UPDATE VICE-PRESIDENT CHINA VISIT Kathmandu, 4 June: Vice President Parmanand Jha today [Tuesday] left for Kunming, Yunnan province of China to participate in the ´First China-South Asia Exposition´, RSS reports. Chairman of the Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi saw off Vice President Jha at Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Information and Communications Madhav Prasad Poudel was also present on the occasion. Others present at the TIA were Chief Secretary, secretaries, chiefs of security bodies and Chinese and Swiss ambassadors to Nepal. Earlier, a contingent of the Nepal Army offered a guard of honor to the Vice President. VP Jha is scheduled to address the opening ceremony of the exposition on June 6. On the same evening, he will leave for Beijing and is scheduled to meet his counterpart on June 7. The First China South Asia Exposition is jointly organized by the provincial government of Yunnan Province and the Ministry of Commerce of China. It is believed to serve as an important platform for trade expansion, investment promotion and cooperation for developing linkages with other countries and economies in the region. Themed as ´Shared opening-up, pragmatic cooperation, win-win results, and harmonious development,´ this First China -South Asia and Africa Exposition will be attended by high dignitaries from the countries in South Asia, South East Asia and Africa. Vice President Jha is accompanied by his spouse Mrs. Nabina Jha. The Vice President will return to Kathmandu on 9th June 2013. nnnn FIVE DEAD, INCLUDING CAPITAL COUPLE Kathmandu, 4 June:: A couple has found dead in Mulpani VDC-7, Kathmandu, on Tuesday, RSS reports. Rakesh Thapa (52) and his wife Pārbati (51) were found dead inside their house early this morning, central police newsroom said. Meanwhile, three persons died after lightning struck them in Palpa and Sunsari districts. Sarita Thapa (18) of Somadi VDC-9 died on Tuesday after being struck by the lightning. The 12th grader at Ganga Higher Secondary School died on her way to hospital, Tansen. Likewise, two persons died and next one was injured after the lightning struck them in separate places in Haripur VDC in Sunsari district, police said. The police identified the deceased as Mahendra Mukhiya and Yogendera Yadav. Jangri Mukhiya, wife of Mahendra, was critically injured in the incident, according to the police. nnnn