14th meeting of India-Nepal Joint Committee on Inundation and Flood Management held
The 14th meeting of the India-Nepal Joint Committee on Inundation and Flood Management was held in Nepal on March 9-13.
The meeting was co-chaired by Sher Singh member (planning), Ganga Flood Control Commission (JFCC) from the Indian side and Susheel Chandra Acharya, DG, Department of Water Resources and Irrigation (DWRI) from the Nepali side, read a statement.
Joint Committee members also undertook site visits to various areas on the India-Nepal border where management of flood, erosion and inundation issues fall within the Committee's ma date.
They also visited the sites of emergent works proposed to be undertaken on a set of rivers in the border areas, the statement read.
The site visit, which took place from March 9-12, was followed by the main meeting held in Kathmandu on March 13.
Pregnant woman, baby die after Russia bombed maternity ward
A pregnant woman and her baby have died after Russia bombed the maternity hospital where she was meant to give birth, The Associated Press has learned. Images of the woman being rushed to an ambulance on a stretcher had circled the world, epitomizing the horror of an attack on humanity’s most innocent, Associated Press reported.
In video and photos shot Wednesday by AP journalists after the attack on the hospital, the woman was seen stroking her bloodied lower abdomen as rescuers rushed her through the rubble in the besieged city of Mariupol, her blanched face mirroring her shock at what had just happened. It was among the most brutal moments so far in Russia’s now 19-day-old war on Ukraine.
The woman was rushed to another hospital, yet closer to the frontline, where doctors labored to keep her alive. Realizing she was losing her baby, medics said, she cried out to them, “Kill me now!”
Surgeon Timur Marin found the woman’s pelvis crushed and hip detached. Medics delivered the baby via cesarean section, but it showed “no signs of life,” the surgeon said, Associated Press reported.
Then, they focused on the mother.
“More than 30 minutes of resuscitation of the mother didn’t produce results,” Marin said Saturday.
“Both died.”
In the chaos after Wednesday’s airstrike, medics didn’t have time to get the woman’s name before her husband and father came to take away her body. At least someone came to retrieve her, they said — so she didn’t end up in the mass graves being dug for many of Mariupol’s growing number of dead.
Accused of war crimes, Russian officials claimed the maternity hospital had been taken over by Ukrainian extremists to use as a base, and that no patients or medics were left inside. Russia’s ambassador to the U.N. and the Russian Embassy in London called the images “fake news.”
Associated Press journalists, who have been reporting from inside blockaded Mariupol since early in the war, documented the attack and saw the victims and damage firsthand. They shot video and photos of several bloodstained, pregnant mothers fleeing the blown-out maternity ward, medics shouting, children crying.
The AP team then tracked down the victims on Friday and Saturday in the hospital where they had been transferred, on the outskirts of Mariupol.
In a city that’s been without food supplies, water, power or heat for more than a week, electricity from emergency generators is reserved for operating rooms.
As survivors described their ordeal, explosions outside shook the walls. The shelling and shooting in the area is sporadic but relentless. Emotions are running high, even as doctors and nurses concentrate on their work, according to the Associated Press.
Blogger Mariana Vishegirskaya gave birth to a girl the day after the airstrike, and wrapped her arm around newborn Veronika as she recounted Wednesday’s bombing. After photos and video showed her navigating down debris-strewn stairs and clutching a blanket around her pregnant frame, Russian officials claimed she was an actor in a staged attack.
“It happened on March 9 in Hospital No. 3 in Mariupol. We were laying in wards when glasses, frames, windows and walls flew apart,” Vishegirskaya, still wearing the same polka dot pajamas as when she fled, told The AP.
“We don’t know how it happened. We were in our wards and some had time to cover themselves, some didn’t.”
Her ordeal was one among many in Mariupol, which has become a symbol of resistance to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s drive to crush democratic Ukraine and redraw the world map in his favor. The failure to subordinate Mariupol has pushed Russian forces to broaden their offensive elsewhere in Ukraine.
Meanwhile, the Azov Sea port city of 430,000, key to creating a land bridge from Russia to Russian-annexed Crimea, is slowly starving, Associated Press reported.
In the makeshift new maternity ward, each approaching childbirth brings new tension.
“All birthing mothers have lived through so much,” said nurse Olga Vereshagina.
One of the distraught mothers lost some of her toes in the bombing. Medics performed a C-section on her Friday, carefully pulling out her daughter and rubbing the newborn vigorously to stimulate signs of life.
After a few breathless seconds, the baby cries.
Cheers of joy resonate through the room. Newborn Alana cries, her mother cries, and medical workers wipe the tears from their eyes, according to the Associated Press.
VP Pun calls for coordinated measures to fight VAW
Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun has said climate change impact and COVID-19 pandemic have directly or indirectly contributed to a further rise in the exploitation and violence against women (VAW).
While inaugurating the ‘South Asian Women Conference’ jointly organised by the National Women’s Commission (NWC), National Human rights Commission (NHRC), Women Non-Government Organization Federation and Every Woman, here today, the Vice-President said there was an upsurge of cases of domestic violence against women during COVID-19 pandemic.
He spoke for the need for concerted actions to fight VAW, the issue of global concern. “It draws our prime concern that exploitation and violence against women exist in the present society.”
The Vice President underlined the need for effective enforcement of the rights of women and girls enshrined by the Constitution, adding that institutionalizing achievements of the women’s movement should be the concern of all.
NHRC Chair Top Bahadur Magar said,” It is a joint responsibility of all to protect human rights,” while NWC Chair Kamala Kumari Parajuli shared that lately, they were receiving a rising number of complaints about domestic violence.
A noted writer from the South Asia and India-based social activist Meera Khanna was of the opinion that the Conference should focus itself on prodding authorities concerned to ensure the effective implementation of laws against gender-based violence.
Likewise, Vandana Shiva, a scholar, and eco-feminist from India argued that it was hard to see a fall in the cases of violence against women until women become economically empowered and self-sufficient.
The two-day Conference for global solidarity to end VAW is being attended by 100 representatives, including rights activists social activists, writers, and scholars.RSS
Nepal reports 83 Covid-19 cases on Tuesday
Nepal recorded 83 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday.
According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 4, 734 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 57 returned positive. Likewise, 3, 150 people underwent antigen tests, of which 26 tested positive.
The Ministry said that no one died of virus in the last 24 hours. The Ministry said that 130 infected people recovered from the disease.
As of today, there are 4, 746 active cases in the country.
All UK travel rules to end on Friday, says government
The transport secretary has confirmed that all remaining Covid travel measures will be scrapped, BBC reported.
Currently, everyone travelling to the UK must complete a passenger locator form before they arrive.
Travellers who are not fully vaccinated have to take a Covid test before departure, fill in the form, and book and pay for a PCR test after arriving.
Grant Shapps confirmed in a tweet that these rules will end at 04:00 on Friday, according to BBC.
His announcement means that passengers who are not fully vaccinated will no longer have to take Covid tests before and after travelling to the UK. The passenger locator form will no longer be necessary either.
People planning an overseas trip will still need to be aware of other countries' entry rules.
Shapps tweeted: "These changes are possible due to our vaccine rollout and mean greater freedom in time for Easter."
When any new Covid strains appear in the future, the government said its default approach would be to use "the least-stringent measures" for restricting travel, BBB reported.
Its "Living with Covid" plan said new measures at the border would only be considered in "extreme circumstances".
It said the UKHSA would closely monitor the prevalence and spread of Covid variants.
Scotland and Wales have agreed to follow England in scrapping the remaining coronavirus border measures, according to BBC.
Saudi Foreign Minister calls on President Bhandari
Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Prince Faisal bin Fahran Al Saud has paid a courtesy call on President Bidya Devi Bhandari on Tuesday.
During the meeting held at the office of the President, Maharajgunj, today, various aspects of Nepal-Saudi Arabia relations as well as matters of mutual interest and welfare were discussed.
Foreign Minister Prince Faisal is on a two-day official visit to Nepal. Senior officials of the Office of the President and Foreign Ministry were present on the occasion. RSS
Nepse drops by 17. 15 points on Tuesday
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 17. 15 points to close at 2,650.97 points on Tuesday.
Similarly, the sensitive dropped by 7. 26 points to close at 502. 59 points.
A total of 6,529,026 units of the shares of 229 companies were traded for Rs 3.36 billion.
Meanwhile, Emerging Nepal Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9.98 percent. Likewise, Nepal Doorsanchar Company Limited was the top loser with its price dropped by 5.13 percent.
At the end of the day, the total market capitalisation stood at Rs 3.75 trillion.
Sandwich Hub: For your sandwich cravings
Sandwiches are the perfect snack—not too heavy but flavorsome. There are plenty of sandwich kiosks around Kathmandu valley, but Sandwich Hub is one place you are sure to find your perfect mouthful. Located at Jhamsikhel road in Lalitpur, opposite St. Mary’s School, this joint serves a variety of sandwiches with personalized toppings to satiate your cravings. No better place for a quick lunch.
Chef’s Special:
Smoked Salami Sandwich
Grill Chicken Sandwich
Bar BQ Sandwich
Opening hours: 10:00 am to 8:00 pm
Location: Jhamsikhel, Lalitpur
Meal for 2: Rs 700
Phone pay: Yes
