CPN MAPIST LEADER NETRA BIIKRAM CHAND IN CHINA Kathmandu, 6 Seot.: CPN Maoist leader and Secretary Netra Bikram Chand is again in China for the second time in three months, Purna Basnet writes in Nagarik from Hong Kong. He left the party central committee meeting to be in China for talks with Chinese leaders. According to source in Beijing, Chand held discussions with members of the foreign department of Chinese Communist Party and some specialists. A worker from Dang is accompanying Chand this time. The latest visit began 28 August and the top CPN Maoist leader will return to Kathmandu Friday. nnnn FORMER MAOIST FIGHTERS HESITANT TO JOIN INTEGRATION PROCESS THAT RESUMES THURSDAY Kathmandu, 6 Sept : Though former many Maoist combatants from the sixth division haven´t turned up at the cantonment here as of Wednesday, the Special Committee formed to oversee the integration process is all set to begin the process from Thursday, Khalendra Sejuwas writes in Republica from Surkhet . Sources said combatants are hesitant to join the process due to various confusions over the overall integration process. According to Anil Bam, a combatant working at the cantonment, only 300 combatants have arrived in the cantonment as of Wednesday evening. "Friends have been hesitating to join the integration process due to uncertainty over their future," he said. Altogether 572 combatants had opted for integration when they were given the choice a few months ago. Another combatant Ramesh Singh said combatants´ turnout was low as there is no proper fooding and lodging arrangement inside the cantonment. According to him, even those who have already arrived there have been staying at villagers´ houses as guests. "Our friends [combatants] left the cantonment immediately after it was handed over to the Nepal Army," he said. "There is no point in going inside the camps." A team of special committee led by Deepak Bhatta is arriving in Dashrathpur on Thursday morning to begin the integration process. nnnn KFC, PIZZA HUT OUTLETS LIKELY REOPEN Kathmandu, 6 Sept : KFC, Pizza Hut and Cream Bell outlets in Kathmandu, which were shut down indefinitely on August 14, may reopen soon, Kriti Bhuju writes in Republica.. According to Madhav Bhattarai, consultant lawyer for Devyani International Nepal --local franchisee of KFC, Pizza Hut and Cream Bell, the management is very optimistic toward reopening the outlets. “The management committee of Devyani International has decided to reopen the outlets after taking action against 22 staff who manhandled a senior manager of the company,” said Bhattarai. Devyani International Nepal had indefinitely shutdown outlets of global fast food chains as per existing Labor Act, stating that some staff members manhandled their senior managers, threatened to take their life and refused to take instructions from the management. However, Nawaraj Bhatta, president of All Nepal Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union-Revolutionary (ANHRWU-R), refuted the charges and said the workers were hopeful that management would reopen the outlets soon. “We will assure the management that we would maintain good discipline, improve our mistakes and help enhance the standard of the service,” said Bhatta. The workers had registered ANHRWU-R on August 29. “As KFC, Pizza Hut and Cream Bell are international chains, the management has to maintain certain norms. The management is positive about reopening the outlets provided that the standard and discipline is maintained,” Bhattarai said. “The management is not in a mood to withdraw its investment.” Devyani International Nepal was employing 180 people when it announced indefinite closure on August 14. It operates Pizza Hut, KFC and Cream Bell outlets at Durbar Marg, and KFC and Pizza Hut Delivery (PHD) at Blue Bird Mall, Tripureshwar. nnnn ________________________________________ SUPREME COURT STAYS MADESHI QUOTA IN NEPAL ARMY Kathmandu, 6 Sept.: The Supreme Court today continued its stay order issued on August 22 directing the government and Nepali Army to stop the recruitment process in Nepali Army in the reservation seats for Madhesi quota, The Himalayan Times reports. The bench, however, gave its nod to proceed with recruitment in other posts except the 15-seat Madhesi quota. Citing the principle of balance of convenience, a division bench of Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi and Sushila Karki stayed recruitment in the reservation quota but gave the go-ahead order for other seats. As not a single person had passed the written examination, the apex court had issued the stay order in response to a Public Interest Litigation on August 22. The hearing on whether to extend the earlier stay order was scheduled for today . Stating that Nepali Army did not pass even a single person from the Tarai in its written examination process for recruit 81 officer cadets (66 through open competition and 15 under reservation category), Nand Kishor Yadav of Sitapur VDC, Siraha had moved the apex court. The NA had sought applications from interested candidates on March 29 and the results of the written exam were published on July 25. According to the petitioner, there were some Madhesis among 3,360 applicants who had cleared the IQ test conducted by the NA but there was not even a single Madhesi among 356 applicants who had passed the written test. Yadav himself had cleared the IQ test but had failed in the written test. The petitioner also accused the government authorities of breaching the four-point deal signed by the ruling UCPN Maoist with the Madhesi Front while forming the present government. The four-point deal states that the Baburam Bhattarai-led government should focus on initiating the process of ensuring representation of the Madhesi community in the army. nnnn.