Jhalanath Khanal returns home

Kathmandu, 1 July: UML Chairman JhalanathKhanal returned home Thursday morning after an angiogram at Saheed Gangalal Heart Center.
He spent the night at the hospital.
He was admitted there Wednesday for observation after complaining of chest pain at party headquarters where a standing committee meeting was being held.
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Nagaland home minister detained at airport

Kathmandu, 1 July: Nagaland Home Minister Imkong I. Imnchen was detained by authorities at Tribhuvan International Airport Wednesday with IRs 200,000 in illegal 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes as he was boarding a morning flight for New Delhi.
He took another flight for the Indian capital six hours later following investigation; the money was seized.
He arrived in Nepal Sunday with family to attend a wedding reception
Telephonic conversation was held between officials of airport police, police headquarters, home ministry and the Indian embassy for a conciliatory resolution, Kantipur reports.
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Taranath Ranabhatt leads front of former legislators

Kathmandu, 1 July: Taranath Ranabhatt, speaker of parliament of the restored multi-party system after 1990, was unanimously elected chairman of the 41-member working committee of former parliamentarians front.
Ranabhatt was elected by a general convention while Shanker Nath Sharma was elected general secretary.
Ranabhatt was the second speaker of parliament after Damannath Dhungana.
He headed a probe team that pinned responsibility of Crown Prince Dipendra for the Narayanhiti royal palace massacre in which the entire family of King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya were killed.
The Nepali Congress activist from the west was expelled by Girija Prasad Koirala from the party for refusing a party directive to resign as speaker during the royal regime.
He continued as chairman even during the royal rule of King Gyanendra after parliament completed its five year tenure as per constitutional provision that said the speaker continues to remain in his post until fresh parliamentary elections.
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Singapore, Brunei should directly recruit Gurkhas: Supreme court

Kathmandu, 1 July: A division bench of the supreme court directed government Wednesday to sign separate agreements with the governments of Brunei and Singapore for the recruitment of Nepalese soldiers in Singapore army and Brunei Army.
The Gurkhas are deployed for security duties at the royal palace in Brunei and the president’s mansion in Singapore besides protecting vital installations in the two south-east Asian countries.
The British government, which directly recruits Nepal’s Gurkhas for its army, sub-contracts the soldiers to Brunei and Singapore.
A public interest was filed by Om Prakash Aryal at the court challenging the practice since the Rana period.
Nepal has a tripartite agreement only with India and Great Britain for the recruitment of its citizens for foreign deployment.
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Journalist abducted

Kathmandu, 1 July: Keshab Bohara, a radio journalist attached with Radio Mandavi, was abducted from Tiram in Pyuthan Wednesday.
He complained of threats from Maoists after reporting on a land dispute in the district.
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Sushil Koirala returns Saturday

Kathmandu, 1 July: Acting Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala returns home Saturday, Rajdhani reports.
He left New York for United Kingdom Tuesday after a regular check-up of his tongue.
He’s staying in the UK for four days.
(Note: Koirala was treated for tongue cancer three years ago at a New York hospital. Koirala returns home amid a political crisis triggered by the resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Wednesday night.)
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