<p>Meahwhile, the government has announced a public holiday tomorrow for the election taking place for the authorized trade union of the civil servants.</p><p>The public holiday is however applicable only for the civil servants, according to a statement issued today by the Home Ministry. <br><br></p>

<p>A total of 76 people have so far lost their lives in the incidents of fire taken place across the country since last winter while the death toll from lightning strikes in the same period remains 28.<br><br>Minister for Home Affairs Shakti Bahadur Basnet informed this to the Legislature-Parliament meeting today.<br><br>He briefed the House about the abduction of Birgunj-based industrialist Suresh Kumar Kedia and his safe release. He said the police administration has been directed to remain in high-alert so as not to let such incident(s) happen again. <br><br>Meanwhile, the Madhes-centric parties agitating over the some provisions in the new constitution continued to boycott the House meeting today, too.&nbsp; <br><br></p>

<p>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said a golden age has started in the energy development sector in Nepal.<br><br>The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating the Nepal Power Investment Summit, 2016 in Kathmandu today. The summit is organised jointly by the Ministry of Energy, the Investment Board and the Energy Development Council.<br><br>He said the development of the energy sector is the primary condition as the country has entered into a new phase of development.<br><br>Stating that efforts were on to making Nepal an investment hub, he urged the investors and the entrepreneurs to invest with open heart. <br><br>He said the meaningful cooperation and support of all sectors concerned is needed for the development of the energy sector.<br><br>On the occasion, National Planning Commission (NPC) Vice Chairman Dr Yubaraj Khatiwada stated that the government has made policy reforms and prepared investment-friendly environment for the development of the energy sector.<br><br>More than 125 investors from 25 countries interested in investing in Nepal are participating in the conference that will last until Wednesday. <br><br>Participants from America, Great Britain, India, China, the Czech Republic, Bhutan among other countries will address the conference expressing their views on the prospects of investment in the energy sector in Nepal. <br><br>The recommendations of the conference would be presented to the government. The foreign investors and entrepreneurs would also be taken on a tour of different hydroelectricity projects as well as places with investment potentials.<br><br></p>

<p>The Global Civil Society Dialogue is taking place in Lalitpur from tomorrow or June 1 with the objective of seeking a ground to implement the United Nations commitments to ending all sorts of hunger from the world by 2030 AD. <br><br>The data shows that 3.1 million children die from malnutrition across the world every year and in the world today about 795 million remain undernourished. <br><br>A three-day event is being hosted by Civil Academy, Rural Reconstruction Nepal, Civil Society Alliance for Nutrition Nepal, NGO Federation of Nepal and Right to Food Nepal. <br><br>As many as 150 people from various countries including Nepal, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Myanmar, Cambodia, Tajikistan, Indonesia, Philippines,&nbsp; South&nbsp; Korea, Japan,&nbsp; Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, and some countries of South America, Africa and Europe are taking part in the event. This was informed at a news conference here today. <br><br></p>

<p>Taliban militants have killed at least 10 people after kidnapping dozens of bus passengers near the city of Kunduz in northern Afghanistan, officials say.</p><p>Two buses were stopped and more than 185 passengers seized by armed gunmen, a statement by the regional police chief said. Officials managed to free 160 of them, it added.</p><p>The Taliban are still active in parts of Kunduz, after most of the city was retaken by Afghan forces last year. The group have not commented on the incident, in Aliabad district.</p><p>The buses were travelling from Kabul to Badakhshan, in north-eastern Afghanistan, when they were stopped by Taliban members who had set up a roadblock.<br><br><br><br></p>

<p>North Korea has attempted to fire a ballistic missile off its east coast but the launch appears to have failed, South Korean military officials say.</p><p>It is unclear what type of missile it was, but it follows three failed tests of the medium-range "Musudan" missile in April.</p><p>The North is banned by the UN from using any ballistic missile technology. Tensions have run high in the region after Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test in January and numerous missile tests.</p><p>Also today, the newly promoted vice-chairman of North Korea's ruling Workers Party, Ri Su-yong, arrived in China for what South Korean media said was an unannounced official visit.<br><br></p>

<p>At least 23 people have been killed by air strikes on the rebel-held city of Idlib, in north-western Syria, activists say.</p><p>The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Russian aircraft targeted various positions overnight. Turkey also blamed Russia and put the death toll at more than 60. Russia has denied any involvement. Idlib city and the province of the same name are a stronghold of groups including al-Qaeda-linked Nusra Front.</p><p>The Nusra Front is excluded from a partial cessation of hostilities brokered by the US and Russia in February to make way for a resumption of peace talks.<br></p><p><b>Islamic State group hits back as Iraqi army moves into Falluja</b></p><p>Militants from the so-called Islamic State have launched a dawn counter-attack as Iraqi government troops push into the city of Falluja.</p><p>A day after troops advanced through the southern suburb of Nuaimiya, scores of IS fighters attacked them, army officers told news agencies.</p><p>The army defeated the attackers but suffered casualties, the sources said. Aid workers are increasingly concerned for the safety of 50,000 civilians said to be trapped in Falluja. Reports speak of people starving to death and of being killed for refusing to fight for IS.<br></p>

<p>Seventeen Indian soldiers have been killed in a massive fire at a military ammunition depot in western Maharashtra state, army officials say.</p><p>The fire in the depot at Pulgaon near Nagpur triggered a number of explosions, leading to the evacuation of people from neighbouring villages.</p><p>Firefighters are trying to put out the blaze, in which at least 19 people have also been injured. The cause of the fire is still unknown. The fire broke out early today and spread quickly through the depot.</p><p>Reports said about 1,000 villagers had been evacuated as shells and splinters ripped through the area.There have been several such incidents at army ammunition depots in recent years.<br><br></p>