S P O T L I G H T

Koirala sacks minister
KATHMANDU, Aug 8 (UNI) — Confronting leadership challenges from his own Nepali Congress, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today sacked Water Resources Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka for raising the banner of revolt.

Flash floods in Pak
ISLAMABAD, Aug 8 (AP) — Flashfloods swept away a car in a remote corner of northwestern Pakistan, killing seven persons, including six children, newspapers reported today.

Patna air crash
NEW DELHI, Aug 8 (UNI) — Nearly three weeks after the crash of Alliance Air 737-200 in Patna, in which 57 persons were killed, the government today appointed a court of inquiry headed by Air Marshal P. Rajkumar. The court has been asked to complete its inquiry and submit a report by October 31.

Ceasefire broken
SYDNEY, Aug 8 (AFP) — A ceasefire between warring ethnic factions in the Solomon Islands was breached today when a militia member was shot dead by a sniper west of the capital Honiara, local reports said. The Malaita Eagle Force (MEF), one of the two factions, said the killing terminated a 90-day ceasefire agreement signed last week after 20 months of war, Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corp (SIBC) said.

Maoists reject offer
KATHMANDU, Aug 8 (AFP) — Nepal’s underground Maoist rebels have rejected the Congress government’s offer of dialogue, claiming their demands have not yet been met, a party statement and newspapers said today. The statement, issued by the banned Nepal Communist Party’s general secretary, Pushpa Kamal Dhala, who is also known as Prachanda, said: “It is meaningless to send our representatives for a dialogue until the government builds a conducive environment.”