NC to meet tomorrow

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress has scheduled its central committee meeting for May 15 to frame the party’s strategy in the changed political context. “The meeting will discuss the contentious issues, including NC’s involvement in the new government, Maoists’ protest against the President’s move to reinstate Chief of Army Staff Rookmangud Katawal and party’s internal matters,” said NC chief secretary Ram Chandra Pokharel. —HNS

Tractor driver killed

PALPA: A driver of a tractor was killed in an accident in Mangala of Devinagar VDC on Wednesday. The tractor was heading to Purbakhola in Palpa from Butwal. Driver Kul Bahadur Khabas of Bumahi Nawalparasi died on the spot, police said. — HNS

House adjourned

KATHMANDU: Unified CPN-Maoist lawmakers disrupted the meeting of the parliament on Wednesday as well. They are demanding the withdrawal of the President’s decision to reinstate CoAS Rookmangud Katawal. Immediately after the House meeting began, they started chanting slogans against the President’s move. Speaker Subas Nemang postponed the House meeting till Friday. The UCPN-M has been obstructing the House meetings after the PM’s resignation. —HNS

Hailstorm kills three

Hetauda: Three persons have been killed in a hailstorm that raged for three days in Makawanpur district damaging about a hundred houses. Rukmani Aryal, a seventh grader in Byas Lower Secondary School, was swept downstream while returning from school. According to locals, the other two deceased are from Sukaura and Hadikhola villages. More than 10 schools have been shut as the wind blew their roofs away. In Namtar VDC, 18 houses have been rendered roofless. Power supply has been halted in the eastern part of the district as electricity poles have been uprooted. According to Laxmidev Ghising, a Dandakharka farmer, crop in 100 hectares of land has been destroyed in Dandakharka, Bharta, Gogane, Agra and Khairad VDCs. In Baneldhap of Churimari, 20 houses were destroyed while 20 goats and chickens were killed in the storm. — HNS