Gautam Adani is now world's 3rd richest person, first Asian to be in top 3
Business tycoon Gautam Adani is now the world’s third-richest person after surpassing Louis Vuitton's Bernard Arnault on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, IndiaToday reported. The latest listing on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index shows Gautam Adani in the third spot, behind Amazon's Jeff Bezos and Tesla's Elon Musk. Gautam Adani's net worth has been pegged at USD 137B, followed by Bernard Arnault at USD 136B. According to reports, this is the first time a person of Asian origin has broken into the top three of the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Nepal records 257 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday
Nepal reported 257 new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 1, 458 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 143 returned positive. Likewise, 2, 463 people underwent antigen tests, of which 114 were tested positive. The Ministry said that no one died of virus in the last 24 hours and 232 infected people recovered from the disease. As of today, there are 3, 146 active cases in the country.
Nepse surges by 2.33 points on Tuesday
The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 2. 33 points to close at 1,995.34 points on Tuesday. Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 1. 49 points to close at 388. 95 points. A total of 2,914,505 unit shares of 226 companies were traded for Rs 1. 01 billion. Meanwhile, Upper Hewakhola Hydropower Company Limited was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 8. 45 percent. Wean Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top loser as its price fell by 4. 77 percent. At the end of the day, total market capitalisation stood at Rs 2. 86 trillion.
Gold price increase by Rs 300 per tola on Tuesday
The price of gold has increased by Rs 300 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday. According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 94, 800 per tola today. The gold was traded at Rs 94, 500 per tola on Monday. Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 94, 300 per tola. Similarly, the price of silver is being traded at Rs 1,145 per tola today.
Three women killed in Rautahat lightning
Three women died after being struck by a lightning at Malahi in Garuda Municipality-3, Rautahat on Tuesday. Police identified the deceased as Sudmiya Devi (39), wife of Rup Narayan Shahi, daughter Jagiya Kumari (17) and local Satya Narayan Sahani’s daughter Manisha Kumari (18). Critically injured in the incident, they were rushed to the City Hospital but breathed their last during the course of treatment. The tragedy occurred while they were working in the paddy field of Saroj Sahani at around 7: 30 am today. Satya Narayan’s wife Saheli Devi (40) was injured in the incident. Police said that she is undergoing treatment at the City Hospital.
US Open: Serena Williams beats Danka Kovinic to extend New York farewell
Serena Williams extended her US Open farewell with a gritty opening win on an entertaining night packed with hope and celebration in New York, BBC reported.
Williams, who is set to retire after the tournament, won 6-3 6-3 against Montenegro's Danka Kovinic.
A near-capacity 25,000 crowd on Arthur Ashe Stadium willed on their idol and she responded in typical fashion.
Williams, 40, will play Estonian second seed Anett Kontaveit in the second round on Wednesday.
The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, who is one short of Australian Margaret Court's all-time record, is also playing in the doubles alongside older sister Venus, adding another exciting element to what she hopes will be a long goodbye this fortnight.
Her first assignment was beating Kovinic, ranked 80th in the world, and there was a thunderous noise when she took the first of three match points to ensure her singles career was not over yet.
Williams jumped on the spot when Kovinic's backhand return hit the net, then twirled ecstatically in the centre of the court before blowing kisses to her adoring fans when she had returned to her seat to soak in the occasion.
On how occasions like this affect her plans, she said: "It's extremely difficult still because I absolutely love being out there, according to BBC.
"The more tournaments I play, I feel like the more I can belong out there. That's a tough feeling to have, and to leave knowing the more you do it, the more you can shine.
"But it's time for me, you know, to evolve to the next thing. I think it's important because there's so many other things that I want to do."
UN agency to inspect Ukraine nuclear plant in urgent mission
A UN nuclear watchdog team set off on an urgent mission Monday to safeguard the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia atomic power plant at the heart of fighting in Ukraine, a long-awaited trip the world hopes will help avoid a radioactive catastrophe, Associated Press reported.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for the International Atomic Energy Agency experts who will visit the plant in a country where the 1986 Chernobyl disaster spewed radiation throughout the region, shocking the world and intensifying a global push away from nuclear energy.
“Without an exaggeration, this mission will be the hardest in the history of IAEA,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said.
Underscoring the urgency, Ukraine and Russia again accused each other of shelling the wider region around the nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest, which was briefly knocked offline last week. The dangers are so high that officials have begun handing out anti-radiation iodine tablets to nearby residents.
“The day has come,” Grossi tweeted Monday, adding that the Vienna-based IAEA’s “Support and Assistance Mission ... is now on its way.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry spokesman said the team, which Grossi heads, was scheduled to arrive in Kyiv on Monday. In April, Grossi had headed an IAEA mission to Chernobyl, which Russian forces occupied earlier in the war.
The IAEA said that its team will “undertake urgent safeguards activities,” assess damage, determine the functionality of the plant’s safety and security systems and evaluate the control room staff’s working conditions.
Ukraine’s nuclear energy agency, Energoatom, warned Monday of Russian attempts to cover up their military use of the plant.
“The occupiers, preparing for the arrival of the IAEA mission, increased pressure on the personnel ... to prevent them from disclosing evidence of the occupiers’ crimes at the plant and its use as a military base,” Energoatom said, adding that four plant workers were wounded in Russian shelling of the city where they live.
Ukraine accused Russia of new rocket and artillery strikes at or near the plant, intensifying fears that the fighting could cause a massive radiation leak. So far, radiation levels at the facility, which has six reactors, have been reported to be normal, according to Associated Press.
Ukraine has alleged that Russia is essentially holding the plant hostage, storing weapons there and launching attacks from around it, while Moscow accuses Ukraine of recklessly firing on the facility.
World leaders have called on the Russians to demilitarize the plant. Satellite images provided by Maxar Technologies on Monday showed armored personnel carriers on a road near the reactors, damage to a building’s roof also near the reactors, and brush fires burning nearby.
Ukraine reported more Russian shelling in Nikopol, across the Dnieper River from the nuclear power plant, with one person killed and five wounded. Relentless shelling has hit the city for weeks. In Enerhodar, a few kilometers from the plant, the city’s Ukrainian mayor, Dmytro Orlov, blamed Russian shelling for wounding at least 10 residents, Associated Press reported.
Moqtada al-Sadr: At least 15 dead amid fighting in Iraqi capital
At least 15 people have been killed as clashes between Iraqi security forces and supporters of a powerful Shia cleric continued in Baghdad overnight, BBC reported.
Officials say dozens more were injured after protesters loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr stormed the presidential palace.
The violence was sparked after Mr Sadr announced his retirement from politics.
Iraq's caretaker prime minister has called for calm and the military has declared a nationwide curfew after unrest in several other cities.
Street fighting erupted overnight, as fighters exchanged gunfire and tracer rounds illuminated the night sky in some of the worst violence to hit the Iraqi capital in recent years. Much of the fighting has been concentrated around the city's Green Zone, an area that houses government buildings and foreign embassies.
Security officials said some of the violence was between the Peace Brigades, a militia loyal to Mr Sadr, and members of the Iraqi military. Videos shared on social media appeared to show some fighters using heavy weaponry, including rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs).
Iran has closed its borers with Iraq amidst the fighting, and Kuwait has urged its citizens to leave the country immediately.
A spokesperson for UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said he was alarmed by events and called for "immediate steps to de-escalate the situation".
And Mustafa al-Kadhimi, the interim prime minister and an ally of Mr Sadr, has suspended cabinet meetings and has pleaded with the influential cleric to intervene and stop the violence, according to BBC.
A senior aide to Mr Sadr later told Iraq's state news agency INA that he had announced a hunger strike until the violence and use of weapons stopped.
In October, candidates loyal to Mr Sadr won the most seats in Iraq's parliament, but he failed to secure enough seats to form a government. He has since refused to negotiate with Iranian-backed Shia groups, sparking almost a year of political instability.
Mr Sadr said in a statement: "I had decided not to interfere in political affairs, but I now announce my final retirement and the closure of all [Sadrist] institutions." Some religious sites linked to his movement will remain open.
Mr Sadr, 48, has been a dominant figure in Iraqi public and political life for the past two decades. His Mehdi Army emerged as one of the most powerful militias which fought US and allied Iraqi government forces in the aftermath of the invasion which toppled former ruler Saddam Hussein.
He later rebranded it as the Peace Brigades, and it remains one of the biggest militias which now form part of the Iraqi armed forces.
Although the Mehdi Army had links to Iran, Mr Sadr had latterly distanced himself from Iraq's Shia neighbour and repositioned himself as a nationalist wanting to end US and Iranian influence over Iraq's internal affairs.
Mr Sadr, one of Iraq's most recognisable figures with his black turban, dark eyes and heavy set build, had championed ordinary Iraqis hit by high unemployment, continual power cuts and corruption, BBC reported.
He is one of a few figures who could quickly mobilise hundreds of thousands of supporters onto the streets, and draw them down again. Hundreds have been camped outside parliament since storming it twice in July and August in protest at the deadlock.
