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Nepal Tourism Board emphasized the promotion of Buddhist tourism at the 'Nepal-Myanmar Trade and Tourism Expo 2025' held in Yangon, Myanmar.

The program was organized on March 21 and 22 on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Myanmar.

During the expo, Buddhist tourism was promoted and Nepali tourism products, information technology solutions, and other products were also showcased.

A total of 16 tourism companies from Nepal and 30 from Myanmar took part in the event.

On the occasion, Nepal said that special emphasis should be given to promote Buddhist tourism while urging Myanmar tourists to visit Lumbini through flights to the new Gautam Buddha International Airport (Bhairahawa) in Nepal.

Myanmar Union Minister U Tun Ohn, Nepal's Ambassador to Myanmar Harish Chandra Ghimire and Nepal Chamber of Commerce President Shiva Agrawal jointly inaugurated the expo.

Addressing the program, Minister U Tun Ohn stressed on the need for cooperation in tourism promotion while strengthening trade relations between Nepal and Myanmar.

The pesticide examination laboratory set up in Harre of Bheriganga Municipality-4, Surkhet to test the quantity of pesticide residue in vegetables and fruits entering Karnali Province has been left abandoned. The laboratory remains unused as the provincial government has not managed the required funds and human resources for its operation.

The Karnali Provincial Government had constructed a building to house the pesticide testing laboratory six years ago at a cost of about Rs 7 million. However, the building has not been used yet due to lack of sufficient funds to purchase the necessary equipment for the staff and laboratory. 

According to Senior agricultural economist Chitra Bahadur Rokaya,  the Chief of Integrated Agricultural Laboratory of Karnali Province, although the laboratory building was constructed six years ago it has not been operational due to lack of budget and human resources. He said that the office has requested the line ministry to manage funds and human resources but it has not been managed so far.

The ministry has allocated only Rs 2.9 million for the operation of the laboratories in Harre and Kapurkot, Salyan. Rokaya said a budget of Rs 6.5 million was sought but less than fifty per cent was received, which is not sufficient to procure the necessary equipment and goods for the laboratories.

The office had also requested at least six employees each for the laboratories in Harre and Kapurkot but they have not been available so far.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives of Karnali Province is working to transfer funds from other headings to address the lack of funds for the operation of the laboratories, said the ministry's spokesperson, Agricultural Extension Officer Dhan Bahadur Kathayat.

The weather is partly to generally cloudy in the hilly regions of the country including Koshi, Bagmati and Madhes provinces and clear the rest of the country. 

However, light rain with thunder and lightning is occurring at one or two places in Koshi and Madhes provinces. This is because the country is currently under the partial influence of a westerly low-pressure system as well as local winds, says Meteorological Forecasting Division.

Later this afternoon, the weather will remain partly to generally cloudy in Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati and Gandaki provinces and clear in the remaining provinces. There is a possibility of light rain with thunder and lightning at some places in Koshi and Bagmati provinces and at one or two places in Madhes and Gandaki provinces. There is also a possibility of light snowfall at one or two places in the high hilly and mountainous parts of Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki provinces.

Tonight, the weather will remain partly cloudy in Koshi province and clear in the rest of the country. There is a possibility of light rain with thunder and lightning at one or two places in Koshi Province, as well as light snowfall at one or two places in the high hilly and mountainous regions.

The World Meteorological Day is being observed by organising a variety of activities across the world, including in Nepal. 

The day is observed at the initiative of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) commemorating the coming into force of the Convention establishing the World Meteorological Organization on 23 March 1950. It showcases the essential contribution of National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to the safety and wellbeing of society and is celebrated with activities around the world. 

The theme for World Meteorological Day 2025 is "Closing the early warning gap together".

Issuing a statement President of WMO, Dr Abdulla Al Mandous has urged all WMO Members to intensify their efforts and achieve significant progress in closing the early warning gap together. "Through enhanced collaboration, innovation, and commitment, we can build a safer and more resilient world for all," reads the statement.

Climate change is a real and undeniable threat to our entire civilization. The effects are already visible and will be catastrophic unless we act now. Early warnings for all make economic sense. On a global scale, every US dollar invested in early warnings is estimated to result in 9 US dollars in net economic benefits, says the WMO. 

It may be noted that the WMO recently confirmed that 2024 was the hottest year on record. Changes in our environment are driving more extreme weather events. Rapidly intensifying tropical cyclones, devastating rainfall, storm surges, flooding, deadly droughts, and wildfires are on the rise. Sea levels are increasing, exposing densely populated coastal areas to coastal inundation and ocean wave impacts. The societal effects of these events continue long after the headlines fade.