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The price of gold has dropped by Rs 1, 000 per tola in the domestic market on Sunday. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow bullion is being traded at Rs 93, 000 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 94, 000 per tola per Tihar festival. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 92, 500 per tola today. Similarly, the price of silver is being traded at Rs 1, 200 per tola.

Former Prime Minister and Nepal Samajbadi Party Chairman Baburam Bhattarai said that CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal aka Prachanda will be the prime minister and Nepali Congress leader Surendra Raj Pandey will be the chief minister after the elections. Seeking votes for Dahal, who is in an election campaign in Gorkha, Bhattarai claimed that Dahal will lead the central government and Pandey will lead the Gandaki Province. “Comrade Prachanda is the most dynamic and popular person in Nepal at present. He is the suitable candidate for the district,” he said. “Surendra Raj Pandey is a rising leader of the Nepali Congress. He is the Province Assembly candidate and Prachanda is the parliamentary candidate,” Bhattarai said, adding, “Don’t think otherwise, comrade Prachanda will be the next prime minister and Surendra Raj Pandey will be the chief minister.” On a different note, Bhattarai said that he became the prime minister and finance due to the people’s mandate. He made it clear that Dahal and Pandey will complete the remaining development works in Gorkha.  

Five persons died and 25 others were injured when a bus met with an accident at Mathar in Bullingtar Rural Municipality-2 of East Nawalparasi on Sunday. According to DSP Santosh Pathak, Information Officer at the District Police Office, East Nawalparasi, the deceased have been identified as Tara BK, Binay BK, Dhani BK and Devi Gaha of Rambha Rural Municipallity-1of Palpa and Phul Maya Majhi of Galyang Municipality-9 of Syangja. The bus (Na 6 Kha 7580) was heading towards Manakamana of Gorkha from Rampur of Palpa when the incident occurred at around 4 am today. All the injured are undergoing treatment in Bharatpur of Chitwan, police said. Among the injured, two are said to be in critical condition. Police said that they are looking in into the case.

Chhath festival is being observed today by worshipping and making offerings to the setting sun. The festive fanfare has been seen in different parts including Ranipokhari, Gaurighat, Kupondole of the Kathmandu Valley as well. The festival is dedicated to the sun God, with offerings made to the rising and setting sun. It is observed for four days, from Kartik Shukala Chaturthi to Kartik Shukla Saptami as per the lunar calendar. It usually falls between October and November in the Gregorian calendar. The Sun considered as the god of energy and of the life-force, is worshiped during the Chhath festival to promote well-being, prosperity and progress. The ritual of Chhath Parba includes taking holy bath, fasting, standing and worshiping the sun for a long time and offering Prasad and Argha to the ‘Rising and setting Sun”. Chhath is a festival of bathing and worshipping that follows a period of abstinence and segregation of the worshiper from the main household for four days. During this period, the worshiper observes purity and sleeps on the floor on a single blanket. This is the only holy festival which has no involvement of any pandit (priest). The devotees offer their prayers to the setting sun and then the rising sun in celebrating its glory as the cycle of birth starts with death. It is seen as the most glorious form of Sun worship.

The death toll in the horrific Seoul Halloween stampede rose to 151, with 19 of them identified as foreigners, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported citing fire authorities, ANI reported.

The agency also reported that the victims in their 20s accounted for the age group most affected by the horrific Seoul Halloween stampede. Moreover, the agency, citing the Seoul metropolitan government, said Sunday it has received about 270 reports of missing persons related to the deadly stampede during Halloween parties in the Itaewon district. At least 151 people were killed and 76 others were injured after a deadly stampede during Halloween celebrations in Seoul’s Itaewon district on Saturday at 10:20 pm (13:20 GMT), Al Jazeera reported citing the officials. The incident reportedly occurred after a large group of people rushed to an Itaewon bar after hearing an unidentified celebrity visited there, Al Jazeera reported citing the local media. Social media footage showed several people being assisted by rescue officials and private citizens at the scene, and numerous ones performing CPR on people lying in poor condition on the streets. A large crowd pushed forward on a narrow street during Halloween festivities, resulting in dozens needing first aid. South Korea’s President Yoon Suk-yeol ordered the dispatch of the emergency medical team to the area and said hospital beds should be prepared to minimize casualties, his office said. Numerous people had trouble breathing when the chaotic stampede occurred as dozens were seen giving CPR to people lying lifeless on streets post-incident. South Korean President Yoon Suk-Yeol presided over an emergency response meeting Sunday over the deadly stampede, as per the officials. “Shortly after the accident, Yoon came to the presidential office in Yongsan and presided over a response meeting related to the Seoul Itaewon Halloween accident,” the presidential office said, according to ANI. “The top priority is transporting and rescuing the patients and providing prompt medical treatment for the affected people,” local media reported quoting Yoon as saying. Authorities are still looking into the exact cause of the accident as the investigation is underway. Emergency forces were dispatched following the crowd surge which resulted in fatalities. Firefighters and police officers also reached the Itaewon neighbourhood in Seoul to bring the situation under control, ANI reported.

Soon after Xi Jinping was elected for the third term, China is all set to unveil diplomatic events. According to The Global Times, Beijing is all set to welcome several foreign leaders from countries with different political systems and economic development paths, illustrating that more countries hold positive views on China's future development and welcome the country's foreign policy embedded with the concept of humanity's shared values pursued by the CPC. At the invitation of Premier Li Keqiang, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz will pay an official visit to China on November 4, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin announced on Friday. He also became the latest foreign leader set to visit China, as General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong, Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif  and Samia Suluhu Hassan, president of the United Republic of Tanzania are scheduled to visit the country in the coming days. The Global Times reports Vietnam's communist party chief will pay an official visit to China from October 30 to November 2 at the invitation of Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and Chinese President. Trong will also be the first foreign leader to visit China after the 20th National Congress of the CPC. Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif will also visit China from November 1, which will also be his first visit to China since taking office in April, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced earlier this week. It demonstrates the special friendship and strategic mutual trust between China and Pakistan, which is also a continuation of the positive momentum of close high-level contacts between the two countries, according to the ministry. Meanwhile, Samia Suluhu Hassan, president of the United Republic of Tanzania, will pay a state visit to China from November 2 to November 4, who will also be the first head of state from Africa to visit China after the CPC National Congress. . In addition to leaders from Asia and Africa, German Chancellor Scholz's trip to China will make him the first G7 leader to travel to the country since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, media reports said.

The ruling Nepali Congress has unveiled its election manifesto for November 20 federal and provincial assembly elections. NC has said that a post-election government will be formed under the party's leadership. If you do not have time to read the full text, here are the major highlights of the election manifesto in 30-point. 1. KP Sharma Oli-led government which was formed in 2018 and ruled since 2021 tried to make parliament a rubber stamp. Oli took a series of measures to sabotage the constitution and Parliament 2. Five-party coalition was formed in order to protect the democracy and constitution which helped to bring back the constitution on track 3. Border disputes with both India and China will be resolved through diplomatic dialogue and NC will remain committed not to allow to use of Nepali soil against any neighboring countries 4. Nepal will not join any military blocs and will not engage in any geopolitical competition of major powers 5. In the changing geopolitical situation, Nepal will employ soft power and public diplomacy to advance Nepal’s foreign policy 6. NC will take initiative to enhance the ownership of the constitution by the wider section of the population 7. Nepali Congress will take the initiative to resolve the looming economic crisis such as trade imbalance and low domestic productivity 8. Expansion of current highways and construction of new ones will be the high priority 9. NC has committed to take measures in the areas of energy, and water. Drinking water, communication 10. The current federal structures will be enhanced and strengthened. Provincial structures will be made even more effective 11. Women’s literacy rate will reach 95 percent. Federal Education Act will be introduced within a year 12. Provisions will be made for free of cost medical treatment for children below three and adults above 75. The area of health insurance will be expanded 13. 1.2 million jobs will be created within the next five years 14. At least 7 percent economic growth will be achieved 15. High-speed internet facilities for the local bodies 16. To achieve net zero carbon by 2045, a roadmap of the green economy will be developed 17. Climate Change Research Center will be established 18. The production of good grains will be increased to ensure self-reliance 19. The production of 10000 Mega Watt electricity 20. 2 million tourists in the next five years and the tourism sector will contribute 5 percent to the country’s GDP 21. Cultural museums will be established in the provincial assemblies 22. Senior citizens above 65 will get senior citizen allowances 23. Free of cost electricity for up to 50 units of electricity 24. A law will be promulgated to address the conflict of interest issues 25. 80 percent of schools will get internet facilities 26. Free of cost sanitary pad for women 27. Expedite the construction of hydropower projects 28. Law will be formulated to force the people holding public positions to make their property public 29. Parliament will be allowed to complete its five-year tenure 30. Constructions of railway lines

German Ambassador Dr. Thomas Prinz inaugurated Nepal-German Mart 22 at the German Embassy in Gyaneshwor, Kathmandu on Saturday. The main objective of the exhibition is to promote business between Nepal and Germany, read a statement issued by the German Embassy in Kathmandu. It showcases products as well as food and culture of Nepal and Germany. The exhibition is organized by the Nepal German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NGCCI) in cooperation with the German Embassy Kathmandu. On the occasion,  German Ambassador Dr. Prinz said, “Our aim is to continue the positive development in bilateral trade which was interrupted by 2 years of Covid.” As many as 40 companies from Nepal and Germany are going to participate in the exhibition. There are stalls from companies representing hydropower, automobile and tourism sector along with stalls showcasing carpets, felts, handicrafts etc. Nepali and German culinary stalls are also present in the exhibition. There will be a cultural dance program on Sunday. The goal of the exhibition is to create a networking platform between Nepal and Germany and contribute to the bilateral economic relations. It is also showcased in the virtual form at the www.nepal-germanmart22.com from 29th October 29th to November 4th, 2022. Around 800 people are expected to participate in the physical exhibition