FORMER PM BHATTARAI LEAVES FOR AUSTRALIA Kathmandu, 25 April: : Vice-chairman of UCPN (Maoist) Dr Baburam Bhattarai left here for Australia on Thursday to attend a programme to be hosted there by the Nepal Janapragatisheel Manch, Australia, RSS reports.. Dr Bhattarai is to make a special address to the programme organized by the Forum, according to his aide Prashant Lamichhane. During his visit, the former Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Radio Janadesh Online and interact with the Nepali Diaspora there. The role of Nepali Diaspora in the coming CA elections will also be discussed. He is accompanied by the party´s international department chief Ram Karki. Dr Bhattarai is scheduled to return to Kathmandu on April 30 Nnnn ELECTION COMMISSION SAYS T CAN HOLD ELECTIONS 120 DAYS AFTER GOVT. ANNOUNEMENT Kathmandu, 25 April: Election commission can conduct second constituent assembly elections 120 days after government announces firm poll date. Commission officials said this Thursday. Government leaders said they won’t announce firm dates without adequate preparations. Nnnn DEAD SEA STONE PLACED IN NAMCHE Kathmandu, 25 April: A stone brought from the Dead Sea, the earth’s ;lowest point, was placed this week at Namche, Solukhumbu—a Project of the Everest and Dead Sea Stone Exchange programme, Israel emnassy said. Mayor of Tamar Regional Council in Israel brought the monument from the Dead Sea. An idol of Mount Everest will be placed on the shore of the Dead Sea, the embassy said. Earlier, Nepal and Israel issued commemorative portage stamps ahead of this week’s event. Nnnn CLIMBING FEE FOR NEPAL, INDIAN ARMY TEAM N EVEREST WAIVED Kathmandu, 25 April: The cabinet waived climbing royalty of $250,,000 for a 25-member Nepal-Indian army expedition to scale the 88548 meters high Mount Everest this spring. The team has 13 Nepalese and 12 Indian members. The government also waived-personal climbing fees for scaling the peak. nnnn