Crisis-hit Sri Lanka shuts schools, urges work from home to save fuel
Troops in Sri Lanka handed tokens on Monday to people queueing for petrol amid a severe fuel shortage in the nation battling its worst economic crisis in seven decades, while schools shut in Colombo and public employees were asked to work from home, Reuters reported.
With its foreign exchange reserves at a record low, the island of 22 million is struggling to pay for essential imports of food, medicine and most critically, fuel.
"I have been in line for four days, I haven't slept or eaten properly during this time," said autorickshaw driver W.D. Shelton, 67, one of those who received a token meant to hold his place in the queue for when fuel becomes available.
"We can't earn, we can't feed our families," added Shelton, who was 24th in line at a fuel station in the centre of Colombo, but set to stay there as he had no petrol for the journey to his home just 5 km (3 miles) away.
It was not immediately clear how far the government could stretch its fuel reserves. The stockpiles stand at about 9,000 tonnes of diesel and 6,000 tonnes of petrol, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera said on Sunday, but no fresh shipments are due.
The government has told employees to work from home until further notice, while schools have been shut for a week in the commercial capital of Colombo and surrounding areas.
Fuel station queues have grown rapidly since last week. "This is a tragedy, we don't know where this will end," Mr Shelton said, according to Reuters.
Public transport, power generation and medical services will get priority in fuel distribution, with some rationed to ports and airports.
A team from the International Monetary Fund is visiting Sri Lanka to hold talks on a $3-billion bailout package. Although the Indian Ocean nation is hoping to reach a staff-level agreement before the visit ends on Thursday, that is unlikely to unlock any immediate funds.
Nepal reports 41 new Covid-19 cases on Monday
Nepal reported 41 new Covid-19 cases on Monday.
According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 2, 337 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 36 returned positive. Likewise, 1, 021 people underwent antigen tests, of which five were tested positive.
The Ministry said that no one died of the virus in the last 24 hours. The Ministry said that 20 infected people recovered from the disease.
As of today, there are 208 active cases in the country.
Kathmandu District Court Judge Raj Kumar Koirala suspended
The Judicial Council suspended Kathmandu District Court Judge Raj Kumar Koirala on Monday.
Koirala was dragged into controversy after the audio recording has been leaked to the media where he and lawyer Rudra Pokharel are heard discussing at what price Ichchha Raj Tamang, founder of Civil Savings and Credit Cooperatives Society Ltd, can be released.
The Judicial Council suspended him by forming a probe committee.
The notice about the formation of the probe committee was published in the Nepali Gazette on Monday.
Nepse plunges by 23. 85 points on Monday
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index plunged by 23. 85 points to close at 1,933.13 points on Monday.
Similarly, the sensitive index fell by 7. 02 points to close at 375.82 points.
A total of 5,641,540 units of shares of 229 companies were traded for Rs 2. 04 billion.
Likewise, all sub-indices saw red in today’s market except for Life Insurance and Investment.
Meanwhile, CYC Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9.99 percent. Likewise, Unnati Sahakarya Labhubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top loser with its price dropped by 10 percent.
At the end of the day, total market civilization stands at Rs 2. 75 trillion.
Nepse plunges by 23. 85 points on Monday
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) index plunged by 23. 85 points to close at 1,933.13 points on Monday.
Similarly, the sensitive index fell by 7. 02 points to close at 375.82 points.
A total of 5,641,540 units of shares of 229 companies were traded for Rs 2. 04 billion.
Likewise, all sub-indices saw red in today’s market except for Life Insurance and Investment.
Meanwhile, CYC Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9.99 percent. Likewise, Unnati Sahakarya Labhubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top loser with its price dropped by 10 percent.
At the end of the day, total market civilization stands at Rs 2. 75 trillion.
Rohingyas stage demonstration outside UNHCR office in Kathmandu (In pictures)
Rohingyas, who have been living in Nepal as refugees after being displaced from Myanmar, staged a stage demonstration outside the office of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kathmandu on Monday.
They staged the demonstration outside the office this morning, saying that the UNHCR cut off the financial aid it has been giving to the Rohingya refugees and their children.
Children of Rohingyas staged a sit-in outside the office of UNHCR in school uniforms.
Their parents said that they have been facing difficulties in paying school fees among others after the UNHCR cut off the financial aid.
The government of Nepal has termed the Rohingyas living in Nepal as illegal immigrants.
The UNHCR, however, has recognized them as refugees.
Newly appointed ministers take oath of office and secrecy
Newly appointed ministers of CPN (Unified Socialist) took the oath of office and secrecy on Monday.
President Bidya Devi Bhandari administered the oath of office and secrecy to four ministers amid a program organized in Sheetal Niwas this morning.
Jeevan Ram Shrestha has been appointed minister for tourism, culture and civil aviation; Metmani Chaudhary as minister for urban development, Sher Bahadur Kunwar as minister for labor, employment and social security, and Bhawani Prasad Khapung as minister for health and population.
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba administered the oath of office and secrecy to minister of state for health and population Hira Chandra KC.
The sworn-in ministers will assume their office from today itself.
President Bhandari, on the recommendation of Prime Minister, had appointed new ministers from the CPN (Unified Socialist) on Sunday.
Earlier on June 5, the Unified Socialist had written to the Prime Minister to replace four of its ministers.
German envoy calls on Prime Minister Deuba
Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Nepal, Dr Thomas Prinz called on Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.
During the meeting, he handed over a letter from Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Prime Minister Deuba suggesting to continue Germany’s support to Nepal’s development efforts in the following core
areas:
1. Sustainable Economic Development
2. Climate and Energy
3. Health and Social Protection
Issuing a statement on Sunday, the German Embassy in Nepal said that it is pleased to inform that the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) of the Federal Republic of Germany has decided to continue with the bilateral development cooperation with Nepal beyond 2023.
The German Ambassador Dr Thomas Prinz said: “I am extremely happy that the German Government has decided to continue bilateral development cooperation with Nepal. It gives us the chance to jointly tackle important challenges like climate change.”
Nepal and Germany have had long-standing bilateral cooperation for over 60 years.
German Development Cooperation has been supporting Nepal’s efforts in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Immediate support was also provided for Covid-19 response.
Since September 2021, Germany supports Nepal’s shift to a green, resilient, and inclusive development (GRID) pathway as signed on the Kathmandu Declaration on GRID, endorsed by the Government of Nepal and 17 Development Partners.
