Long dry spell broken in Valley

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 21 March: Valley residents were relieved Saturday after a long dry spell was broken with moderate rain accompanied by thunder showers.
The rain was enough to wet dry fields as the Valley and the rest of the nation experiences a bad drought in recent years.
The Valley rain was accompanied by hailstorm.
The rain was still inadequate as residents experience a crippling 16-hour load-shedding schedule and drinking water shortage.
Happy residents celebrated rain in the rest of the country that started falling Friday amid reports several people died in lightning.
Naked women danced and frogs were married off soliciting rain as pujas were offered at spring sources.
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Former King Gyanendra return home delayed

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 21 March: Former King Gyanendra and Queen Komal didn’t return home Saturday even after a three-week first foreign visit after the declaration of a republic.
They were originally expected to return Friday after visits of the central Indian states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and New Delhi, sources said.
One unconfirmed report said the couple will only come back home in the middle of next week.
The couple is presently in New Delhi; the former king held discussions with Congress I President Sonia Gandhi this week sending political ripples back home.
Maoists, who conducted their people’s war based in India and which brokered a controversial 12-point agreement, are the only party who have passed negative comments.
Maoists deny claim of Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee New Delhi brokered the 12-point deal between Maoists and seven parliamentary parties that ultimately toppled monarchy.
Kantipur quoting an unidentified source quoting the former King said Saturday,” They said the country would develop after removing the king. It’s been three years since the king was removed. But what’s happened to the country?”
Kantipur reports from the Indian capital said the former king is continuing political discussions.
The newspaper didn’t mention persons he has met.
Dr Karan Singh, brother-in-law of RPP Chairman Pashupati SJB Rana, held a luncheon reception for the couple, the same day the former king held discussions with Sonia Gandhi.
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PM Prachanda says he will expand, reshuffle government

Kathmandu, 21 March: PM Prachanda said he will expand and reshuffle his six-month Maoist-led government next week to include main opposition Nepali Congress.
Prachanda told this to reporters in Lalitpur Saturday even as the Congress said amid conflicting reports it won’t join the government.
But other reports said party leader Girija Prasad Koirala is toying with the idea of joining government after returning home after discussions with Indian leaders in New Delhi this week.
Without naming CPN-UML and MJF, Prachanda some political aprties are behaving like the opposition in government.
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Preparations to promote colonels

Kathmandu, 21 March: Defence ministry is preparing to promote colonels in Nepal Army, Annapurna Post reports.
A ministry soured said personal details of colonels have been asked from Nepal Army.
Eight brigadier generals were retired.
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