Nepal’s case reaches UN
KATHMANDU, DEC 11 -After all mechanisms in Nepal failed to deliver justice to the family of Tej Bhandari, a victim of enforced disappearance, his family has knocked at the doors of UN Human Rights Committee (HRC) in Geneva.
Coinciding with the International Human Rights Day, Swiss Association against Impunity (TRIAL), a Geneva-based international impunity watchdog, took the case to HRC urging justice to the family. TRIAL lodged an application at the committee on behalf of Ram, son of Tej Bhandari, who was reportedly arrested and disappeared by police in Dec. 2001. According to TRIAL, Bhandari was summoned by the Chief District Officer in Besisahar of Lamjung district, in Dec. 2001. Upon arrival at the bus station, a group took him under control and thrashed. Bhandari was reportedly pushed into a police van and taken away to an unknown destination.
“Following the arrest, Bhandari’s family met the concerned authorities, which first refused to have arrested Bhandari, but later said an investigation was underway,” said TRIAL. According to TRIAL, one month after the arrest, the victim’s son appealed to the National Human Rights Commission seeking its intervention.
Minor killed in Saptari road accident
RAJBIRAJ, DEC 12 -A minor has been killed in a road mishap at Kathauna in Saptari district along the East-West Highway on Sunday morning.
One Sanju Kumari Chawdhary, 10, of Bhangaha-8, was killed when hit by a motorcycle (Na 10 Pa 4307) heading east today morning.
Meanwhile, police have impounded the motorcycle and detained the motorcyclist, Police Inspector at District Police Office, Sarad Oli, informed.more>>
Tourist inflow reaches an all-time high
KATHMANDU, JAN 03 -
The country enters Nepal Tourism Year on Saturday and the buzz is that tourism stakeholders will get a much needed boost. The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) on Sunday announced that arrivals by air in 2010 had reached an all-time high of 448,769 tourists.
This is first time in 12 years that tourist arrivals have crossed the 400,000 mark. The last time that Nepal had received so many tourists was in 1999 when 421,243 tourists came to the country.After a high of 1999, tourist arrivals in Nepal started to slump, first by the 9/11 attack and then by the escalation of the Maoist conflict in the country. Tourist arrivals continued to slide for three straight years -- from 2000 to 2002. Though there was a slight improvement in 2003 and 2004, arrivals again declined in 2005 then King Gyanendra took over direct rule. It was the peace agreement between the government and the Maoists that arrested this slump in 2006. Post-2006, the tourism sector has bounced back with a gradual upward movement of tourist arrivals.
The NTB data shows that arrivals have increased by 18.5 percent last year. Of the total arrivals, India tops the chart with 104,470 tourists followed by the US, the UK, China and France. There has been positive growth in the Asian segment, the European segment and the Americas, according to the NTB.
Though Indians are traditionally make up the largest number of visitors to the country, what is most promising for the domestic tourism market is a sharp increment in the arrival of Chinese tourists. Chinese tourist arrivals have jumped by an encouraging 36.8 percent in 2010, indicating that it is becoming one of the top markets for Nepal’s tourism. According to NTB data, a total of 25,559 tourists from China visited Nepal last year, up from 18,677
of 2009.
Hence, architects of NTY 2011 have understandably given
greater priority to India and China and projected them as major source markets. The NTY Implementation Committee has targeted 265,000 tourists from India and 100,000 tourists from China in 2011. One challange to bring more tourists is expensive air fare. “Airfares from China to Nepal are among the world’s expensive fares and driving distance is also long,” said Rajendra Bajgai, general secretary of the Trekking Agents Association of Nepal.
Pedro brace sends Barcelona five clear in Spanish league
Pedro Rodriguez netted a brace as champions Barcelona started 2011 with a nervy 2-1 home win over Levante on Sunday to move five points clear of Real Madrid at the Spanish first division summit.
Brazilian Dani Alves set up the opener for Pedro, faking to shoot twice before laying the ball back for the forward to drill home Barcelona's first goal of the new year two minutes after the break.
Alves was the provider for the second goal as well, teeing up Pedro to curl a controlled shot into the corner.
It was a special game for Spanish World Cup winner Xavi, who equalled Barcelona's all-time appearance record.
The 30-year-old playmaker made his 549th outing to draw level with legendary centre-back Migueli.
"We wanted to win this game for him (Xavi)," said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. "I played for many years here and reached 300 games which seemed a lot. If his tendons hold out I think he could reach 700 games."
With seven minutes gone Andres Iniesta had a chip tipped over and David Villa then sliced a shot wide as Levante, who lost 8-0 to Real Madrid in the King's Cup last time out, rode their luck.
Xavi should have marked his landmark appearance with the opening goal after 26 minutes but shot wide after Iniesta had created the chance with a neat run down the left.
Barcelona got the perfect start in the second half, however, as Pedro scored two minutes after the restart.
Pedro made it four goals in his last two league games with his second, curling a fine shot into the left-hand side of the goal just before the hour.
Uruguayan substitute Christian Stuani gave the champions a late scare by brilliantly volleying home on 80 minutes but Barcelona survived a tense final 10 minutes to take the points.
Barcelona's next match is against Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday in the second leg of their King's Cup last 16 tie, with the first leg at Camp Nou having finished 0-0.
Bilbao sank to a 2-1 defeat against Deportivo La Coruna earlier on Sunday, with Adrian Alvarez scoring both goals as the visitors recorded only their second away win of the campaign.
Elsewhere 10-man Valencia defeated Champions League rivals Espanyol 2-1 on Sunday thanks to a controversial late winner from Spanish international Juan Mata.
Mata looked to be offside as he scored the decisive goal in stoppage time as fourth-placed Valencia moved three points clear of Espanyol and two points behind Villarreal in third.
Valencia took the lead courtesy of a towering header from Aritz Aduriz on 29 minutes but team-mate Ricardo Costa then headed into his own net as he tried to clear a cross from the right.
Goalscorer Aduriz saw his night ruined on the hour mark when he was harshly red-carded for hitting Francisco Chica with a stray arm prompting the defender to collapse on the ground.
Espanyol pushed but Valencia scored in the dying seconds with Costa heading across for Mata to score from close range as the visitors saw their offside claims waved away.
Sevilla moved six points off the top four ending a run of five consecutive league defeats with a 1-0 home win over Osasuna on Sunday.
Mali striker Freddy Kanoute headed the winning goal on 35 minutes as Sevilla moved up to ninth in the table.
Kings Cup holders Sevilla take on Malaga in the second leg of their last 16 tie on Wednesday having won the first leg 5-3.
Malaga moved out of the bottom three with a 2-1 win at relegation rivals Sporting Gijon.
Malaga came from a goal down to notch only their second win in 13 games and move three points clear of the drop zone.
Sporting stay second from bottom and are without a league win since mid-October.
