British Embassy confirms one British abduction

The British Embassy Monday confirmed the abduction of one British national. "A small team of the British Gurkhas Nepal who were recruiting have been out of touch from 8 in the evening Sunday," a duty officer at the British Embassy told Nepalnews. 

The British official was observing the recruitment, the duty officer said in a late night telephone conversation with Nepalnews. He said five persons were adducted at an unspecified village in Baglung district of west Nepal. The abducted included one British national. The Embassy did not reveal the identity of the abducted British national.

Every year 230 Gurkhas are recruited in the British army, whose present strength is 3400. Maoists in the past had abducted Nepali recruiting officials, but one is still missing in Taplejung.

This is the first time that a British official has been abducted by Maoists who are against recruitment of Nepalis in the British and Indian armies. Nepal Television earlier reported two British abductions. 

This is the first known abduction of a foreign government official by Maoists in a 8 year insurgency. nepalnews.com br Oct.20

No alternative to elections: PM Thapa

Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa reiterated Monday there is no alternative to elections to resolve the grave political crisis facing the nation, Radio Nepal said. 

Thapa was addressing are regional public meeting of the ruling Rashtriya Prajatantra Party at Birgunj. Thapa, who is also defence minister, said operations against Maoists will be intensified. 

He said security forces will be reinforced. Thapa asked opposition parties to be logical to resolve the current political crisis, the Radio said. 

Maoists bombed a government office in the terai town after the regional public meeting of the ruling party, a radio report said. Rebels also stopped some motor vehicles transporting party workers to the public meeting. nepalnews.com br Oct. 20

Nepali team leaves for Bhutan

Foreign affairs special representative Dr. Bhek Bahadur Thapa left for Bhutan Monday as the head on a seven-member delegation to head the Nepali team to the 15th ministerial talks to resolve a 13-year-old refugee issue between the two countries. 

The talks were scheduled to begin Monday; Thapa's departure was delayed by three hours. The talks will end Thursday. 

Thapa told Radio Nepal before departure talks will center around repatriating the refugees at one of seven camps in Morang and Jhapa whose status was determined for the first time this year. 

The Nepali team left for Bhutan amid threats from UNHCR that it will cut off aid to the refugees if the refugee issue is not resolved soon. Nepal protested the threat to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. nepalnews.com br Oct.20

Nepal's pride and privilege to work in UN peacekeeping operations: King

The King said Monday it is Nepal's pride and privilege to work for a long time in UN peacekeeping operations in different parts of the world. 

The King said this in a message to the First Rifle Gandh 1st contingent leaving for Congo at the invitation of the UN. The King asked the contingent to fulfill its responsibility.

Chief of Staff Pyar Jung Thapa delivered the King's message to the departing team Monday at Panchkhal. An advance engineering team has already left for the Congo. nepalnews.com br Oct.20

Two killed, seven injured in accident

Two persons were killed and seven others were injured in a motor vehicle accident at Satbag in Baitadi in far west Nepal Monday, a radio report said. 

A child and a girl killed in the accident have not been identified. The injured are undergoing treatment at a hospital in the district. nepalnews.com br Oct.20 

Court seeks explanation from CIAA

Responding to a plea filed by corruption indicted ex-minister Govinda Raj Joshi, the Supreme Court on Monday has ordered the CIAA to furnish a written explanation to the court by Thursday. 

The single member bench of the apex court comprising Justice Khilraj Regmi further ordered the CIAA to present the original file of the corruption case related to Joshi. 

Demanding a habeas corpus order from the court, Joshi, in the writ petition, had pleaded that his detention by the CIAA for investigation into corruption was illegal. The CIAA has filed corruption cases against Joshi and two former government secretaries at the Special Court. 

The apex court could not hear another plea filed by Joshi due to time constrains. In the plea, Joshi claimed the CIAA committed contempt of court by disobeying a previous apex court order. nepalnews.com mr Oct 20 

Judicial remand for Shobraj

The Kathmandu District Court on Monday ordered judicial remand for Charles Shobraj on the 1975 double murder case, court officials said. Judge Bishwambhar Prasad Shrestha issued the order. 

"The judicial remand on a murder case is not period-bound," according to a lawyer. "In such a case, the indicted person has to remain in police custody until the court delivers the final verdict," he said.  

Prior to the remand order, the court interrogated Shobraj for hours today, officials said. nepalnews.com mr Oct 20 

Parties to toughen protest

The five parliamentarian parties' task force meeting Monday decided to toughen their "anti-regressive" movement after Tihar and Chhath festivals. 

In a press statement, the parties said they have also decided to protest "militarization" of the nation. "At a time when mischievous efforts are being made to militarise the whole nation, the rationale of the five parties' movement has increased enormously," the statement said. 

The statement has further condemned the Doti incident, in which four school students were killed in the crossfire between the security forces and the Maoists. nepalnews.com mr Oct 20

11 Maoists killed in Lamjung, other details

Eleven Maoists were shot dead in two different security operations in Naughar and Ilampokhari area of Lamjung on Sunday, various reports said. 

The clashes took place when the rebels attacked security forces with grenades, the reports said. Details of the incident have not been received. 

Meanwhile, a group of Maoists Monday abducted two British and three staff of the British Gurkhas, who were in Baglung to recruit new soldiers for the British army, Nepal Television said in its evening broadcast. 

Security personnel shot dead a Maoist at Dhading after attack by rebels while defusing bombs at a village in the district Monday. Suspected Maoists overnight torched two motorcycles and a three-wheeler in the capital, police said. item. nepalnews.com mr/br Oct 20

Charles Shobraj brought to court

Police Monday produced Charles Shobraj at the Kathmandu District Court for a formal statement from him on the 1975 double-murder-case, court sources said.

As informed, the court officials interrogated Shobraj with regard to the indictment that he allegedly murdered two tourists in 1975. The interrogation was held under the presence of judge Bishwambhar Prasad Shrestha. "If time permits, a hearing to decide judicial remand or bail for Shobraj will begin today," said the sources.

The court last week granted release for Shobraj on the fake passport case until the final verdict is made. On the double murder case, the court granted permission to the police to keep him in custody. nepalnews.com mr Oct 20

Parties' task force meeting begins

The five agitating parties' task force meeting has begun at the party office of Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandi Devi) from Monday afternoon, party sources said.

The meeting will come up with recommendations on the course and nature of the next agitation to be staged before and after Tihar, the sources said.

Though parties have already finalised a protest program before Tihar, they have not named it the "ninth phase of stir", the source added. "The protest before Tihar is being launched just to keep party workers active."

"The ninth phase of anti-regressive protests, to be launched after Tihar, will be strong," said a participant of the meeting. nepalnews.com mr Oct 20

Three dead bodies recovered

Rescue workers Monday recovered three dead bodies from the Trishuli river of the passenger bus accident last week, radio reports said.

The bus, which plunged into the river in Dhading district, still cannot be pulled out of the river though efforts are underway, the reports added. nepalnews.com mr Oct 20

Shrestha released on bail

Meter supervisor of Nepal Electricity Authority, Madhusudan Shrestha, was released on a bail of Rs.800,000, RSS reports from Baglung.

Shrestha has been taken into custody after a complaint was received against him of embezzling more than Rs.1.5m. The complaint was received at the office of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority.

He has been charged of using tipex in the ledger and fake bills to embezzle money. The Commission is investigating the case. 

Shrestha has been released on a bail of Rs.800,000 and on a daily attendance basis, said CDO Prem Narayan Sharma. nepalnews.com br Oct.20

Oman hammer Nepal

Oman hammered Nepal 6-0 in an Asian Cup Group E qualifying match in Muscat Sunday, agencies said.

Nepal, after succumbing to a 7-0 loss to Oman in the first leg in Incheon last month, hoped for a better performance. The most talked about improvement in Nepali defense with the return of Upendra Man Singh didn't many any difference as they received similar treatment from Oman this time around as well.

Nepal will take on Vietnam on Tuesday. nepalnews.com br Oct.20

Eight security personnel ambushed

Eight security personnel were injured, three seriously, in an ambush Monday morning at Kalibas in Chitwan, a radio report said.

The injured are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Kathmandu and Bharatpur. Rebels ambushed a convoy of six motor vehicles travelling to Kathmandu. nepalnews.com br Oct.20