INDIAN CRICKET CAPTAIN DHONI COMING TO NEPAL Kathmandu, 7 June: Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni is coming to Nepal 15 June on a one-day visit at the invitation of the Indian embassy, an announcement said. He’ll spend 3 to 4 hour at the cricket stadium in Kirtipur. Dhoni will offer prayers at Pashupatinath temple and address a talk programme. NEPAL CONTINUES ON TOP OF SOUTH ASIAN CHART IN SOCCER Kathmandu, 7 June: Nepal again as topped as South Asia’s leading soccer nation in latest ranking announced by FIFA, the world’s international governing body, Wednesday. Nepal is ranked on top at 149th position followed by Bangladesh and India. Nepal is ranked ahead of Afghanistan, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bhutan. Nnnn CIAA ORDERS CANCELLATION OF APPOINTMENT OF SIDDHARTHA LAMA AS OFFICER AT NSC Kathmandu, 7 June; CIAA has ordered National Sports Council (NSC) to overturn a decision to appoint Siddhartha Lama, son of NCS member=secretary Yuvaraj Lama, officer at the supreme national sports governing body. CIAA said holds only a plus two degree. The investigating agency ordered recovery of salary and allowances from Siddhartha. nnnn CAPITAL’S MORNING TEMPERATURE 24 DEGREES CELSIUS Kathmandu, 7 June; Thursday sunny morning’s temperature in the capital was 24 degrees Celcius. Mercury is expected to rise to 33 degrees Celsius in the afternoon. Nnnn GOVT. REVISES INVESTMENT YEAR SCHEDULE Kathmandu, 7 June 7: The government has dropped its much-hyped plan to bring US$ 1 billion worth of foreign investment in the first six months of Investment Year 2012/13. Instead, it now says the first half of the next fiscal year will be ´preparatory period´ following which it will aim to bring in the targeted USD 1 billion foreign investment in the country, Bhoj Raj Poudel writes in Republica. The government readjusted its plan for the Investment Year, starting from mid-July 2012 after political deadlock pushed the program into jeopardy. The Investment Board (IB), assigned to realize the government´s ambitious plan said it would completely change the timing of the Investment Year. "Unlike the past announcements, the IB will now use the first six months (of 2012/13) to complete all necessary preparations, including enactment of various investment friendly laws and policies," a source at the Prime Minister´s Office (PMO) told Republica. "There are internal discussions going on to change the timing to kick-start the Investment Year 2012/13," said the source. The board is yet to make an official decision in this regard though. If the source comments are anything to go by the Investment Year will now begin from January 2013 and not from mid July, 2012 as earlier announced. While launching the Investment Year, Prime Minister Babu Ram Bhattarai had said the government would bring in foreign investment worth US$ 1 billion within the first six months. To achieve the target, he had also promised amendment and formulation of various Acts and policies to make the country´s investment regime more investor friendly. "But the whole plan has been affected due to the political sitution since May 27," said the source. Radesh Pant, CEO of the IB confirmed that the time to unveil the Investment Year 2012/13 has been readjusted. "The readjustment will be more practical given the country´s political situation," he told Republica. The Investment Year, which was launched on the basis of calculation that constitution will be endorsed on time, might not get investors as hoped for after the political situation took an opposite turn after May 27. "Certainly, the investors might have doubts and fears to come here with their investment," said the source, "We have seen very clear indications of this." For instance, according to a different source close to the PMO, investors from South Korea who were looking to invest in the hydroelectricity development project have shown reluctance to move forward in the changed political situation. IFC, DFID, Japan to assist IB Three leading multilateral and bilateral development partners have extended their commitments to provide technical assistance to the Investment Board (IB). International Finance Corporation (IFC), Department for International Development (DFID) and Embassy of Japan have shown interest to provide technical assistance to the IB, as per a source at the Prime Minister´s Office (PMO). "IFC basically, has approached IB office to provide technical assistance to identify the potential projects," said an official of the IB office, "DFID also has shown same kind of interest." According to the official, "the board has already moved forward to work with IFC in a bid to identify the projects that can be of importance." nnnn ________________________________________ MAOIST CHIEF’S CONDITIONS TO QUIT Kathmandu, 7 June: UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said on Wednesday that he is ready to hand over party leadership to Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya on condition that the party unity is kept intact and revolution given a momentum, Kiran Pun writes in Republica. . Addressing a closed -door orientation of the leaders close to Dahal from Kochila state committee (Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari) in the capital, the Maoist chairman said he would remain satisfied acting as the party advisor if the two conditions are met. "I told Kiranji (Baidya) to take up the mantle as I have been made a victim of prejudice in the party. But he refrained from giving a concrete answer," a participant quoted Dahal as saying. "I told him that I would hand over the mantle as Kiranji had done in 1988." Baidya taking responsibility for the “sector incident” had handed over the post of party chairman to Dahal, who was then the party´s general secretary. “Sector incident” was a failed attack on some police posts in which party cadres had been arrested. Dahal said he made the offer in all sincerity while Baidya faction has termed the offer a ploy to defame the Baidya faction as power hungry group of leaders. Stating that he had made no compromises on constitution drafting, Dahal said he is very hopeful of party unity. "I was very hopeful after May 27 of party unity as I had never deviated from the party´s stance. I had proposed Kiranji to hold a national gathering or plenum for party unity," a participant quoted Dahal as saying. He also said that the chances of split in the party are slim as central committee members have been asking him not to split the party. "I don´t think party will split. I have also held talks with Kiran Ji, Dev Gurung and other leaders who are in touch with me. If the majority in the gathering wants the party intact, there would be no split in the party," another participant quoted Dahal as saying. He also claimed that India and China were in favor of promulgation of the new constitution and not against it as Baidya faction has claimed. Nnnn ________________________________________ ________________________________________