IN BRIEF

Help for destitutes

KATHMANDU: Some 500 clothes items collected with the initiation of students and teachers of Uma Maheswor Secondary Boarding School was handed over to Madan Kumar Rai, the president of Khotang Bikas Manch, on Friday. — HNS

Press Council’s appeal

KATHMANDU: The Press Council Nepal has called on the concerned side to come to the negotiating table to clear suspicion and doubts about the classification of newspapers, which was published in 2004.The council said on Saturday that audit bureau of circulation had been carried out as per the existing Act. — RSS

Tamang pupils feted

KATHMANDU: Nepal Tamang Students Ghedung (NTSG) on Saturday felicitated 10 Tamang students who secured high marks in the last SLC exams. Urmila Tamang who secured 86 per cent; Muna Tamang who got 78 per cent; Sangita Lama, 76 per cent; and Lek Bahadur Lama, 74 per cent, were among those feted. — HNS

Additional portfolio

KATHMANDU: The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ramesh Nath Pandey, will look after the Ministry of Education and Sports and Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation in the absence of minister Radha Krishna Mainali, who left for Paris on Saturday to take part in the 33rd convention of UNESCO, the Press Secretariat of the King said on Saturday. — RSS

Tharu official feted

KATHMANDU: Rautahat-Bara Tharu Jagruk Samaj (R-BTJS) on Saturday feted member of Royal Commission for Corruption Control Hari Babu Chaudhary and member of National Planning Commission Prof Dr Ram Prasad Chaudhary at a programme. Speaking at the felicitation programme, former assistant minister Umakant Chaudhary urged the Tharu youths to fight against the dowry system grooming in Tharu community. — HNS

Call to promote arts

LALITPUR: The Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Buddhi Raj Bajracharya has said that the government is committed to preserving and promoting of Nepali arts and cultures. Opening the 13th Annual General Gathering of Society for Urban Poor People on Saturday, he said poverty could be abated by making arts and cultures a medium of earning foreign money. — RSS

Crown Princess’ b’day

KATHMANDU: On the occasion of the 30th auspicious birthday of Crown Princess Himani, the Auspicious Birthday Civic Main Celebration Committee took out a rally from Tindhara Pathshala on Saturday. The rally passed through the King’s Way and concluded at the West Gate of the Royal Palace. — RSS

King extends wishes

KATHMANDU: The King extended felicitations to Hu Jintao, President of the People’’s Republic of China, on the occasion of anniversary of the founding of the People’’s Republic of China. In a message sent on Saturday, the King extended best wishes for the President’s health and for the progress and prosperity of the people of China. — RSS

Letter of credence

KATHMANDU: Royal Nepali Ambassador to France Prajwalla SJB Rana presented Letter of Credence to French president Jacques Chirac in Elysee Palace in Paris on Friday. — RSS