CABINET APPROVES DEPLOYMENT OF TROOPS TO IRAQ

DEPLOYMENT OF 170 ARMY TROOPS TO IRAQ APPROVED OFFICIALLY

Kathmandu, 2 June: Deployment of 170 troops from the elite Ranger Battalion of Nepal Army under United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) was approved Wednesday by the cabinet.
The contingent will be stationed in the port city of Basra and oil rich province of Kirkuk.
Nepali troops will guard NN facilities and provide security to UN convoys.
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FOUR MEMBERS OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE CANCEL US TRIP

Kathmandu, 2 June; Four members of a special committee for integration, rehabilitation and supervision of 19,000 plus former Maoist rebel combatants cancelled a visit to the USA.
They were scheduled to leave for 15 days at a time when demands are being made especially by opposition parties to immediately begin integration and rehabilitation processes.
Maoist Barsha Man Pun, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat of NC, Ishwor Pokhrel, who is also general secretary of UML, and Chairman JayapPrakash Prasad Gupta of MJFN (Republican) cancelled the trip.
They were to attend a meet hosted by Center for Civil Military Relations.
Prime Minister Jhalanath Khanal, who is chairman of a special committee members to cancel the visit.
The committee meets Thursday.
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18 SELECTED FOR CLOSED CAMP FOR CRICKET TOURNAMENT

Kathmandu, 2 June: Eighteen players have been selected for a closed camp by Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) for the ICC U-19 Cricket World Cup Qualifier being hosted by Ireland from 28 July to 9 August.
Sagar Pun, Bhuwan Karki, Naresh Budhayer, Failul Rahaman Khan, Rajesh Pulami, Subash Khakurel, Rahul Bishwakarkma, Avanish Karn, Krishna Karki, Pradeep Airee, Birendra Mukhiya, Subendu Pandey, Amit Dhakal, Amrit Shrestha, Amit Shrestha, Rupesh Srivastav and ,Nischal Pandey, have been selected.
Prithu Banskota in captain and Jagat Tamata coach.
Nepal, Afghanistan, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, Namibia, Papua New Guinea, Scotland, USA and Vanautu are participating in the tournament.
Top six teams from the round-robin league will qualify for the Youth World Cup.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“As Dahal [Chairman Prachanda] is taking unilateral decisions without sufficient discussion in the party, we are mulling a change in the parliamentary party leader.”

(An unidentified Maoist leader in UCPN (Maoist), The Kathmandu Post, 2 June)
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