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The United Nations on Tuesday launched the revised flash appeal of $816m to respond to the needs of people affected by climate-induced floods in Pakistan.  The revised '2022 Pakistan Floods Response Plan' (FRP) was shared with UN member states and humanitarian organizations today in Geneva, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).  "The revised appeal urgently seeks USD 816 million to respond to the growing life saving needs of the people—a jump of $656m from the initial appeal of $160m," the OCHA said in a press statement.  This increase reflects the rising needs and the unprecedented scale of destruction caused by the current climate-induced disaster which has affected a population of 33m, cost 1,600 lives and threatens hundreds of thousands more as a second disaster looms within the first one.  Over 2m homes have been destroyed or damaged, forcing people to live under open skies exposed to threats of dengue, malaria, and the biting cold of the fast-approaching winter.  The focus of this appeal is on the provision of urgent and lifesaving humanitarian assistance and protection to 9.5m people until 31 May 2023, with a focus on the 34 most affected districts in Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.  "This prioritization is based on the number of houses damaged and destroyed, available projections of water level changes, and the population of displaced people in the districts. It aims to enable a more cohesive response for people in areas that have been most severely affected, and to foster a focused, multi-sectoral approach," the UN agency said. Pakistan Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman headlined the unimaginable scale of loss and damage caused by unprecedented climate-induced floods in Pakistan. She highlighted that the scale of catastrophe had gone beyond all previous climate disasters, affecting a population larger than the size of many countries.  She referred to the continued inundation of large swathes of the country in pestilent water, pointing to the health risks such flooding posed. The Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Martin Griffiths in his remarks said, "People in Pakistan are bearing the brunt of the climate crisis, where catastrophic flooding has taken a devastating toll on the most vulnerable.  We are now in a race against time ahead of the winter season and funding is now urgently needed so humanitarians can prepare to respond to rising health, hunger and other debilitating needs." The WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "The water has stopped rising, but the danger has not, we are on the verge of a public health disaster.  Many more lives than were lost in the floods could be lost in the coming weeks if we don't mobilize greater support for Pakistan." "WHO will do everything we can to support the people of Pakistan now, and in the coming months and years as you recover and rebuild. And even as we respond to the emergency in Pakistan, we must remember that unless we address the existential threat of climate change, we will be responding to emergencies like this and worse more often," the WHO chief added.  An initial $160m flash appeal was made to address immediate needs based on estimates just a month ago. The international community's support to the initial appeal allowed the humanitarian community to respond to immediate life-saving needs.  However, the results of the recent needs assessments, that led to up-scaling of the flash appeal to $816m, revealed that much more was needed to save those struggling to survive the aftermath of the floods. (ANI)

According to the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health and Population, there were two more deaths from Dengue on Tuesday. With this, the total death toll reached 41 since July 2022. The mosquito-prone disease is active in 76 districts of Nepal. 31,103 people have been infected with it to date.

Nepal reported 14 new Covid-19 cases on Monday. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 437 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 14 returned positive. Likewise, 690 people underwent antigen tests with no positive cases. The Ministry said that no one died of the virus in the last 24 hours and 66 infected people recovered from the disease. As of today, there are 798 active cases in the country.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a phone call with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Tuesday and said that the endangerment of nuclear facilities amid the Russia-Ukraine war could lead to catastrophic consequences for the environment.  The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reiterated its deep concern about landmine explosions close to Ukraine's Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). IAEA is also continuing its consultations and other efforts to agree and implement a nuclear safety and security zone around the ZNPP as soon as possible.  During the phone call, the Prime Minister expressed his firm conviction that there can be no military solution to the conflict and conveyed India's readiness to contribute to any peace efforts. He again called for the cessation of hostilities and the need to pursue the path of diplomacy.  The Prime Minister also reiterated the importance of respecting the UN Charter, International Law, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states. "Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had a telephonic conversation today with His Excellency Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement.  "Prime Minister reiterated his call for an early cessation of hostilities and the need to pursue the path of dialogue and diplomacy," the statement added. The PMO said Prime Minister Modi reiterated the importance of respecting the UN Charter, International Law, and the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.  "The Prime Minister emphasized the importance India attaches to the safety and security of nuclear installations, including in Ukraine. He underlined that endangerment of nuclear facilities could have far-reaching and catastrophic consequences for public health and the environment," the statement said.  The two leaders also touched upon important areas of bilateral cooperation, following up on their last meeting in Glasgow in November 2021. Last month, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.  The meeting comes after the US and France hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's message to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war. On the sidelines of the SCO summit in Samarkand on September 16, PM Modi had said "today's era isn't of war" while emphasizing the need to find ways to address the problems of food, fuel security and fertilizers. (ANI)

Gulmi: Locals are flocking to play ‘Charkhe Ping’, which has started to disappear. Malika Rural Municipality-6, Khadak Chhatra Temple has seen the attraction of locals in the ‘Charkhe Ping’ installed in the Mahanawami fare. Lately the ‘pings’ made of wood have started disappearing. Iron ‘pings’ are often used in fairs and festivals. Tika Khatri, a local youth of Malika, said that wooden ‘Charke Ping’ has been kept at this place continuously for 6 years. Khatri said that 50 rupees per person will be charged for ‘ping’.

The Nepal Calendar Determination Committee (NCDC) has determined 11:51 am (5 October) as the auspicious time to receive Dashain tika this year. Although one can offer and receive Tika throughout the day, the auspicious hour for it is determined at 11:51 am, Shree Krishna Adhikari, Chairperson of the Committee said. Auspicious time for other countries Nepal- 11:51 AM (Oct 05) Doha, Qatar- 08:15 AM (Oct 05) kuala Lumpur, Malaysia- 10:25 AM (Oct 05) Abu Dhabi, UAE- 09:01 AM (Oct 05) Saudi Arabia- 09:55 AM (Oct 05) Delhi, India- 10:45 AM (Oct 05) Sydney, Australia- 10:41 AM (Oct 05) Melbourne, Australia- 10:55 AM (Oct 05) Brisbane, Australia- 11:05 AM (Oct 05) Tokyo, Japan- 10:39 AM (Oct 05) Seoul, South Korea- 10:51 AM (Oct 05) Wellington, New Zealand- 10:57 AM (Oct 05) Toronto, Canada- 11:39 AM (Oct 04) London- 11:57 AM (Oct 04) California, USA- 11:45 AM (Oct 04) New York, USA- 11:11 AM (Oct 04) Texas, USA- 11:35 AM (Oct 04) Kentucky, USA- 11:55 AM (Oct 04)

The United States and South Korea jointly conducted a bombing drill on a Yellow Sea island, the South Korean military said on Tuesday, hours after North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM).  North Korea launched an unidentified ballistic missile over Japan earlier today. This is the first such missile launch in years, prompting a warning for residents to take cover in northern Japan.  South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that the F-15K dropped the Joint Direct Attack Munition bombs at a target on the island of Jikdo after joint air drills with US warplanes, Yonhap news agency reported.  "Through the combined flight of the air strike package and precision strike drills, South Korea and the United States demonstrated their will to respond sternly to any Northern threats as well as their capabilities to conduct a precision strike at the origin of provocations based on the alliance's overwhelming forces," the JCS said in a press release. In an earlier statement, US Indo-Pacific Command said they are aware of the DPRK's ballistic missile launch today, including that it overflew Japan. "We are consulting closely with Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK), as well as other regional allies and partners, to address the threats posed by the DPRK."  The United States condemned these actions and called on the DPRK to refrain from further unlawful and destabilizing acts. "While we have assessed that this event does not pose a threat to U.S. personnel, or territory, or to our allies, we will continue to monitor the situation. The U.S. commitments to the defense of Japan and the ROK remain ironclad," the statement said.  Last week, North Korea fired missiles in an apparent protest against joint naval drills involving the United States and South Korea. Under the Kim Jong-un regime, North Korea this year has tested a record number of missiles as it expands its weapons arsenal. (ANI)

The longstanding issues of Quad nations with China and the growing concerns of an emerging strategic shift in the Indo-Pacific region have made the bloc send out veiled messages to China while also upholding peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, something the grouping has mentioned in its joint statement, media reports said.  Be it India, US, Australia and Japan, all Quad members hold historic issues with an ambitious China which is trying to pursue its expansionist goals. First up is India. India and China have several points of contention along the 2,167-mile Sino-Indian border, reported The Diplomat.  Relations between China with the other Quad members are also at a tight spot. When it comes to Japan, there is an ongoing dispute over the sovereignty of the Japanese-administered Senkaku and Diaoyu islands. China makes claims that these islands are part of its territory, reported The Diplomat. Next is Australia.  Solomon Island's security deal with China has irked Australia. Australia is wary of a close alignment of Solomon Island with China. And the last Quad member is the US, the world's oldest democracy. The US and China are at daggers drawn over the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. The US has been sending out clear messages that if there is any change in the status quo in Taiwan, the country will use its military might. China, on the other hand, claims that Taiwan is, was and will always remain its part. All of these long-standing issues of China with the Quad members firmly direct the individual attention of each Quad nation's military toward China.  All of these historic disputes and emerging strategic concerns have posed a threat to the maintenance of the status quo and must be considered potential catalysts for future conflict, reported The Diplomat. One other thing is the observation that there is a significant disparity in the military capabilities of China and Taiwan and that is why one is left wondering just how much the small island could resist the People's Liberation Army (PLA).  Ladakh, on the other hand, is part of a Quad nation, demarcated only by a Line of Actual Control drawn in the wake of the sole conflict fought between India and China. Quad, just like NATO, is using this forum and has long been voicing its intent on encouraging greater cooperation between the four democratic member countries of Australia, India, Japan, and the United States.  There have been multiple areas where the Quad countries have been engaging themselves with the most recent heads of government summit in May 2022. The joint statement which was released after the Quad meeting made clear their engagements not only militarily but also in mutual steps taken in the supply of Covid-19 vaccines and addressing climate concerns.  The bloc hopes to collaborate in diversified areas to form a close alliance and restrain China to dominate the world stage. (ANI)