Submit your Article

A light earthquake hit Myagdi district on Tuesday.

According to the National Semismological Centre (NSC), Launchaur, it recorded a tremor of local magnitude 4.5 at 1:03 pm with its epicenter near Gurjakhani of Myagdi. 

The NSC said that it was a fresh earthquake.

The Special Committee formed by the Parliament to investigate errors in the Report on the Federal Civil Service Bill has submitted its report to the Speaker Devraj Ghimire today. 

Committee coordinator Jeevan Pariyar submitted the report to the Speaker at the Federal Parliament Building, New Baneshwor.

The committee finalized its report last night and had decided to submit it in today’s meeting of the House of Representatives. The committee held 37 meetings over 29 days to finalize the report.

The House of Representatives had formed a high-level special probe committee on July 6, after provisions related to the cooling-off period in the Bill came against that decision by the parliamentary committee that finalized the bill. 

The committee comprised Jeevan Pariyar (coordinator) and Sushila Thing from the Nepali Congress, Narayan Prasad Acharya and Ishwori Gharti from the CPN-UML, Madhav Sapkota from the CPN (Maoist Center), Ganesh Parajuli from the Rastriya Swatantra Party, and Roshan Karki from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

The water level in the Babai river has crossed danger-level following continuous rainfall.  

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, the river's water level has now reached 7.1 meters.  

A water level of 5.5 meters is considered to be at a 'warning' level while 6.8 meter as 'danger' level, the Department has said while urging all to adopt precaution as Bardiya and Dang are at risk of flooding. 

Flood expert of the Department, Binod Parajuli, said district administrations, local levels and general people have been alerted through a message to remain alert. 

Similarly, the Mahakali river has also reached near the danger-level. 

The water level at small streams in Kavrepalanchowk, Makawanpur, Dang, Banke, Chitwan, Kailali, Kanchanpur and surrounding districts are also likely to increase and there is high risk of flash floods, stated the Department. 

South Korea will prepare measures to help companies cope with higher U.S. tariffs and expand into new markets, the Finance Ministry said on Tuesday, as it kicked off a task force to prepare the new administration's economic policy plans, Reuters reported.

On the domestic front, the government will come up with measures to boost short-term demand, as well as financial support for mid- to long-term technology development to enhance market competitiveness, it said in a statement.

South Korea reached a trade deal with the U.S. last week, just days before President Donald Trump's threatened 25% tariff rate was due to come in on its exports to the United States, according to Reuters.

Vehicular movement along the Butwal-Narayangadh road section has been obstructed following a landslide at Daunne hills.

As a result, hundreds of passengers and vehicles have been stranded mid-way, Superintendent of Police Yadav Dhakal of the District Police Office Nawalparasi said. 

More than 7,000 cases of a mosquito-borne virus have been reported across China's Guangdong province since July, prompting measures similar to those taken during the Covid-19 pandemic, BBC reported.

In Foshan city, which has been hit the hardest, chikungunya patients must stay in hospital, where their beds will protected with mosquito nets. They can only be discharged after they test negative or at the end of a week-long stay.

Spread through the bite of an infected mosquito, the virus causes fever and severe joint pain, which sometimes can last for years.

Although rare in China, chikungunya outbreaks are common in South and South East Asia and parts of Africa, according to BBC.

The Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) began in Turkmenistan today. 

Hojamyrat Geldimyradov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Turkmenistan, and Antonio Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General welcomed the heads of the nations and the heads of the governments to the Conference venue at the Awaza-based Sports Complex. 

In his address to an inaugural session, the UN Secretary General stressed the need for collective efforts with essential support and coordination to increase the LLDCs' access to international competitive markets and to address challenges they are facing. 

The President of the host nation, Serdar Berdimuhamedow, stressed the need for South-South cooperation to address economic and social challenges being faced by landlocked developing countries. He also pressed the need for active engagement of parliamentary forums, youth, and civil society networks to address these challenges.

Similarly, the President of the 79th United Nations General Assembly, Dennis Francis, also addressed the opening session.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is scheduled to address the Conference as the Chair of the Global Coordination Bureau of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and in national capacity today, itself. 

The Prime Minister will also co-chair a high-level roundtable of the Conference and address other events.

Besides, the Prime Minister will meet heads of delegations from various countries and other high-level dignitaries of the UN and other international organizations on the margins of the Conference.   

Prime Minister Oli arrived here on August 4, leading a Nepali delegation.

.The Prime Minister is accompanied by his spouse  Radhika Shakya, Chief Advisor to the Prime Minister  Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Member of the Federal Parliament, Surya Bahadur Thapa Kshetree, Prime Minister's private doctor Prof Dr Dibya Singh Shah, Foreign Secretary Amrit Bahadur Rai  and other high-ranking government officials. 

The Prime Minister is scheduled to return home on August 8.

Who doesn’t love getting gifts? We all feel loved when someone surprises us with an elaborately wrapped present on a special occasion or even something small on a random day. There’s something about receiving gifts that instantly brings a smile on our face as it shows us that someone cares. 

But it can be quite tough to decide what to give to people when an occasion demands it or when you just want to remind a friend how much she means to you. You want to make sure the gift you are giving isn’t something generic and will be used and perhaps even treasured by the recipient. Books and flowers are easy choices but they aren’t very personal. So, what can you do? Here are some brilliant ideas. 

Customized art prints

These days, customization is all the rage. There are many small businesses that provide the service at affordable prices. Find and choose a nice photo of the person you want to give something to or of his/her family and get an arty version made of it. A sketch or painting will work. There are businesses that will have photos etched on wood as well though these tend to be slightly on the expensive side. Alternatively, you can also opt for keychains or lanyards. This is sure to become a prized possession for the recipient. 

Pressed flowers

A bunch of flowers will wither and die and is also quite run of the mill. But pressed flowers will last a lifetime and also add an element of intrigue to any home. You might have to prepare a little in advance if you want to give this a try but the effort will surely be worth it. Dry some flowers,  put it between two sheets of paper, and press it between heavy books or place them under your mattress. It might take a few days for the flowers to be ready. Once they are, arrange and glue them artfully on a sheet of paper. Get this framed and voila, your personalized gift is ready. 

An ‘open when’ set of letters

This is a great idea for a friend or cousin who is close to you and you just want to brighten their day and remind them of how much you value them. Basically, you write them a bunch of notes or letters for specific moods or days. These are notes they can open when the day is gloomy and they are bored, when they need a bit of encouragement, or when they are stressed etc. On each envelope, write down when they should open them hence the name ‘open when’. You can choose to write your own thoughts and feelings or even opt for motivational quotes and poems. The idea is to give them some words of hope and comfort that they can turn to when they need them. 

Something handmade

Frame a motivational quote or poem for that kind colleague. Knit your friend a scarf. Sew a lovely silk pillow cover for your aunt. Make a Ganesha painting for your religious grandmother. Nothing can beat the allure of gifts which are made by you especially for the recipient. Most people will appreciate the fact that you took time out of your busy schedule to do something for them, however small. Everyone can go to a store and buy a gift but not everyone will take the time to make something. So think about what the person you want to give something to might like and work on it yourself. You could even learn some skills like macrame or candle making and put those to use. Think how lovely a friend will feel to get a macrame dreamcatcher made by you or when his house fills with the wondering aroma of a scented candle crafted by your hands. 

The gift of time

In this day and age when everyone is busy and hard pressed for time, there can be no better gift than the gift of time. Take your friend out on a movie date or spend a few hours at the spa, indulging in a pedicure and a massage. If your time and budget allows it, you can even plan a short trip. We recommend a day trip to Chandragiri hills or a hike around Godavari or Shivapuri. It can be a great chance to catch up and relax and recharge as well. You can also make a coupon book where you give them several handmade coupons for a coffee outing, a movie night, a vent session, or a shopping trip that they can use at later dates.