Rushdie attack suspect pleads not guilty to attempted murder
The man accused of attacking acclaimed author Salman Rushdie last week in New York state has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and assault charges, Aljazeera reported. Hadi Matar, the 24-year-old accusedof repeatedly stabbing Rushdie on stage during a US literary event, entered the not guilty plea on Thursday during an arraignment hearing in upstate New York. A grand jury indicted him earlier in the day on one count of second-degree attempted murder, which carries a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison, and one count of second-degree assault. Dressed in a black-and-white jail uniform, Matar stayed quiet during the hearing while his lawyer unsuccessfully tried to persuade the judge that he should be released while he awaited trial. The judge ordered that Matar remain detained without bail. Last Friday’s attack against Rushdie, the 75-year-old author of books such as The Satanic Verses and an outspoken advocate of freedom of expression, at an event in Chautauqua, New York, spurred shock and condemnation around the world. Rushdie was hospitalised, but his agent has said that his condition is improving and he is in good spirits. Rushdie has faced more than 30 years of threats against his life, after The Satanic Verses was published in the late 1980s. Many Muslims around the world regard the book as blasphemous, and in 1989 Iran’s then-Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini issued a religious edict calling for Rushdie’s death, forcing the author to spend more than a decade in hiding.
Ukraine war: Damage to nuclear plant would be suicide - UN chief
UN Secretary General António Guterres has said he is "gravely concerned" about fighting near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in southern Ukraine, BBC reported.
He made the comments during a summit with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky and Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Lviv.
"Any potential damage to Zaporizhzhia is suicide," Mr Guterres warned.
The meeting was the first between the UN chief and Mr Zelensky since Russia launched its invasion in February.
Mr Erdogan echoed the UN chief's concerns, telling reporters that he was worried about the danger of "another Chernobyl" disaster erupting at the plant.
In recent weeks the area around the facility, which Russia seized in March, has come under heavy artillery fire, with both Kyiv and Moscow blaming each other for the attacks.
Moscow is accused of turning the facility into an army base, with all three leaders urging the Russians to demilitarise the zone as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, local sources in the Russian occupied Crimean Peninsula reported a number of large explosions near the Belbek military airport.
The appeals come as Ukrainian staff, who are working at the plant under Russian direction, warned of a potential nuclear catastrophe at the facility, saying in the past two weeks it has become "the target of continuous military attacks".
"What is happening is horrific and beyond common sense and morality," staff wrote in a Telegram post (in Ukrainian).
"Ukrainian intelligence officers believe that the Russians are preparing a provocation at the [facility]," Ukraine's Centre for Information security tweeted.
"Following their extensive shelling... [Russian forces] could 'raise the stakes' and stage a real terrorist attack on Europe's largest nuclear facility," it said.
The BBC has been unable to verify the claims.
Shortly before these tweets, Mr Zelensky warned that "the world is on a verge of nuclear disaster" and condemned what he called "Russia's irresponsible actions and nuclear blackmailing".
Despite the concern, the site is said to be far more secure than the Chernobyl plant - the site of the worst nuclear incident in history.
There were reports ahead of the summit that Mr Erdogan would offer to arrange a summit between Mr Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Turkish leader maintains a close working relationship with Mr Putin, and speaking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Erdogan said he believed the war would "come to the end at the negotiating table".
While Mr Zelensky welcomed the leader's visit and Turkey's "powerful message of support", he flatly rejected suggestions that it could be in a position to broker peace talks, BBC reported.
Mr Zelensky told reporters that he was "very surprised" to hear from Mr Erdogan that Moscow was "ready for some kind of peace".
"There is no trust towards the Russian Federation," Mr Zelensky said, saying that Russia must withdraw its troops, first and foremost.
The leaders were expected to discuss expanding the Turkey-UN sponsored grain deal between Russia and Ukraine - the only diplomatic breakthrough of the conflict so far.
On Thursday, Kyiv said a 25th cargo ship had left Ukraine under the deal which saw Russia agree to end its blockade of Black Sea ports.
Mr Guterres hailed the agreement and urged Russia and Ukraine to adopt the "spirit of compromise" that brought it about.
"From day one, the parties have worked professionally and in good faith to keep the food flowing," Mr Guterres said. "I appeal for this to continue and for them to overcome all obstacles in a spirit of compromise and permanently settle all difficulties."
Elsewhere, in eastern Ukraine Kharkiv Governor Oleh Synehubov said that 17 people had died after Russian shelling hit several residential buildings in the city.
And in Moscow, Russia's foreign ministry said that while a clash with the collective West is possible, a direct nuclear conflict with the US and Nato would not be in Russia's interests.
"Russian military doctrine allows a nuclear response only in response to aggression using weapons of mass destruction, or when the very existence of the state is threatened," Ivan Nechayev said, according to BBC.
Mind Matters | What do I study?
Query
I am a 16-year-old student and just completed my high school. I am good at my academics and I have many options available to pursue further studies. I am struggling to make my mind up as to which subject to pick. I am afraid I will make a wrong decision and end up regretting the subject of choice. Any suggestions? - A worried student
Answered by Kapil Sharma, Counseling Psychologist, Hudec Nepal
In this transitional phase, it is only natural that you are struggling to choose the right subjects and career path. The good thing is you are careful about not making a wrong choice and ready to explore the right future. Remember, it is okay to feel confused and anxious right now. But here are some things you can consider when you feel this way. First, let us explore where you stand in terms of your further studies and future career. Self-assessment, career exploration and identification, and an action plan are important at this stage. Sometimes, people jump to a conclusion and dive headlong into studies and career without considering the basic requirements and their strengths. I advise you to weigh your strengths and weaknesses before you make your choice. Self-assessment is the first step. This includes an assessment of your subjects of interest, skill-sets and personal qualities. When you have completed this process, you can explore the kind of career and working environment you would like for yourself. Do your research and collect as much information as you can about your subject matter and career interest. What are the financial requirements? What are the learning opportunities? What will be the nature of your job? And so on. Finding answers to these questions will allow you to make an informed decision. If you do not know where to begin, you can reach out to experts in the fields you are interested in and ask for their guidance. Find someone who has completed the course you are interested in or someone in the line of work of your interest. Their insight and experience can prove valuable in your decision-making. If you still find yourself struggling with this process, there are professionals who can help you with career assessment and career counseling. They can help you narrow down your study and career interests.
House endorses bill to amend Citizenship Act without any changes
The House of Representatives on Thursday endorsed the bill to amend the Citizenship Act, which was sent back to the Parliament by President Bidya Devi Bhandari for reconsideration, without any changes. The bill to amend the Citizenship Act was endorsed by majority votes. Of the total 195 lawmakers present in the Parliament, 135 voted in favor of the bill while 60 voted against it. Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota called for a vote on the Citizenship Bill after the main opposition party CPN-UML demanded a division of votes. Now, the the Bill will be sent to the National Assembly for endorsement. After it gets endorsed from the National Assembly, the Bill will be sent to the President for certification.
China to send troops to Russia for joint military exercises
Chinese troops will travel to Russia to take part in joint military exercises that will start at the end of the month, Beijing’s defence ministry has said, Aljazeera reported.
Last month, Moscow announced plans to hold “Vostok” (East) military drills from August 30 to September 5, saying some foreign forces would also take part without naming them.
Beijing and Moscow have close defence links and China has said it wants to push bilateral relations “to a higher level,” even as Moscow faces international sanctions and widespread condemnation over its February 24 invasion of Ukraine. “The aim is to deepen practical and friendly cooperation with the armies of participating countries, enhance the level of strategic collaboration among the participating parties, and strengthen the ability to respond to various security threats,” the Chinese defence ministry said in a statement. India, Belarus, Mongolia, Tajikistan and other countries will also participate, it said. Relations between Russia and China have grown increasingly close under Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, and Beijing has been under pressure for its opposition to sanctions imposed by many Western countries over the war. Shortly before the invasion, Moscow and Beijing agreed on a “no limits” partnership. Beijing said its decision to participate in the joint exercises was “unrelated to the current international and regional situation”. A year ago this month, Russia and China held joint military exercises in north-central China involving more than 10,000 troops. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu praised the drills in China’s Ningxia and suggested they could be developed further, according to Aljazeera. In October, Russia and China held joint naval drills in the Sea of Japan. Days later, Russian and Chinese warships held their first joint patrols in the western Pacific. The following month, South Korea’s military said it had scrambled fighter jets after two Chinese and seven Russian warplanes intruded into its air defence identification zone during what Beijing called regular training. The Vostok drills are the second joint military exercise conducted by Chinese and Russian troops this year. Bombers from the two countries conducted a 13-hour drill close to Japan and South Korea in May, forcing those countries to scramble jet fighters, as United States President Joe Biden was visiting Tokyo. State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said that while warming ties between China and Russia undermined global security, Washington did not “read anything” into the drills, Aljazeera reported. “Most of the participating countries also routinely participate in a wide array of military exercises and exchanges with the United States as well,” he told a press conference. Russia’s eastern military district includes part of Siberia and has its headquarters in Khabarovsk, near the Chinese border.
Nepal records 542 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday
Nepal reported 542 new Covid-19 cases on Thursday. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 2, 082 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 224 returned positive. Likewise, 2, 848 people underwent antigen tests, of which 318 were tested positive. The Ministry said that no one died of virus in the last 24 hours. The Ministry said that 421 infected people recovered from the disease. As of today, there are 5, 265 active cases in the country.
Nepse surges by 27. 56 points on Thursday
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 27. 56 points to close at 2,068.26 points on Thursday. Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 5. 41 points to close at 400. 08 points. Meanwhile, a total of 5,101,290 unit shares of 220 companies were traded for Rs 2. 05 billion. In today’s market, all sub-indices saw green. HydroPower topped the chart with 70. 77 points. Meanwhile, Mandakini Hydropower Limited and Upper Solu Hydro Electric Company Limited were the top gainers today, with their price surging by 10. 00 percent. NIBL Pragati Fund was the top loser as its price fell by 3.80 percent. At the end of the day, total market capitalisation stood at Rs 2. 96 trillion.
16 inmates test positive for Covid-19 in Baitadi Prison
At least 16 persons have been tested positive for Covid-19 in the district prison in Baitadi. Prison chief Radha Bhandari said that four were tested positive on Wednesday and 12 on Thursday. Bhandari said that those who have tested positive for Covi-19 have been kept in isolation. She said that they have been barred from meeting anyone from today. Despite its capacity to accommodate only 25 prisoners, 93 inmates are kept in the prison, Bhandari said. The prison was built in 1983 to house 25 inmates. The virus has spread at the community level in Baitadi. Yogesh Prasad Bhatta, Chief at the District Health Office, Baitadi, said that the Covid-19 was detected in the people coming from India a few days ago.
