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 95, 400 per tola today.

Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 94, 000 per tola.

The yellow metal was traded at Rs 95, 800 per tola on Sunday.

Similarly, the price of silver has decreased by Rs 10 and is being traded at Rs 1,220 per tola today.

 

Arrest warrant issued against CPN Gen Secy Netra Bikram Chand

An arrest warrant has been issued against Nepal Communist Party General Secretary Netra Bikram Chand among other leaders of the party.

The Lalitpur District Court on Monday issued the warrant against Chand and Khadga Bahadur Bishwokarma among other leaders on the charge of possessing arms, crimes against the state and detonating Improvised Explosive Devices.

The court issued arrest warrant against Bhaktapur district in charge Tek Bahadur KC, Standing Committee member Santosh Budha Magar, central member Udaya Bahadur Chalaune, School Department members Bharat Bahadur Bam, Mohan Bahadur Karki and Padam Bahadur Rai among other leaders.

They have been ordered to appear before the court within 35 days.

 

1 killed, 1 injured as landslide buries house in Pokhara

A person died and another was injured when a landslide triggered by incessant rainfall buried a house at Pandhero in Dihikopatan of Pokhara Metropolitan City-6 on Monday.

According to DSP Sundar Tiwari of the District Police Office, Kaski, the deceased has been identified as Santosh Sunar (26) of Bhurjungkhola, Machhapuchhare Rural Municipality-1, Kaski. He had been living in the house as a tenant.

Critically injured in the incident, he was rushed to the Western Regional Hospital but doctors pronounced him dead in arrival, Tiwari said.

Sunar’s sister Sunita (27) was injured in the incident.

She has been receiving treatment at the Gandaki Medical College, police said.

Sunita’s 10-year-old daughter Simran Sunar was unhurt in the incident.

New Zealand's borders fully open after long pandemic closure

New Zealand's borders fully reopened to visitors from around the world on Monday, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic closed them in March 2020, Reuters reported.

New Zealand's borders started reopening in February, first for New Zealanders, and restrictions have progressively eased. 

The process of reopening the borders ended Sunday night with visitors who need visas and those on student visas now also allowed to return to New Zealand. New Zealand is now also letting cruise ships and foreign recreational yachts docks at its ports. 

Most visitors arriving in New Zealand still need to be vaccinated against COVID and must take two COVID tests after arriving. However, there are no quarantine requirements. 

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday during a speech at the China Business Summit in Auckland that the final staged opening of the borders had been an enormous moment. 

"It's been a staged and cautious process on our part since February as we, alongside the rest of the world, continue to manage a very live global pandemic, while keeping our people safe." 

International students were a significant contributor to New Zealand's economy and educational providers are hoping the reopening of the borders will again provide a boost to schools and universities around the country, according to Reuters.

New Zealand Tourism Minister Stuart Nash said the return of cruise ships will also be a boost for local industries. 

"Most cruise visits are during the warmer months of October to April, and summer is our bumper tourism season overall. This means it will be full steam ahead for the industry," Nash said.

‘Everything is gone’: Kentucky floods kill at least 28

Floods have unleashed by torrential rain in eastern Kentucky have killed at least 28 people, including four children, Governor Andy Beshear says, as authorities work to provide food and shelter for thousands of displaced residents, Reuters reported.

Some homes in the hardest-hit areas were swept away after days of heavy rainfall that Mr Beshear has described as some of the worst in the US state’s history.

Rescue teams guided motor boats through residential and commercial areas searching for victims.

“Everything is gone. Like, everything is gone. The whole office is gone,” one of the flood’s victims, Rachel Patton, told WCHS TV. Around her, houses were half-submerged in water.

“We had to swim out, and it was cold. It was over my head, so yeah. It was scary.”

Officials warn the death toll may continue to rise with more expected rainfall potentially hampering rescue efforts.

The National Weather Service forecasts several rounds of showers and storms through Tuesday, with a flood watch in effect through Monday morning in southern and eastern Kentucky.

“We are still focused on meeting the immediate needs of providing food, water and shelter for thousands of our fellow Kentuckians who have been displaced by this catastrophic flood,” Mr Beshear said in a statement on Sunday.

Mr Beshear, who declared a state emergency over the floods, earlier told NBC that authorities would “be finding bodies for weeks” as rescuers fanned out to more remote areas.

The floods were the second major national disaster to strike Kentucky in seven months following a swarm of tornadoes that claimed nearly 80 lives in the western part of the state in December.

President Joe Biden declared a major disaster in Kentucky on Friday, allowing federal funding to be allocated to the state, according to Reuters.

Mr Beshear’s office said affected residents could begin applying for disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Power lines were widely damaged, with more than 14,000 reports of outages on Sunday afternoon, according to PowerOutage, Reuters reported.

 

Nancy Pelosi begins Asia tour, with no mention of Taiwan

The Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, is beginning a tour of Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan, her office says - with no mention of a possible visit to Taiwan, BBC reported.

There has been intense speculation that she may visit the self-ruled island.

Taiwan is claimed by China - which has warned of "serious consequences" if she goes there. 

No high-ranking US elected official has visited Taiwan in 25 years.

Ms Pelosi, a California Democrat, tweeted that the six-person Congressional delegation tour would seek to "reaffirm America's unshakeable commitment to our allies and friends in the region".

Her office said the tour was to the "Indo-Pacific region" - "including" visits to Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan.

China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province that must become a part of the country. Beijing has not ruled out the possible use of force to achieve this in the future.

Chinese officials have expressed anger over what they view as growing diplomatic engagement between Taipei and Washington. There was a surprise visit to the island by six US lawmakers in April.

The US has formal diplomatic ties with China, and not Taiwan.

Ms Pelosi has long been a vocal critic of the Chinese leadership, denouncing its human rights record. She has met pro-democracy dissidents and visited Tiananmen Square to commemorate victims of the 1989 massacre.

Her original plan was to visit Taiwan in April, but she postponed the trip after she tested positive for Covid-19, according to BBC.

Earlier this month she said it was "important for us to show support for Taiwan".

President Joe Biden has said the US military believes a Pelosi visit to Taiwan is "not a good idea right now".

The statement from her office on Sunday said the tour would "focus on mutual security, economic partnership and democratic governance in the Indo-Pacific region".

Their talks will also cover trade, the climate crisis and human rights.

The delegates accompanying Ms Pelosi are leading members of the House of Representatives: Gregory Meeks, Mark Takano, Suzan DelBene, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Andy Kim.

The last House Speaker to visit Taiwan was Republican Newt Gingrich, in 1997, BBC reported.

 

England beat Germany to win first women’s major trophy

England created history by winning their first major women's tournament in a dramatic Euro 2022 final against old rivals and eight-time champions Germany at Wembley, BBC reported.

Substitute Chloe Kelly poked home a loose ball from a corner to send the raucous record crowd of 87,192 into a frenzy with ten minutes of extra time remaining.

She waited for confirmation of the goal before taking off her shirt and waving it around her head, while being lifted by her team-mates in a moment of pure elation.

On a monumental day in English football history, Sarina Wiegman's side showed they were equal to anything a strong and physical Germany team threw at them.

Ella Toone had earlier come off the bench to score the opener in normal time before Germany's Lina Magull set up a nervous ending when she equalised in the 79th minute.

There were scenes of jubilation in the stands and an outpouring of emotion by players on the pitch at full-time as the magnitude of their achievement sank in.

The final was advertised as a battle between the competition's two best-performing sides, and for large parts they cancelled each other out - but the biggest crowd in the history of a men's or women's Euros was given their money's worth.

Striker Ellen White missed a few chances in the first half, Lucy Bronze was denied with a header, Germany's Magull struck wide and England defender Leah Williamson had to scramble a corner off the line before Toone was introduced to break the deadlock, according to BBC.

She had given England fans the winning taste before Magull stunned the home crowd, though it would only delay the celebrations that Kelly, who only returned to football in April after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, gave them.

England did what no other nation had done before - beat serial winners Germany in a European Women's Championship final, and the feeling was sweet.

It comes 56 years after England's men beat West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final, the only previous major trophy won by a men's or women's England senior team.

The players fell to the ground at full-time in tears of joy, in scenes which will be remembered and replayed for years to come on one of the greatest nights in English sport, BBC reported.

Oleksiy Vadatursky: Ukraine grain tycoon killed in Russian shelling of Mykolaiv

One of Ukraine's richest businessmen has been killed with his wife in "massive" Russian shelling of the southern city of Mykolaiv, BBC reported.

Oleksiy Vadatursky, 74, and his wife Raisa died when a missile hit their home overnight, local officials said. 

Mr Vadatursky owned Nibulon, a company involved in grain exports. He had also received the "Hero of Ukraine" award.

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky described Mr Vadatursky's death as a great loss.

Mykolaiv mayor Oleksandr Senkevych said it was probably the heaviest Russian bombardment of the city so far.

There was damage to a hotel, a sports complex, two schools and a service station, as well as homes. 

Mykolaiv is on the main route to Odesa, Ukraine's biggest port on the Black Sea, and has been hit repeatedly since Russia launched its invasion on 24 February.

The region's leader Vitaliy Kim said Mr Vadatursky's "contribution to the development of the agricultural and shipbuilding industry, the development of the region is invaluable".

Meanwhile, an adviser to President Zelensky's office, said he believed Russia had deliberately targeted the businessman, according to BBC.

Mykhailo Podolyak said one of the missiles hit the businessman's bedroom, adding that this "leaves no doubt" it was being guided.

Nibulon has built many storage facilities and other infrastructure for exporting grain

Ukraine and Russia are major exporters of wheat and other grains, and the disruption of exports caused by the war has sent food prices soaring worldwide.

The two countries signed a UN-brokered agreement in Turkey last week, aimed at easing the food crisis. The deal was almost derailed by a Russian attack on the Odesa port the following day. 

The resumption of Ukrainian exports has been further delayed by security checks. But on Sunday Turkey said the first ship carrying grain was expected to leave Odesa on Monday morning.

Ukraine accuses Russian forces of stealing grain from farms on occupied land and exporting it via Crimea - Ukraine's southern peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014. Russia denies Ukrainian claims, BBC reported.