Seized Trump documents showed foreign nation’s nuclear capability
A document describing a foreign government’s military defences, including its nuclear capabilities, was found in the FBI’s search last month of former US President Donald Trump’s Florida home, according to a report in the Washington Post.
The US newspaper, which cited people familiar with the matter, did not identify the foreign government discussed in the document, nor did it indicate whether the foreign government was friendly or hostile to the United States. Trump representatives and the Justice Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the Reuters news agency. The FBI recovered more than 11,000 government documents and photographs during its August 8 search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, according to court records. According to the Post report, some of the seized documents detailed top secret US operations that required special clearances beyond top secret clearance, Aljazeera reported. Some of the documents are so restricted that even some of the Biden administration’s most senior national security officials were not authorised to review them, the Post said. National Intelligence Director Avril Haines said late last month she would conduct a “classification review” of the documents seized by investigators during the search of Mar-a-Lago, as well as “an Intelligence Community (IC) assessment of the potential risk to national security that would result from the disclosure of the relevant documents”. The US Justice Department is investigating Trump for removing government records from the White House after he left office in January 2021 and keeping them at his Florida estate, according to Aljazeera. Trump and his allies have denied any wrongdoing, saying at various times that some documents may have been inadvertently removed from the White House, or claiming that Trump had already declassified the documents. On Monday, a federal judge agreed to Trump’s request to appoint a special master to review records seized in the FBI search, a move that is likely to delay the Justice Department’s criminal investigation.
Gold price drops by Rs 1, 000 per tola on Wednesday
The price of gold has dropped by Rs 1, 000 per tola in the domestic market on Wednesday. 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 on Tuesday. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 92, 500 per tola. It was traded at Rs 93, 500 on Tuesday. Similarly, the price of silver has decreased by Rs 25 and is being traded at Rs 1, 110 per tola today.
Rape complaint filed against Nepal national cricket team skipper Sandeep Lamichhane
A rape complaint has been filed against Nepal cricket team skipper Sandeep Lamichhane. Police said that a 17-year-old girl filed the complaint against Lamichhane at the Metropolitan Police Circle, Gaushala. According to the complaint, Lamichhane had raped the girl in various places of Kathmandu and Bhaktapur on August 22. She claimed that Nepal’s leg spinner Lamichanne had raped her at room number 305 of a hotel in Kathmandu-9. She has been sent to the One-Stop Crisis Management Centre for medical check-up. Police said that they are looking into the case.
India to grant Nepal access to two key ports in Gujarat & Odisha under trade, transit treaties
Despite several challenges plaguing the bilateral relationship of late, India and Nepal are all set to upgrade their bilateral trade and transit ties under which Kathmandu will be given access to some of the key Indian ports along with enhanced reach for its agriculture produce, ThePrint has reported.
Under its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy the Narendra Modi government has decided that it will now allow Nepal to export and import goods from two of India’s strategic ports—Mundra Port in Gujarat and Dhamra Port in Odisha—under the yet to be revised transit treaty, negotiations for which are going on, diplomatic sources told ThePrint.
Such a move, according to sources, will not only give Nepal enhanced entry into the Indian markets but will also enable Kathmandu to use India as a gateway to access other markets in Southeast and Central Asian regions, said a source, who wished to not be identified. This has been a long-pending demand by Nepal, which had been pushing India for such an upgradation in both the trade as well transit treaties that were signed decades ago, The Print reported. The agreement was initially finalized as ‘The Treaty of Trade and Transit’ that was signed between the friendly neighbors in September, 1960. Thereafter, in 1978, the treaty was split into two—trade and transit. Both these treaties get automatically renewed every seven years. The last time these two treaties were reviewed was in October 2016, without any changes.The trade treaty allows Nepal unilateral duty-free access to the Indian market even as India remains Nepal’s largest trading partner. However, Nepal continues to complain that it has not been able to penetrate the Indian markets for its good due to various non-tariff barriers.
Currently, Nepal is allowed to use only the ports of Kolkata and Visakhapatnam.
Bold Celtic outclassed by clinical Real Madrid
Celtic were ultimately outclassed by holders Real Madrid in their Champions League opener, despite a lively and encouraging start in Glasgow, BBC reported.
Five years after they last featured at Europe's top table, Celtic gave Real a fright in a frantic first half by creating a series of chances, including a shot off a post from Callum McGregor.
But after the break the visitors roused themselves, and goals from Vinicius Junior, Luka Modric and Eden Hazard showed their class and secured victory.
Carlo Ancelotti's side - who lost Karim Benzema to injury in the first half - join Shakhtar Donetsk at the top of Group F after they defeated RB Leipzig.
Celtic travel to Warsaw to face the Ukranian side next Wednesday in their second group game, aiming to get their campaign back on track, after their grand return against European football royalty ended in disappointment.
But it was not a dispiriting night at a bouncing Celtic Park as the Scottish champions made a good impression on the biggest stage.
Ange Postecoglou vowed his team would be true to their front-foot style despite Real's quality, and it was in evidence straight from kick-off as they pressed Thibaut Courtois into kicking the ball out after 12 seconds. From the throw-in, Liel Abada lashed just wide as the stadium roared its approval.
It was not a flash in the pan either, with the Israeli winger set free in behind the defence after a wonderful pass from Jota, but his rushed shot went straight into Courtois' hands.
And after McGregor rattled an upright from the edge of the area and half-time substitute Daizen Maeda scuffed a brilliant opportunity from six yards, there was a sense of foreboding that Celtic's missed chances would haunt them, according to BBC.
Almost inevitably the five-time European champions Modric and Tony Kroos grew in influence and Real did punish Celtic's profligacy in a beautifully effective four minutes.
A flowing move which started at the feet of Courtois ended with Vinicius planting Federico Valverde's cross in the bottom corner, before Hazard set up Modric to caress home at the second attempt.
With Celtic suffering from their first-half exertions, Real controlled the ball with greater ease and put together a stunning 33-pass move which culminated in Kroos picking out Dani Carvajal, who stroked across goal for Hazard to tap home their third.
Celtic kept fighting to the end and still looked a threat in flurries, but ultimately they were outclassed in the second-half by the 14-time kings of Europe, whose quality shone through, BBC reported.
Haaland scores twice as Man City thrash Sevilla
Erling Haaland scored twice as Manchester City opened their Champions League campaign by thrashing a dismal Sevilla side, BBC reported.
Haaland's ninth goal in five games set City on their way in Spain, with the Norwegian forward tapping in from Kevin de Bruyne's superb driven cross.
Netflix: Saudi Arabia and GCC warn streaming giant over violating 'Islamic values'
Gulf states have demanded that Netflix remove all content deemed to violate "Islamic and societal values and principles", Saudi media report, BBC reported.
Recent material, including that made for children, contravened regulations, Saudi and Gulf Co-operation Council media watchdogs warned in a statement.
It did not provide any further details.
But Saudi state TV showed blurred clips from animated show Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous, in which two teenage girls confess they love each other and kiss.
Footage from the controversial French film Cuties also featured in the report by Al Ekhbariya TV, along with a caption accusing Netflix of being "cinematic cover for immoral messages that threaten the healthy upbringing of children".
Another video on Al Ekhbariya's website alleged that the streaming service was "promoting homosexuality by focusing excessively on homosexuals".
"[Netflix] was contacted to remove this content, including content directed at children, and to ensure adherence to the laws," the joint statement from the Saudi General Commission for Audiovisual Media and the GCC Committee of Electronic Media Officials said.
Authorities would follow up on compliance with the directives, and "in the event that the infringing content continues to be broadcast, the necessary legal measures will be taken", they warned.
There was no immediate response to the accusations from Netflix, according to BBC.
Although Sunni Muslim-ruled Saudi Arabia has no laws regarding sexual orientation or gender identity, sexual relations outside marriage, including homosexual sex, are strictly prohibited.
Under the country's interpretation of Islamic law, consensual same-sex sexual conduct is punishable by death or flogging, depending on the perceived seriousness of the case.
And the animated film Lightyear, which featured a same-sex kiss, was reportedly banned in the kingdom and the United Arab Emirates in June.
YouTube was meanwhile accused last month by Saudi authorities of permitting "inappropriate adverts" that violated Islamic values, BBC reported.
Zaporizhzhia: UN nuclear agency calls for Ukraine plant safety zone
Shelling of Europe's biggest nuclear power plant could lead to unlimited release of radioactive materials - and Russian military equipment on site could undermine its security, the UN's nuclear agency has warned, BBC reported.
Russia occupied the Zaporizhzhia plant at the start of its invasion of Ukraine and it has come under repeated attack.
After a visit last week, UN's nuclear watchdog has called for a safety and security protection zone.
It said shelling must end immediately.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed the report - saying it noted the "presence of Russian military hardware on the territory of the nuclear power plant, pressure on our employees there, and makes clear references to the Russian military occupation".
He added that he'd support a security zone if it was aimed at demilitarising "the territory of the nuclear power plant".The plant lies on the southern bank of the River Dnieper, across the water from Ukrainian-held towns and military positions.
Both sides have accused each other of targeting the plant, occupied by Russian forces in early March.
On Tuesday, Russia accused Kyiv of hitting the area three times in 24 hours. Ukraine says Russia forces have used it as a shield from which to fire on nearby cities, although Russia insists they are guarding the site.
However the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency is careful not to apportion blame to either side, according to BBC.
Shelling continued while a 14-strong IAEA team visited the site last week and its head Rafael Grossi warned at the time of a very real risk of nuclear disaster. Although most of the team left the plant after two days, it said two of its officials would remain there on a permanent basis.
In its report released on Tuesday, the agency highlighted the "extremely stressful conditions" facing the 907 Ukrainian staff working there under Russian military control.
The IAEA detailed the damage to the plant and said while continued shelling had not yet triggered a nuclear emergency it did present a constant threat to safety that "may lead to radiological consequences with great safety significance".
There was an urgent need for "interim measures" to prevent a nuclear accident caused by military action, it added, saying all relevant parties would have to agree to a "nuclear safety and security protection zone" being set up to avoid further damage.
Russian military, vehicles and equipment were seen around the plant and "several military trucks" were inside the turbine halls of two of the plant's six reactors, the agency said.
It warned that military equipment on site and clashes near vital areas undermined the plant's protection system and it called for the removal of vehicles that could interfere with safety systems.
The watchdog said staff had to secure permission from the Russian military to visit cooling ponds at the plant and it criticised the presence of nuclear officials from Russia's nuclear body, Rosatom. That could lead to possible friction when key decisions had to be made, it said, BBC reported.
"We regret that in your report ... the source of the shelling is not directly named," Vasily Nebenzya told a Security Council session attended virtually by Mr Grossi.
Although it has six reactors, the Zaporizhzhia plant has only had two operating since the war began and just one reactor has been working in recent days.
Three of the four lines providing power from Ukraine's grid have been put out of action during the fighting and on Saturday the UN watchdog said the last line had also been disconnected, leaving just one lower-power reserve line from a nearby thermal plant.
Ukrainian officials said on Monday that the last working reactor was disconnected from the grid after the last main power line went down, according to BBC.
