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Paddy transplantation is gaining momentum in Madhes Province after monsoon rains finally arrived. 

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, transplantation has been completed in 77 percent of paddy fields in eight districts of the province. Ministry officials say total plantation could reach 80 percent this year. They fear paddy productivity in the province will come down this year due to delayed planting.

Out of 372,645 hectares of paddy fields in the province, transplantation had been done in 285,335 hectares by August 10. The government declared eight districts of Madhes Province as disaster-hit area on July 23, as a long spell of drought created a shortage of drinking water and affected paddy production in the province. The government announced immediate relief for farmers under its Underground Irrigation Support Program. Around 22,000 farmers have applied for assistance, according to the ministry. 

Paddy transplantation has been completed in most of the paddy fields in other provinces. According to the ministry, overall progress in paddy transplantation stands at 91 percent. Out of 1,378,966 hectares of paddy fields across the country, plantation has been completed in 1,254,886 hectares as at August 10. The progress in paddy transplantation had reached 98.19 percent in the same period last year.  

Sudurpashchim leads with paddy transplanted in 99.72 percent of 176,000 hectares of paddy fields in the province. Karnali, which has 41,042 hectares of paddy fields, was next with 98.4 percent progress in paddy transplantation followed by Lumbini with 98 percent of 302,939 hectares planted, while Gandaki has completed transplanting in 92.77 percent of its 94,182 hectares. Similarly, progress in Bagmati stands at 93.57 percent with 112,173 hectares out of 120,545) planted. Koshi, another key paddy-producing region of the country, has completed transplantation in 94.42 percent of its paddy fields.

Paddy is Nepal’s most important food crop. In the last fiscal year, the country achieved a record harvest of 5.95m tons, up 4.04 percent from the previous year. The total value of this output was estimated at around Rs 213.3bn. Paddy accounts for roughly 20 percent of the agricultural GDP and about seven percent of the overall national GDP. Any disruption in its production impacts not only food security but also the broader economy.

The post of medical officer in the District Prison Parsa has remained vacant for several years. The district prison has one post for the doctor but a Health Assistant is providing the health care services at present.

The issue of the doctor's post remaining vacant for years came to the public notice only after an inmate, Rahul Sah Turaha, died on Tuesday while receiving treatment in Narayani Hospital.

The stakeholders have raised the issue of deployment of a doctor in the prison for regular health checkups of the jailbirds.

Chief of District Prison, Khimraj Bhusal, said that the Department of Prison Management has been asking for the deployment of a doctor. 

Currently, more than 1,300 jailbirds including foreign nationals are being housed in the Parsa Prison.

Russia has restricted voice calls on WhatsApp and Telegram, citing security concerns and the platforms’ refusal to share user data with law enforcement. The ban, announced by media regulator Roskomnadzor, affects over 185m combined users in the country. Authorities claim the services are widely used for fraud, extortion, and recruiting citizens for sabotage or terrorism, and say access will be restored once they comply with Russian laws, according to Al Jazeera.

While the restrictions officially target voice calls, users report video calls are also disrupted. The move is part of Moscow’s broader push to tighten internet control since the Ukraine war began, including plans to replace foreign messaging apps with a domestic service called Max. WhatsApp says it resists government efforts to undermine secure communication, while Telegram insists it actively removes harmful content.

The Africa Water Investment Summit opened Wednesday in Cape Town, aiming to mobilize $30bn annually to close Africa’s water investment gap.

Under South Africa’s G20 presidency, the event brings together African leaders, G20 members, investors, and development agencies. President Cyril Ramaphosa launched the Global Outlook Council on Water Investments to coordinate global funding efforts. The summit will adopt a declaration to scale up investment, improve governance, and showcase 80 priority projects from 38 countries, according to Xinhua.

The Trump administration’s announcement on new US tariffs targeting pharmaceutical imports is likely still weeks away, according to officials and industry sources, despite earlier expectations for a mid-year decision, Reuters reported.

The Commerce Department is investigating whether reliance on foreign-made drugs and ingredients poses a national security risk under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act. The review, covering finished medicines and active pharmaceutical ingredients, could lead to phased-in tariffs starting small and potentially rising to 250 percent.

Officials say the delay comes as the White House prioritizes other matters, including a US-Russia summit and a separate semiconductor probe expected to conclude first. The pharmaceutical sector has so far been exempt from broader Trump-era tariffs, though future duties could affect global suppliers despite trade deals with key allies, according to Reuters.

Juneau, Alaska, is facing record-breaking flooding after meltwater from a glacier-dammed lake behind the Mendenhall Glacier surged into the Mendenhall River, forcing evacuations and prompting a flood warning. Water levels climbed from 9.85 feet on Tuesday to over 16 feet by Wednesday, exceeding major flood thresholds and setting a new record. Governor Mike Dunleavy has declared a state disaster, according to BBC.

Glacial lake outbursts occur when natural ice or rock dams suddenly fail, releasing large volumes of water. Juneau has experienced such flooding almost every year since 2011, with last year’s event damaging hundreds of homes. Scientists warn climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of these dangerous floods worldwide.

Australia and Vanuatu have reached a ten-year, A$500m ($328m) agreement to boost security and economic cooperation. The Nakamal Agreement, set to be signed in September, includes funding for data centres, climate resilience projects, and security enhancements, according to BBC.

Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles highlighted the “shared destiny” of the two nations, while Vanuatu’s Prime Minister Jotham Napat called it a “win-win situation.” Visa-free travel for Vanuatu citizens will be covered in a separate subsidiary deal.

The pact follows similar agreements Australia has made with Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Papua New Guinea, BBC reported.

China has called on the United States to stop exaggerating security concerns and interfering with its global trade relations, Xinhua reported.

A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Lin Jian, responded Wednesday to US claims that Chinese companies are establishing a network of ports worldwide to exert control over trade and conduct espionage. Lin urged the US to halt its “so-called China threat” rhetoric and refrain from disrupting China’s economic and trade cooperation with other nations.