29 August 2008
Prachanda in Beijing and Kathmandu protests
(FT; The Himalayan Times) The new prime minister of Nepal known by his nom de guerre of Prachanda, was warmly welcomed to the Games' closing ceremony in Beijing by Hu Jintao, making him the first Nepali prime minister to make China his first port of call rather than India. Meanwhile, Tibetan activists resumed their protest rallies in front of the Chinese embassy in Kathmandu, and 120 were arrested. CP Gajurel, foreign department chief of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), told the Financial Times that "the party will ask the government to stop" Tibetan demonstrations.