Flights cancelled

Birgunj: Almost all flights to Simara airport, shortest from the capital in nautical miles, were cancelled due to bad weather on Monday. Four of the six scheduled flights of the Buddha Air, the only airlines operating Kathmandu-Simara, were cancelled. Station manager Sanad Basnet said all flights had been cancelled except the two in the morning. At least 40 passengers had to return after their flights were cancelled. “The flights were risky since the run way was covered with a thick layer of mist,” a technician at the Simara airport, said. “Most flights during mid-December to mid-January are cancelled due to mist and fog,” station manager of the Buddha Air, Sanad Basnet said. Minister for Industry Ashta Laxmi Shakya had to cancel her programme in the capital due to the cancelled flights, while Indian actor Shakti Kapoor had to return to Kathmandu by road. Kapoor was in Birgunj for the shooting of a Bhojpuri film, “Hum Hai Hero Hindustani”. — HNS

Rally against YCL

PALPA: Students of Tribhuvan Multiple Campus in Palpa organised a torch rally on Monday evening to protest the high-handedness of the Young Communist League and their atrocities. The rally started from Bishalbazaar of the BP chock, reached different thoroughfares of the market and converged into a corner meet in Tundikhel Andolan Chock. Speaking at the meeting, Nepal Students’ Union president Motilal Bhandary, NSU Tribhuwan Multiple Campus unit president Haribol Bhattarai and student leaders condemned the atrocities of the

YCL and called Palpa bandh on Tuesday. — HNS

SC’s condolence

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court on Monday passed a condolence message on the demise of Syangja District Court judge Lila Prasad Gautam who died on Sunday. A full court meeting of the SC also approved a public holiday on Monday for Syangja District Court staffers. — HNS

Cold claims elderly

SIRAHA: A 70-year-old man, Kari Paswan of Asanpur Village Development Committee, Siraha district, died of severe cold on Sunday night, Area Police Office Asanpur Golbazaar said, adding life of district dwellers has been badly affected by the extreme cold condition. — HNS