Landslide obstructs Kaligandaki Corridor
Vehicular movement along the Kaligandaki Corridor has been obstructed due to a landslide triggered by incessant rainfall at Rakse in Kaligandaki Rural Municipality-2, Gulmi this morning.
The road is yet to be opened for traffic despite mobilization of security personnel with necessary equipment, said Information Officer of the District Police Office, Ganga Bahadur Saru.
The rain has not stopped since Wednesday afternoon.
23 percent of people suffering from depression in Karnali
A total of 42 percent of people living in Karnali Province are found to be suffering from anxiety and 23 percent from depression. Similarly, 11.7 percent of people here are suffering from some kind of mental health ailments.
This fact was shared at the Mid-term Review and Interaction on Mental Health and Psychosocial Strategy and Action Plan 2079-2087 organized by the Karnali Province Ministry of Social Development with the financial and technical support of the Swiss Government and the Center for Mental Health and Counseling (CMC Nepal) in Surkhet Birendranagar on Wednesday.
The data from the National Health Research Council says that 42 percent of people in Karnali suffer from anxiety and 23 percent from depression, CMC Nepal Director Dr Pashupati Mahat said while giving his presentation on mental health, national policy and strategy. Stating that 11.7 percent of people are reported to be suffering from some kind of mental health issues, he stressed that governments at all levels should invest in its prevention.
At the program, Minister for Social Development Ghanashyam Bhandari said that a joint effort is needed to solve mental health problems. Karnali Province has developed and implemented a mental health and psychosocial strategy and action plan. This is the first of its kind among the seven provinces of the country, he added.
Psychiatrist Dr Sushil Samdarshi presented the future direction of the Karnali Provincial Government's Mental Health and Psychosocial Strategy and Action Plan, the policies adopted and the progress made so far, and Public Health Officer Kiran Kumar Sharma gave a presentation on the mental health of Karnali and the activities and activities being undertaken by the provincial government for its improvement.
Himal Gaire, Head of Policy, Strategy and Good Governance at CMC Nepal, said that the program aims to cover the issues left out by conducting a 'Mid-Term Review of the Mental Health and Psychosocial Strategy and Action Plan 2079-2087' and to include the problems of Upper Karnali in particular in the strategy and action plan.
According to him, the mental health condition of citizens of districts like Rukum Paschim who migrate for foreign employment and return home has become even more alarming.
Japanese town proposes two-hour daily limit on smartphones
Toyoake, a town in Aichi, Japan, has proposed limiting residents’ smartphone use to two hours per day outside work and study. Mayor Masafumi Koki emphasized the guideline is voluntary, aiming to help families manage screen time, according to BBC.
Non-leisure activities like online learning, cooking, exercising, or e-sports practice are exempt. Suggested device cut-offs are 9 p.m. for primary students and 10 p.m. for older students and adults.
The move responds to concerns over students skipping school and adults losing sleep or family time. About 80 percent of residents opposed the plan, while some expressed support.
US tells Denmark to 'calm down' over alleged Greenland influence operation
Denmark has summoned the top US diplomat in Copenhagen after reports that Americans allegedly sought to influence Greenland’s society and promote its secession. The White House did not confirm the claims, saying only that Denmark should “calm down”, BBC reported.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen called any interference unacceptable, while Danish intelligence warned of influence campaigns targeting Greenland. The US stressed it respects Greenlanders’ right to determine their future.
The dispute comes amid President Trump’s repeated interest in annexing Greenland and Vice President JD Vance’s criticism of Denmark’s investment in the territory. Most Greenlanders favor independence, but not US control, BBC said.
Kim Jong Un to join Putin and other leaders at China military parade
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will attend a military parade in Beijing on 3 September, China’s foreign ministry confirmed. The event marks the 80th anniversary of China’s victory over Japan and the end of World War Two. Russian President Vladimir Putin is also expected, along with other world leaders, BBC reported.
China plans to showcase its latest military capabilities, including new aircraft, tanks, and anti-drone systems, marking the first full display of its modernized force structure. The 70-minute parade will be overseen by President Xi Jinping from Tiananmen Square and is likely to attract close attention from global analysts.
White House fires CDC director as other officials resign from health agency
The White House has fired CDC Director Susan Monarez after she refused to resign, saying she was “not aligned with the president’s agenda.” Monarez’s lawyers accused Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of pressuring her to back “unscientific” policies, according to BBC.
Her removal sparked a wave of resignations, including the agency’s chief medical officer and leaders of infectious disease and immunisation programs, who cited misinformation and political interference.
The shake-up comes as the FDA restricted new Covid vaccines to seniors and high-risk groups, and amid widespread layoffs at the CDC, BBC reported.
School shooting in US Minneapolis leaves 2 children dead, 17 people injured
A gunman opened fire Wednesday morning at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis, killing two students aged 8 and 10 and injuring 17 others, BBC reported.
The attack occurred during morning Mass, when the shooter, armed with multiple weapons, fired through the church windows before taking his own life. Fourteen of the wounded are children, with two in critical condition, according to police.
Governor Tim Walz said Minnesota is “heartbroken” and expressed support for the victims’ families. President Donald Trump ordered flags lowered to half-staff, pledging federal support.
The tragedy marks the fifth school shooting in the US this year, amid 286 mass shootings nationwide, according to BBC.
UN says Gaza famine expanding, ten more die from hunger amid Israeli siege
Famine is now a grim reality in Gaza, with children increasingly dying from hunger as Israel’s siege blocks essential aid, UN officials told the Security Council on Wednesday.
Deputy humanitarian chief Joyce Msuya confirmed famine in Gaza City and warned it will spread south to Deir el-Balah and Khan Younis by the end of September. She said over half a million people face starvation, a figure that could rise to 640,000 within weeks, while 132,000 children under five are at risk of severe malnutrition, Al Jazeera reported.
“This is not a natural disaster but a created catastrophe,” Msuya said. Gaza’s Health Ministry reported 10 more famine-related deaths in the past day, bringing the war’s total to 313, including 119 children.