NEWS: Keeping Nepal on tenterhooks, the Maoist rebels have banned all companies with US investments and have asked the commissioners of the Election Commission to resign from their posts by Sunday. The rebel-run All-Nepal Trade Union Federation on Friday made it clear that it was not going to lift the ban on the 12 companies, including Surya Nepal (a collaboration of Indian Tobacco Company), which are closed since August 17. It said it had decided to close down forever all US-funded companies "because of Washington's military support to Nepal to crush the Nepalese people's liberation movement." Federation secretary Ganesh Regmi, said, "We will not allow the 12 companies to resume their operations till they fulfil our demands." He regretted that nations backing these firms had complicated the crisis instead of resolving it. He, however said non-US MNCs, which are running now, can function by complying with the rebels' demands. On the other hand, a joint statement issued by the rebels' Kathmandu valley special organising committee and special task force asked all members of the EC to quit, saying, "No one should think of prolonging the present regime through atrocities and repression." The Maoist ultimatum comes at a time when the EC is busy holding meetings with mainstream parties. The king wants elections to be held by April 2005. Source: Hindustan Times, INDIA dated 28.08.2004