Day: May 31, 2024

Preparations have speeded up for the third edition of the International Conference of Science and Scientists. 2024 scheduled to take place in November. The two-day event aims to explore scientific aspects of Vedas through a practical approach and establish them in society, according to Ram Mani Das Nepal. The event has been scheduled to take place on November 9-10 and Vedic figures from India, the USA, Australia, the UK, Germany, and others will attend it, said Nepal, the Chair of the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Sabha for Spiritual Culture and Science, Kathmandu. Speaking at a program held at the commencement of the preparations for the event here Thursday. Similarly, Arjun Banstola said the event would spend time in discussions on the Vedic literature as well, assessing the Vedic ways and measures for establishing and promoting peace in the society. Around 500 people are expected to join the event, it is said. The first conference was held in 2015 and the second in 2017. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: Programmes related to climate change impact mitigation measures should get priority as the existence of mountainous region is at the risk due to various impacts invited by climate change. At a discussion on 'Impacts of climate change in mountainous region and measures to mitigate' organised at Federalism Enablement and National Concerns Committee of the National Assembly today, speakers underscored the need of taking efforts to save mountains from the crisis invited by climate change. On the occasion, Committee Chairperson Sonam Geljen Sherpa stressed that three-tier of governments should take initiatives to lessen problems created by climate change in mountainous region. He shared, "UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres closely observed the problems facing by the people of mountainous region and raise voice in international level to lessen problems of the region. We all be united and launch 'Save Mountain Campaign'." Chairperson Sherpa pointed out the need of taking initiatives from policy-lev el. Similarly, Committee members Mohammad Khalid and Indira Devi Poudel expressed the view that problems invited by climate change should be resolved by making coordination among three-tier of governments and other mountainous countries of the world. Stating that there is risk of melting snow, and bursting of glacial lakes in the mountain region due to climate change impacts, Vice-Chairperson of Khumbu Pasang Lhamu rural municipality, Tashi Lhamu Sherpa, underscored that all sides should remain alert on time. The Vice-Chairperson mentioned, "The federal government should take initiative to keep rescue team standby in order to rescue climbers. We are ready to collaborate," demanding to install early warning system at different places to lessen disaster risk at mountainous region. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said that there will be no change in the existing power equation. Addressing a meeting of the CPN (Maoist Centre)'s Parliamentary Party in Singha Durbar today, he urged one and all not to cast doubts and presumptions over the political meetings of the leaders of the parties in the ruling coalition. "The government will not be affected at all. The incumbent power equation and government will be continued ahead," PM Dahal said, responding to the questions the lawmakers put over Madhav Kumar Nepal, the Chair of the CPN (Unified Socialist) which is a part of the present ruling coalition, attending a meeting of the opposition parties including the main opposition Nepali Congress. According to Hitraj Pandey, Chief Whip of the Maoist Centre, in this connection, the Prime Minister shared in the meeting that he had also met with former Prime minister and main opposition party president Sher Bahadur Deuba some days back and political parties' leaders meeti ng each other does not make any difference to the ruling coalition. Prime Minister Dahal said that the budget has been presented in the Parliament according to the people's expectations and the party's plan by forging consensus amidst much uncertainty and directed the MPs to present themselves effectively in the discussion on the budget. "Agriculture has been given top priority in the budget and the budget is balanced according to timeliness and the state of the country's economy. The budget should be implemented, everyone's support is expected in this," Chief Whip Pandey said, quoting Prime Minister Dahal's statement in the meeting. In the meeting, the leader of the Maoist Parliamentary Party and Prime Minister Dahal said that the discussions on the budget and the important bills in the parliament will be carried forward together from next Sunday. Finance Minister Barsha Man Pun informed the meeting about the main contents of the budget. He made it clear that the budget includes the suggestions given by the party and the aspirations of the people. Twelve lawmakers commented on the budget in the meeting. Source: National News Agency RSS

Chiranjivi Sharma has been appointed the Chief Attorney of Gandaki province. Gandaki Province Chief Dilliraj Bhatta appointed Sharma to the post in accordance with the Article 160, Sub-article (2) of the Constitution of Nepal and on the recommendation of Chief Minister Surendra Raj Pandey. Sharma was also in this responsibility when Pandey was the Chief Minister before this. Sharma is the permanent resident of Beni Municipality-10, Maygdi. A BL and B Ed degree holder, Sharma is involved in the law profession since 1990. He also has a MA degree in Political Science from Tribhuvan University. Sharma was the Head Teacher at the Mahendra Secondary School, Myagdi for two years and also taught Political Science and Business Law at the Myagdi Multiple Campus for about 18 years. He also served as the former president of Nepal Bar Association, Myagdi District chapter. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: International Relations Committee of the House of Representatives (HoR) has passed the Archives Preservation (First Amendment) Bill. Today's meeting of the Committee passed the bill. Committee Chairperson Raj Kishor Yadav said the bill designed to amend Archives Preservation Act, 2046, was unanimously passed after completing the clause-wise discussion on it. The report of the bill, endorsed from the National Assembly, the upper house of the Federal Parliament, would now be presented in the HoR, the lower house. There is a provision that the bill should be taken to the NA again after approving from the HoR and if amendment made by the HoR is accepted by the NA, it will be certified by NA Chair and sent before the President for certification. The bill will become law after the President's certification and come into implementation. Source: National News Agency RSS

Schools in Birendranagar are to be closed from coming Sunday in view of the increasing hot weather. Private and Boarding Schools Organisation of Nepal (PABSON), the umbrella organisation of private and boarding schools in the country, decided to close the schools for a week beginning June 2, citing the scorching heat. The maximum temperature in Birendranagar was around 40 degrees Celsius today. PABSON Surkhet president Ved Prakash Dhakal said that they made a collective decision has to shut the institutional schools for a week, as the extreme heat can affect the children's health. The Birendranagar Municipality also plans to close the community schools within the municipality in view of the increasing seething heat, said Dheerendra Sharma Lamsal, Chief of the Municipality's education Section. He however added that an official decision has not been taken on this as yet. "We will close the community schools within the municipality from Sunday if the temperature goes up like this as it has been at present. However, the schools will not be closed if there is respite in heat with the occurrence of rain," he added. Immunisation programme affected Meanwhile, the immunization campaign against polio that is on since May 26 is likely to be affected due to the school closure. The campaign is scheduled to run until June 8. The immunization programme is being conducted in the local units of Surkhet under two phases in coordination with the schools. The programme will be run in Birendranagar, Gurbhakot and Panchapuri municipalities, and in Simta, Barahatal and Chaukune rural municipalities from June 4-7. Source: National News Agency RSS

United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has honoured Nepali peacekeeper Bhupajit Rai posthumously with the Dag Hammarskjold medal. Rai had served the UN stabilization mission in Congo. At a ceremony organized at the UN Headquarters to mark the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers on Thursday, Secretary-General Guterres handed over the honour presented to Rai to Permanent Representative of Nepal the to UN Lok Bahadur Thapa. Highlighting the bravery, dedication and devotion of Rai who laid down his life in course of discharging the duty, the Secretary-General expressed his confidence that Rai would remain an inspiration for all those deployed in peacekeeping missions. Rai had passed away in Congo on October 13 last year. The International Day of UN Peacekeepers has been observed since 1948 which marks the deployment of military observers to the Middle East to supervise the implementation of Israel-Arab Armistice Agreements, in what became the United Nations Truce Supervision Orga nization. Since then, more than two million peacekeepers from 125 countries have since served in 71 operations around the world. Today, some 76,000 women and men are serving in 11 conflict zones across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Nepal is the largest contributor of military and police personnel to UN peace operations with more than 6,000 now serving in Abyei, the Central African Republic of the Congo, Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Iraq, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, the Middle East, Somalia, South Sudan, Western Sahara and Yemen. The Nepal government has been deploying the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police personnel as peacekeepers. Source: National News Agency RSS

The body size statute of former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has been re-erected in Birgunj metropolis-2, Idgahachowk. Nepali Congress (NC) Parsa Constituency-2 President and G.P. Koirala Foundation's Madhes Province President Mohammad Sahbudhin told RSS that a new statue of the late Koirala has been constructed and restored at the same place where it was demolished during the Madhes movement. "Even if Girija babu's statue was pulled down during the Madhes movement, his thoughts and ideals cannot be demolished," he said, adding, "I am confident that the people of Madhes, hills and mountains will not forget the contribution of former Prime Minister Koirala for the establishment of democracy." He said Rs 1.1 million was spent on the construction of the statue and Rs 500,000 on the construction of other infrastructures. "We have erected a full-size statue of Koirala and other structures with a budget of around Rs 1.6 million received from the province government," he said, adding, "The statue will be unveiled on the occasion of Koirala's 101st birth anniversary." The statue of veteran democratic leader Koirala will be unveiled on coming July 2 on the presence of former Prime Minister and NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba, leader Shekhar Koirala and other leaders. It was Koirala who spearheaded the efforts to bring the then rebel force, CPN (Maoist), to peace process by ending the decade-long people's war. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: Price of yellow metal has recorded an all-time high and is being traded at Rs 142,200 per tola (11.66 grams) in the domestic market today. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers Association, the price of hallmark gold has increased by Rs 1,700 per tola and determined at Rs 142,200. It was traded at Rs 140,500 per tola on Thursday. Similarly, worked gold is being traded at Rs 141,500 per tola today against Rs 139,800 on Thursday. Likewise, the price of silver has decreased by Rs 25 per tola. The NEGOSIDA has fixed the price of silver at Rs 1,875 per tola today. It was Rs 1,900 per tola on Thursday. Source: National News Agency RSS

Drilling has been so far carried out up to 218 metres deep in course of petroleum exploration at Bhairabi rural municipality of the district. The drilling will be carried out up to 4,500 metres, said Prakash Luintel, the Information Officer of the Petroleum Exploration Project under the Department of Mines and Geology. Scores of workers and engineers are involved in the drilling works. They are working in shifts and round the clock with the objective of completing the drilling within the next four months. The petroleum exploration has been started with the grant assistance of Rs 2.50 billion as per an agreement signed with the government of China six years back. Source: National News Agency RSS

Preparations for Shramadhan Employment Fair have completed in Janakpurdham. The two-day Shramadhan Employment Fair is going to be held in Janakpurdham from June 1. Under-Secretary of Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security and Madhes Province Coordinator of the Fair, Dipendra Poudel, said there would be more than 35 stalls of government bodies, manpower agencies and different social organisations in the fair. He explained that the employers would take interview of youths, who are in search of employment, in the fair. Different programmes including networking sessions would be organised targeting the youths seeking employment, according to the organiser. Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Security, Dol Prasad Aryal, would inaugurate the fair. It is believed that the fair would promote partnership between government bodies, employers of private sector and organisations of civil society to effectively address the employment challenges. The objective of the fair is to creating employment, promoting industries and contributing in overall economic development of Nepal by expanding employment market. Source: National News Agency RSS

Property worth tens of thousands was destroyed due to storm and rain with hailstone in Tanahu district on Thursday evening. However, no human casualties were reported. Chief District Officer Janardan Gautam said the storm destroyed around 333 houses, huts, school buildings and other structures at different places of the district. Although the exact details of the damage have not been received, the storm damaged many physical properties. Police have already reached some incident sites to collect the details of damages, he shared. The storm has caused damages in all levels of the district and mostly in Byas municipality. Similarly, a house located at Byas municipality-8 suffered damages due to lightning. Gautam mentioned that arrangement has been made for providing different materials including tarpaulin for the victims, making coordination with Red Cross, Tanahu. Likewise, rainfall with hailstone along with storm has also damaged vegetables as well as fruits. Power supply has been disrupted at different places after electric poles fell down following the storm, said Bijay Raj Regmi, the Chief of Power Distribution Centre, Tanahu. Efforts are underway to resume the power supply. Power supply has been obstructed at dozens of places including Baireni of Byas municipality-10, Kalesti of ward no-7, Polang of ward no 11, Chhirkan of ward no 12, among other places. Khadgadevi Temple at Bandipur rural municipality has collapsed due to the rain and storm, it is said. Source: National News Agency RSS