NAC’s Boeing to fly

KATHMANDU: Nepal Airlines Corporation’s (NAC) Boeing, which has been grounded for the last three days, is expected to resume its operation soon. The spare parts needed to fix the Boeing will be flown from Malaysia, following which the Boeing will resume its operations anytime soon, said Gautam Das Shrestha, managing director of NAC. The Boeing has been grounded due to technical hitches, which has affected the airline’s international services. — HNS

Handicraft expo ends

KIRTIPUR: The two-day exhibition of indigenous craft and knowledge organised in Panga Lachhi of Kirtipur Municipality ended on Friday. The event organised by Kirtipur Mahila Ekta Samaj showcased local products and handicraft, which portrayed the indigenous knowledge of the Newar community. It had around 20 stalls, which invited over 2,000 visitors form the locality in two days. Among others, Guthi Nepal had a stall on rain water harvesting, technology for optimum utilisation of the rain water which is gaining popularity in the valley. A tele-film Jalapari made by Madan Krishna Shrestha and Haribansha Acharya, was also screened on the occasion. — HNS

Sanitary situation

KATHMANDU: Nepal is one of four countries which has made substantial progress in increasing access to improved water supply coverage and is on track to meet the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) sanitation target, the UNICEF said in a press release on Thursday. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), percentage of rural Nepalis who have access to improved water supply increased from 65 per cent in 1990 to 85 per cent in 2005 while the urban population’s access to improved water supply remained stable at 95 per cent, the release said. Nepal has also put much effort in expanding the sanitation needs and considerable progress has been made with toilet coverage increasing from 12 per cent in 1990 to 39 per cent in 2005. — RSS

Awards announced

MADHYAPUR THIMI: Birat Nepal Bhasha Sahitya Sammelan has decided to award the Nepal Bhasha Padak and Sanskritik Sirapa Award to Sanju Shrestha, a student of Hill Town International School, Kirtipur, and Banmala Sanskritik Samaj. The Sammelan has decided to confer the Nepal Bhasha Padak to Sanju Shrestha for her outstanding score in Nepal Bhasha subject in SLC Examination held in 2062 BS. — RSS

Condolence messages

KATHMANDU: The Nepal Women’s Association, in a statement issued on Friday, expressed deep sorrow over the untimely demise of 24 national and international dignitaries, including Minister of State for Forest and Soil Conservation Gopal Rai and his wife Meena Rai, in the recent chopper crash in Taplejung. The association prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls and expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The Nepal Peasants’ Association and the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxists and Leninists) also issued separate releases expressing heartfelt condolences to the families of Minister of State Rai and all the national and international dignitaries who were killed in the chopper crash. — RSS

King receives tika

KATHMANDU: On the occasion of Fulpati, the seventh day of the Dashain festival, King Gyanendra and Queen Komal received tika and prasad after paying homage to goddess Shree Durga Bhawani at Hanumandhoka Dasainghar on Friday. Earlier, as per tradition, the Fulpati was brought to Hanumandhoka Dashainghar from Gorkha. — RSS