2.Maoist office bearers meet underway
KATHMANDU, AUG 11 -A meeting of the office bearers of the UCPN (Maoist) is underway at party headquarters in Perisdanda on Wednesday to finalise the agenda for the Central Committee (CC) meeting.
The party CC meet is beginning on Thursday. Earlier, it was scheduled for today, however, it has been postponed for tomorrow on the ground that more time is needed for completing preparations for the event.
The meeting is expected to thrash out several crucial issues as Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Vice Chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai have serious disagreements over several crucial issues pertaining to internal party politics, government formation and the peace process.
It has been learnt that the party would seek clarification from Bhattarai for his separate meeting with Shyam Saran claiming it to be against the party policy at the CC meeting.
Another agenda is related to the ongoing prime ministerial election where Dahal is contesting. The Bhattarai faction wants a breakdown of the ongoing poll process and wants a new process for forwarding a consensus candidate. The Dahal faction is against this line. The meeting will also discuss on alleged threats by an Indian Embassy official to CC member Ram Kumar Sharma.
Likewise, the Maoist has already decided to come clear on the involvement of central CC member Kali Bahadur Kham in a series of crime in the CC meeting. http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/11/top-story/maoist-office-bearers-meet-underway/320241/

3. Maoist CC meet put off for Thursday; likely to decide Kham’s fate
KATHMANDU – Amid mounting pressure on the UCPN (Maoist) to come clean on the involvement of one of its commanders in a series of crime, the party said on Tuesday that the Central Committee (CC) meeting beginning from Thursday would decide whether to produce central CC member Kali Bahadur Kham in court.
Earlier, the party had decided to hold its CC meet on Wednesday.
Kham is on the run from police for his involvement in robbery and illegal trade.
The Kathmandu District Court on Monday issued an arrest warrant against Kham who has been accused of masterminding a robbery of Chinese businesspersons, besides his involvement in the illegal trade of medicinal herbs.
 "The CC meeting will decide whether to produce Kham before the court," Maoist leader Nanda Kishor Pun told the Post. Maoist sources, however, say Kham will not be taking part in the CC meeting to elude arrest. Despite repeated police requests to help detain Kham, the Maoists have been insisting that it will be against their principle to abide by the existing legal requirements. Maoist Spokesman Dina Nath Sharma said it was not their duty to produce Kham in the court. http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/10/capital/maoist-cc-meet-put-off-for-thursday-likely-to-decide-khams-fate/320211/

4. UML not to dwell on majority govt
KATHMANDU, AUG 11 – Amid speculation on Wednesday’s CPN-UML Central Committee (CC) meeting and its implication on the fifth round of prime ministerial polls, the UML leadership has said it will not delve into the issue of a majority government.
The party is rather preparing to present a concrete plan to explore common grounds on the most contentious issues related to the peace process. Amid differences within the party on whether to support the democratic alliance or stand firm in its stand of forming a national consensus government, the party establishment has prepared a proposal on the unresolved issues.
“We have not called this meeting to support one party or the other. We will present a concrete proposal on all contentious issues to be settled before the formation of a national consensus government,” Secretary Yuba Raj Gyawali said.
UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal and General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel had prepared the concept paper in consultation with other leaders. The proposal will be discussed with other parties following its endorsement by the CC.
The proposal includes the party’s stand on numbers and modalities of Maoist combatants to be integrated into security forces, possible ways of power sharing and ways of resolving debates in the statue writing process.
A faction of UML led by Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, and KP Sharma Oli will follow Khanal’s line for now. In an informal meeting held at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar, Oli’s supporters Khagraj Adhikari, Krishna Gopal Shrestha and Karna Bahadur Thapa decided to urge the UCPN (Maoist) and Nepali Congress to withdraw their canididacy from the prime ministerial poll for consensus.
They were busy in internal discussions till late in the night. They finally decided not to stand firm in their earlier stance to support NC in the prime minestrial election.
On Tuesday morning, NC Vice President and prime ministerial candidate Ram Chandra Poudel had requested Prime Minister Nepal to create on environment to support him in the fifth round of polling scheduled for Aug 18. However, Nepal has not yet publicly commented on Poudel’s request.
Khanal’s supporters believe the meeting will exert pressure on both  NC and Maoists to withdraw their candidacy and help jumpstart negotiations for consensus.
“The meeting will focus on how to form a national consensus government. We will press parties to go
for  amendment to Parliamentary Regulations setting a minimum standard of Maoist army to be integrated into security forces,” leader Gokarna Bista said. http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/11/top-story/uml-not-to-dwell-on-majority-govt/320227/

5. 44 Nepalese stranded in Kunming, China
HONG KONG, AUG 11 – 44 Nepalese, who were en route to Nepal after retiring from their jobs at Landmark Hotel and Casino of Macau, have been stranded in Kunming of China since Friday.
The local airport inspection department in Kunming prohibited their flight from the province, as they had visas valid only in Guangzhou province.
 “We have made arrangements to return all Nepalese back to Guangzhou from where they will fly for Nepal,” Sadhuram Khadka, one of the stranded, informed eKantipur via phone.
“We were oblivious of the visa requirements for Kunming that led to this confusion,” the involved manpower entrepreneur Trilok Gurung said. http://www.ekantipur.com/2010/08/11/top-story/44-nepalese-stranded-in-kunming-china/320239/