CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Republican leaders in West Virginia plan to elevate the Legislature’s energy committees to major-committee status, giving them more time to meet and more resources to use.
Though legislative leaders are hesitant to release many details on the upcoming session’s Republican agenda, officials said a focus on energy will be a major component.
As part of that focus, House Minority Leader Tim Armstead, R-Kanawha, who is expected to be chosen as Speaker of the House in January, and Sen. Bill Cole, R-Mercer, who likely will be selected as Senate President, have already agreed to elevate each chamber’s energy committees.
“I think it defies description that we haven’t already elevated energy,” Cole said Wednesday. “I can’t understand why we wouldn’t already have a focus on energy issues in a state that was built by coal.”
The change would mean the committees – one for the House and one for the Senate – would automatically meet during every interim session and would use the large House and Senate committee chambers. Both also would likely would gain full-time staffs to help legislators research issues and prepare bills.
Armstead said Wednesday the move also would show the Republican majorities in the two houses were placing serious emphasis on energy in the upcoming legislative session.
“We think that should be a priority for our state,” he said. “Certainly, with the war on coal and the opportunities in coal, oil and natural gas, we would be remiss if we didn’t emphasize that and work on those jobs in West Virginia.”
Cole said the committee would be focused on coal, oil and gas, as well as to a lesser extent on alternative energy sources being used and developed within the state, such as wind, water and solar power. Cole said while he believes development of those alternative energy sources are more the domain of federal authorities, he acknowledged they have already taken hold in some parts of West Virginia.
Energy would become the Legislature’s sixth major committee, joining education, judiciary, government organization and finance. Health was elevated to major committee status only two years ago, Armstead said.
Armstead also said the energy committee was separated last session from a committee focusing on job growth and creation. Cole said while the topics covered by the energy committee likely will touch on areas of job safety and growth, he would like to see energy remain a separate focus.
“We’re recognizing energy as critically important and we take seriously the roles we play in promoting the safety of those involved in the industry as well as protecting the environment, but doing so while protecting and promoting the industry,” he said. “It touches on economic development and job growth, but I’d like to see those stay within those committees.”
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(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Photo Report By Maha Al-Barjas
KUWAIT, March 17 (KUNA) -- 'Bugsha market' is a bazar where young Kuwaiti innovators and merchants display their products and works.
Ali Wahidi, one of the founders of the bazar, told KUNA that the old term 'bugsha' was revived to signal the desire to bring the Kuwaiti heritage to life.
Wahidi said the activity is sponsored by several national companies and entities, namely the National Bank of Kuwait and the telecommunication company Zain, that seek to support the youth.
Rasha Al-Fahad, a partner in the enterprise, lauded the participating junior citizens who contributed with diverse and vibrant products.
Adlah Al-Baghli, a participant, said she has taken part with fabric and leather bags, decorated with drawings depicting the national heritage.
The exhibition is held for one day at Al-Shuwaikh park. (end) mbb.tib.rk
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Maldives Police Service on Saturday has condemned the local reporters on-site of Friday's opposition led protests, stating their actions were same as the protesters.
In a statement released, police service had asserted they had warned in advance to the public against participating in the opposition led protest adding they will break off such gatherings. Furthermore they reiterated that due to ongoing state of emergency, authorities have decided to intervene in public rallies and political gatherings as it has been suspended.
When president Abdulla Yameen declared the state of emergency, more than 20 constitutional and several judicature rights were suspended that had included the right to public gatherings as well as the Criminal Procedure Act.
However the ruling Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) had organized and held several rallies and gatherings within the emergency stretch.
Maldives Police on Saturday in their statement noted that the opposition had schemed to provoke the public into violent protesting and to create further unrest. They added that the on-site reporters covering the event had wrongly informed the details of the events proceedings through their live broadcast.
Police accused local media and their respective reporters of spreading misinformation regarding Friday's protest.
"We urge from local media and its reporters to refrain from spreading false accounts of sensitive events and to maintain professionalism," the statement read.
Police had attempted to push back the reporters on-site of Friday's protest, which resulted in several reporters getting injured while two of RaajjeTV journalists were arrested amid the confrontation.
Meanwhile RaajjeTV reporter Hussain Hassan,who was among the two reporters apprehended by authorities on Friday evening was transported to ADK hospital for medical attention as his condition worsened.


President Barack Obama leads Republican nominee Mitt Romney by six points nationally among likely voters, according to a new CNN poll.
Fifty-two percent of those likely voters said they support the president, while 46 percent said they favor Romney. Obama’s support increased by four points since the last poll that was conducted before the Democratic National Convention, which only separated the president and Romney by two points.
In addition, more likely voters believe that Obama is more equipped to handle the economy, with 50 percent in agreement that he would do a better job than Romney. Before the convention Romney led 51 percent to 45 percent.


You should know that if there is a thing that will change the way that we see the things that we do and also the way that the way that the process the products that we have in our industries is to fully digitalize the industries that we have.
It is important to know that the industrial digitalization is one of the things that will have an impact in the industries and that you will that many people will have a choice to elevate the way that they are producing the products that they have as well as the services and in so doing the industries will be able to gain anew edge that will benefit them greatly.
You should know that there are many benefits that the industries will have if they choose to become digitalized.
One of the advantages that the industry will have is that it will become more efficient when it comes to the production, being digital will mean that the old system of production and of the doing things will hence better ways of doing things will emerge and that way the industries will become more efficient in the tasks that they are doing which will be a great transformation.
The digitalization will make the industries to perform even better with the given level of the resources., the introduction of the digital methods will not make sense if they will not raise the bar when it comes to the output of the industry, thus there will be an improvement in the performance that the business has and that will be a great step to take.
It is important to know that if there is one advantage of digitalization that will make the industrialist to choose the industrial digitalization is due to the fact that the cost of labor will be well taken care of where the unnecessary labor will be eliminated by the automation and hence the industries will save more costs of labor and employees that do not have to be there at all.
You should know that with the industrial digitalization here will be more changes that will be advantageous to the industries and that one of them will be that the industries will become more effective in the production as well as the services delivery as the use of the digital systems will ensure that all of the job needed is done perfectly.
If there is one of the changes that will be of advantage to the industries more than anything else if the digitalization, this will have more advantages to the industries and hence it would be better to embrace it at once.


Veto limits rural health choices
Saying it costs too much, Gov. Tim Pawlenty vetoed Thursday a health care bill that could have sent $5 million more a year to North Country Regional Hospital.
Pawlenty, in his veto letter, said the bill raises "serious concerns regarding new spending financed by higher surcharges. The surcharges on hospitals, insurance companies and group homes will increase health care costs at a time when we should be focused on lowering health care costs."
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(MENAFN- Khaama Press)
Pakistani foreign minister Mahmoud Qureshi has asked the US, IMF, and other countries to release billions of dollars frozen by them so that the situation gets better in Afghanistan.
The foreign minister in his recent interview with AP reiterated that the international community should engage with the Taliban.
Mahmoud Qureshi has said that if the Taliban fulfill the conditions set by the international community, they (the Taliban) will be recognized and have also called on the world to show creativity in negotiations with the Taliban and do not treat them as they used to have been treated.
The Pakistani foreign minister suggested the international community provide the Taliban with development, reconstruction, and economic assistance in order for the Taliban to fulfill the conditions.
The international community has set respect for women's and humans' rights, forging an inclusive government, and cutting ties with terror groups as their rights for recognition have not been seen implemented yet.
The plea for an all-inclusive government is not only unanimously raised by the entire world but also by the people in Afghanistan as the caretaker cabinet announced by the Taliban has been under huge criticism in the country.
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Austrian automaker KTM has announced that it will launch its new RC 390 motorbike in India soon. It is already offered in certain international markets. As for the highlights, the two-wheeler has an aggressive design and gets several electronic riding aids. It draws power from a 373cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine mated to a 6-speed gearbox. Here are more details.
Takeaways Why does this story matter?
The new-generation KTM RC 390 is expected to debut in India by the end of this month. Its features will be slightly different from the model on sale in the global markets. Once it arrives here, the competition around the Rs. 2-3 lakh price mark will increase to a great extent. Its good looks and bevy of features should attract buyers.
Design The bike has split-style seats and Bluetooth connectivity
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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood on Friday said 11 deputies and five inmates have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since the pandemic began last month.
One of those deputies has been through the 14-day quarantine process and returned to duty after no longer showing symptoms. The other 10 remain self-quarantined.
Youngblood said the number of inmates who have contracted the virus is smaller than he expected.
“I think we’re looking good,” he said. “I think we’re seeing light at the end of the tunnel.”
The sheriff said he’s been on two conference calls this week with President Donald Trump, who in the first call thanked law enforcement for the work they’re doing while under a tremendous amount of pressure.
In the second call, Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and First Lady Melania Trump were present for a discussion on potential mental health and suicide issues as people continue to self-isolate.
It’s important to pay attention to that as the pandemic continues, Youngblood said.
“I think that we are really moving in the right direction,” he said, adding that it’s important to continue to maintain social distancing and to frequently wash hands to fight against the spread of the virus.


Prince Harry will visit Weeton Barracks today to meet soldiers from 2 LANCS who played a crucial role during the floods.
The Prince will also visit St Michaels on Wyre to see the devastating impact that the flooding has had upon the community, and learn more about the efforts that are being undertaken to help the village recover and rebuild.
For more than four weeks, and including over Christmas, every member of the Battalion – approximately 500 soldiers – was deployed at some point across Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire to assist and support the civilian authorities in dealing with the response to the storms Desmond, Eva, Frank and Gertrude.
Prince Harry will hear more about the recovery work carried out by the Battalion throughout the flooding, and have the opportunity to meet some of the soldiers involved in the flood response and their families.
He will also meet residents who lost their homes to the flooding, as well as key figures from the community and council who have gone out of their way to support the village.


(MENAFN- UkrinForm) The Canadian Ministry of Defense showed the process of sending another tranche of military aid to Ukraine.
The relevant video was posted on the Instagram page of Canadian Defense Minister Anita anand , Ukrinform's own correspondent reports.
“More Canadian aid is en route to Ukraine. We're providing an armoured recovery vehicle to help Ukraine sustain the heavy armour that we've donated,” the posting reads. Read also: canada sends another batch of leopard 2 tanks for ukraine to europe
Anand stressed that“Ukraine will win – and we will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes.”
As reported earlier, since Russia's full-scale invasion, Canada has provided $1 billion in military aid to Ukraine. Ukraine received another $4 billion from Canada in the form of financial, humanitarian, and other assistance.
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“The 14th session of COP will stress on three crucial issues..desertification, land degradation and drought,” Javadekar says while addressing the media persons.
“Due to the extreme weather conditions in the country, India had launched ‘soil health card’ which has benefitted as many as 14 crore farmers, Javadekar added.
Ahead of COP-14, Minister also launched “Bonn Challange”, a maiden project to lay emphasis on India’s capacity for forest landscape restoration.
The 3.5 years maiden phase will be implemented in the states of Haryana, M.P., Maharashtra, Nagaland and Karnataka.
Ibrahim Thiaw, Executive Secretary of the United Convention to combat Desertification (UNCCD) and the UN Under Secretary – General was also present at the press conference.
Javadekar says that the global conference will have regular dialogues and high- level meetings.


PARIS – Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said Thursday that France is entering a phase of loosening its lockdown and that the greater Paris region is no longer considered a “red” sensitive area for coronaviruses.
Philippe told the 67 million French people that the danger remains hidden and that the government will pay particular attention to public health indicators in Paris and its surroundings as the restrictions are relaxed.
“Freedom will become the rule, will prohibit the exception,” said Philippe during a television address.
The coronavirus claimed the lives of more than 28,500 people in France, but on Wednesday the death toll increased by less than 100 for the seventh consecutive day.
Philippe said that the greater Paris region is now designated the “orange” zone, which means that Paris is not as virus-free as almost all other regions designated “green”, and that the relaxation of restrictions would be more prudent .
“The results are good from a health point of view, even if we remain cautious,” said the Prime Minister.


Launching seven new Covid-19 care centres in Janjgir-Champa on Sunday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said the district will have all health facilities and services soon.
Dedicating the centres to the public virtually from his office, Baghel said the government will sanction a proposed work plan for expansion of the health services of the district administration. The new centres have 508 beds, out of which 214 are oxygen and 294 normal beds.
Baghel said success has been achieved in the district in checking the further spread of Covid.
He also spoke the campaign against the pandemic in the state.
Assembly Speaker Dr Charan Das Mahant laid emphasis on ensuring relief to the poor during the lockdown.


The Police raided the office of a news website linked to an opposition politician today.
Police officers searched the premises of the ‘News Hub’ website this morning using a search warrant.
The Police said that they conducted the search operation after receiving information that content which could promote hate among groups had been printed at the location.
However, the Police said that such content had not been found at the location.
Meanwhile, former Media Secretary to the Megapolis and Western Development Ministry and Maharagama Urban Council member Dhanushka Ramanayake said that the raid was carried out to intimidate the media.
Ramanayake, who was involved in the campaign of Presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa, said that during the Presidential election the services of some media outlets had been obtained to promote their candidate.
He said that one such media outlet was the website office raided by the Police today using a warrant which he claims was valid for the latter part of 2018 and not 2019.
Ramanayake also said that there was no information about the complainant. (Colombo Gazette)


Tillerson to participate in Lebanon ministerial
(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) WASHINGTON, Dec 8 (KUNA) -- US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will participate in the International Support Group (ISG) for Lebanon ministerial Friday in Paris, the US State Department announced late Thursday.
"Tillerson will re-emphasize the United States' continued commitment to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and our partnership in the fight against terrorism," said a statement from Spokesperson Heather Nauert.
"The Secretary will also encourage the Lebanese government and other nations to move more aggressively in limiting Hizballah's destabilizing activity in the region." Tillerson is expected to meet with Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hriri and other international leaders during the ministerial. (end) ak.mb
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Viet Nam News
HÀ NỘI — President Trần Đại Quang urged the health sector to continue to reform the health country’s healthcare system to provide better healthcare to all in Việt Nam.
Speaking at a meeting to celebrate the Việt Nam Physician Day on February 27, Quang praised the efforts of doctors, pharmacists and health workers in the cause of health care in the country in past years.
“The health sector has made many efforts to meet the increasing demand of people’s health care and protection during recent years, contributing to the country’s socio-economic development and international integration,” said Quang.
“The health care system from central to local levels, especially at grassroots levels, has been established and consolidated while the development of preventive medicine has helped control and eliminate many diseases and epidemics,” said the President.
“Medical services have been diversified while quality of service has been improved. Many modern and high-tech medical facilities were built nationwide. Many new advanced techniques were transferred to health workers at district and commune levels, easing hospital congestion at central levels,” stressed Quang.
Quang said that the Party and Government have considered health care as one of top priorities in the country’s development.
He suggested the health sector focus on strengthening food safety and hygiene; improving health care for mother, children, especially ethnic and minority people; putting forward medical research and using science and technology advances for people’s health care and protection.
Health minister Nguyễn Thị Kim Tiến said that the health sector had implemented various measures to reform financial mechanisms, improve medical service quality, reduce hospital congestion and increase patient satisfaction.
“Vaccination rates for under-1 children and pregnant women in the National Expanded Programme on Immunisation have reached above 90 per cent and more than 10 million children were given vaccines against transmission diseases yearly in the country,” said Tiến.
The minister said that by the end of 2016, the health insurance coverage rate hit 81.7 per cent of the country’s population, exceeding the target set by the National Assembly and the Government. Many new medical facilities were built, contributing to easing hospital overloading and improving quality of medical services.
On the occasion, 134 doctors and health workers nationwide were conferred the title of People’s Physician. — VNS


Lahore:Responding on callous attitude of the opposition parties regarding the coronavirus, Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar has said that the situation of the coronavirus is getting grim and holding rallies in this situation tantamount to enmity to the masses.
Targeting the leadership of the PDM, the CM said that the group of thieves don’t have any pain and feelings for the people of the country.
Usman Buzdar said that the politics of the opposition parties have proved that their politics is not on basis of any principle or ideology.
The CM Punjab said that the coronavirus cases increased in large number due to holding of rallies adding that the opposition attitude is regrettable.
He said that the opposition spread virus of the corruption in past and now they are spreading the coronavirus in the country.
The CM said that the nation has rejected the negative narrative of the opposition parties adding that the politics of PDM’s anarchy is buried.


The Delhi government has announced that it will provide free education and financial aid to those children who have lost their parents due to Covid-19. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced while speaking at a Press Conference that free education will be given to children. Arvind Kejriwal took to his Twitter handle to tweet about the announcement.
In the Press Conference, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stated that “the educational expenses of the children who have lost their parents due to covid-19 will be taken care of by the government.”
The chief minister for the added, “I know many children who lost their parents to covid-19 I understand their pain don't worry we won't let their education stop. The government will take care of their education.”
The Delhi State Government will provide the complete expense of the upbringing of those children along with providing them with free education.
"Many such children whose parents have both died Delhi government will bear all the expenses for education and upbringing," said Delhi's Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Earlier, along with the Delhi government, many other state governments like Jammu Kashmir Government, Chhatisgarh Government, and Madhya Pradesh Government also decided to help those students who lost their parents due to Covid-19 in their state by providing scholarships for education.


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Known for its vibrant energy and diverse culture, Karachi has long suffered from a lack of adequate infrastructure. However, recent development plans aimed at transforming the city have inadvertently exacerbated the challenges faced by its people. The ongoing financial challenges have intensified the burden on the city’s already strained resources, making it even more challenging to address the long-standing infrastructure issues. While the development plans aim to uplift the city’s infrastructure, the timing has proven to be a double-edged sword, as the economic crisis has left the local government grappling with limited funding and resources.
While the local government and authorities bear the responsibility of addressing the city’s infrastructure challenges, it is crucial for the residents to actively engage in civic participation. By raising their voices, demanding accountability and actively participating in decision-making processes, the people can exert pressure on the local administration and work towards a brighter future for Karachi.


Madang Provincial Police Acting Commander Mazuc Rubiang said the police officers deployed there have received reports that gangs are operating in different parts of Nayudo LLG and are committing different criminal activities of a very serious nature.
He said the team arranged for the gang to surrender their weapons but nothing happened. The PPC said the police had received information about the Hetwara gang, which terrorized people in the Nankina Valley. He said the police had also received information that the Hetwara gang was now fighting with another group known as Gwarawon Resistance Group, which opposes what the Hetwara gang is doing in the valley.
PPC Rubiang said the Hetwara gang attacked several families and the police officers deployed there are trying to build relationships with the gang members, so that they surrender their weapons so that the elections can be peaceful. He said the police were doing their best to make sure the two groups went to the police and told them why they were fighting each other.
The police also communicate as best they can with community leaders to identify gang members and liaise with them to lay down their arms for the good of everyone in the Nankina Valley.
He said police needed to be airlifted to the area where the two gangs are fighting. Many lives have been lost in a week of fighting. The fighting continues.


Obamacare uncertainty harming economic rebound, CEOs say
(Reuters) - Uncertain corporate costs for President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law and other regulations continue to stymie U.S. employment and capital spending, business leaders said on Wednesday.
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Minister of Finance Ibrahim Ameer has stated that the Maldives will receive USD300 million in grants this year, which is twice as much as the expected amount. He made the remark while responding to questions at the Parliament of the Maldives.
Speaking at the Parliament, Minister Ameer said the estimated amount in grants for 2023 is USD156 million but expressed confidence that the government will be successful in obtaining USD300 million in grants and concessional loans this year. He also detailed that the government received nearly the estimated amount in grants in 2019 but received less in 2020 and 2021 due to the global economic downturn following the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Global financial institutions have lauded the government of the Maldives for its success in economically recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, the state revenue and official state reserve have increased significantly due to the development of the tourism industry and the diversification of the economy.


Health care and the court
Even before the Supreme Court agreed to hear a challenge to President Obama’s health-care program, outside interest groups were angling to elbow out the justices they fear would not rule their way.
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BAGH:Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan addressed a rally in Bagh on Monday and lambasted the government over various pertinent issues, reported NeoNews.Khan said that the people of Kashmir have faced many hardships in the past, adding that the whole region cannot be at peace until the issue of Kashmir gets resolved. He said that Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif instead of raising voice for the people of Kashmir is doing business with the Indians. He stated that he stands with the people of Kashmir and will raise voice for them on every forum.PTI chairman said that the first institution that shall be improved in Azad Kashmir shall be the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), adding that there shall be justice for all and no discrimination shall be made. He stated that the Mayfair flats in the United Kingdom were purchased through the public s money. He added that the condition of institutions within the country has to be improved. He further said that a thief cannot do accountability of another thief.
He said that those who destroy institutions cannot improve them, adding that the West is advanced than Pakistan as the countries there provide numerous benefits to the people and the decisions there are made on the basis of merit. He stated that a great portion of money in Great Britain is spent upon public welfare.He said that the country will prosper when money is spent for the betterment of people. Imran Khan said that Pakistan has been blessed with many weathers and numerous natural resources which are not evenavailable to many advanced countries. He said that countries like Germany and Japan were devastated after the Second World War but they recovered as they made the right choices.


President Maithripala Sirisena said that his Government will take steps to strengthen freedom, democracy and human rights in the country by introducing a new Constitution.
The President, who was in New York to attend the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), made these observations after engaging religious observances at the New York Buddhist Temple.
Speaking to the Sri Lankan community at the temple, the President said that the new government has received a significant assistance from the international community to strengthen the economy of Sri Lanka.
He also said that he will use the power given to him by the people of the country for the betterment of the country and its people.
The Maha Sangha in New York, including the venerable Kurunegoda Piyatissa, the Chief Incumbent of the New York Buddhist Temple attending the event blessed the President with the chanting of Seth Pirith.
The President also engaged in a cordial discussion with the Sri Lankan community in New York. (Colombo Gazette)


JK News Today
Srinagar, March 29:
The Jammu and Kashmir police has claimed that the devastating attack at Municipal office in Sopore in which a councilor and policeman were killed was carried out by dreaded Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist group.
Director General of police Dilbag Singh said that the attack had all the marks of the LeT. He said that the police have started manhunt for the attackers .
Earlier, the terrorists had attacked Municipal office while a meeting of the Sopore Municipal Council was in progress. One Councillor and a cop were killed, others injured in the attack were rushed to hospital for treatment.


Job seekers wait for consultation at the Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office in Jung-gu, central Seoul, in early September. (Yonhap)
Temporary contract workers were more susceptible to job loss due to the coronavirus pandemic than full-time workers, with one in every three irregular workers losing their jobs over the past eight months, a survey showed Monday.
According to a survey of 1,000 workers conducted by advocacy group Gabjil 119, 15.1 percent of respondents said they lost jobs during the coronavirus outbreak. Some 31.13 percent of contract workers lost their jobs, much higher than the 4.3 percent of full-time employees with the same response.
Close to 30 percent of workers earning less than 1.5 million won per month experienced job loss in the past eight months, compared to 3.3 percent of those making more than 5 million won per month.
More than 21 percent of those who lost their jobs said they were advised to resign, while 19.9 percent underwent involuntary dismissal. Some 19.2 percent lost their jobs after their contracts were terminated, and another 13.2 percent became unemployed due to their employers’ managerial difficulties.
Yet more than 80 percent of the respondents who lost their jobs were not entitled to unemployment benefits, with 54.1 percent of them losing the allowance because they were not included in the national employment insurance coverage.
And at the same time, 34 percent of survey respondents said their monthly income fell from eight months earlier, with 56 percent of them being irregular workers and 19.3 percent being full-time workers.
The survey also found that mental health issues were apparent from the prolonged coronavirus outbreak and its effect on the job market.
Some 40 percent of respondents said they are experiencing anxiety issues due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and another 19.2 percent said they were depressed from the pandemic. Gabjil 119 said both issues were more visible among contract workers, women and low-income earners.
While 79 percent of all respondents said the government was responding well to the coronavirus crisis itself, 51.9 percent said the government had not responded well to the job market crisis that followed.
By Ko Jun-tae (email@example.com


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Global tourism suffers due to Covid-19
(MENAFN) A new report released by the global consultancy McKinsey indicated that world-wide tourism sector might face an increasing fall of USD8.1 trillion in spending due to the Cronoavirus outbreak.
The consultancy stated that global tourism domain will most probably not reach the same level of spending that it got to last year until 2024.
"Our tourism recovery model forecasts a cumulative drop of $3tn to $8tn before tourism expenditure returns to pre-Covid-19 levels," the McKinsey report portrayed. "Recovery will be slow and driven by the underlying dependencies countries had on domestic and non-air travel. Different countries should prepare for their own recovery curves."
The recent Covid-19 outbreak gravely impacted the travel and tourism field world-wide, not to mention the lockdowns and curfews that were implemented in several countries. To make matters worse, the sector is recovering slowly because of the reduced incomes and travel restrictions.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development predicted back in July that if the break in global tourism lasts for eight months, then the loss generated will be worth USD2.2 trillion to the tourism field which is the equivalent of 2.8 percent of the world's gross domestic product
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Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry has said that the appointment of the new chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) will be made as per the rules and regulations.
He issued this statement while addressing a press conference following a weekly meeting of the federal cabinet.
He stated that the government and the military had ‘ideal’ relations, adding that a ‘long meeting’ was held between Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa and Prime Minister Imran Khan to discuss the issues pertaining to the new spy chief’s appointment.
The minister further said that the two leaders enjoy cordial relations, adding that the government will never do anything that would undermine the military and vice versa.
Fawad also said that the new chief’s appointment will be made as per the rules agreed upon by COAS Bajwa and PM Imran Khan.
Fawad said that it was the prime minister who has the authority to appoint the new DG. He reiterated that the decision would be taken after due consultations.


President Joe Biden told Congress on Monday that the national emergency declarations for COVID-19 will end on May 11, more than three years after they were first announced by the Trump Administration.
In response to measures proposed by Republicans in Congress seeking to end the two emergency declarations immediately, the Biden administration said they plan to extend the COVID-19 public health emergency and national emergency until May, before winding them down. The date was announced in a policy statement issued by the Office of Management and Budget that expressed the administration’s opposition to the measures.
The administration said it wants to give hospitals and other health care providers at least 60 days notice before ending the public health emergency because of funding attached to the declaration. Ending the emergency could mean higher costs for COVID-19 vaccines and other health care related to the virus.
The administration also said ending the public health emergency would end the use of Title 42, which allows the administration to expel some migrants who cross the Southern border. Biden had previously tried to end the policy, but was stopped by the U.S. Supreme Court.


Chaibasa, Aug 6: Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das said that his government was working to reduce the gap between the people and the administration and was also taking steps to weed out corruption and middlemen from the state.
Addressing the ‘Sarkar Apke Dwar’ (Government at your door) programme at Hudgada village of Bandgaon block of Chaibasa he said that to end the role of middlemen and prevent the exploitation of the people this programme has been launched by the state government.
He said that now the panchayat volunteers would be visiting the villages for getting the caste and residential certificates, distributing of LED bulbs, distribution of slips for building toilets and other works. He said that the work would be taken up as a special campaign from August to October. On the occasion the Chief Minister himself made sure that the girls filled up the caste certificate, residential and income certificate forms.
The Chief Minister also extended greetings to the people on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan. He said that the festival depicted love and was an example of the social harmony of the Indian culture. He said that his government has taken a pledge to remove poverty from the state and said that he has taken a pledge to bring changes in the lives of the people.
The Chief Minister said that to ensure that the schemes are framed for the poor and the benefits reach to them a panchayati raj self government council would be formed and within a week in 18 blocks of the districts block and district coordinators would be appointed. He said that the block coordinators would look after the schemes for the block while the district coordinator would do the same for the districts.


ISLAMABAD: Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Naeem ul Haq on Thursday said that the plunderers of National kitty are raising questions about the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government mini budget.
Talking to media outside Parliament House, he said that previous government has looted the national kitty mercilessly due to which the present government is working in the limited resources today. He said that the government would bring best economic reforms in its five years of tenure in the country.
Naeem ul Haq said that the previous governments has made appointments on political basis in various national institutions, adding that on daily basis Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) government was taking loans of 7 billion due to which country is facing today 30,000 billion loan.
He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan has decided to bring out country from the economic crisis by utilizing all available resources. He said that government will start health card for the masses, adding that health and education facilities would be provided on priority.
He said that Prime Minister would also inaugurate low cost housing scheme for the poor people. He said that government would also provide ten million jobs in its five years tenure.
Naeem ul Haq said that the government would also initiate development projects in all four provinces including Gilgit-Baltistan. He said that millions of youth also be trained in various filed of life. He said that first year may be difficult for us but our steps for the reforms would have better result.
Replying to a question, he said that the government is looking for various options to steer country out of the economic crisis, adding that IMF provide its support to Pakistan.
Naeemul Haq said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has initiated number of projects including austerity measures, ten billions trees and tourism development in the country just in 40 days. He said previous governments were never done such work in 6 months which are initiated by the PTI government within a short span of time.
He said the government also initiated investigations in corruption scandals, adding that inquiries would be conducted in each corruption case. He said 300 billion corruption scandal of Sindh government during previous tenure would also be investigated.


Hanover police looking into two overnight burglaries
In both instances, people were inside
Hanover police said someone burglarized two homes while people were inside on Monday night.
The burglaries were reported near Barrymore and Woodrow roads. Both homes were unlocked at the time.
Authorities said the thieves also stole items from four unlocked vehicles.


(MENAFN- IANS) Los Angeles, Feb 21 (IANS) Researchers have discovered more than 275 million previously unreported genetic variants, the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) said.
The new genetic variants were identified from data shared by nearly 250,000 participants of the NIH's 'All of Us Research Program'.
Half of the genomic data are from participants of non-European genetic ancestry, Xinhua news agency reported.
The unexplored cache of variants provides researchers new pathways to better understand the genetic influences on health and disease, especially in communities who have been left out of research in the past, said the NIH on Tuesday.
Nearly four million of the newly identified variants are in areas that may be tied to disease risk.
"As a physician, I've seen the impact the lack of diversity in genomic research has had in deepening health disparities and limiting care for patients," said Josh Denny, chief executive officer of the 'All of Us Research Program' and an author of the study.
"The All of Us dataset has already led researchers to findings that expand what we know about health -- many that may not have been possible without our participants' contributions of DNA and other health information. Their participation is setting a course for a future where scientific discovery is more inclusive, with broader benefits for all," Denny added.
The mission of the 'All of Us Research Program' is to accelerate health research and medical breakthroughs, enabling individualised prevention, treatment, and care for all, according to NIH.
The programme will partner with one million or more people across the US to build the most diverse biomedical data resource of its kind, to help researchers gain better insights into the biological, environmental and behavioural factors that influence health.
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All of the negative stories that are now appearing about the health hazards relating to concussions could have a major effect on youth football here and nationally. Parents are not going to be that willing to let their kids play a sport that could leave...


UAE Foreign Minister Meets with UN Special Envoy for Yemen
(MENAFN- Saudi Press Agency)
Abu Dhabi, Jumada I 29, 1439, Feb 15, 2018, SPA -- Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, met here today with Special Envoy of the UN Secretary General for Yemen Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed.
During the meeting, they discussed the latest developments in Yemen.
21:06 LOCAL TIME 18:06 GMT
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Ontario will need to implement stay-at-home orders and administer more vaccines to curb the spread of COVID-19 and its variants in the third wave, according to the province’s science advisory table.
In new modelling data released Thursday, the table said that such orders will help to control the surge, while also protecting access to medical care and “the chance of the summer Ontarians want.”
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(MENAFN- Trend News Agency)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 30. Azerbaijani
Ambassador to Croatia Anar Imanov presented credentials to Croatian
President Zoran Milanovic, trend reports.
Croatian President Zoran Milanovic congratulated Anar Imanov on
his appointment as Ambassador to Croatia and wished him success in
his future activities.
The President stressed the importance of continuing high-level
mutual visits between Azerbaijan and Croatia, intensifying
political dialogue and mutual support at various venues.
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ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has said that the adventures and experiments of technocrat and national governments have proved futile in the past.
In an interview with a private news channel in Islamabad the Prime Minister advocated for public-mandated governments which are being judged through their performance.
He pointed out that the governments with no mandate cannot work but the elected government can work as people have elected it and they would reject it in the election if failed to serve them.
He said former President Pervez Musharraf had also formed both national and technocrat governments and the people have witnessed their poor performance.
The Prime Minister said the government had implemented the July 28 court verdict.
When asked about the media reports that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had handed over a list of some people wanted by the US to Pakistan’s government during his recent visit, the Prime Minister denied such reports.
He reiterated that Afghan issue could only be resolved through dialogue by Afghans and Pakistan can contribute to this peace process.
He said Pakistan had already clarified that there was no militants’ sanctuary in Pakistan rather the terror attacks in Pakistan were being carried out from Afghanistan.
He said Pakistan’s security forces intercepted the movements of terrorists from Afghanistan to Pakistan and added that this was a war that International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) had lost in Afghanistan.
About the idea of joint operation, he said being a sovereign country; Pakistan would not allow any foreign force to carry out operation in its territory.
To a question about the reservations of Afghan side on CPEC, the Prime Minister said Afghan goods were allowed to go to India and sea route was also available for transit their trade. NNI
Originally published by NNI


“It can be clearly said that Germany and the United States will always act together when it comes to Ukraine's security issues.
This will remain so in the future, ”TASS quotes him.
Scholz also noted that the parties declared their commitment to joint action in this area with "close coordination."
Earlier, US President Joe Biden and Scholz discussed China, energy security and the impact of Russia's special operation on the global food market during negotiations.
It is noted that the heads of the two countries discussed efforts to mitigate the consequences of the situation in Ukraine "for global food and energy security."Keywords:


Bain letter defending deals backs Mitt Romney’s assertions
Bain Capital in its annual letter to investors addressed questions that have come up over the past year related to founder Mitt Romney’s campaign for the presidency. Bain said that the firm has helped created hundreds of thousands of jobs, backing up some of Romney’s claims on the campaign trail. The private-equity firm also said that less than five percent of the companies in its portfolio have gone bankrupt. Romney has positioned himself as a candidate who can fix the US economy and create jobs.


Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Friday, pleaded with Nigerians to give the government of President Muhammadu Buhari more time to deliver on his promise of change while campaigning during the 2015 general election.
The minister who spoke during a meeting in Ilorin, Kwara State, stated that the administration has less than 60 per cent of the revenue that was available to other governments before Buhari.
President Buhari had asked all cabinet members to return to their states to interact with the people over the #EndSARS protests across the country.
Mohammed revealed that the government initiated the N75bn fund for the youth in order to provide opportunities for the youths.
Others present at the meeting include Kwara state Governor, Abdulrazaq Abdulrahman; Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi; the Emir of Ilorin, Sulu Gambari; other traditional rulers, traders, youths and representatives of the academic community.
Mohammed also stated that the government is still trying to recover form the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
He also said that the government is dedicated to serving the people and we will continue to try our best to do so.
Both the Emir of Ilorin, Gambari and the Chairman of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), University of Ilorin, Moyosore Ajao, while peaking at the meeting called on the FG to speedily resolve the lingering crisis between ASUU and the government.


PM Narendra Modi said that the Budget focuses on increasing farmers' income and several measures have been taken in this direction.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that the Union Budget 2021 reflects India’s vision of self-reliance and inclusion of common people of all classes.
He said that the Union Budget 2021-22 has been presented amid unprecedented circumstances but it shows India’s confidence and will instil self-confidence in the world.
PM Modi said that the Budget focuses on increasing farmers’ income and several measures have been taken in this direction. He said that the government’s steps are ensuring that farmers get loans easily. The PM said that provisions have been made to strengthen APMC markets with the help of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund.
PM Modi said that instead of putting more burden on the common man, the budget focuses on transparency. He said that the budget focuses on MSMEs and infrastructure besides putting an unprecedented focus on healthcare.
He said that the budget has focused on the development of southern states, north-eastern states and regions like Leh Ladakh. He said that the budget has a vision of development for coastal states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala and West Bengal and focusses on turning these states into a business powerhouse.
The PM also congratulated FM Nirmala Sitharaman and MoS Finance Anurag Thakur for giving a budget which h attracted several positive reviews within hours.
The PM said that the government has taken the approach of widening new growth opportunities, developing new regions for infrastructure development, moving towards modernisation and bringing new reforms through this budget. This budget will bring several positive changes for individuals, investors, industry and infrastructure sectors, the Prime Minister said. In line with its responsibility of maintaining fiscal sustainability, the government emphasised on increasing the budget size.
He said that the government is committed to making the budget transparent. The PM said that India has been proactive in the fight against COVID-19 and the same approach is reflected in the budget. He said that the government has sent a message of being proactive by giving a pro-active budget to the country. The PM said that the budget focuses on the sectors which will increase wealth and wellness – ‘jaan bhi, jahaan bhi’.


(MENAFN- The Peninsula) CAIRO:At least 15 people were killed and 40 others were injured in a train crash on Wednesday in Egypt's northern province of Beheira, the official news agency MENA said, citing the transport ministry spokesman.
Two passenger carriages separated from one train and collided with a cargo train, the provincial security director told MENA.
Prime Minister Sherif Ismail ordered the transport minister to visit the scene and take action as details of the causes of the accident emerge, a cabinet statement said.
Egyptians have long complained that successive governments have failed to enforce basic safety standards for the railways. A string of crashes have further inflamed public anger over the antiquated transport network.
A collision in August killed 42 people and injured more than 100 people.
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Qatar- PM receives message from Kuwait's Premier
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA
Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani received a written message from Prime Minister of Kuwait H E Sheikh Jaber Al Mubarak Al Hamad Al Sabah, pertaining to bilateral relations and ways of enhancing them in all fields. The message was delivered by Kuwait's Ambassador to Qatar H E Hafiz Mohammed Al Ajmi, yesterday.
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(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula Online
Doha, Qatar: The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will receive, tomorrow, December 4, at the Amiri Diwan, his brother the President of the sisterly Republic of Turkiye HE President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and the accompanying delegation.
HH the Amir, along with HE the Turkish President, will chair the 9th meeting of the Qatari-Turkish Supreme Strategic Committee.
President Erdogan will arrive in Doha tomorrow on an official visit to the country.
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Govt to develop tourist spots
SANISCHARE: Minister for Local Development Purna Kumar Sherma Limbu has voiced the government’s commitment towards the development of religious and tourist sites across the country.
Minister Limbu said this while talking to journalists after inaugurating the boating festival organized by the local women’s group at Biratpokhara, Anarmani, today.
The boating event was organized on the occasion of Teej festival. The minister said that the government would provide whatever assistance possible for the development of Biratpokhara, a place of historical significance in Jhapa district.
The minister also stressed that the local people should themselves strive for the development of their area.
He said the government will bring special programmes for the reconstruction of the physical infrastructure damaged by floods and landslides and for the management of rescue and relief to the flood-affected people.
Minister Limbu ruled out any change of government and said the reason why the Maoist-led government collapsed was its own shortcomings and also because it lost the confidence of the House majority.
He also claimed the new Constitution would be drafted within the stipulated time and sought the cooperation of all to that end.


Yangon [Myanmar], June 6: Myanmar has fully vaccinated more than 26.8 million people against COVID-19 as of Saturday, according to the Ministry of Health on Sunday.
It said the country has administered over 61 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, and more than 2.1 million people have received booster shots.
Myanmar reported one new case of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of cases to 613,382 cases on Sunday, according to its health ministry.
The ministry said health authorities tested 4,644 people for COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, and the daily positivity rate was 0.02 percent.
It added that the death toll from COVID-19 in the country remained unchanged at 19,434 as no new deaths were confirmed in the past 24 hours.
The total number of patients who have recovered from COVID-19 in the country reached 592,346 on Sunday after 19 more patients recovered in the past 24 hours.
The Southeast Asian country detected its first COVID-19 cases in March 2020.


Kuwait delivers aid to Syrian refugees in Tripoli
(MENAFN - Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) ABOU SAMRA Lebanon Feb 23 (KUNA) -- Kuwait Red Crescent Society (KRCS) continued delivering aid to displaced Syrian families in northern Lebanon on Tuesday.The teams delivered 400 food packages and 400 cleaning substances to Syrians in Abou Samra town in Tripoli city head of the society's social committee Fawzeya Al-Nassar told KUNA.The official also hoped the society's continuous humanitarian aid would ease the suffering of Syrian refugees in Lebanon.There are currently over one million Syrian refugees living in camps lacking essential means of survival in different Lebanese cities with the majority being children women and elderly. (end) mah.ag
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Adams County’s community-wide COVID-19 testing event wrapped up Sunday evening.
Located at in Quincy, state health care workers said throughout the clinic’s four day run they saw a turnout three times what they’d normally see.
Site manger Kiel Hodges said about 480 people showed up to get tested.
“The testing sites are important for communities because we’re here to help that local health department and local community mitigate the advancement of the virus and stop it,” he said.
Hodges said the some results have come back already and those people have been contacted.
He said the rest of the results are expected to come back later this week.


Mogadishu (Alshahid)-The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia has started a major operation to remove tens of thousands of people who have been squatting in state-owned buildings in the capital.
Aid agencies in Somalia estimate that more than 50,000 people live in abandoned official buildings in Mogadishu, the nation’s capital. An abandoned school in the area shelters more than 17,000 residents.
Mogadishu mayor Mayor Mohamud Ahmed Nur told the BBC that the local government now has the money to renovate the government buildings in Mogadishu and make them functional again. He said that squatters have been leaving voluntarily.
Mr Nur said that so far, people had left the buildings on a voluntary basis but that if they refused to move, force would be used.
President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed visited one of the sites to encourage people to leave.
“These are government offices where public services will be offered,” he said, adding that the reconstruction would provide jobs.
Some residents, however, rejected his call to vacate the buildings, saying they had nowhere else to go.
The security situation in Mogadishu has improved over the past year.


In an interview with a media portal, Jitendra, the star of ‘Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan’, said that while it is ‘sad and shocking’, he says the problem is everywhere. He claimed that the problem existed in all industries, but pointed out that the film industry was simply ‘more exposed’.
While addressing the matter of suicide, he said that the industry should learn to take care of each other and encouraged those going through a hard time, to speak up. Sharing some words of advice, he also stressed on the importance of staying connected to family and friends.
Besides sharing the importance of physical health, he said that mental health is also important and added that while people are helping themselves, it is also important to reach out to others.
Over the past week, actors including Deepika Padukone, Ayushmann Khurrana have used their social media handles to reach out to fans and encourage those going through a tough time to reach out and seek help. While Deepika has been using her social media handle to encourage a discussion on depression, Ayushmann, in a discussion stressed the importance of mental health.


(MENAFN) Following an election official claim of 147 voters in the Alexandria, Virginia's 28th District acquiring the wrong ballot, a federal judge in the state had dismissed an appeal for a new election in a Fredericksburg-area House of Delegates race.
According to the Associated Press, the errors on the ballots were described by U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III as a "garden variety" matter that does not demand the involvement of federal government.
The judge also pointed out that the mistakes seem to show "no claim of a great claim of a conspiracy to dilute these votes or do anything nefarious."
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Panaji: The Congress party, on Monday, demanded that the government should not interfere with the Constitutional rights of its employees and must immediately withdraw its Ordinance, which bars the government employees from challenging its decision in the court of law as regards abolition of the House Building Advance (HBA) Scheme.
The Governor, Bhagat Singh Koshyari has recently accorded his assent to the Ordinance moved by the state government to abolish the House Building Advance (HBA) Scheme, which also stated that the government employees cannot challenge the particular decision in the court of law.
“It is unfortunate that Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state has stopped the House Building Allowance Scheme for the hardworking government employees, which will add to their financial burden,” said the Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president, Girish Chodankar, pointing out that the decision of the government will virtually result in employees not left with any money at the end of the month, after paying their instalments.
Addressing a press conference in the city, Chodankar said that “the dictatorial BJP government has issued ordinance curbing the right of the employees to protest or approach courts seeking justice.”
“The state government is least bothered in adopting austerity measures and is continuing with wasteful expenditure on projects purely with the intentions of making fortunes by way of commissions and kickbacks charged,” he alleged, further charging that the state unit of the BJP of undertaking celebrations when people are dying due to Corona pandemic.
Speaking further, Chodankar said that the BJP is openly supporting the capitalists, while having no time to hear the grievances of the lesser privileged hardworking people such as motorcycle pilots, rickshaw/ taxi/ tempo/ bus operators, hotel/ restaurants/ bar/ shack owners and mining dependants, besides bakers, cobblers, tailors, khajekars, fulkars and kakankars.
Stating that the financial mismanagement of the BJP government at the Centre as well as the state has resulted in financial emergency, the GPCC president said that today, the farmers of the country are on the roads due to the high handedness of the BJP government, which has now allowed the rich and mighty to capture the produce of the hardworking farmers.


GOVERNMENT has acquired a US$50 million loan from the African Development Bank to improve the fish industry in the country.
And Minister of Fisheries and Livestock Michael Katambo said 50 percent of the loan will target 12,000 women and youth fish farming entrepreneurs countrywide.
Mr Katambo said in an interview yesterday that the move follows President Lungu’s directive for the ministry to ensure that women and the youth in the fishing trade are empowered with resources to sustain themselves and their businesses.
“We have acquired a US$50 million loan of which 50 percent of this money will target women and the youth in various provinces. We cannot be importing fish when we have the potential to grow the industry,” he said.
Mr Katambo said the investment in the aquaculture industry is part of Government’s agenda to diversify the economy to avoid dependence on copper.
He said Zambia has a deficit of 85,000 metric tonnes of fish, hence the need to ensure that fish entrepreneurs are adequately supported for them to contribute to national development.
Zambia has vast natural water bodies that can be used to grow the fishing industry.
He said President Lungu has also directed the ministry to ensure that Zambia becomes a major exporter of fish in the next two years.
Mr Katambo said currently, Zambia is unable to sell fish on the international market due to low productivity levels.
He, however, said Government is working towards increasing productivity through many initiatives.
Mr Katambo said the ministry will soon launch the aquaculture development project to mark the start of the empowerment programme.
He encouraged members of the public, especially the youth and women, to take advantage of the opportunity to improve their livelihood and contribute to national development.
Mr Katambo said young people are custodians of Zambia’s future, hence the need for them to be responsible and prepare to take part in various sectors.


Hyderabad: TRS MLC Palla Rajeshar Reddy on Monday said that Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has given numerous suggestions to the Centre to ease out the situation arising out of demonetization policy.
Speaking to media persons here, Rajeshwar Reddy said that the Opposition parties were alleging that the state government was not taking any measures to deal with the demonetization crisis and added that the allegations were not true.
He said that the government was monitoring the situation regularly and ensuring that the farmers are not affected due to the Centre’s drive.
He said that the Centre had allowed the farmers to withdraw Rs 24,000 per week based on the recommendation of KCR.
The TRS MLC said that the winter session of Assembly will begin in the third week of December. He said that the TRS government was discussing all bills and there was consensus on the bills in the House unlike in the united AP.
He said that the Opposition parties were staging walkouts only to escape from debate on various contentious issues in the House.
He said that the Congress had staged walkout protesting the CM’s power point presentation on irrigation project which was like opposing use of technology.
He appealed the Opposition parties to discuss issues rather than staging walkout. (INN)


Column | Apr 11, 2015
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Story | Apr 15, 2015The Minnesota Twins have presented new manager Paul Molitor with quite a challenge after his first week of the regular season.
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Joe Maddon was introduced Monday as the Chicago Cubs' new manager after the two sides agreed to a five-year deal through the 2019 season, and he didn't waste any time talking about the playoffs and the World Series. Terms were not disclosed, but...


Newdelhi:9/3/18;The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today met and interacted with the recipients of the Nari Shakti Puraskar.
During the interaction, the Prime Minister spoke of “Seva Paramo Dharma” as being an integral part of our culture.
The Prime Minister said that the awardees have devoted their lives, on a mission to serve others. He said their contribution extends far beyond those who benefited from their efforts, and serves as inspiration for the society. He mentioned that the nation is celebrating the 150thanniversary of Sister Nivedita, who was an embodiment of selfless service.
The Prime Minister said that efforts to serve society have been a part of the Indian ethos, and are reflected in initiatives such as Dharamshalas, Gaushalas, and even education initiatives that are visible across the country.
Smt. Maneka Gandhi, Minister for Women and Child Development, was present on the occasion.


Chinese government aids efforts to make waste management efficient
The agreement to gift the trash cans was signed in a ceremony held at Maldivian Environment Ministry.
Deputy Chinese Ambassador to Maldives and Acting head of Chinese Embassy in Maldives, Liu Jiyang signed the agreement on behalf of Chinese government, while Deputy Environment Minister Ali Amir signed the agreement on behalf of Maldivian government.
Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Environment Minister Ali Amir said that the Chinese government's gift was valued at over MVR 500,000 ($32,500); and that the gift would be a big help to the government's efforts to make waste disposal systems in Maldivian islands more efficient.
He thanked the Chinese government and people of China, on behalf of Maldivian government and people of Maldives, while noting that the biggest environmental issue faced by the country was waste management.
Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Chinese Ambassador Liu Jiyang Maldives would always have the help of Chinese government in solving various environmental issues faced by the country, and said that the various aid provided by Chinese government was evidence of the close ties shared between the two countries. ■


Pakistan Railways (PR) has been planning to switch its entire stations' power network to solar systems in different phases, which would help to save billions of rupees for the department. According to PR sources that the first phase of the project will see the conversion of 99 formations, including major railway stations, nine divisional headquarters, and other vital offices, to solar power. This is expected to save Rs. 1.8 billion for the department.In the subsequent phases, more stations, offices, and other facilities will be added to the solar network.
The project will be implemented by the National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK). A Ministry of Railways official said that the decision to shift to solar power was taken to eliminate the economic burden of Pakistan Railways. He said that the department was spending a significant amount of money on electricity bills, and the switch to solar power would help to reduce these costs.The official added that the project would also help to reduce pollution and improve the environment. In a related development, the PR management has implemented a policy that prohibits its officers from using air-conditioning before 11 a.m. daily. This is part of the department's efforts to conserve energy.
Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)


(Title Image: Rhondda Leader)
The leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, Cllr. Andrew Morgan, has said Wales has to spend up at least £500million on flood prevention measures to ensure the country avoids emergencies such as those caused by Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis earlier in 2020.
RCT council – which was particularly hard-hit by the storms – has estimated the clean-up operation will cost at least £80million.
Cllr. Morgan told BBC Wales: “Clearly climate change is happening – it’s here and now – therefore we are going to have to continue the significant investment that’s going in, and I think it’s probably going to have to be accelerated again in the coming years.”
The Welsh Government said it has provided millions of pounds in emergency flood grants and additional support to councils and Natural Resources Wales to bring forward new flood protection schemes.


India New- Find latest News India, live India news, breaking news today from India on Kashmir, politics, business, education, sports, videos, health news and much more at The Kashmir Monitor.
Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Thursday said since the BJP formed government at the Centre, democracy is being finished in every state.
He was referring to the developments in Madhya Pradesh.
He said the BJP’s policy is to destabilise states where other parties had formed government.
He said the efforts to break the government in Madhya Pradesh are not new; and they condemned it. They would raise the issue in Parliament, he said.
Azad said the “fever” to destabilise state governments rose when the Rajya Sabha elections are due.
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Human rights groups say hate crimes in Greece are rising and that police behaviour is making the situation worse.
They say in the past six months there have been hundreds of victims and that state crackdowns on illegal immigrants are encouraging nationalist sentiment.
Activists say it is not just the frequency of the attacks that has increased but also the ferocity.
“In the past six months from the testimonies that we have, there have been about 500,” says Javied Aslam, president of the Pakistani Community of Greece. “Just over 500 people have told us that they were attacked by fascists. And now, in the past three weeks to one month it’s moved on from verbal attacks to knuckle-dusters and bats and now they go out with knives – so in the past three weeks more than twenty people have been stabbed and have had to have hospital treatment.”
Because of recent police operations against illegal immigrants, rights groups say people are now fearful of even going to the authorities if they are attacked.
“People are really scared now and they don’t say anything to anyone. It’s terrible, a really bad situation,” Aslam added.
Migrant groups say there is evidence to suggest that the people carrying out the attacks are associated with vigilante groups and Golden Dawn.
The extreme right-wing party gained seven percent of the vote at the last election.


Despite widespread complaints by many commercial banks over the effects of the banking sector clean-up, some managers of rural and community banks in the Upper East Region have said the exercise has increased the trust the public have in them in recent times.
Almost all managers that were interviewed in the region said they had seen some significant increase in their clients and deposits.
For example, the manager of Naara Rural Bank in Paga in the Kassena-Nankana West District, Samuel Namoo, said the increase had been fast, and he hoped that with the ongoing education within its catchment area, the margin of increase could be more by the beginning of next year.
“The exercise though was not good for some commercial banks and micro-finance companies at some point, it has in many ways helped people to realize that the best way their deposits can be safe is through the rural and community banks,” Mr. Namoo said.
According to him, the rural and community banks do not focus solely on increasing the rate of deposits/savings, and giving out loans to people in their catchment areas, but also pay more attention to executing their corporate social responsibilities.
“At the rural level, we make sure that we undertake initiatives that will bring benefits to the populace, especially schoolchildren and farmers,” Mr. Namoo added.
He said the rural and community banks had become development partners in their various communities and assured the public that the Bank of Ghana (BoG) would rather prefer to help them grow to watching them struggle and subsequently collapse.
In August, the BoG released a statement indicating that it had completed its clean-up exercise of the banking and specialized deposit-taking institutions as well as non-banking financial institutions, thereby bringing an end to the public panic and giving a clear direction as to where the public could deposit their monies.
The statement also gave an assurance that the BoG would work with ARB Apex Bank to reposition the rural and community banking sector to enable them to support the rural economies to development.


The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control on Tuesday said it has recorded 241 new cases of COVID-19 outbreak in the country, taking the total number of infections in Nigeria to 10,818.
The NCDC on its official twitter handle said that as of June 2, 2020, 15 deaths were recorded in the country.
The health agency stated that most of those who died were associated with co-morbidities, noting that three out of four of those who have been discharged were without co-morbidities.
It said this was consistent with the fact that risks were higher for those with other illnesses such as hypertension, diabetes and other chronic non-communicable diseases.
The NCDC said that there was a general reduction in mortality trend and continuous improvement in recoveries as shown in discharges compared to the increase in the number of confirmed cases.
It stated that no new state has reported a case in the last 24 hours.
According to the body, till date, 10,819 cases have been confirmed, 7,266 of active cases, 3,239 cases have been treated and discharged, 314 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The NCDC said that the 241 new cases were reported from 14 states – Lagos(142), Oyo(15), FCT(13), Kano(12), Edo(11), Delta(10), Kaduna(9), Rivers(9), Borno(8), Jigawa(4), Gombe(3), Plateau(3), Osun(1) and Bauchi(1).
The health agency reassured that it would keep Nigerians informed on the public health response to COVID-19 through the daily situation report.
NCDC said that it was important for Nigerians to remember that there were humans behind the numbers.


(MENAFN) Mexico’s Delegation in Turkey remembered the Day of the Dead, a Mexican habit to think of people who are no longer with us.
Diplomat Jose Luis Martinez commented in his speech that the Day of the Dead tradition can be found in Mexican Pre-Hispanic people, while stressing on the importance of this day.
But, Martinez affirmed that the ironic skeletons imagery has been initiated by lithographer Jose Guadalupe Posada, who consumed the skeletons to mock the traditional elites and the rich.
Martinez added that it is "dedicated to Ambassadors Alfonso and Mauricio de Maria y Campos and Mexican composer Armando Manzanero, who passed away this year" mentioning the altar in the delegation.
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Police have announced an investigation into five officers who were allegedly involved in the MMPRC corruption scandal.
Lawmakers have long alleged that there were police officers complicit in the scandal. Allegations of the same were levied against MPs of the previous and current parliament as well.
Police said tonight that an administrative and criminal investigation into the allegations were underway tonight. Due to the investigation, the officers are currently suspended.
On October 24, 2019 Assistant Commissioner of Police Mohamed Riyaz had announced that investigations were underway due to allegations of officers receiving "sponsorships" and "aid" from the MMPRC scandal. Riyaz had said that an internal investigation was underway.
No details of the investigation had been disclosed since then.
Police had stated back then that the MMPRC scandal was carried out to obtain funding for the political benefit of those involved. From the findings of the investigation, police had said that the scandal had gone as far back as 2014 parliamentary elections.


JEDDAH: Health officials in Saudi Arabia’s Asir region have dismissed claims that patients who recovered from COVID-19 received money from the government.
A video circulating on social media showed a man emptying a bag with the Asir health directorate logo on it. He unpacked a rose, a bottle of sanitizer, chocolate bars and SR1,500 ($400).
The video sparked rumours that people were receiving the gifts after they were discharged from hospitals.
Tweeting in response to an Arab News inquiry about the accuracy of the video, Asir health directorate said people should avoid spreading such “rumors” and take the right information from official sources.
The money might have already belonged to the person in the video, the directorate said in the message, which was retweeted by the health ministry.
Comments from Twitter users varied from dry humor to those who demanded that the man is punished.
“We have been stuck in our houses since the curfew was ordered, why should they not give us money like the man in the video?” one user replied.
Faisal, another user, said: “These people have nothing to do and they want to gain fame.”
Another tweeted: “The health ministry announced that 25,722 COVID-19 cases have recovered. If we believe that the health ministry gives money to recovered people, we can say that it has spent more than SR38.5 million on them. This is really ridiculous.
“Logic says that such a big amount of money could have been given to the health heroes who expose their lives to dangers in their attempts to save people’s lives.”
Saudi Arabia’s public prosecution has repeatedly said that information related to the coronavirus pandemic should always be taken from its official sources as a “moral commitment and legal responsibility.”
Such action “goes against the great efforts being implemented to fight COVID-19, and can cause fear among people,” the public prosecution said.


(MENAFN– Trend News Agency)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, Jan. 12
We should not allow decrease in foreign exchange reserves, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said in an interview with local TV channels on January 12, 2022, Trend reports.
Will be updated
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Government likely to announce more restrictions to cut virus spread
The federal government is expected to announce far reaching restrictions later today in an effort to stem the spread of Covid-19.
So far it is the cantons that have taken the lead. Some have banned all but essential shops and businesses from opening – such as Ticino, Basel-Country, Neuchatel and Jura – other cantons have ordered the closures of cinemas, gyms, swimming pools and bars.
Parliament has suspended its spring session which should have started today.
Switzerland is one of the worst affected countries in the world with 1,500 confirmed cases and 13 deaths, according to the Federal Health Office.
The government has now banned gatherings of more than 100 people, closed schools, and brought in tighter border controls.
It has also announced a CHF 10bn aid package for companies that are likely to be hit by lost business caused by the virus.
But unlike some countries – bars and restaurants can stay open, but they have to limit the number of customers to 50.


Homeless charity StreetSmart is hoping that its new three-year partnership with the information network Bloomberg will help it persuade more restaurants to take part in its annual national fundraising campaign.
Bloomberg has pledged to cover all the administration, production and promotional costs of StreetSmart's campaign to encourage restaurants to ask diners to add £1 to their bill to support homeless projects during November and December each year.
Juliet Marshall, campaign officer for StreetSmart, said the charity is now able to promise that every penny raised will go directly to local homeless organisations.
"This is a massive coup for us," she said. "In the past few years, we've had people refusing to take part because they think that a lot of the money will go on wages and overhead costs. We're hoping that we can now change their minds."
Bloomberg will also promote the 2003 campaign, which currently involves more than 300 restaurants, through its information and news services.
StreetSmart raised more than £312,000 last year and hopes to significantly increase the figure this year.


The interaction covered issues within the terms of reference of the fact-finding committee.
The Presidential Committee on the abduction of Chibok schoolgirls on Monday interacted with officials of some countries that pledged assistance towards the search and rescue of the girls.
This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the spokesperson of the committee, Kingsley Osadolor.
Mr. Osadalor said that the interaction, which lasted for hours, took place in Abuja and covered issues within the terms of reference of the fact-finding committee.
He said the Chairman of the committee, Ibrahim Sabo, thanked the officials and their governments for obliging to back the Federal Government in its bid to free the abducted schoolgirls.
He also said Mr. Sabo acknowledged the global response to the abduction as a reflection of common humanity.
Mr. Sabo said the officials expressed their enthusiasm in joining the search for, and freedom for the schoolgirls.
He said that the representatives of Borno State Government, who were absent at the committee’s inauguration last week by President Goodluck Jonathan, attended the session.
Mr. Osadolor also disclosed that the committee would hold further interactions with defence and security agencies.
He said that the meeting was to ascertain the veracity of speculations that had been making the rounds since the abduction.
Over 250 girls were abducted on April 14 from their school dormitories in Chibok, Borno. World-wide condemnations and pressure on the Nigerian government to do more to rescue the officials led to the government accepting help from foreign countries including the U.S., U.K., France and China.


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WINCHESTER — The city is once again giving residents the chance to see the inner workings of local government.
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(MENAFN- Jordan Times) The world took little notice of last week's UN General Assembly resolution "urging" greater protection of the Palestinian people in Gaza and elsewhere in the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, and "deploring" the Israeli use of 'excessive, disproportional and indiscriminate' force against them.
The resolution was adopted by an overwhelming support of 120 countries, while 45 states voted against it and 8 countries abstained. An amendment, introduced by the US purporting to condemn Hamas, was defeated as 62 countries voted against it and 58 countries abstained.
This is a moral and political victory for the Palestinians but would hardly change things on the ground. While the vote for the resolution was indeed impressive, signaling an international political will against the violations of Israel against the Palestinian people, the vote on the role of Hamas was much less impressive as the UN member states were practically split on whether or not to censor the Palestinian organisation.
The creation of an international force along the Gaza border is a double-edged sword, as it would serve as an impediment to Hamas' own military agenda against Israel.
The use of the word 'deplore' rather than 'condemn' the Israeli use of force is also significant, as it also suggests a certain degree of wavering by the UN General Assembly on the Israeli use of force against the Palestinians.
When the UN gets to the point of establishing an international peace keeping force, it would require stronger words than 'urges.'
Besides, what countries would venture to police the Gaza borders is also troublesome. Yet, all in all, the resolution remains a significant vote of confidence in the Palestinian cause.
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India reports 1553 new Covid-19 cases,total count soars to 17,265
With 1553 fresh cases of corona virus reported in the last 24hrs,the total number of confirmed cases of covid-19 in India has reached 17,265 said Lav Aggarwal,Joint secretary,health and family welfare,here on monday.
As many as 2,546 people have recovered from the disease so far,said Aggarwal during the daily media briefing on the corona virus."This takes the cure percentage to 14.75 percent,he added.
A total of 17,265 confirmed cases have been reported in India including 2,546 people have recovered.A total of 36 deaths have been reported in the last 24hrs,said Aggarwal.
Mahe in Puducherry,kodagu in karnataka and Pauri Garhwal in Uttarakhand have not reported any Covid-19 case in the last 28 days.
The number of districts where no case has been reported in the last 14days has increased to 59.Goa is now Covid-19 free,he added.
Aggarwal said that the Health ministry has expressed its view that India wants to work with G20 nations to develop the vaccine to combat Covid-19.
He further said that ministry has also issued guidelines regarding precautionary measures to be adhered to in government offices.


NEW DELHI, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed members of the Indian community in Sweden. Talking about the vision of his government, the Prime Minister said that the road ahead is long but “we have our destination in sight and determination in heart”.
Reaching out to the Indian diaspora in Sweden, the Prime Minister said that India did not have just one Ambassador in the country. He said, “We have one embassy in Sweden but we have more than one ambassador. Each one of you is our ambassador.”
He further talked about the various schemes launched by the BJP-led NDA government in India, saying “empowerment is the new tool”. Referring to social welfare, he said that the government had implemented a model called JAM.
“For social welfare we have JAM – Jan Dhan Yojana for opening bank accounts of the poor, then we have Aadhaar, and them Mobile; and combining all three, we have implemented direct benefit transfer, which takes money directly to those who are in need of help,” said PM Modi.
Talking about the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, the Prime Minister said that over 3.6 crore gas connections had been given under the scheme while earlier people had to request for even getting their LPG cylinders re-filled in black.
He further said that his government had even announced the launch of world’s biggest scheme – Ayushman Bharat, pointing that one stage of it has even been launched. He said that there were two major parts of the scheme – to spread a web of health centres across India and to benefit those living in extreme poverty.
Prime Minister Modi also invoked the achievements of pugilist MC Mary Kom and shuttler Saina Nehwal at the Commonwealth Games in Australia earlier in April while addressing the Indian diaspora.
Extolling the thought of India, Modi, addressing a gathering of around 2,000 people of Indian origin at the Stockholm University here, said: “The achievements of Mary Kom and Saina Nehwal make our hearts swell in pride.”