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Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has extended best wishes to all on the occasion of 112th International Women’s Day.

Women’s Day is being celebrated under the national slogan “Social Justice and Gender Equity: Guarantee of Sustainable Development.

In a message on Tuesday, Prime Minister Deuba remembered women with high respect who contributed to help achieve women’s rights and ensure justice. March 8 is celebrated annually across the world to commemorate the cultural, political, and socioeconomic achievements of women.

Women’s Day has been encouraging all to provide equal opportunities to women in social, political, cultural and economic sectors and move ahead towards the path of gender equality, Prime Minister Deuba said in the message.

“The Constitution of Nepal has resolved to build a proportional, inclusive and equitable society by ending all types of discriminations against women. It has also ensured proportional inclusive representation of women in all bodies of the state. All forms of violence and exploitation against women have been made punishable,” reads the message.

Stating that it is necessary to take initiatives in a coordinated manner by all the three-level governments in their respective sectors as women empowerment is the matter of common concern of all, Prime Minister Deuba stressed the need for commitment of all to ensure gender, social, economic and political rights of women.

Prime Minister Deuba has also extended best wishes to all Nepali sisters, women rights activists and all those individuals and organizations working for the protection and promotion of women’s rights. RSS

The secretary-level meeting of the joint taskforce of Nepal and India, formed to facilitate supply of petroleum products and gas, has concluded.

The third virtual meeting of the joint taskforce that was formed between Nepal and India in March 2017 in the course of agreement of supply of petroleum products concluded on today.

Joint-secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply Radhika Aryal from Nepal and Joint-secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas Esha Srivastava from India led the teams at the meet.

Representatives from finance ministry, foreign ministry and law Ministry as well as office-bearers of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply, and high-ranking office bearers of Nepal Oil Corporation and Indian Oil Corporation were present on the occasion, said Joint-spokesperson at the Supply Ministry Urmila KC.

The meeting discussed various issues including smooth supply of petroleum products, expansion of Amalekhgunj-Chitwan and Siliguri-Jhapa petroleum pipeline, security management of Motihari-Amalekhgunj pipeline, and renewal of petroleum products supplies agreement between NoC and Indian Oil Corporation. RSS

Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Khadka is leaving for Turkey today to take part in the Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

Issuing a statement on Monday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that he is visiting Turkey at the formal invitation of his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu.

The programme will be held from March 11-13.

Minister Khadka is scheduled to share panels with participating Foreign Ministers in two separate sessions entitled 'Democratic Governance and Security' and 'Asia Anew: For a Sustained Regional Growth' on March 12, the statement read.

Over 50 Foreign Ministers together with a cross-section of policy makers and experts are attending the event. The theme for this year’s annual Forum is ‘Recoding Diplomacy’.

During the visit, Minister Khadka will hold a meeting with officials of NRN-Turkey and Nepali entrepreneurs based in Istanbul to discuss business opportunities and challenges as well as problems faced by Nepali diaspora on March 9.

He will hold interactive sessions with members of Economic Chambers in Istanbul and Antalya. On the sidelines of the Forum, Minister Khadka will hold a bilateral meeting with his Turkish counterpart. 

He will also hold meetings with Foreign Ministers of different countries on the sidelines, the statement further read.

Russia has said it may close its main gas pipeline to Germany if the West goes ahead with a ban on Russian oil, BBC reported.

Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said a "rejection of Russian oil would lead to catastrophic consequences for the global market", causing prices to more than double to $300 a barrel.

The US has been exploring a potential ban with allies as a way of punishing Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.

But Germany and the Netherlands rejected the plan on Monday.

The EU gets about 40% of its gas and 30% of its oil from Russia, and has no easy substitutes if supplies are disrupted, according to BBC.

In an address on Russian state television, Mr Novak said it would be "impossible to quickly find a replacement for Russian oil on the European market".

"It will take years, and it will still be much more expensive for European consumers. Ultimately, they will be hurt the worst by this outcome," he said.

Pointing to Germany's decision last month to freeze certification of Nord Stream 2, a new gas pipeline connecting the two countries, he added that an oil embargo could prompt retaliation.

"We have every right to take a matching decision and impose an embargo on gas pumping through the [existing] Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline," he said, BBC reported.

Russia is the world's top producer of natural gas and second top producer of crude oil, and any move to sanction its energy industry would badly damage its own economy.

Ukraine has implored the West to adopt such a ban, but there are concerns it would send prices soaring. Investor fears of an embargo drove Brent crude oil to $139 a barrel at one point on Monday - its highest level for almost 14 years, according to BBC.

Average UK petrol prices also hit fresh record of 155p a litre.