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Three persons died and two other sustained injuries when a storm hit Chitwan district on Friday evening.

According to the District Police Office, Chitwan, three persons lost their lives when the trees fell on the rickshaws they were travelling in in two different places of the district.

Pradeep Kumar Lama (50) of Lama Tole, Bharatpur-11 and Maya Gurung (28) of Kataharchok, Bharatpur-7 died when a tree fell on a rickshaw (Na 2 Kha 2247) heading towards Bharatpur from Padampur, police said.

Abita Gurung (20) and Tul Maya Gurung (50), who were traveling in the same rickshaw, were injured in the incident.

They are receiving treatment at the Purano Medical College in Bharatpur.

Similarly, another person died when a tree fell on another vehicle (Na 1 Ja 6140) at Basenichok in Bharatpur-11, police said.

Police identified the deceased as Loknath Neupane (48) of Bharatpur-11.

The government has formed a probe committee to investigate the incident of a girl who was sexually abused eight years while taking part in a beauty pageant.

The Nepal Police headquarters on Friday formed a five-member probe committee at the direction of Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand to look into the incident.

The committee was formed under the leadership of senior SP Basant Kunwar. 

SP Krishna Koirala, DSP Kopila Chudal, DSP Hari Basnet and Inspector Sapana Khadka are the members of the committee.

The committee has started the work from today itself.

Saying that his serious attention has been drawn towards the videos where the victim had told the horrifying story of being sexually exploited, the Home Minister directed the police to investigate the videos and take necessary action against the perpetrators.

Earlier this morning, youths staged a demonstration outside the residence of the Prime Minister in Baluwatar to express solidarity with the victim and to demand action against the culprits.

They had demanded that a time limit on filing complaints on rape cases be removed.

Earlier on Wednesday, the girl came out with a series of videos on TikTok claiming that she was drugged and raped in 2014 when she was16-year-old.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday called on the BRICS countries to work together to build a global community of security for all.

Xi made the remarks while delivering a video address at the opening session of the BRICS Foreign Ministers' Meeting.

Xi noted that currently, the impacts of major changes and a pandemic unseen in a century are being combined, and factors of instability, uncertainty and insecurity are increasing in the international situation.

"Despite it, peace and development remain the unchanging theme of the times, the aspiration of people across countries for a better life remains unchanged, and the historical mission for the international community to pursue solidarity and win-win cooperation remains unchanged," Xi said.

As a positive, inspiring and constructive force in the international community, the BRICS countries need to firm up belief, brave the storms and waves, and take real action to promote peace and development, uphold fairness and justice, and advocate democracy and freedom, so as to inject stability and positive energy into international relations in a period of turbulence and transformation, Xi said.

President Xi stressed that both history and reality tell us that seeking one's own security at the expense of others' will only create new tensions and risks. To promote common security in the world, he put forward not long ago the Global Security Initiative (GSI).

BRICS countries need to strengthen political mutual trust and security cooperation, maintain close communication and coordination on major international and regional issues, accommodate each other's core interests and major concerns, respect each other's sovereignty, security and development interests, oppose hegemonism and power politics, reject Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, and work together to build a global community of security for all, Xi said.

Development is a common task for emerging markets and developing countries, Xi underscored, adding that facing the various risks and challenges of the day, it is more than ever important for emerging markets and developing countries to strengthen solidarity and cooperation.

He called on the five BRICS countries to engage in dialogue and exchanges with more emerging markets and developing countries to increase mutual understanding and trust, tighten the bond of cooperation, and deepen the convergence of interests, so as to make the pie of cooperation bigger and the force for progress stronger, and contribute still more to the lofty vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind. Source: Xinhua 

Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to observe foreign service day on 10^th Jestha every year. The first foreign service rule was enacted 61 years ago on the same day.  MOFA will be organizing a special function on the same day and will also facilitate MoFA staff.

President Joe Biden on Friday opened his Asia trip by highlighting the computer chip shortage that has bedeviled the world economy, touring a Samsung computer chip plant that will serve as model for a $17 billion semiconductor factory the Korean electronics company plans to open in Texas, Associated Press reported.

The Samsung visit was a nod to one of Biden’s key domestic priorities: increasing the supply of computer chips. A semiconductor shortage last year hurt the availability of autos, kitchen appliances and other goods, causing higher inflation worldwide and crippling Biden’s public approval among US voters.

Biden will grapple with a multitude of foreign policy issues during a five-day visit to South Korea and Japan, but he also crafted an itinerary clearly meant to tend to the concerns of his home audience as well. The president noted that the Texas plant would add 3,000 jobs and the construction would include union labor.

“These little chips,” Biden said in remarks at the plant, “are the key to propelling us into the next era of humanity’s technological development.”

Greeting Biden at the plant in South Korea was the country’s new president, Yoon Suk Yeol, and Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong. Yoon is a political newcomer who became president, his first elected office, slightly more than a week ago. He campaigned on taking a tougher stance against North Korea and strengthening the 70-year alliance with the US, according to the Associated Press.

Yoon said in a speech before Biden spoke that he hopes the countries’ partnership evolves into an “economic and security alliance based on cooperation in advanced technology and supply chains.”

The chip plant showed the unique nature of manufacturing as visitors were required to don laboratory coats and blue booties to help keep the facility clean. Biden and Yoon, who did not wear protective clothing, saw a demonstration of the machinery.

At one point during his tour, Biden received an in-depth explanation of a KLA inspection system on the Samsung plant floor. The California-based company is a major supplier to Samsung’s semiconductor operations. After a worker named Peter explained the ins and outs of the machinery, Biden quipped, “Don’t forget to vote,” when he returns home to the United States.

Part of the computer chip shortage is the result of strong demand as much of the world emerged from the coronavirus pandemic. But coronavirus outbreaks and other challenges also caused the closure of semiconductor plants. US government officials have estimated that chip production will not be at the levels they would like until early 2023.

Global computer chip sales totaled $151.7 billion during the first three months of this year, a 23% jump from the same period in 2021, according to the Semiconductor Industry Association. 

More than 75% of global chip production comes from Asia. That’s a possible vulnerability the US hopes to protect against through more domestic production and $52 billion worth of government investment in the sector through a bill being negotiated in Congress, Associated Press reported.

The risk of Chinese aggression against Taiwan could possibly cut off the flow of high-end computer chips that are needed in the US for military gear as well as consumer goods. Similarly, the hermetic North Korea has been test-firing ballistic missiles amid a coronavirus outbreak, a possible risk to South Korea’s manufacturing sector should the brinksmanship escalate.

In terms of chip production, China leads the global pack with a 24% share, followed by Taiwan (21%), South Korea (19%) and Japan (13%). Only 10% of chips are made in the US., according to the Semiconductor Industry Association.

Samsung announced the plant in Taylor, Texas in November 2021. It hopes to begin operations in the second half of 2024. The South Korean electronics giant chose the site based on a number of factors, including government incentives and the “readiness and stability” of local infrastructure.

The White House said in a fact sheet issued Friday that semiconductor companies have announced nearly $80 billion in U.S. investments through 2025. That sum includes $20 billion for Intel’s plant outside Columbus, Ohio, up to $30 billion by Texas Instruments, a $1 trillion expansion by Wolfspeed in North Carolina and investments by Global Foundries and SK Group, according to the Associated Press.

Nepal reported 11 new Covid-19 cases on Friday.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 2, 300 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 11 returned positive. Likewise, 574 people underwent antigen tests, of which no one were tested positive.

The Ministry said that no one died of virus in the last 24 hours. The Ministry said that 12 infected people recovered from the disease.

As of today, there are 149 active cases in the country.

American President Joe Biden is all set to launch Indo-Pacific Economic Framework(IPEF) during his first trip to Asia which begins on May 20.

Biden administration has provided the documents of framework to Asian countries. Big Asian countries are working on the language of a two-page statement that will accompany the unveiling of the IPEF.

Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not said anything about whether America has shared any documents on IPEF.  "We do not have any information about it," said the official. 

Earlier, countries across the Indo-Pacific have spent the past year urging the US to develop an economic strategy to help counter China. Nepal figures out prominently in America’s Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Sri Lanka' s prime minister has warned of a food shortage as the island nation battles a devastating economic crisis and vowed the government will buy enough fertiliser for the next planting season to boost harvests, The Times of India reported.

A decision in April last year by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to ban all chemical fertilisers drastically cut crop yields and although the government has reversed the ban, no substantial imports have yet taken place.

"While there may not be time to obtain fertiliser for this Yala (May-August) season, steps are being taken to ensure adequate stocks for the Maha (September-March) season," Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said in a message on Twitter late on Thursday.

"I sincerely urge everyone to accept the gravity of the ... situation."

Rajapaksa appointed nine new members to the cabinet on Friday, including to the critical health, trade and tourism ministries. But he did not name a finance minister and the portfolio is likely to be retained by Wickremesinghe.

Tourism-dependent Sri Lanka is facing a dire shortage of foreign exchange, fuel and medicines, and economic activity has slowed to a crawl, according to The Times of India.

"There is no point in talking about how hard life is," said APD Sumanavathi, a 60-year-old woman selling fruit and vegetables in the Pettah market in Colombo, the commercial capital. "I can't predict how things will be in two months, at this rate we might not even be here."

Nearby, a long queue had formed in front of a shop selling cooking gas cylinders, the prices of which have soared to nearly 5,000 rupees ($14) from 2,675 rupees in April.

"Only about 200 cylinders were delivered, even though there were about 500 people," said Mohammad Shazly, a part-time chauffeur in the queue for the third day in the hope of cooking for his family of five.

"Without gas, without kerosene oil, we can't do anything," he said. "Last option what? Without food we are going to die. That will happen hundred percent."

The central bank governor said on Thursday foreign exchange had been secured from a World Bank loan and remittances to pay for fuel and cooking gas shipments, but supplies are still to flow through, The Times of India reported.

Inflation could rise to a staggering 40% in the next couple of months but it was being driven largely by supply-side pressures and measures by the bank and government were already reining in demand-side inflation, the governor said.

Inflation hit 29.8% in April with food prices up 46.6% year-on-year.