First lot of ministers likely to be announced Thursday

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 21 Aug: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda is expected to announce the first lot of ministers Thursday in a delayed formation of government.
Prachanda leaves for Beijing Saturday to attend Sunday’s closing ceremony of the Olympics in the Chinese capital.
The full government is expected to be announced after his return from China.
Prachanda held separate meetings with leaders of CPN-UML and MJF Thursday morning.
Maoists Wednesday agreed to set aside the minister of local development and water resources to the CPN-UML.
CPN-UML leader Bhim Rawal revealed this Wednesday after a meeting with CPN (Maoist) leaders.
Another CPN-UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari said smaller parties—CPN-ML, CPN (United), Janamorcha Nepal and Sabhawana Party (D) would also join the seven-party Maoist-led government.
Five of the seven parties in government are communists.
For the first time, communists are in a majority in government.
CPN(Maoist), CPN-UML and MJF will share nine, six and four ministries each and four ministries have been allocated for four fringe parties.
MJF Chairman Upendra Yadav will lead the party team in government.
Full government after Premier Prachanda returns from Beijing where he will attend Sunday’s closing ceremony of the Olympic Games; the prime minister leaves for China Saturday.
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Another Nepali in the Guinness Book of Records

Kathmandu, 21 Aug: Gautam Sapkota of Hetauda made it to the Guinness Book of World records on July 12 for imitating the sounds of as many as151 species of birds, The Himalayan Times reports.
Talking to this daily, Sapkota, 26, said, ”Though my name was listed in the Guinness Book of Records on July 12, I knew about it only on Monday.”
Despite criticism from family and friends, Sapkota started imitating bird sounds on April 14, 2005.
“I can call crows and make them stay on trees for a while,” he said.
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Rabindranath Sharma joining RPP

Kathmandu, 21 Aug: Former RPP-Nepal Chairman Rabindranath Sherpa and top leader Rajeshwor Debkota are defecting to RPP led by Pashupati SJB Rana later Thursday.
The two defections will be a bid set setback for RPP-Nepal led by Kamal Thapa.
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Sarita Giri general secretary in reorganized NSP(D)

Kathmandu, 21 Aug: Sarita Giri has been appointed generals secretary in a reorganized national working committee of NSP(D).
The new committee has 35 members.
Siman Narayan Mishra has been appointed spokesman.
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Tarai rebel shot dead

Kathmandu, 21 Aug: Commander of All Tarai Mukti Morcha, Bara, Nagendra Yadav was killed in an encounter with police Wednesday.
He was killed at Buniyad-9, Bara, after an encounter with police.
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BJP call for recognition of Hindi interference: Kiran

Kathmandu, 21 Aug: Maoist leader Mohan Baidya ‘Kiran” said Wednesday the call on Indian main opposition BJP to recognize Hindi Nepal’s second language in interference in Nepal’s internal affairs.
“The BJP view tantamounts to interference. Hindi is not the mother tongue of anybody in Nepal. That’s why we oppose it,” Kiral told a public function.
‘Public political statements of foreign ambassadors will also be stopped henceforth,” he said.
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