Ukraine war: Russia claims win in occupied Ukraine 'sham' referendums
Four so-called referendums have ended in Russian-held regions of Ukraine - votes which Moscow may use as grounds to annex more territory, BBC reported.
Moscow-installed officials in the regions are now claiming almost total support among those who took part in the disputed votes on joining Russia.
The polls were denounced as a sham by Ukraine's government and its allies.
In the absence of international recognition, the process was not monitored independently.
The votes were held in the breakaway eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. Ballots in Russian-occupied parts of the southern regions of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia were also organised.
Refugees scattered across Russia were also able to vote at dozens of polling stations, including in Crimea, a southern Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. Partial results from voting there indicated huge majorities in favour of joining Russia.
Up to four million people were asked to vote in the war-torn regions, which make up about 15% of Ukraine's territory.
News agencies run by the pro-Kremlin administrations in Donetsk and Luhansk are reporting that up to 99.23% of people voted in favour of joining Russia - a high percentage that would be unusual in a vote of this nature.
There is speculation that Russian President Vladimir Putin may announce the four regions' annexation in a speech to a joint session of Russia's parliament on Friday.
In March 2014, he announced that Crimea had joined Russia just a few days after a similarly unrecognised referendum was held there.
If Russia annexes the four regions, which Moscow does not fully control, it could take the war to a new and more dangerous level, with Moscow portraying any attempt by Ukraine to regain them as an attack on its sovereign territory, according to BBC.
"This farce in the occupied territory cannot even be called an imitation of referendums," he said on Tuesday night, BBC reported.
The president added that it was "a very cynical attempt to force men in the occupied territory of Ukraine to mobilise into the Russian army in order to send them to fight against their own homeland!"
Thamel Remit integrates NPS
Thamel Remit Pvt Ltd, a recent member of Nepal Clearing House Limited (NCHL) has started using National Payment Switch (NPS) as the domestic rail for instant remittances. This membership enables remittance senders from the USA to push transactions to Nepal in a few seconds. Launched in 2013, Thamel Remit is one of the pioneer remittance companies in Nepal. Bal Krishna Joshi, co-founder of Thamel Remit says, “This integration makes Thamel Remit the first digital money transfer company enabling instant settlement in non-card based, bank to bank transactions from the USA to Nepal corridor.” This is the first of its kind whereby the National Automated Clearing House Association (NACHA) of the USA has been indirectly integrated with Nepal Payment Interface (NPI) via a remittance provider (Thamel Remit). All these transactions are processed through the underlying systems of NCHL-IPS and Retail Payment Switch (connectIPS). NPI, as part of the National Payment Switch (NPS), is a consolidated interface for interconnection and operated by NCHL with access to real-time (RPS/ connectIPS) and non-real time batch (NCHL-IPS) payment systems. It has over 59 BFIs and 73 non-bank institutions. There are currently 13 remittance companies that are using NCHL’s payment systems as domestic rail for local disbursements through their respective settlement banks.
EC carrying out homework to fix election expenditure ceiling
The Election Commission is doing homework to fix the election expenditure limit for the candidates and parties for November 20 elections to the House of Representatives and Province Assembly as per the Election related law and code of conduct. The EC held consultation with political parties today in this regard. Chief Election Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya said that a decision would be taken after holding discussions on the suggestions received from the political parties. The political parties suggested increasing the expenditure limit fixed for the HoR and Province Assembly election held in 2074 BS and that expenditure limit for different constituencies should not be the same. Chief Election Commissioner Thapaliya expressed the belief that political parties and candidates would follow expenditure ceiling fixed by the EC and as per the code of conduct. Clause 24 of the Election Commission Act-2073 has the provision that the EC could determine the election expenditure limit. Similarly, clause 25 of the same Act mentions that it is the responsibility of the political parties and candidates to submit the election expenditure details and they have to submit the expenditure details within 30 days at the respective election office after the announcement of the final result of the election. The EC has taken action against 123,624 candidates of local-level election held on May 13 and charged up to Rs 750,000 as fine for not submitting their expenditure details.
Nepal reports 54 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday
Nepal reported 54 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 1, 729 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 42 returned positive. Likewise, 2, 100 people underwent antigen tests, of which 12 were tested positive. The Ministry said that no one died of the virus in the last 24 hours. The Ministry said that 76 infected people recovered from the disease. As of today, there are 1, 144 active cases in the country.
Nepse surges by 15. 92 points on Tuesday
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 15. 92 points to close at 1,831.05 points on Tuesday. Similarly, the sensitive index plunged by 2. 54 points to close at 358. 14 points. A total of 2,107,742 unit shares of 229 companies were traded for Rs 66 billion. In today’s market, all sub-indices saw green except for Hotels and Tourism and Mutual Fund. Meanwhile, Samudayik Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 9. 97 percent. Garima Debenture was the top loser as its price fell by 10 percent. At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 63 trillion.
Born with Pride Conference kicks off
The two day-long Born with Pride Conference is being organized at the Hotel Himalaya, Kathmandu by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF), in collaboration with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Kathmandu, Samriddhi Foundation and the German Nepal Friendship Association. The conference is engaging in conversation with multiple stakeholders of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) community, politicians, activists, academicians, lawyers, organizations and civil society. As many as 21 speakers from seven South Asian Countries as well as from Europe and the Tibetan community and more than 100 participants attend the event. The high number of participants shows the importance of the issue and the great willingness to know more about the issue. The conference also has welcomed seven keynote speakers from across the Nepali and European political spectrum addressing various LGBTQIA+ community issues. There are five interactive sessions to discuss various topics such as queer in power, inclusive digital spaces for queer persons, the issue of legal recognition, the role of media, and the acceptance and integration of queer persons in civil society. Speaking at the conference, Dr. Carsten Klein, Head of the FNF Regional Office South Asia states, “platforms like this provides an opportunity to have a healthy dialogue, network, and come together to solve the inequalities and discrimination”. Former Minister of Urban Development and member of the House of Representative Ram Kumari Jhakri thanked the organizer for organizing the conference and highlighted the need of convergence of political and civil society campaigning to achieve the shared goal of promotion and protection of queer rights noting that “our party has nominated two inclusive candidates in the upcoming federal and provincial election and that we are determined to bring them in the upcoming house of representative”. Yannick Shetty, Member of the Austrian Parliament, highlighted the need of a value based foreign policy that condemns discrimination. The event will conclude on 28th September with the prize distribution for the Winners of the Born with Pride Visual Art Competition that was organized online before the conference.
Gold price drops by Rs 400 per tola on Tuesday
The price of gold has dropped by Rs 400 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday. With the price drop, the yellow bullion is being traded at Rs 91, 400 per tola today. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association, the yellow metal was traded at Rs 91, 800 per tola on Monday. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 90, 900 per tola today. Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1, 150 per tola.
13 persons buried in Manaslu avalanche rescued
All the persons, who went missing in an avalanche at Manaslu Base Camp in Gorkha district on Monday, have been rescued. The District Police Office, Gorkha said that 13 persons, who were buried in the avalanche, have been rescued on Tuesday morning. The Incident occurred while they were heading towards the fourth base camp from the third. SP Kedar Khanal said that two persons were rescued on Monday while 10 this morning. He said that six persons have been sent to Kathmandu. Preparations are underway to send others to the Capital, he said. Nima Dorje Sherpa (40) and Dawa Sherpa (25) of Sankhuwasabha, Phurita Sherpa (40) and Lakpa Tamang (37) of Dolkha have been sent to Kathmandu this morning. Among them, Nima Dorje is critically injured. Three helicopters of Simrik Air, Heli Everest and Kailash Air have been deployed to carry out rescue operations. Thirteen people, who were carrying essential materials for the mountaineers, were buried in an avalanche yesterday. Among them, one died on the spot while 12 others sustained injuries. It has been learnt that 404 people had taken permits to climb Mount Manaslu this year.
