Deadline to assemble consensus govt. ends

Kathmandu, 7 July: A presidential deadline to parties to assemble a consensus government ends midnight Wednesday without its formation till the afternoon.
It’s unlikely to be formed in the next eight hours; a government has to be formed by five in the afternoon.
The UML leading the 22-party coalition Tuesday decided for the first time to ask President Dr Ram Baran Yadav to extend the deadline.
The failure of parties to form a consensus government has created further uncertainty clouding the political atmosphere.
Two main ruling parties, NC and UML, have refused to join a consensus government headed by Maoists; instead, they are pushing a consensus administration headed by them.
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KP Oli replaced by Jhalanath Khanal

Kathmandu, 7 July: Senior UML leader KP Sharma Oli was replaced Tuesday as coordinator of a talks team for political understanding and constitution drafting as Chairman Jhalanath Khanal took over responsibilities himself.
Oli, is a Khanal critic opposed to Maoists and is close with right of center Nepali Congress; Khanal is a left winger in the communist party close to Maoists.
The chairman of the party leading the 22-party coalition made the announcement at the party central committee meeting while retaining other members of the seven-member talks team.
Oli opted to stay out of the talks team.
Khanal took over leadership of the dialogue team as the central committee decided Tuesday to push a consensus government led by UML.
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Caretaker PM Nepal pressures govt. secretary to act ‘illegally’

Kathmandu, 7 July: Secretary Shyam Prasad Mainali has been transferred to another government office by way of action against him after he flatly refused to dole out R800 million under direct intervention from Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, other ministers and constituent assembly (CA) members, Republica reports.
The last cabinet meeting decided to transfer Mainali to the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat from the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD).
IT has been disclosed that Secretary Mainali flatly refused to dole out Rs 550 million under “Local Development Programmes based on People’s Participation” and Rs 250 million under MoLD. He claimed that doling out the amounts would be illegal.
Mainbali admitted that he was subjected to extreme pressure by Prime Minister Nepal (now caretaker), Ministers Purna Kumar Sherma and Rakam Chemjung and State Minister Ganesh Khadka to release the amounts and take other controversial decisions.
“I had been receiving intense pressure from the prime minister and other ministers. I feel that Prime Minister Nepal and other ministers were biased against me.” Mainali said to Republica adding,” But I would never deviate under any kind of intervention, I would never compromise professional norms and my integrity.”
He also expressed dissatisfaction over the last minute decision of the cabinet to transfer him.
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One Nepali suicide every two hours: Police

Kathmandu, 7 July: A Nepali commits suicide every two hours, a police report said.
Altogether 348 suicides were recorded in Jesth nationwide.
Around 4,000 suicides, mostly in rural areas, are recoded every year nationwide.
Mostly males between 14 and 40 years commit suicide.
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Hong Kong govt. honours Nepali

Kathmandu, 7 July: A Nepali has been honoured by the Hong Kong government, Kantipur reports from Hong Kong.
Buddhi Bahadur Thapa, 58, who has been residing in Hong Kong for 15 years was awarded on the 13th anniversary with the Medal of Honour on the 13th anniversary of the handover of the island to China by Great Britain on 1 July.
He hails from Whaling, Syangjha.
Thapa was awarded for his contribution to society.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

‘It’ll be good for political players who have received red cards to stay in the sideline for sometime; that’s according to the rule.”

(Bishal Neupane, Naragik, 7 July)
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