Saturday was the hottest day of this year in Kathmandu Valley with mercury surging well above 33 degree Celsius. 

According to the Department of Meteorology and Weather Forecasting Division, 33.7 degree Celsius was recorded at 3 pm in the Valley Saturday, the hottest day in the last five years. 32.7 degree Celsius was recorded in the Valley on Friday. Temperatures reached around 43 degree Celsius in the western central Terai plains on Saturday and around 35 degree Celsius in the eastern Terai region. 

The department has said that the temperature may continue to rise for the next few days followed by sporadic rainfall at night. 

Kathmandu's hottest day so far is May 7, 1989. The day registered a temperature of 36.6 degree Celsius. nepalnews.com mbk/pd May 15

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KP Bhattarai ready to become PM if King asks 

Former prime minister and founder member of the Nepali Congress Krishna Prasad Bhattarai said Saturday he was ready to head the next government if the King asked. 

Bhattarai told this during an interaction with CPN-UML leaders at his residence at Bhainsepati this afternoon. 

“I am ready to take the responsibility (of premiership) if the King asks,” Bhattarai, who recently had an audience with the King, told reporters gathered at his residence. The veteran leader also expressed hope that he would get support from major political parties if he were to hold the top job at Singha Durbar.

Bhattarai expressed the hope that he would also gain support from other leaders including Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala. He said: “Sher Bahadur is my man and I am elated hear his support for my possible premiership. I aspire to get support from other parties as well.”

On the contrary, CPN-UML general Madhav Kumar Nepal told reporters that he has informed Bhattarai about the five-party agreement that the next prime minister must be appointed with the recommendation or consent of parties. 

“We are confident that Bhattarai will act wisely,” Nepal said. nepalnews.com mbk May 15

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Sit-in protests, rallies against 'regression' continue

The five agitating parties gave continuity to sit-in protests and rallies for the straight 45th day on Friday against what they call the 'regression'.

Hundreds of leaders and supporters of the five parties chanted pro-democracy slogans, ferried major thoroughfares of the capital city before they held sit-in protests in the Ratnapark area.

Leaders such as Rajendra Pandey and Ram Baran Yadav addressed a corner meeting held at Ratnapark. They said the movement will continue until the "people's sovereignty is fully restored."

Indigenous organisations also took out rallies in support of the five parties. Student affiliates of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party began a photo exhibition at "democracy wall" at Bagbazzar. The photos, 180 in number, focused on the five parties' ongoing movement. 

College areas in Kathmandu were calm on Saturday, as the students did not burnt tyres and did not clash with police.

Nepali Congress (Democratic) also organised peace rallies to protest the royal move of October 2002. Spokesman Homnath Dahal addressed a corner meeting of the party held at Bhotahiti.

The five parties last Thursday decided to intensify their movement as the King did not heed their call for a collective audience. nepalnews.com mr May 15 04

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Maoists return Danida vehicle 

The Maoists Saturday returned a motorcar belonging to Danida, the Danish aid agency which was forcibly taken five days ago. 

Reports said the rebels handed over the vehicle to representatives of INSEC, a human rights organization on behalf of the agency this afternoon at Lamki of Kailali. 

The Maoists returned the vehicle after Danida issued a deadline of 76 hours threatening to suspend its development works in the area and other parts of the country. nepalnews.com mbk May 15

Transport services come to halt in Eastern parts

Transport services in almost all parts of the eastern region have come to a grinding halt with transporters fearing to venture out following a spate of Maoist arson on vehicles. The rebels have announced a blockade in some eastern districts. 

No buses left Kathmandu for the eastern districts on Saturday. The eastern region transport syndicate has suspended the services.

Likewise, citing security reasons, major transport agencies providing transports services such as Makalu, Agni and Panos Yayatayat have also cancelled their services for an indefinite period from Saturday. 

In Janakpur, the Janakpur Transport Entrepreneurs Association also announced the suspension of services until May 20. Likewise, in Udaypur, vehicular traffic has come to a standstill due to the Maoist blockade. 

With transport services suspended, thousands of passengers have been stranded. 

Meanwhile, a group of Maoists torched a jeep with an Indian number plate at Madanpokhara, Palpa this morning. The ultras did not harm the passengers, the reports said. nepalnews.com mbk May 15 04

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One killed, two injured in bomb blast

One civilian was killed and two more were hurt when a bomb left by the Maoists went off in Dailekh early on Saturday morning, reports said.

The dead has been identified as 42-year-old Prithvi Bahadur Rana. His 33-year-old wife and 10-year-old son were injured in a blast near his home. Maoists had left the bomb unknowingly while attacking the district agriculture office a few days ago, the reports added.

Meanwhile, the Maoists have attacked the local standard and metrology office in Birgunj, Parsa. No one was hurt in the blast that partially destroyed the office building.

Maoists are also known to have locked out the office of a non-government organisation in Palpa on Friday for operating without their permission. nepalnews.com mr May 15 04

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Maoist blockade leaves tourists stranded 

Hundreds of tourists remain stranded at Beni, the district headquarters of Myagdi since last five days as vehicular traffic remains off the roads due to blockade imposed by the Maoists. 

According to reports, hundreds of tourists returning from Mustang and Dhaulagiri base camp who have arrived at Beni have been waiting for transportation. Some tourists have chosen to walk on foot up to Pokhara that is 90kms away from Beni. 

A few days earlier, a Japanese trekking team returning from Dhaulagiri base camp had to charter a helicopter for Kathmandu as they could not find any means of transportation. 

Vehicular traffic in Pokhara-Baglung-Beni road has stopped due to the blockade. 

In the same district, two days earlier, the Maoists had forced a team of Israeli trekkers returning from Mustang to pay donations. According to reports, the Maoists had initially tried to manhandle the tourists but later let them go after talking Rs.5000. nepalnews.com mbk May 15 04

Two Nepalis held in Australia

The Australian authorities on Thursday raided three restaurants in Sydney and arrested 11 illegal workers. Two of them were Nepalis.

According to the Kathmandu Post, they were working as kitchen hands at Otto and were arrested following an anonymous tip-off. The report did not disclose identity of the two arrested. nepalnews.com mr May 15 04

Finland honours two Nepalis

The government of Finland has decorated two Nepalis - Mohan Man Sainju and Dr. Chandra Gurung, with the medal "Knight, First Class, The Order of the Lion of Finland," according to a statement issued by the Kathmandu-based Embassy of Finland on Friday.

Economist Sainju is the chairman of Institute of Integrated Development Studies while Dr. Gurung represents Nepal in the World Wildlife Fund. 

The decoration was awarded in appreciation of their active participation and the successful outcome of the Environmental Support Fund project and for promoting Finland in Nepal.

Glen Lindholm, Finnish Ambassador to Nepal, will hand over the decoration amid a special function on Monday. nepalnews.com mr May 15 04

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Panel formed to probe SC verdict

The Nepal Bar Association (NBA) has formed a committee to probe the acquittal of an international drug trafficker, Gorden Williams Robinson, by the Supreme Court.

In a statement on Friday, the NBA said the verdict was controversial and it raised questions regarding the credibility of the judiciary.

"It was essential to form the committee to uphold the prestige of the judiciary," the statement added.

Two years ago, Robinson was caught red handed at the Tribhuvan International Airport while attempting to smuggle 2.3 kgs of brown sugar to Indonesia via Singapore.

This is the first time that a non-judicial body has been formed to probe a court verdict. nepalnews.com mr May 15 04

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