Surkhet: Two youth, who went Malaysia for employment, have been forced to stay live with one-time meal for the last 10 months.

Penniless Tek Bahadur Khatri and Prem Bahadur BK of Ranibas of Surkhet have been forced to spend days and nights only by taking meal once a day at the Malaysian city of Epo. BK and Khatri had reached there through a manpower company in Nepal 14 months ago.

Talking to RSS, the duo said they were forced to stay without any job for around four months after the agent that took them there could not find jobs for them. “Later we got cleaning jobs for when the company gave only five ringgit a day that could not even be sufficient for two times meal a day.”

They complained that though the manpower’s director on whose initiation they were sent to Malaysia met Chinese agent Anika and urged to provide the salary as mentioned in the agreement letter, their problem has not been solved yet.

“We are in deep trouble here. We even don’t know how to contact the Nepalese Embassy in Malaysia,” said Khatri on phone.

Biratnagar: Nepali Congress (NC) leader Bhim Bahadur Tamang said today that his candidacy for the post of party president “is not for any faction, but for the party ideology, norms and values”.

At a function organised here today he said he has a plan to make the party “the base of new leadership”.

Congress has a great role to play for the success of the peace process and constitution-drafting, he said.

On the occasion, NC leader Narahari Acharya, who have also announced his candidacy for general secretary post, said his “candidacy is for the change”.

“I announced candidacy to democratically transform Congress and make the party a leader of philosophy,” he said.

Similarly, another NC leaders Chakra Prasad Bastola said both Tamang and Acharya declared their candidacies to develop a new leadership.

Janakpurdham: Nepal Water Supply Corporation, Janakpur, has made clear that there is no poison in drinking water supplied by the Corporation.

Chief of the Corporation Bijaya Yadav has urged the consumers to drink water without any doubt as the rumour of poison in the water was baseless.

The general public in Janakpur area were terrorized last evening following the rumour of poisoned water in the city.

Biratnagar: Nuresha Khatun, 20, of Kadmaha VDC-4 in Morang district has given birth to a dead baby having two heads.  Koshi Zonal Hospital informed that the infant had three hands as well. Khatun had given birth to the baby after an operation at the hospital after she was admitted following the labour pain.

Kathmandu: Nepali Congress (NC) Vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel has said that the country has witnessed political deadlock due to the obduracy and vested interest on the part of some individuals.

The current political quagmire is not because of the shortcomings of the parliamentary system but due to Maoists’ opting for saving their face following their entry into the system, leader Poudel added.

At a programme organized by Gulmi Kathmandu Liaison Committee on the occasion of 97^th birth anniversary of BP Koirala in the capital wednesday, he argued that the country has plunged into confusion as the CPN-UML came up with a decision triggering political deadlock in the country.

“UML took the decision of third line when a clear decision was not made to present UML Chairperson Jhala Nath Khanal the Prime Minister that plunged the country in a state of uncertainty”, Poudel further said.

The deadlock caused by anyone should be removed, he opined.

On the occasion, NC central member Bal Bahadur KC and NC Gulmi president Chandra Bahadur KC said BP’s thoughts have contributed more to the Nepali politics.

Kathmandu: The Embassy of Israel organized a special function here wednesday to mark the golden jubilee of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Israel.

Former Prime Minister BP Koirala was specially commemorated and a minute’s silence was observed in his honour on the occasion since diplomatic relation with Israel was established on the special initiative of Koirala 50 years ago.

At the programme, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal expressed respect to the late Koirala by illuminating a candle.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Nepal said BP Koirala, who had fought for freedom and rights throughout his life, had made first-ever attempt to give diplomatic recognition to Israel.

The friendly ties between Nepal and Israel have been bolstered due to the growing people-to-people relations between the two countries, Prime Minister Nepal said, adding that the way Israel expanded its development through diligence of people is exemplary.

Stating that there is great opportunity of investment in trade, business and tourism between the two countries, the Prime Minister said both Nepal and Israel will reap benefits if bilateral trade is promoted.

Efforts should be made to expand new relations between the two nations in the 50 years of the establishment of the relation, he further said.

On the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister Sujata Koirala said the late BP Koirala, who had substantial contribution to the establishment of democracy in Nepal, had undertaken exemplary work by establishing relations with Israel for the first time.

Israeli Ambassador to Nepal Dan Stav said Israel has felt satisfaction while celebrating 50^th years of the friendly ties between Nepal and Israel, and heartily lauded the contribution of the late Koirala for the establishment of relations between the two countries at the difficult moment.

Former Ambassador Dr. Bhekh Bahadur Thapa and BP’s son Dr. Sashank Koirala had also highlighted the contribution extended by the late Koirala.

On the occasion, a greetings message sent by Israeli President Shimon Peres to Prime Minister Nepal on the occasion of the completion of half century since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries was read out.

Diplomatic ties between the two countries were established with the visionary thinking of Nepal’s then Prime Minister BP Koirala and first Prime Minister of Israel the late David Ben-Gurion, and both the leaders were relentless fighters for the principles of social justice, development, freedom and democracy, the Israeli President said.

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has said the topic of government formation would be settled after all the parties represented in the Constituent Assembly agree on peace and the new constitution.

Speaking to journalists after a function organized on the occasion of the Education Day today, Prime Minister Nepal said, ‘Consensus could be reached on the topic of power-sharing after holding discussion among all the parties on constitution drafting by deciding on the peace process.”

Asked who is responsible for the political stalemate, the Prime Minister said nobody was to blame for this and stressed on all to work for forging consensus.

Kathmandu: A delegation of Nepali businessmen toured Thailand on the occasion of 50 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Thailand.

Industrialists and businessmen Shiva Kumar Agrawal, Lok Harsha Shakya, Mohan Bir Thapa, Binod Ratna Tuladhar, Suraj Shakya were in the delegation led by Chairman of Nepal-Thai Chambers of Commerce Ajaya Kumar Mudbhari.

During the visit, the team met with the Secretary of Thailand’s Foreign Ministry and Thai businessmen and held talks on ways to end problems related to trade between the two countries and urged them to help increase Thai tourists in Nepal.

The Nepali industrialists and businessmen also visited various trading houses of Thailand.

Secretary of Nepal-Thai Chambers of Commerce Mohan Bir Thapa said the visit was successful in fostering trade relations between the two countries and added that Thai business are visiting Nepal at the end of September for the promotion of investment here.

Morang: Organisers of Ganapati Festival cancelled the plan to invite former king Gyanendra Shah to inaugurate the festival due to be held on Sept. 12 in Biratnagar after protests from local political parties and civil society.

The former king’s visit was canceled after different sister organisations of the Unified CPN-Maoist warned the organizers not to call the former king and queen for the inauguration.

Organising committee member Arun Rathi siad the programme was changed as the festival has been going to be organised with religious purpose rather than inviting any conflict.

Kathmandu: Vice-Chairmen of Unified CPN (Maoist) Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Narayan Kaji Shrestha said the Maoist party would move ahead in unison.

Both of them said this during an assembly organised by Gantantrik Samparka Manch on the occasion of 12^th memorial of Suresh Wagle ‘Basu’ and Bhimsen Pokharel ‘Bairagi’, both martyrs of people’s war.

It is natural to see ideological debate in a lively party, they said, adding that the party will move in revolution’s direction with more strength. They expressed commitment to maintain unity in the party and walking in the footsteps of Basu and Bairagi. 

Admitting weakness inside their party, both of them stressed for transformation and purification in the party. 

“The Maoist party is not the party of some clever people. It is the party of millions of poor, minority, women, Dalit, Madhesi and other indigenous people. Thus, it cannot split,” said Dr. Bhattarai. 

He also said that the achievements gained through sacrifice in the past should be preserved.  

Shrestha said that the Maoist party has not been allowed to lead new government for raising the issue of national sovereignty and for not concurring with parliamentary system.

“The demand that the Maoist party that became the largest party through election should transform itself into a civilian party has no logic,” he said.  

“If we were not allowed to write a constitution through constitutional process, our party will be forced to revolt and the revolution will be completed at any cost,” he said.

Chairman of All Nepal National Independent Student Union-Revolutionary Lekhnath Neupane warned the party leadership that it should not be the party of smugglers and mafias.