Kathmandu, 22 July: The first total solar eclipse in 111 years was seen over parts of Nepal; the next will occur in 2181.
Total solar eclipse happens once in 360 years.
Government announced a public holiday to mark the total solar eclipse from 5.47 to 7.48 in the morning.
Hindus who fasted from Tuesday evening took a holy dip along rivers after the eclipse and broke their fast.
The eclipse was seen for the longest time from Biratnagar for 3.26 minutes.
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Terai leader shot dead in Janakpur

Kathmandu, 22 July: Terai rebel leader Akash was shot dead in a police encounter in Janakpur at 4.30 in the morning.
He headed the Madesh Rashtra Mukti Sena.
Three others escaped the shootout.
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Nepal asks India to resume military supplies

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 22 July: Defence Minister Bidya Bhandari is scheduled to hold discussions with main opposition and BJP leader L.K.Advani in New Delhi Wednesday—the third day of her visit-- after asking India to resume suspended military assistance one day earlier.
She asked her counterpart A.K. Anthony to resume the assistance suspended after the royal takeover in 2005.
“If we have not been able to get any military assistance from India post peace deal, it is largely because of our own fault. It is up to us to take the initiative first. Once we do that, India is ready to do all it can to provide military assistance to us.
“It is up to the government of Nepal to seek both lethal and non-lethal weapons to meet its requirements, The peace deal doesn’t bar the supply of any kind of weapon when the country needs them,” The Himalayan Times quoted Bhandari as saying after the meeting.
A bilateral defence mechanism known as Nepal-India Defence Cooperation committee will hold a meeting within a month to identify Nepal’s defence requirement and accordingly appraise the government of India, the newspaper said.
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Security council begins Nepal debate

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 22 July: UN security council Monday began considering Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s request to extend UNMIN’s mandate for another six months.
The third mandate ends Thursday.
The request was made to complete the delayed peace process and the integration of 19,000 Maoist combatants in society and Nepal Army.
The peace process is encountering rough weather after Girija Prasad Koirala ,who brokered the 12-point New Delhi peace agreement with Indian mediation, claimed the agreement never envisioned integration Maoist combatants in the state army.
Maoists are insisting integration in the army.
Before the Koirala speak, Maoist Chairman Prachanda said candidly in a video tape recording his party was seeking integration to begin a rebellion in the army.
The address to party cadre embarrassed Maoists.
Ban himself was apologetic while seeking the mandate extension.
“No peace process proceeds a straight linear path, and the process in Nepal has is share of complexities and peculiarities; however, this should not be a cause for complacency.” Ban said while claiming the peace process was entirely Nepali.
Then Secretary General Kofi Annan and major world capitals pushed for a UN role in the delayed peace process.
The Nepal transition has now lasted for more than three years after toppling monarchy without signs of an early breakthrough.
Ban said only ‘modest progress’ had been made in completing the peace process.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“I, in fact, brought them [Maoists] into the peace process. How can I speak against Prachanda?”

(Girija Prasad Koirala, Kantipur, 22 July)

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