13 houses gutted

RAJBIRAJ: Thirteen houses belonging to seven families were gutted in a fire at Bhardaha VDC-6 in Saptari district on Thursday night. The fire, which started from the house of a local Natthu Isar, later engulfed houses belonging to Sukhalal Khadga, Arjun Mandal, Kailu Khadga, Lalan Isar, among others, said the Kanchanpur-based Area Police Office. According to a preliminary report, property worth Rs 300,000 was destroyed in the fire, police said. — HNS

Property looted

SIRAHA: A group of armed dacoits looted property worth over Rs 200,000 from five shops at Naraha VDC in Siraha on Thursday night. Two locals — Jogindra Shah and Manoj Shah — were injured when the dacoits attacked them, police said. They are undergoing treatment in the Siraha Hospital, police said. — HNS

TU results out

KATHMANDU: The Tribhuvan University has published the results of the Masters in Computer Science and Information Technology (Without Thesis), 2nd Year, 4th Session examination conducted by the Institute of Science and Technology during the month of March/April this year. — RSS

Maoists recover bikes

KAVRE: Maoists have confiscated five motorcycles, which were looted from various places of Kathmandu, in Kavre along the BP Highway. The motorcycles — registration numbers Ba 18 Pa 1420, Ba 16 Pa 534, Ba 10 Pa 8302, Ba 15 Pa 2104 and Ba 12 Pa 4104 — had been sold by a gang of looters, including Ramdas Tamang of Kuleshwor in Sindhuli district, Maoist Banepa in-charge Amrit said. The two wheelers will be returned to the owners after verification, Maoist Special Central Command Staff Sudip said. — RSS

NC-D suggestions

Kathmandu: The Central Working Committee (CWC) of the Nepal Congress (D) on Friday finalised its recommendation on an interim constitution to be submitted to the Interim Constitution Drafting Committee (ICDC) on Saturday. —HNS

18 hurt in bus mishap

RAUTAHAT: Eighteen persons were injured when a passenger bus bound for Gaur from Birgunj met with an accident at Sapgadha in Gaur municipality on Friday. District Police Office, Rautahat, said the accident occurred after a front tyre of the bus went flat. The bus then skidded off to a nearby paddy field. The injured are undergoing treatment in Gaur. — HNS

EU pledge

DIPAYAL: Finland’s Charge de affairs to Nepal and chairman of the European Union, Pauli Mustonen, has said the EU would provide cooperation for sustainable peace in Nepal. Speaking at an interaction in Silgadhi, he said the EU would lend its cooperation in the fields of education, drinking water supply, small hydro projects and irrigation. — RSS

Anti-trafficking bill

KATHMANDU: The parliament is preparing to introduce two bills to end domestic violence, girl-trafficking and flesh trade, Minister of State for Women, Children and Social Welfare Urmila Aryal said on Friday. She was inaugurating a teej fair organised by the Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Wean Cooperative. — RSS

4 locals hurt in clash

Birgunj: Four persons were injured while trying to chase away a group of armed dacoits at Laxmanawa tole in Birgunj on Thursday night. The dacoits, however, fled with property worth Rs 300,000 from the house of a local, Pukar Chaudhari. Four persons including Shivaji Shah, Muni Lal Roy, Ram Chandra Bhagat and Manoj Poudel, were injured when retaliating the dacoits, police said. —HNS

Hospital strike ends

Janakpurdham: A three-week-old strike in the Janakpur Zonal Hospital was on Friday suspended after the local administration, eight political parties and the hospital administration agreed to form a committee to look into the retirement of 32 hospital staffers. Accusing the hospital chief Dr Lakhanlal Shah of verbally asking them to retire in 2002, the 32 staffers had been staging protest programmes from July 17 on the hospital premises. Meanwhile, chairperson of the struggle committee, Ajit Tiwari, in a statement, warned of strong protest programmes if the problem was not solved within 15 days. —HNS