News from Nepal

Kathmandu, Feb. 25: Prime Minister Sushil Koirala has administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly appointed deputy prime ministers and ministers amidst a special ceremony in the presence of the President at the latter's Office, Shitalniwas, on Tuesday. Initially, PM Koirala administered the oath of office and secrecy to the Deputy Prime Ministers duo Bam Dev Gautam and Prakash Man Singh and to the ministers later.

Ama Dablam’s peak comes into view as the group climbs above the forests Picture: Shirley Sheppard. Source: Supplied AS A devotee of motorised transport and comfy couches, the notion of a 135km return trek to the base of the highest mountain in the world seemed like an idea teetering on the edge of insanity. But – given my sanity has been questioned many times – the chance to follow in the footsteps of Sir Edmund Hillary to Mt Everest in Nepal made this ordeal an offer too good to refuse. Before a step was taken though, there was the small matter of training – to at least give myself a fighting chance of coming home alive – and finding a tour company that caters for overweight, unfit blokes. The enormousness of the task was rammed home when checking the altitudes I would trek. My target, Mt Everest Base Camp, sits at 5364m. Planes need to be...

Nepal has decided to deploy a team of security officials at Everest base camp, in a bid to avert brawls between climbers, officials say. Last April a fight erupted between European mountaineers and a group of Sherpas at 7,470m (24,508ft). Although that dispute was eventually resolved, officials say Everest's slopes are becoming more crowded.An office staffed by army and police will open in April at Everest base camp as the climbing season gets under way.

Crash Site KATHMANDU, Feb 17: The bodies of all the deceased in Nepal Airlines Corporation(NAC) Twin Otter plane crash in Arghakhanchi were airlifted to Kathmandu, Monday afternoon. According to Directorate of Public Relations(DPR) of Nepal Army (NA), the  bodies are being ferried to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, for post-mortem. The missing NAC aircraft was found crashed at Masine Lek of  Khanchikot VDC-9 of Arghakhanchi district this morning. All the 18 people on board were killed in the crash.

KATHMANDU, Feb 17 : Nepal concluded its AAC Women’s Premier campaign on a bitter note following its seven wickets defeat against Hong Kong in the Oval Stadium in Thailand on Monday. Monday’s loss also meant that Nepal missed out on its opportunity to finish third with a consolation win against Hong Kong. Nepal’s title aspiration came to an end following its 69 runs defeat at the hands of China on Sunday. Kicking off its maiden 40-over a side tournament introduced by ACC from current year in style, Nepal defeated Iran by 221 before suffering a crushing eight wicket loss against Thailand. It then went to register a consolation five wicket win over Bhutan.

KATHMANDU, Feb 17: The chairman of the Constituent Assembly (CA) cum speaker of the Legislature Parliament is set to be elected through majority vote as per Article 71 (1 [A]), after the political parties representing in the CA failed to nominate consensus candidate, on Monday afternoon. An all-party-meeting held at the CA building, New Baneshwor failed to agree on the single candidate this afternoon after UCPN (Maoist) and the UML staked their claim for the post.

Crash site is at Masine Lek, Argakhanchi KATHMANDU, FEB 17 - All eighteen people on board the ill-fated Jumla-bound twin otter belonging to Nepal Airlines that crashed at Dhikura VDC in Khachikot of Argakhanchi district, Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal confirmed. All dead bodies have been recovered at the crash site at Masine Lek in the village. Among the deceased, seven bodies have been identified so far.

KATMANDU / Nepal will slash the climbing fees for Mount Everest to attract more mountaineers to the world's highest peak, even as concerns grow about the environmental effects of climbers who already crowd the mountain during the high season. Madhusudan Burlakoti, head of Nepal's Department of Mountains, said Friday that beginning next year, it will cost $11,000 per climber to climb Everest.

Kathmandu, Feb. 11: Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi has resigned from his post. He tendered his resignation to President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to be effective from today. Regmi announced his resignation from the post of Chief Justice in the address to the nation that he gave in his capacity as the Chairman of the Council of Ministers from the meeting hall of the National Development Council in Singha Durbar today.

Kathmandu, Feb. 11: President Dr Ram Baran Yadav administered the oath of office and secrecy to the newly elected Prime Minister Sushil Koirala amidst a special ceremony at the Rastrapati Bhawan, Shital Niwas today. The Legislature-Parliament on Monday elected Nepali Congress (NC) President Koirala the sixth PM of federal republic Nepal. Vice President Parmananda Jha, Acting Chief Justice Damodar Prasad Sharma and Speaker Surya Bahadur Thapa were present on the occasion.

Kathmandu, Feb. 11: The CPN (UML) has decided not to participate in the new government until the power sharing is carried out as per the fresh agreement signed by the Nepali Congress with the party. The Central Committee meeting of the party that   took place at Parliamentary Party office, Singha Durbar today decided not to join a new government until the NC agreed to allocate ministry portfolios to the party according to the seven-point agreement reached between the two parties on February 9, party General Secretary told the journalists after the meeting. The meeting reiterated that the party should get the Home Ministry as per the agreement.  

JHAPA. Jhapa, the easternmost district of Nepal and sharing its border with India's west bengal state, has become a haven for members of various Indian underground armed outfits and criminal groups, the Nepal Police has said. On Jan 26, Indian police in civilian attire arrested three senior militant leaders of the Kamtapur Liberation Organization (KLO) near Kakarbhitta in Jhapa. The KLO has been waging an armed struggle for a separate state comprising districts in West Bengal and Assam states in India.