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The European Union and the Clean up Nepal in the framework of Europe Week 2022 jointly organized the Shivapuri Clean-up Campaign on May 14.

As many as 130 people took part in the clean-up campaign.

The campaign was organized to highlight littering and waste dumping as a harmful practice.

Nona Dreprez, the European Union Ambassador to Nepal, also joined the campaign. 

The participants started the campaign from the National Park's gate no. 3-hiking routes, Nagi gumba, Bishnu dwar and Shivapuri peak to collect 153 kg of waste. 

The volunteers also sensitized 165 National Park visitors to bring back their waste with them with the slogan “Take memories, leave nothing but footprints”.

The waste audit conducted after the collection showed15 kg of paper box, 23 kg of glass bottles, 40 kg of PET bottles and 75 kg of plastic wrappers collectedfrom the hiking routes.

Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), the state-owned monopoly, hiked the prices of petroleum products.

The NOC has decided to increase Rs 10 per litre each in petrol, diesel and kerosene.

As per the new revised rate, the petrol will now cost Rs 170 per litre and diesel and kerosene will cost Rs 153 per litre.

The NOC, however, has not increased the price of aviation fuel and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG).

The decision will come into effect from today midnight.

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan has died, Emirati state news agency WAM reported. He was 73, Aljazeera reported.

“The Ministry of Presidential Affairs announced that there will be 40 days of official mourning with flags at half mast and three days closure of ministries and official entities at the federal and local levels and the private sector,” the agency wrote on Twitter on Friday.

Sheikh Khalifa had rarely been seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2014, with his brother, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed (known as MBZ) seen as the de facto ruler and the decision-maker of major foreign policy decisions, such as joining a Saudi-led war in Yemen and spearheading an embargo on neighbouring Qatar in recent years.

“The UAE has lost its righteous son and leader of the ’empowerment phase’ and guardian of its blessed journey,” MBZ said on Twitter, praising Khalifa’s wisdom and generosity.

Under the constitution, Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, would act as president until the federal council which groups the rulers of the seven emirates meets within 30 days to elect a new president, according to Aljazeera.

Condolences started pouring in from Arab leaders, including Bahrain’s king, Egypt’s president and Iraq’s prime minister.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken conveyed his condolences on the death of Sheikh Khalifa, whom he described as “a true friend of the United States”.

“We deeply valued his support in building the extraordinary partnership our countries enjoy today. We mourn his passing, honour his legacy, and remain committed to our steadfast friendship and cooperation with the United Arab Emirates,” he said.

Sheikh Khalifa came to power in 2004 in the richest emirate Abu Dhabi and became the head of state. He is expected to be succeeded as ruler of Abu Dhabi by Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed.

Abu Dhabi, which holds most of the Gulf state’s oil wealth, has held the presidency since the founding of the UAE federation by Sheikh Khalifa’s father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, in 1971, Aljazeera reported.

At least 13 persons died and 12 others were injured in a jeep accident at Panchamul in Waling Municipality-14 of Syangja on Friday.

The identities of the deceased are yet to be ascertained.

According to Raju Paudel, Chief District Officer of Syangja, all the injured have been sent to Pokhara for treatment.

The District Police Office, Syangja said that the the jeep (Ga 2 Cha 3026) carrying voters was  heading towards the polling center in Waling from Sighre when the incident occurred. Police said that the four-wheeler fell some 150 meters down the road.

Police said that they are looking into the case.