Rimpoche dead

KATHMANDU: One of the most revered Tibetan Vajrayana Rimpoche of the Shakya lineage, Chokyi Trichen Rimpoche, passed away on Tuesday morning at 6 am at the age of 87. He had built his first monastery at Lumbini and had played an important role in promoting Lumbini in various countries over the world. — HNS

Arbour on NHRC

KATHMANDU: United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Louise Arbour, said on Monday that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has “principally agreed” to the idea of having a strong and powerful National Commission for Human Rights (NHRC). “I shared my hope with PM Koirala that NHRC commissioners would be appointed soon,” Arbour said at an interaction with the NHRC officials at the NHRC office in Pulchowk on Monday. — HNS

Oath administered

KATHMANDU: Speaker of the interim parliament Subash Nembang administered the oath of office and secrecy to Prakash Man Singh and Chitra Lekha Yadav, who are both Members of the Parliament from the Nepali Congress (Democratic). They were absent during the collective oath-taking at the Parliament on January 15. Speaker Nembang said that he was working on how to operate the parliament smoothly. — HNS

One held with $30,000

KATHMANDU: Police arrested Ganesh Ale, of Guheshwori, Kathmandu, with $30,000 from the departure section of the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) on Sunday. According to police, Ale was scheduled to leave for Bangalore on a flight of the Thai Airlines. “He didn’t tell police anything,” Prakash Kunwar, SSP at the TIA, said. — HNS

Motorbike vandalised

ITAHARI: Activists of the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF) on Monday took under control a motorbike (Ko 3 Pa 793) and vandalised it later at Traffic chowk of Inaruwa, said the Sunsari district police office. Many passengers were stranded when MJF activists stopped passenger buses at Bhantabari area, police said. — HNS

Truck-hit kills one

BARA: An Indian national was killed when an Indian cargo truck hit him at Lipanimaal VDC-7 of Bara on Sunday, police said. The truck was bound for Birgunj from Pathlaiya. The Bara District Police Office (DPO) identified the dead as Saroj Lal Das, operator of the Santrotrix Industries, Bara. Das is a native of Motihari. The truck was seized from the Bidhyapati Chowk of Birgunj. The truck driver is absconding, the DPO said. — HNS

Strike called off

KATHMANDU: Nine followers of Manokranti Campaigners, who had been observing a fast onto death at Shanti Batika Ratnapark from the past 22 days ended the campaign on Monday after Minister for Home Affairs, Krishna Sitaul and Maoist leader Dev Gurung met them and assured the interim government would be formed within month of Magh (mid February), which would announce the date for the constituent assembly. — HNS

Rupak Memorial week

Kathmandu: Celebration of the Rupak Memorial Week began on Sunday at the Rupak Memorial International School, Kupondole, to mark the 53rd birth anniversary of the FIFA Referee late Rupak Raj Sharma, who was one of the victims of the Pakistan International Airline air crash in 1992. A press statement issued on Monday by the Rupak Memorial Foundation (RMF) said the Friendship Global Award-Writing Competition among several other programmes was held on Monday. The week-long programme also includes inauguration of the RMF building and FIFA Referee Memorial house on January 24 at International Sports Complex, Satdobato. — HNS

Panel’s suggestion

Nuwakot: The district-level exam committee has proposed that most of exam centres for SLC be set up in Bidur, the district headquarters of Nuwakot, this year as well. Out of 14 exam centres proposed by the committee, 10 exam centres lie in Bidur. The committee proposed to limit the exam centres in the headquarters, citing security and accessibility. Only four exam centres will be established outside Bidur if the Office of the Controller of Examination approves. The SLC exams are scheduled to be held in March and April. — HNS