PM, PRESIDENT CONSULT
Kathmandu, 21 Sept.: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal held consultations with President Dr Ram Baran Yadav Tuesday.
They discussed the peace process, agreement UML and Maoists not to participate in the 8th round vote for prime minister 26 September and government efforts to announce a full budget.
The president was concerned with the adverse impact created without presentation of a complete budget, the premier’s political aide, Raghuji Pant said.
Nepal told the president a complete budget can be announced with the cooperation of NC and Maoists.
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SUSHIL KOIRALA 4TH NC PRESIDENT

Kathmandu, 21 Sept.: Sushil Koirala is NC’s fourth president.
BP Koirala was the first president and was succeeded by Krishna Prasad Bhattarai who quit the party after the NC abandoned its traditional support for constitutional monarchy to opt for a republic three years ago.
Bhattarai was succeeded by Girija Prasad Koirala.
Ailing Bhattarai, the only surviving founding member of the oldest party, rejected an invitation to attend the 12th general convention calling the NC a ‘nakkali’ or sham party.
Counting of votes for vice-president and treasurer will start Wednesday followed by counting of votes for central working committee members.
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SUPREME COURT STAYS GOVT DECISION TO WITHDRAW MURDER CASE
Kathmandu, 21 Sept.: The supreme court Tuesday stayed a government decision to withdraw attempted murder case filed at the Lamjung district court against two UML workers.
A single bench of justice Bala Ram KC issued the stay order directing the government not to withdraw the case and submit a clarification in 15 days.
Hari Maya Danai filed a petition Sunday stating that the government was withdrawing the case against Basu Baral and Govinda Basnet who attempted to murder her brother-in-law Hari Bahadur Danai.
The two are in judicial remand.
The council of ministers withdreaw the case on August 13.
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SUSPECTED SWINE FLU OUTBREAK IN NEPALGUNJ

Kathmandu, 21 Sept: Saliva samples of patients have been sent for examination to confirm a swine flu outbreak in Banke.
The patients from Baijapur and Bheri Zonal Hospital were suffering viral fever.
Viral fever has broken out in parts of Baijapur.
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TRADE, COMMERCE, ECONOMY

$115.5 MILLION US PLEDGE

Kathmandu, 21 Sept.: The US government Tuesday pledged $115.5 to fight hunger, improve health and manage climate change.
An assistance agreement was signed Tuesday between government and USAID.
US grant to Nepal from 2009 to 2014 will reach $316.5 million.
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PADDY PRODUCTION TO DECLINE 153,400 TONS
Kathmandu, 21 Sept.: Paddy production will fall 153,400 tons this year, Spokesman Dr Hari Dahal of agriculture ministry said.
“We have estimated that around 153,400 tons of paddy will be lost as 76,706 hectares of fields are barren this year,” he said.
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MAOISTS PREPARING FIGHTERS FOR INTEGRATION

Kathmandu, 21 Sept.: As the proposed management of Maoist combatants gets set in motion, the UCPN(Maoist) is initiating a drive at all the cantonments to mentally prepare tits combatants to brace themselves for their soon-to-be-launched integration and rehabilitation, Republica reports.
According to People’s Liberation Army (PLA) spokesman Chandra Prakash Khanal, aka Baldeb, the PLA integration bureau is launching a program to make PLA members aware of the integration and rehabilitation and their recently finalized code of conduct and to prepare them accordingly.
The UCPN (Maoist) move follows a similar move by the government. OmN Sunday, the prime minister had directed all heads of security agencies to be prepared for integration of the combatants in their respective forces and plan accordingly.’
I am visiting the cantonments in the western region for this purpose,” Sharma told Republica.” We want to prepared them [for integration and rehabilitation] so that they will not become confused when the management of the combatants finally takes place.”
Sharma, who left Kathmandu for the western region Tuesday afternoon, further aid that they will instruct the PLA members why they are going to be integrated and rehabilitated.
Maoist leader Kul Bahadur KC, a member of the technical committee under the special committee, a body formed to oversee combatants management, said deputy Commanders Sharma, Barshaman Pun, Nanda Kishore Pun and Khanal are visiting all 28cantonmens in the coming days.
“They will also collect suggestions from PLA members on integration and rehabilitation,” said KC.
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