Two held at TIA

KATHMANDU: Police deployed at the Tribhuvan International Airport arrested two foreigners in possession of illegal goods on Tuesday. According to police, Kim Thin, a Malaysian national and Morajbi Ahamed, a Bangladeshi, were arrested while trying to smuggle out some gold-plated material and a golden idol via a Thai air flight to Bangkok on Tuesday. — HNS

Deuba denied access

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (Democratic) President Sher Bahadur Deuba was prevented from meeting NC (D) leaders who are in detention at the army facility at Duwakot, Bhaktapur, on Wednesday. The NC (D) leaders who are in detention there are Gopal Man Shrestha, Bimalendra Nidhi, Pradeep Giri and Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat. The party has denounced the bid to block Deuba though a statement issued by Jeevan Prem Shrestha on Wednesday. — HNS

100 blind people held

KATHMANDU: Police on Wednesday cracked down on a demonstration staged by the visually-impaired people. They have been demanding employment opportunities for the past few days. About 100 demonstrators were rounded up after they began chanting slogans pressing their demands in the capital, Nepal Association of the Blind said. Bodies working in the field of welfare of the blind have flayed the crackdown. — HNS

Speaker meets envoy

KATHMANDU: Speaker Taranath Ranabhat paid a courtesy call on Ambassador of Israel to Nepal Dan Stav at the office of parliament on Wednesday. They held discussions on Nepal-Israel relationship and various issues of bilateral interest. General secretary Surya Kiran Gurung was also present on the occasion. — RSS

Indian assistance

KATHMANDU: A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) has been signed on Wednesday between the Embassy of India, the District Development Committee, Lamjung and Marsyangdi Multiple Campus, Besishahar, Lamjung. As per the MOU, the government of India will be providing grant assistance of Rs 15,55,019 for construction of two-storey library building, Indian Embassy in Kathmandu said. — RSS

Herbs seized

KATHMANDU: The security personnel deployed at Nala Check-point of Bhaktapur District on the Arniko Highway have seized 28 sacks full of different types of herbs being smuggled into Kathmandu from a pick-up van in course of the security search on Wednesday. The security forces also arrested 12 persons involved in the smuggling of the herbs. The forces also recovered documents on terrorist literature from the smugglers, the Defence Ministry said. — RSS

Additional portfolio

Kathmandu: Minister of State for Finance Dr Rup Jyoti will look after the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation during the absence of Minister of State for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Yangkila Sherpa who had been handling the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation portfolio. Sherpa has left for Berlin to participate in the International Tourism Berlin (ITB) fair. This is stated in a notice issued on Wednesday by Press Secretariat of the King. — RSS

Women’s caucus

Kathmandu: The Women’s Day on Wednesday saw launch of ‘Multi-Party Women’s Caucus”, with leaders of the political parties figuring in it. Sahana Pradhan is the president, Uma Adhikari is the vice-president, Meena Pandey member secretary and Shashi Shrestha, the treasurer. Suprabha Ghimire, Pratibha Rana, Urmila Aryal, Kalyani Rijal, Renu Yadav, Urmila Pandey and Sita Khadka are its members. — HNS