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The government is all set to start a campaign to administer Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine to the children from June 22.

According to the Family Welfare Division under the Health Service Department, the government has decided to start the campaign targeting the 5-9 age group.

The campaign will be school-centric.

The vaccine will be administered on the basis of school identity card and self-declaration of parents among others.

The children, who received the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine 21 days ago, will be eligible for the second dose.

The vaccination campaign will be conducted in 27 districts from June 23-29 in the first phase and from August 21- 27 in the second phase.

Thailand announced on Friday it would abandon its much-criticized pre-registration process for foreign visitors and no longer require face masks to be worn in public, responding to a slower COVID-19 spread, Reuters reported.

The “Thailand Pass” system, where foreign tourists must seek prior approval from Thai authorities, will be halted from July 1, Tourism Minister Pipat Ratchakitprakan told reporters, removing one of the country’s last remaining travel curbs.

Thailand is one of the world’s most popular travel destinations, but tourism businesses have long complained its requirement for foreigners to submit multiple documents - from vaccine and swab test certificates to medical insurance and hotel bookings - was impeding the sector’s recovery.

Thailand was visited by nearly 40 million people in 2019, but received less than 1 percent of that number last year, despite easing its quarantine requirements, according to Reuters.

Though tourism has picked up in recent months, the industry is far from recovering, with huge jobs and businesses losses in a sector that typically accounts for about 12 percent of Thai gross domestic product.

The coronavirus task force on Friday also said use of face masks would from next month be voluntary, but advised people to wear them if in crowded settings or if suffering from health conditions.

Thailand has suffered more than 30,000 COVID-19 deaths overall, but has largely contained its outbreaks, helped by a vaccination rate of more than 80 percent, Reuters reported.

Police have arrested a man in possession of a pistol and pharmaceutical drugs from Sunsari.

The detainee has been identified as Rohit Rai (19) of Itahari Sub-Metropolitan City-3.

SP Sanjay Singh Thapa, Chief at the District Police Office, Sunsari, said that Rai was detained with the pistol and drugs from Koshi Rural Municipality-2, Sunsari.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team deployed from the District Police Office, Sunsari, nabbed Rai with the pistol and 10 ampules each of Diazepam and Nitrosun and three ampules of Lupigesic and 3, 375 pieces of Tramadol, Thapa said.

Police suspect that Rai may have brought the weapon and the drugs from India.

Further investigation into the incident is underway, police said.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index plunged by 7. 56 points to close at 1,971.38 points on Friday.

Similarly, the sensitive index fell 0. 69 points to reach 381. 14 points.

A total of 2,355,001units of shares of 229 companies were traded for Rs 1.49 billion.

Likewise, all sub-indices saw red in today’s market except Mutual Fund.

Meanwhile, Adhikhola Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9.99 percent. Likewise, River Falls Power Limited was the top loser with its price dropped by 5. 93 percent.

At the end of the day, total market civilization stands at Rs 2. 81 trillion.

Exposure to nanoparticles during cooking causes changes to brain activity similar to that observed in early-stage Alzheimer’s disease, finds new research from Nazarbayev University School of Engineering and Digital Sciences (NU SEDS).

Mehdi Amouei Torkmahalleh, Assistant Professor at NU SEDS, and colleagues investigated the brain activity of individuals before, during, and after exposure to ultrafine particles from cooking. 

Ultrafine particles, which can be found in cooking fumes, are incredibly small and able to penetrate the human body.

Participants were present during the frying of a chicken drumstick on a gas stove and therefore exposed to cooking ultrafine particles. Brain activity was recorded using an electroencephalograph (EEG) before cooking, at the end of cooking, and 30 minutes after cooking. 

Ultrafine particle concentrations in the air were constantly monitored, which reached peak levels during frying.

They found that beta waves of the brain decreased during exposure to the ultrafine particles, similar to people with neurodegenerative diseases. Also, theta/beta wave ratio of the brain increased during and after exposure, similar to that observed in early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. 

Brain activity for most would return to normal within 30 minutes.

Professor Torkmahalleh says,“Brain responses after long-term exposure may deteriorate with time and, after sufficient long-term exposure, never revert to pre-exposure levels leading to a similar status to neurodegenerative disease. This is a novel hypothesis for our current and future research studies.

This suggests that people chronically exposed to cooking aerosol might progress towards Alzheimer’s.”

The changes to brain wave patterns during and shortly after exposure could be due to the ultrafine particles from the cooking fumes reaching the brain through the nose. The researchers suggest using respirators or sufficient ventilation during cooking to reduce potential risk of neurodegenerative disease.

Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka said that the chapter of the State Partnership Program (SPP) has already been closed.

At a meeting of the International Relations Committee of the House of Representatives held on Friday morning, Minister Khadka said that the debate on the SPP is not necessary as its chapter has already been closed.

Khadka made it clear that the SPP is not in the interest of the country.

“SPP is not in the interest of the country. We will not take this issue ahead. We are not in the strategic alliance,” he said, adding, “The chapter of this issue has been closed. Let’s not talk about this issue. Let’s not talk about the same thing over and over again.”

Minister Khadka said that it is not necessary to talk about the SPP as Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has already said that the government will not take the issue ahead.

Chief of Army Staff Prabhu Ram Sharma said that Nepal will not take part in the military alliance.

Taking part in a meeting of the International Relations Committee of the House of Representatives held on Friday, he said that the State Partnership Program (SPP) was not acceptable to the Nepal Army.

“We have already informed the US officials that Nepal will not participate in the military alliance,” he said, adding, “SPP is not acceptable for us. We sent a letter as it was said that the program was for humanitarian assistance. We did not send the letter for military alliance. We have already informed the US that Nepal will not take part in the military alliance.”

He said that the Nepal Army will not play with the sentiments of the people.

The CoAS Sharma said that the documents of the agreement that have been made public are not official.

Foreign Minister Narayan Khadka and Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Prabhu Ram Sharma have participated in a meeting of the International Relations Committee of the House of Representatives on Friday.

Minister Khadka and CoAS took part in the meeting after the Committee invited them to discuss the State Partnership Program (SPP).

The Committee summoned CoAS Sharma to inquire about Nepal Army's involvement in the SPP and his upcoming US visit.

Committee President Pabitra Niraula said that the parliamentary committee wanted to know about Nepal Army's role in SPP and CoAS Sharma's US visit after the lawmakers of ruling and opposition parties raised questions in the Parliament on the issue.

Former Defence Minister duo Ishwor Pokharel and Bhim Rawal are also in the meeting.