UML candidate for parliamentary elections abducted

Kathmandu, 9 April: CPN-UML candidate for Friday’s parliamentary by-elections from Dhanusha Santosh Sah was abducted Thursday by a terai rebel group.
Two Maoist groups clashed and exchanged gunfire in Biratnagar ahead of the vote.
Elections are being held in six constituencies.
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Parliamentary committee approves ambassadorial appointments

Kathmandu, 9 April: Without unanimity, a parliamentary hearing committee names of five ambassadorial appointments of the Maoist-led government.
Complaints were registered against three appointments.
The committee approved the names of Dr Sukhdeb Sah, Ramswarth Raya, Suresh Pradhan, Ram Karki and Chandra Kant Paudel.
Sah, Raya, Pradhan, Karki and Paudel were recommended to USA, United Kingdom, China, France and India respectively.
Pradhan refuted he leaked a proposed peace and friendship treaty with China and said the document was made public instead by On Sharma, press advisor of the prime minister.
Prime Minister Prachanda’s Foreign Advisor Hira Bahadur Thapa accused Pradhan for being a traitor.
Sah, a permanent resident in USA, came under fire for holding a green card.
Raya stunned the committee Wednesday by saying he would help import nuclear fuel with British and US assistance to generate nuclear power to meet an energy crisis.
Karki is a Maoist who was extradited to Nepal by India during the people’s war to face terrorism charges.
France earlier rejected a maoist nominee Pampha Bhusal, who is now minister.
Pradhan is a career diplomat.
Names of four others were proposed by Maoists and MJF.
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