India pledges support

KATHMANDU: Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood on Thursday met Maoist supremo Prachanda at the latter’s residence at Naya Bazar. Sood was said to have assured Prachanda of India’s unconditional cooperation for the new government. During the meeting, Prachanda and Sood also discussed the ongoing peace process, constituent assembly election and the new government formation process. —HNS

Mountaineers missing

KATHMANDU: Dario Bracali, an Argentine national and an unidentified Spanish national are missing from Dhaulagiri Mountain’s Camp 3. A four-member rescue team led by Padam Ghale and other members, including Prem Bahadur Gurung, Asha Bahadur Gurung and Mingmar Dorje Sherpa from Himalayan Rescue Association Nepal is off to Dhaulagiri base camp on a helicopter, said Bikram Neupane, chairman of HRAN. —HNS

Journo Ashok dead

KATHMANDU: Former chairperson of the Kathmandu chapter of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) Ashok Shrestha passed away on Thursday at the age of 49. Journalist Shrestha was involved in research and investigative journalism. Shrestha is survived by wife, two sons and a daughter. He was cremated at Pashupati Aryaghat. — RSS