Prachanda summons ambassadors

Kathmandu, 23 April: Prime Minister Prachanda invited eight ambassadors from EU, USA, India and China and briefed them on latest developments after a Maoist attempt to sack Army Chief Gen Rokmangud Katawal was aborted through national and international pressure.
They advised national understanding.
Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood stayed for another 45 minutes at the end of the meeting.
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Congress and other parties inciting president to stage coup

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 23 April: Prime Minister and Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda said Wednesday Congress and other parties are inciting a ceremonial president to stage a military coup, Rajdhani reports.
According to Maoist secretariat member Deb Gurung Prime Minister told a secretariat meeting a conspiracy to repeat a December 1960 coup will be smashed.
Prachanda said repeated meetings of Army Chief Gen Rukmangud Katawal with the president shouldn’t be taken lightly.
“A government official should hold a dialogue on differences with government. The tendency of the army chief to hold discussions with a ceremonial president by ignoring an executive prime minister is extremely dangerous,” Law Minister Gurung quoting the prime minister told Rajdhani.
Prachanda said political parties are inciting the president ot take an extreme action.
Gurung said the party felt Congress is inciting the president to impose military rule.
Another Maoist leader CP Gajurel said the Maoist secretariat meeting Wednesday concluded a written memo of the president to the prime minister was an attempt to invite a serious accident.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

BoK records Rs 332.9m net profit

Kathmandu, 23 April: Bank of Kathmandu (BoK) recorded a Rs 322.9 million net in Q3 of the current fiscal year ending 13 April, the bank said.
The bank recorded a Rs 238.3 million profit in the corresponding previous year quarter.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“For Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, this has become a season of lamentations. Despite the constitution having vested executive powers on him, our premier bewailed the other day, he feels utterly powerless. He’s been playing that variation for quite a while.”

(Maila Baje, People’s Review, 23 April)

“It [Mustang] was indeed one of the most beautiful areas I have seen in Nepal.”

(US Ambassador Nancy J. Powell after visiting the trans-Himalayan district adjoining Tibet)

“The prime minister has made Army Chief Rukmangud Katawal retiring in three months into a hero.”

(Local Development Minister Ram Chandra Jha, Nepal Samacharpatra, 23 April)
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