UK appoints vaccines minister to oversee COVID inoculations

The British government appointed a vaccines minister on Saturday as it prepares to inoculate millions of people against the coronavirus, potentially starting within days. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Conservative lawmaker Nadhim Zahawi will oversee the country’s biggest vaccine program in decades. The U.K. medicines regulator is currently assessing two vaccines — one developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, the other by Oxford University and AstraZeneca — to see if they are safe and effective....

Oli rejects charges against him

The much-awaited Secretariat meeting of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) concluded Saturday after party chairman and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli presented a separate political document rejecting all the charges labelled against him by another chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’. In the meeting held at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar today, chairman Oli presented a 38-page political proposal as a response to the allegations made by ‘Prachanda’ at the Secretariat...

'This is era of digital economy'

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that the present era is of the digital economy. Addressing 'Phone Pay Digital Economy Conclave 2020' organised here on Saturday, Prime Minister Oli said that the world's attention was now focused on the exploration and development of the digital economy. "Investment in this sector is increasing, new inventions and innovations are taking place," said the Prime Minister.

Nepali film industry reeling from pandemic blow

Like most other businesses, the Nepali film industry entered a period of extended hibernation following the government-imposed lockdown. Nine months hence, while other sectors have gradually risen out of their slumber, the movie business is yet to see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Film shoots have been canceled, releases indefinitely postponed, and cinema halls remain shut.

Chinese Defense Minister Wei arriving today

State Councilor and Defense Minister of China Wei Fenghe is paying a one-day visit to Nepal on Sunday, November 29. This is the highest level visit from the northern neighbour after President Xi Jinping’s two-day state visit in October last year. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) said in a statement on Saturday that Wei will pay courtesy calls on President Bidya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli who also holds the portfolio of Defense Minister. He is also scheduled to meet Chief...

COVID-19 update: 1,380 new cases, 515 recoveries, 19 deaths in last 24 hours

With 1,380 new cases of novel coronavirus confirmed on Saturday, the national COVID-19 tally has surged to 230,723.

Los Angeles orders more restrictions as coronavirus surges

Los Angeles County announced a new stay-home order Friday as coronavirus cases surged out of control in the nation’s most populous county, banning most gatherings but stopping short of a full shutdown on retail stores and other non-essential businesses.

Satya and Swaroop appear in qawwali song

Singers and musicians Satyaraj and Swarooparaj Acharya have lent their voice and music to a qawwali song “Maisaable Ghaite Dilma Ara Chalaisyo”. The singers are brothers. The song has highly respectful words used in the royal family. The song has lyrics by Amrit Khatiwada and music by Acharya brothers themselves while Uday Raj Poudel has coordinated its music. Directed by Kabiraj Gahatraj, the music video depicts royal style life.

Watching The Watchdogs Of Democracy

The watchdogs of democracy are civil society, media, citizens groups and civic bodies, which keep an eye on overall affairs of state for their transparency, accountability and legitimacy. Their universal duties are to monitor the dominant institutions of society, b

Nepal Needs To Boost Vaccine Diplomacy

With an encouraging news of COVID-19 vaccines, lower-income countries are presented with the challenge of ensuring a quick inoculation of their populations. The establishment of COVAX (COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access Facility) has raised hopes for Nepal, which is one of the 92 lower-income participating countries. A group of organisations has joined the COVAX plan under the leadership of the World Health Organisation (WHO). It aims at accelerating the COVID-19 vaccine development, securing doses...