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Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that there is no possibility of the return of monarchy in Nepal.

Speaking at a program organized by the Training Department of the Nepali Congress Bagmati Province Committee here today, party President Deuba, hinting to the activities of the pro-monarchists since some days back, said former King Gyanendra Shah could not be a constitutional king.

"There is no possibility of the return of monarchy in Nepal. Gyanendra is not even a person worthy of becoming a constitutional monarch. Rather the Rastriya Prajatantra Party will make Gyanendra the party president,” he said, addressing the inauguration of a training programme for the office-bearers and members of the NC Province Working Committee here today.

The Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister suggested former King Gyanendra to open a political party if he really was interested in politics.

"Better open a party if you really want to do politics! But those joining that party will suffer a lot," he said and directed the leaders and cadres to work unitedly in favour of the republic.

NC Bagmati Province Vice-President and Province Training Department Chief Chandra Maharjan presided over the training program which was attended by party spokesperson Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat, NC Bagmati Province President Indra Bahadur Baniya, Director of the party's Central Policy, Research and Training Academy Dr Krishna Prasad Poudel, Treasurer of Bagmati Province Dr Bhadra Parajuli Bhandari, Executive Director of the Central Policy Research and Training Department Dr Buddhiman Shrestha, among other leaders and office-bearers of the party.

Salah al-Bardaweel, a leading Hamas political figure, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, a Hamas spokesman informed the BBC.

Bardaweel, considered the top political figure in Hamas, and his wife were murdered in the airstrike, according to locals. There was no immediate response from Israeli officials, according to BBC.

The statements of health officials in the Palestinian region controlled by Hamas, at least 18 people have been murdered so far on Sunday in Rafah and Khan Yunis, farther south.

Israel began significant bombings on Gaza earlier this week, thus ending the first phase of a nearly two-month ceasefire. It accused Hamas of rejecting a new US request to extend the truce, BBC reported.

Hamas, in turn, accused Israel of abandoning the initial arrangement, which had been negotiated by Qatar, Egypt, and the United States. It envisaged the withdrawal of Israeli troops and the following release of Israeli hostages and Palestinian detainees, as well as negotiations to end the war and rebuild Gaza.

KATHMANDU: Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Deepak Khadka has said that the government is working to strengthen the forecasting and early warning system with the help of latest technology.

Speaking at a program organized by the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat on the occasion of World Meteorological Day in the Capital this morning, he said that the government is working to strengthen the early warning system to save the lives of people at risk of disasters.

Stating that the early warning system has been very successful in protecting people and their property from floods, Minister Khadka said that the government is expanding the use of IT, radar systems and satellite technology for rain and weather forecasting.

Minister Khadka said it is a top priority of the government to protect glaciers, major source of Nepal's most hydropower projects, irrigation schemes and drinking water, and early warning systems will be strengthened and risk reduction measures forwarded to minimize the impact of climate change. "If proper preparations are not started now, considering the risks that may arise in the future, there may be a serious crisis in Nepal's water security in the future. Hence, we are working together with the international community to preserve the glaciers and minimize the impact of climate change," he said.

With the support of the Green Climate Fund the government is going to install risk reduction and early warning systems in four more glaciers, including Lower Barun Glacier in Sankhuwasabha, Lumding and Hongu Glaciers in Solukhumbu, and Thulagi Glacier in Manang district. He also said that the government will implement the impact-based forecasting system in all provinces and river basins across the country in the future.

Energy Minister Khadka also shared that the Hydrology and Meteorology Policy, 2081, has been formulated and implemented under the leadership of the ministry. He also expressed his commitment to prepare the new financial year budget keeping in mind the disaster-induced risks in the coming year.

Meanwhile, Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Sarita Dawadi, said that the services of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology will be further developed and expanded while Secretary of Water and Energy Commission Secretariat, Madhu Prasad Bhetwal, said that the government is taking forward various programs in the fields of hydrology and meteorological services, climate adaptation and glacier conservation in collaboration with various agencies.

Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Maeda Toru hosted a send-off party at his Residence for Nepali students who will be studying in Japan under the Japanese Government Scholarship granted by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan.

The Government of Japan grants this scholarship to international students who want to pursue higher studies in Japan for undergraduate, graduate, specialized training college students, and teachers. Japan started selection of Nepali students in 1957, just one year after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

This spring, six Nepali students in total - three for master’s, two for undergraduate and one for specialized training college – will go to Japan to obtain their degrees and specialized skill, reads a statement issued by the Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu.

On the occasion, Ambassador Maeda congratulated the successfully selected scholarship students and expressed his hope that they would make their best efforts in a good learning environment in Japan.

The Ambassador also encouraged the students to venture out of the school to experience various aspects of Japanese culture, and make Japanese friends. He stated that he believes that with the knowledge and experience thus acquired, the students will contribute to Nepal's development and play an important role in Japan-Nepal relations in the future.

Dr Sunil Babu Shrestha, president of Japanese Universities Alumni Association, Nepal (JUAAN) also offered valuable advice to the students about life and university in Japan, as he himself had experienced them, according to the statement.

The Embassy is confident that these young scholars will serve as an important bridge between Japan and Nepal and contribute to further strengthening mutual understanding, friendship, and cooperation between the two countries.