Covid-19 pandemic is over in the US - Joe Biden
President Joe Biden has declared the pandemic over in the US, even as the number of Americans who have died from Covid continues to rise, BBC reported.
Mr Biden said that while "we still have a problem", the situation is rapidly improving.
Statistics show that over 400 Americans on average are dying from the virus each day.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) said last week that the end of the pandemic is "in sight".
In an interview with CBS programme 60 Minutes aired on Sunday, Mr Biden said that the US is still doing "a lot of work" to control the virus.
The interview - aired over the weekend - was partly filmed on the floor of the Detroit Auto Show, where the president gestured towards the crowds.
But administration officials told US media on Monday that the comments did not signal a change in policy and there were no plans to lift the ongoing Covid-19 public health emergency.
In August, US officials extended the public health emergency, which has been in place since January 2020, through to 13 October.
To date, more than one million Americans have died with the coronavirus disease, according to BBC.
Data from Johns Hopkins University shows that the seven-day average of deaths currently stands at over 400, with more than 3,000 dead in the past week.
In January 2021, by comparison, more than 23,000 people were reported dead with the virus over a single week-long span. About 65% of the total US population is considered fully vaccinated.
Top Republicans criticised the president's remarks, with former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo tweeting: "Biden now says 'the pandemic is over' as he's kicking tens of thousands of healthy soldiers out of the military with his COVID vaccine mandate."
Public health officials have expressed cautious optimism in recent weeks that the world is edging towards a pandemic recovery, but continue to urge people to be careful.
On Monday, Dr Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, acknowledged the situation had improved.
But in comments made at a Washington DC think tank, he said the daily death rate remained "unacceptably high".
"We are not where we need to be if we're going to be able to 'live with the virus,'" Dr Fauci said.
The US recently authorised new vaccines that match the version of the Omicron variant currently dominant in the country, with federal health officials asking Americans to keep their jabs up-to-date.
Last week, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the world has "never been in a better position to end the pandemic".
"We are not there yet," he said. "But the end is in sight."
Covid-19 also continues to have a significant impact on the US economy, with the National Bureau of Economic Research reporting last week that Covid-related disease had slashed the US workforce by about 500,000 people.
Mr Biden said he believes that the pandemic has had a "profound" impact on the psyche of Americans.
"That has changed everything... people's attitudes about themselves, their families, about the state of the nation, about the state of their communities," he said.
"It's been a very difficult time. Very difficult."
More than 6.5 million people have died since the beginning of the pandemic around the world. The US has had the highest death toll, followed by India and Brazil, BBC reported.
Queen Elizabeth II funeral: Nation pays final farewell
The nation has paid a final farewell to Queen Elizabeth II, with a state funeral and military procession, BBC reported.
World leaders and foreign royalty joined King Charles III and the Royal Family in the congregation at Westminster Abbey.
Hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets as the coffin was taken to Windsor where she was laid to rest.
At the funeral, the Dean of Westminster paid tribute to the Queen's "lifelong sense of duty".
The Very Rev David Hoyle spoke of her "unswerving commitment to a high calling over so many years as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth".
The day began with final respects being paid by members of the public who had queued up to see the Queen's lying-in-state in Westminster Hall.
Then, in a spectacle not seen for generations, her coffin - on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy, drawn by 142 sailors - was taken in a solemn procession to Westminster Abbey.
King Charles III walked alongside his siblings, Princess Anne and Princes Andrew and Edward. The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex walked side-by-side behind their father along a route lined by representatives of all parts of the military.
As the funeral procession entered the abbey, world leaders, politicians and foreign royalty stood as her coffin was carried up the aisle to be placed on a catafalque, draped in the royal standard with the Imperial State Crown, orb and sceptre on top.
Some of the youngest members of the family were in attendance at the abbey - the Queen's great-grandchildren Prince George and Princess Charlotte, aged nine and seven, sat with their parents the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Prime Minister Liz Truss and her husband Hugh O'Leary were present alongside cabinet ministers and all of the UK's surviving former prime ministers, seated in the abbey's quire.
About 100 presidents and heads of government joined the 2,000-strong congregation at the abbey - as well as US President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, there were French President Emmanuel Macron, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and Chinese Vice-President Wang Qishan, according to BBC.
Europe's royal families were strongly represented - with kings and queens from Denmark, Spain, Sweden, Norway, Belgium and The Netherlands. Denmark's Queen Margrethe II - now Europe's longest-reigning monarch - sat opposite King Charles close to the coffin.
The Emperor and Empress of Japan also attended, alongside other overseas royalty including Malaysia's King and Queen and King Abdullah II and Queen Rania of Jordan.
The religious service heard church leaders highlight the affection in which the Queen has been held by many people.
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said: "People of loving service are rare in any walk of life. Leaders of loving service are still rarer.
"But in all cases those who serve will be loved and remembered when those who cling to power and privileges are long forgotten."
He also spoke of how the Queen had declared on her 21st birthday "that her whole life would be dedicated to serving the nation and Commonwealth".
He added: "Rarely has such a promise been so well kept. Few leaders receive the outpouring of love we have seen."
Westminster Abbey is bound up with parts of the Queen's own personal history - it was where she was married and where her coronation took place. Her funeral heard Psalm 23 - The Lord Is My Shepherd, which was sung at her wedding.
As the abbey service came towards its end, the Last Post was played - by the same musicians who performed it at the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral at Windsor last year - before the nation came to a standstill for two minutes' silence.
The Queen's piper then played a traditional lament before the King stood silently as the national anthem was sung, BBC reported.
Among the personal touches at the ceremony was a handwritten message from the King, which was placed on top of the coffin in a wreath of flowers cut from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Highgrove House and Clarence House at his request. It read: "In loving and devoted memory. Charles R."
One shot dead in Gothatar
A man was shot dead at Gothatar in Kathmandu on Monday. The deceased has been identified as Mohammad Darji of Muslim Tole, Godaita Municipality-2, Sarlahi. He breathed his last during the course of treatment at the Maharajgunj-based Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, police said. According to Dinesh Raj Mainali, spokesperson at the District Police Range, Kathmandu, the incident occurred near Krishna Mandir in Gothatar. Police said that two unidentified persons, who came on a Pulsar motorbike, opened fire at Darji. Police said that they are searching for the people involved in the incident.
Chhepri Lopun appointed Nepal chief of Dalai Lama
The Central Tibet Administration (CTA) has appointed a new representative for Nepal to oversee Tibetan affairs. The headquarters of exiled Tibetan Community is in Dharmashala of Himanchal Pradesh, India. Religious leader Dalai Lama has been living in the same place. As the Nepal representative of Dalai Lama, the CTA has appointed Chhepri Lopun the Nepal chief. He has assumed the office from Monday itself. Lama took the charge as the head of Tibetan Refugee Welfare Office (Garden Khansar) in Lazimpat. The CTA appointed Lopun as the new representative after the tenure of Dalai Lama’s Nepal representative Chultrim Gyasto ended recently.
Nepal lose to Bangladesh 3-1 in SAFF Women’s Championship final
Nepal lost an opportunity to make an history in the SAFF Championship. In the final match of SAFF Women’s Championship played at the Dashrath Stadium in Kathmandu on Monday, Nepal faced a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Bangladesh. Bangladesh had taken a two-goal lead in the first half. Nepal tried to come back in the game with the goal of Sangita Basnet in the 70th minute. But, after a few minutes, Bangladesh scored third goal. This is the first time that Nepal lost to Bangladesh. Earlier, out of eight matches, Nepal won six matched and played two draw in two occasions. With this, Bangladesh bagged the title of the Women’s SAFF Championship.
10 parties submit closed list of proportional representation candidates so far
The Election Commission has said that 10 parties have submitted the closed list of their candidates of proportional representation (PR) for the elections to the House of Representatives and province assemblies so far. The Election Commission had urged the parties to submit the close list of candidates on October 2, 3 for the elections to be held on November 20. According to the poll body, nine parties had submitted the list on Sunday. Only a political party submitted the closed list today. It has been learnt that Nepali Congress (BP), Mongol Organization, Janata Pragatisheel Party and Pichadabarga Dalit Janajati Party are preparing to submit the list today. Similarly, Khumbu Rastriya Dalit Morcha Nepal, Bahujan Ekata Party, Rastriya Nagarik Party, Ekakrit Shakti Nepal, CPN (Maoist Center) and Nepal Sadhbhawana Party among others are also preparing to submit the list today itself.
Ashesh Dangol’s ‘All Those Beautiful Dreams’ music album released
Ashesh Dangol, also known by his stage name Himalayan Hendrix released his music album ‘All Those Beautiful Dreams’ on Sept 3. All the eight songs in the album are written, composed, mixed/mastered and produced by Dangol. The album consists of 8 tracks: Greed, My Blues Ain’t For Sale, Human VS Machine, Posers The Losers, All Those Beautiful Dreams, Unfulfilled Dreams, I let It Go, and For The New Revolution.
Gold price drops by Rs 400 per tola on Monday
The price of gold has dropped by Rs 400 per tola in the domestic market on Monday. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow bullion is being traded at Rs 91, 400 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 91, 800 per tola on Sunday. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 90, 900 per tola today. Similarly, the price of silver is being traded at Rs 1, 175 per tola.
