Ex-minister Pandey ill

KATHMANDU: Former foreign minister Ramesh Nath Pandey, who was under detention, fell ill on Monday and has been hospitalised. According to his son Nischal Nath Pandey, he has been admitted to Norvic Escorts International Hospital. Meanwhile, the Office of the Prime Minister and Cabinet on Tuesday informed the Supreme Court that the detention of former ministers Ramash Nath Pandey and Shrish Shumsher Rana is legal and there is no need for the Supreme Court intervention. Responding to habeas corpus petitions, the PMO told the SC that they have been detained under the Public Security Act 2046BS, as they were involved in supressing the Jana Andolan. —HNS

Three climbers dead

Beijing: Three climbers from Brazil, Russia and France died while descending Mount Everest on separate expeditions over the past week, a Chinese official said on Tuesday. The three climbers, whose names weren’t released, reached the Everest summit and died on the way down, said Zhang Mingxing, secretary of Tibet Mountaineering Association. —AP

Factory worker shot

Janakpur: A group of armed persons shot dead Ram Bilas Yadav, 49, a worker of Janakpur Cigarette Factory, on Monday night, police said. The group shot three rounds at him while he was returning home after duty, the police said. The group, however, managed to rob Yadav’s friends Ramji Pariyar and Shivji Shah, beat them up and freed later. — HNS