Kathmandu, June 5
In a sudden U-turn that could break the lingering political deadlock in Nepal, the Maoists today decided to give up their claim on the post of the President, paving the way for formation of a new government.

The CPN-Maoist party also announced that it has withheld its decision to quit the interim multi-party government by today.

The Maoists, during the meeting, decided that the post of the President should be given to a leader of civil society, sources close to the former rebels said. However, the decision needs to be endorsed by their Central Committee meeting to be held on Sunday.

The former guerrillas had earlier threatened to quit the interim government led by Prime Minister G.P. Koirala if both the posts of the President and the Prime Minister were not given to them.

The Maoists' demand had thrown the country into a political uncertainty as the major parties, including Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML insisted that the two key posts should not be given to the any single party.

The major parties had also demanded amendment to the Constitution before handing over power to the Maoists, who emerged as the single largest group in the historic April 10 Constituent Assembly election by bagging 220 seats.

The parties wanted inclusion of a provision, according to which the government could be formed or dissolved by simple majority instead of the Present requirement of a two-thirds majority.

The seven-point agenda includes dismantling the Maoists' military and semi-military structures, halting acts of intimidation, terror and extortion by the former rebels, returning land and property seized by them and dissolving the parallel government and kangaroo courts of the ex-guerrillas.

However, political observers believe that the decision made by the Maoists to withdraw their claim on the post of the President would move ahead the peace process and clear the way for government formation. — PTI

Hillary Rodham Clinton will end her presidential campaign on Saturday and endorse rival Barack Obama, according to her aides.

In an email to supporters on Thursday, Clinton wrote: “On Saturday, I will extend my congratulations to senator Obama and my support for his candidacy. This has been a long and hard-fought campaign, but as I have always said, my differences with senator Obama are small compared to the differences we have with senator McCain and the Republicans."

Senator John McCain is the Republican Party's presumptive presidential nominee.

Clinton noted that she has said "throughout the campaign that I would strongly support senator Obama if he were the Democratic Party's nominee, and I intend to deliver on that promise."

The Clinton campaign said she would host an event in Washington, D.C., on Saturday "to thank her supporters and express her support for senator Obama and party unity." Clinton said she would be speaking at the event about "how together we can rally the party behind Obama." She added: "The stakes are too high and the task before us too important to do otherwise.”

The New York Times, which had supported Clinton, reported that her decision came after the Democrats urged her on Wednesday to leave the race and allow the party to coalesce around Obama. Clinton has still not admitted in public that she lost the contest. A suspension of the campaign allows her to continue raising money and pay off her millions of dollars in debt.

On Wednesday, four top Democratic Party leaders indicated they wanted Clinton to quit the race in order that Obama can focus his energy on battling McCain of Arizona.

As Clinton prepares to exit the stage there is an effort by some of her supporters to press Obama to pick the former first lady as a running mate.

Obama's three-member panel to look for a presidential running mate includes Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, daughter of President John Kennedy.

Some Obama supporters are opposed to an Obama-Clinton ticket fearing she would bring with her baggage that the Illinois Democrat has spoken against in his campaign. Former President Jimmy Carter told a British newspaper that choosing Clinton for the role of running mate would be "the worst mistake that could be made."

Beijing, June 5
India today raised with China the issue of Sikkim in the light of its latest claim over a small part in the state as both sides decided to maintain peace along the border and not to disturb the status quo or “to change the situation”.

External affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, during talks with his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi, discussed a wide range of issues, including China's recent claim over the “finger area” in Sikkim border.

Government sources said when the Sikkim issue was mentioned, the Chinese side said, "Yes, we need to look at it. We have different perceptions. Let our people sit and talk”. As far as India was concerned, "there was zero dispute on Sikkim", the sources pointed as the issue had already been settled.

China had recently claimed the “finger area”, asking India to dismantle a pile of stones, adding an irritant in the festering decades old boundary row.

BRIEFLY

Pak PM’s Saudi Arabia visit
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani will begin his two-day visit to Saudi Arabia from Friday. According to sources, economic officials will also accompany with the Prime Minister during the visit. Gilani is likely to discuss economic cooperation and the oil facility to Pakistan with the Saudi authorities to help Pakistan tide over current economic crunch aggravated by rising oil prices. — TNS

Taliban warn drug, music dealers
MIRANSHAH: Pakistani Taliban militants on Thursday gave music shop owners and drug dealers a 10-day deadline to close down or face the consequences, local officials and residents said. Using megaphones, the hard line Islamist rebels drove through Mir Ali town in the semi-autonomous tribal region of North Waziristan bordering Afghanistan to deliver the chilling warning, they said. Militants have bombed dozens of entertainment shops in the region in recent years, saying that music and movies are against the teachings of Islam. — AFP

Australian police arrests 70 in child porn raids
SYDNEY: Seventy persons have been arrested in Australia in nationwide child pornography raids and more arrests are likely, the police said on Thursday. Those arrested include a policeman, a teacher and a sports administrator after a six-month investigation into paedophile communities online and how they trade images of child pornography on the internet. Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty said some of the images showed children being abused. — Reuters

Children grow up ‘happier with grandparents’
LONDON: Bringing up a kid is no child’s play. But if you want your children to grow up happier, get your mom and dad to raise them, for a study has revealed that children grow up happier under care of grandparents. Researchers in Britain have found that grandparents can help young children because they often have more time to spend with them than working parents, and they are also good at solving their problems and discussing their future plans. — PTI