Qatar stocks tumble 7% as six Arab nations cut diplomatic ties…

Six Arab countries including Saudi Arabia and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar for allegedly supporting terrorism.Qatar's key stock index slipped more than 7 percent on Monday, its sharpest fall in over seven years.

Nepal signs mega hydro project deal with Chinese firm…

Nepal has signed a major deal with a Chinese company to develop a 1,200 MW hydroelectric project, the biggest hydro project in the landlocked country that could resolve its perennial power crisis.

Nepal’s Ministry of Energy on Sunday signed an MoU with China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) for the development of the much-touted 1,200 MW Budhigandaki Hydroelectric Project.

The agreement was signed at the Prime Minister’s residence, in the presence of outgoing Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Yu Hong, The Kathmandu Post reported.

First rural LED street lighting project to take off in Andhra Pradesh…

After cities, energy efficient LED lights will now light up the rural areas of the country.

To start with, the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), under the Ministry of Power, is going to retrofit 10 lakh conventional street lights with LED lamp in village panchayats in Andhra Pradesh which is the first project for rural LED street lighting in the country under the Government of India’s Street Lighting National Project (SLNP).

According to an official release, the project will yield energy savings of approximately 147 million units of electricity annually and lead to a reduction of 12 crore tonnes of CO2.

First private railway station of India: Know all about Habibganj station…

Bhopal's Habibganj station has become the first railway station of the country to be build in a Public-Private partnership. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu is scheduled to launch the station redevelopment work on June 9.

The idea behind redeveloping Habibganj is to make the station at par with a world class transit hub equipped with all the amenities.

Important features of the project:

Bhopal-based Bansal Group has been given the responsibility of operations and maintenance for a period of eight years.

The group will invest Rs 100 crore to overhaul the station, and around Rs350 crore to develop four commercial land parcels adding up to 17,245 square meters.

As per the plan, the station will be designed as a world-class transit hub with shopping complex, adequate parking lot, eateries, forex kiosk and other facilities for passengers at railway premises; arriving and departing passengers will be segregated.

The environment-friendly station will be powered by solar energy and will also be differently-abled friendly

The station will have lifts, escalators and travelators for arriving passengers

The station will also have parking space that will give space to cars, two-wheelers, rickshaws, taxis and buses

It will be designed in such a manner that in case of an emergency, the premises can be evacuated in four minutes and passengers can reach designated points of safety within six minutes

IMD to give malaria, chikungunya alerts…

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) is working on a forecasting system to give 15-day warnings on the likelihood of a malaria or chikungunya outbreak, over different regions.

IMD Director-General K.J. Ramesh said such a service was part of a larger initiative by the department to provide custom, weather-related information to cope with challenges of a global warming and its associated impact of weather. Extreme rainfall events were on the rise, said Mr. Ramesh and this could also mean more instances of humid conditions and water logging that could precipitate vector-borne disease outbreaks.

Wildlife Board okays Andamans’ Rutland Island for DRDO’s missile testing project… 

The National Board of Wildlife has approved Rutland Island in South Andaman to be the site for the country’s long-range missile test facility, which has been held up since 2012.

The Standing Committee of the National Board of Wildlife in a meeting held on May 15 approved the project, “considering the strategic importance of the project for country’s defence”.

The proposal involves diversion of 49.978 acres forest of which 0.84 ha falls in the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park and 49.138 ha reserve forest within 10km of the Eco Sensitive Zone. The island is very rich in marine life and was once home to the indigenous Andamanese group ‘Jangil’ or Rutland Jarawa. DRDO has been struggling to get its long range missile test facility since 2012 when the proposal was moved across the government.

Vijaya Bank set to develop 100 digital villages…

Vijaya Bank is going to develop as many as 100 digital villages in various States of the country as part of its initiative to promote digital banking among the rural population.

At present, Vijaya Bank is the only public sector financial institution to develop digital villages with focus on rural population.

In the Digital Villages, the bank would offer Internet, free Wi-Fi connectivity, mobile payment facilities, ATM cards, online banking and will carry out a door-to-door campaign to educate the villagers.

Nepali Congress leader has become the 40th Prime Minister of Nepal…

On Tuesday, Nepalese politician Sher Bahadur Deuba was elected as Nepal’s prime minister for the fourth time after the main opposition party decided to end the obstruction of parliament.

Deuba, 70, was the sole candidate to contest in the prime minister election as the main opposition UML or any other party didn’t register their candidacies.

Sachin, David Beckham, Novak Djokovic join UNICEF campaign highlighting father's role…

6th june,

Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar joins a roster of global celebrities, including David Beckham and Novak Djokovic, for a special UNICEF campaign that highlights the critical role played by fathers in children’s early development.

The UNICEF initiative ‘Super Dads’, coming just days ahead of Father’s Day, celebrates fatherhood and highlights the importance of love, play, protection and good nutrition for the healthy development of young children’s brains.

The campaign, which highlights fathers’ critical role in children’s early development, features stars from the world of entertainment and sport including Tendulkar, Beckham, Djokovic, Academy Award winning American actor Mahershala Ali, British Formula One racing driver Lewis Hamilton and Australian actor Hugh Jackman.

Kerala Government Implements 'Green Protocol' to keep Weddings free of plastic...

6^th june

Wedding ceremonies in Kerala are all set to become 'green', with the state government coming out with a green-protocol to make the auspicious occasions more nature-friendly.

With the implementation of the protocol, plastic and other non-degradable articles including disposable glasses and plates and thermocol decorations will be kept at bay from marriage functions.

Instead of this, people would be persuaded to use tumblers, plates and other utensils made of glass and environment-friendly metals.

Inspections will be held at marriage halls, convention centres and hotels and other venues of the wedding ceremony in this regard and action would be taken if the protocol is violated, they said.