What happens in Singapore…
Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala have denied that they made a secret deal to overthrow the government, after a transcript of their alleged conversation surfaced yesterday. A purported transcript of a conversation between the two leaders in Singapore shows them making an agreement to remove the president and the prime minister from power. Dahal has said the transcripts are fabricated. (The Himalayan Times)

Special treatment
Constituent Assembly members allowed the budget to pass only after the finance minister agreed to allocate Rs 10 million towards special projects in their constituencies, it has been revealed. The trend was started by former Finance Minister Baburam Bhattarai who distributed Rs 5 billion for special projects, and continued when the 22-party coalition took over the government. Last July, most of the fund under this title was distributed to UML and NC leaders. As a result smaller parties, like Madhesh Tarai Democratic Party, had to make such an agreement, Industry Minister Mahendra Yadav said. (Kantipur)

Under review
Asian Human Rights Commission has asked the UN Department of Peacekeeping to discharge Major Niranjan Basnet, accused of involvement in the Maina Sunuwar case, from the peacekeeping mission in Chad. It was recently reported that Basnet, who faces a suspension order for Kabhre District Court for his role in the torture and subsequent killing of the 15-year-old girl in 2004, was deployed for a peacekeeping mission by the army. “The matter has been drawn to the attention of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations at the highest level for appropriate verification and action.” Richard Bennett, Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal has said. (Republica)