British minister meets acting premier Bamdeb Gautam, Girija

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 2 April: Britain’s Minister for International Development Mike Foster held discussions Thursday with Acting Prime Minister Bamdeb Gautam.
They discussed the peace process and British assistance to Nepal.
Foster also held discussions with main opposition leader Girija Prasad Koirala.
He held discussions with CPN-UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal Wednesday.
The visiting minister Wednesday announced a Rs 460 million support for the World Food Programme for victims of drought and conflict in the hill districts.
Foster is visiting Nepal for the second time in four months.
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Seven children missing in devastating Saptari fire Wednesday

Kathmandu, 2 April: Seven children are missing in a devastating fire Wednesday at Tikuliya-3 in Saptari.
Nearly 225 housed were destroyed while damage is estimated at Rs 50 million.
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PM to hold talks with Finnish prime minister president Thursday

Kathmandu, 2 April: Prime Minister Prachanda is scheduled to hold talks in Helsinki Thursday with Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen and President Tarja Halonen.
He began an official visit of Finland Wednesday.
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16 Indian army officers undergoing training in Mustang along Tibet border

Kathmandu, 2 April: Sixteen Indian army officers led by a colonel arrived in Mustang for training, RSS reports quoting CDO Sundar Raj Aryal.
Mustang lies north of the Himalaya and adjoins Tibet.
RS did n’t say there the officers are undergoing training in the sensitive border district.
But the Nepal Army has a mountain warfare training center in the district.
Other details weren’t mentioned.
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Supreme court begins hearing on govt. appeal

Kathmandu, 2 April: A one-man bench of the supreme court Thursday began hearing on an appeal by government to overturn a court decision to reinstate eight brigadier generals.
Government has asked the apex court to overturn its decision.
The controversy has cooled relations between the Maoist-led government and Nepal Army.
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MEDIA GOOGLE


“This analogy [to eunuchs] becomes more fitting, as, in the Maoists’ view, the UML has o teen able to make up its mind whether it is a ruling or opposition party. A malady, one might add, the party has suffered in every coalition government it has joined.”

(Maila Baje, The People’s Review, 2 April)

“We are not ditching the government but former rebels [Maoists], due to the latter’s violent activities.”

(KP Sharma Oli, The Kathmandu Post, 2 April)

“Can’t say who incited Dipendra without a complete investigation [of Narayanhiti massacre on 1 June 2001. Powers in and out of the country could be behind it. This reality may surface slowly.”

(Former Royal Palace Military Secretary Bibek Shah, Kantipur, 2 April)

“There’s no conflict in the country now. If the situation is studied seriously now, it will be good for the country if the office of the OHCHR is closed down soonest for the greater interest of the country.”

(Unidentified foreign ministry official in Maoist mouthpiece Janadisha, 2 April)
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