Kathmandu, Feb 17 (RSS): The Parliamentary Hearing Committee received complaints against the proposed chairperson of the National Muslim Commission, Samim Ansari. However, no complaint has been lodged against proposed chiefs of other four constitutional bodies recommended by the Constitutional Council, said Laxman Lal Karna, Chairperson of the Parliamentary Hearing Committee. The information about the complaints against Ansari was made public at today's meeting of the Committee. Four separate complaints were filed against Ansari, said Karna, adding that additional information on it would come out only after the committee members study it. Meanwhile, the committee decided to begin a parliamentary hearing against Balananda Poudel and Shanta Raj Subedi, the proposed chiefs of the National Natural Resource and Fiscal Commission and the National Inclusive Commission respectively on February 19.

Kathmandu, Nov 2: Prime Minister Sushil Koirala has extended best wishes for the successful tenure of European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

In the congratulatory message sent on Sunday, Prime Minister Koirala on behalf of the Nepal government, Nepali people, and his own, has expressed his confidence that the European Commission would be able to achieve its goals with Juncker's successful leadership.

Prime Minister Koirala recalled his meeting with Juncker at Brussels a few weeks ago stating that the meeting has further enhanced Nepal's relations with EC. RSS

Kathmandu, Nov 2: Joint Tourism Cooridnation Committee has hailed the decision of Nepal Tourism Board's Executive Committee and extended gratefulness to the individualss and isntitutions for their coopertation to that end.

Organizing a press conference here today, the JTCC said NTB's action of suspending acting Chief Executive Officer Subas Niraula, who was implicated on charge of corruption and irregularity, has excited tourism entreprenerus.

The action has paved the way for tourism promotion in the country, the JTCC added.

The decision of October 30 NTB Executive Committee meeting had suspended Niraula in line with the directive order of the Public Accounts Committee.

The entrepreneurs had staged struggle for 58 days demanding an end to corruption and irregualrities and restructuring of the Board.

The tourism sector workers have demanded the NTB to allocate five per cent of the total income for investment.

The JTCC has provided support of Rs 50,000 to ailing journalist Kalpana Maharjan to support her treatment who has been admitted to Sumeru Hospital in Dhapakhel. She complained of hrealth problem while climbing up the Mount Everest. RSS

Kathmandu, Oct 29: Nepal has been promoted to Division 2 in world cricket after making it to the final of World Cricket League Division 3 final.
Nepal defeated hosts Malaysia in the semi-final today held at Kuala Lumpur by 36 runs through the Duckworth/Lewis method, after the match was affected by rain. Nepal will now meet Uganda in the final of the league tomorrow. Uganda also secured a promotion to Division 2 by defeating Bermuda by 7 wickets in the second semi-final today. Nepal and Uganda ended with 8 points each and thereby qualified to Division 2.

KATHMANDU, OCT 23 - The Tribhuvan University ( TU ) Office of the Controller of Examinations, Balkhu has published the results of the examinations of Masters degree second year (Public Administration- MPA) held under the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences earlier this year.
The results are available at www.edusanjal.com, www.tu.ntc.net.np and www.educationkhabar.com, the Office said. 

OCT 20 - Now that the third extended deadline for parties to forge consensus on disputed issues in the new constitution has passed, parties have again agreed to reach consensus by the end of October. But they remain sharply divided over disputed issues, primarily on federalism and form of government. The ruling parties—the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML—are also at odds with the opposition—the UCPN (Maoist) and the Madhesi and Janajati parties—over whether to go for a majority vote on disputed issues if consensus cannot be reached. Bhadra Sharma caught up with UML chief whip, Agni Kharel, who is also the party’s representative in the cross-party panel formed to seek consensus, to understand the UML’s position shift on form of government, its stance on going to a vote on disputed issues, and possible meeting points.

The UML appears uncompromising on disputed issues of the constitution. Why is this?
The party is not rigid. It is flexible and willing to comply with what is best for the constitution. I don’t know why we appear uncompromising to outsiders, but we have already agreed on seven provinces. We have also explained the reasons behind our choice of number of provinces. We have discussed this with more than half-a-dozen political parties as well. The UML has acknowledged identity and its five criteria as a basis for federation, but has dismissed the theory that identity is synonomous with caste and ethnicity. Division into provinces according to capability has four criteria and we have been saying that only those provinces based on both identity and capacity can last.
Some sections of the UML have come out strongly in favour of a vote in case consensus cannot be reached. How does this coincide with the UML’s flexibility on disputed issues?
The UML party chairperson has repeatedly said that consensus is the way forward. We don’t have a two-third majority in the House to push for a vote. But then again, seeking agreement does not mean that everyone will agree on everything. The Congress and the Maoists differ on almost every point. For instance, the NC is not in favour of 10 provinces or for a directly-elected presidency. Neither has the Congress ever wanted to go beyond the directly-elected parliamentary system. Still, a level of unanimity on major issues must be reached. We have amended our policies to fit the line of consensus. What is surprising is that a party that has amended its policies to become more agreeable has been deemed inflexible.
The UML recently said that it is willing to give up its demand for a directly-elected premier. What accounts for this shift in position?
The party has long been demanding a directly-elected prime minister; it is there in our manifesto as well. The primary reason behind this form of government is our desire for stability. The UCPN (Maoist) was with us on this. But when it comes to drafting the constitution, it is not enough to have just the UML and UCPN (Maoist) on one side. The Congress and UML have to be together because of our commitment to a democratic constitution.
What is your stance on form of government?
Governance should be about stability and democracy. Some might call it a reformed parliamentary process or multi-party democratic process but we are not satisfied with the situation as it is. But neither are we trying to fall behind the Congress. The NC is in favour of the traditional parliamentary form of government. We have told them that we do not agree with this. Our party and the nation are both tired of seeing the ‘vote of no-confidence’ motion used to bring down governments frequently in the past. We need strong clauses that say that no one can propose a no-confidence vote for at least two years after the formation of the government. If a party proposes such a vote in Parliament, that party should also nominate a prime minister before voting starts. And, if the proposal fails and the incumbent government remains in force, no other party can propose a similar poll for at least another year.
But we are also against a directly-elected president as chief executive because we have battled autocracy for a long time and we don’t want a similar situation to arise in the future. If we cannot agree on every issue right now, we can at least release a democratic constitution without compromising on fundamental principles.
Parties haven’t been able to forge consensus for a long time now. But the self-imposed deadline for the new constitution—January 22—is close. How will the parties find common ground?
Until a point, we will keep pushing for consensus. But then, there are parties that talk about consensus but do nothing to that end and instead, threaten to burn the constitution if it is not consensus-driven. We need to opt for consensus for as long as we can, but if that is not possible, we need to take disputed issues to the CA. That is the mandate of the CA and it is ready for that. In the last CA, the chairperson had directed that unresolved questions be put to a vote. This CA has again endorsed that very proposal. However, this does not mean that the voting will finalise the constitution. Whichever proposal wins a majority, will be incorporated into the draft constitution, which will then be circulated to the public and to the CA. The CA members will then amend the draft further. During this whole process, negotiations will continue. We don’t need a two-thirds majority right now. We need that only when every article and clause of the constitution needs to be passed. This time, a simple majority will incorporate an issue into the draft. People need to realise that going for a vote now does not mean that the doors for negotiations will remain shut forever.
For instance, when it comes to federation, the Maoists are for 10 provinces, and, let’s say, the NC is for six, and we are for seven. Whichever stance gets 51 percent of the votes, that will be incorporated into the draft. But the drafting committee needs to be ready to negotiate to address our disagreements. Until the finalisation of the constitution, negotiations need to and will go on.
You have been attending a lot of inter-party talks. What do you think are the bases for consensus?
The theoretical basis is the idea of a federal democratic republic. A democratic constitution means separation of powers. The principle of check and balance should be kept in mind. While federating the country, provinces should be formed based on the four criteria of capability and five of identity or a combination of both. When it comes to form of government, stability is key. As for the electoral process, let’s talk about inclusion.
When it comes to disputed issues, what are the UML bottom lines?
We don’t want to see more than seven provinces. We will not agree to single-identity-based federalism. We want an inclusionary electoral system. The Lower House of Parliament has to be directly elected, but questions of inclusion should be addressed. For instance, 40 percent of directly-elected seats can be made proportionally representative. Seats can be reserved for Dalits, women, and other marginalised communities. The Upper House needs to have representatives from all provinces. If the Upper House has 70 members, each of the, let’s say, seven provinces should send 10 representatives, three or four of whom should be women, one or two Dalits and so on.   
How confident are you that a new constitution will be written by January 22? What will happen if the deadline is not met?
We are confident that the constitution will be written on time because most of the disputed issues are already part of the political dialogue. While searching for consensus, political parties do not need to draft the constitution. They just need to come out with bullet points for agreements. The drafting committee will do the rest, for which a month is enough. But it is irresponsible to say that the sky won’t fall if a constitution is not drafted on time. The CA might not legally expire, but it will start losing political legitimacy.

KATHMANDU, OCT 23 - Nepal take on Uganda at the Kinrara Oval as their fate in international cricket for the next two years begins with the ICC World Cricket League Division III in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday.
The Division III will send the top two teams to Division II which will also serve as t he qualification for the upcoming ICC World Cricket League Championship (WCLC) and ICC Intercontinental Cup (ICup). The tournament is also an opportunity for all the six teams to have a shot at the busy international schedule of ICC for non-Test playing teams.
Coach Pubudu Dassanayake acknowledged the significance of the tournament which also includes hosts Malaysia, Sinagpore, Bermuda and the United States of America. “At this point of time we cannot think anything beyond the Division III tournament,” Dassanayake told The Kathmandu Post from the team hotel in Kuala Lumpur.
“Every team member, myself and the country’s cricket future depends on this tournament. We are focused and will give every bit to qualify for the next Division,” added Dassanayake.
Nepal landed in Kuala Lumpur from a nine-day preparation tour in Sri Lanka where they played three matches winning one, losing the other with the third washed out. Dassanayake said the Sri Lanka tour provided an opportunity to the players to shape themselves well.
The Division III was initially scheduled to begin from October 26 in Uganda but the ICC later shifted the venue to Malaysia. Dassanayake believes the decision has benefited Nepal. “The Malaysian conditions favours us pretty well but we have to take one game at a time. My only concern is the weather here,” said the Nepal coach.
“If we get to play full 50-over game, we can be the favourites. But if Duckworth Lewis comes into play in case of rain-reduced match, it can be anyone’s game,” Dassanayake added referring to the evening rain that Malaysia has seen in the last few days.
Nepal have met Uganda thrice winning twice and losing the other. Nepal had lifted the Division III title defeating Uganda in the final in Bermuda in May, 2013. Their title triumph had preceded a six-wicket loss to Uganda in the group stages. Nepal had hammered Uganda by 160 runs in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in a tournament where both teams were relegated back to Division III.
While Uganda pin high hopes in their spin attack, Dassanayake believes that the preparation in Sri Lanka has instilled enough confidence in his batsmen. “Our top order has been in a good shape and the middle order as usual is very strong. I am confident we will put enough runs on board,” added the coach.
Opening batsmen though could be a big concern for Dassanayake who has been trying to combine the long-time regular Subash Khakurel with Naresh Budhayer. But the best the opening pair did during the three matches in Sri Lanka was a 16-run stand against Colts Cricket Club.
While Khakurel made just 11 runs from three matches, Budhayer scored 70 with a half century (61) against Ragama Cricket Club. Khakurel has been a consistent top scorer for Nepal for quite a long time and despite his failure with the bat in friendlies, Dassanayake is set to continue with his new opening pair  in Malaysia as well.
There will also be huge expectations from middle order duo Gyanendra Malla and skipper Paras Khadka which has always been the backbone of the Nepali batting. Malla, in particular, has been in a sublime form scoring 167 against Ragama and 57 not out against Colts, while Khadka has a half century to his name in the warm-up tour.
Binod Bhandari, Sharad Vesawkar and Sagar Pun will have their place cemented, while Som Pal Kami will once again spearhead the bowling attack with Dassanayake in dilemma over the selection of embattling Amrit Bhattarai. Basanta Regmi and Shakti Gauchan will once again be at the heart of Nepali spin attack. Dassanayake will also have to deal with the headache either pick the veteran allrounder Mehboob Alam or go with the rising young all rounder Aarif Sheikh.

KATHMANDU, OCT 24 - Janajati leaders have said that the country should be federated into at least 10 states based on identity, as recommended by the State Restructuring Commission of the previous Constituent Assembly ( CA ). They have also demanded that these states should be federated based on one specific cultural and historical linkage of people living in the region.
The model best represents the spirit of past agreement signed between the government and indigenous nationalities, said the Janajati leaders, who are spearheading a struggle for identity-based federalism under the banner of "Adibasi Janajati Rastriya Andolan".
As many as 53 groups representing the Janajati communities in political, social and academic sectors of the country have announced to launch a stronger protest across the country after Tihar holidays to press for ethnicity-based federalism.
Janajati leaders from the parties, including Barsha Man Pun of UCPN (Maoist), Dev Gurung of CPN-Maoist, Ashok Rai of Federal Socialist Party Nepal and Parshuram Tamang of Sanghiya Ganatantrik Samajbadi Party, Pasang Sherpa of the Federal Democratic Party Nepal and Kumar Lingden of Limbuwan Rastriya Party, are in the 40-member coordination committee of the protest.
Leaders in the alliance said the federal model proposed by the ruling Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML threaten to avert historical achievements like federalism, identity, and secularism. NC and UML, the two largest parties in the CA , have stood in favour of federating the country into a maximum of seven states based on capacity and identity.
Padma Ratna Tuladhar, the leader of the movement, said 10-state model could be a point of compromise, if NC and UML do not want to settle for 14 states as proposed by the State Restructuring and Devolution of the State Power Committee of the previous CA .
“There should not be any attempt to subvert the achievement of people’s war, Janandolan and the movements launched by Janajatis and Dalits. If that happens, it will only plant seed of discontent among the suppressed,” said Tuladhar.
The alliance has demanded that the government give utmost priority to bring the excluded and backward communities to the mainstream.
Prof Om Gurung, spokesperson of central coordination committee of the movement, said the more the states the wider the platform for oppressed people to participate in developmental process. “There should be a provision of autonomous, protected and special areas for the people who were always neglected by the state,” said Gurung. He said that the earlier division of country was ‘highly ethnic’ and gave certain communities an upper hands in state function.
“Some parties who desire old ways are blaming that we want to divide people on ethic line. It is they who want ethnic states, not us,” said Gurung, adding that the purpose of their protest is to unite the people and make the country prosperous.
A number of Janajati organisations, including the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (Nefin), its women chapter and other sister wings, have supported the protest. Parsuram Tamang, who is also in the core team to draft the modalities of the protest, said this will be more of a cultural protest like the one they staged in 2012. He said the political allies in the alliance will continue parallel protest within the 22-party alliance led by UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal.