W O R L D

Nepal intensifies parleys on extension of assembly tenure
Nepalese Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has intensified political parleys with the concerned stakeholders and tried to forge consensus among them on the extension of the Constituent Assembly’s (CA) term.

Slow rise and abrupt fall of Brown
London, May 11
It was a slow rise and an abrupt fall for Gordon Brown who resigned as the British Prime Minister tonight. Brown, 59, waited for 10 years before he finally became Prime Minister in the summer of 2007, and would have liked to stay on for at least 10 years in 10, Downing Street. That, was, until the May 6 elections cut short his tenancy in Britain's most famous residential address.

British hostage in Pak asks for help
Rome/Islamabad, May 11
A British hostage of Pakistani origin has appeared in a video in which he appeals for help to raise the ransom of $10 million demanded by his captors, a militant group calling itself Asian Tigers. Speaking in the video obtained by the Rome-based news agency Adnkronos International AKI, Asad Qureshi, a journalist and documentary-maker, said the group have set May 15 as the deadline by which the ransom must be paid.

Rana’s trial likely to begin on Nov 1
Chicago, May 11
The trial of Pakistani-Canadian terror suspect Tahawwur Rana, charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks, is expected to begin on November 1, with a US district court judge here saying today that the process should start "sooner than later."

France moves closer to veil ban
Paris, May 11
French lawmakers will vote on a resolution today condemning the full-face Islamic veil as an  affront to the nation’s values, setting the stage for a new law banning the burqa.

An anti-government ‘red shirt’ protestor holding a picture of King Bhumibol Adulyadej reacts to a speech in Bangkok's main shopping district on Tuesday. Thai anti-government activists showed no sign of ending their two-month protest in downtown Bangkok on Tuesday, despite their acceptance of a proposal to hold early elections. — Reuters

Nepal intensifies parleys on extension of assembly tenure
Bishnu Budhathoki in Kathmandu

Nepalese Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has intensified political parleys with the concerned stakeholders and tried to forge consensus among them on the extension of the Constituent Assembly’s (CA) term.

In a bid to avoid possible political and constitutional crisis that may aroused in the country after May 28, the deadline set by the Interim Constitution to the Constituent Assembly for enforcement of new constitution, Prime Minister Nepal called on the President Dr Ram Baran Yadav and discussed in this regard. According to Prime Minister’s political advisory Raghuji Panta, while meeting the President the PM said the new constitution could not be promulgated on May 28.

During the meeting, the duo also discussed the extension of the term of Assembly and current political affairs, among other issues. Prior to meet the President, Prime Minister Nepal met with the leader of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi), a fringe Madhes-based party, and consulted about the extension of the assembly by amending the interim constitution eighth time.

In accordance with the existing constitutional provision, the assembly has to finalise the new constitution within the given timeframe. But the constitution has not envisioned for the extension of the assembly’s tenure in normal situation unless the country passes through state of emergency.

Despite the fact, the major political parties at the assembly mainly the Maoists, Congress and UML including the Madhes-based parties are yet to reach consensus on contentious issues like the fundamental principle, governance system, modality of federalism to be incorporated into the new constitution. In order to extend the tenure of the assembly, the 601-member Parliament has to amend the interim constitution with two-third majority, which is impossible to produce unless the Maoists and Madhes-based parties agree in this regard. But the main opposition party, Unified CPN-Maoists, has tried to use it as bargaining chips taking a firm stance that it will not extend its support for the amendment of the interim constitution until and unless the incumbent government steps down clearing the deck for the formation of national unity government under its leadership.

However, Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal, a pro-monarch party, chairman Kamal Thapa said the country should go for fresh general election if the assembly fails to meet the deadline.

Slow rise and abrupt fall of Brown

London, May 11
It was a slow rise and an abrupt fall for Gordon Brown who resigned as the British Prime Minister tonight.

Brown, 59, waited for 10 years before he finally became Prime Minister in the summer of 2007, and would have liked to stay on for at least 10 years in 10, Downing Street. That, was, until the May 6 elections cut short his tenancy in Britain's most famous residential address.

Brown always saw himself as more competent and capable than Tony Blair, who held office for a record 10 years from 1997 to 2007.

Throughout that period, Brown hung on with a grim face as Chancellor, waiting for Blair to abdicate in his favour.

Brown’s decision to step down as Labour leader brings to the fore another example - if more were needed - of Enoch Powell’s famous dictum that ‘all political careers end in failure’.

Britons love their prime ministers and leaders - but only after they resign, present the picture of spiders caught in their own webs and move away from public gaze. The commenterati has already started writing Brown’s political obituary and discovering virtues in him.

Perhaps not many within the Labour party and outside will miss Brown, but one person who will notice his absence is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who developed a rapport with Brown when he visited India in January 2007.

Both Brown and Singh are dour economists, and Brown has been among the first British politicians to recognise the opportunities and challenges India presents to Britain's economy.

First as Chancellor and then as Prime Minister, India figured prominently in his speeches inside and outside the House of Commons, as he particularly focused on India's growing role in global issues such as climate change.

Brown and Manmohan Singh share a strong academic background in economics: both have doctorates in the subject, Brown from the Edinburgh University and Singh from Oxford. Singh served as India's Finance Minister before becoming the Prime Minister. Brown has trodden the same path en route to 10, Downing Street. Brown has been a regular in meetings of the Labour Friends of India, a lobby within the Labour party comprising MPs, ministers and party leaders.

At a recent meeting of the group, he said: "I value my contacts with India and want to convey my thanks to Labour Friends of India for the constructive and positive role it plays in parliament". With an image of a workaholic, serious and sombre politician, Brown's record has been hailed across party lines as the 'Iron Chancellor'. Wrote Michael White in The Guardian: “The paradox of Brown's career is that of a man blessed with intellectual gifts, drive and ambition who was simultaneously cursed with a debilitating self-doubt which easily turned to mistrust and suspicion of all but the most devoted allies”. He added: “Few of Gordon Brown's friends and admirers would have predicted during his dominant decade as chancellor that his life's journey from the Presbyterian manse in Kirkcaldy to No 10 would end in such a painful exit”. — PTI

British hostage in Pak asks for help

Rome/Islamabad, May 11
A British hostage of Pakistani origin has appeared in a video in which he appeals for help to raise the ransom of $10 million demanded by his captors, a militant group calling itself Asian Tigers. Speaking in the video obtained by the Rome-based news agency Adnkronos International AKI, Asad Qureshi, a journalist and documentary-maker, said the group have set May 15 as the deadline by which the ransom must be paid.

The video appeared to contradict reports last week that Qureshi together with a fellow hostage, Sultan Amir Tarar had been released following pressure exerted on their captors by Afghan Taliban fighters, AKI reported.

Tarar, together with another alleged former Pakistani intelligence official, Khaled Khwaja, and Qureshi were abducted on March 26 in Pakistan’s volatile North Waziristan region close to Afghanistan.

The Asian Tigers, a previously unknown group, reportedly killed Khwaja on April 30. In the video, Qureshi says he is in good health and that he doesn’t know where he is being held. He urges that his employer be contacted and made aware of his “predicament”. — DPA

Rana’s trial likely to begin on Nov 1

Chicago, May 11
The trial of Pakistani-Canadian terror suspect Tahawwur Rana, charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks, is expected to begin on November 1, with a US district court judge here saying today that the process should start "sooner than later."

During Rana's status hearing in the district court, Judge Harry Leinenweber set November 1 as the tentative date for commencing the trial of the 49-year-old terror suspect, after lawyers for both prosecution and defence agreed to it.

Judge Leinenweber said the trial should begin "sooner than later" and fixed June 17 as the next date for Rana's status hearing. Rana had stuck to his 'not guilty' plea during the last hearing. — PTI

France moves closer to veil ban

Paris, May 11
French lawmakers will vote on a resolution today condemning the full-face Islamic veil as an affront to the nation’s values, setting the stage for a new law banning the burqa.

France is on course to become the second European country after Belgium to declare the wearing of the full veil illegal in public places, reviving debate on Islam's place in Europe.

President Nicolas Sarkozy’s right-wing UMP party and the opposition Socialists along with other smaller parties have all agreed to back the non-binding resolution in the National Assembly.

The vote will set the tone for debate in July on broad legislation that will make it illegal for reasons of security to wear face-covering veils anywhere in public. — AFP