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Kathmandu, April 3: Chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Surya Bahadur Thapa appealed all political parties to engage in what he described as meaningful dialogue to end the present crisis in the country. In a statement issued today, Thapa said that the government has completely failed to maintain law and order, provide security to the people, control corruption and ensure good governance in the country. "Due to the inability of the government, the entire nation is captive," said Thapa. He appealed all political parties to to seek an outlet from the present political problems of the nation while asking the ruling Nepali Congress to be prepared for an all-party interaction to find an amicable solution to the problems. Nepalnews.com/yl/at

Two more cops killed in Maoist attack

Kathmandu, April 3: One day after 35 policemen were killed in Rukum and Dolakha on a Maoist attack, rebels attacked Mujung police post of Palpa district and shot dead 2 more policemen on the spot. Those killed are Prem Kaji Gurung and Bhim Raj Dhakal. Nine other cops are injured, one of them seriously. According to police, Krishna Bahadur Gurung is in critical condition. Maoist insurgents attacked Mujung police post at about 11pm Monday night. 

The rebels also took away all arms and ammunition from the police post. It was not known how many policemen were stationed in the Mujung police post. The injured policemen have been flown to Kathmandu for treatment.
Nepalnews.com/yl/at   

8 cops killed in vehicle mishap

Kathmandu, April 3: Eight policemen died on the spot and 18 were injured when a vehicle taking them to Bhalukhang, plummeted 200 m down the road in Dovan of Palpa district Tuesday morning. The policemen were being taken to Bhalukhang following the attack by Maoist guerrillas in the Mujung police post in Palpa Monday night.

Those who died in the accident are Bam Bahadur Parajuli, Yadu Bhusal, Lal Bahadur Rana, Ganesh Dura, Min Bahadur Mahato, Buddhi Gurung, Nar Bahadur Gharti, and Rajesh Lohar. The accident took place at about 5am Tuesday morning. The injured policemen are being treated in hospitals in Bhairahawa, Palpa and Kathmandu. Nepalnews.com/yl/at

Opposition demands Koirala’s resignation

Kathmandu, April 3: The main opposition in Parliament has blamed Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala for Sunday night’s massacre of 35 policemen by Maoists and has demanded his resignation. Speaking at a public meeting held in Kirtipur on Monday leader of main opposition CPN-UML Madav Nepal said, "The Prime Minister should take the entire responsibility and resign immediately."

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel called the assaults "barbaric and cowardly." Meanwhile Maoist strongman Comrade Prachanda praised the jailbreak in Gorkha last week by six Maoist women inmates. "The jailbreak by the six women is a source of inspiration for the entire suppressed women," Prachanda said in a statement. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Lightning kills three

Kathmandu, April 2: A lightening killed three persons and injured three others at a village in Therathum district in east Nepal Friday night, a Home Ministry source said Monday.
The injured are being treated at a hospital in Dharan. The lightning struck a house at Ayakung village in Therathum in the evening. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Kathmandu, April 2: Latest reports from Rukum district in west Nepal confirmed two dozen policemen abducted by rebels Maoists while 30 were killed in the daring Maoist attack Monday morning. In another incident five policemen and three rebels died in a two-hour gunfire exchange at Mainapokhari village in Dolakha district 154 km east of Kathmandu, Sunday night. The attack in Rukum is the biggest against police targets in more than five years. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel flew to Rukum accompanied by Inspector General of Police Pradip Rana immediately upon receiving news of the assault. 28 injured policemen from Rukum and Dolakha have been airlifted to Kathmandu for treatment. According to officials, insurgents completely destroyed the police posts in both Rukum and Dolakha. Maoists have also taken away large number of weapons and ammunition from both places.

The rebels had warmed they would start general action against their targets ahead of a nation-wide strike called on Friday to protest what they call government excesses. The communist insurgents have called the strike two days ahead of the 11th anniversary of the restoration of multi-party democracy. Nepalnews.com/yl/br/at

Police death toll increases

Kathmandu, April 2: In the biggest attack in more than five years, Maoists killed at least 30 policemen in a daring assault on a police post in Rukumkot in Rukum district west Nepal and five others in Dolakha district east of the capital, Monday morning. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel, accompanied by Inspector General of Police Pradip Rana have flown to the area to assess the situation. It is not known how many Maoists were killed in the attacks. Maoists had warmed they would start general action against their targets ahead of a nation-wide strike they called on Friday to protest what they termed "government excesses".

Insurgents also set off two bomb blasts in the capital Monday morning. A time bomb set at the home of a former parliament member from Nepali Congress Lekhnath Neupane wrecked his compound walls while another set at the gates of the residence of former Inspector General of Police Achut Kharel shattered windowpanes of a neighbour's house. However no one was injured. Kharel is on the Maoist hit list for what they call his excesses during his tenure. Rebels have been targeting activists of the ruling Nepali Congress and the police in their attacks.

Those policemen who were killed in Maoist attack in Rukumkot of Rukum district and Mainapokhari of Dolkha district have been identified as: Jeevan Khadka, Punya Dev Yadav, Purna Maharjan, Dil Bahadur Singh, Naina Bahadur Rai, Hari Bahadur Budhathoki, Rana Bahadur Sunar, Bir Bahadur
Bista, Surya Nandan Chaudhari, Abhiram Thakur, Bhim Bahadur Thapa, Arjun thakurel, Rudra Bahadur Katuwal, Amar Bahadur Thapa, Krishna Bahadur Shrestha, Sita Ram Adhikari, Hem Raj Pandey, Sundar Oli, Dil Bahadur Budhathoki, Janaklal Tamata, Narendra Bahadur Rawal, Man Bahadur Adhikari, Rajendra Poudel, Krishna Bahadur Shahi, Ram Lakhan Chaudhari, Dilip G.C, Raya Bahadur Singh, Bhola Khadka, Shiv Bahadur Bastola, Radheshyam Basnet, Nanda Raj Bhatta and Dor Bahadur Rana.  Nepalnews.com/br/at/yl

25 policemen killed in Rukumkot

Kathmandu, April 2: At least 25 policemen were killed in a Maoist attack on a police post in Rukumkot, in Rukum district Monday morning, initial reports said. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel has flown to the area to assess the situation. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Maoists blast two bombs in the valley

Kathmandu, April 2: Two bombs were set off at dawn Monday by Maoists at the homes of former Inspector General of Police Achut Krishna Kharel in Kathmandu and former Member of Parliament from the Nepali Congress party Lekhnath Neupane in Bhaktapur. The bombs went off almost simultaneously around 5.45am although no one was injured. The bomb at Neupane’s house was placed in his cowshed and damaged a compound wall while the explosion at Kharel’s house in front of the gate shattered windowpanes of a neighbour’s house. The insurgents have called a nation-wide strike Friday to protest what they call government excesses. Kharel is on the Maoist hit list for what they call his excesses during his tenure. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Temba Tsheri Sherpa to make second bid on Everest

Kathmandu, April 1: Temba Tsheri Sherpa, 15, said Sunday he will plant the national flag on the summit of the 8848 metres high Mount Everest when he makes a second bid to be the youngest climber to step on the summit of the world's tallest peak sometime in May. " Should I succeed, I will plant a flag of Nepal on the summit in remembrance of Nepal and Nepalis," the eighth grade student from Kathmandu's Siddhartha Banashtali Institute said on the eve of his departure for the mountain.

Temba this time is climbing Everest from Tibet in the north after a failed attempt from the south in Nepal last May when he lost the tips of five fingers of both hands to frostbite. But the determined lad from a village in Dolakha district still established a record by being the youngest alpinist to climb up to 8826 metres from where inclement weather forced him off the mountain on a route pioneered in 1953 by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary.

Founder Principal of Siddhartha Banasthali Institute Laxman Rajbanshi Sunday gave Temba a school flag to plant on the summit during warm send-off Sunday including cash assistance of Rs.50,000; school teachers contributed their one day's salary as a token help. Father Chauba Sherpa will accompany his son to base camp and brother Mingma Sherpa,19, will climb with him up to the North Col just below the summit.

"I am happy my son is climbing Everest. I hope he will succeed. My only regret is I could not accompany him to the summit," Lakpa Diki. Temba pursued his studies after an abortive attempt on Everest last spring, took climbing courses and climbed the 5900 metres high Yala Peak in the Langtang area last month preparatory to the Everest attempt. Nepal's Sambhu Tamang still clings to the record of climbing Everest with an Italian expedition in 1973 at 16 years of age.

Yeti Airlines is sponsoring the student's climb. Nepalnews.com rh/br

Nepali soccer squad selected for World Cup qualifier

Kathmandu, April 1: Under a compromise formula, a 23 member Nepali soccer squad was selected Sunday by the National Sports Council, Nepal's apex sports authority, to participate in qualifying group matches for the World Cup Championship later this year. Matches that were to be held in Kathmandu in March are now being played in Bhagdad in Iraq from April 12 to 16 and Almaity in Kazakhstan from April 21-25.

Match venues were shifted there from Kathmandu after a dispute last year in Nepal's national soccer governing body. Iraq, Nepal and Kazakasthan are in the grouping. "This is a compromise for this occasion. I will write to the FIFA and the AFC of the team selection," the internationally recognized
President of the rival All Nepal Football Association ( ANFA) Ganesh Thapa told Nepalnews.
Thapa said Nepal's participation is the qualifying round matches is now certain.

Another ANFA headed by Gita Rana is recognized only by the government, the National Sports Council and the Nepal Olympic Committee but without international links. Rival ANFAs co-operated in the selection of the national team, Thapa said. Nepal's most popular sport and players have suffered because of the dispute that erupted nearly seven months ago. Nepalnews.com br

Maoist prisoners transferred after jail riot

Kathmandu, April 1: Senior imprisoned Maoist leaders were transferred elsewhere Saturday after riot police had to force open the gate of Siraha prison amid clashes with inmates who set the jail gate alight. Inmates doused jute bags with kerosene to set the gate on fire. Dev Narayan Yadav and Ram Sevak Mahato were shifted to Morang jail, Ram Yadav and Biseshwor Shah to Jaleshwor jail while Baldev Shah and Rambabu Raya were transferred to Parsa jail under tight security. More than two dozen prisoners and police were injured in ensuing clashes after police forcibly opened the gate locked from inside, eyewitnesses said. Prisoners locked the gate Tuesday demanding reforms. Fire-fighters from Lahan extinguished the blaze. Nepalnews.com/br/at

NEPSE index gains 4.29 points

Kathmandu, April 1: The NEPSE index gained 4.29 points at the end of five-day trading Friday after an 11.42 point fall the previous week. Trading opened at 382.58 points Monday and closed at 386.87 points Friday. The volume of trade jumped to Rs 34.7 million from Rs 22.4 million the previous week. The banking sector index rose by nearly nine points from 430.94 to 439.28 as indices of other sectors remained constant or fell slightly. Altogether 41,304 shares of 35 companies exchanged hands. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Six Maoist women break jail

Kathmandu, April 1: Six Maoist women inmates dug a tunnel and made a daring escape to freedom Friday night from a jail in Gorkha district. The prisoners used a bamboo stick to dig an eight-meter long tunnel. Two of the eight women inmates stayed back. The inmates escaped as a group of insurgents outside the prison set off explosions to distract security guards.

According to police, those who broke the jail and escaped are Uma Bhujel, Meena Marahattha, Sanju Aryal, Sanjila Bika, Kamala Nakarmi and Rita Bika all from different villages of Gorkha district. Police has mounted search on them but have not been able to catch them. Nepalnews.com/br/at

Hailstorm kills one

Kathmandu, April 1: A hailstorm on Friday night killed one person and damaged property and crop worth several million rupees at Chadbeli village in Sunsari district. The storm that lashed the village and surrounding areas for nearly two hours buried Ugranarayan Chaudhari alive in his home after it collapsed.

Meanwhile, the airport in Humla district has been closed for three days following heavy snowfall. Five northern districts have been cut off from headquarters. Most parts of the kingdom experienced light spring showers Saturday with Dandeldhura in far-west Nepal recording the highest 30.4mm rainfall, the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said. Nepalnews.com/br/at