Students plan protests

KATHMANDU: The eight student unions, affiliated to major political parties, are meeting on Wednesday morning to discuss on how to create pressure on the government to slash transportation fares in line with the decrease in fuel prices in the international market. “We are planning to protest the delay in cutting transportation fares,” said Pradip Poudel, president

of the Nepal Students’ Union. He said Wednesday’s meeting would come up with a protest plan. Meanwhile, Nepal Tarun Dal has also threatened to take to the streets if the government

failed to slash transportation fares at the earliest. — HNS

Bike rally planned

KATHMANDU: Newa Volunteers, an organisation working for Newar people, will organise a motorbike rally from Kathmandu to various parts in eastern development region to celebrate Nepal Sambat 1129 from November 21. Talking to The Himalayan Times, Manoj Newa, president of Newa Volunteers, said that around 500 participants would take part in the motorbike rally. “There would be 200 motorbikes, 400 bike riders and around 100 volunteers,” he said. According to Manoj, the rally would pass through Hetauda, Rajbiraj, Dharan, Dhankuta, Biratnagar, Jhapa and would return back to Kathmandu on 26 November.

— HNS

Scribe Shivakoti dead

KATHMANDU: Journalist and human rights activist Krishna Prasad Shibakoti died at his residence in Baneshwor on Tuesday morning. He was 65. Shibakoti was suffering from kidney disease and diabetes for the last 15 years. He worked as editors of Jwala and Charcha weeklies and was the President of Human Rights Peace Foundation. He is survived by a wife, a son and six daughters. Minister for Information and Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara covered his body with a the CPN-Maoist’s party flag at Pashupati Aryaghat. Former General Secretary of CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal, Minister for Water Resources Bishnu Poudel, CPN-Maoist leader Agni Sapkota and president of Nepal Bar Association Bishwo Kanta Mainali, among others, paid tributes to Shibakoti at Aryaghat. — RSS