Delegation for SCCI meet

KATHMANDU: A three-member delegation led by Hulas Chand Golchha, vice-president of SAARC Chambers of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) left for Mumbai on Friday to take part in the 33rd executive committee meeting of SCCI, which is taking place on March 20. The delegation will also participate in the ministerial conference on ‘inter-SAARC regional tourism promotion’ to be held in Mumbai on saturday. The other members in the delegation are Padma Jyoti and Nandini Thapa, director of NTB. — HNS

Quality lab faces crisis

BUTWAL: Quality control lab at Siddharthanagar Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Bhairahawa has not been operational and is on the verge of closure because of lack of budget. The lab was established four years ago at a cost of Rs 4.1 million. The lab could not be run because of lack of chemicals, physical materials and computers, said Yatindra N Shukla, chief at lab. — RSS

Knitting training ends

PARBAT: A three-month long training on Dhaka knitting and tailoring for rural women of Dalit and oppressed families concluded recently. The training aimed at promoting income of the women and helping them to be self-dependent. Some 10 women from Shivalaya, Khanigaun and Tilahar VDCs of Parbat district received the training. District micro entrepreneurship development office has organised the training. — RSS

Quarantine post set up

BUTWAL: As per the government decision, a plant quarantine check post has been established

in Krishnanagar, Kapilvastu. It is useful for import of healthy plants, saplings and agricultural products apart from the development and effectiveness of international crops conservation and national plant quarantine programme. — RSS

German economic revival

BERLIN: German chancellor Gerhard Schroder unveiled a package of emergency reforms to try to revive the fortunes of Europe’s biggest economy, amid public panic over the country’s soaring unemployment rates. — The Guardian

Indian airlines’ new fares

NEW DELHI: Indian carriers are offering low fares for travellers flying to popular destinations like Singapore and Dubai in a bid to win competition from budget airlines in East Asia. — AP

EU threatens Microsoft

BRUSSELS: The EU threatened Microsoft Corp on Friday with new fines if the software company doesn’t make it easier for competitors to see the blueprints of its server software and less expensive for them to use it. — AP