress and prosperity.

Kathmandu: mps of the main opposition party cpn-uml obstructed regular proceedings of the National Assembly today demanding action against those involved in the kidnapping and torturing of Rautahat ddc member Jayaprakash Kaushal in connection with the incident of setting ablaze the house of Minister of State for Forest and Soil Conservation Mohammed Aftab Alam.

Accusing the brother of Mr Alam of being involved in the incident, the cpn-uml mps also demanded the sacking of the Minister of State from his post.

As soon as today’s meeting began, whip of the main opposition party Surendra Prasad Pandey said a group of armed Indian hooligans led by brother of Minister of State Alam kidnapped ddc member Kaushal from the ddc office in broad daylight last Thurday and was taken to the house of the uncle of the Minister of State in Rajpur Farhadawa where he was tortured.

Stating the local police administration had been arresting innocent cpn-uml workers even after the Maoists took responsibility of the incident, Mr Pandey demanded that the government take stern action against those involved in the kidnapping, release of the cpn-uml workers arrested by the police and a halt to the proceedings of the house until unless Minister of State Alam is removed from his post.

Cpn-uml mps Kedar Prasad Neupane, Kashinath Adhikari, Devraj Ghimire, Shanta Manawi, Thammaya Thapa, Bachaspati Devkota, Gaura Koirala and Ramchandra Bhattarai also demanded that the regular proceedings of the Upper House be stopped unless the demand put forth by their party is fulfilled.

Expressing concern over the incident of arson as well as kidnapping, leader of the ruling party Basudev Risal demanded an impartial investigation to the incident of kidnapping of Rautahat ddc member. He said that the regular proceedings of the house should not be stopped over the issue.

Nc mps Tilak Prasad Neupane, Jagannath Poudel, Arbinda Kumar Thakur, Jeevanprem Shrestha, Bhim Bahadur Shrestha, Sukraraj Sharma, Bijul Kumar Biswokarma, Mahendra Kumar Mishra and Omkar Prasad Shrestha also demanded formation of a commission for impartial investigation into the incident, action against the guilty and continuation of regular proceedings of the house.

Following this, National Assembly Chairman Dr. Mohammad Mohsin said there is a difference in the role of the upper and lower house, if the members of the lower house obstruct regular proceedings over an issue then it would not be proper for us to do the same.

The chairman requested all to cooperate in moving ahead the regular proceedings of the house.

Dr. Mohsin made repeated requests to members of the opposition to cooperate in moving ahead the proceedings of the house but the mps of the opposition party stuck to their demand and started chanting slogans at the wellof the house.

Following this Chairman Dr. Mohsin informed the meeting that the house was adjourned till 12:00 pm of April 5.

The meeting of the Upper House today had started three hours behind schedule.

Kathmandu: Several rounds of talks between the government and opposition parties today failed to break through the deadlock that has affected regular businesses at the House of Representatives since Friday.

Lawmakers of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML), which has been pressing primarily for the resignation or ouster of State Minister Aftab Alam over his alleged involvement in the kidnapping of a party worker, took control of the well just as the House sat at 5 p.m., forcing Deputy Speaker Chitra Lekha Yadav to adjourn the Session.

“The House Session has been adjourned till 11 o’clock Wednesday,” Yadav told the Loser Chamber that started amid the main opposition’s uproar over its three principal demands: Alam’s resignation, action against the guilty and the release of its party workers, who are in police custody over their alleged involvement in setting ablaze Alam’s house last week.

“Unless these demands are fulfilled by the government, the House can not run smoothly,” reiterated Raghuji Pant and Suvash Nembang, just as Yadav gave them the permission to speak at the opening.

The UML has maintained that one of its workers had been kidnapped and several others detained by the police under Alam’s instruction after his house was gutted in fire. Police has initiated probe into the incident, in which Alam claims he is the genuine victim. “My house was set ablaze, property looted and the family members had to undergo sufferings,” Alam told reporters after the session was adjourned. “Why should I resign when I am the real victim?”

Alam said the main opposition party’s move to demand his resignation was merely a ploy to get its party workers rescued from detention and possible action in the end. “I shall respect the findings of the police team,” he said.

Kathmandu : House of Rajkarnicar (HoR) is to organise the 10th Himalayan Expo 2000 at Bhrikuti Mandap beginning April 12. The Expo will last for five days.

The Expo is expected to host about 200 exhibitors from Nepal, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Portugal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

The organisers said that the composition of foreign participation had grown slightly this year reaching around 60 per cent of the exhibitors. About 40 per cent of the exhibitors are joining the Expo for the first time.

Nepal-USA Pavilion, the British Pavilion, German Catalogue Show, the SAARC Information Kiosk and the National Small-scale Industries Corporation (NSIC) from India will be the main attractions of the Expo.

The Nepal-USA Pavilion jointly organised by the Nepal-USA Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the US Embassy is expected to occupy about 300 square metres of space with about 23 companies. Catalogue show on infrastructure and environment will be one of the attractions of this Pavilion.

The British Pavilion, jointly organised by the British Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the British Embassy under the sponsorship of the British Trade International, will also cover about 300 square metres of space with 22 companies and organisations. About seven of these companies will be coming directly from the UK.

The German Catalogue Show will be organised by Nepal German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The Show will be exhibiting numerous product catalogue of German companies. Similarly, the NSIC will have 10 companies will display small-scale industrial machines and equipment for the medium and small-scale industries of Nepal.

Expected to be visited by over 70,000 people with target 42,000 business visitors, the Expo would feature talk programmes on various business issues.

HoR’s managing director Birendra Rajkarnicar told a press conference here this afternoon that Himalayan Expo was consolidating itself as a business event over the years.

Shree Distillery, Radisson Hotel, Gorkha Brewery, Kwality Ice-cream and Bottlers Nepal are among the major sponsors of the event. Other sponsors include Gulf Air, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, Biman Bangladesh, Pakistan International Airways, Standard Nursery and Nepal Samacharpatra.

Kathmandu: Urging world leaders to make globalisation work for people in every nation, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today offered his 21st Century action plan, detailed report that sets the agenda for the United Nations Millennium Summit. The plan calls on all Member States to commit themselves to ending poverty and inequality improving education, increasing security, reducing HIV/AIDS, and protecting the environment, according to UNIC statement today.

We must put people at the centre of everything we do, said Mr.Annan. No calling is more noble, and no responsibility greater, than that of enabling men, women and children, incitiess and villages around the world, to make their lives better. Only when that begins to happen will we know that globalisation is indeed becoming inclusive, allowing everyone to share its opportunities, the UN chief stated.

The Secretary-General’s report is to be considered by a special Millennium Summit on 6-8 September 2000, a rare meeting of Heads of State and Government from around the world, scheduled on the eve of the first UN General Assembly of the new millennium. The report, “We the Peoples: The Role of the United Nations in the 21st Century,” is the most comprehensive presentation of the UN’s mission in its fifty-five year history, containing numerous specific goals and programme initiatives Mr. Annan will ask world leaders to consider.

Central to Mr. Annan’s proposals is the view that globalisation is an extraordinarily powerful force offering both unique opportunities and challenges for nations and people. “The benefits of globalisation are plain to see: faster economic growth, higher living standards, accelerated innovation and diffusion of technology and management skills, new economic opportunities for individuals and countries alike,”Mr. Annan writes in his report. But these benefits “remain highly concentrated among a relatively small number of countries and are spread unevenly within them”. And while there are now “strong and well enforced rules facilitating the expansion of global markets” efforts to secure “equally valid social objectives”, such as labour standards, the environment, human rights or poverty reduction, have “lagged begind”.

As a result, globalisation has “begun to generate a backlash”. The challenge, Mr. Annan concludes, “is clear: if we are to capture the promises of globalisation while managing its adverse effects, we must learn to govern better, and we must learn how better to govern together”.

There are still billions of people whose lives are not free of fear or want, despite the enormous progress made in the past fifty years, Mr. Annan contends. The report observes that globalisation has eluded Africa, where many of the world’s poor live, including up to 40 million children who will be orphans by 2010,largely because of HIV/AIDS. In addition, growth is anemic, trade and investment are low, and national debts are crushing.

The report also notes that less than 10 per cent of all health research is spent on the health concerns of 90 per cent of the world’s people, leaving millions vulnerable to chronic illness or death from easily preventable sicknesses like pneumonia, diarrhoea, tuberculosis, malaria and others.

On issues of conflict and peacekeeping, Mr. Annan observes that nations must address both old and new threats. He explains that there are still too many nuclear weapons, as well as a growing proliferation of small arms that serve to prolong and deepen already vicious conflicts. He adds that peace operations must be strengthened, while sanctions should be better targeted, to make them “less harsh on innocent populations, and more effective in penalising delinquent rulers.”

But perhaps the most alarming chapter of the report deals with the environment. In addition to freedom from want and from fear, Mr. Annan writes, the world now faces an urgent need to realize a third freedom, which the UN’s founders could not have anticipated: “the freedom of future generations to sustain their lives on this planet”. “We are failing to provide that freedom,” he says. After detailing the multiple threats of climate change, water shortages, soil erosion and the destruction of forests, fisheries and biodiversity, he concludes by calling for a “new ethic of stewardship” and a system of “green accounting”- to ensure that environmental costs and benefits are integrated into economic policies.

The report urges nations to commit themselves to an ambitious 21st Century agenda including: Cutting in half by 2015 the proportion of people living in extreme poverty, and the proportion lacking safe and affordable water; Ensuring that by 2051 all children complete primary education, and eliminating the gender gap at all levels of education; Reducing HIV infection rates for persons 15-24 years old by 25 per cent within 10 years; Upgrading slums, through support of the “Cities without Slums” action plan, which aims to improve the lives of 100 million slum dwellers by 2020; Granting free access to the markets of the industrialised countries for goods produced in poor countries and, as a first step, adopting a policy of duty-free and quota-free access for essentially all exports from the least developed countries by March next year and Implementing the expansion of the Highly Indebted Poor Countries programme agreed last year, and cancelling all official debts of the heavily indebted poor countries in return for those countries making demonstrable commitments to poverty reduction.

Others are: Doing more to ensure the security of people and communities, as well as nations, through firmer enforcement of international humanitarian and human  rights law, Creating greater transparency in arms transfers, supporting regional disarmament measures, and extending to other areas the “weapons for goods” Programmes that have been successful in Mozambique, Panama, El Salvador and Albania, and Implementing the Kyoto protocol to lower greenhouse gas emissions and prevent the dangerous warming of the planet.

In the report, Mr. Annan also strongly embraces new information technology and sees a major role for it in fighting poverty and promoting human development, as well as in improving United Nations operations. In this vein, Mr. Annan announces several new initiatives. First, he proposes development of a network of 10,000 online sites to provide tailored medical information and resources to hospitals and other health care facilities throughout the developing world. This initiative will be led by the WebMD Foundation, in cooperation with other foundations and corporate partners. Second, he announces development of a United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS), a consortium of high tech volunteer corps, including Net Corps Canada and Net Corps America which will train groups in developing countries in the uses and opportunities of information technology. And thirdly, he announces a disaster response initiative,’ “First on the Ground”, led by L.M. Ericsson, which will provide uninterrupted communications access to areas affected by natural disasters and emergencies.

Mr. Annan also proposes an ambitious series of changes for the United Nations itself. Building on a number of reform measures that have already made the world body a leaner and more effective organisation, he says it is time to reform the Security Council and adopt sunset provisions for certain initiatives. He also argues that the United Nations must find ways to expand its relationship with civil society, and suggests the establishment of global policy networks to engage all stakeholders as one way of achieving this.

Mr. Annan plans to use the Millennium Summit as an opportunity for Member States to renew and rededicate themselves to the mission of the United Nations. He invites them to recommit themselves to what he sees as core values of the United Nations: freedom, tolerance, equity, non-violence, respect for nature, and shared responsibility.

But Mr. Annan believes we should not be content with merely repeating the progress of the past fifty years. His report declares: “The world’s people are telling us that our past achievements are nor enough, given the scale of the challenges we face. We must do more, and we must do it better.”

Kathmandu: Minister for Commerce and Industry Ram Krishna Tamrakar today said that international community should assist the least developed countries (LDCs) to free them form their present state of poverty and social exclusion.

Tamrakar said that globalisation, despite having advantages, posed significant challenges to LDCs adding that it should aim at freeing humanity from the state of hunger and poverty as well as from the fear of exploitation.

“Poverty is perhaps the biggest challenge for the (LDCs) which cannot be solved without the support and assistance from the international community,” Tamrakar said inaugurating the three-day UNCTAD regional expert meeting for LDCs in Asia and the Pacific here this morning.

Tamrakar appealed to the multilateral agencies and industrialised countries to assist the LDCs in enhancing their supply capacity and provide them an unrestricted market access.

Executive Secretary of the Third UN Conference on the LDCs Anna Kajumulo Tibaikuki said that the ultimate requirement for the sustainable development of LDCs and their beneficial integration in the global economy lay in the structural transformation of LDCs economies.

Resident Representative of United Nations Development Programme Dr. Henning Karcher said that the process of globalisation needed to be monitored, managed and controlled to protect the weak and those who are already marginalised.

Stressing on regional co-operation, Karcher said that empowerment should be the starting point of any successful poverty alleviation strategy.

European Commission (EC) ’s representative Mario Ferrucci said that LDCs should get special attention adding that EC was determined to developing country specific poverty alleviation strategies.

Shedding light on the problems facing the LDCs, ESCAP representative Aynul Hasan said that the Council was committed to help them out.

From the Chair, National Planning Commission vice-chairman Prithvi Raj Ligal stressed on time-bound commitment to lead the LDCs on the path of development. Despite global efforts, the number of LDCs grew from 41 to 48 during the last three decades.

Although LDCs constitute about 13 per cent of the world population, their share in world imports was only 0.6 per cent and 0.4 per cent in export. These shares represent declines of more than 40 per cent since 1980. The total export earnings of LDCs is less than that of Ireland. The meeting is one of the three meetings UNCTAD is organising as part of the preparatory process for the Third United Nations Conference on LDCs to be hosted by the European Union in Brussels in May 2001. The first meeting was held in Addis Ababa, Ethopia, last week for English-speaking African LDCs. The third expert level meeting is to be held in Niamey, Niger for French-speaking African LDCs and Haiti from April 18-20.

The main objectives of these meetings are to provide an opportunity for experts to exchange views on the socio-economic developments in LDCs during the last decade, as part of the review of programmes in the implementation of Programme of Action for the LDCs for 1990s, and make recommendations for enhancing the potential of sustainable development of LDCs and their progressive and beneficial integration into the global economy and international system.

NPC member Dr. Shankar Sharma hoped that the meeting would be instrumental in devising new strategies to produce better results in the LDCs.

Kathmandu: The 11th academic assembly meeting of the Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST)  was held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister And Chancellor Of Ronast Girija Prasad Koirala here today.

The academic assembly approved the Auditing Report 2052/053 and entrusted the regulations refinement recommendations committee with the responsibility of studying the reports of RONAST and the management council, and present a report at the next academic assembly meeting.

At the meeting, Prime Minister and Ronast Chancellor Koirala said that since the country’s development is not possible without the development of science and technology, any development programmes in science and technology sector should be so designed that they help meet the target and priority set by the government depending on the Nepalese context.

Stressing the need to enhance the efficiency of RONAST, he said the expertise of skilled manpower and technicians available in the country itself should be utilized optimally to lead the country along the path of self reliance.

Timely updating of policies and timely completion of projects and programmes are the key to the effectiveness of any projects and programmes, he noted.

Stating that there is a close relationship between politicians and scientists in Asia, he said economic, educational and industrial advancement brings a change in the people’s perspective of politics thereby giving rise to a tendency to voting all parties, not only one, to power.

He cited the example of the elections held in Japan and other countries in this region to substantiate his statement.

Minister for Science and Technology and Pro-Chancellor of RONAST Surendra Prasad Chaudhari stressed the need to determine RONAST’s areas of work on the basis of national priority.

Vice-Chairman of National Planning Commission Prithvi Raj Ligal said although the Ronast Act-2048 B.S. has already come out, it is functioning in accordance with the RONAST Regulations-2042 B.S.

This being the situation, he added, the regulations refinement recommendations committee is working on the preparation of a report to pave the way for improving the structure of RONAST by amending the regulations and formulating necessary rules.

RONAST Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr) Dayananda Bajracharya said initiatives will be taken to establish a Science Study Centre in the current fiscal year to encourage students to study science.

Efforts are under way to increase tea production by using organic fertilizers and joint research in matters concerning high altitude by RONAST and an Italian Research Institute is in the pipeline, Prof. Bajracharya said.

Academician and MP Dr Ramman Shrestha stressed the need for policy reforms to run RONAST as an effective and efficient institution.