Day: May 24, 2024

Kathmandu: Ambassador of Israel to Nepal, Hanan Goder, has paid a courtesy call on Vice-President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav. During the meeting held at the Office of the Vice-President today, they discussed the matters of bilateral relations, assistance to agriculture and labour sector as well as mutual interest and welfare, according to the Secretariat of the Vice-President. On the occasion, Vice-President Yadav mentioned that there is relationship of friendship, harmony, understanding and cooperation between Nepal and Israel since establishment of diplomatic relations. Nepal and Israel have been enjoying diplomatic relations since June 1, 1960. The Vice-President lauded the support of Israel in Nepal's employment, agriculture and cooperative sectors as well as scholarship in different subjects. "I believe that Nepal-Israel relations will move ahead constantly through the medium of mutual cooperation and collaboration," he underscored. He further said that it was necessary to be more effortful to increase bilateral trade. The Vice-President thanked the Israeli government for providing opportunities of employment in caregiver sector to Nepali youths especially for women. Stating that Nepal and Israel have similarities in different sectors, the Israeli Ambassador mentioned that the relationship between the two countries in cordial and strong since years. He shared, "About the matter of releasing Bipin Joshi, the Israeli government is making possible efforts for the same", adding there is a programme where a delegation from Israel will arrive Nepal and visit the family members of Bipin reaching his home. Source: National News Agency RSS

No traces of bullets were found on the hull of late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi's helicopter, which crashed earlier this week, according to a statement released by the Iranian General Staff's public relations center. "No traces of bullets or similar objects were found on the hull of the crashed helicopter," the IRIB television channel quoted the statement as saying. The General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran said it was publishing preliminary findings of the investigation into the fatal accident that claimed the president's life, but "it can be said with certainty" that bullets were not involved. Iranian General Staff publishes preliminary findings of investigation into presidential helicopter crash. Iranian president's helicopter caught fire only after crashing into mountain The hull of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi caught fire only after crashing into a mountain, according to a statement released by the Iranian General Staff's public relations center. "It can be said with certainty that the crashed helicopter caught fire only after hitting an elevation," the IRIB television channel quoted the statement as saying. After the crash, the pilot managed to "establish contact with the pilots of two more helicopters," transporting other members of the presidential delegation. The search "continued through the night due to fog, cold weather and rough terrain." Eventually, the crash site was located "by an Iranian drone at 5:00 a.m. local time [1:30 a.m. GMT] on Monday.". Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Since last May 1, the skills fair organized by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) received more applications than it expected. After screening the applications, the vocational training will be provided to all the applicants in collaboration with schools and campuses. With the beginning of New Year 2081 BS, KMC had aimed to provide 'self-employment' vocational training to 2081 people. KMC has stated that it plans to provide training in collaboration with educational institutions as the number of applicants is far higher than the number that it had planned to provide training to. Bimala Koirala, Acting Head of KMC Social Development Department, said, "More than 60,000 people have applied for vocational training." She added that after screening the documents, the training will be imparted to those who have followed due process and completed the documents and criteria. According to her, the training will be provided immediately to 2,081 of the applicants in the first phase and to the rest of the applicants within three years. Source: National News Agency RSS

The threat of a world war is growing due to "insane statements" by Western politicians speculating about sending soldiers to Ukraine against the background of exercises in Russia involving non-strategic nuclear weapons, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto has said. He noted that "there has been no day without another crazy statement uttered by of some of the European politicians." "There are those who want to send soldiers to Ukraine. Others are already speculating about the use of nuclear weapons. Every day the threat of a world war is getting closer," Szijjarto told a news conference after a meeting in Budapest with his Swiss counterpart Ignazio Cassis. "We see what is happening: European politicians are making statements about the use of nuclear weapons. The Russians are conducting exercises involving tactical nuclear weapons," Szijjarto said. He believes that "the time has come to stop this madness." Szijjarto recalled that the Hungarian government had long stated that it was impossible to res olve the Ukrainian conflict militarily. "That is why Hungary continues to tell its European partners that instead of indulging in crazy statements and fantasies that threaten to escalate [hostilities] they should spend at least half of their energy on achieving peace. Then there may be hope that this war will be ended at the negotiating table," Szijjarto emphasized. On May 21, Russia began the first stage of exercises including practical training in preparations for using non-strategic nuclear weapons. According to the Russian Defense Ministry, they are being held in response to provocative statements by Western officials and are aimed at maintaining the readiness to respond and ensuring the country's sovereignty. Missile units of the Southern Military District are practicing preparations for launching Iskander tactical missiles, while the personnel of the Aerospace Forces will equip air-launched delivery vehicles with special warheads, including hypersonic Kinzhal missiles, and head for patrol areas. So urce: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: With the start of rainfall, cases of dengue have started increasing. Fifty-seven districts have now recorded dengue infection. Chief of Vector Control Section at the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division of the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Gokarna Prasad Dahal, shared that risk of dengue disease has increased as people started collecting the rain water in pots and buckets with the start of rainfall, and since mosquitoes breed in the collected water. A total of 904 dengue cases were detected in 57 districts. Dr Dahal requested to adopt precaution to be protected from dengue. Total 51,143 people had suffered from dengue infection in 77 districts last year. They have already directed the 33 local levels to run a campaign to kill mosquitoes identifying the risky places. High-fever, headache, body pain, joint pain, among the health issues are the symptoms of dengue. The Ministry has urged people to sleep under a mosquito net, to wear full sleeve clothes, to keep the house surroundings c lean to be protected from mosquito bite. Source: National News Agency RSS

Manu Majumder, former member of parliament and vice-president of Netrakona district Awami League (AL), was cremated at his Ramnathpur village of Kalmakanda upazila in the district today. Manu Majumder died of a massive heart attack at a hospital in Bangalore, India last Tuesday night, his family sources said. His coffin reached Hazrat Shahjalal international airport in Dhaka on Thursday evening through a cargo plane from New Delhi, India. The coffin was taken to AL central office at 23 Bangabandhu Avenue of Dhaka this morning. AL central leaders, led by general secretary of the party and road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Kader paid last respect to him by placing floral wreaths on the coffin on behalf of the party and party president Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The coffin of the Manu Majumder was also taken to Netrakona central Shaheed Minar here this noon where local AL workers and leaders, public representatives, district level officers, political leaders, civil society members and people fr om all walks of life paid their last respect by placing floral wreaths on his coffin. Those who placed floral wreaths on his coffin included former state minister for social welfare and valiant freedom fighter Ashraf Ali Khan Khasru, MP, Mustak Ahmed Ruhi, MP, deputy commissioner Shahed Parvez, chairman of zila parishad Asit Kumar Sarker Sazal, police super Foyaz Ahmed, mayor of municipality Nazrul Islam Khan, president of district AL Advocate Amirul Islam and general secretary Advocate Shamsur Rahman Liton. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Tiptala border point of Taplejung has been resumed from today. The border between Nepal and China was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Phaktanglung rural municipality-7 ward chair Chheten Lama said that the border was resumed from today after sustained efforts. According to Lama, after the border came into operation, 30 Nepali traders have entered into the China side. It is learnt that they have carried Nepali carpet, dairy products, Chhurpi (hardened yak cheese) among other local products to sell in Tibet. They will stay in Tibet region for 10 days. In the last week of Baisakh, a team led by Chief District Officer Rabindra Prasad Acharya, including security agencies, had reached Tiptala border point. According to the District Administration Office, Taplejung, there was an agreement to open the border on May 8 last year in coordination with the officials of the Dinggyê County Government of Tibet from the Chinese side. Following completion of all the required administrative procedures, the border cros sing is resumed from today. Source: National News Agency RSS

The government expects that natural gas from Kailashtila gas well-8 will be added to the national grid shortly. The primary gas reserve at Kailashtila gas well-8 is 25-40 billion cubic feet (cft) at Horizon-4 layer, which was added to the reserve. The price of the gas is Tk. 1620 crore. The government expects that 21 million cubic feet gas per day will be added to the national grid, as the Gas Field successfully completed digging work. State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid said that the gas was found through work-over of the well. According to ministry information, Sylhet Gas Field started digging of well-8 from January 11, 2024 and dug 3500 meters. The state minister said the government has taken initiative to dig and work over different wells and prospective areas for mineral resources, epically natural gas. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: A new sub-variant of the Omicron variant of corona virus has been found in Nepal. National Public Health Laboratory (NPHL)'s information officer Krishna Prasad Jaisi said that the 'KP 1', 'KP 2', 'KP 3' and 'KP 4' were confirmed through a gene-sequencing done on the samples collected from 42 persons infected by Corona virus. According to him, the gene sequencing was carried out by collecting samples from the infected persons from all seven provinces in last April and May. Among them the 'KP 1' sub-variant of the Omicron variant was found in 12 samples, the 'KP 2' in 17 samples, 'KP 3' in one sample and the 'KP 4' sub-variant in one sample. "This is not a new variant. It is the sub-variant of the Omicron variant. It is only given new name," Jaisi added. Spokesman at the Ministry of Health and Population, Dr Prakash Budhathoki said that the 'KP' variant is not contagious. "The 'KP' variant is not much infectious. It has no much impact," he added. The Omicron (JN 1) has been found in seven samples and the Omicron (BA 2) in two samples out of 42 samples tested in the NPHL. Source: National News Agency RSS

Awami League (AL) Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim today said BNP-Jamaat is hatching conspiracy to destroy the country's democratic system as they are the killers of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and cohorts of dictator. "BNP-Jamaat wants to destroy the Bangladesh," he told a memorial meeting of former convener of Awami Swechchhasebak League Mokbul Hossain in city's Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB). Nasim urged all to remain alert against BNP-Jamaat's any sorts of conspiracy. Mokbul Hossain was an honest, meritorious and patriotic leader and he played an important role in crisis moment, he added. Mokbul Hossain's son State Minister for Commerce Ahasanul Islam Titu was present as special guest at the meeting. Swechchhasebak League President Gazi Mesbahul Hossain Sachu presided over the meeting and its general secretary Afzalur Rahman Babu moderated it while its vice presidents Mojibur Rahman and Anwarul Azim Sadak and joint general secretary Khairul Hassan Juel, a mong others, were present in the meeting. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

Kathmandu: Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal is leaving for St. John's, the capital of Antigua and Barbuda today. She is scheduled to participate in the Fourth International Conference of Small Island Developing States to be organized by the United Nations from May 27 to 30. During the conference, she will deliver a speech on behalf of the group as the Chair of the Global Coordinating Bureau for the Least Developed Countries Group (LDCs). Foreign Secretary Lamsal is also scheduled to hold various bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the conference, the Ministry said. The conference is held every ten years with the aim of reviewing the progress of small island developing countries in sustainable development and proposing an action plan for the new decade. The fourth conference is being held under the theme of "Charting the course toward resilient prosperity". The Foreign Secretary will return home on June 1. Source: National News Agency RSS

Speakers in a function today underscored the need for consuming edible foods following dietary guidelines properly to get desired nutrition to help human body keep physically fit. 'Very often, we eat food more than the requirement as a result our body is attacked with different diseases. On the contrary, We eat vitamin less food more resulting our human body suffer a lots. In this context, there is no alternative to eat nutritious or balance food following the dietary guidelines to keep physically fit', they also said. They came up with the comments while they were addressing an Experience sharing and Capacity Building Training on Dietary Guidelines at SKS Inn, an out skirt of the district town, this morning. Sustained opportunities for Nutrition Governance (SONGO) Project being implemented by Cordaid Netherlands and RDRS Bangladesh arranged the function with the financial support of European Union. Director General (DG)of Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU) under the Ministry of Food Md. Shahidul H aque formally inaugurated the training virtually staying in Dhaka as the chief guest and Firoz Al- Mahmud, research director of FPMU, also spoke virtually from Dhaka as the special guest. Mahbubur Rahman, research director of FPMU, Mehedi Hasan Sohag, associate research director (ARD) of FPMU, Mezanur Rahman, ARD of FPMU, Mohammad Ismail Miah, ARD of FPMU, HillolBhoumik, research officer (RO) of the unit and Saleh AkramAkanda, RO of the unit, addressed the function among others. The speakers in their speeches urged all to eat a balanced and varied diet at every meal in a bid to avoid various health relating complexities. DG of FPMU Md. Shahidul Haque in his speeches said the government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had already achieved millennium development goal. Now the government is trying to achieve SDGs(sustainable development goals) through building hunger and poverty free Bangladesh. In this context, the DG emphasized the need for ensuring nutrition and nutritious food for all in the days of ahead to build healthy nation. Earlier, a welcome speech was delivered by project manager Abul Kalam Azad, a presentation was done by monitoring and evaluation officer of the project Shariful Islam. As many as 40 nutrition sales agent of the project and local elite, invited persons and mass media men participated in the function. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha