No breakthrough; other details

Kathmandu, 5 July: There was no end to a political gridlock Monday six days after the resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to make way for a government of national unity as demanded by main opposition Maoists.
Major political parties intensified consultations without an agreement.
Congress and Maoists held consultations with both parties staking claims to lead a government which has to be formed by Wednesday.
President Dr Ram Baran Yadav will ask parties to form a majority government if a consensus government isn’t installed by Wednesday.
Differences are too broad for a consensus government to be formed by then.
Dr Shekhar Koirala, Krishna Prasad Shitaula and Amresh Kumar Singh were in the Congress team that negotiated with Maoists, including Chairman Prachanda,
Singh revealed Monday he tried to broker an agreement between Nepal and Prachanda during the weekend.
A special session of the UML central committee will meet Tuesday.
The party leading the 22-party coalition—in effect a coalition government after Nepal’s resignation- held separate meetings with Madesh parties Monday as it also seeks support for a government led by it.
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Budget session begins

Kathmandu, 5 July: The delayed budget session of parliament began Monday.
A letter of President Dr Ram Baran Yadav convening the session was read out in the legislature.
The meeting was adjourned until Wednesday.
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Death toll in Dang landslide increases to five (DEVELOPING STORY)

Kathmandu, 5 July: The death toll at a village in Dhading overnight landslide increased to five with the retrieval of three more bodies from the rubble Monday, police said.
The landslide buried five women as they were asleep; five homes were buried by the mudslide.
Two persons were injured, including one seriously.
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Last rites of Bal Bahadur Rai (DEVELOPING STORY)

Kathmandu, 5 July: The last rites of the oldest Nepali Congress leader was held at his village in Okhaldungha according to Kirati tradition and with state honour.
He was acting for a record 19 times and presided over parliament sessions thrice as the oldest member of the legislature.
Rai was minister for physical planning in the first Nepali Congress elected government headed by Girija Prasad Koirala after the downfall of the partyless panchayat regime in 1990.
His body was flown by helicopter from the capital where he died Sunday after a protracted illness.
Rai was a staunch supporter of Girija Prasad Koirala in the party.
Congress Vice-president Prakash Man Singh and central committee member Bal Bahadur KC represented the party at the funeral.
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Dang VDC secretaries also resign en masse

Kathmandu, 5 July: Thirty-nine VDC secretaries in Dang resigned en masse Monday .
Their resignations were submitted through the CDO.
They resigned following notices to local authorities from all secretaries to quit in Tanahu.
Threats were received by secretaries from Samyukta Jatiya Morcha.
The administration of VDCs will be disturbed.
There’s been a spate of resignations of secretaries from the terai to the hills with the breakdown of the law and order and a swell of local insurgencies.
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Finance ministry releases Rs 800m to NOC

Kathmandu, 5 July: Finance Ministry Monday released Rs 800 million in a loan to Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) to import POL products from India.
There’s been shortages in Nepal after fuel hike in India from where Nepal imports POL products.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“..sadly we have a society where people with connections always do better than people with ability. No wonder every young person in the country wants to pursue a career abroad.”

(Shraddha Rana, Republica, 5 July)
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