Kathmandu: The death toll from flash floods in central Nepal rose to 626 Saturday, with more bodies being recovered and nearly 2,000 people still missing following the disaster. The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) said the bodies were recovered from eight districts of the Himalayan nation. According to the NDRRMA, 233 bodies were recovered...

Kathmandu: Nearly 2,500 stranded people, including 163 foreigners, were evacuated by rescue teams in Nepal, as search and relief operations continued Saturday following the devastating flash floods that killed over 500. The flash floods swept through Rasuwa and other parts of central Nepal on Wednesday, causing loss of life and widespread damage to settlements, roads, bridges and...

SUSHANTA KUMAR SAHU, OP Anandapur: A government primary school at Balipashi under Shalabani panchayat in Anandapur block of Kendujhar district is functioning amid several problems, including leaking classroom roofs, a damaged boundary wall, poor sanitation and the absence of a proper road to the school. Located in a tribal-dominated area, the school caters to children from nearby...

Bhubaneswar/Jajpur: Odisha is set to get a major new Buddhist landmark with a 45-foot statue of Guru Padmasambhava, revered as the “Second Buddha”, coming up near the historic Udayagiri Buddhist site in Jajpur district. The project is aimed at giving a global push to Odisha’s rich Buddhist heritage and strengthening the state’s Diamond Triangle Buddhist Circuit, comprising...

Baragada: A woman and her 18-month-old daughter from Baragada district are missing following the devastating floods in Nepal, while the woman’s husband has been reported safe, officials said Friday. The missing persons have been identified as Gunnam Sai Bindu Kumari, wife of Gunnam Jayakrishna, and their daughter, Hariksha, residents of Sarla village under Jampali panchayat in Baragada...

Brajarajnagar: The body of well-known social activist Ravi Soni was recovered from the banks of the Ib River in Brajarajnagar area of Jharsuguda district Friday, police said. An Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) team recovered the body around 11am after being alerted about the incident. Soni’s wife, Sunita, alleged that he had been murdered and his...

Bhubaneswar: A delegation of concerned citizens met Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Friday and urged the state government to impose restrictions on new bauxite mining projects, citing concerns over ecological degradation, tribal rights and the sustainability of the state’s natural resources. The delegation, comprising former administrators, senior citizens, academics, environmentalists and public representatives, handed over a letter...

Bhubaneswar: Noted environmentalist and innovator Trilochan Sahoo, popularly known as the state’s ‘Tree Man’, is set to receive a national award for his innovative contribution to school safety and disaster management awareness. The National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA), New Delhi, under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, has selected Sahoo for the award...

Bhubaneswar: The state government has intensified food safety enforcement across the state in view of the ongoing rains and the upcoming festive season, with authorities conducting raids on food establishments in all 30 districts. Acting on the directions of State Food Safety Commissioner Poma Tudu, joint enforcement teams have been conducting inspections at food shops, eateries and...

New Delhi: Penguin Random House India (PRHI) Friday said it has been keen to publish Sonia Gandhi’s memoir “Belonging: A Journey of Love” throughout “the relevant discussions”, but it is their “prerogative and responsibility” to fact-check authors. It is not the publisher of the book in India, PRHI said in a statement, days after American publisher Alfred...