(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)
Amman, Jan 25 (Petra) - At least 105 people in Afghanistan were killed due to the extreme weather and low temperatures that had impacted the country, the Afghan Ministry of Disaster Management reported Wednesday.
The Afghan Khaama Press news agency cited the Ministry as saying that temperatures in the country dropped to minus 28 degrees Celsius, disrupting the distribution of aid to vulnerable families.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, almost 28.3 million people are in 'dire' need of humanitarian assistance.
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National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, who won the Srinagar Lok Sabha constituency bypoll on Saturday, demanded that Governor’s rule be imposed in Jammu and Kashmir as the state government had failed to ensure a peaceful election.
“I appeal to the Governor and the President of India to dismiss this government and impose Governor’s rule in the state where the people will get some respite and feel that such situation will not arise again,” Abdullah said speaking to reporters.
Abdullah, whose victory is being seen as a setback to the ruling PDP demanded that the bypolls to the Anantnag Parliamentary seat, which have been deferred till May 25, should be held under Governor’s rule.
I will also say that the election in Anantnag should happen under the Governor’s Rule, he said. Otherwise it is unlikely that the people would get justice, he said.
Claiming the the eight youth who had died in the poll day violence were “martyred”, the National Conference chief said that several others were in hospitals or jails and he had never seen such an election.
Meanwhile, over 50 students were wounded on Saturday after security forces fired tear gas shells and pellets outside a degree college at Pulwama in south Kashmir to disperse stone-pelting protestors.Locals said students started hurling stones at security forces protesting laying of a check-point near the college.
A pellet victim, who was rushed to Srinagar’s SMHS hospital, said that the security forces also barged into the college, escalating the situation.
“The clashes were going on outside and we were in the class thinking we are safe. But then the government forces climbed a gate of the college from stadium side and fired pellets,” he said, not wishing to be namedreports Hindustan Times.
Police control room Pulwama said protesters pelted stones near the college and senior police officers are on the spot to assess the situation.
Health officials said that the number of injured might increase. “We have so far treated at least 54 persons who were hit by pellets and tear gas shells.


Dec 18, 2022: Assam Skill Development and Employment Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah announced on December 17 that the state government will construct 16 new Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs). He stated that the state government has decided to build an ITI in each of the state’s blocks.
The Department of Technical Entrepreneurship Development has received special importance from Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The state government has also launched a number of skill development initiatives. State Skill Development and Employment Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah made the remarks while inaugurating the Advanced Electrical and Solar Training Centre at the Jorhat Industrial Training Institute.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony held at Jorhat ITI, the minister said ”The state government has allocated Rs 300 crore for infrastructure development in the budget so that ITIs can be developed as well as old pieces of equipment are replaced.”
The Minister also stated that the state government has implemented various skill development programmes.
He further said that every block of Assam is being considered to give skill education because the future of Assam’s new generation is hidden among these ITIs.


Netanyahu, Putin to discuss Iran presence in Syria
(MENAFN) Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set for a visit to Moscow within this week for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin on the Iranian presence in Syria.
Israel "will not tolerate a military establishment of Iran and its proxies in any area of Syria," Prime Minister Netanyahu said during the opening his weekly cabinet meeting.
Netanyahu confirmed that he will also "demand that Syria, as well as the Syrian army, strictly observe the disengagement agreement."
The statement has been in reference to the ceasefire deal signed between Israel and Syria in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War.
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Apparently prompted by his favorite TV show, "Fox and Friends," Trump tweeted that the media was “working overtime” against him. “Why do we work so hard in working with the media when it is corrupt?” he wrote on Twitter. “Take away credentials . . .
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Parliament will debate the No Confidence Motion (NCM) against Minister Rishad Bathiudeen on 18 and 19 June, Leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella said today (23)
At the party leaders meeting held this morning, no agreement was reached about the date.
But the government has proposed its dates for the debate.
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe also requested the Speaker to present the interim report of the parliamentary select committee which inquired into the allegations against Bathiudeen in the NCM within two weeks.
Forty members from both the governing party and the opposition were appointed to the select committee.
The NCM against Bathiudeen was handed over to the Speaker last Thursday (16) by the opposition signed by 64 Members.
Meanwhile, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka said that they will take dates for the NCM against the government after the debate dates on NCM against Bathiudeen has been announced.


FRAMINGHAM – Framingham Police responded to a disturbance outside a downtown store, in which one man allegedly showed a knife.
The disturbance was reported at 1:21 p.m. outside Seabra Foods at 208 Beaver Street in Framingham, according to the public police log.
Two males were arguing outside of the store. “One party is alleged to have shown a knife,” said the Framingham Police spokesperson.
All parties were gone prior to police arrival, said the police spokesperson.
Suspect has not been identified, said the police spokesperson.
No one was injured, she said.


Minister of Tourism, Dr. Abdulla Mausoom has stated that the Fifth Tourism Master Plan will be launched in January.
Speaking in the Falasurukhee program of RaajjeTV, Minister Mausoom stated that the ministry will give high priority to achieve the targets noted in the master plan, once its launched. He stated that the draft of the plan is completed.
The work of the Fifth Tourism Master Plan was launched by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in 2019. The Tourism Minister at the time was Ali Waheed.
Back then, the Tourism Ministry has stated that the objective of the master plan is to develop the tourism sector and increase the involvement of Maldivian women in the industry, as well increase the training opportunities and job opportunities.
Additionally, the Ministry also aimed to refine the laws and regulation related to tourism in Maldives and find a way to hold the earnings from tourism, within the Maldivian ecnomy.
The Ministry also stated that the plan would be used to ensure the safety of tourists visiting the Maldives.
Furthermore, the Ministry also stated that developing the cultural and historical tourism would also be included in the master plan.
The Ministry will also be including ways to protect the environment in a sustainable manner while also increasing the usage of energy in a sustainable manner.
Moreover, the plan would also include ways to further advertise Maldives in the international arena.
Tourism Ministry stated that the Fifth Tourism Master Plan's main objective is to develop the policies needed for the future of Maldives tourism based on research and discussions.
The Ministry highlights that these policies will be fixed prioritizing sustainable tourism.
The last tourism plan was put together and launched during former President Abdulla Yameen's tenure . The Minister of Tourism at the time was Ahmed Adeeb.


New Delhi, Mar 21: Acknowleding the terror threats on Indians in Afghanistan, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna said that Indian aid workers in Kabul have become "soft targets" for terrorists who are planning to derail India-Afghan relations.
"The Indians who have gone there to Afghanistan on humanitarian purposes are unarmed. So, naturally they become easy targets, soft targets," Krishna said.
Krishna said that there was a warning that Indian missions and volunteers involved in humanitarian work in Afghanistan are going to be under attack as the Indian volunteers clearly portrays what India intends to do to develop Afghanistan.
Promising to protect the Indians in Afghanistan, the External Affairs Minister said that India willl adopt additional measures for the safety of its nationals.
"Apart from what the Afghanistan government is doing, I think we will have to take some additional measures ourselves," he said.
He said that the Kabul attack was carried out by those who wanted to create hurdles in the India-Afghan relationship.
"I think (the Feb 26 Kabul attack that killed seven Indians) has been the handiwork of those forces who are out to see that the relationship between India and Afghanistan is jeopardized," Krishna said in a TV news report.
Responding to a query on whether US has accepted the hand of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit behind the attack, Krishna said that "America cannot come to any other conclusion other than to accept that it was the handiwork of these terrorist organizations."
However, Krishna refused to give further details on the matter.
"We will have to be on our guard. We will have to realize the tremendous risks involved when we are on a humanitarian mission like the one we have in Afghanistan," he said.


Awami Muslim League (AML) Chief Sheikh Rasheed has said that Islamabad was not the property of anyone’s father; while Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has said that no one will get a chance to attack Islamabad.
During a press conference in Lahore, Sheikh Rasheed said that the Long March will be peaceful. He said that the army’s decision not to interfere in politics is welcome.
Addressing Rana Sanaullah he said that remember because if the path of violence will be adopted there will be no place to run away.
He said that the government is a thief and they actually want riots in the country. AML chief also said that even 13 parties could not compete with Imran Khan alone. He said that the situation is going on to take the country forward; further adding that Imran Khan will come out peacefully and he has never shed blood.
The former interior minister also said that now the final round is starting, things will be settled by November 30. He further said that the army is ours, we want its dignity and it cannot shoot at the people.
Sheikh Rasheed said that I am neither Nawaz nor Shahbaz nor Asif Zardari; I am not going to run away from illness. He said that he is ethnic and real and that as long as he is alive he will support Imran Khan.
In a statement, Rana Sanaullah said that the Supreme Court and the High Court have decided on the protest in Islamabad. He further said that if they are coming to attack Islamabad they should understand that no group will be allowed to do this.
The interior minister said that a lot has been revealed about Journalist Arshad Sharif’s case. He also said that all reports will be given to the prime minister.
Rana Sanaullah said that the Cabinet has to decide on Governor’s rule but if any situation arises he will move a summary.


Building Sustainable Cultures in Food & Beverage
Sustainability has become a crucial issue in the food and beverage industry. With growing concerns about the impact of the industry on the environment and society, companies are facing pressure to adopt sustainable practices. Building sustainable cultures is one way that food and beverage employers can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability while also reaping numerous benefits.
Sustainable cultures are built around a shared set of values and practices that promote social, environmental, and economic sustainability. By creating a sustainable culture, food and beverage employers can foster a sense of community and responsibility among their employees, as well as align their values with those of their customers and stakeholders. Here are some of the ways that building sustainable cultures can benefit food and beverage employers:
Attracting and retaining top talent
Today's workforce is increasingly concerned about sustainability and social responsibility. By building a sustainable culture, food and beverage employers can attract and retain employees who share their values. Employees who are passionate about sustainability are more likely to be engaged and productive, which can lead to increased innovation and improved business outcomes.
Improving brand reputation
Building a sustainable culture can also enhance a company's brand reputation. Customers are more likely to support companies that are committed to sustainability, and a sustainable culture can help demonstrate that commitment. By promoting sustainability in their operations, products, and marketing, food and beverage employers can differentiate themselves from competitors and enhance their brand value.
Reducing costs and increasing efficiency
Sustainability can also lead to cost savings and increased efficiency. By adopting sustainable practices such as waste reduction, energy conservation, and responsible sourcing, food, and beverage employers can reduce their environmental impact and save money on resources. Sustainable practices can also lead to more efficient operations, improved supply chain management, and increased profitability.
Sustainability is not just a matter of ethics and reputation; it is also a matter of risk management. The food and beverage industry is particularly vulnerable to environmental and social risks, such as water scarcity, climate change, and labor exploitation. By building a sustainable culture, food and beverage employers can mitigate these risks and ensure their long-term viability.
Contributing to social and environmental goals
Finally, building a sustainable culture can help food and beverage employers contribute to social and environmental goals. By promoting sustainability, companies can help address pressing global challenges such as climate change, food security, and social inequality. By demonstrating their commitment to sustainability, food and beverage employers can become agents of positive change in their communities and the world.
In conclusion, building sustainable cultures is valuable for food and beverage employers for many reasons. It can attract and retain top talent, improve brand reputation, reduce costs and increase efficiency, mitigate risk, and contribute to social and environmental goals. Gigpro comes into play by helping you attract and retain talent, reduce labor costs, and increase efficiency through on-demand technology. By promoting sustainability throughout their operations, food, and beverage employers can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability while also reaping numerous benefits.


Labor: Turnbull Government choosing a $50 billion tax gift for big business over Australia’s AAA credit rating
The Australian Labor Party has said that the Turnbull Government is choosing a $50 billion tax gift for big business over protecting Australia’s coveted AAA credit rating. The ALP has also warned that if Australia’s AAA rating is lost, families’ mortgage repayments will go up.
Chris Bowen has said that the Australian Labor Party will provide better alternatives to the Federal Government’s flawed budget. Mr Bowen also said that they will continue to stand up for those who are disadvantaged. He also said that they are not going to support measures that Labor has constantly opposed since 2014.
The Opposition has called on the government to stop blaming others and to accept responsibility for the current situation and to work with the current parliament.
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The Lancashire and South Cumbria Resilience Hub was set-up in response to the pandemic to help support public sector workers who have been psychologically affected by Covid-19.
The team is dedicated to supporting those who work in the emergency services, health and social care, teachers, carers, local authority staff and volunteers.
This includes all staff at LSCft and their families too.
The Resilience Hub can also offer support for whole teams, including:
Since its launch at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Resilience Hub has helped people get back to doing the things they love most.
Including those who have worked on the frontline of the pandemic, those who struggled with the shift to working from home and the changing demands of their jobs and sadly, those who have lost loved ones.


Islamabad: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday urged the world community to come together and join hands to protect the ecosystem, increase tree-cover and save the environment for coming generations.
“It is time for the world to come together and save the environment for our future generations,” Imran Khan said while addressing the virtual launch Gala of UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.
The Prime Minister appealing to the world community said there was a need for all to protect ecosystem, environment and stop the rapid depletion of tree-cover as well as the degradation of the environment.
Sharing Pakistan’s efforts towards improving the environment Imran Khan pointed out that Pakistan, as part of the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration, had so far completed the plantation of one billion trees and its target was to plant 10 billion trees.
Besides, he said that they have also started another ambitious program of adding nine national parks to the existing 30 national parks, developed over the last 70 years, in the country.
The Prime Minister said the objective of this program was to increase tree cover, protect wildlife – diminishing due to lack to habitat, increase mangroves.
He said that the government was also working on the restoration of wetlands by using floodwaters and replenishing the water table.
The Prime Minister said that as the whole process also helped in creating green jobs, the government created 80,000 jobs for women and youth during the situation of COVID-19 pandemic.
At a time when the people got unemployed due to lockdown situation during the COVID-19 pandemic, the government enabled them, particularly women and youth in remote areas, to generate income by growing nurseries, he added.


By Muslim Mirror Staff
A total of 4,690 persons were arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) between 2018 and 2020 and 149 of them were convicted, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai said on Wednesday.
Rai said 1,321 people were arrested under the UAPA in 2020 while 80 people were convicted in that year. In 2019, 1,948 people were arrested under the UAPA and 34 people were convicted in that year and in 2018, 1,421 people were arrested while 35 people were convicted.
The highest number of people were arrested under the UAPA in Uttar Pradesh, followed by Manipura and Jammu and Kashmir.
According to the aforementioned data, 3.2 per cent conviction was witnessed in UAPA cases between 2018 and 2020.


TRS, AIMIM trying to disrupt Telangana's peace: Bandi Sanjay
Bandi Sanjay said that the KCR-ruled State Government, along with the AIMIM, was trying to push all the blame on the BJP
HYDERABAD: Telangana's BJP President Bandi Sanjay, on Thursday said that the KCR-ruled State Government, along with the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), was trying to push all the blame on the BJP for the ongoing communal disturbances in Hyderabad to hide the 'real scams' going on in the State.
He said that the KCR family was trying to cover their corrupt practices and shift the public's attention to these disturbances. He also said that stand-up comic Munawar Faruqui's show was the reason behind the disruption of communal harmony, said Sanjay adding that IT Minister K T Rama Rao was involved in letting the show happen.
The BJP's State President said that it was the combined propaganda of the TRS and the AIMIM to gain vote bank by using the incident. He said that only the BJP spoke for Old City's development and they had promised to get good communication and other facilities to Old City. He said that because of the prominence of the AIMIM in Old City, there was no development.
He said that the entire country was paying attention to what was happening in Telangana. He also said that the nation was comparing Telangana with the 'Sri lanka-situation'. He asked people not to fall prey to the conspiracies that the TRS and AIMIM were together hatched against Telangana.
Bandi Sanjay refrained from making a statement on what BJP MLA Raja Singh said on what ignited the disturbances.


Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Wednesday said that the state had concluded plans to eliminate three more roundabouts from the Lekki axis to further ease and improve traffic management there.
Ambode also said that the Ajah flyover bridge currently under construction would be completed and accessible to the public by the end of May.
Ambode said this when a delegation from Chevron Nigeria Limited led by its Chairman and Managing Director, Mr Jeffrey Ewing, paid him a courtesy visit at the Lagos House in Ikeja.
Newsverge reports that the roundabouts to be eliminated include the one by Chevron, Igbo-Efon and the Third roundabout.
The state government had demolished two roundabouts last December to ease traffic congestion in the axis.
The governor said that so much positive impact had been felt with the elimination of some roundabouts in the Lekki-Ajah corridor last year.
Ambode also commended the company for its contribution toward the development of the state in the last five decades.
He said that he was looking forward to more partnership between the state and Chevron in the areas of education, health, infrastructure development and capacity building.
Earlier, Mr Ewing had commended Ambode for the significant improvements the state had witnessed in the areas of road and infrastructure development as well as in security.
He pledged that the company would partner more with the state.
NNN.COM.NG is a portal where you can read latest Nigeria News from all Nigeria Newspapers such as such as Punch, Vangaurd, Daily Times, Thisday, Guardian, Nation, Leadership and more in one place. NNN aggregates Naija News and sort them according to their sources, category and relevance as a way of reducing the effort a news reader needs to put in to reading breaking news in Nigeria and across the world.


Mr. Speaker, we send $40 billion to the provinces every year for their health system. As soon as the pandemic hit, we sent more money to help them.
It took more than money to help Quebec with their long-term care centres. That required help from our military and the Canadian Red Cross and we were there for that. We will continue to be there in partnership to meet the needs of Quebeckers and people across the country. The federal government is there to help and always will be.


Tripoli, Jan 3 (IANS) The Libyan authorities have said that eight unidentified bodies were discovered in the city of Tarhuna, some 90 km south of the capital Tripoli.
'The field teams from the Excavation Department recovered 8 unidentified bodies from a dump site in Tarhuna,' said the General Authority for Research and Identification in a statement.
The recovered bodies will be transferred to the forensic laboratory for identification and determination of the cause of death, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the statement.
Tarhuna was once the eastern-based army's main military operation center during the war against the former UN-backed Government of National Accord in and around Tripoli.
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.


Group Supports Health Insurance Legislation
Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) said he has received additional support for a bill (HR 2355) that would allow U.S. residents to purchase health insurance in any state, regardless of their place of residence, CongressDaily reports (CongressDaily, 7/11). Shadegg has said that the legislation, which he introduced last year, would help uninsured residents find affordable health insurance and would help health insurers market their products (California Healthline, 6/29/05).
On Monday, a coalition of health insurance, business and other groups in letter to House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) wrote that the bill would make health insurance policies more affordable through the removal of unnecessary state coverage mandates. According to the letter, "There are an estimated 1,800 insurance 'mandates' across the country, and the costs add up."
However, opponents maintain that the legislation would result in health insurance policies that do not cover important medical services. House Republican leaders had considered a floor vote on the bill last month but were uncertain whether the legislation had adequate support for passage.
"We are close," a Shadegg spokesperson said (CongressDaily, 7/11).


CYNON Valley MP Ann Clwyd has met with police chiefs to voice community concerns over policing raised during the General Election campaign.
Ms Clwyd, who is now back at Westminster, met with Chief Superintendent Kevin O’Neill.
She told him there was worry among constituents about incidents relating to anti-social behaviour and vandalism.
While people felt that community support officers seem to be making an impact, there was concern that there is a lack of co-ordination between the council and the police on tackling anti-social behaviour.
Residents wanted a visible presence of police officers in the valley, particularly on public holidays.
There was concern that problems were not acted upon swiftly or taken seriously enough and complaints that local police stations were often difficult to contact on the telephone.
Ms Clwyd said that while the PACT (Police And Communities Together) meetings between the police and the local community are popular, she had received complaints that the dates of meetings were not well publicised and neither were the outcomes of such meetings.
Chief Superintendent Kevin O’Neill said he would follow up on the issues raised.
The police, he said, were in the process of improving their response to anti social behaviour, with the aim of raising awareness both within the police and the wider community and improving methods of dealing with the problem.
He agreed that when the public saw police officers patrolling the streets on foot it gave a greater sense of safety and security within our communities.
“There is increasing concern that the misuse of alcohol is fuelling much of the anti social behaviour in the Cynon Valley,” said Ms Clwyd.


new Delhi. The number of people recovering from corona is increasing at a higher rate than the rate at which the corona virus is increasing in the country and that is why there is a continuous decrease in active cases of corona. According to the data released by the Union Health Ministry, there has been a decrease of 11349 active cases of corona virus across the country during the last 24 hours and now the total active cases of corona in the country have come down to 435603 which is just the total corona cases 4.60 percent.
However, new cases of corona continue to increase and now the total corona virus cases in the country have risen to 94,62,809. During the last 24 hours 31118 new cases of Corona virus have been reported across the country. However, the number of people recovering is higher than the number of newcomers and that is why active cases have decreased.
According to the Health Ministry, of the total of 9462809 corona virus cases reported so far in the country, 8889585 people have been completely cured, 41985 people have been cured of corona virus across the country during the last 24 hours. The recovery rate of corona virus has now increased to 93.94 percent in the country. Although deaths due to corona virus have increased again during the last 24 hours, during 24 hours, 482 people have lost their lives nationwide and a total of 137139 people have lost their lives due to this virus.
Testing is being continuously extended by the government to identify corona patients. A large number of corona tests are being conducted daily across the country. According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), more than 9.69 lakh corona tests have been conducted across the country on Monday and the total testing figure in the country has crossed 14.13 crore.
Speaking of corona virus cases globally, the total number of cases worldwide has crossed 635 million, so far more than 14.73 lakh people have died due to corona virus worldwide. However, over 4.39 million people all over the world have been cured of the corona virus. The highest number of cases of corona virus in the world are in America where more than 13.9 million cases have been reported and more than 2.74 lakh people have lost their lives. It is followed by India and Brazil is third after India, where 63.36 lakh cases have been reported and more than 1.73 lakh people have lost their lives. Russia is at number four where 22.95 corona cases have been registered and more than 39 thousand people have lost their lives. France is at number five, where 22.22 lakh cases have been reported and more than 52 thousand have died.


“New year, new me.” That’s what we all say around the first of the new year. But what about people who actually keep their promise on their new years resolution?
With it now being March of the new year, most eager people who claimed their new year’s resolution in January have fallen short of their resolution. But for those determined individuals who have kept their promise on their new years resolution, might have found it’s harder to maintain their commitment to their better and newer self.
Here are a few tips that any individual can use to keep their new year’s resolution and maintain it throughout the year.


Deoghar: Jharkhand Governor Draupadi Murmu said that there was lack of teachers in the state and efforts are being made to sort
out the issue. Addressing the concluding ceremony of the Yuwa Mahotsav organized in Deoghar College here she said that for the last 34 years the roaster for the appointment of the teachers was not clear which has been cleared and sent to JPSC. She said that many unwanted people create obstacles which were creating the delay as a result of which it has been directed to appoint teachers
on per class basis and soon permanent teachers will be appointed.
She said that keeping in mind the rising number of students in every block degree or women college would be opened. She said that the children of Jharkhand are very simple and honest and are full of talent what was need is to nurture their talent. She also stressed the need to have well-equipped labs and libraries in the colleges apart from other basic infrastructure. Ms Murmu said that it was also the responsibility of other representatives to make the educational institutions a better place as the educational varsity are also part of their area.
Those present on the occasion also included Godda MP Nishikant Dubey, SKMU VC Manoranjan Prasad Sinha, Deoghar DC Rahul Kumar Sinha, SP Narenbdra Kumar Singh and others. Earlier the governor also offered prayers at Baba Baidynath Dham and prayed for the well being and prosperity of the state and its people.


Bhubaneswar, Mar 24 (Local Wire): The state government on Tuesday morning announced imposition of the lock down in all the 30 districts of Odisha citing the threat from the spread of Coronavirus in the state when the numbers of cases are rising throughout the country.
In the official daily briefing on Coronavirus, the Chief Spokesperson of Odisha government Subroto Bagchi said that the decision has now been taken to extend the lock down throughout the state.
“We have now decided that all the districts will now be included under the lock down notice.
A meeting into this regard has just concluded where the Collectors and the Chief Secretary discussed the matter the modalities,” Bagchi said.
Bagchi said that the lock down has been planned from Tuesday midnight and will be applicable to the midnight of March 29.
The official also said that all the SC/ST hostels across the state have been asked to be vacated by Tuesday midnight.


(MENAFN) At least 23 people were killed and over 30 wounded in a suicide truck bomb explosion outside a popular hotel in Somalia"s capital Mogadishu, as gunfire continued as security forces perused other attackers inside the building, according to the police.
"30 people, including a government minister, were rescued from the Nasa-Hablod hotel as heavy gunfire continued in the standoff between extremists and security forces", Capt. Mohamed Hussein said speaking to the Associated Press by telephone from the scene.
Two more blasts were heard, one when an attacker detonated a suicide vest yesterday.
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(MENAFN- Jordan News Agency)
Baghdad, Feb. 9 (Petra) -- The Amman Chamber of Commerce (ACC) and the Baghdad Chamber of Commerce (BCC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to enhance and encourage economic cooperation between Jordan and Iraq.
The agreement, signed by ACC President Khalil Haj Tawfiq and BCC President Firas Hamdani in Baghdad, seeks to establish effective communication means to promote investments, share information on investment laws and incentives provided for chamber members, and exchange business visits to promote national products and investment opportunities.
Moreover, the deal stipulates holding training sessions to exchange expertise and sharing statistics and economic data.
In a statement on Thursday, Tawfiq said the MoU highlights the strong Jordanian-Iraqi relations and facilitates two-way trade, urging the Jordanian private sector to leverage the 'positive atmosphere' between the two countries.
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.


School bus cameras clear a big hurdle
WINCHESTER — Sometime before the end of the year, video monitoring might be used in the city to catch motorists who illegally pass a stopped school bus.
At its monthly meeting Tuesday night, City…
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Riyadh, Saudi newspapers highlighted in their editorials today a number of issues at local, regional and international arenas.
Al-Yaum newspaper reported in its editorial that the COVID-19 recovery rate in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia exceeded 50%, as the Kingdom called on the international community to take bold and immediate measures to reduce the loss of lives, affirming the importance of international cooperation in eradicating the pandemic.
The paper added that the Saudi Minister of Health Dr. Tawfiq Al-Rabiah said in a speech before the 73rd World Health Assembly that the country has taken very important precautions and steps at the national level and at the highest level of state leadership and very early in the COVID-19 crisis. These precautions were evident in delaying the virus’s entry to Saudi Arabia, which reduced the effects of the pandemic, as a result of which the deaths caused by the virus decreased and the health system has a high capacity to contain it in health facilities.
The paper concluded that that Minister said that the Kingdom has taken effective steps in the field of cooperation with the international community to combat the pandemic, as all steps were based on adhering to international health regulations, responding to the call of G20 leaders during the virtual summit on March 26, and to bridge the current financing gap to confront the pandemic, Saudi Arabia has contributed $ 500 million to support international efforts in combating the pandemic, including the global health system, allocating $ 80 million for global emergency response activities, developing health systems and training, and supporting early warning and epidemic and pandemic response, in response to the WHO’s call.
Source: Saudi Press Agency


Thanks to everyone who volunteered to help with our contribution to Hope4Harlow, especially those who did the night shift.
Our thanks to everyone who gave up their time to make our guests welcome, especially those who stayed overnight, then had to go to work on Monday morning.
It’s the second time this project has taken place, and the first time it has run through February. It’s a great step forward in helping the homeless in Harlow. Hopefully the project will run again next year.


(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, June 9 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said that they recently carried out search operations at residential premises of different people at 27 locations of Rajasthan in Senior Teacher Grade II Paper Leak Case and REET Paper Leak Case.
The locations included Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Ajmer, Dungarpur, Barmer, Sikar and Jalore.
The ED initiated a PMLA investigation based on an FIR registered by Rajasthan Police in Senior Teacher Grade II examination conducted by RPSC and REET examination under various sections of IPC.
"During the investigation it was revealed that suspected persons were leaking the questions papers of Senior Teacher Grade II examination conducted by RPSC and REET Examination and they were also involved in paper leak racket, setting up of dummy candidates etc.
"During the search operation documents related to immovable properties, fake documents, digital devices, bank account details of the said persons and other incrementing documents were found and seized," an ED official said.
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New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday said that it has decided to participate in the opposition parties meeting which is scheduled to be held in Bengaluru.
The AAP took this decision in its Parliamentary Affairs Committee (PAC) meeting which was held on Sunday. Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann also joined the meeting through the video conference.
AAP decision came hours after Congress announced that they will oppose the Central government ordinance.
The party sources said that their top leaders would travel to Bengaluru to attend the meeting of opposition parties.
“Arvind Kejriwal, Bhagwant Mann, and Sanjay Singh will be going to Bengaluru tomorrow evening (July 17),” he said.
Earlier, the AAP had said that they would only attend the Bangalore opposition meet once the Congress party clarifies its stance on the Central government ordinance.
The second meeting of the opposition parties will take place on July 17-18 in Bangalore, two days ahead of the Parliament’s Monsoon session, which begins on July 20.


THE total cost of government development projects for the province of Tailevu for the year 2010 to 2013 is estimated at more than $109million.
This was highlighted by Prime Minister Rear Admiral Voreqe Bainimarama while opening the Tailevu Provincial Council meeting in Nausori yesterday.
Rear Admiral Bainimarama said the $109m was used in road, water, electrification projects, agriculture, fisheries, health and education within the province.
He said apart from the $109m that was used for government projects, his office provided $5.9m for the year 2007 until 2013 in assistance.
For the year 2015 to 2016, he said development projects included the Natila Village access road that cost $274,070, the Vorovoro bridge in Sawakasa billed $118,200 and the Sote bridge which cost $341,600.
He said there were also other projects under the Ministry of Health, such as the Nausori Hospital, Dawasamu Nursing Station, Nayavu Standard Health and the Lodoni Duplex project.
He said the Tailevu Provincial Council meeting was an important event for the province because it highlighted every development projects that took place in Tailevu.
Rear Admiral Bainimarama during his visit also got a chance to listen to people raise their concerns on issues relating to development within the province.


(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) KUWAIT, Dec 25 (KUNA) -- His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah received at Seif Palace Monday the newly appointed Ambassadors of Oman, Egypt and Brunei Adnan Al-Ansari, Tareq Al-Quni, and Pengiran Mustapa Aliuddin respectively. (Pick up previous) gta
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Savour the Flavour 'stops active operations'
A project supporting the food and drink industry in Dumfries and Galloway has announced it is to "stop active operations".
Savour the Flavours' activities will come to an end on 18 October when its funding ceases.
Chairman Dave Smith said that meant all "day-to-day business" would be "put on hold for the foreseeable future".
However, he said the Flavour Fortnight food festival would continue to be delivered.
Mr Smith said the group's core activities were being "zipped up rather than shut down".
He said that a committee meeting last week had agreed it would continue to seek funding for projects to support the food and drinks industry in the region.
"We are currently finalising funding applications for future projects that we hope will benefit Dumfries and Galloway's food and drink sector during the important 2014 Year of Homecoming, and looking ahead to the 2015 Year of Food and Drink," he said.


Roering hired at Geneva
Local golf fans will remember Emily Roering from her time helping Minnewaska win state golf titles, but now that she has graduated from college she is taking on a new role in the game.
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Patna: After a complete lockdown was imposed in Bihar to control the COVID-19 virus infections, community kitchens have been started by the government at various places to feed the poor and deprived sections of society.
Food is being prepared in these kitchens with different menus fixed for different days. Due to the lockdown small-time businesses have once again been adversely affected.
Daily wage labourers who are barely able to afford two square meals a day are facing extreme hardship.
The Disaster Management department is now feeding the poor people through these kitchens.
At present, community kitchens are being run at 11 places in Patna. More than 6,000 people had been served food on Thursday.
Patna District Magistrate Chandrashekhar Singh said that in the last two days more than 9,000 people have benefitted from such kitchens.
According to information received by the Disaster Management department from the districts till Thursday late evening, more than three lakh people were given food on the first day of the community kitchens.
At present, there are 20 community kitchens being run in Bihar’s Purnia district, in which 2,500 to 3,000 people were provided food on Thursday.
Purnia District Magistrate Rahul Kumar said that Covid-19 guidelines are being followed in all the kitchens.
He said that efforts are being made so that people eat food while maintaining social distancing.


Hyderabad, Oct.9 : Senior Congress VH today welcomed the decision of city court to grant bail to the party leaders who have staged dharna at home minister’s house. He said that the atrocities against women were going up in the state and added that the police had arrested the party leaders for protesting against the atrocities.
He said that it was unfortunate that the police had booked cases under 8 sections of the IPC. He asked CM KCR to recognise the importance of the courts and democracy. He asked the CM to take action against the accused of atrocities against women. (NSS)


Suspected Somali Al-Shabaab jihadists have kidnapped two Cuban doctors on Friday and killed their police protection officer, police sources said.
They said the two doctors and their guard were on the way to work in the town of Mandera, in the northeast of Kenya, when they were attacked.
“It just happened this morning. The police officer is dead but the two doctors were taken away,” a senior police officer, who asked not to be named, told AFP.
“From the modus operandi and the fact that they went towards the Somalia border, we have reasons to believe that the kidnappers are Al-shabaab.”
The two doctors are part of a group of about 100 Cubans who came to Kenya last year to help boost health services.
Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Shabaab militants have been waging an insurgency against Somalia’s foreign-backed government for over a decade, and while it has lost some ground, continues to stage deadly attacks.


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Cities with budget shortfalls are cutting police forces and closing innovative law enforcement units that helped reduce crime in the 1990's, reports the New York Times. This year, Cleveland has laid off 250 police officers, 15 percent of its total force. Pittsburgh has lost one fourth of its officers in three years, and Saginaw, Mich., has lost almost a third in that time. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has let go 1,200 deputies in the last two years, leading it to close several jails and release a number of inmates early. Houston's police chief . . .
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A talent shortage and a lack of sense of law compliance have become two major obstacles to the local financial sector, at a time when the sector has been gearing up to develop financial technology (FinTech), according to a survey conducted by the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE).
The survey results were released after the TWSE conducted the survey during a seminar focusing on FinTech development in the local capital market at the end of August.
The TWSE, which operates the local main board, said that representatives from securities firms and information technology developers, which attended the seminar and answered a questionnaire, voiced support for the exchange's efforts to push for FinTech development.
However, the TWSE said that the meeting attendees remained worried that FinTech development could be hampered by a lack of talent.
The survey also showed that the seminar participants raised concerns over violation of money laundering regulations resulting from poor law compliance. The respondents said that the local financial sector should take poor law compliance seriously.
The TWSE said that the survey respondents from the financial sector prefer to develop FinTech in a steady manner, while their counterparts in the information technology sector have a relatively more aggressive approach.
In the seminar, the TWSE said, guest speakers shared their views about how to fend off money laundering by eliminating inappropriate use of gaming software and bitcoins, which have accelerated illegal fund transfer activities in the global market to skirt supervision.
The TWSE said that the seminar also briefed attendees about local anti-money laundering regulations and previous money- laundering cases, in a bid to allow the local financial and information technology sectors to get a better sense of how to strengthen law compliance.
In addition to the concerns over a talent shortage and a lack of law compliance, the TWSE said, the seminar attendees also focused on how to build safe online operations for the financial sector, and how to prevent invasion by hackers.
The TWSE said that it will continue to provide information supervision, artificial intelligence development, e-learning and big data use to develop FinTech in the local capital market, in hopes that the market will grow in line with high-tech progress.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel


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They have been shifted to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital
Two suspected robbers were beaten up by a mob in Karachi’s Orangi Town Sunday night.
The mob claimed that they had caught the two suspects red-handed.
The police intervened and shifted the two suspects to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. They are said to be in critical condition.
One suspected robber’s leg has been fractured, while other has minor fractures, a doctor told SAMAA TV.
SHO Gulzar Tunio confirmed that two separate cases had been registered against the two suspects. They were accused of robbery and illegal possession of weapons.
He said that the police were also going through their criminal records and an investigation has been launched.


Minister of Finance Mohammed Maait said in a statement issued on Saturday that Egypt has become, according to the report of the Bloomberg, the fastest growing economy in the Middle East and the destination preferred by emerging market investors.
Maait added that the report reflects the promising investment opportunities provided by the Egyptian state, highlighting the strategic geographical location of Egypt, which is a gateway to the African market.
He affirmed that Egypt is keen to support the local industry, bring international expertise and technology in the country as well as maximizing the utilization of natural resources.
“The government seeks to create more jobs for the youth, promote sustainable and diversified growth through investment, production, and exportation,” the statement added.
For the fiscal year 2019-20, the state budget saw the highest increase to reach EGP 140 billion, particularly to boost government investments through the public treasury.
He concluded that the amendments to the new investment law encourage existing companies to expand their projects and open new production lines, taking advantage of the additional incentives provided.
In addition, Deputy Minister of Finance for Financial Policies Ahmed Kajuk said that the ministry is working on reducing the debt to 93 percent of GDP by June 2019.
He added that investments, particularly in the education and health sectors, increased by 54 percent. Meantime, Egypt targets growth of 5.6 percent in the current FY, compared with its previous target of 5.8 percent.


The Ministry of Information and Orientation in Ebonyi says it will intensify its efforts in educating the owners of the land for the proposed state airport on what they stand to benefit from the project.
The Commissioner, Mr Uchenna Orji, said this against the backdrop of a series of protests by the landowners in Ezza North Local Government Area (LGA) over the siting of the project in the area.
The latest in the series of the protests occurred on Monday, Sept.16, when the Aguogboriga people in Umuoghara community protested over the speculation that several houses in the area had been marked for demolition in view of the project.
Addressing newsmen in Abakiliki on Tuesday, the commissioner said that the ministry would enhance its efforts to adequately enlighten the landowners on government’s intention over the airport.
He said: “The ministry presently has a duty to sustain the enlightenment and we seek the collaboration of stakeholders to achieve this aim.
“This enlightenment will also extend to other areas in the state where government’s projects are being executed because government is desirous to make the state an economic hub.”
The commissioner urged the people not to be agitated, saying that Gov. David Umahi had directed that no building should be demolished until necessary enumerations are made and cost of compensation ascertained.
“The state ministry of lands has conducted enumeration to ascertain those affected and government has resolved to adequately compensate those to be affected by the project.
“The siting has been approved by the communities involved, the licence to construct given by the Federal Government and work has commenced.
“Umuoghara community has the least part of the land for the project compared to other communities including Umuezekoha, Oruizor, Umuezeoka and Amuzu in Ezza South LGA,” Orji said.
He described the protest by the communities as a distraction, which should be ignored by well-meaning citizens of the state.
He said that the state government would not be distracted from delivering the dividend of democracy to the people.
He said: “The protesters were a handful of people, who didn’t know what they were doing and some of them didn’t even know why they came there.
“They were not properly informed because they could have known that the airport will develop the area economically by making the value of the lands to appreciate, among other benefits.
“The project will attract investment to the state as many investors would not like to travel by road, considering the insecurity associated presently with road travel.”
Orji said that stakeholders of the area approved the siting of the airport and the governor resolved the issue of compensation with them to cover existing buildings and economic trees, among others.
reports that the protesters, which included the young and elderly, said that they were not against the airport being sited in their area.
They said that their grouse was that they would not vacate their ancestral home.
(Edited by Nick Nicholas/Sam Oditah)


(MENAFN- QNA) Omani Minister in Charge of Foreign Affairs Youssuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah met here today with Speaker of Tanzanian Parliament Anne Makinda.
During the meeting they reviewed relations between the two countries, areas of cooperation in various fields and political developments in the region and east Africa.
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Also Read: Kuwait News Today
Ministry spokesman, Dr. Abdullah Al-Sanad told Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that 26 cases of recovery were recorded, bringing the total number of people recovered to 410,546, while the percentage of the total number of cases of recovery out of the total injuries reached 99.35 percent.
Al-Sanad clarified that no new deaths were recorded as a result of the infection, so that the total number of registered cases stabilized at 2465 cases.
He stated that the intensive care was devoid of those infected with the Corona pandemic, while the total number of cases that were confirmed to be infected and still receiving the necessary care reached 234, while the total number of cases in (Covid 19) wards reached 7.
He pointed out that the number of swabs that were conducted during the same period amounted to 19,180, bringing the total to 5,268,253, while the percentage of infections for the number of these swabs was 0.11 percent.


PM Oli urges international community to support Nepal in the fight against COVID-19
KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has urged the international community to assist Nepal in its fight against COVID-19.
In an exclusive interview with CNN on Saturday, Oli called on the United Nations and other agencies for help. He also said that the government is making maximum efforts to protect the citizens from the virus infection.
Saying that prohibitory orders and restrictions have been imposed to control the virus, Prime Minister Oli said that the situation in Nepal is still under control.
Stating that it was wrong to hold political demonstrations, rallies, and processions in the capital Kathmandu last month, the Prime Minister also admitted that the party had been negligent.
“Even though the protests were political, there were social problems too. Political parties did make mistakes. There definitely has been negligence.”
He also said that the government is making maximum efforts to protect those vulnerable to the virus. Oli said the government’s efforts had also reduced the death toll to less than 1%.


Government to improve local miners on the market
Government has promised to improve the market for local miners by exporting different minerals to other countries for the country to achieve the Malawi 2063.
Speaking during the question and answers session as he was responding to Member of Parliament (MP) for Dowa Central Constituency, Darlington Hawara, in Parliament Building on Tuesday President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera said his government was working on ways that would help local miners to succeed on the market.
This came in after Harawa asked what was the government doing to support local miners financially, to which the President responded by saying that the government has a heart for local miners and it was aware of the problems that they are mainly lacking financial support.
“The formation of the mining bill has just been concluded, which means that mining companies will be able to process minerals here in the country,
“…My government has engaged FDH and Standard Banks to provide financial support to the local miners, we are finalizing some deals and the government will soon through the ministry of mining to inform the general public on the way forward,” Chakwera added.
He said that the reports of the Geo mapping study that was commissioned by former President Joyce Banda were released in 2015 by the then responsible Minister, Bright Msaka, were released in 2015 and another one in 2021, in the 1 newspaper.
The response came in when President Chakwera was responding to Harawa on the issue of the report concerning the survey done in 2015.
The government’s Malawi 2063 includes mining as one way in which the country could improve from the state that it is right now.


MLC S L Bhoje Gowda said that there is a need to create awareness on the government programmes and facilities among the general public.
Speaking after inaugurating the district Ayush office in Chikkamagaluru on Saturday, he said the government has announced several welfare programmes and the officials should implement it effectively.
He added the people should maintain a healthy body through good food habits.
He further said that the chief minister has announced Rs 50 crore to convert the district hospital into a multi-speciality hospital.
“I will appeal to the chief minister to release funds to provide basic facilities at the Ayush hospital and also to solve the problem of shortage of staff in the Department of Ayush,” said the MLC.
District Ayush Officer Dr Geetha said the district has 48 Ayush hospitals, of which three are in taluk headquarters. As many as 42 doctors are serving in the hospitals.
Zilla Panchayat President Sujatha Krishnappa said the Ayush office was built at a cost of Rs 53 lakh.
She added that a yoga centre should be opened at the district Ayush office.


Iraqi forces arrest Islamic State leader in Mosul
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Baghdad: Iraqi authorities have arrested a leader of ISIS group during a security operation carried out by the joint forces east of the northern city of Mosul.
Nineveh governorate police said in a statement that joint Iraqi forces arrested Kenan al-Matuti, who was the "minister of military planning" for ISIS group, during the operation that took place in the area of Bartella east of Mosul.
Meanwhile, an explosive device targeting a local police patrol detonated in the area of "Tal Rumman" west of Mosul, killing two policemen and wounding another.
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Trevor Phillips has been confirmed as the first chair of the £70m Commission for Equalities and Human Rights, which is due to be launched next year.
It will also have responsibilities for rights in relation to age, sexual orientation, religion and belief, and will ensure that trade unions and organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau have the correct training and information to advise people about these rights.
A new helpline and website will also be launched to give people advice about what to do if they have been discriminated against.
Ruth Kelly, secretary of state for communities and local government – the department which will oversee the commission, said Phillips was the best man for the job.
“He has a proven track record, a wealth of experience and is prepared to tackle the difficult and controversial issues head on,” she said. “This will be a valuable asset right across the whole equalities.”
Phillips said he would work to make the new commission “a modern, creative, open, powerful and, above all, independent voice for equality and human rights in Britain and internationally”.
However, Phillips’ appointment will cause controversy: some activists have campaigned against his appointment.


PM Nawaz will have to answer all the allegations: Imran Khan
ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman Imran Khan has on Monday said that Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will have to answer all the allegations as he is answering.
Talking to media in Bani Gala, Imran Khan said that first he will answer the allegations leveled against him then he will ask the prime minister to explain.
He said that the Nawaz Sharif should answer all the questions of the opposition.
The PTI chairman said that the time for character assassination has passed, adding that the people are conscious.


National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Monday said the Kashmir situation must be resolved by the PDP-BJP state government without delay.
"It is wonderful that the Prime Minister and the Chief Minister have met. They must have discussed more than we know. If she has to really talk and produce results whereby peace can come in the state, then nobody should wait for the last stone from being thrown or the last bullet from being fired, otherwise these things are not going to end," Abdullah told agency.
He further said that for the last two years, the PDP and BJP have been saying they will hold a dialogue with all stakeholders, but nothing has happened.
"They also said that there will be talks between India and Pakistan which Mehbooba's father also said before when he was the chief minister. A parliamentary delegation came here and they also put the same suggestions, but not a single one was implemented," he added.
Abdullah said even former foreign minister Yashwant Sinha gave his recommendations to the government, but not a single item has been taken up.
Monday's meeting assumes importance in the wake of recent incidents of violence, including clashes between security forces and civilians during the Srinagar by-elections.
Prime Minister Modi had on Sunday urged all the chief ministers to take care of the students of Jammu and Kashmir in their respective states.


Story | Mar 29, 2013 | 5:52 PM
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State to put ray of tourism spotlight on koraput district, on it’s way to become wedding destination
As we all know that Koraput is one of the most preferred tourist destinations and now the place will also be known for perfect wedding destination as state government is working on it.
The place will be seen as perfect wedding destination both nationally and internationally, said regional director of India Tourism Sagnik Chowdhury .
“Koraput is one of the 50 destinations in the country chosen for promotion as part of India’s new destination-focused tourism policy under the redesigned Swadesh Darshan scheme, which was announced by the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman during the Union budget” said Sagnik Chowdhury .
Chowdhury added, that the project report for Koraput under SD2.0 will be prepared by the state government and sent to the Ministry of Tourism where the steering committee will decide on what elements to be finalised in the scheme.


Minister for Communications and Postal Services Murad Saeed says the process of country’s development will continue under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Talking to media outside the Parliament house in Islamabad on Wednesday, he said country’s economy has been put on the path of stability and the institutions are getting strengthened due to prudent policies of the government.
He said corruption is being eradicated and those who looted the national kitty, they are undergoing from the accountability process.
Murad Saeed said Pakistan is being respected today owing to the visionary and honest leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He said we have to support the Prime Minister for attaining the goals of progress and prosperity of Pakistan.


(MENAFN- AFP) An eighth person has died from the lung infection Legionnaire's disease in northeastern Spain, where two separate outbreaks have struck this month, officials said Thursday.
The latest death took place in the town of Sabadell, where another four people have died from an outbreak detected on September 5, the Catalonia regional health department said in a statement.
The department reported earlier this week that three people had also died from the disease in Ripollet, about 10 kilometres (six miles) from Sabadell, also in the Catalonia region.
The proximity of the two towns raised suspicions that the cases of Legionnaire's were linked but this possibility has since been ruled out, a health department official told AFP.
Fourteen people between the ages of 50 and 92 remain in hospital in Sabadell with the disease.
The disease is not contagious and cannot be spread directly from person to person but can multiply in water and air conditioning systems.
It is usually caught by breathing in small droplets of contaminated water.
There have been no new infections diagnosed in Sabadell since September 18 and none in Ripollet since September 16.
But Catalan health officials said they could not rule out more new cases since Legionnaires' disease can develop up to 10 days after exposure to the legionella bacteria.
Large buildings such as hotels, hospitals, museums and office blocks are more vulnerable to legionella contamination because they have larger, more complex water supply systems in which the bacteria can quickly spread.
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PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Mahmood Khan has reacted angrily to the discontinuation of funds for the tribal districts’ Sehat Card Plus program from federal government.
As per details, the KP chief minister wrote a letter to Federal Health Minister Dr Abdul Qadir Patel and strongly reacted to the discontinuation of funds for the tribal region’s health insurance scheme.
The KP’s chief minister Mahmood Khan said that the Centre’s decision would lead to a severe sense of deprivation among the people of the province. “The federal government should immediately reconsider its decision and restore the funds,” he urged.
The Chief Minister added that the provincial government hasn’t received the full share of distributable revenue for the merged districts. “The funds of the merged districts have been reduced from Rs 85 billion to Rs 60 billion,” he said.
In the letter, Mahmood Khan pointed out that the tribal people were the most affected during the war on terror. “The Centre’s decision to freeze the merged districts’ budget is an insult to the sacrifices of tribal people,” he added.
He noted that the people of the merged districts did not factor into KP’s share under the National Finance Commission (NFC) Award, hence it was imperative that the federal government shift its Sehat Sahulat program for ex-Fata to the province along with the corresponding financial resources.


ALOR STAR: The Kedah state government will open Kulim Hi-Tech Park 2 (KHTP2) to accommodate future high-technology investments in the southern part of the state, once the global economy recovers from its current slump.
State Industry and Investment Committee chairman Datuk Dr Ku Abdul Rahman Ku Ismail said the state has identified a 2,800ha land for the purpose.
Ku Abdul Rahman (BN-Guar Chempedak) said KHTP2 would complement existing KHTP, which is reaching its maximum capacity.
"The land on Phase 4 of KHTP is nearing its maximum capacity, so the state government has decided to open KHTP2 on a 7,000ac (2,800ha) land to accommodate future investments," he said, responding to a question from Chua Tiong Gee (BN-Kulim) on the state investment at the State Legislative Assembly to debate on the state's Budget 2017.
He added that besides KHTP2, the state government was also opening new industrial areas to spur economic growth, namely the Kedah Science and Technology Park (KSTP), Kedah Rubber City and Kedah Integrated Fishing Terminal (KIFT).
Ku Abdul Rahman also told the House that the state government was in the process of luring investors from China to Kedah, such as in KIFT and other sectors while companies from German and the United States remained as top investors in Kedah.
In responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Amiruddin Hamzah (Pas-Anak Bukit) on the state's government plan to develop local Small and Medium Industries (SMIs), he said the state was encouraging multi-national companies (MNCs) to bring along their vendors to Kedah.
"In fact, the main reason we developed KSTP is to attract SMIs to the state to complement the MNCs operation in Kulim," he said.


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With the Bihar government still grappling with a shortage of Covid-19 vaccines, the health department on Thursday launched Covid-19 express vans to intensify the vaccination program.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and health minister Mangal Pandey flagged off 121 Covid-19 express vans, the purpose of which is to travel in urban areas of the state and carry out the vaccination drive. Express vans have also been entrusted the task of spreading awareness.
As many as 718 such vans are already moving across rural Bihar to intensify the vaccination drive.
Health Minister Mangal Pandey told India Today TV that the state was facing a shortage of vaccines but vaccination drive was being carried as and when vaccines were received.
"As and when we are receiving vaccinea, we are vaccinating the people. We have once again received vaccines and we have started to vaccinate people of the state. Our infrastructure is ready and as and when we get more vaccine we will continue to vaccinate more people", said Mangal Pandey
On the other hand, Mangal Pandey also expressed satisfaction over the commencement of Covaxin trials on children at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Patna.
"Beginning of Covaxin trial on children is an important step and we are happy that when the trial of vaccines started in the country, it was also started at AIIMS Patna" said Health Minister Mangal Pandey.


ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that the inheritance certificate will create easiness for the people.
Addressing a ceremony to issue inheritance certificates in Punjab on Wednesday, he said that the land record files or registries were either burnt out or disappeared.
“Rigging in the election can be eliminated through the electronic machine. We will introduce such a system in which the loser will accept the election results,” he added.
The Prime Minister expressed the commitment to use the latest technologies in order to bring further ease to the lives of the people.
He said we are also introducing e-governance to improve the performance of public sector departments.
He said the land record of all the main cities including the federal capital will be computerized by August.
The Prime Minister said that overseas Pakistanis are a precious asset of the country who are immensely contributing to the national economy through their remittances. He said a foolproof system will be brought enabling the overseas Pakistanis to cast votes in the elections.
Imran Khan said Electronic Voting Machines will be introduced to eliminate rigging in the elections. He said we will bring such a system that the election results are acceptable to the losing parties.
In his remarks on the occasion, Law Minister Farogh Naseem said implementation has been started on laws framed under the guidance of Prime Minister Imran Khan He said the initiative of Letter of Administration and Succession Certificates will greatly reduce the burden on the courts.
The Law Minister said this mechanism is working successfully in Islamabad and one will also see its benefits reaching the millions of people of Punjab. He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has also passed this law.


(MENAFN- Colombo Gazette)
India today confirmed financial assistance to the tune of USD 900 million to Sri Lanka.
The Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay met Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal today.
The High Commissioner expressed India's strong support to Sri Lanka in the wake of the Reserve Bank of India extending over USD 900 mn facilities to Sri Lanka over the last week.
“These comprise deferment of Asian Clearing Union settlement of over USD 500 mn and currency swap of USD 400 mn,” the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka tweeted.
The High Commissioner noted that these steps are in line with India's strong commitment to stand with Sri Lanka for economic recovery and growth.
Earlier, China had assured Sri Lanka continued economic assistance, hours after Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal said that Sri Lanka is negotiating another loan from China.
The Governor had also said that Sri Lanka is negotiating a USD 1 billion facility with India to import goods from India.
Cabraal said that this will also help Sri Lanka in its debt repayment and promote more trade with the respective countries. (Colombo Gazette)
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Flu cases declining in state, county
Flu cases, of all varieties and strains, are on the wane throughout the state and in Hubbard County.
"We are seeing fewer sick people," community health director Chris Broeker told the Hubbard County Board of Commissioners Wednesday.
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Soccer ties for first in West Fargo Invitational
In the West Fargo Soccer Invitational on Saturday, the Packers finished on top, winning both of their matches to tie for first with Fargo Shanley.
The first match was a close one, as Zuheer Al Abase scored the only goal of the match to give the Packers a 1-0 victory over Bismarck-St.Mary's.
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ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday said that former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan should not have left the National Assembly. However, he added that the move increased his popularity.
“If he (Imran) had asked me, I would have suggested not leaving the [national] assembly,” he said in an interview with a private TV channel.
He said that elections were the best method to communicate with the masses as they were engulfed in problems and see the polls as a ray of hope.
“If the opposition and the government sit down and talk, something constructive can come out for Pakistan,” he said and added that the government should focus on controlling inflation and other problems of the people.
Dr Alvi said that there was a state of “panic” on the political scene in Pakistan, saying that dialogue would cool the situation down. “[Finance Minister] Ishaq Dar also has a positive attitude towards dialogue,” he said after a meeting with the finance minister earlier in the day.
Talking about the meeting, the president said that Dar gave different suggestions about the imports whereas he also proposed measures to save electricity.
He said that the new military leadership was serious about being apolitical. “Now all the responsibility falls on politicians.
They should get serious about working together so that problems can be solved,” he added.
The president said that when consultations about the appointment of army chief can take place in London, then there was no harm in taking advice from people in the country, referring to his meeting with Imran Khan before the all-important appointment.
“Consulting with everyone is better, so deadlock can be avoided which creates problems,” he added.
Dr Alvi said that he was convinced that early polls were the best solution to the current crisis. “People should have confidence that the government reflects their mandate. Whoever wins should have the mandate of the masses,” he said.


South Sudan has postponed the launch of its Covid-19 vaccination campaign, but did not offer a specific reason for the delay.
The vaccination programme was supposed to start on Monday in the capital Juba as announced last week by the health ministry.
Government official John Romunu said the vaccination exercise was postponed “for simple logistical reasons”.
He said they are yet to receive information on when the vaccinations will take place.
South Sudan received its first batch of 132,000 doses of the vaccine on 26 March.
The country has recorded 10,119 cases and 108 related deaths.


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Story | Sep 20, 2013 | 2:30 PMContinuing a healthy relationship that has already produced one hit with "The Purge," Universal Pictures has come on to the Blumhouse production "Curve" starring Julianne Hough. "The Skeleton Key" helmer Iain Softley will helm the pic. Story follows a...


KOTA KINABALU: A local opposition party has criticised the Warisan-led state government for the about-turn on its promise to scrap the Tanjung Aru Eco-Development (TAED) project.
When contacted here today, SAPP secretary-general Richard Yong We Kong said the announcement made by Infrastructure Development Minister Peter Anthony yesterday that the government will carry on with the TAED project has raised concerns and caused disappointment among the people who had trusted them.
“Anthony’s fellow ministers in the Cabinet, namely Deputy Chief Minister Christina Liew and Agriculture and Food Industry Minister Junz Wong, had repeatedly promised that the TAED project would be scrapped once they took over the state government.
“In fact, soon after winning the election last year, Wong proudly announced that the TAED had been cancelled.
“Now, not only have they failed to deliver on their promises, they have gone against their own word,” he said.
Yong said the state government, and especially Wong and Liew, had failed the people who voted for them because of these promises.
Not only that, Yong said Anthony dealt another blow in the same statement when he said in order to ensure sufficient water supply to the mega-project, it is necessary to carry on with another mega project, namely the Papar (Kaiduan) Dam.
Yong said Anthony is implying that the TAED is so important that the state government will ignore all the objections raised by the people and go ahead with the dam, which Warisan had opposed when they were the opposition.
“For the infrastructure development minister to announce that mega projects such as TAED and the Papar Dam will proceed soon means the state Cabinet has discussed and approved these projects.
“Yet, both the Wong and Liew, who are also the state assemblymen for Tanjung Aru and Api Api, now have chosen to keep a strange silence on these two projects despite their crusade against both projects in the past.
“Wong and Liew owe an explanation and an apology for misleading the people on false hopes. It would be a mistake to ignore the public outcry,” said Yong.
FMT has contacted Wong for comment but he has deferred his response for now.
The TAED project, which is expected to cost RM7.1 billion, was conceptualised by the previous government and is supposed to be owned wholly by the state.
It is aimed at raising Sabah’s eco-tourism profile, attracting investments and addressing the problems of pollution and erosion that the Tanjung Aru area has suffered for years.
TAED will sit on largely reclaimed land and will have 4,500 apartments, 150 villas, 475 terraced houses, six hotels and 60,000 square metres of retail space.


CHARLESTON, W.Va. — A new insurance provider in the state of Kentucky is ready to expand operations into West Virginia. This week the state Insurance Commission granted approval to the Kentucky Health Cooperative to begin doing business in the Mountain State.
“We share a common border and we do have a lot of Kentuckians who cross the border into West Virginia and we think a lot of West Virginians will cross into Kentucky to seek healthcare,” said CEO Jamie Miller. “We already have contracts in place with a lot of those providers.”
Miller said the company will now begin to build its West Virginia network and will operate here as the West Virginia Health Cooperative.
“We will have an office location in Charleston and we will hire about 15 to 18 office staff,” she said. “We will be building the operations and set up necessary to offer the upcoming fall enrollment through the exchange.”
The company was quite successful in Kentucky in the first year of the Affordable Care Act. Miller would not reveal the number of enrollees, but the federal exchange indicated the company got 75 percent of the commercial insurance market on the Kentucky exchange during the first year.
“Our mission is to serve the individual market and small group market, particularly those who have been uninsured or under insured,” she said. “We know the unfortunate health characteristics are similar to those in Kentucky where we have a lot of individuals.”
Miller said the West Virginia Healthcare Cooperative will operate in a very grassroots way. The company plans to visit and speak to numerous groups across the state to help people determine which plan is available and would best fit their needs. Miller said they hope that exposure will lead people to select their company to provide the coverage when the time comes to make a choice.
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield was West Virginia’s only provider during the first year of the Affordable Care Act.


Events remember Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy
Winchester — The community will join together in the coming weeks to honor the life and acts of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Several local organizations, schools, and churches…
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Moldova Replaces State Language from Moldovan to Romanian
(MENAFN) Moldovan President Maya Sandu has approved a parliamentary decree to replace the state language from Moldovan to Romanian. The bill was passed by the pro-Western Action and Solidarity Party and caused heated debates and protests in the capital Chisinau.
Sandu argued that renaming the language will "unite the society." She also noted that some of Moldova's territories were part of Romania before 1940, and Bucharest continues to consider them as its part and promotes the idea of unification.
However, the opposition Bloc of Communists and Socialists refused to participate in the ballot, stating that the initiative contradicts the constitution, which names the state language as Moldovan. The opposition has announced plans to challenge the move in the Constitutional Court of Moldova.
Overall, the decision to replace the state language reflects the ongoing debate in Moldova regarding its identity and relationship with Romania. It remains to be seen how this move will be implemented and whether it will lead to greater unity or further division in the country.
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ISLAMABAD: PML-N leader Dr. Jamal Nasir has said that government accords priority to providing relief to youth and announced numerous schemes and programs to empower them.
Talking to Radio Pakistan, he said youth loan scheme would help to eliminate poverty from the country.
PML-N leader said that youth loan scheme would also help in bringing the students from seminaries in the national mainstream which would end sectarianism and extremism therefore a special quota should be fixed for such students.
He said that special attention of the government to energy related projects was adding hundreds of megawatts of power to national grid which would make the country self-reliant in energy in near future.
He said that international monetary institutions and investors had full confidence in the credibility of the current government that’s why international investors were investing in Pakistan.
He said that international monetary institutions and investors have expressed full confidence in the economic policies of the present government.
Economist Dr. Asimullah said the government had tried its best to provide relief to common man in the new budget.
He said the government had taken measures and inititated various schemes to improve economic situation of the country.


Health workers to escalate strike action
Published Sunday 10/02/2013 (updated) 11/02/2013 17:15
BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Health workers in the West Bank will escalate their strike action next week, their union said on Sunday.
Osama al-Najjar, the head of the healthcare union, said from Feb. 17, the health sector will go on full strike, with the exception of one day per week in order to fulfill their responsibilities to the population.
They will also continue the partial strike launched last week and strike this Thursday.
Al-Najjar said the government had failed to respond to their demands, which concern budget cuts affecting the health sector.


Last week, we started our Wild Animals Project.
This week, our focus will be on the habitats.
Our children will learn that animals find food and shelter in their habitats to help keep them safe and healthy.
They will also look at different food chains to show how some animals eat other animals and some animals eat plants.
Finally, the children will continue to build on their Arctic model.


Who doesn’t look forward to spring? Opening up the windows, exercising outside again, and family BBQ’s. The sun comes out, and it brings people outside to enjoy it.
It is also the time of year that we do a lot of bids on decks. Here are some that we have built over the past couple of years that make the thought of spring (and summer…and fall!), and just being outside even more appealing!


Saudi-US Photography Exhibition Inaugurated In Yanbu Industrial City
(MENAFN- Saudi Press Agency) Yanbu, September 23, 2022, SPA — General Manager of Support Services at the Royal Commission in Yanbu, Mohammed Bajarfan, recently launched the Saudi-US Photography Exhibition in Yanbu Industrial City, which was organized by the Royal Commission in Yanbu and in cooperation with the US Consulate in Jeddah.
Ghazi Al-Otaibi, Director of the Social Services Department at the Royal Commission in Yanbu, explained that the exhibition embodies the historical relations between the Kingdom and US, and includes many pictures of the industrial city of Yanbu and several US cities, and a review of the pioneering experience of the Royal Commission in the management and operation of industrial cities.
20:35 LOCAL TIME 17:35 GMT
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New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday urged Pakistani leaders to show courage by taking action against terrorists who have committed crimes against India.
Speaking in parliament, he said Pakistan needed to take “strong and sustained action” to prevent the use of its territory against Indian interests and to “bring to justice those who have committed such crimes in the past”.
Such terrorists include those who masterminded the attack on Mumbai in November last year, he said.
“Such action will be welcomed by the people of both countries,” he said, addressing both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members. “If the leaders of Pakistan have the courage, determination and statesmanship to take this road to peace, we will meet them more than half way.”


U.N. Reports on Israeli War Crimes
The U.N. Human Rights Council has finally endorsed a report accusing the Israeli army of war crimes during its siege of the Gaza Strip — an assault that left more than 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead. The report will now be voted on by the Security Council.
While the vast majority of deaths were caused by the Israeli military, the report also accused Palestinian militants of war crimes, though it’s worth noting that including these two in the same sentence creates the misperception that both sides held equal fault in the matter. — JCL.
Wait, before you go…
The UN Human Rights Council has backed a report into the Israeli offensive in Gaza that accuses both Israel and Palestinian militants of war crimes.
The report by Richard Goldstone calls for credible investigations by Israel and Hamas, and suggests international war crimes prosecutions if they do not.
Twenty-five countries voted for the resolution, while six were against.
Both Israel and the US opposed official endorsement of the report, saying it would set back Middle East peace hopes.
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12-12-12 a good day to say ‘I do’
WINCHESTER — Twelve was the magic number Wednesday for several local residents saying “I do.”
“They look at it as good luck,” Winchester Circuit Court deputy clerk Will Gardner said of couples…
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KOTA KINABALU: Local residents of Kg. Sinulihan and Bambangan in Inanam are asking for the authorities to take immediate action to tackle the illegal immigrants problem at the area.
They also express their willingness to cooperate in identifying houses that are settled by illegal immigrants if the operation to eradicate PATI from their villages is carried out by the relevant enforcement agencies.
District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner M. Chandra, said the suggestion was made by the public during the PDRM programme with the community at Inanam Night Market.
“The public also requested for actions to be taken by the authority against local residents in Inanam who are found renting their premises to foreigners to do business,” he said today.
He also said issues such as crimes, traffic, and other matters were also discussed during the programme with IPD Kota Kinabalu.
“All suggestions and problems raised by the public will be channeled to the related agency or department for follow-up,” he added.
The public also took the opportunity during the programme to check their traffic summonses, where two individuals have paid their due, while10 others have registered as Rakan Amanita. – SayangSabah


KABUL: Officials in the western Herat province have warned of severe drought challenges in the ongoing year as rainfalls have vastly dropped across the province.
Head of provincial agricultural department, Bashir Ahmad Ahmadi said that the reduction in precipitation rate would pose serious drought challenges for agriculture and corps.
Last year, according to Ahmadi, the rate of precipitation was around 200 millimeters but this year the rate dropped to 69 millimeters.
Over 200,000 hectares of rainwater harvest land would not produce crops, Ahmadi said, adding that the government is trying to provide irrigation systems to these areas via Salma Dam.
Provincial farmers also expressed concerns on drought challenges, saying that the crops have been spoiled due to lack of enough irrigational water.
Herat Governor, Sayed Abdul Wahid Qatali said that the government planned some projects to bring changes in the irrigation system in the province.
He said that the agriculture projects would decrease the farmers’ reliance on rainwater harvest.