NewsBytes

Nepal is all set to host an international conference to spotlight the escalating impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution in the Hindu Kush region, the organisers said on Monday. The two-day Hindu Kush Himalaya Parliamentarians' Meet in Kathmandu, which will begin on August 18, aims to foster collaboration among over 100 parliamentarians, policymakers, climate experts, and stakeholders from the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, which spans 3,500 km from Afghanistan to Myanmar. President Ramchandra Paudel will inaugurate the event, organised by Nepal's Agriculture, Cooperatives and Natural Resources Committee in partnership with the Ministry of Forest and Environment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD). The event will focus on sharing expertise to address the region's socio-economic crises driven by environmental challenges, the organisers said. Issues related to climate change, biodiversity loss, and the effects of pollution that are creating an intense socio-economic crisis in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region will feature during the discussions at the conference.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has invited US President Donald Trump, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the NATO secretary general and several European leaders to a virtual meeting Wednesday ahead of the Trump-Putin summit later this week. The German chancellery said in a statement Monday that the talks would focus on “the current situation in Ukraine with a view to the planned meeting between US President Trump and Russian President Putin.” It said the talks will focus on “further options for action to put pressure on Russia” as well as “preparations for possible peace negotiations and related issues of territorial claims and security.”                Europeans and Ukrainians so far are not invited to the summit Friday in Alaska.

Animal Husbandry Minister Joraram Kumawat on Monday inaugurated Rajasthan's first sex-sorted animal semen laboratory at the Frozen Semen Bank in Bassi, Jaipur. The facility, set up in collaboration with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), based in Anand, Gujarat, aims to improve livestock breeds, increase milk production and boost the income of dairy farmers, Kumawat said. "This innovation will strengthen the rural economy and benefit thousands of livestock rearers," he said. NDDB chairperson Minesh Shah said the unit will produce 10 lakh doses of semen annually, ensuring a timely and affordable supply of high-quality doses is available to farmers. The initiative, he said, would help in breed improvement, enhance dairy productivity and reduce methane emissions through converting cattle dung into fuel and fertiliser.

Nelco Limited, a Tata Group company and a satellite communication service provider, on Monday announced it has inked an agreement with Eutelsat to deliver OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity services across the India region. Nelco will partner with OneWeb India Communications, Eutelsat's local operating entity, to deliver secure, low-latency LEO connectivity for customers on land, at sea, and in the air, according to a release. "Service coverage will extend across India's borders, territorial waters, and remote regions, supporting a wide range of secure government and enterprise applications," the release said. These capabilities will strengthen India's digital infrastructure and national security, while ensuring reliable connectivity in underserved areas, it added. Nelco said it is geared to offer these services to customers as soon the OneWeb LEO services become commercially operational in the country.