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Deuba new Nepal PM Suicide bomber
carried out mosque blast? USA, UK offer new resolution on Iraq
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Buddhists rally in Thailand Graphic: Transit of Venus
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Deuba new Nepal PM
Kathmandu, June 2 King Gyanendra appointed Mr Deuba to the post of Prime Minister after the five political parties agitating against the royal takeover in 2002, failed to come to a consensus for the post of Prime Minister. The King also gave the executive power to Mr Deuba in accordance with the constitution of the kingdom of Nepal, 1990, according to a royal palace notice this morning. The King has urged Mr Deuba to form a government including all sides and initiate peace process, besides the process of election of the House of representatives by April 2005. Mr Deuba was sacked by the King on October 4, 2002 after he recommended the postponement of the election of the House by one year due to the Maoist insurgency. King Gyanendra had called Mr Deuba ‘’incompetent’’ after he could not hold elections. King Gyanendra had dissolved the House on the recommendation of the Prime Minister in May 2002, saying that the election would be held in November 2002. Mr Deuba is the president of the Nepali Congress (Democratic), a breakaway faction of the Nepali Congress. CPN (UML), one of the constituents of the five-party alliance, has said that it would support the Prime Minister. There is the possibility of forming a government involving CPN(UML), Rashtriya Prajatantra Party and Nepal Sadbhavana Party of Badri Prasad Mandal. The five parties have been demanding that the King restore democracy, reinstate the House and form an all-party government to hold talks with the Maoists before the parliamentary polls. They have also been demanding the handing over of sovereignty to the people taken by King while dismissing the Deuba government. Nepal was without government since Surya Bahadur Thapa resigned from the post of Prime Minister on May 7 following street protests and demonstrations by the five political parties.
— UNI |
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Suicide
bomber carried out mosque blast? Karachi, June 2 Police have collected the limbs and skull of a body, believed to be that of a suicide bomber, and will carry out DNA tests if they deem it necessary, a senior police investigator said. “A preliminary examination of the blast site suggests some 10
kilograms of composite explosives was used,” the investigator told AFP. Some 20 people were killed and 38 injured when an explosion ripped through the Ali Raza mosque on Monday night, a day after the assassination of prominent pro-Taliban Sunni cleric Mufti Niza-muddin Shamzai in the same area. No one has claimed
responsibility for the bombing,. — AFP |
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USA, UK offer new resolution on Iraq United nations, June 2 The draft also give Iraqis power over their oil revenues but an international advisory board to audit the accounts would remain in place for the time being. Russia, France, China, Germany and other members of the 15-memher Council had demanded that the Coalition partners give specific timeframe for withdrawal of their forces. The revised draft does not give the exact date but says that their mandate “shall expire on completion of the political process.” The political process should end with election under new constitution in December 2005 or January 2006. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari is on way to New York and is expected to address the Council tomorrow. He is expected to demand that the interim government be granted full sovereignty. Under the current timetable, the interim government would help organize an election for a transitional Assembly by January next year. The transitional Assembly will draw up a constitution under which elections would be held by the end of next year and a new government constituted in December next year or January 2006. The new draft, which was circulated within hours of the interim government being constituted in Baghdad, gives control to Iraqis over police and other security forces but leave vague the issue whether Iraqis can refuse to participate in an operation which they oppose. The draft provides for handing over the control of the fund of Iraqi oil revenues now under the control of the Coalition to Iraqis but would keep in place an International Advisory board to audit the accounts. The revenues from the oil would have to be deposited in the fund which is monitored by the board. The draft would protect Iraqi oil and gas sales from lawsuits.
— PTI |
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Miss Australia is Miss Universe Quito (Ecuador), June 2 Hawkins, a 20-year-old 5-foot-11-inch-tall blonde with blue eyes, was chosen last night from among 80 beauty queens representing their respective countries. Miss USA, Shandi Finnessey, was first runner-up. The ceremony took place at a convention center of the northern outskirts of Quito, where 7,500 spectators gathered to witness the crowning of the world’s most beautiful woman. The three other finalists were Miss Puerto Rico Alba Reyes, second runner-up; Miss Paraguay Yanina Gonzalez, third runner-up and Miss Trinidad and Tobago Danielle Jones, fourth runner-up. Hawkins received the crown from outgoing Miss Universe 2003, Amelia Vega, from the Dominican Republic, and then walked down the runway, smiling and waving to the cheering crowd. The finalists were an-announced after 10 semifinalists paraded in swimsuits before the crowd. The two-hour finals were broadcast live around the world. Organizers expected the pageant to be seen by 1.5 television billion viewers in 180 countries. All 80 contestants participated in the finals, in which the winner was to be selected from among 15 semifinalists. The 15 semifinalists were chosen — but not
announced-ed in a preliminary bathing suit and evening gown showdown on Thursday. The 15 semifinalists were reduced to 10 last night. The panel of judges included musician Emilio Estefan, actress Bo Derek and supermodel Petra Nemcova.
— AP |
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3 Indian NGOs for ‘Green Oscars’ London, June 2 The three finalists from India for the award, carrying a cash prize of £ 140,000, are IT Power, working in the Himalayan region, Prakratik Society engaged in the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve and Aurore from the international township of Auroville, a spokeswoman of the Ashden Awards announced here last night. The winners of the award, will be chosen on June 24 at a ceremony to be held at the Royal Geographical Society here.
— PTI |
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Buddhists
rally in Thailand Thailand, June 2 Tension between Muslims and Buddhists, who are the overwhelming majority in Thailand but are outnumbered four to one in South, is on the rise after five months of attacks on government officials, teachers and security forces.
— Reuters |
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Kathmandu, June 2
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