Bhagyarekha gives car

KATHMANDU: Nirmal Chhetri, a resident of Syangja, has won a Maruti-800 car in ‘Mayos Bhagyarekha’ promotional scheme launched by Himalayan Snax and Noodles Pvt Ltd (HSNPL). Rabindra Man Shrestha, CEO of HSNPL handed over the car key to Chhetri on Friday. Chhetri is the first person to win a car under this scheme. To win a car, one has to match two different coupons of palm and luck line. — HNS

Nepal-Myanmar trade

KATHMANDU: Victory Shumshere Rana, the newly appointed ambassador to Myanmar, has promised to help boost bilateral trade between Nepal and Myanmar. During a meeting with Rajesh Kaji Shrestha president and other NCC officials, Rana said bilateral trade and tourism promotion will get adequate emphasis. Shrestha said that the trade ties between the two countries would get a boost during Rana’s tenure. — RSS

Hydropower meet

KATHMANDU: A three-day long international meet on hydropower will begin in Kathmandu on Tuesday. 300 participants from 25 Asian and African countries are expected to attend the Sixth International meet on Development of Hydropower. — HNS

Indo-Pak gas pipeline

ISLAMABAD: Indian petroleum minister Mani Shankar Aiyar arrives in Pakistan on Saturday on a four-day long visit for talks on the $3.7 billion India-Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project. “The minister will also be discussing other possibilities of the gas pipeline from Central Asian states and Qatar,” said an official of the ministry of petroleum. — HNS

Crude futures climb

WASHINGTON: Crude futures settled above $55 a barrel on Friday, finishing a shortened trading week more than $3 a barrel higher, as traders’ supply fears were bolstered by an Energy Department official who predicted new record highs for oil prices because of ‘paltry’ domestic inventory levels. — AP

LNG project blues

DALLAS: Exxon Mobil Corp moved one step closer on Friday to winning approval for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal on the Texas Gulf Coast that could be used to import LNG from Qatar by 2008. The staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission said that a proposed site near the Texas-Louisiana border won’t significantly harm the environment. — AP

Thai PM talks trade

NEW DELHI: Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra left India after a day’s visit during which he discussed trade. He urged Indian to set up an Indian Institute of Technology-like university in Thailand. — HNS