Training on rights

SURKHET: INSEC-Nepal has conducted a training on human rights and international humanitarian law for Maoist soldiers in Birendranagar. Representatives from the INSEC Regional Office, Nepalgunj, and personnel of the sixth division of the Maoists attended the programme. At the inaugural function of the three-day training, assistant commander of the division, Deepak, said the People’s Liberation Army always respected the humanitarian law. INSEC director Jagadish Dahal said there should not be activities that contradict the peace processes. — RSS

Conservation award

DHADING: The Abraham Conservation Award has been conferred on Bhumiraman Nepal of Nilkantha in Dhanding for his two-decade-long contribution in the field of forest and environmental conservation. The FNJ, Dhading branch, along with a dozen NGOs conferred the award to Nepal, who is the chairman of the Forest and Environment Conservation Society. WWF Nepal’s country director Anil Manandhar also awarded some nine other groups and individuals at a programme on Friday. — RSS

USAID officials here

KATHMANDU: Two senior USAID officials, Mike Hess and Robert Jenkins, arrived here on Sunday on a six-day visit. The officials will evaluate opportunities for the United States to further support the ongoing peace process and review how USAID programmes are assisting Nepal’s political transition, food security and disaster preparedness. Hess, assistant administrator in the USAID’s Bureau of Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance, and Jenkins, the acting director of USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (OTI), will meet political leaders, civil society representatives, and beneficiaries of USAID programmes. — HNS

Fire at cottage

KATHMANDU: Fire that broke out at the Kantipur Cottage at Kapan on Sunday evening damaging property worth around Rs 300,000, police said. The police added that fire tenders reached the site and doused the flames. — HNS

Man donates land

Tanahun: A social worker, Dik Bahadur Darai, 38, of Byas municipality in Tanahun district today donated a plot of land worth Rs 900,000 to the Adikabi Bhanubhakta Multiple Campus. The land was donated on the fifth day of the weeklong Dhanyanchal Mahayagya that is being organised to collect funds to run the Masters’ degree classes in the campus. Kamala Mohan Wagle, a member of the Mahayagya main committee, quoted Darai as saying that the land would be registered in the campus’ name after the Mahayagya ends. — HNS

Plea for release

KATHMANDU: One Pritam Gurung on Sunday called on civil society, human rights campaigners and media personnel to take initiatives for the safe release of his father Dilip Singh Gurung. In a press release, Pritam said youths claiming to be Maoists kidnapped his father on March 29. Pritam said his father was an ex-British Gurkha Army and joint treasurer of the Tamu Chhohe Dhi. “I reported the incident to police and the Maoists, but to no avail,” Pritam said in the release. — HNS

Headmaster freed

Rajbiraj: Police on Sunday freed the headmaster of Bramhapur Secondary School from the clutches of abductors. Saran was abducted by the JTMM (Jwala Singh). The group had been demanding Rs 10 lakh for Saran’s release. JTMM cadres opened fire on a police team in Banarjhula-7 on Sunday. Saran was being held captive in the same area. Police also fired at the JTMM cadres, SP Subhas Chandra Chaudhari said. JTMM (Jwala Singh)’s Bibash Bidrohi said, “The cadres did not open fire on the police team. —HNS