Wolfowitz must quit’

HONG KONG: More than 40 senior former World Bank officials called on Monday for the immediate resignation of its embattled leader Paul Wolfowitz, saying he had lost trust and respect. In a letter to the Financial Times, the 42 ex-employees called for change following revelations that the bank’s president used his influence to ensure a favourable job and salary for his girlfriend.—AFP

Deficits in EU down

BRUSSELS: European countries made strides last year in cleaning up their public finances, with deficit levels down sharply from the previous year, according to official EU figures published on Monday. The average deficit level in the eurozone as a per centage of gross domestic output (GDP) fell last year to 1.6 per cent from 2.5 per cent in 2005, the Eurostat data agency said.—AFP

Cadbury charged

BIRMINGHAM: Cadbury Schweppes PLC faces prosecution for allowing contaminated chocolate to be sold last year, Birmingham City Council said Monday. Cadbury recalled a number of its chocolate products last year, after salmonella traces were discovered in them.—AP

Rural road being built

THIMI: District Development Committee Bhaktapur is to start construction of rural ring road this fiscal year 2006-07 to link all the VDCs of the district. For this, the DDC has allocated a budget of Rs 3.5 million, said Ramesh Aryal, planning officer. In this connection, work on blacktopping of the road from Gundu VDC to Gundu Health Post under the rural ring road and construction of road from Tathali-2 to Halal Gaun have been started. Likewise, the road to link Nakhel VDC and Sipadol VDC, Jhaukhel, Changu VDC, Changu-8 to Khahare and up to Narayantar, and Tigani of Thimi bus park and Duwakot Saraswotikhel and up to Saraswoti Temple will be constructed. The Taudol culvert will be constructed to link Nankhel and Sipadol and Sudal-Chameli ring road and Telkot -Changu link road will be constructed, informed Aryal. —RSS

Tea farming in Myagdi

MYAGDI: Commercial tea farming has been started for the first time in Bim village development committee (VDC) in the western part of Myagdi district. The farming was started after examining climate and geographical condition, as well as soil testing, said an officer at the district agriculture development office, Myagdi. This was started with the initiatives of Pahalbir Jugrali, a resident of Bim, after bringing orthodox tea saplings of Tinali and Keban species from Ilam. —RSS