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Nepal reported 51 new Covid-19 cases on Sunday. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 1, 206 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 40 returned positive. Likewise, 1, 818 people underwent antigen tests, of which 11 were tested positive. The Ministry said that no one died of the virus in the last 24 hours. The Ministry said that 100 infected people recovered from the disease. As of today, there are 1, 223 active cases in the country.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari has given approval to deploy Nepal Army personnel in the elections to the House of Representatives and National Assembly scheduled for November 20. The President gave the nod as per the recommendation of the National Security Council on September 2 and the decision of the Cabinet meeting held on September 12. The President’s Office said that the approval to deploy Nepal Army personnel was given as per Article 66 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 23. 83 points to close at 1,815.13 points on Sunday. Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 3. 83 points to close at 355. 60 points. A total of 4,014,419 unit shares of 228 companies were traded for Rs 1. 07 billion. Meanwhile, Aviyan Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 10 percent. Likewise, Tehrathum Power Company Limited was the top loser with its price dropped by 7. 90 percent. At the end of the day, the total market capitalisation stood at Rs 2. 60 trillion.

The Supreme Court has issued a show cause order to President Bidya Devi Bhandari who had refused to authenticate the Citizenship Bill. Giving priority to the writs, a single bench of Justice Hari Phuyal on Sunday sought reasons from the President for not certifying the bill to amend the Citizenship Act. Five persons had registered the writs at the Supreme Court after President Bhandari refused to authenticate the bill endorsed by both the houses of the Federal Parliament within the stipulated deadline. Sunil Ranjan Singh, Sagar Baral, Dev Sharma, Shonu Rauniyar and Sunil Kumar Yadav had filed the writs demanding a directive against the President to authenticate the bill.

Paribartan Rai of Khotang has been appointed as the chief attorney general of Province 1. Chief Minister of Province 1 Rajendra Kumar Rai had appointed Rai as the chief attorney general on Thursday. He was appointed as the chief attorney general after Bhojraj Shrestha put in his papers recently. Province Chief Parshuram Khapung administered the oath of office and secrecy to newly appointed Rai amidst a program.

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 91, 800 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 92, 800 per tola on Friday. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 91, 300 per tola today. Similarly, the price of silver is being traded at Rs 1, 170 per tola.

Five countries including Japan, Vietnam, Mauritius and Nepal, on Saturday expressed interest to support the fisheries sector in Madhya Pradesh, ANI reported. Diplomats from five countries participated in a workshop organised here to support marketing, branding and exports of fisheries products from Madhya Pradesh. According to an official statement released after the event, representatives from five countries shared ‘expression of interest’ with Madhya Pradesh government to support the fisheries sector in the state. Ikko Watanabe, First Secretary (Food and Agriculture), Embassy of Japan; Badri Prasad Tiwari, Counsellor (Economic), Embassy of Nepal in India; Do Duy Khanh, First Secretary, Embassy of Vietnam; Donnawit Poolsawat, Consul-General, Royal Thai Consulate-General in Mumbai and Seewraj Nundlall, Counsellor (Investment & Trade) Market Development (Asia Division), High Commission of the Republic of Mauritius shared their expression of interest at the event. PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) supported the Department of Fisherman Welfare & Fisheries Development, Government of Madhya Pradesh in organising the event as ‘technical partner’.

Thakur said the PHDCCI mobilised diplomats from five countries and brought a knowledge report on Madhya Pradesh fisheries. “The diplomats shared their expression of interest to collaborate with the Government of Madhya Pradesh in the fisheries sector,” he said, according to ANI. Addressing the event, Tulsiram Silawat, Minister of Water Resource & Fisherman and Fisheries Development, Government of Madhya Pradesh assured the industry, diplomats and other stakeholders for support through progressive policies and the state government’s commitment for ease of doing business. Badri Narayanan Gopalakrishnan, Lead Adviser & Head (Trade and Commerce), NITI Aayog, Government of India, virtually addressed the event. National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB). National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) and various other cooperative institutions participated in the initiative organised by the Department of Fisherman Welfare & Fisheries Development, the Government of Madhya Pradesh and the MP Fisheries Federation, ANI reported.

The death toll from a migrant boat that sank off the Syrian coast after sailing from Lebanon earlier this week has risen to 94, after more bodies were recovered from Syria's Baniyas coast on the Mediterranean, Syrian state TV said on Saturday, Reuters reported.

It is the deadliest such voyage yet from Lebanon, where mounting economic desperation has led many to board often rickety and overcrowded boats in the hope of reaching Europe.

Syrian authorities began finding bodies off the coast of the northern port city of Tartus on Thursday afternoon. The Syrian transport ministry quoted survivors as saying the boat had left from Lebanon's northern Minyeh region on Tuesday with between 120 and 150 people on board, bound for Europe, according to Reuters.