Submit your Article

The Election Commission (EC) of Nepal is going to hold discussions with the leaders of political parties today in regard to the progress made so far on the upcoming local level polls. 

The EC is also expected to inform the politicians about the progress taking place about the poll and solicit recommendations from the political parties.

 EC Spokesperson Shaligram Sharma Poudel stated that representatives of 17 political parties have been invited to the EC at 11:30 am on Friday. 

“Almost a month has passed after the poll announcement. The main purpose of the meeting is to discuss and conduct interaction to receive feedback from parties,” Poudel said.

 The EC has asked the political parties to send two representatives along with a leader at the consultation.

Eighty political parties have submitted their application in the EC for the purpose of local level election. RSS

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has urged construction entrepreneurs to compete in the tender of Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

Addressing the 23rd general assembly of the Federation of Construction Entrepreneurs Nepal, Prime Minister Deuba said that Nepal could also take part in the MCC project as the tender would be announced at the international level.

He urged the construction entrepreneurs to participate in the international tender.

Saying that the US law envisioned that the tender should be announced internationally, the Prime Minister said that any country could take part in the same.

Nepalis would be happy if Nepal achieved success in the tender.

“There will be international competition, global tender. Construction entrepreneurs of Nepal can also take part in the tender,” he said.

Prime Minister Deuba went on to say that construction industries of Nepal should be made of international level.

He also made it clear that the government has also amended the Procurement Regulations to facilitate the entrepreneurs.

Nepal and South Africa have agreed to enhance mutual corporation. 

Foreign Secretary Bharat Raj Paudyal and Acting Director General of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) of the Republic of South Africa Nonce baLosi signed the Declaration of Intent on Cooperation on behalf of their respective Governments in Pretoria on Thursday. 

Addressing the signing ceremony, Foreign Secretary Paudyal stated that the Declaration would provide a fundamental basis for further strengthening of bilateral cooperation between Nepal and South Africa. 

The Foreign Secretary recalled Nepal’s solidarity with the South African people in their struggle for freedom, dignity and equality. 

Acting Director General of DIRCO Losi warmly welcomed the Nepali delegation and stated that this day would mark the new beginning in the friendly relations between Nepal and South Africa. She appreciated Nepal for firmly standing by the side of South African people in their fight against apartheid. 

The signing ceremony was followed by the First Nepal-South Africa Bilateral Consultation meeting. 

The meeting discussed wide range of issues of bilateral relations between the two countries, including trade, tourism, foreign direct investment, people-to-people contacts, and cultural cooperation as well as exchange of UN peacekeeping experience.

The second meeting of the bilateral consultation mechanism will be held in Kathmandu in 2024.

Foreign Secretary Paudyal also had a separate meeting today with Deputy Minister for International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa, Candith Mashego-Dlamini. Matters, including COVID-19 control, vaccine equity and economic recovery featured during the meeting. 

In an interview to Ubuntu Radio run by DIRCO, the Foreign Secretary highlighted key priorities of the Government of Nepal and potential areas that the two countries could explore to add more substance into their bilateral relations.

The Nepali delegation led by the Foreign Secretary comprised of Harishchandra Ghimire, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Gyan Bahadur Magar, Charge´d'Affaires at the Embassy of Nepal in Pretoria and other officials of the Ministry and the Embassy. RSS

The World Health Organization advised Ukraine to destroy high-threat pathogens housed in the country’s public health laboratories to prevent “any potential spills” that would spread disease among the population, the agency told Reuters on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Biosecurity experts say Russia’s movement of troops into Ukraine and bombardment of its cities have raised the risk of an escape of disease-causing pathogens, should any of those facilities be damaged.

Like many other countries, Ukraine has public health laboratories researching how to mitigate the threats of dangerous diseases affecting both animals and humans including, most recently, COVID-19. Its labs have received support from the United States, the European Union and the WHO.

In response to questions from Reuters about its work with Ukraine ahead of and during Russia’s invasion, the WHO said in an email that it has collaborated with Ukrainian public health labs for several years to promote security practices that help prevent “accidental or deliberate release of pathogens.”

“As part of this work, WHO has strongly recommended to the Ministry of Health in Ukraine and other responsible bodies to destroy high-threat pathogens to prevent any potential spills,” the WHO, a United Nations agency, said, according to Reuters.

The WHO would not say when it had made the recommendation nor did it provide specifics about the kinds of pathogens or toxins housed in Ukraine’s laboratories. The agency also did not answer questions about whether its recommendations were followed.

Ukrainian officials in Kyiv and at their embassy in Washington did not respond to requests for comment.

Ukraine’s laboratory capabilities are at the center of a growing information war since Russia began moving troops into Ukraine two weeks ago.

On Wednesday, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova repeated a longstanding claim that the United States operates a biowarfare lab in Ukraine, an accusation that has been repeatedly denied by Washington and Kyiv.

Zakharova said that documents unearthed by Russian forces in Ukraine showed “an emergency attempt to erase evidence of military biological programmes” by destroying lab samples, Reuters reported.

Reuters was unable to independently confirm her information.

In response, a Ukrainian presidential spokesperson said: “Ukraine strictly denies any such allegation.” U.S. government spokespeople also strongly denied Zakharova’s accusations, saying that Russia may use its claims as a pretext to deploy its own chemical or biological weapons.

The WHO statement made no reference to biowarfare. The agency said it encourages all parties to cooperate in “the safe and secure disposal of any pathogens they come across, and to reach out for technical assistance as needed.” It offered to help wherever possible with technical guidance and coordination.

The United Nations Security Council will convene on Friday at Russia’s request, diplomats said, to discuss Moscow’s claims, presented without evidence, of U.S. biological activities in Ukraine, according to Reuters.