Submit your Article

As many as 17 people have lost their lives to dengue and 30,330 people have been infected in the Koshi Province since mid-July.

Sunsari district has witnessed the highest number of dengue infection cases.

At least 13 people died due to dengue infection and 19,432 people infected in the district since mid-July, informed the Public Health Officer of Koshi Province Health Directorate Dhankuta, Bibechana Chamlagain.

Dengue infection has broken out in all 14 districts of Koshi Province.

According to him, Morang has witnessed 4,242 cases of dengue infection while one person died of the contagion.

As many as 2,964 people have tested positive for dengue infection and two people have so far lost their lives in Jhapa. Likewise, a person also died due to dengue infection in Udayapur. 

Dengue-infected patients are undergoing treatment in Sunsari-based BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences and private and public hospitals in other districts.

Terhathum district now has 211 infected patients, Panchthar 338, Ilam 535, Udayapur 816, Dhankuta 432. Bhojpur 331, Sankhuwasabha 867, Okhaldhunga 40, Taplejung 33 and Khotang 45 and Solukhumbu 20.

With the outbreak of dengue infection, all local governments in the province have started an anti-dengue campaign. However, dengue infection has been on the rise in the province.  

The 44th World Tourism Day is being observed in Nepal by organizing several programs today.

On the occasion, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Nepal Tourism Board, Department of Tourism and leading organizations of the tourism sector are celebrating the day with several activities.

With the slogan 'Tourism and Green Investment', the World Tourism Day is being observed in Nepal, the ministry said.

In order to mark the day in a fanfare, the 44th World Tourism Day Main Function Committee has been formed under the premiership of Minister for Tourism Sudan Kiranti.

According to the Ministry Spokesperson Rajendra Kumar KC, the tourism minister will welcome foreign tourists arriving at the Tribhuvan International Airport through the first flight at 6 am today.

Likewise, a morning rally will be held from Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur to Mangalbazaar at 7.30 am.

A formal program will be organized in the Patan Durbar area.

At the program jointly organized by the Ministry of Tourism and Lalitpur Metropolis, organizations earning higher foreign currency and individuals and institutions making contributions to the tourism sector will be honored today.

The World Tourism Day is being marked on September 27 every year with a slogan 'Promoting Accessible Tourism for All'.  

The government has decided to open the fair-price shops in view of the upcoming festivals from October 8 to November 19.

According to Spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry and Supplies, Gajendra Kumar Thakur, the decision to operate such shops aimed to serve the interests of consumers during the festive season. The outlets are expected to control unwanted price rise, maintain market quality and ensure the smooth supplies of food at reasonable rates during festivals.

The government each year opens the fair price shops to prevent the monopoly of the private sector in the market during festivals.

Food Management and Trade Company Limited (FMTCL) and Salt Trading Corporation under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and Dairy Development Corporation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development will collaborate to operate the shops.

Different varieties of rice, pulses, wheat flour, edible oil and beaten rice will be available in such outlets at relatively lower prices than in the regular market. 

Similarly, a discount of Rs 10 has been offered per kg of beans and other grains produced in Karnali and live goats, and mountain goats.  The government has allocated Rs 23.22 million for Food Management and Trade Company to run fair price shops this year.

Likewise, the government has allocated Rs 10 million to provide discounts on food products to be sold through Salt Trading Corporation. The Salt Trading Corporation will sell sugar at Rs 97 per kg while it will provide Rs 2 discount on per kg salt and Rs 7 on per kg beaten rice.

The Dairy Development Corporation will provide Rs 20 discount on per kg ghee and Rs 20 on per 200-gram paneer and Rs 50 on per 500-gram paneer.

There would be stalls in 35 places including eight selling center and three mobile shops of Food Management and Trade Company and Salt Trading Corporation located in Kathmandu Valley.

Besides this, the FMTCL will run fair-price shops in Morang, Jhapa, Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu, Diktel, Bhojpur, Okhaldhunga, Khotang, Siraha, Janakpur, Parsa, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kaski, Tanahun, Gorkha, Manang, Mustang, Rupandehi, Banke, Dang, Bardiya, Rukum East and Rukum West.

Similarly, FMTCL will have concessional stocks at 48 places of 42 districts, including Rolpa, Surkhet, Gulmi, Dailekh, Dolpa, Kalikot, Humla, Jajarkot, Jumla, Mugu, Kailali, Dadeldhura, Bajura, Bajhang, Achham, Darchula and Mahendranagar.

Such fair-price shops can also be operated in additional districts and places as per the need, the Ministry stated. The fixed discount can be accessed through free online home delivery, mobile service, cooperatives and dealers. A monitoring committee has also been formed to check whether the operated fair-price shops are effective or not.

According to the Ministry, market monitoring would be further intensified throughout the festival period. In the case of Kathmandu Valley, the Ministry shall form the team and carry out monitoring throughout the period the fair-price shops are operated. The corporations concerned shall also do the same.

The Department of Commerce, Supplies Management and Consumer Protection will also form additional teams other than the regular monitoring and intensify the monitoring.

In case of the districts, the monitoring teams shall be constituted under the convenorship of the Chief District Officer or the Assistant Chief District Officer for carrying out thorough monitoring, according to the Ministry.

At least 20 people have been killed and hundreds wounded in a fuel depot explosion in Nagorno-Karabakh amid an exodus of ethnic Armenians from the region following a lightning military offensive by Azerbaijan, Aljazeera reported.

The region’s health department said 13 bodies were found and seven people had died of their wounds after the blast outside the regional capital of Stepanakert – called Khankendi by Azerbaijan – late on Monday.

It also said 290 people had been hospitalised and “dozens of patients remain in critical condition”. The warehouse was used to give out fuel to those who wanted to leave the region by their cars. Hundreds of people were gathered there when the explosion took place.

A team of medics are en route from Yerevan to Stepanakert by helicopter to help the victims, carrying necessary medication and medical supplies, the healthcare ministry said. Last week’s offensive came after a months-long blockade of the region by Azerbaijan that caused shortages of essential supplies.

“As a result of the explosion, Azerbaijan prepared nearby local hospitals and started negotiations on the evacuation of the wounded, but representatives of the Armenian residents of Karabakh did not accept this proposal,” said Al Jazeera’s correspondent Osama bin Javaid, reporting from the Azerbaijani city of Horadiz.

The announcement of the death toll came amid people fleeing the region, with Armenia saying that 13,350 “forcibly displaced persons” entered the country. In a statement, the government also said it would provide accommodation for all those in need.

On the diplomatic front, national security advisers from Azerbaijan, Armenia, France, Germany and the European Union special representative for the region are scheduled to meet in Brussels on Tuesday, according to Aljazeera.

Simon Mordue, chief diplomatic adviser to European Council President Charles Michel, will chair the talks, the latter’s spokesperson told Al Jazeera.

“This is to take stock of the current situation and prepare for a possible meeting of leaders in Granada,” said Ecaterina Casinege, referring to the Spanish city.

Azerbaijan’s military attacked Nagorno-Karabakh on September 19, announcing 24 hours later to have won control over the enclave. The offensive forced ethnic Armenian authorities in the region to agree to lay down weapons and start “reintegration” talks, under a ceasefire agreement brokered by traditional regional powerhouse Russia.

Azerbaijani authorities promised to respect the rights and security of Armenians living in the region. But the news of their reintegration into Azerbaijan was met with panic and chaos among ethnic Armenians who fear that the long history of hatred and violence between the two would make any form of co-habitation impossible.

On the road heading to Armenia, more and more residents from the region appeared to be trying to get out.

“It’s a steady stream of people, we have seen in the distance miles and miles of ques of people lining up to leave,” said bin Javaid.

“The people are living with whatever they can put their hands, in whatever vehicle they can find, but they want to go out despite all assurances that have been given by the Azerbaijani authorities,” he added, Aljazeera reported.

At a refugee centre in Goris, Valentina Asryan, a 54-year-old from the village of Vank who fled with her grandchildren, told AFP news agency her brother-in-law was killed and several other people were injured by Azerbaijani fire.