Nepal Highlights

The bandh called by Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal (RPP-N) on Monday has ended at 5 pm, Monday. Few vehicles-private and public- are seen on the road following the end of the bandh. However, the market are still closed as evening is approaching. RPP-N leader Chandra Bahadur Gurung claimed the bandh was a success and that it had ended from 5 pm.

A woman soldier has been found dead dangling from the ceiling of her dorm in Hetauda, Nepal Army Headquarters said. It has not specified whether the death was a case of suicide or murder. According to a press statement issued by the Army Headquarters, the woman was found dead at 6.15 am, Monday. A four-member court of inquiry board led by a Colonel has been formed to probe on her death.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal (RPP-Nepal), which has called a bandh in Kathmandu valley with various demands including timely promulgation of constitution and referendum on key issues to be incorporated in the new constitution like Hindu nation and constitutional monarchy, has announced the Bandh will end at 5 pm, Monday. Generally the bandhs called by various parties continue throughout the day. So far, normal life in Kathmandu and neighbouring districts has been almost paralysed due to the bandh. There are no public and private vehicles on the road except a few motorcycles in the interior parts. In the morning, RPP cadres had staged demonstrations in various parts of the city and vandalised vehicles that had defied the bandh orders. Large number of policemen have been deployed on the streets. Hundreds of RPP-N cadres including the party general secretary Tank Dhakal have been detiained by the police. RPP-N communications department has said more than 500 cadres have been arr

Khagendra Thapa Magar, believed to be the world's shortest and lightest man, has left for Italy Sunday to lobby for inclusion of his name in the Guiness Book of World Records. Thapa, who measures 20 inches - nine inches less than the present recorded shortest man of the world- was denied entry into the Guiness Book of World Records this year citing under age. Although, Thapa and his supporters submitted papers claiming, his recognition, the Guiness Book of World Records had said, Thapa was not found aged 18 and suggested him to apply again next year. Thapa-who is likely to be officially the world's shortest man from next year- weighs only 4.5 kg.

Normal life in Kathmandu valley has been crippled by a bandh called by the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal (RPP-N), Monday.   People are forced to stay at home or walk to their destinations as private as well as public vehicles have remained off the road. Markets, schools and offices and offices have closed.   Supporters of RPP-N have staged demonstrations in various places of the city. Large number of security personnel have been deployed on the streets to avert any untoward incidents.   The demonstrators have already vandalized almost a dozen vehicles in various places accusing them of defying the bandh.   RPP-N organised today's bandh as part of its agitation demanding timely promulgation of constitution, end of current problems like load shedding and the current political deadlock and referendum on some key issues to be incorporated in the new constitution including constitutional monarchy, Hindu nation and federal republic.   RPP-N organised a massive torch rally in downtown

Nepal Police has arrested four Tibetan refugees who entered Nepal illegally through the Nepal-China border in Lamabagar, Dolakha, Saturday. The arrested Tibetans - one man and three women – did not possess travel documents, the police said. However, the identities of the arrested Tibetans haven't been disclosed. A Nepali national, Pushkar K.C, has also been arrested under suspicion of assisting the Tibetans to sneak into Nepali soil. The arrested Tibetans have been sent to immigration department and now face either deportation to Tibet, imprisonment in the country or would be handed over to United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR). Police had arrested five Tibetans, including a woman, from three Bouddha-based hotels in the Capital on Feb. 6. Prior to that, 10 Tibetans were arrested by the police while they were entering Nepal illegally from Tibet via Lamabagar in Dolakha district on Jan 17. Nepal is home to around 20,000 exiled Tibetans. They began arriving in large

Two persons have been killed when a passenger bus numbered Na 3 Kha 2495 coming towards Kathmandu from Saptari collided with a motorcycle numbered Na 12 Pa 8985 coming from the opposite direction in Nijgadh of Bara, last night.   Motorcycle driver Buddha Lama died on the spot while pillion rider Sanjeev Moktan died while undergoing treatment in Kathmandu, reports say.   Area Police Office, Nijgadh have taken the bus and the driver involved in the accident in their control.

Grandmother of former Kings Gyanendra Shah and Birendra Shah, Sarala Manandhar, has died at the age of 91 in Kathmandu, Sunday. Manandhar was late King Tribhuvan Shah's mistress. She was living with former Queen mother Ratna Rajya Laxmi Shah at the Royal Palace-turned museum Narayanhiti. She was suffering from diabetes since a long time. She was cremated at Pashupati Aryaghat on Sunday.