PM Prachanda leaving for Norway, Finland

Kathmandu, 28 March: Prime Minister Prachanda leaves Saturday for a rescheduled week-long official visits of Norway and Finland one day before parliament meets for its winter session.
He arrives in Oslo Sunday as head of a 12-member government team; a five-member business delegation is accompanying the premier.
Nepal and Norway are signing an economic cooperation agreement during the visit.
The premier asked parties not to make his foreign visit an issue in parliament.
He returns home 4 April.
This is the premier’s fourth foreign visit after being installed six months ago.
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Curfew in Batwal; other details

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmndu, 28 March: An indefinite curfew has been slapped on Butwal and adjoining areas after the alleged murder of CPN-UML student activist Praschanda Thaibu by Maoists Thursday.
But Maoists denied their involvement.
Five rounds of bullets were pumped into Thaibu who died in hospital while undergoing treatment.CPN-UML threatened to withdraw from government and boycotted Friday’s cabinet meeting demanding action against culprits
CPN-UML central committee meeting was disrupted Friday.
CPN-UML central leaders, including Chairman Jhalanath Khanal are flying to Butwal Saturday to attend Thaibu’s funeral.
The coalition partner of Maoists in government has called for nation-wide protests Saturday.
Angry CPN-UML activists Friday attacked offices of Maoists.


Technical committee for integration of armies formed

Kathmandu, 28 March: A eight-member technical team for integration of 19,000 plus Maoist combatants in Nepal Army and resettlement has been formed by a special committee headed by PM Prachanda Friday.
Barshaman Pun Ananta and Dr Indrajit Rai represent Maoists in the committee while retired army officer Gopal Singh Bohara and Dipak Prasad Bhatta represent CPN-UML in the technical committee.
MJF is represented by former civil servant Ramananda Mishra and former police officer Shadananda Kurmi while retired general Balananda Sharma and former diplomat Dr Sambhuram Simkha represent Nepali Congress in the technical committee.
The committee has been directed to complete work by mid-July.
Meanwhile, Prachanda summoned Defence Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal and Chief of Army Staff Gun Rukmangud Katawal to his residence and asked them to improve their relationship that cooled after the government first refused to extend tenure of eight brigadier generals reinstated by the supreme court.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“The imperialists agents are supporting pro-Tibetan movements in Nepal to disintegrate China.”

(Sports Minister Gopal Sakya, The Himalayan Times, 28 March)

“Why should Congress join the government to be bashed when CPN-UML is quitting government soon?”

(Sher Bahadur Deuba, Annapurna Post, 28 March)
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