5.3-magnitude quake hits Nyngan, Australia
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck 87 kilometers north of Nyngan, Australia, at 16:36 GMT on Friday, according to the US Geological Survey.
The quake originated at a depth of 8.3 kilometers, with its epicenter located at 30.79°S latitude and 147.36°E longitude, Xinhua reported.
Vietnam orders Telegram block over crime links
Vietnam’s Ministry of Information and Communications has ordered telecom providers to block Telegram by June 2, citing its failure to cooperate in criminal investigations and its alleged role in facilitating illegal activities.
Authorities report that 68 percent of Telegram’s 9,600 local channels are linked to crimes such as fraud, drug trafficking, and suspected terrorism. The platform is also accused of allowing the spread of anti-government content by opposition groups, according to Reuters.
Telegram has not responded to the directive. The app remains accessible in Vietnam as of now.
WTO members criticize US tariffs, call for strengthened global trade cooperation
At a recent World Trade Organization General Council meeting in Geneva, the European Union and numerous member countries protested US tariffs, claiming they disrupt the global trading system and cause economic instability. The EU criticized the use of tariffs to address domestic economic difficulties and called for increased multilateral cooperation.
Representatives from Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Japan, Brazil, and more than 100 WTO members also expressed concern, urging for reforms to support the rules-based trading system and fight protectionism, as reported by Xinhua.
WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala urged the United States to engage in constructive dialogue to resolve trade disputes and support global trade stability.
Haldibari builds three bridges with own budget
Jhapa’s Haldibari Rural Municipality has launched a campaign to replace old wooden bridges with durable concrete structures, funding the initiative entirely from its internal budget. Two years ago, the municipality laid the foundation for three concrete bridges—one over the Bhuteni Khola and two over the Bhusudi Khola—with a total project cost of Rs 49.68m.
On Wednesday, the newly constructed concrete bridge over Bhuteni Khola, connecting Wards 1 and 5, was officially inaugurated by Rajendra Prasad Lingden, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, and the current Member of Parliament from Jhapa Constituency-3.
Speaking at the inauguration, Haldibari Rural Municipality Chairperson Rabindra Prasad Lingden shared that in 2017, a team from the Department of Roads’ Bridge Division had visited the area and conducted a soil test for the bridge. They later prepared a DPR (Detailed Project Report) and estimated the cost of a single bridge at approximately Rs 270m. “That estimate shocked us,” said Lingden. “We were unsure whether we could construct the bridge with our limited resources. But we decided to move forward, and we successfully completed the bridge with just Rs 23m.” He added that the bridge division’s estimate might have included a slightly longer and higher bridge, “but there’s no way it required such a large budget.”
Highlighting that all three bridges were constructed for under Rs 50m, Lingden stated, “The inauguration of the remaining two bridges will follow soon. Haldibari is now free from its dependency on wooden bridges.” He emphasized that this project is a strong example of how disciplined and honest leadership can accomplish major infrastructure works at minimal cost.
