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Annapurna Media Network (AMN) celebrated its inaugural ‘AMN Day’ on the occasion of Ghatasthapana, marking a new tradition for the company. During the event, AMN announced plans to hold the celebration annually. 

Staff exchanged festive greetings for Dashain, Tihar, and Chhath, while top-performing employees were recognized from every department for their achievements.

Kamal Dev Bhattarai, Editor of The Annapurna Express, was honored with the ‘Chairman’s Excellence Award’ at the ceremony. Pratik Ghimire, News Coordinator of The Annapurna Express, along with Meena Kumari Singh of Annapurnapost.com, Dinesh Gautam of Annapurna Post, Keshar Raj Chhetri, Butwal Correspondent of Annapurna Post, and Bibhor Adhikari of Radio Annapurna were also recognized.

Additionally, Binod Koirala, Senior Marketing Manager, and Binod Pun of the Circulation Department received awards. Likewise, Bikesh Shakya from the Human Resources and Administration Department, Rupak Ghimire from the Finance Department, and JK Deula, Office Assistant, were honored.

The company also awarded the best advertising agencies that have consistently collaborated with AMN.

Rajan Babu Shrestha, Managing Director of Join Media House; Ashok Ghimire, Managing Director of Future Hub Media Multipurpose Pvt Ltd; Devraj Gurung, Managing Director of Rainbow Media; Raju Dhungel, Managing Director of Impressions A Creative Design Pvt Ltd; Sanjiv Pokharel and Toran Karmacharya of Kite Advertising Agency; Sujan Bagale of Karobar Media; Sabin Shakya, Managing Director of Max Media; Uma Khanal and Sujit Singh of Outreach Nepal; and Shiva Neupane, CEO of Media Sense, were all honored.

Chairperson Capt Rameshwar Thapa acknowledged the challenges facing the global media industry, stating, “The global media business is in crisis, and we are no exception. Yet, we are striving to improve the situation.” He expressed gratitude to the staff for their dedication and hard work during difficult times.

Tejeswar Babu Gonga, a retired professor and cultural expert, praised AMN’s contribution to Nepali journalism and society. Gonga, a regular contributor to Annapurna Post, commended AMN for its consistent efforts.

AMN’s media outlets include Annapurna Post (Nepali daily), The Annapurna Express (English daily), annapurnapost.com, Radio Annapurna, and AP1 HD TV.

The government has reported that the floods and landslides triggered by heaving rainfall last week caused damages worth more than Rs 17bn.

According to the preliminary damage assessment report prepared by the government, the disaster incidents caused damage of more than Rs 6bn to the agriculture sector alone. The report states that paddy crops alone suffered damages worth Rs 3.5bn. Floods and landslides affected paddy crops on 58,476 hectares in Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Nawalparasi East, Baglung, Khotang, Jhapa, Kailali, Lamjung, Parvat, Kaski, Syangja, Makwanpur, Kavre and Sindhuli.

Likewise, floodwaters caused damages worth Rs 1.13bn to fisheries on 458 hectares in Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara and Parsa. Similarly, sugarcane crops on 85 hectares worth Rs 340m were destroyed by the floods. Additionally, 24 animal sheds were damaged in Panchthar, Dhankuta, and Terhathum, while floods and landslides claimed a total of 26,205 livestock in Panchthar, Ilam, Sunsari, Dhankuta, Solukhumbu, Okhaldhunga, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Lalitpur and all districts of Madhes.

According to the report, floods and landslides destroyed orchards on 22 hectares in Kaski, Nawalparasi East, Kanchanpur and Rautahat, as well as vegetables on 4,743 hectares in Khotang, Makwanpur, Chitwan, Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Bara and Parsa. Office infrastructure sustained damages amounting to Rs 160m across various districts, according to the agriculture ministry.

Likewise, there have been significant damages to energy, drinking water, road and irrigation infrastructure. The energy sector has suffered damages worth around Rs 4bn. As many as 16 hydropower projects with an installed capacity of 667.93 MW suffered damages due to floods and landslides, while 18 under-construction projects with total capacity of 1139.19 MW suffered damages. Projects like Upper Tamakoshi (456 MW), Mandu Hydropower (22 MW), two projects on Hewa Khola with combined capacity of 36.9 MW and Solu Dudhkoshi (86 MW), among others, suffered significant damages. Similarly, five major transmission towers have suffered damages.

Likewise, state-owned Nepal Telecom has reported damage at 312 sites. 

“Although the agricultural sector is estimated to have suffered the most damage, the details of the damage to agricultural crops will be prepared within one month,” said Chief Secretary Ek Narayan Aryal. “A total of 21 districts have been affected by floods and landslides. Of them, Kavre, Lalitpur, Dhading, Kathmandu, Sindhupalchok, Sindhuli and Makwanpur have been affected the most.”

Aryal said that temporary housing will be arranged for people displaced by disaster incidents. 

According to him, families, who have lost their homes in the disaster, will be immediately identified as beneficiaries and grant amounts will be distributed for temporary housing construction. The families will be provided with Rs 25,000 each as the first installment of housing grant, according to Aryal.

“Obstructed strategic roads across the country will be reopened with increased urgency. We will install Bailey bridges on important roads where bridges have been washed away by floods and landslides,” he added.

Floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall last weekend have claimed 224 lives, while 24 are missing and 158 people have been injured.

Minister of State for Foreign Trade of United Arab Emirates (UAE) Thani Ahmed Al Zeyoudi called on Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba on the sidelines of Third Summit of Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) in Doha on Wednesday.

Discussions were focused on cordial and cooperative Nepal-UAE relations and cooperation in various areas including trade, tourism, investment, air connectivity and foreign employment, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Hearing on writ petition of habeas corpus would be conducted for four hours from 11 am during Dashain festival holidays as well.

The Supreme Court would remain open for hearing on the writ petitions on Dashain holidays except the day of Ghatasthapana (October 3), Saturday and the day of Vijaya Dashami. 

Though the Supreme Court remains closed from Ghatasthapana to Kojagrat Purnima on the occasion of Dashain festival, only hearing on habeas corpus cases would be conducted. 

The Embassy of the Republic of Korea (RoK) organized the 2024 K-Culture program in Kathmandu on Wednesday to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between the Republic of Korea and Nepal.

On the occasion, the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Nepal presented a dynamic cultural performance that combines Korea’s traditional dance and drum music with cutting-edge high-tech media technologies.

The performance, led by the renowned Korea’s Performance Team – SDG Crew, highlighted the vibrant energy and intricate artistry of Korea’s traditional dance forms, enhanced by the powerful beats of traditional Korean drums, reads a statement issued by the Korean Embassy in Kathmandu.

What sets this performance apart is its innovative integration of high-tech media elements, including state-of-the-art projections, lighting, and sound design, which create an immersive and unforgettable experience.

The performance not only showcases the rich cultural heritage of Korea but also reflects the dynamic and evolving nature of our bilateral relationship.

A large number of Korean and Nepali people attended the program.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Dev Raj Ghimire emphasized that the relations between Nepal and Korea encompass a wide range of sectors, including people-to people relations, tourism, trade, investment, energy, agriculture, health and climate issues, culture, and sustainability in his welcome remarks.

He also congratulates the people of both countries on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Nepal and Republic of Korea.

The country has witnessed the influence of monsoon winds and partial effects of the low-pressure system formed in northeast Assam and adjoining areas of India, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.

Currently the weather is partly to generally cloudy in Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces and partly cloudy in the rest of the country. Likewise, light to moderate rainfall with thunder and lightning is taking place at some places of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces.

Similarly, the weather will remain partly to generally cloudy in Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces and partly cloudy in the remaining provinces.

Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at a few places of Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces and at a few places of other provinces.

Heavy rainfall is likely to occur at one or two places in Koshi and Bagmati Provinces. There is a possibility of a wind storm in some places of the Tarai region of Koshi Province.

According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, the weather will be partly to generally cloudy in Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini Provinces tonight.

Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at one or two places of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces and at one or two places of the rest of the provinces in the next 24 hours.

The Department has urged people to remain alert to avoid the risk of floods, landslides and inundation in view of possible heavy rainfall at one or two places of Koshi and Bagmati Provinces.

The death toll from the recent floods and landslides so far has reached 233 while 22 others are still missing. At least 169 people were injured in the disaster.

According to Home Ministry spokesperson Rishiram Tiwari, 17,120 people have been rescued so far from flood and landslide affected areas.

The government has given high priority to rescue and relief efforts and is working to repair the disaster-hit highways and operate the means of transport.

The "Navaratri", a nine-night festival known as Bada Dashain and a significant celebration for Hindus in Nepal, commenced today.

Ghatasthapana falls on Ashwin Shukla Pratipada, the first day of the bright half of the lunar calendar month Asoj or Kartik.

According to the Nepal Calendar Determination Committee, the auspicious time for observing Ghatasthapana this year is at 9.16 am today.

Deity Shailaputri is worshiped for observing Ghatastapana on the auspicious hour.

The festival entails reverence for deities such as Brhamacharini, Chandraghanta, Kushmanda, Skandamata, Katyayani, Kalarati, Mahagauri, and Siddhirati.

The first day is being marked by worshiping the deity Shailaputri in accordance with Vedic rituals and preparing for Jamara (barley shoots) by sowing maize and barley seeds in a jar filled with soil and cow dung for germination.

Prayers are also offered to Durga Bhavani, the goddess of power today. Germination of the auspicious "Jamara" is also initiated at Hanumandhoka Dashain Ghar in accordance with Vedic rituals.

On the 7th day of the festival, Dashain Phulpati are brought to home on October 9.

The committee has set 11:36 am as the most auspicious time for Dashain tika on October 12 (Asoj 26).