EC nominees okayed

KATHMANDU: Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee on Thursday ratified the names of Ayodhi Prasad Yadav and Dolakh Bahadur Gurung for their appointment as commissioners at the Election Commission. The names have been forwarded to the Constitutional Council, which will recommend them to the Cabinet for their appointment. — HNS

3 injured in mishap

PYUTHAN: Three persons were injured when a van heading to Bijuwa from Thant (Pyuthan) met with an accident at Machhi of Okharbot VDC on Thursday. Driver Dilli Bahadur Shah, helper Ram Chandra Bohara and passenger Prakash Bist were injured in the accident. Shah, who was critically injured, has been taken to Bhairahawa for treatment, the district police office (Pyuthan) said. — HNS

NEFIN meet on Jan 17

Kathmandu: The Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) — the umbrella organisation of all the indigenous nationalities of the nation — is all set to hold its sixth national convention in Kathmandu from January 7 to 9. Though three indigenous bodies have declared their candidates for the top post of the NEFIN, incumbent general secretary of the NEFIN, Dr Om Gurung, said various organisations have been putting pressure on him to lead NEFIN. — HNS

Protect rhino plea

NARAYANGARH: CPN-UML affiliated Democratic National Youth Association (DNYA), ANNFSU and Narayani Hotel Entrepreneurs Association (NHEA) demanding protection of rhinos submitted separate memorandums to District Administration Office on Thursday. The DNYA central member Kamal Pathak and chairperson of the NHEA Govinda Tiwari submitted the memorandums to Chief District Officer Netra Bahadur Rawal. They have demanded to adopt special alertness to preserve rhino at a time when rhino poaching has increased rapidly. At least 12 rhinos were killed in the Chitwan National Park and adjoining forests in the last six months. — HNS

Hospital staff on strike

BIRGUNJ: Staffers of Advance Medicare Hospital situated at Alkhiyamath in Birgunj are on a relay hunger strike since last week demanding permanent appointment and hike in salary. Hospital staffers Umesh Yadav, Menuka Ghimire, Shiv Pujan Shah, Bijay Yadav, Kalawati Devi and Prabhu Prasad Raut are on relay hunger strike. Chairman of the employees’ association of the hospital, Kabi Raj Khatiwada, said an additional staffer would join the relay hunger strike daily till January 8 under the third phase of their agitation. — HNS

VDC offices to open

Jhapa: A meeting of district-based leaders of the eight political parties held in Birtamod on Thursday reached an agreement to unlock the VDC and municipality offices of Jhapa. The offices were padlocked by the Maoists recently. It was decided to unlock the offices of Bhadrapur, Mechinagar and Damak municipalities and 13 VDC offices of Jhapa, district vice-president of the Nepali Congress Uddhav Thapa said. — HNS