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Review of a Champion and International Expert in the Field of Energy and Environment

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By Tim Reynolds Chartered Engineer, Chartered Environmentalist.

 

Energy is one of the basic requirements to sustain our civilization, yet also the greatest threat to carbonization, and global warming.  Secure and abundant electrical power is vital in developing industrialized nations in the 21st century. Climate change significantly affects many countries’ economic systems, ecological structures and social development.

 

Dr. Ramhari Poudyal is driving change for renewable energy and decarbonized industrial development in East Asia, Nepal has enormous hydropower resources, 330 days of sunny weather, and surrounded by many 12,000 meters tall mountains including Mount Everest, yet regularly suffers 18 hours long power outages.. Dr. Ramhari Poudyal is an electrical engineer determined to enable Nepal to become the renewable energy producer for the region, beyond the national boundaries feeding energy poor neighboring countries.  He must build a network of partners, not least in the USA to achieve deployment of renewable energy and other strategies for energy planning,, efficiency improvement conservation, and induatrial decarbonisation, To build partnerships in Innovative technologies such as Smart grid, micro grid, and distributed generation with fully digitalized sensors and smart meters to control the energy theft and huge system loss.

After many years of industrial and engineering experience, Dr. Poudyal decided to research at Swansea University, UK. Dr. Poudyal’s primary area of study was the energy crisis and its mitigation by renewable and sustainable energy.. Dr. Poudyal conducted extensive holistic research that has created new knowledge in the energy sector and published several international peer-reviewed articles, conference papers, and many newspaper and magazine articles about energy crisis and the environment, regularly cited in international journals. He has been invited for an interview by popular media and newspapers. He has participated as a judge and a member of panels to evaluate the work of others in several national and international meetings and journals in his field. His professional expertise were renewable energy, energy planning, energy modeling, energy efficiency improvement and sustainability.

 

Dr. Poudyal is always keen to learn new technologies and sharpen his ability by taking online courses and programs from the USA-based university in his field such as Energy, the Environment and Our Future, the Pennsylvania State University USA. Global sustainable energy: Past, present and the Future, the University of Florida, the USA. Integrating and Planning Projects from the University of California, Irvine, the USA, Developing Innovative Ideas for New Companies: the first step in Entrepreneurship University of Maryland, College Park, the USA. Cities and Consumption: Urban Sustainability and the Sharing Economy, Lund University.

 

Dr. Poudyal brings together a diverse panel of experts to discuss lessons from previous energy price shocks, prospects for energy and metal markets, and policy options to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels while shielding vulnerable groups from damaging disruptions.

Moreover, the world is feeling the pressures of Climate and Ecosystem Change. This includes increasing temperatures, flooding, drought, more powerful and frequent storms, wildfires, crop loss, illness, thawing glaciers, and rising sea levels. Illustrates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has magnified the slowdown in the global economy and highlighting the need for policies to address the underlying demand and supply imbalances.

 

Dr. Poudyal and team is focusing on climate change, committing to adaption by collaborating with interdisciplinary teams of researchers from USA, Europe UK and Nepal to solve some of the world’s most complex energy and environmental challenges. Dr. Poudyal mentions that our world needs abundant, clean, safe, and affordable energy. His study aims to understand challenges in the mechanism of energy transition and advise energy policy for green and resilient energy. For this, Dr. Poudyal is looking forward to helping the world identify unique routes forward for long-term solutions by energy modeling potential in alleviating the energy poverty of the world. Dr. Poudyal explores as a leading role in a project focused on understanding the world’s energy situation and its supply and demand scenario focusing on Nepal as a case study. Dr. Poudyal’s innovative finding published the causes of the energy crisis and its solution in one of the preeminent international pear reviewed journals; “Renewable and Sustainable Energy Review”. (Impact Factor 16.79).  His article is cited 108 times in a many world-renowned journals. Some of the citations become policy-level citations from highly influential and world-renowned journals and coverage is of international significance.

Dr. Poudyal’s new knowledge is correlated with energy and environment where he champions three pillars:

  • Approximately 1.2 billion people lack access to electricity, and roughly 2.5 billion access to modern cooking (Poudyal R. et al., 2019).
  • Secondly, energy security and reliability is a crucial issue. Geopolitical effects directly harm the energy safety and distribution. Dr. Poudyal has published several papers in the leading National government daily newspaper Gorkhapatra, The Rising Nepal, Nagarik News and other media. The recent conflict between Russia-Ukraine has taught us the importance of energy security very closely.
  • Energy in the environment is vital as 65% of carbon emission results from current energy generation. Fossil fuels traditionally generate our energy. Dr. Poudyal mentions that air pollution kills millions of people worldwide and shortens the lives of people in polluted cities by many years. Dr. Poudyal presented the finding at the BNAC conference 2018 Durham University, UK.

 

Energy consumption accounts for 65% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As our dependence on electricity increases and supply-demand management becomes more challenging, large-scale power outages are more common. This has a direct adverse effect on state economies. Other key factors contributing to the energy crisis are presented in the figure below. (Poudyal, R. et al., 2019)

 

Dr. Poudyal’s innovative finding analyzed a long-term outlook on the energy situation is outlined using the Long-Range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) modeling software to exploit Nepal’s tremendous renewable energy resources measure significantly to improve the reliable and affordable energy supply and demand by measuring a quantitatively, estimate costs, and environmental impacts. Dr. Poudyal utilized the right tools and critically analyzes energy challenges and His model contributes significantly to overcome the world’s energy crisis. This innovative result was published in the Renewable and Sustainable Energy international pear review journal. His model could be benedictional not only developing countries but any developed countries around the globe like the USA and the UK.

 

Dr. Poudyal recent study investigates the techno-economic feasibility of installing a 3-kilowatt-peak (kWp) photovoltaic (PV) system in Kathmandu, Nepal. The technical viability of the designed PV system is assessed using PVsyst and Meteonorm simulation software. The study showed significant scaling up the share of solar energy to contribute to the country’s overall energy generation mix. The performance indicators adopted in his study are: The electric energy output, Performance ratio, the economic returns include the levelized cost and the net present value of energy production. The key parameters used in simulations are: Site-specific meteorological data, solar irradiance, PV capacity factor, the price of electricity.

 

Dr. Poudyal’s results show that the 3-kWp PV system can generate 100% of the electricity consumed by a typical residential household in Kathmandu. The achieved PV system efficiency and the performance ratio are 17% and 84%, respectively. The demand-supply gap has been estimated, assuming the load profile of a typical household in Kathmandu under the enhanced use of electric appliances. The calculated levelized cost of energy for the PV system considered is 0.06 $/kWh, and the corresponding rate of investment is 87%. The payback period is estimated to be 8.6 years. The installation of the designed solar PV system could save 10.33 tons of CO2 emission over its lifetime. Overall, the PV systems with a three kWp capacity appear to be a viable solution to secure sufficient electricity for most households in Kathmandu city. This model can be implemented globally to increase energy security and mitigate the current global energy crisis. According to the Department of Energy, the USA aims to achieve 100% carbon neutrality by 2035. For this, Dr.  Poudyal’s innovative ideas to reduce carbon emission by energy efficiency measures, the adaptation of RETs and energy and water conservation are the way forward to achieve such a target. Dr.  Poudyal’s finding highlights are the proposed PV system achieves the levelised cost by 0.06 $/kWh, and its investment rate is 87%. The efficiency of the proposed PV system is 17%, and its performance ratio is 84%. The payback period for deploying the proposed PV system is 8.6 years. Deployment of the proposed PV system can save 10.33 tons of CO2 emission over its lifetime.

 

Dr. Poudyal’s another valuable research entitled Modelling and Simulation of Solar Photovoltaic rooftop has analyzed the current-voltage and power-voltage characteristics of the PV module, assuming a simplified equivalent electrical circuit with a single diode. The model is implemented and simulated in Matlab/Simulink. Simulation results are compared with different types of PV modules and the corresponding datasheets. The comparison verifies that the developed PV model can provide accurate predictions for deploying the actual PV modules. Furthermore, using the precise weather data for Kathmandu, his results indicate that solar radiation is a viable energy source which can promote a large scale in households across the city. The simulation result shows that Kathmandu is suitable for solar energy; monthly average production is higher with solar cells. Solar power is viable without financial support, even in regions with abundant fossil fuel resources (IRENA, 2017). This model could be implemented and benefitted in a month rather than the years needed to implement hydropower plants, it will provide local employment opportunities and enhance national energy security. Being clean energy, it is the best alternative for dealing with frequent power outages. It is more economic than present alternatives used to deal with the rooted energy crisis globally.

 

Dr. Poudyal’s model can be instrumental in knowing the techno-economic feasibility of solar PV rooftop modules in residential buildings globally. It is further recommended that the present module help researchers, engineers, energy planners and policymakers better understand the PV system worldwide.

Dr. Poudyal was instrumental in a sustainability case study in one of the country’s largest cement industry: Udayapur Cement Industry Ltd. His significant findings have been presented to national and international conference. This finding and module proceeding was provided to the Planning Commission, Ministry of Energy and all policy-making institutes for implementation.

 

Dr. Poudyal has continuously published the research finding in various newspapers and magazines on several energy and environmental topics such as how to reduce the electricity crisis?, Food crises caused by war and its deadly consequences,  Challenges of Solid Waste Management: History to Present, Interests of industrialized (G7) nations, Energy in the Government Policy-Programs, The geopolitics of energy, MCC in Country’s Development,  COVID-19 impacts on energy systems in Nepal: Implications for SDGs, Sustainable Flood Management in Nepal, Possibilities of Hydrogen energy

He strongly supports Mr. Biden US President’s energy policy by quoting his election slogan in his recent article of Gorkhapatra “Climate change is the number one problem facing humanity.”  Dr. Paudyal highly appreciated his priority on clean renewable energy and budget to spend two trillion dollars will be the most significant investment in energy infrastructure development since World War II. Joe Biden’s US president.

 

To achieve the UN’s 17 Sustainable Goals (SDGs), every country has to work together to combat the world’s energy crisis, water crisis, environmental problems, and biodiversity threats. Dr. Poudyal always insists on the need for more scientific research in these areas. Due to the excessive use of petroleum products, the environment has deteriorated, and billions of money have been diverted globally. On the other hand, those traditional products are making our society sick and polluted. The Government of Nepal recently committed to the United Nations Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that 90 percent of vehicles will run on electricity by 2030. He requests that if 20 percent of energy efficiency can be implemented as a campaign every year in the energy of 3 trillion, the significance of 60 billion rupees will be saved annually. This is how we can save energy and reduce global carbon footprint and make our environment greener and less polluted. This efficiency improvement module can be used anywhere in the world. According to research conducted in America, the mild clean air of Manhattan of the past could save hundreds of lives.

 

Dr. Poudyal always quotes international research papers and newspapers in his articles. Such as Damian Carrington writes in the British newspaper The Guardian, entitled ‘Study finds higher rates of COVID -19 deaths in areas with higher air pollution: ‘Poor air increases the risk of respiratory problems that can be fatal for patients with the coronavirus. According to the Study, in the years before the pandemic, a slight, single-unit increase in air pollution levels led to a 15 per cent increase in mortality.

 

Currently, Dr. Poudyal focus on established an organization called SAFA URJA (Clean Energy), Limited, Auri Investment GmbH, active in Nepal and Germany. He is leading and managing the team as director of large-scale solar PV, Agro voltaic and other businesses.

As the lead, he establishes sustainable, dual-use solar projects on farms. Prepared the Project design and supported the proposal writing and submission for bidding. Develop research proposals energy-related businesses and solid waste management collaborating with GTZ, ADB, and the World Bank. Dr. Poudyal is a well-established writer, researcher and charitable marathon runner.

 

Dr. Poudyal has published a short story collection entitled ‘British Weather’, where he has featured 21 of his short stories. His stories and articles are primarily based on eco-literature, where he has worried about environmental degradation, biodiversity, climate change, immigration and development. Beside all this he is a keen to advocate of energy conservation, heritage conservation, cycling and He participated UK-based park run for 250 weeks and completed five marathons in five different countries, including Paris, Berlin, London, Lisbon (Portugal) and Pokhara, Nepal, and the Chicago Marathon on the 9th of October, 2022.

 

All of the above indicates Dr. Poudyal’s as an outstanding academic researcher with exceptional ability in scientific research. I wish his research and innovative finding will help and utilized by national and internal level to improve their energy crisis and environment to success their program.

References:

  1. Poudyal, R., Loskot, P., Nepal, R., Parajuli, R., & Khadka, S. K. (2019b). Mitigating the current energy crisis in Nepal with renewable energy sources. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2019.109388.
  2. Poudyal, R., Loskot, P. & Parajuli, R. Techno-economic feasibility analysis of a 3-kW PV system installation in Nepal. Renewables8, 5 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40807-021-00068-9
  3. https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=ew9W-YkAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao

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Author Tim Reynolds MSc CEng CEnv is sustainability Engineer, and Adviser to SolarEx.io a blockchain ICO. He had years of experiences and expert of Renewable Energy investment in Developing Economies, Low head Hydro and Sustainable Technology.

Nepal slightly improves in HDI ranking: UNDP report

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KATHMANDU, RSS

Nepal has improved its ranking from 144th to 143th position, although the Human Development Index (HDI) value has marginally declined from 0.604 to 0.602 due to continued turbulence caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) said in a report.

From the lens of gender, Nepal stands at 113th position in global Gender Inequality Index. As per the report, the South Asian Countries in HDI Ranking is: Afghanistan -180; Bangladesh-129; Bhutan -127; India-132; Maldives – 90; Nepal -143; Pakistan-161 and Sri Lanka -73.

 

Released after a two-year gap on September 12, the 2022 Report puts the country in the Medium human development category.

The HDI is a summary measure for assessing long- term progress in three basic dimensions of human development: a long and healthy life, access to knowledge and a decent standard of living.

Between 1990 and 2021, Nepal’s HDI value changed from 0.399 to 0.602, a change of 50.9 percent. Between 1990 and 2021, Nepal’s life expectancy at birth changed by 13.6 years, mean years of schooling changed by 2.8 years and expected years of schooling changed by 5.4 years. Nepal’s GNI per capita changed by about 146.0 percent between 1990 and 2021, the UNDP said.

The analysis shows Nepal’s continues to incur substantive loss in human development due to persisting inequalities.

Nepal continued to a loss of over 25% in human development due to inequalities across gender, caste, geographic regions and other categories. As the inequality in a country increases, the loss in human development also increases. The 2021 female HDI value for Nepal is 0.584 in contrast with 0.621 for males, resulting in a GDI value of 0.942, placing it into Group 3 which comprises countries with medium equality in HDI achievements between women and men.

Records show during 2019 and 2020, Nepal’s performance was comparatively low in the areas, including maternal mortality, shares of parliamentary seats held by women, and women’s participation in the labour force.

The Gender Inequality Index measures gender inequalities (the loss in human development due to inequality between female and male achievements) in three key dimensions – reproductive health, empowerment, and labour market. Reproductive health is measured by maternal mortality ratio and adolescent birth rates; empowerment is measured by the shares of parliamentary seats held and population with at least some secondary education by each gender; and labour market participation is measured by the labour force participation rates for women and men.

“The new Human Development Report indicates Nepal has largely maintained stable position over the past two years despite numerous shocks, including COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters. This is because of the long investments over the years. Going forward, we need everyone’s wisdom, experience and more importantly the positive attitude to cope with crisis and making more choices available to the people,” said Ayshanie Medagangoda-Labe, UNDP’s Resident Representative in Nepal.

The report was presented by Dr. Swarnim Wagle, Chief Economic Advisor, UNDP Asia and the Pacific.

Continued investment in coastal resilience critical for sustainable growth in Bangladesh: World Bank

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DHAKA — With increasing climate risks, Bangladesh needs to continue investments to strengthen climate resilience in the coastal zones to protect the development gains, says a new World Bank report launched here Monday.

The report, “Bangladesh: Enhancing Coastal Resilience in a Changing Climate,” highlights the country’s journey to reducing vulnerability to climate change and recommends further actions toward improving the resilience of its coastal region.

It analyzes the drivers of risks, how the government has reduced these risks, and offers a new perspective and innovative solutions.

“Coastal resilience is not a static goal to be met, but rather a continuous process of adapting to changing conditions and finding synergies between development objectives,” said Dandan Chen, World Bank acting country director for Bangladesh and Bhutan.

The report finds that further investments in coastal resilience would produce an array of economic, social, and environmental benefits for Bangladesh.

It lays out seven key recommendations to strengthen the resilience of the coastal region, including strengthening the operation and maintenance of infrastructure, recognizing local knowledge, and utilizing state-of-art modeling tools.

“This report provides a first-of-its-kind analysis of all large investment projects since the 1960s,” said Swarna Kazi, World Bank senior disaster risk management specialist and co-author of the report.

“A key lesson learned is that there is huge potential in Bangladesh for nature-based solutions or hybrid solutions with a mix of green-grey infrastructure,” added Ignacio Urrutia, World Bank senior disaster risk management specialist and co-author of the report.

  • Xinhua

China’s top lawmaker Li on four-day official visit to Nepal

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Kathmandu: Li Zhanshu, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China, has  arrived today in Kathmandu on a four-day official visit at the invitation of Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Li is scheduled to visit Nepal from 12 to 15 September, 2022. As said by Ministry Spokesperson Sewa Lamsal, he will be arriving in Kathmandu on a special flight in the afternoon today.

Speaker Sapkota and Li will hold delegation-level bilateral talks today itself. The Speaker will host a banquet in honour of Li and the members of his delegation in the evening.

During his stay in Nepal, Li will pay courtesy calls on President Bidya Devi Bhandari on September 14 and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on September 13. Li will meet with Chairperson of the National Assembly Ganesh Prasad Timilsina, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Narayan Khadka will pay a courtesy call on Li same day. K P Sharma Oli, former Prime Minister and Chairman of CPN-UML, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, former Prime Minister and Chairman of CPN-Maoist Centre will also hold separate meetings with Li on September 13.

He will return home on September 15 on a special flight. ( Nepal Live Today)

Nepal announces 3 days of national mourning for Queen Elizabeth II

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Kathmandu —Nepal’s Council of Ministers on Friday evening has announced three days of national mourning over the demise of Queen Elizabeth II who took her last breath on Thursday.

The government of Nepal expressed deep sorrow over the demise of Queen Elizabeth II and wished for eternal peace for the departed soul. Also, the meeting announced to fly the national flag at half-mast in government offices and Nepali embassies and missions abroad for three days (September 10-12) to mourn the demise of Elizabeth II.

President of Nepal, Bidya Devi Bhandari and Foreign Minister Dr Narayan Khadka also visited the British Embassy in Kathmandu on Friday to sign the book of condolence on the passing away of Queen Elizabeth II.

Writing a message in the condolence book, the President extended heartfelt condolences to King Charles III, the Royal Family and the friendly Government and people of the United Kingdom. The President stated that the late Queen was a devoted and compassionate guardian for the United Kingdom and for Nepal she was a great well-wisher.

“President also sent today a message of condolence to His Majesty King Charles III of the United Kingdom. In her message, the President stated that this tragedy has stunned not only the United Kingdom but also the people around the world who knew the late Queen as a caring leader and a great human being. The President also stated that the late Queen’s rich legacy of public service would be remembered for years to come,” a release from Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.

Recalling the State Visits of Queen Elizabeth to Nepal in 1961 and 1986, the President mentioned that the late Queen’s contribution to strengthening the bond of the Nepal-UK relationship was immense.

Likewise, in his condolence message to Elizabeth Truss MP, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba also paid tribute to the late Queen as a respected world leader who distinguished herself with duty, honour and service to the nation and humanity.

“Recalling the contributions made by the late Queen to the strengthening of Nepal-UK relations and her close connection with Nepal represented by her two State Visits, Rt. Hon. Prime Minister stated that in her passing away, Nepal has lost a great admirer and friend,” the release further added.

Separately, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Narayan Khadka has also sent a message of condolence to James Cleverly MP, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom, expressing profound sorrow on the demise of Queen Elizabeth II. ( Agencies )

Over 200,000 Sri Lankans leave for foreign jobs this year

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COLOMBO — Sri Lanka’s Minister of Labor and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara said on Sunday that more than 200,000 Sri Lankans have left for foreign jobs in 2022 so far.

He said that these are the people who have registered with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, and some may have left without registering.

The minister said that remittance sent by expatriate workers to Sri Lanka reached 325 million U.S. dollars in August, an increase of 16.4 percent compared to July.

Around 330,000 people are expected to leave Sri Lanka for foreign jobs by the end of this year, the minister said.

The minister expressed gratitude to workers who have sent money through the banking system at a time when the country is facing a foreign exchange shortage.

– Xinhua

China to transport goods to Afghanistan by railway

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Kabul— The Afghanistan Railway Authority (ARA) said that the process of transporting commercial goods by train from China to Afghanistan will start this month, reported Tolo News.

The head of the Afghanistan Railway Authority (ARA) stated during his visit to Uzbekistan that the ARA and a Chinese company had agreed to transfer commercial goods from China to Afghanistan via Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.

“We have reached an agreement with three countries, including a private company, and the details will be negotiated and finalized this afternoon,” said Bakht Rahman Sharaft, the head of the Afghanistan Railway Authority.

Chinese firms have grown interested in Afghanistan’s mining sector including projects involving copper and lithium, given the massive deposits in the country that are estimated to be worth as much as USD 1 trillion.

However, Beijing’s growing interest raises concerns for the West as China’s efforts are probably not altruistic.

Besides economic profit, strategic interests are at stake – and systemic competition with America.

The Chinese company is expected to transport 3,500 to 5,000 containers of commercial goods, and some Afghan traders may choose to use this route instead of the port of Karachi, reported Tolo News.

The transfer of raw materials from China to Afghanistan by train will cut costs according to representatives of the Chamber of Industries and Mines, while Afghanistan’s commercial goods remain in Karachi port for weeks at a time.

Currently, the port of Karachi serves as the entry point for commercial goods into Afghanistan from China.

The Chamber of Commerce and Investment said that this route costs Afghanistan a significant amount of money, reported Tolo News.

Currently, a significant portion of Afghanistan’s commercial commodities enters the country via the Haritan, Aghina, and Turghundi railways. Efforts are being made to open the Khawaf-Herat railway to traders.

China is focusing firmly on business diplomacy to expand its economic footprint across Afghanistan. It is also sparing no effort to promote and support the Taliban, which finds itself in near diplomatic isolation.

Latest media reports from Kabul and Beijing indicate ‘good’ progress on Chinese investments and reconstruction projects, reported Policy Research Group – Poreg.

When the West, led by the United States, pulled out of Afghanistan after two decades of military intervention, it left a vacuum. The Americans had put some USD 2.3 trillion into the war, engaged in nation-building, and tried to turn Afghanistan into a friendly democracy.

Behind the scenes, however, China is striving to partially fill the Americans’ vacuum.

Politically, Beijing is seeking solidarity with the Taliban; economically, the Chinese want to get involved in mining and trade. Politically, too, China seeks proximity to the Taliban. Months ago, Beijing called for Afghanistan’s internationally frozen assets to be released and for sanctions to be lifted. (ANI)

Rice stuck at Indian ports after rice export ban & duty imposition

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New Delhi — Indian government has recently banned the export of broken rice with immediate effect.   Government has imposed  20 per cent export duty on non-Basmati rice, except for parboiled rice, to boost domestic supplies.

Reuters report has revealed that nearly one million tonnes of grain is trapped at Indian ports as buyers refuse to pay the government’s new 20 per cent export duty.

“The duty became effective from midnight, but buyers are not ready to pay the duty. We have stopped loading vessels.” B.V. Krishna Rao, president of the All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA) was quoted as saying by the publication.

According to AIREA, approximately 750,000 tonnes of rice that can be exported is lying at the Indian ports. However, with margins wafer-thin in the rice business, the buyers are not willing to pay the duty and the rice bound for Benin, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates remains stuck.

Additionaly, at least 350,000 tonnes of broken rice is lying at numerous ports scattered across India. The logistics do not dictate that the rice could be sent back into the hinterland for selling purposes.

With the complete export ban imposed on broken rice, the future of the stock hangs in balance as exporters await some relaxation from the government regarding rules.

The government was forced to put a restriction on rice export as the production has not been up to par. Reports suggest that there could be a drop of 10-12 million tonnes in the Kharif season as rain deficit across different rice-producing states had hit the crops hard.

Notably, India is the largest exporter of rice globally and any restriction by the Indian government is expected to impact the international market. In 2021, the country exported over 21 million tonnes of rice. However, due to the restrictions and low yield, only 10 million tonnes will hit global supplies.

(With inputs from agencies)

Armed Forces pay tribute to Her Majesty The Queen

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London – The heads of the British Armed Forces have paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral Castle, Scotland.

Britain’s most senior officers have expressed their condolences to His Majesty King Charles III and the Royal Family as they paid their own personal tributes to the Queen on behalf of all members of the Armed Forces and their families.

Leading the tributes, the Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin spoke of the Queen’s deep personal relationship with the Armed Forces, including through her own service during the Second World War, and as the wife, mother and grandmother of service personnel. She understood better than most the burdens and the glory of a life in uniform, he added.

The heads of the Armed Forces spoke as the nation began mourning the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and head of state for more than 70 years, who passed away “peacefully” on Thursday at the age of 96.

Chief of the General Staff General Sir Patrick Sanders said: “It is with profound sorrow that the Army marks the death of Her Majesty The Queen. “The nation has lost its Sovereign. The Army has lost its Commander-in-Chief. The Royal Family has lost a dedicated mother, grandmother and great grandmother. “Her Majesty epitomised duty, selfless commitment and loyalty. Her service inspired generations of soldiers”. “She will be remembered by all ranks of the British Army with the deepest affection.” Her Majesty epitomised duty, selfless commitment and loyalty,’ he added.

The First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sir Ben Key said: “The very sad news today of the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II has touched every member of the Royal Navy. “In all our lives, her reign has been a constant, and her dedication and lifetime of service was utterly inspiring. “She exemplified qualities we all aspire to. As the daughter, wife and mother of Royal Naval officers, Her Majesty had a close affinity with the men and women in her Royal Navy and those who support us and she took close personal interest in their wellbeing, as well as that of their families. We owe her a debt we can never repay. “May she rest in peace. God Save the King.”

Similarly, Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston, Chief of the Air Staff, said: “It is with overwhelming sadness that the Royal Air Force and Royal Auxiliary Air Force mourn the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II”. During her long and glorious reign, she has been the embodiment of a life dedicated to the service of the Nation and the Commonwealth, and for that has been admired by millions around the world”. “Her Majesty, as Head of the Armed Forces, has been a constant source of inspiration and a pillar of strength to all who have been privileged to serve her. Those who had the honour of meeting Her Majesty will never forget their interaction and the deep sense of pride they felt in that moment”. “On behalf of everyone in the Royal Air Force, serving, retired, and their families, I offer our deepest condolences to His Majesty The King and The Royal Family.”

The British government has announced that formal funeral of Her Majesty will take place on Monday, 19th of September 2022.

The funeral of the Queen will take place at 11am on Monday 19 September at Westminster Abbey, it has been announced. Members of the public will be able to pay their respects as the Queen’s coffin is taken to St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh on Monday 12 September and the Palace of Westminster in London on Wednesday 14 September.

Nepalese community and Gurkhas pay tribute to the Queen

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London —- Nepalese Gurkhas have been helping the British in security since 1816 . The security responsibility of Queen Elizabeth II has also been in Nepalese hands.

The Royal Family has a long association with the Gurkhas, dating back to Queen Victoria, who established a group of Gurkha Orderly Officers to attend to the Sovereign in 1876.

In 1954, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II reintroduced this practice by commanding that two Gurkha Officers should be nominated annually as ‘The Queen’s Gurkha Orderly Officers’ (QGOOs). The Queen insisted on having QGOOs by her side at public events and official functions.

The Queen, who died on Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland at age 96, had a soft spot for Nepal, since news of the first ever ascent of Mt Everest got to London on the morning of her coronation on 2 June 1953 that year.

Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay had reached the top of the world’s highest mountain on 29 May, but the news took several days to reach London via the British Embassy in Kathmandu.

Diplomatic relations were established between Britain and Nepal after the Sugauli Treaty was signed in 1816. Britain is the first country to establish diplomatic relations with Nepal.

After that, Nepalis started to join the British Gurkhas. In 1947, when the British left independent India and returned, there was a tripartite agreement between the three countries to recruit Nepalis in British Gurkha. On the basis of the same treaty, Nepalis are still being enrolled in British Army and Indian Army.

Gurkhas have fought for Britain even before the end of Nepal’s war with the East India Company in 1816. More than 200,000 soldiers from Nepal fought in the British Army in the two world wars, at a time when Nepal’s total population was barely 4 million.

Elizabeth II and the Prince Philip were popular in Nepal.  Elizabeth II and the Prince visited Nepal twice in 1961 and 1986. They were welcomed at Tribhuvan Airport in Kathmandu by the then King Mahendra and Queen Ratna during their first trip to Nepal.

Last May, Nepali and British Gurkha communities in Britain celebrated Queen’s  Diamond Jublee Festival with various programs, while Nepali Ambassador Gyan Chandra Acharya participated in the military parade, ‘Thanksgiving’ and reception ceremony.
On her demise Prime Minister of Nepal, Nepalese community ,  Gurkhas and Nepalese British organisations and leaders have expressed their sorrow and sent their condolences.

Queen Elizabeth II of UK passes away

Posted on by SAT News Desk

LONDON: Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest-serving monarch, has died at Balmoral aged 96, after reigning for 70 years, BBC reported.

Her family gathered at her Scottish estate after concerns grew about her health earlier on Thursday.

The Queen came to the throne in 1952 and witnessed enormous social change.

With her death, her eldest son Charles, the former Prince of Wales, will lead the country in mourning as the new King and head of state for 14 Commonwealth realms, the report said.

In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.

“The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”

All the Queen’s children travelled to Balmoral, near Aberdeen, after doctors placed the Queen under medical supervision.

Her grandson, Prince William, is also there,.

Queen Elizabeth II’s tenure as head of state spanned post-war austerity, the transition from empire to Commonwealth, the end of the Cold War and the UK’s entry into – and withdrawal from – the European Union.

Her reign spanned 15 prime ministers starting with Winston Churchill, born in 1874, and including Liz Truss, born 101 years later in 1975, and appointed by the Queen earlier this week.

She held weekly audiences with her prime minister throughout her reign.

At Buckingham Palace in London, crowds awaiting updates on the Queen’s condition began crying as they heard of her death.

The Queen was born Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor, in Mayfair, London, on 21 April 1926.

(Inputs from BBC)

India plans to mandate rear seat belt alarms in cars

Posted on by SAT News Desk

NEW DELHI —  India is planning to make it mandatory for car makers to install an alarm system for rear seat belts to enforce their use, in an effort to reduce road accident fatalities, the transport minister said late on Tuesday.

The move comes after Cyrus Mistry, the former chairman of Indian conglomerate Tata Sons (TATAS.UL), died in a car crash on Sunday. He was sitting in the rear seat and did not have his seat belt on, local media reported citing police officials.

In India, one person dies every four minutes in road accidents, the World Bank said last year.

While it is already mandatory for all occupants in a car in India, the world’s fourth-biggest auto market, to wear a seat belt failing which they can be fined, passengers at the back seldom do and enforcement is also lax. ( Agencies)

Pakistan floods still affect over 33 mln people: UN

Posted on by SAT News Desk

GENEVA — The aftermath of Pakistan’s devastating floods is continuing to impact over 33 million people, including Afghan refugees, a United Nations (UN) official said on Tuesday.

Indrika Ratwatte, director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific at the United Nations (UN) Refugee Agency (UNHCR), told a press briefing here that Pakistan had been hosting millions of Afghan refugees for decades and the international community ought to ramp up its support for Pakistan without delay.

He said that the UNHCR had already completed four airlifts to Pakistan, with at least six more scheduled in the coming days.

Official figures released on Tuesday show that the death toll in Pakistan from this season’s monsoon rains and floods that started in mid-June has risen to 1,325 with 12,703 injuries.

Tarik Jasarevic, spokesperson for the World Health Organization (WHO), told journalists on Tuesday that over 1,460 health facilities in Pakistan had been affected by the floods, of which 432 were fully damaged and 1,028 partially damaged.

The stocks of emergency medicines, supplies and minor surgical items for dealing with trauma patients were limited, he said, adding that there was an urgent need to scale up disease surveillance, restore the damaged health facilities, ensure sufficient medicine and health product supplies, and provide mental health and psychosocial support to the affected communities.

  • Xinhua

India, Bangladesh to begin trade talks to further strengthen ties

Posted on by SAT News Desk

New Delhi —- Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday held an extensive discussion on a range of bilateral issues as they decided to start negotiations on a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) to sustain momentum in the bilateral ties.

India and Bangladesh today signed seven Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) in the presence of PM Modi and visiting prime minister Sheikh Hasina. These agreements were signed after delegation-level talks were held at the Hyderabad House.
Speaking at a special briefing here, Indian foreign secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra, said both leaders agreed to build resilient supply chains in both countries and across the region.
“India is the largest market for Bangladeshi products in Asia. “And despite the pandemic, the bilateral trade between the two countries reached an all-time high of USD 18 billion in the last financial years,” he added.
“To sustain this momentum, both leaders have directed the concerned ministries to commence negotiations on a bilateral comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) this year in 2022 and complete it in time for Bangladesh’s final graduation from the LDC status,” he added.
Both leaders also exchanged views and perspectives on regional and global issues. The foreign secretary informed that there was a strong agreement between the two leaders on the significance of further strengthening bilateral, and subregional cooperation to sustain prosperity in these challenging times.
“Both prime ministers held extensive and productive discussions on the entire range of bilateral issues including political and security cooperation, energy partnership, water corporation, trade and economic ties, development partnership and strengthening people-to-people ties. They also exchanged views and perspectives on regional and global issues,” Kwatra said.
Both leaders unveiled and inaugurated important development projects including Unit I of the joint Maitree power plant and Rupsha bridge and witnessed the exchange of seven MoUs in the areas of water resources, capacity building, railway, science and technologies.
Highlighting the key issues that came under discussion, the Indian foreign secretary said both leaders emphasised the importance of security cooperation, counter-terrorism, and cross-border crimes.
“Both leaders underscored the importance of continuing our close security cooperation in the fields of counter-terrorism, border management, and cross-border crimes. They agreed to further enhance our development partnership including upgradation of railway infra projects in Bangladesh,” he said.
“Bangladesh is one of India’s important development partners both in terms of value and concessionality of terms and the range of cooperation in the entire spectrum of the development partnership,” he added. (ANI)

Juhi Chawla marks digital debut in Prime Video thriller series “Hush Hush” out 22 Sept

Posted on by SAT News Desk

MUMBAI, India — Championing female-forward stories, Prime Video today announced the launch date of its ambitious series, Hush Hush, that features a cast and crew led by women. Produced by Vikram Malhotra-led Abundantia Entertainment, the series marks the digital debut ofJuhi Chawla and Ayesha Jhulka, and also stars Soha Ali Khan Pataudi, Kritika Kamra, Shahana Goswami, and Karishma Tanna in the lead. Hush Hush revolves around a set of women whose picture-perfect lives begin to come undone when an unexpected event brings to the fore secrets from their past and threatens everything that’s dear to them. Knitted in a web of lies, deceit and fighting patriarchy, the story explores the storm that brews behind the seemingly quiet façade of the privileged lives of these women. Hush Hush is co-created by Abundantia Entertainment and critically acclaimed director Tanuja Chandra (Qarib Qarib Single, Sangharsh, Dushman). Prime members in India and more than 240 countries and territories can stream the series from September 22.

What makes Hush Hush even more unique is that it features a cast and crew primarily comprising women, right from the Production Designer, the Costume Designer, the Associate Producer, the Co-producer, to teams in the Art, Costume, Production and even the Security functions. Acclaimed writer Juhi Chaturvedi (Gulabo Sitabo, Piku, Sardar Uddham Singh) has written the dialogues, Kopal Naithani has directed two episodes in this season and Tanuja Chandra  double-hats as director and executive producer. Additionally, story has been written by Shikhaa Sharma (Jalsa, Shakuntala Devi, Sherni) who is also one of the Executive Producers on the series.

“Women are 50% of the population, yet stories told by them and from their perspective are far and few in between,” said Aparna Purohit, Head of India Originals, Prime Video. “At Prime Video, we are committed to giving a global platform to diverse, authentic and relatable female stories, and with Hush Hush, we are taking our commitment to female-forward narratives a step further. Hush Hush is an emotional and intriguing story with nuanced, flawed and complex women who light up the screen.We are thrilled to join hands with Abundantia Entertainment once again to create a story that amplifies female voices in both, reel and real life!”

 

“Abundantia Entertainment is all about engaging, impactful, meaningful and entertaining story-telling. In pursuing our philosophy of bringing disruptive content to our audience, we also proudly champion female-first narratives – stories of and around powerful women, told by equally powerful voices,”added Vikram Malhotra, Founder & CEO of Abundantia Entertainment. “Films like Shakuntala Devi, Sherni, Chhorii and the recent Jalsa are examples of such work that has resonated in a big way with fans all over the world. And I am delighted that in Prime Video we have found a partner that supports and believes in these stories. After these films, and the much-loved Breathe, our partnership now reaches the next level with Hush Hush. This gripping tale is brilliantly put together by a never-before leading cast and crew almost entirely made up of talented women and I am confident that Hush Hush will set a new benchmark in amplifying female voices, especially in the portrayal of strong characters set in a world around us”.

SAFF Women’s Championship: Host Nepal starts off with a win

Posted on by SAT News Desk

Kathmandu — Nepal has made a winning start to the 6th edition of South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Women’s Championship that kicked off in the capital today.

Host Nepal defeated Bhutan by 4-0, with one goal scored in the first half and three in the second half of the match held at Dasharath Stadium in Tripureshwar.

Ace Nepali striker Sabitra Bhandari scored the opening goal for Nepal in the 12th minute of the match utilizing an assist from Amisha Karki.

Bhandari doubled the score to make it 2-0 in the 68th minute while Anita Basnet scored a brace in the 73rd and 84th minutes of the match. The match today was also affected for some time due to heavy rainfall that lashed the capital this evening.

Along with host Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives, and Bhutan are participating in the SAFF Championship. The seven participating countries are divided into two groups. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Maldives are in Group ‘A’ while Sri Lanka and Bhutan along with Nepal are in Group ‘B’

The top two from each group will qualify for the semi-finals of the tournament held in a league cum knockout method.

Nepal is hosting the regional tournament for the second time in a row after hosting the 5th edition in Biratnagar. Nepal will now play against Sri Lanka in the second match of the group stage to be held on September 12.

In the five participations so far, Nepal has been limited to runner-up four times. Once it was limited to the semi-finals. Apart from India, no other country has won the championship title so far. Nepal was defeated by India four times in the final, including the last one held in Biratnagar. (RSS)