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Flood killed more than 1,000 people and damaged nearly one million homes in Pakistan

Posted on by SAT News Desk

ISLAMABAD — Deaths from widespread flooding in Pakistan topped 1,000 since mid-June, officials said Sunday, as the country’s climate minister called the deadly monsoon season “a serious climate catastrophe.”Flash flooding from the heavy rains has washed away villages and crops as soldiers and rescue workers evacuated stranded residents to the safety of relief camps and provided food to thousands of displaced Pakistanis.

Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority reported the death toll since the monsoon season began earlier than normal this year – in mid- June – reached 1,033 people after new fatalities were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southern Sindh provinces.Sherry Rehman, a Pakistani senator and the country’s top climate official, said in a video posted on Twitter that Pakistan is experiencing a “serious climate catastrophe, one of the hardest in the decade.””We are at the moment at the ground zero of the front line of extreme weather events, in an unrelenting cascade of heatwaves, forest fires, flash floods, multiple glacial lake outbursts, flood events and now the monster monsoon of the decade is wreaking non-stop havoc throughout the country,” she said.

The on-camera statement was retweeted by the country’s ambassador to the European Union.Flooding from the Swat River overnight affected northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where tens of thousands of people – especially in the Charsadda and Nowshehra districts – have been evacuated from their homes to relief camps set up in government buildings. Many have also taken shelter on roadsides, said Kamran Bangash, a spokesperson for the provincial government.

The unprecedented monsoon season has affected all four of the country’s provinces. Nearly 300,000 homes have been destroyed, numerous roads rendered impassable and electricity outages have been widespread, affecting millions of people. (AP / Agencies)

Archaeological items returned from Britain handed over to National Archives

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KATHMANDU — The Department of Archaeology has handed over the archaeological items returned from Britain to the National Archives.

The artifacts and statues were handed over to the National Archives amidst a special program organized in the capital on Thursday.

Director General at Department of Archeology Damodar Gautam informed that the artifacts stolen from Nepal were returned with the help of the Embassy of Nepal in London, the Metropolitan Police in Britain, and the Tourism Ministry and Finance Ministry of Nepal.

Gautam further informed that other objects of archaeological value owned by Nepal were also returned to Nepal. Among the returned artifacts, one wooden relic is supposed to have been built in the 17th or 18th century.

The wooden relic placed on the gate of the Kumari Baha of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-23 was lost from the time between 1980 to 1990.     Similarly, another artifact is the stone statue built between the 16th to 17th century.

It was informed that it was lost from Manjushree Temple of Om Bahal in around 1980.     The Department of Archaeology had sought assistance from the Nepali Embassy in London and other agencies to bring back the relics.

(RSS)

International Debt: A Tale of Two Stories

Posted on by SAT News Desk

Bhabani Shankar Nayak

University of Glasgow, UK

The International Debt Statistics (2022) published by the World Bank has revealed that the external debt of 123 low- and middle-income countries have increased on average 5.6 percent to $8.7 trillion in 2020.  It shows devastating impact of the pandemic on economy of the developing countries. The G20 creditors have designed a policy framework called theDebt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) as if the creditorsare doing a charity for the poor living in the developing world.The international debt trap locks people and countries within an economic system where borrowing is normalised to service growing debt burden. Debt trap eats away income, wellbeing and livelihoods of people. Many poor commit suicides due to debt trap. Similarly, poor and developing countries sacrifice their economic independence and political sovereignty in decision making over their own people, resources and territories. The creditors force the debt trap countries to follow various policies that facilitates in realising the objectives of the developed creditor countries. It is a systematic strategy of develop countries to exploit the developing countries. Debt is a tool of control and exploitation. It helps to widen the gap between rich and poor, developed regions and under develop regions. The international debt crises and traps poverty, underdevelopment and inequalities are products of colonial politics and neo-colonial policies imposed on developing countries by the developed countries.

There is a long-standing history of developed countries to occupy the territory and resources of the debt defaulter countries. For example, the French and Belgian soldiers had occupied the Ruhr; an area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and access coal when the country failed to repay Versailles debts. During colonial period, countries in Asian, Africa and Americas were divided between European colonisers and European colonialism has established international debt trap in these continents.  After the first World War, the United States Congress refused to cancel European debt. However, after the Second World War, the European countries have cancelled each other’s debt and came together during the Bretton Woods Conference to create an international financial system under the leadership of US.  This conference led to the rise of Bretton Woods institutions and institutionalise international debt trap of the post-colonial developing countries.  

During the 1990s, the G7 developed countries created a regime of free market economy led neo colonial economic policies under the leadership of the World Bank and IMF.  These two institutions imposed structural adjustment, liberalisation, privatisation and globalisation policies on the countries which failed to repay the debt. These policies were tools of indirect control over natural resources, domestic consumer, labour and investment markets of the defaulter countries. The international debt trap is the mother of all economic crises in the developing countries which helps to maintain the economic and political hegemony of the developed countries in western Europe and US.

The international debt trap is resurfacing from 2020 onwards after the publication of “The Elements of the China Challenge” by the Policy Planning Staff, Office of the Secretary of State, United States. This unclassified Policy Planning Staff paper focuses on China’s “predatory development program and debt-trap diplomacy.” The paper also claims and highlights “Beijing’s authoritarian goals and hegemonic ambitions” It also argues that “the CCP has undertaken major infrastructure and investment projects, debt-trap diplomacy, and other predatory economic practices in every region of the world, the better to induce or compel sovereign nation-states, particularly their governing and business elites, to aid and abet China in the reshaping of world order. And the CCP has leveraged its integration into international organizations to infuse them with norms and standards rooted in the party’s authoritarianism”. These ideologically driven propaganda is far from truth. There is no factual foundation to such claims. It is part of a relentless anti-Chinese propaganda.

The rise of China and its internationalism based on peace and development threatens the very foundation of debt driven international financial system led by western Europe and US. China is engaging with developing countries without putting any conditions and helps different countries in Asia and Africa to develop infrastructure to mobilise their own resources for their own economic development that is free from debt and western dependence. Such mutually beneficial engagement between developing countries and China threatens the very foundation of western hegemony. Therefore, China is portrayed as a devil by the so called western democratic world.

In reality, the Chinese government is deepening its relationship with African continent by

forgiving 23 interest-free loans for 17 African nations. The Chinese government has also cancelled more than $3.4 billion debt and restructured around $15 billion debt for the African countries between 2000 and 2019. Beijing is also renegotiating 26 other loans while refinancing around $15 billion of debt in Africa. Therefore, the Chinese debt trap is an ideologically motivated campaign to defame China and its alternative approach to international debt, bilateral, multilateral trade and infrastructure development programme. The western countries asks for structural adjustment to diminish welfare state and its infrastructure whereas China provides debt for infrastructural development for the rise of an economically independent state. China shows its commitment to mutual development when it comes to debt and investment whereas western countries impose conditions of investments that exploits people and their environment in the developing world.

These two tales are central to understand and overcome debt driven capitalism and denounce western model of international economic system that destroys democracy for market, ruins people’s lives and livelihoods for profit and creates foundation for environmental disasters. The working poor across the world are victims of such a debt trap created by capitalism under the leadership of western states and governments. It is time to dismantle capitalism and its debt driven financial architectures for the sake of humanity, peace, prosperity and the planet.

Nepal, WB sign Rs 12.7 billion Financing Agreement to Support GRID

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Kathmandu —  The Government and the World Bank (WB) today signed a concessional financing agreement for $100 million (equivalent to Rs. 12.7 billion) for Green, Resilient, and Inclusive Development (GRID).    


The proposed budgetary support aims to support improvements in the enabling environment in Nepal toward green, climate-resilient, and inclusive development. This is the first in a programmatic series of three concessional loans on GRID.  

  
The agreement was signed by Mr Ishwori Prasad Aryal, Joint Secretary, International Economic Cooperation Coordination Division, Ministry of Finance, on behalf of the Government of Nepal, and Ms Lada Strelkova, World Bank Operations Manager for Maldives, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, the World Bank said in a press release today.    


 “In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Nepal, World Bank, and development partners signed the critical Kathmandu Declaration pivoting our programs in Nepal to support the country’s goals of a greener, more inclusive, and more resilient development,” said Strelkova.    


“This operation is a key part of this commitment. Through this operation, we are supporting the Government’s key policy actions across sectors including water, land use, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable forest management, urban, waste, and pollution.”    


This first operation supports policy actions for strategic GRID transitions such as the sustainable and productive use of natural capital; resilience of urban and rural infrastructure, human capital, and livelihoods to climate and environmental risks; and more efficient and cleaner production, consumption, and mobility.

It also supports policy actions of the Government of Nepal for strategic GRID transitions that help build and maintain prosperity for all.    


The operation encourages private sector investment in greening Nepal’s economy and creating jobs and livelihoods related to areas such as community forestry, agriculture, clean air, and solid waste management.

It also supports reforms for strengthening inclusion in development decision-making and access to assets and services.    

“Nepal’s shift to the GRID approach is a strategic move during a challenging time that is full of opportunities for the country.

This shift will help Nepal continue to make progress in expanding and protecting prosperity while reducing poverty in the face of compounding challenges that affect Nepal’s development prospects, including the economic recovery from COVID and the ongoing disaster, climate, and environmental risks,” said Joint Secretary, Ishwori Prasad Aryal. (RSS)

Pakistan flood victims throw note pleading for help

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Hundreds of people are stranded across the river in the Manoor valley of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after a flash flood hit the region on Friday, destroying at least 10 bridges and dozens of buildings.

“We need supplies, we need medicine and please rebuild the bridge, we are left with nothing now.” Those are the contents of a handwritten note villagers throw to our team when we visit.

The Manoor valley is located in the mountains of Kaghan – a famous tourist destination in Pakistan. The valley has been hit by a torrential flood that killed at least 15 people, including women and children.

Flash floods swept away the only concrete bridge connecting the scenic valley to the main city. Since then, all the villages on the other side of the river have been cut off and residents are waiting for help.

The BBC team reached the valley after a dangerous one-hour drive along a road was damaged at many points by the flooding and landslides.

In Manoor, two bridges have completely collapsed and a temporary wooden crossing has been erected. Here, we meet a woman sitting with her belongings. She tells the BBC she can see her home but is unable to reach it.

“My home and my children are on the other side of the river. I’ve been waiting here for two days now thinking the government might come and repair the bridge. But authorities are telling us that we should start walking around the other side of the mountain to reach our homes. But that’s a hike of eight to 10 hours. I am an old woman. How can I walk this much?”

She waits for a few more minutes and leaves when the rain starts again and water flowing underneath the temporary wooden bridge begins to swell up.

We see men, women and children sitting outside their mud houses on the other side of the river. They wave at us thinking we are government officials.

It is then that some of them throw us a piece of paper, packing it into a plastic bag filled with stones in order to throw it to the side of the river where we are filming. This is the only way they can communicate with the other part of the village these days. Mobile networks do not operate here.

The handwritten letter carries information about the losses they are coping with and also requests supplies and medicine for the stranded villagers.

“Many people are sick and can’t leave the village on foot. Kindly get the bridge built, it’s the main connection with the city,” the letter says.

“We need supplies. We need a road,” Abdul Rasheed, 60, tells us while speaking of his ordeal. He has lost his wagon to the flood – his only means of earning money to feed his family.

“There are many other people who have lost their property and means of income,” he says. “They need help. They need food. There was a small market here which was swept away. Shops had all the food and supplies.

“My home is on the other side and now I’ll have to walk for eight hours to reach my home. How can I do that in such an old age?” he asks.

Many shops and hotels have been destroyed here. Soheil and his brother have lost their mobile phone repair shop to the flood.

He tells the BBC he has three families to feed and is uncertain about his future now. “I don’t know what to do. No one has come here to help us as we deserve. Every shopkeeper here is worried. They are all poor people who have big families to feed,” he says.

– BBC

IAEA experts get set to inspect Ukraine’s endangered nuclear plant

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UKRAINE: International investigators are prepared in the coming days to inspect Ukraine’s endangered Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant as renewed front-line fighting was reported Saturday around the facility.

A team of experts from the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency, or IAEA, is expected to visit the power station this week, according to Ukraine’s energy minister adviser Lana Zerkal. The head of the IAEA, Rafael Mariano Grossi, was quoted as saying he wants to inspect the site within days, warning of potential disaster.

Officials are concerned about the potential risk of a radioactive leak if certain sections of the massive nuclear complex are hit by weapons fire. Moscow said it supports the work of the IAEA but has refused to withdraw its soldiers from the complex to create a demilitarized zone.

Both Russia and Ukraine have accused its forces of firing artillery shells at Europe’s largest nuclear plant. The state-run energy operator Energoatom said Saturday Russian troops had “repeatedly shelled” the site over the past day.

In countering the claims, Russia’s defense ministry said Ukrainian forces “shelled the territory of the station three times” in the past day. “A total of 17 shells were fired,” the ministry said in a communique.

The Zaporizhzhia facility was seized by Russian troops in the opening weeks of the February invasion and has remained on the front line ever since. The power plant is being operated by Ukrainian workers. The operator of the plant also accused Russian soldiers of torturing workers. Moscow said it supports the work of the IAEA but is refusing to withdraw its soldiers from the plant to create a demilitarized zone.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the situation around the Zaporizhzhia plant remains “very precarious and dangerous” after the plant resumed electricity supplies to Ukraine following an outage. The plant was disconnected from the electric grid for the first time in its history Thursday after a fire caused by shelling damaged a power line.

Zelenskyy said in his address, “Any actions by Russia that could trigger the shutdown of the reactors will once again put the station one step away from disaster.”

The plant needs power to run the reactors’ cooling system, and any extended power failure could put the plant in jeopardy of a meltdown.

The power outage at the plant heightened dread of a nuclear disaster in a country still haunted by the 1986 explosion at Chernobyl.

An engineer working under Russian occupation since March 4 at the nuclear power plant has told VOA that Russian forces have placed artillery and missile installations within and around the property of the plant.

The engineer, whose identity is being withheld for fear of retaliation by the occupying authorities, supports Ukrainian government claims that Russia itself is responsible for the explosions.

Intense battles

Meanwhile, fighting continues to rage in the south and eastern sections of Ukraine. Ukraine said its troops had repulsed Russian assaults on the towns of Bakhmut and Soledar in the eastern Donetsk region. Reports of the claims could not be independently confirmed.

The heavy fighting comes as nearly three-quarters of Donetsk’s population has been evacuated since the war started. The regional government leader, Pavlo Kyrylenko, said Ukraine retains control of about 45 percent of the region. The area has been a flashpoint in the conflict.

In other developments, Ukraine accused Russia of preparing to hold referendums in areas it occupies over whether to join Russia. Ukrainian officials have called the possible vote “a sham.” Ukraine’s security and defense council said anyone who helps to organize Russian referendums will be tried in court and could be sentenced to death.

Also on Saturday, Russia published a decree that makes it easier for Ukrainian citizens to live and work in Russia by scrapping work permits and allowing indefinite residency.

Moscow says 3.6 million Ukrainian nationals, including 587,000 children, have come to Russia since the start of the conflict six months ago.

Earlier this week the United Nations Human Rights Commission estimated more than 5,000 civilians have died and nearly 8,000 have been injured since the start of the war.

(voanews.com)

5Th South Asian Rally Of Inner Wheel Int

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Dhaka —  The 5th South Asia Rally of International Inner Wheel, one of the largest women’s service voluntary organisation, will be held on August 26 and 27 at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka.

The two-day Rally, hosted by Inner Wheel Districts 345 and 328, is being held for the first time in Bangladesh and it is expected to be participated by over seven hundred Inner Wheel members from India, Nepal, Malaysia, Philippines and host Bangladesh.

International Inner Wheel President Ms. Zenaida Yangco Farcon from the Philippines will take part in the Rally as the Guest of Honour.

The Rally will be formally inaugurated by Mr. Asaduzzaman Khan, MP, Hon’ble Home Minister of Bangladesh on August 27, 2022 at the Ball Room of Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel.

Inner Wheel is spread across over 104 countries and regions and has more than 108,000 members in the world. Inner Wheel members are involved in promoting services aimed at bringing a qualitative change in the lives of people, especially women, youth and children from marginalised communities. – Bangladesh Monitor

MoU with UK Opens New Avenue of Employment for Nepali Healthcare Professionals

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Kathmandu — The government has signed a bilateral agreement with the UK with the aim to provide highly-paid jobs to Nepali youths in the UK.

Secretary at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security, Eaknarayan Aryal, and British Ambassador to Nepal, Nicola Pollitt signed the memorandum of understanding (MoU) to recruit Nepali healthcare professionals in the UK’s health sector.   The MoU was signed in presence of Minister for Labour, Employment and Social Welfare, Sher Bahadur Kunwar.
The MoU has become a new milestone for Nepal in terms of diversifying employment destinations for the country’s youth.
The MoU has established Government to Government (G2G) bilateral agreement on fair and ethical recruitment of Nepali healthcare professionals to work in the UK’s health sector. This pact is expected to encourage individuals seeking healthcare career and help strengthen the healthcare workforce in Nepal.
Once selected, the Nepali healthcare professional will be provided the support required for them to be placed in the UK health system. They will also receive equal rights, privileges, protections and dignity as health professionals from the UK.
Prior to this, the government has signed labour agreement with countries providing high remuneration including Israel, Japan and Mauritius.
The Department of Foreign Employment of Nepal will work with the Department of Health and Social Care of the UK and its designated entity to undertake the recruitment process.
A joint press release issued after the programme reads, “An understanding has been reached to determine implementation protocol at the participation of government bodies of both countries in order to take the recruitment process to the conclusion.”
All the information related to recruitment process of health workers would be kept at Labour Ministry’s website. Applicants, who fulfill the eligibility criteria, shall need to submit all required documents to the Department of Foreign Employment’s online platform.
Nepali citizens aged between 20 and 45 years holding a valid Nepali passport, who have pursued Staff Nurse, Bachelors’s Degree in Nursing (B Sc) or Bachelor of Nursing or Master’s degree in Nursing from a recognized institution by the Government of Nepal can file application.
The applicant should have an active professional license from the Nepal Nursing Council and at least two years of experience in a registered hospital in Nepal. — RSS

US envoy to China Burns says China must show it’s not ‘agent of instability’ on Taiwan

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BEIJING: In his first TV interview since taking up his post in Beijing six months ago US Ambassador to China, Nicholas Burns said that China needs to convince the rest of the world it is not an “agent of instability” and will act peacefully in the Taiwan Strait.

He also spoke about recent visit of US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan and China’s aggressive military drills around Taiwan, reported CNN.

“We do not believe there should be a crisis in US-China relations over the visit — the peaceful visit — of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to Taiwan … it was a manufactured crisis by the government in Beijing. It was an overreaction,” Burns told CNN Friday from the US Embassy.

It is now “incumbent upon the government here in Beijing to convince the rest of the world that it will act peacefully in the future,” the ambassador said. “I think there’s a lot of concern around the world that China has now become an agent of instability in the Taiwan Strait and that’s not in anyone’s interest.”

Burns, a career diplomat and former US ambassador to NATO, arrived in Beijing in March to take up what is arguably the US’ most important diplomatic posting — navigating US-China ties already strained by tensions over a range of issues including China’s human rights record, trade practices and military expansion in the South China Sea.

China’s stringent COVID-19 restrictions have also reduced diplomatic travel into and out of China, placing Burns even more squarely at the front line of handling the increasingly contentious relationship between the world’s two largest economies, reported CNN.

The contentious relationship was evident on the night on August 2, when Burns received a summons for a meeting with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Xie Feng at what he describes as the exact moment that the plane carrying Pelosi and her congressional delegation landed in Taipei. “I defended the speaker. I defended her right to travel to Taiwan. I defended the peace and stability that we’ve had in the Taiwan Strait for nearly six decades,” Burns said, adding that he challenged Xie to ensure that the Chinese government would act in a way that would “promote peace and stability.”

The US upholds a “One China” policy, but has never accepted China’s ruling Communist Party’s claim of sovereignty over Taiwan. Washington maintains “strategic ambiguity” over whether it would come to Taiwan’s defense in the event of a Chinese attack.

The Communist Party has long vowed to “reunify” the island, which it has never controlled, with the Chinese mainland, by force if necessary.

China decried the Pelosi visit as a violation of its “sovereignty and territorial integrity,” with Burns’ counterpart, Chinese Ambassador to the US Qin Gang earlier this month saying the US must “bear the responsibilities” for the situation it has created. When asked whether any lessons Beijing may have learned from observing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could be applied to Taiwan, Burns said the US is “watching China very carefully as it conducts its relationship with Russia.” China has refused to condemn the invasion or refer to it as such. (ANI)

MoU is being signed between Nepal and Britain

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Kathmandu — A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on supply of health human resources is being signed between Nepal and Britain on coming Monday. The MoU will be signed in Britain.

Secretary at the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security, Ek Narayan Aryal and British ambassador to Nepal, Nicola Pollitt would sign the MoU on behalf of their respective countries, the Ministry stated.

A meeting of the Council of Ministers on June 14 had approved the labor MoU related to sending human resources in the health sector from Nepal to the United Kingdom.

India must be a developed nation in 25 years: Indian PM Modi

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NEW DELHI: India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, marking the 75 years of India’s Independence, addressed the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort for the 9th consecutive time on Monday.

In his 83-minute-long speech, the Prime Minister said that India will be a developed nation in the next 25 years, India Today reported.

He also talked about the forgotten heroes of the country, panchpran, naari shakti, corruption and family dynasty, among other things.

The Prime Minister started with honoring the forgotten heroes who played a role in the country’s Independence and recalled the strength of women and sacrifice of freedom fighters including Rani Lakshmi Bai and Begum Hazrat Mahal and said the nation is beholden to them.

He also said that Rajendra Prasad, Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Vir Savarkar and others were the nation builders.

The PM said, “The citizens are thankful to Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Babasaheb Ambedkar and Veer Savarkar who gave their lives on the path of duty.”

(from India Today)

‘BHRAMAN2022’ art exhibition kicked off at the Taragoan Museum and Cultural Centre, Kathmandu

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Kathmandu – Well-known Nepali actor Nikhil Upreti inaugurated the 3-day “Bhraman 2022” art exhibition at the Taragoan Museum and Cultural Centre in the Nepali capital on Sunday.

The artworks exhibited include acrylic and water colour paintings capturing Nepal through its breathtaking landscapes and architecturally rich ancient temples/monasteries. The exhibition is also an amalgamation of other forms of arts which include realism, photorealism paintings extending the wide range of subject matters, such as wildlife, food, figurative etc.

‘I love art and I am always ready to promote artworks. I am very delighted to have been to this exhibition showcasing 25 artworks of artists P. Singh and Rhoslyn. It is my honour to inaugurate the event’, actor Upreti said. ‘I used to paint as well during my childhood, and I also get happy to see young artist like Rhoslyn pursuing her passion in art. I see a lot of potential in her artworks’, he added.

‘Artist P. Singh’s artworks have been exhibited at many events in the UK with an aim of promoting Nepal and Nepali culture through paintings and these have been praised. We are excited to host artist P. Singh. Also, we are delighted in having some of Rhoslyn’s artworks here in Nepal’, said Nirmal Kumar Thapa, Chairperson of the Nepal Centre.

‘I am very delighted to visit Nepal with my artworks and exhibit them. I am thankful for all of your support. Your presence has encouraged me’, said artist P. Singh, who is a Software Engineer by profession. P. Singh works at SMBC Bank in London and paints during his free time. Some of his popular software while working in Nepal earlier include ‘Typeshala’ typing tutor, ‘Thamel.com’, ‘Nepali UNICODE’ and ‘Raajmarg’- a road engineering software.

Artist P. Singh’s daughter Rhoslyn has recently completed her A-levels and is looking forward to pursuing Biomedical Engineering at a University in London from September 2022. ‘I am very excited to have my artworks exhibited in Kathmandu. Thanks everyone for joining and inspiring to do more artworks’, said 18-year-old artist.

The exhibition runs from 14 to 16 August 2022 as part of its art exhibition series by Nepal Centre.

Nepal appoints former Indian cricketer Manoj Prabhakar as a head coach

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Kathmandu — Nepal have appointed former Indian cricketer Manoj Prabhakar as their head coach. He replaces Pubudu Dassanayake, who resigned from the post in July citing personal reasons to take up a similar job in Canada.

Prabhakar played 39 Test matches and 130 ODIs for India in an international career that spanned from 1984 to 1996. He has coached the Delhi, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh teams, and was the bowling coach of Delhi when they won the Ranji Trophy in 2008. Prabhakar was dismissed from the role two days before the start of the 2011-12 Ranji Trophy season for making critical comments about the players and selectors.

He also served as bowling coach of Afghanistan in 2015, continuing in that role for the 2016 World T20, where the side beat West Indies, the eventual champions.

“Seeing the interest for cricket in Nepal, their talent and skill level, I’m really looking forward to working with the Nepal cricket team to make them into a cricketing force to be reckoned with,” Prabhakar said upon the announcement.

Nepal are currently involved in the ICC Cricket World Cup League 2, where they currently sit second from bottom, having won eight games and lost eleven. They finished top of their group at the 2022 Men’s T20 Global Qualifier A, before losing to the UAE in the semifinal.

Taiwan president appeals for international support to halt escalation of regional situation

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TAIPEI: As China continue to hold military drills near Taiwan coast after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit to Taipei, President Tsai Ing-wen has appealed for international support for the island nation and halt the escalation of the regional security situation.

In a tweet on Saturday, Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen said that the country’s government and military are closely monitoring the situation.

“Our government and military are closely monitoring China’s military exercises and information warfare operations, ready to respond as necessary. I call on the international community to support democratic Taiwan and halt any escalation of the regional security situation,” Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen tweeted.

Multiple Chinese planes and ships were detected around Taiwan Strait and some of them have crossed the median line, said the defense ministry on Saturday.

“Multiple PLA craft were detected around Taiwan Strait, some have crossed the median line. Possible simulated attack against HVA. #ROCArmedForces have utilized alert broadcast, aircraft in CAP, patrolling naval vessels, and land-based missile systems in response to this situation,” Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense tweeted today.

China has been increasing its military activities after Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan on Tuesday.

Notably, a top official who led the missile development team of the self-governed island country was found dead in a hotel room, according to media report.

The official, Ou Yang Li-hsing, the deputy head of Taiwan defense ministry’s research and development unit was found dead on Saturday morning in a hotel room, The Jerusalem Post reported citing the Central News Agency.

The 57-year-old deputy chief of the military-owned National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology (NCSIST) was on a business trip to Pingtung in Southern Taiwan in of Pingtung, according to CNA, which said the cause of his death is being investigated.

Since her tour in the island nation, China has been conducting the largest-ever military exercises in the Taiwan Strait, including launching live missiles it claims as part of its sovereign territory. (ANI)

Manchester to celebrate South Asian Heritage Month

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London — South Asian Heritage Month (SAHM) is an annual celebration that runs from 17 July- 18 August. The month is dedicated to raise the profile of British South Asian heritage and to show how much our world today is influenced by South Asia.

Manchester is renowned for its vibrant and diverse communities, the council are hosting sessions across the city, to allow people from all over Manchester to share their stories. Prior to the events, senior members of the community will be engaging young people with stories of what being South Asian means to them. The young people will then use the events to retell these stories through a wide variety of creative formats such as art, poetry and painting.

The events are free to attend and open to all, events are detailed below:

Wednesday 10 August at 4pm, Khizra Mosque

Friday 12 August at 3pm, Rushford Park

Tuesday 16 August at 1pm, Manchester Central Library

Through discussing arts, culture and history, the Council hope that through that through the events participants can understand the diversity of present-day Britain and celebrate the contribution of the South Asian community to British history.

This year is ‘Our Year 2022’ a year of opportunity for the city’s young people. With both SAHM and Our Year in mind, the Council are focussing on the younger generations and want to encourage the storytelling at these organised events.

Speakers, participants and young people will be able to share anecdotal stories about their experiences with their culture and history, passing on the stories, heritage and culture to be told in new and artistic ways by the younger generation. Young people will be encouraged to rap, dance and paint about their heritage and experiences.

Councillor Luthfur Rahman OBE,  Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council said:

“South Asian Heritage Month is a month where we can come together to learn about South Asian history and culture.  This year we are hosting events for people to come along to and learn about the rich cultural tapestry of South Asia.

“As a member of the South Asian community I am pleased that we are celebrating South Asian Heritage Month in Manchester and marking the month by hosting a range of events.  I am proud that we’re supporting the community by amplifying our voices and shining a light on how much of our world today has been influenced by South Asia.”

Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, Executive Member for Finance and Resources said:

“I am thrilled to announce these events that will be taking place over the next few weeks. Manchester is such a culturally diverse and vibrant city and South Asian Heritage Month is a great opportunity for the South Asian communities to tell their stories.

“The story telling aspect of this year’s celebrations adds a creative spin into the month and allows young people to engage with their history in a creative way. As someone whose parents emigrated to these shores from Azad Kashmir, the story of my mum and dad’s aspirations, struggles and successes are an integral part of me, and I believe have made me a better citizen of this city and country.  This passing on of the experiences allows stories, old and new, to be told and ensures that important history is not lost and is carried on to the future generation.”

Rhino poaching increases in South Africa

Posted on by SAT News Desk

In the first half of the year, rhino poaching increased in South Africa, where 259 rhinos were killed for their horn.

In the country as a whole, 259 rhinos were stolen between January and June 2022 as opposed to 249 during the same time last year. Just the Kruger National Park saw 82 rhinos stolen.

According to poaching figures from 2022, there have been losses of 49 privately held parks and 210 on state-owned land. As previously mentioned, KwaZulu-Natal suffered the most at this time, losing 133 rhinos. This is more than three times the 33 rhinos that were wiped out in the first half of the year.