Both the Unified Communist Party Nepal-Maoists and the Nepali Congress, which have been seeking the support of the Madhesi-based parties to form the new government under their leadership, have rejected the key demands floated by them.

Just a day after the Maoists, the single largest party in Parliament, which is vying for the Prime Minister’s post, handed over its commitment paper to the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), a lose alliance of four Madhes-based parties, expressing inability to address their demand for declaring “entire southern plain as an autonomous Madhes province along with right to self determination” and Madhesi youths’ bulk entry in the Nepal Army, the Nepali Congress too on Sunday refused to address their demands as well.

In its 13-point reply, the Nepali Congress, which has been fielding its Parliamentary Party leader Ram Chandra Poudel as the PM candidate, said that ‘one Madhes one province’ and bulk entry of Madhesi youths in Nepal Army was unacceptable. A meeting of the office-bearers of the Nepali Congress held on Sunday morning, however, has asked the Madhes-based parties to explain on right to self determination.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the top leaders of the UDMF held Sunday evening to discuss about the both commitment papers received from the Maoists and Congress ended inconclusively.

According to Laxman Lal Karna, leader of Sadbhavana Party, the UDMF leaders will resume meeting on Monday morning and take decision on whether to back any candidate in the third round of prime ministerial poll slated for Monday or not.

If the UDMF, which has 82 seats altogether in Parliament, reviews its previous decision and decides to support the Maoists Chairman and prime ministerial candidate Pushpa Kamal Dahal, alias Prachanda, the latter may be elected as new prime minister. Otherwise, the Parliament session on Monday will be failed to elect the new prime minister in third consecutive round.

It may be recalled that the third largest party Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist and Leninist, which had forced its party chairman Jhalanath Khanal to quit the poll fray though he was about to garner simple majority in 601-member Parliament, has been refraining to join the prime ministerial poll fray dubbing that national unity government alone would be able to lead the protracted peace and constitution drafting process within the stipulated timeframe.

Puerto Rico, August 1
As the US military prepares for the first war-crimes trial under President Barack Obama, its most high-profile case against the planners of the September 11 attacks is stuck in political and legal indecisiveness.

Canadian prisoner Omar Khadr, accused of killing an American soldier during a raid on an Al-Qaida compound, is scheduled to go to trial August 9 at the US base in Cuba.

But, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the professed mastermind of the attacks and four alleged accomplices are still sequestered at Guantanamo without charges. The Obama administration, after months of review, hasn't made a decision on whether to seek a military or civilian trial.

It's a delay that has angered relatives of September 11 victims. It also has created an unusual situation. Previous war-crimes proceedings, in which Mohammed boasted of his role in the attacks and said he wanted to plead guilty, have essentially been erased. No US officials will say what the plans are for the five men who were transferred in 2006 to Guantanamo from secret CIA custody.

"There's no case, there's no judge, there's nothing," said Navy Lt Cmdr Richard Federico, a military lawyer appointed to defend alleged plotter Ramzi Bin Al Shibh. "They are back into the black hole." Attorney General Eric Holder announced in November the trial would be moved to Federal Court in New York. But, the administration backtracked and put the issue under review after local officials objected to the costs and potential security threat.

The military and justice department refer questions about the status to the White House, which said in March a decision was weeks away. An Obama administration official

Washington, August 1
The US has firmly asked Pakistan’s spy agency ISI to "strategically shift its focus" as any ties with terror outfits that has come to light is “unacceptable”.The American prescription in the war against terrorism came even as the US President reviewed the current situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan, along with the recently held US-Pak Strategic Dialogue in Islamabad, at his monthly situation room meeting with his top national security aides.

The Obama Administration voiced concern about the contacts by some elements in ISI with terror-outfits in the wake of the leak of military documents by WikiLeaks that laid bare the clandestine links of the Pak spy agency.

"Our concerns about the ISI and its contacts with some of these elements has been well known. It has been a part of our conversation with Pakistan for some time. Pakistan itself has commented publicly about this," State Department spokesman P J Crowley told reporters at his daily news conference.

"But, we are focussed on the decisive action that Pakistan must take to deal with the threat that is within its borders and has, in the last year or two, become clear that it's a threat to Pakistan and we are satisfied with the aggressive action that Pakistan has taken in response," Crowley said. "We want to see that aggressive action continues. Where we have concerns about ongoing contacts, we will not hesitate to raise them with Pakistan," Crowley said in response to a question. —PTI